Are We Products Of Our Environment Or Products Of Our Expectations?
McKayla Dudley
LTED2051817 Contemporary Literacies Spring
4/6/2022
Are We Products of Our Environment or Products of Our Expectations?
I do believe that we are the products of our environment but more so, it's almost like we're victims of it too. Of course, not all of us are victims but those that can say that there are no rules that say being a product of your environment must be bad or negative. While the expectations society lays on us may influence our choices, we are ultimately still in charge of our actions. For example, if society wants us to get a car, we'll get a car, if we want a house, we'll get a house. Instead, we can say that we are the products of our actions, however, the same thing can be true with expectations, it doesn't matter if it's good or bad, we become subject to expectations placed on us. In personal experience, when it came time to start applying for colleges, everyone including my friends was telling me to go to an HBCU school or Montclair University because it would be a wonderful opportunity to explore the world outside of my city. At first, the decision for me was already made because it costs extra to travel and dorm in college and my Financial aid only covers the college. Of course, I did have a housing scholarship but I wasn't sure if it was going to cover the entire two semesters or for the four years I will be in college. Currently, I choose to commute, and even that has its bad parts because I live too far from the school and I would have to a train or a bus to get to school on time My choice does affect me because I am missing the college experience and that only comes once in a lifetime. I have the NJCU app and I asked someone what are the pros and cons about dorming in college and all he gave me was the negative side of things and I think that impacted my choice to commute because I didn't want to be miserable or unhappy, plus, I was afraid I would be homesick and miss my family. Also, social media does play with my choices because now I am spending my first year in college as a commuter and will not have the opportunity to tell others what doming in college was like. My friends and I recently did a zoom meeting explaining life after college for uprising freshmen, one of the girls went to the school I applied for and she had many great things to say about her experience and I felt embarrassed because all I had to explain was how getting to school every morning was a struggle or not being able to be around people that I can call friends. I am just getting used to everything in college and I am hoping that my second year will be more productive and encouraging.
This is something I've thought about before. We're programmed to want these things; cars, college, buying a house (like you've written), getting married, etc.. We feel like we're missing out because of what other people want us to do, and it's hard to make decisions for ourselves because ever since we were little, we were expected to act, talk, and look a certain way.
ReplyDeleteHey McKayla, society does play a part in many people's life because they think that everyone needs to have the same everything to be important or accepted. Social media plays a part in that as well because people put their life's highlight reel on display for everyone to see and compare their own life to it. I was a commuter myself and it does suck sometimes when you see your classmates having run in their dorm or just seeing the dorm life on social media period but it is okay you are at school to get your degree and better your life! This four years will pass you by so fast before you know it you'll be on to the next thing.
ReplyDeleteMcKayla,
ReplyDeleteI like that you thought about various aspects of life that can impact a person. For your college experience, I recommend being aware of the emails you receive. There are great activities and events, but sometimes there are also scholarship/grant offers for various things, such as dorming. Overall, your blog is good. Please be mindful of the 500 word minimum.
This is something I've considered in the past. We're taught to want these things: vehicles, college, home ownership (as you've said), marriage, and so on. We feel as if we're losing out because of what other people want us to do, and it's difficult to make decisions for ourselves because we've been required to act, talk, and appear a certain way since we were children. It's especially difficult for girls because if you do this and that, your parents will be really disappointed in you.
ReplyDelete