The "Norm"

I read the poem Woodstock
When entering adulthood everyone around asks to know the layout of your plan. You give them a fuzzy outline to satisfy there curiosity and the give you a million corrections and suggestions that fly right past your head. Everyone has a different idea for your plan, and your vision is easily pushed aside.

There is a norm that everyone follows and when someone diverts from that path they are looked at differently. Most of the time in a negative way but some in a good way. The fear of being judged because you didn't follow the norm drives people to take a path that isn't them.

A big part in growing up is making mistakes, and following your dreams. I think more people need to experiment with the path they in vision for themselves no matter what. If someone tears you down you get right back up. Following your dreams is the road to finding who you are, and the time taken for that is more important than a specific path the world has engraved in you to take. The fear of failing conquers the importance of finding yourself and that is the most terrifying thought.

Maddie Rzeppa

Project 3 Proposal

For my project three paper I am going to discuss women’s studies with the Disney movie Frozen. I want to look at the two strong female leads in this movie and how they overcome their struggles without the help of a male figure. I am not completely sure on what scene of the movie best shows this, so I am still debating between which scene to use. I think the power that the two female leads have in this film are inspiring to younger kids because there isn’t another Disney movie out there that doesn’t have a man swooping in the save the day. It is a different way to look a princess movie, and will help give young girls the thought that you don’t need a man to help you through your problems.

Maddie Rzeppa

Birthday Spankings

When I was growing up at a child my parents never spanked me. The only time we ever got spankings was on our birthday. My dad would scoop us up and tickle us, then we would give us birthday spankings. We carried this act through each family members birthday, including my Mom, Dad and Grandparents. This was a fun loving goofy gesture that became a humorous tradition in our family.

Being a social child I was always gong over to a friends house and what can I say at times I was a trouble maker. As we got scolded by my playmates mother my friend would get spanked, or her mother would say, You will get two spankings later". I was always so curious what was so terrifying about getting your butt smacked a few times, and why this was a punishment for some and not others. I felt lucky that my parents never spanked me, but never really understanding why.

As I talked to my parents about why the choose never to spank my sisters and I, the said they don't believe in using violence to getting someone to do something you want. That violence isn't they right way in getting your or showing a child that they are wrong. By hitting a child this is also showing that child that hitting is acceptable. Which we know its not so why do we do it?

There has been research that spanking can leave emotional scars on children and can affect them in the future. I can see that this is true but that is the same as saying that yelling at your children can leave emotional scars. Know that I have grown up and can make observations for myself I do think that spanking your child is wrong, and really is a part of an abusive act. Children are people too and you wouldn't hit your neighbor so why would you hit a child?

Looking back to the past there are some things people did back in the day that are considered illegal now. Times change and as life goes on change occurs. Spanking is one of those instances that needs to die down and should be considered child abuse.

Maddie Rzeppa

Editorial

The critical approach I enjoyed the most was the Editorial approach. This was the last thing I thought would interest me because it was someone's personal story and belief, but it ended up interesting me the most. It amazes me what someone's personal beliefs and experiences can greatly relate to your own or even influence you to realize the same thing. When reading about the authors feelings or life lessons makes everything more interesting. This particular article really inspired me and related to what I have been viewing upon our culture for quite a while. I found this editorial to be very interesting and made me realize how powerful writing can be. \
-Maddie Rzeppa

The New "Normal"

Wow. Was all could say after I finished reading the essay, Don't Send the Clones. Finally someone said what I have been trying to explain to people and they said it perfectly. When people ask me what my favorite part is about college I never say, the classes, the parties, or the freedom. My favorite part is the diversity. I love how everyone is different from each other but still ends up in the same place. The clicks still exist like they will where ever you go, but there is a moment where you can look around and see all the unique cool people around you. Some people find this scary, but I think it should be embraced more because it is such an important part of live...understanding others. At a community college people still tend to flock towards the people they know that went to there high school. I can say I am guilty of that, which is normal because its a new world out there. But, as each day goes by I try to talk to someone new and different from me. In high school I was always pretty different from the other girls, but that is the way I am. I don't like to conform because that's what everyone else is doing. So when I see all these people that are the same way as me makes me realize not everyone is the same. With the high usage of social media people can find those clicks or groups easier and they end up not stepping out of there comfort zone. I think this needs to change because you will never develop yourself as a person without experiencing others that are different than you.
-Maddie Rzeppa