November 2016

The Amount of Essays an Average

American HS Student Writes in One
Month
All Essays By: Samantha Santana Rodriguez
Business English
Period 5

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November 2016

Random: I wanted to write an essay about gender roles. APA

FORMAT

Genders in the 21st Century

Samantha Santana Rodriguez

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November 2016

What does it mean to be a man/women in the 21st century? Is there really even such a

thing as gender roles anymore? Most people seem to believe that all genders are given the same

opportunities. Its as if everyone is lost in a large American freedom haze all the time. But in

reality there are a lot of problems regarding gender roles and feminism that we all seem to have

decided to look away from. But in all honesty, gender roles are a current problem imbedded into

our society and if we dont take a stand against them no well be stuck in a anti-feminist world

for who knows how long.

The sad truth is that gender conformity is everywhere and is beat into our brains the

second we enter this earth. We always see newborn childrens clothes in boy blue or girl

pink. The fight to stop gender roles needs to start at the beginning, with the kids. The children

now are the future and as of now all theyre exposed to is the media, which is jam-packed with

all sort of gender stigmas. Video games, a multi-billion dollar industry, are a great example of

how we can spot gender roles anywhere. Although adults might think of Pac-man, a gender

neutral character based game, as a video game, nowadays most video games always depict the

female character as the damsel in distress and its always the male character that has to come

in and be the knight in shining armor. Women are close to always represented as the

submissive character in video games and this is what children begin to perceive as correct.

Research indicates that females are vastly underrepresented in popular video games and are

often hypersexualized when depicted (Behm-Morawiz & Mastro/, 2009, p. 809). Most video

games objectify females and this is what the gamers, sometime adults, then become compelled to

see women as, even outside the game. Overall, research suggest that when female characters

appear in video games they most often serve as victims or prizes and occupy stereotypical

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gender roles such as brazenly sexualized beings and object s of sexual desire (Behm-Morawiz

& Mastro, 2009, p. 809).

Not only are children brought up with the idea that women are sexual objects through

their video games but while they attend school gender roles are even more present to them.

Children are pressured to fit themselves into gender norms. In 2014, there was case of a 9-year

old boy, Grayson Bruce, who was bullied at school for having a My Little Pony lunchbox. When

the mother got involved she was shocked to hear the principals solution was for Grayson to hide

his lunchbox (Kemper, 2014). Later on the mother was even more shocked when the school

decided that Grayson was not allowed to bring hias lunchbox to school anymore (Kemper, 2014).

This is a great example of how the people that we trust to leave our children with are pressuring

them and pushing them to fit into societal gender norms. Is there really such a big problem with a

young boy liking ponies? Well, with all the gender norms that we enforce everyone to follow

something as simple as this can cause a child to be discriminated against.

Furthermore, the gender roles proceed onto adulthood. As of 2013l women are paid 78

percent of what men are paid. The sad facts are that almost every occupation has a pay gap. Even

worse is that while more education is an effective tool for increasing earning, it is not an

effective tool against the gender pay gap (Hill, 2015). We are told that if we try hard and pursue

higher education everything will go nice and dandy. But thats all a lie, because the moment we

hit the real working world we (women) arent seen as equal. In essence, we become a joke to the

bigger companies. Why? Because of the institutionalized gender roles established into the

frameworks of our society, thats why.

For some reason, everyone seems to believe that America is the everlasting symbol for

freedom and equality. Although, Ill say we have it better than most in other countries. The hard

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hitting truth is that this country was established on inequality and this has caused society to

continue with that initial bigoted mindset. Yes, weve come a long way from girls only wearing

skirts, girls not voting, girls not going to school, girls cleaning all day, and girls simply becoming

baby machines. But if you think about it, I can wear a skirt, but only if its two inches above my

knee. I may be able to vote, but my political views are still not going to be seem as important as

one of a man. I may be able to go to school, but Im still seen as bossy if I take a leadership

role or I stand out as intelligent. I may not have to stay home and clean all day, but Im still

expected to see marriage as the ultimate goal to achieve. Not to mention, me saying I dont want

kids is still seen as an extremely odd idea. How long is it going to take for us to reach the point

where everyone is simply just see as human? When you see men and women you should simply

see human bodies, not carry with you a mind filled of prejudice ideas.

Unfortunately, gender roles are a something that has been almost programmed into the

minds of us all. Although a lot of us try to live our lives without being prejudice, its hard when

youre been raised in a way where youre whats correct and whats the right way to think. So

my solution to this problem is a revolution. Because feminist riots are great and they get noticed

locally usually, but unless you're a mid-twenty hipster fresh out of college you aren't necessarily

looking out for feminist updates. Everybody is too pre-occupied with their own problems to

bother thinking about that little kid being bullied or the gender pay gap. What we really need to

do is focus our efforts on people high up, because they're the ones that can really make people

listen. Because, when it comes to an issue of this matter, you need a nation-wide mind shift. We

are essentially asking for everyone in the country to change everything they've been t is

"correct". So to begin with, we need to understand that fixing this issue is going to take very long

and a lot of work. First, laws regarding school would need to be changed to produce a more

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gender neutral atmosphere, because if we're going to change mind we need to start from when

people are young. Then as time goes on the gender neutral minded generations will give birth

and spread the stop of gender roles. There needs to be more activist for the cause, because if we

all join together we really can make a change. You start locally and build up, but always keep the

"men" higher up in mind. Although local things empowering young girls are great, if we want to

change the country we need to change the mind of the ones in power first. Ones we change the

minds of the ones on top, that's the when the pushing really starts. Just get them to make it a

large issue Blow it out of proportion and make people notice. Although this will take long, I see

it as the most effective way. Because we can't just make a "No Gender Roles" law, the problems

is literally inside of us. As for the gender pay gap, we can actually approach that through getting

the attention of legislators. The Paycheck Fairness Act, "Amends the portion of the Fair Labor

Standards Act of 1938 (FLSA) known as the Equal Pay Act to revise remedies for, enforcement

of, and exceptions to prohibitions against sex discrimination in the payment of wages", would

certainly help the problem (Hill, 2015). If we impose stronger incentives for employers to follow

the law and enhance the federal enforcement it could most definitely make a difference (Hill,

2015)

As a whole, gender roles are still very existent and it's a problem we need to fix now

before it becomes too difficult. It's going to take a lot of dedication as nation, but there is

definitely a possibility that in the future we'll be able to live in a country were gender is strictly

what's in your pants not what defines you as a person.

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References
Behm-Morawitz, E., & Mastro, D. (2009). The Effects of the Sexualization of Female Video

Games on Gender Stereotyping and Female Self-concept. Sex Roles, 61(11/12), 8008-

823, doi: 10.1007/s11199-009-9683-8

Kemper, M. (2014). Schools: Stop Forcing Kids to Conform to Gender Norms. RH Real Check.

Retrieved from http:llrhrealitycheck.org/article/2014h03/28/schoolsstop forcing-kids

conform gender- norms/

Lindsey, L. L., (2014) Gender Roles: A Sociological Perspective SA: Pearson.

Hill, Catherine. (2015). The Simple Truth About the Gende y Gap (Spring 2015). A Association

of University Women AAUW). Retrieved from http://www.aauw.org/r esearch the

simple-truth-about-the-gender-pay-gap

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November 2016

ENGL 1301: Write a 5 page end of the world survival guide. MLA
FORMAT
Samantha Santana Rodriguez
Professor Nguyen
ENGL 1301
20 Nov. 2016

Remembering the Beginning of the Q

Wake up! Its your turn to be look out. Come on! Im tired and want to sleep. Gunnar

exclaimed.

Fine, Im up gosh! I said pushing him away.

I hear some rustling about an hour ago to the north, so keep an eye out, he said as

leaving and going into his small hut.

I didnt mind having to take the lookout shift at night; I just hate the waking up part. But

the shifts always gave me time to think. Think about how it had been a year already. Its crazy

how fast time passed by. A year, since our entire lives had changed. A year since earth had

become overrun by a disease. Not only had this year passed by fast, but I remember how fast it

all happened. One day we were all happy eating, going to school, adults working, and the next

day everyone just got sick. After that it all just went downhill. People started to just drop dead,

there was an outbreak. After a day it was all over the news and scientist has given the disease a

huge long name, we just knew it started with a Q. Therefore everyone would simply say, She

got the Q, died an hour ago.

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November 2016

But then it just got worse, as more people died and more bodies piled up the stronger the

disease got. I couldnt understand it completely from the way the scientist on the TV talked but

from what I understood the bacteria came from a species of frog. It was a common frog that one

would see in a pond, but something happened and a mutated version of the frog appeared. This

mutant frog had a special chemical bond in their saliva that was highly toxic to humans. Long

story short, this toxic frog saliva got into the water system. Therefore, unknowingly, everyone

literally drank their lives away. Worse part was that this effected plants too. Once the bodies

started to pile up the disease would spread to the surrounding areas and impact them severely.

The plants would grow this weird fungus and the floor would get this disgusting muck all over it.

After 2 weeks, about half of my neighborhood has been taken by the Q. Not to mention

there were houses that had been completely taken over by the goo-like substance that came from

the bacteria. My family and I were scared. We didnt understand how this could be happening.

As days went by more people started boarding up their houses. Our best bet was to do

that as well, so we did. For about 3 weeks my family and I figured out a way to live off the small

amount of food we had. Every day we would peek out the small attic window. Everyday there

were less completely houses, less trees without goo, and more dead people. After those three

weeks we knew we had to do something more drastic. From the maps and graphs that would

flash on the TV, the disease was not as prominent in the west coast. So my dad made the decision

and said, Were leaving, if we dont leave we die. We all listened to him, packed what we

thought was necessary, and began our journey.

Looking back at that moment now I realize how nave we were and what the wanting for

survival can do to a person. As I sat here looking out into our camp I couldnt help but laugh. A

year ago we had left our house thinking the whole epidemic would be over in a month or so.

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November 2016

Little did we know that just days after we left a little amount of the muck would begin to grow

on the side of a light post. And in days it would make its way up the light post and then get into

the cables causing that one light post to go down. Within weeks you were lucky if you still had

electricity.

I liked to think about the beginning of it all during my shifts but I always stopped

thinking when it got to the part when we left home. It was still sad and remembering those

excruciating first couple of weeks wasnt going to help.

All I could do now was sit here and make sure my peoples camp wouldnt get ransacked

my scavengers and plan for the next days food run. My camp had about twenty people,

Somehow in the year that had passed by we had all found each other and in a way become a

family. Everyone in the camp had a specialty, mine was the food runs. I always made the plan

and always led the group. I knew the terrain the best and was pretty quick. I order to get food

now it was an entire ordeal. You had three main options: steal from another camp, hunt, or

foraging. My camp did a little bit of all three.

I specifically was an expert at option number one. My brother Gunnar was the expert for

option number 2. He could aim anything you gave him at an animal and in some way or another

have that object hurt it enough for us to catch it. But that option could always back fire; there

were some animals that were immune to the Q but some werent and we still didnt have all of

that figured out. During the day we would usually get the smaller children to go out with Mr.

Gomez. Mr. Gomez was an older man, one of those old guys that in our old world you would

have seen on TV on a show like naked and afraid. He somehow just knew stuff, specifically stuff

to do with the outdoors so he was our foraging expert.

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My thinking was distracting me, my shift was almost over and I needed to make the plan

for the next food run. I knew that around our camp we had about 5 other surrounding camps.

About a month ago we had ransacked the farthest away one. This month I thought we would go

for the one west to us. I had perfected a plan when it came to my food run and its honestly quite

now. My perfect plan for stealing food is as follows:

First, one must get together a group of about 5 people. The run needs to be made when its

pitch black and all there is to hear is crickets chirping. Too many people can cause too much

noise so its something important to remember. Second, one needs to first map out the area, make

sure everyone knows exactly where to go and were to be at all moments of the run. Third, once at

the camp, everyone splits up, surrounding the entire camp. Typically, if theyre smart, theyll

have someone as look out. This is when someone in the group sneaks up to the look out and

knocks them out; they then signals to everyone else. Usually Douglas does this. When we started

the runs he learned how to do one of those choke holds that makes people pass out. After that he

became our designated knock out the lookout person. Now fourth, a fairly simple step,

everyone must very quickly and quietly grab everything they see worth taking. Lastly, after

maximum five minutes, the leader, I in this case, signals for everyone that the raid is over.

This is how one acquires food in the world of the Q epidemic.

The hard part was really just choosing the path you would take there since you didnt

want to go through and areas that has too much goo and could cause someone to get infected.

But I had successfully made the path for the next run.

And now I could see as sunrise was slowly approaching. In half an hour or so everyone

would be awake. I was getting thirsty so I went over to our water supply, it wasnt much but its

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what we were able to either steal or successfully disinfect by boiling. Its always noticeable when

water is infected, it just looks different. It usually has a bit of a gray tint to it. So as I look at the

water I know instantly, its infected. I dont want to risk it so I pick up the bowl and try my best

not to touch it. I walk as far as I can without getting too far away from camp and throw it all

away. As Im reaching camp I notice my das awake.

He look at me, looks at the bowl and screams, What the hell Miranda!? What makes you

think you can just throw water away like that!?

Sorry dad, but it was infected. What was I supposed to do leave it there and let everyone

die I exclaimed

With a face of embarrassment he responded, Oh, Im sorry I didnt realize. Shouldnt

have screamed. You did the right thing.

I was a bit annoyed but just said, Its okay

I walk over to the bench the kids made and sat down, my dad followed and sat next to me.

How was the shift? Any movement? dad asked.

Not really, but Gunnar said he heard some noises during his shift I asserted

Well, that wont really matter. I talked to the other adults in the camp. I think were

gonna move camp in a couple of day he said softly knowing I wouldnt like the idea

WHAT!! Not again! I blurted out.

Its the best thi I walked away before letting him finish.

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Moving camp was always the worst; we had to pack everything up, walk through goo

infested areas literally trying not to die for hours, make sure the little kids didnt trail off, and

then eventually choose and area that looked livable. I hated the whole process. Just finding the

new place took way too long and once were there it was all from point zero. First we had to

disinfect the entire area with this crazy liquid Mr. Gomez made. He said that he had made a

vaccine for the Q. In reality it was just a liquid that when hardened it made a think enough

layer to where we werent really in contact with the surface of anything at any point. And Im

happy we have it and all but it smelt horrible and the smell would last days. It literally makes me

sick to the point of throwing up. Not to mention we then had to boil all fabric we had, because

what if it had been infected throughout the walk to the new camp. So this was ust endless hours

of boiling and boiling and more boiling.

Then this is when we could finally make out tents, which I was horrible at. I always have

to get someone else to do it and I just hated it. I didnt want to move camps, I didnt want change

again. I had finally gotten good at making my runs in the areas we were in. If we moves I would

have to learn the area from scratch and spy on any surrounding camps and see if they had any

form of protection. Subsequently, I would have to make traps to surround our camp. I was over

it, I was over the Q.

But I knew I had no choice. We didnt run our lives anymore, the Q did.

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ENGL 1301: Choose two people to prosecute and two people to

defend from the episode watched in class. MLA FORMAT
Samantha Rodriguez
Professor Nguyen
ENGL 1301
3 November 2016
A Sad Ending to Happy
Statistics show that the life of someone involved in crime and drug use is detrimentally

shortened. The interesting part is that its not necessarily because they die while committing a

crime or because they might overdose. A lot of these people simply end up in situations where

someone wants them killed and that someone makes it happen. In season 7, episode 21, of CSI:

Crime Scene Investigation we are shown a clear example of this statistic. The show tells how

the murder of Happy, a retired boxer that fell into the life of drugs and prostitutes, occurs and

how he ultimately lost his life. It is unclear who exactly killed him, since so many of the

characters had intent to kill. However, due to evidence and logic, in this CSI episode Dreama and

Conner should be prosecuted, while Dorris and Binky should not be prosecuted.

Throughout the episode, we are given a lot of insight into Happys life and his

interpersonal relationships. Happy was an avid drug user and drank at very large amount. Happy

was also very adamant about having the girls working in this whorehouse to give him sexual

pleasure whenever he wanted and for free. On top of this, Happy was having an affair with the

wife of the man that owned the whoerehouse, All of these parts to Happys life left him with a

couple of enemies.

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On the night of his murder Happy endured a series of attacks. First, while sleeping,

Dreama and Conner injected Happy with snake poising and staged it to where it seemed to be a

snake bite. After this, searching for comfort, Happy heads over to Dorris. Dorris administers oral

sex to Happy, but this causes Happy to have an allergic reaction. This reaction is to the shellfish

Dorris had eaten earlier, which Binky had actually fed to her on purpose. At this point, Happy is

roaming the grounds in search of something for his allergic reaction, but this is when Conner

sees Happy and shoots him with a crossbow. This wound into his neck actually ends up serving

as an emergency tracheotomy which gives Happy the time to go find medicine. After this, Happy

decides to go to Dreamas room where she hits him over the head with a crow bar. At the end,

Happy goes and sits by the pool and because the chair is broken he falls into the pool, where he

dies.

But in order to truly choose who should and should not be prosecuted we must look at

facts, evidence, and what will actually hold up in court. First we have Dreama. The most pivotal

points for the prosecution of Dreama is the fact that it was entirely premeditated. Dreama

actively thought out a plan to kill Happy and then acted upon it. Beyond that, Dreama actually

confessed to the detective face to face. When it comes to successfully prosecuting an individual

these two points will easily make a case. Its also important to note that compared to the

somewhat circumstantial evidence the detectives have on Dorris and Binky, the evidence for

Dreama (and Conner) is much better and explicitly depicts all the action they took to kill Happy.

The detectives have DNA evidence on the syringe found in Dreamas room that was used to

administer the snake poison. They also have the crowbar found under her bead which had

Happys blood all over it. Some may say that it was self -defense, due to the fact that Happy was

very aggressive when it came to sex between him and Dreama. But the reality is that at the

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moment that she was having Conner inject Happy with snake poison Happy was asleep and not

harming her in any way. When Dreama hit Happy with the crowbar later on is also not clearly

self-defense. This is due to the fact that although Happy was being aggressive toward her,

Dreama knew about the poison and knew he would die. Therefore, hitting him on the head was

almost for Dreama to ensure he would die.

Furthermore, Conner was Dreamas accomplice. He, like Dreama, acted on premeditated

plans and confessed to his actions directly to the detectives. This will make the case much better

and therefore allow the detectives to easily prosecute both Dreama and Conner for the murder.

Conner also left behind a lot of evidence for the detectives to find. There is the bow left in the

wall of the old man that was used to shoot Happy which has his DNA on it. Not to mention

everyone knew he owned a crossbow. The fact that Conner goes back to shoot Happy after

already have injected him with poison simply further incriminates him. There is also the fact that

Conner was actually the person to inject the poison into Happys bodies. All of these facts tied in

together is why Dreama and Conner are the clear suspects to prosecute for the murder of Happy.

As for Dorris and Binky, although there is some evidence of intent there are many

reasons why prosecuting them just wouldnt be the correct options. First, you have Dorris.

Although Dorris was the one to in a way feed Happy the shellfish which caused his allergic

reaction she was not aware at the moment that she was doing this. As a matter of fact, Dorris had

a romantic relationship with Happy; meaning she would never want him dead. Dorris is kept

unaware of almost everything until the detectives mention the shellfish allergy. As to the aspect

of her lying to cover up Binky, that is very circumstantial and not something that can be directly

used to pin her down to the murder. She could be prosecuted for lying to the police but you cant

try her for murder simply because she lied. Another important aspect is that throughout the entire

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investigation Dorris is extremely cooperative and if anything give the policemen a lot of helpful

insight into the life of Happy. Overall, Dorris did something wrong but this something is not

murder, so Dorris should not be one of the two prosecuted.

As for Binky, we have a similar scenario. Binky, purposely, gives Dorris the shellfish

knowing Happy had an allergy and knowing that Dorris and Happy MOST LIKELY be intimate

that night. The most likely is important because although Binky hoped for the two to be intimate

he had no assurance that this would actually occur. This makes the hypothetical case of him

being one of the murders very weak. Binkys plan was entirely based on a if this happen then

maybe this will happen basis which make it very weak evidence of premeditation. Not to

mention that Binky did not directly feed the shrimp to Happy, he simply hoped that through oral

sex Dorris could give him an allergic reaction. It is also important to mention that and allergic

reaction is much less tragic than lets say snake poison or being shot by an arrow. Happy had

medicine for his allergy in his room, therefore meaning that in reality Happy would have

probably never died from Binkys attempt.

Also, Binky has a little to almost no motive for killing Happy. It definitely wasnt due to

affair, how Dreama attempted to make it seem life, because Binky tells Dorris in the show that he

didnt care about her having affairs with other men. It also wasnt because Happy mistreated his

prostitutes because throughout the show Binky is depicted as money hungry. Binky is in the

business because he knows it brings him money. Therefore, he sees the girls as his way to get

money not necessarily people he must care for. If anything killing to protect the prostitutes was

Dreamas motive in the show. In the show it is also mentioned that Binky and Dorris were

sticking together and had already gotten a lawyer, which therefore would make it harder to

prosecute the two. On the other hand, prosecuting Dreama and Conner would be easier.

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Its also interesting how in both pairs of suspects he have a scenario where one is being

manipulated in order to harm Happy. The clear difference between the two is the nature of this

manipulation. Between Binky and Dorris you have Binky manipulating Dorris but its not to a

very large extent, since power wise it is easy to see that both hold similar levels in their

relationship. But when it comes to Dreama and Conner the story is a bit different. Conner is a

bartender at the whorehouse and spends most of his days drunk. Conner is in love with Dreama

and she used this to her advantage when manipulating Conner to kill Happy. Dreama saw Conner

as a weak person, someone easily influences, someone she could take advantage of. Therefore,

this is what she did. Dreama used Conners weak character and his love for her to acquire what

she wanted. This relationship that Dreama formed and these actions she took are very murder-

like. These are thoughts and ideas that a lot of murders go through and think about when wanting

to use someone or when trying to find an accomplice.

As a whole, Dreama and Conner are clearly the ones that should be prosecuted. This

conclusion is based on analysis of the evidence, on the amount of motive, on whether it was

premeditated or not, and on the actually facts of what happened that night Happy died. As for

Dorris and Binky, they may not be the best or most honest of people, but they did not commit

murder. After evaluating all the aspects of the case and the occurrences of that day its clear to

see that Dorris and Binky are not the ones to prosecute.

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November 2016

AFS BP Global Citizens of Tomorrow Scholarship Reflection Essay:

You were awarded the scholarship and now we want to know about
your experience. Answer these two short essay prompt so we can
know more about your year abroad.
Essay 1: Why did you want to travel abroad?

Traveling the world is something that I have always desired, and have always aspired on

studying abroad and becoming an exchange student. By living in a different country I knew that

it would get the opportunity to broaden my horizons intellectually, learn about different cultures,

become fluent in a language and immerse myself in a whole new world. I have been fortunate to

have traveled to other countries and I have witnessed firsthand how beneficial it is to be socially

aware of different cultures and traditions in other countries.

I wanted to be able to create new perspectives and I knew that living abroad would allow

me to do so without a doubt. As I thought about going abroad, I knew that going to school in a

different country would give me an insight on a different education system, living with a host

family would allow me to create new relationships and learning a new language would give me

the ability to absorb more about the country. A year ago I saw this study abroad opportunity as

an opportunity to make me a lot more versatile on how I thought of the world, and it definitely

did.

I wanted my study abroad experience to become an occasion for me to come back home

and educate my family, my community and my peers at my school, about the new lessons I had

learned. As an AFS student I wanted to use my gained knowledge to advocate for students to be

taught more about world cultures. I wanted to personally make sure, that my fellow peers would

become more interested in world affairs and more knowledgeable about other countries.

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November 2016

In conclusion, I simply wanted to treasure every experience and pass on the lessons that I

would learned. I knew my drive would be the key to my success, and would give me the strength

to overcome any possible obstacles while abroad. And my hunger to learn would keep me

attentive at all times. I knew that while in the country I would continue to let my passion,

determination and motivation push me to strive for greatness.

Essay 2: You experienced culture shock while abroad. Tell us a bit about how you overcame

this and aspects of you that helped you.

Ever since I was a young girl Ive constantly been exposed to different cultures. Having a

Dominican dad and a Venezuelan mom definitely gave me a different view on life and the world

that we live in. Growing up in a diverse neighborhood I was able to witness firsthand how the

US is a tossing salad and this gave me the aspiration to learn more about world cultures.

Previous to going to Brazil, I classes at my at my high school that cultivated my

knowledge for languages, cultures and traditions of places all over the world. In my dual credit

Spanish class we read articles about South American ancient cultures, and the moment I saw

pictures of ancient structures and artifacts I had this immediate need to go visit the countries that

we were talking about. I believe that my hunger for knowledge was a key to giving me the

determination needed to live in a different country.

Beyond that, before going abroad I believe I was already surrounded by friends that

shared the wanting to know more with me. When I am among my friends, we discuss current

events and problems that are taking place in the United States. I am persistent on gaining more

information about all of these different situations that effect people in the world. When I am

introduced to a new issue that involves views that go against my own, I do not feel intimidated or

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November 2016

scared. If anything it intrigues me to know more about the subject, to learn the reasoning behind

the belief and urges me to question the unknown. I think these aspects of myself played a huge

role when I faced different situation while abroad.

While abroad, I lived in a very small rural city in one of the most conservative states of

Brazil. Therefore you can see how there were some clashes with the ideas of a teen girl from the

4th largest city in the US. Id say that the biggest moment of culture difference were inside my

home. Dont get me wrong I love my host parents and they were perfect, but there are definitely

differences in how we think. I remember clearly my (host) mom commenting on how there were

certain clothes that I just couldnt wear because people will talk and gossip about me not always

being pretty and clean. The concept of beauty is very different from country to country and

this applied a lot to me and my host moms relationship. Houston is a pretty liberal city where a

lot of times people are accepted by whatever they choose to be and look like. But in Brazil I

clearly stood out. And the way I overcame this was simply having conversations about it with my

host mom. It really brought us together because she got to see how I thought, and vice versa, but

beyond that it caused us to talk about global issues for hours. Ultimately, I came to the

realization that I was there to experience being Brazilian, I wasnt there to be an American

observing Brazilians. Therefore, I guess you could say I assimilated and took up Brazilian beauty

trends.

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YWLC Application: Please provide answers to the following

questions.

1. List activities in which you are involved, including employment, sports, community, school,
and leadership, etc.
- I do a lot throughout my everyday life. I recently got a job; I work at Chipotle. Another big part
of my time is devoted to a couple of programs I volunteer with. My main volunteering work is
done with AFS. AFS is an organization that facilitates study abroad opportunities for people all
over the world. My sophomore year I studied abroad to Brazil through them. Now that Im back,
I typically help with interviewing applicants and counseling foreign student staying in the US.
Aside from this, a fellow classmate and I have an on-campus mentoring/tutoring program where
we have formed a buddy system between the freshman and junior class. We essentially just tutor
and give advice to the lowerclassmen. All of these things keep my days pretty busy but when I
do have time to relax I enjoy painting a lot. Which I express threw painting on my room walls.
2. What do you view as the most critical issue facing youth today?
- As a 16 year old going through high school, Id say that the biggest issue affecting youth today
is the unrealistic expectations that are given to us in order to succeed. From the moment you
enter the American school system you are told that as long as you apply yourself and try your
best youll succeed. But as you get older you realize that this isnt necessarily true. This moment
of realization happens to a lot of youth in high school. I see a lot of student, including myself,
working extremely hard, doing what we were taught to do, yet still being told that its not
enough. Nowadays, young student are being set on a pedestal that is almost impossible to reach.
The real issue with this is that this typically affects students emotional states. Many times I have
seen students reach very low points due to the fact that they fear they wont reach societies
standards of success. Our society should not be defining what success is for us. Not just that,
but the ideal of greatness should not be pressed so hard into students minds that it causes stress
and self-questioning. Student should be able to find their own path to success and choose their
own way.
3. Describe why you should be selected to be a YWLC ambassador and what you hope to
accomplish for other youth that you represent
- I have always been a very outspoken person and I believe that this is definitely a characteristic
a YWLC ambassador must have. But the reasons I believe I would do well as an ambassador
include a lot more than just being outspoken. I believe that with my background, a 1st generation
Latina, I would be able to connect with a huge portion of our communities and successfully
capture what they wish to improve. Beyond that, I also believe that I hold a lot of leadership
skills that would aid me throughout my time as a YWLC ambassador. I see myself as a young
women with a lot of ideas and with a lot of passion towards for making women embrace their
femininity. And I hope I am given the possibility to express all of this passion through being a
YWLC ambassador.
4. After graduating from high school, what are your academic and/or career goals?
- After high school, my hope is to be accepted into a 4year institution. As of now, I plan to major
in International studies or Political Science. As for more long term goals. I would like to create a
career as a U.S. Diplomat. The work of a diplomat is something that really appeals to me and a
job I could see myself really enjoying. Not just that, but through this job I hope to bring the

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world closer to world peace. I believe that diplomacy is one of the best way to reach that big
global goal and I want to make a part of it.

CIEE Summer Abroad Application: Please answer the following

questions about your program choice, goals, and expectations for
participating.
Outside of language, what do you foresee as your greatest challenge while participating in the
high school summer abroad program? What do you plan on doing to overcome that
challenge?
I'd say that aside from the language the hardest part of the experience would be getting use to the
way things are done in South Africa and being able to submerge myself into their culture. Last
year I studied abroad to Brazil for the entire year and I think that experience will definitely help
with this possible challenge I'll phase in South Africa. In Brazil, it was very hard to understand
why things were the way they were but once I truly opened up and just changed my mindset it all
got a lot better. So if I were to go to South Africa and feel that I might not be successfully
becoming a part of the community I could use that same process and take things from my past
experience to get through the challenge.
What are three goals you would like to take away from your experience on this program?
My first main goal would definitely be to successfully immerse myself within the South African
culture and to truly leave the experience with new knowledge of a culture. My second goal
would to be able to apply my new knowledge on this culture onto a part of my life. Essentially,
taking a positive factor of the way this culture might do something and possibly applying it to
my life and better that factor. My third goal would be to simply enjoy myself and form a possible
lifelong love and appreciation for the city, country, and people in this experience.

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CIEE Summer Abroad Scholarship Application

Why is it so important to you to experience the high school summer
abroad program and the host country you selected?
Traveling the world is something that I have always desired, and have always aspired on
studying abroad and becoming an exchange student. By experiencing life in a different country I
know that it will give me the opportunity to broaden my horizons intellectually, learn about
different cultures, learn a new language and immerse myself in a whole new world. I have been
fortunate to have traveled to other countries and I have witnessed firsthand how beneficial it is to
be socially aware of different cultures and traditions in other countries.
I want to be able to create new perspectives and I believe that going abroad will allow me
to do so without a doubt. Going to a different country and volunteering with will give me an
insight on a different system of education, economy, and culture. In this program Ill be hosted in
a dormitory, this will allow me to create new relationships and allow me to absorb more about
South Africa or any country my roommates may be from. This study abroad opportunity will
make me a lot more versatile on how I think of the world.
South Africa has always been a country that interest me. Last year, my sophomore year, I
traveled abroad to Brazil. In the process of choosing what country to go to I was extremely close
to choosing South Africa over Brazil. Ultimately, I choose Brazil due to wanting to learn the
language. Not just that but when I thought of my trip to South Africa I always thought of it as
more of a trip where I was helping the South African community rather than a trip where I
strictly had to live with a host family and go to school. Therefore, I believe that this program is
perfect because I have a passion for helping those in need. Just like the title of the program,
education is a human right and it should be accessible for every person on this planet. With this
opportunity I believe I can help to work towards making this goal a true fact; lets truly make
education a human right.
This experience will become an occasion for me to come back home and educate my
family, my community and my peers at my school, about the new lessons I have learned. As a
CIEE student I would use my gained knowledge to advocate for students to be taught more about
world cultures. I would personally try to make sure, that my fellow peers will become more
interested in world affairs and more knowledgeable about other countries.
In conclusion, I would treasure every experience and pass on the lessons that I have
learned. My drive will be the key to my success, and will give me the strength to overcome any
possible obstacles. And my hunger to learn will keep me attentive at all times. I know that while
in the country I will continue to let my passion, determination and motivation push me to strive
for greatness.
How do you spend your time outside of school? This could include
sports, extracurricular activities, family commitments, part-time

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jobs, and more. Please share how many hours per week you spend
on each activity or task. How have these activities helped you
develop your personal strengths?
Id say that I live a very active life. I do a lot throughout my everyday life. I currently have a job
at Chipotle and this takes up a lot of my time. My shifts range from 4-7 hours and I typically
work three to four days a week. Chipotle is the first real job Ive had but so far its something
that Im enjoying a lot. In the short time Ive been there Ive been able to see how some of my
skills are being utilized and strengthened. I see myself growing on my team working skills and
how Im really learning to realize that it takes the whole work team to achieve the goals at hand.
When Im not at home or at work I devote my time to a couple of volunteering programs.
My main volunteering work is done with AFS. AFS is an organization that facilitates study
abroad opportunities for people all over the world. My sophomore year I studied abroad to Brazil
through them and now that Im back I try to help out as much as possible. Usually I have events
or activities with them once per week. I typically help with interviewing applicants and
counseling foreign student staying in the U.S., or even just picking up students and showing
them around the city. A lot of the volunteers tend to be adults that have jobs, so as the youngest
volunteer I have managed to connect with a lot of the students and help them through the culture
shocks. I believe that through my volunteer work with AFS I have learned to really create great
interpersonal relationships and have learned to place myself in the shoes of others in order to
help them.
Since the 6th grade Ive made part of a program names Breakthrough Houston, which
essentially is an organization that sets out to give low-income students as many opportunities as
possible. But aside from the academic part where we meet with tutors or do SAT-prep we also
contribute to the community as much as possible. I typically have activities with them 2-3 times
a month. The activities include volunteering, taking part in workshops, holiday parties, or college
visits.
The rest of my time outside of school is spent doing a lot of just miscellaneous things. For the
past couple of months some of my Saturdays have been spent at high school fairs where I go and
represent my school to answer any questions incoming freshmen might have. When I can I try to
go out with friends or eat with my cousins. One hobby of mine that actually takes up a big part of
my life is painting. As you can see I have a pretty hectic schedule with school and juggling all
these other things so when I have time to relax I love to paint. Its a very soothing activity to me
All of these things keep my days pretty busy but when I do have time to relax I enjoy painting a
lot. Which I express threw painting on my room walls.
You will experience moments outside of your comfort zone on a high
school summer abroad program, when you will have the opportunity
to learn more about yourself and your capabilities. Please describe
a moment in your life when youve overcome a challenge that felt
particularly meaningful to you. What did you learn about yourself in
that moment? How did it impact what you saw for your future?
Last year I was given the opportunity to study abroad in Brazil and although the entire
experience in general was a moment outside of my comfort zone theres a specific moment that I
will never forget.

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November 2016

In Brazil I walked to school, a public school, and one morning I was going to school but
something was off. All the lights seemed to be off and there were posters all over the school. And
as I reached the front of the school I saw that the entire front of the building was being blocked
by students and they were all chained to the fence of the school. I walked up to one of my friends
with and she filled me in on what was happening. She explained how the government wasnt
paying the school staff so the teachers had decided to not come to school and teach. As a student
body everyone decided to move into the school and take matters into their own hands.
For the following couple of weeks I joined my Brazilian school and stayed there for days
on end without leaving. It amazed me to see such a large amount of empowered teens and seeing
how a community worked so hard together to achieve their desired goal. And this is when it hit
me that as a young adult I really did power. Ever since then I dont think Ive ever not spoken my
mind about something I feel strongly about due to the fact that Im just a kid. That moment
there in a small Brazilian city changed how I viewed my voice.
Before going to Brazil it had never occurred to me that people my age experienced things
like this. I knew that there were people around the world that didnt have access to schooling, but
for it to actually happen to me made it very surreal. While experiencing this, I would say that I
went through one of the hardest parts of my exchange. Although I wasnt actually a real Brazilian
student, I felt like I was and going through that confusion of what to do was very intense. The
wanting to learn but not being able to due to the governments oppression caused me to question
my life back in the U.S. a lot and whether I was valuing it or not. I felt very useless as an
individual but after talking to my peers and after a lot of conversation I felt very different; I felt
empowered.
I would say that after this experience my mindset on myself and my power complete
changed. This made me a lot more confident in myself and in voicing my opinions as a young
adult. In this moment of despair, I learned that I have a lot power and that my ideas can be very
influential. I think that experiencing that definitely changed my future. I dont know if I would
necessarily be the same person I am today. Today, I am happy to say that Im an on campus
ambassador that represents my class and my generation to fight for what we want and believe in.
And this experience that I had in Brazil most definitely played a part in making me the
outspoken teenager I am today.

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Breakthrough Houston (organization Im a part of): We have worked

with you all trying to narrow down your career choice (taking
personality test, career fairs, etc.). Please write an essay
describing your career choice with the following format.

LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT

Samantha Santana Rodriguez

Breakthrough Houston
Career Choice Essay
Class of 2018

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Introduction
A lot of the times when people want to list the major beneficial and
respected jobs professions like lawyers, engineers, accountants, and
architects come up. I never saw myself being interested in one of those jobs
because I wouldnt want to be stuck in a job because of economical
convenience. But turns out that I fell exactly for one of those jobs. Of course,
like any kid, I wanted to be an astronaut at one point, but the more thought I
put into it the more I begin to realize that the field or architecture is where I
belong. Specifically, Landscape Architecture is what really interest me. I see
the career of a Landscape Architect as one of the most exciting to have
nowadays. I choose this field because I feel that it goes beyond just
designing buildings it requires to keep in mind that the world becomes more
modern every second and the physical appearance of our cities need to
transcribe this modernization while not disrupting the environment around
us.
Supporting Details
1. Why did you choose this particular career?
At first I started with the broad interest in design. From there I went on to
be interested in Fashion Design and in Architecture. Although two very
different career choices, I saw things in both that appealed to me and that
would benefit me. But I made the final decision of Landscape Architect
because I saw a more promising future with it. Not just this but I see it as
a career that will push me to my limits and really take me outside of my
comfort box. I could have chosen any career, all I know is that I plan to not
just have a career but to actively persevere and succeed in this career.
And idea/motto will apply to me being an architect. Therefore I would say
that the biggest factor that brought me to choosing this career is that I
could see myself in this career actually enjoying myself and wanting to
succeed. Also the idea of driving by a building and knowing that I caused
that excites me and sounds like something that I would be happy to wake
up to everyday and continue doing.

2. What personality characteristics are likely required

for this career? Based on the personality assessment from Type
Focus, what is your personality type (e.g. ISTJ)? In what ways
does your personality type match/not match this career?

In general, this career requires a lot of social skills. More precisely, the
ability to orally convey yourself, to be an active listener, and to be able to
negotiate and coordinate people. Other skills required are problem solving
and reading comprehension. According to the test we took at the
personality seminar, my personality type is ENTJ, which is compatible with
the career of Landscape Architect. Overall, my personality type
completely matches my desire profession, except that my reading and
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listening skills could be improved. But aside from this my eye for detail
and very good social skills completely go along with the job.

3. What education/training is required for this career? What is your

plan for achieving this education/training?
Most occupations in this field require a four year bachelor degree, but
there are cases where its not required. Right now Im an 11th grade high
school student. Most kids my age honestly dont even really think about
college all that much, but I on the other side have devoted countless
hours to the subject. The idea of college passes my min every single day.
This is why I know for a fact that Ill be able to achieve my bachelors
degree. As of now, my plan is to obtain my associates degree from
Houston Community College by my senior year in high school. Then Ill
move on to a four year college, which college Im not one-hundred percent
sure yet, but I do have some in mind. From this college Ill graduate with
my Bachelors of Arts. At this point I could stop and begin my search for
my job, but knowing myself theres a possibility that Ill want to continue
my education even further and receive a masters degree. Im not
completely certain about getting my masters degree, since I cant predict
my circumstances in the future, but it is something that I can see myself
wanting to achieve. Aside from all of the typical education offered to me,
Ill also have to get my certification/license. Most states, including Texas,
require landscape architects to be licensed by passing the Landscape
Architect Registration Examination.

4. What skills do you currently possess that will be helpful in this

career? Which skills do you think you will have to work the
hardest to develop?
I would love to be able to say that I have all the skills for this job and dont
need to improve in any form or way, but the truth is that Im just a 16 year
old child. As of right now, I would say that I poses the basic needs that this
job would need: time-management, social skills, a good work-ethic, and
leadership skills. But what I definitely lack is real-life experiences, because
how am I supposed to set out to build places and home for people if I
myself dont have the nearest clue to what these homes and places might
need to fit the commodities of the public. Therefore I would say that the
main skill I need to work on is the ability to form a connection between
myself and any client thats given to me and hopefully this skills will come
with time.

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5. *What is the outlook for this career in terms of salary? What is

the outlook for this career in terms of positions availability /
employment growth? What is the outlook for this career in terms
of opportunities for advancement?
According to the American Society of Landscape Architect (ASLA) as of
2004 the average salary for landscape architect I $74, 644, an increase of
23.4% since 1998 (Eagan, K. 2004).Therefore, Id say that in terms of
salary the outlook is looking up. The job outlook for landscape architecture
from 2012-22 is 14% (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, January 8, 2014). Id
say that the outlook could be better, but it isnt all that bad. Also although
the outlook isnt extremely high, I know I could get myself the job.

6. What do you think you will like the least about this career and
what do you expect you will like the most?
Theres not much about this job that I can see myself disliking, but if there
was anything Id say itd be the pressure to satisfy the publics need. Not
just that, but this is the type of job that consist of many projects all at
once right after each other and I tend to set really high expectations for
projects therefore I fear that I might fail. Because of failing on my own
personal expectations. Not just this but I dont think I would completely
like the competitive atmosphere that I expect my work environment will
carry. Now on to the things that I expect to like the most. I assume that
what Ill mostly enjoy about my job is knowing that I took part in creating
something as great as an entire building and the complete atmosphere
that area will carry. Aside from that I think that this job will allow me the
possibility to visit interesting places around the world, since I intend to
serve as translator for my company.
Conclusion
As a whole, my main goal is to whatever I do end up doing that I not just
do it but succeed in the field of work. But I do see being a Landscape
Architect as a very possible prospect in my life. I see that field of work as
something that will always be there and will not just always supply me
with a job I enjoy but with a steady income too. I know there will be many
obstacles to achieve this career goal, but Im ready to show grit and reach
my goal.

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November 2016

References
Fergusons Career Guidance Center. June 8, 2012). Landscape
Architect. Retrieved
from <http://0www.fofweb.com.librus.hccs.edu/activelink2.asp?
ItemID=WE34&SID=5&iPin=ECVG15J413&SingleRecord=True>.

Eagan, K. (2004). LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT DEMOGRAPHICS. Grounds

Maintenance, 39(11), 9. Retrieved from <http://0-
search.proquest.com.librus.hccs.edu/docview/220793731?
accountid=7036>

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (January 8, 2014).

Landscape Architects. Retrieved from <
http://www.bls.gov/ooh/architecture-and-
engineering/landscape-architects.htm>

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November 2016

Breakthrough Houston (organization Im a part of): Write an essay

that could be used to base future college application essays on
Everyone always complains about how school sucks and how they really hate

it, but thats never been me. Ive always been that kid that gets to school

with a smile on their face and genuinely wants to learn. Not just this but Ive

always loved the social aspect of school; school allowed a release form

everything else going on in life. Although some people see me as this perfect

child: smart, popular, and pretty. They dont realize that thats the reason I

love school. Im able to leave my home and leave behind anything going on

there and just be care-free Samantha. I was raised by a single immigrant

mom and I wouldnt say Ive ever had it easy. Everything that I do I do for my

future and for the hope that I can give my mom what shes not able to give

me. For some reason the perfect life wasnt chosen for me, but Ive decided

to make the best of it and to make it anything I want.

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November 2016

This includes proactively assisting my educational life. A lot of my

peers sometimes tell me that I stress over my grades too much and making

my school work perfect, but I know that to reach my goals I have to be the

best I possibly can. I love learning and I want to go to a great college. It

would be nice if I actually knew exactly what college I want to go to, but

honestly I dont know. For now my educational goal is to achieve my

associates degree throughout my years in high school and to attend a four

year college that can provide me with an atmosphere in which I can learn

and grow as not just a student but an overall person. I want to go to a

college that not just has a great academic program, which I find very

important, but that can also give me opportunities to try new things. I might

not know exactly what college yet, but I definitely know what career I want to

go into. Ive known for a while that I want, in general, to be in the field of

design. Therefore, at the moment, my career goal is to ultimately acquire a

job as a landscape architect or to try and succeed in the fashion design

world.

As I mentioned before, I wasnt fortunate to be born into a financially

stable family. Its always been said to me that if I want to go to college Ill

need to find a way to make it happen by myself. This is why a scholarship

would completely change my life. Im sure my family would help a bit and

put forth as much as they can, but Ill need to come up with the rest by

myself. I have a lot of passion for learning and furthering my studies, but was

is all of this passion good for if I cant continue onto higher education? A

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scholarship would allow me to go to college and fulfill all of these educational

and career goals that I have set for myself. A scholarship would essentially

allow for my life to be what Ive always set out for it to be.

But then again theres a lot of people in my situation and that probably

have just as much passion for their goals as I do. But theres a lot of reasons

why I, specifically, deserve a scholarship. Yes a lot of people have passion,

but I dont just have my passion. I also have my whole family behind me

cheering for my and inspiring me to never give up. This essentially grants

that Ill forever be determined to succeed and make my family happy. Not

just this but Ive never not taken into mind my future, Ive been planning for

my college life since I started school. Therefore, I deserve a scholarship

because its guaranteed that Ill put in all of my hard work and because Ive

waited my whole life and planned for so long to achieve my goals.

ENGLISH (with Mr. Borger): Which is more important: what a person

thinks or what a person does?
Thoughts and actions can easily be the two single factors that define an individual. But at

what point does one become more important than the other? Actions taken by someone can a lot

of times be due to peer pressure, actions are also acts of impulse, and actions can easily be

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misinterpreted by others. Therefore, it can be stated that what a person thinks is more important

than a persons actions.

Due to peer pressure, a lot of people decide to take part in actions that dont necessarily

represent them. For example, when it comes to political affiliation we can see this happen a lot. A

lot of times someone might not actually believe in the platform of a certain politician but due to

everyone around them supporting this said political figure they decide they must support the

politician as well. This clearly represents the fact that an individuals thoughts can a lot of times

be more important in defining them than their actions.

Furthermore, theres also the fact that a lot a lot of people act on impulse. Thoughts on

certain ideas or topics are typically something that has been thought out and planned out.

Therefore, one may say that thoughts are a truer and more correct depictions of ones self. Its

safe to say that in general a person is made up from their morals and viewpoints, all of these ae

thoughts. Therefore, these morals and viewpoints that have taken hours of contemplation are a

lot more valued than what one may decide to do after seconds of thinking. With all of this in

mind one can then state that a persons thoughts are much more important when compared to

their actions.

There is also the issue of perception. A lot of times, as an individual, one will decide to

take a certain action, but one will never have the power to control how others will perceive this

action. This is due to the fact that actions are not absolute things; actions are not always directed

towards someone or for a certain cause. On the other hand, ones thoughts are a more absolute

concept. When one shares their thoughts it is typically directed towards someone/a group and

usually holds a certain purpose. This leaves little room for interpretation; therefore, making ones

thoughts a less malleable concept than ones actions.

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When looking at someones actions, one will never know whether it was thought out or

not or whether its what they truly believe inside. But when one actually talks to someone, has

them share their thoughts, this is when one truly can say that they know this person. This is all

due to that fact that thoughts will always hold prevalence over actions.

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