Norms: Individual Vs. Society-Ritual

Word Count: 348

Gordon, Emma

Filmmaking

“Eye” of the Universe

Norms: Individual Vs. Society-Ritual

Do I have to?

People in families, cultures, religions, etc. always have a different view of what should and should happen in society. “You must do this, you must do that.” This is always the sentence that is running through my head. I don’t know how or what I should be like. Should I rebel? Should I go to school and be a goody two shoes? Who am I? Should I conform? What do I need to do with my life? People have daily rituals, people have yearly rituals and people have a ritual that can be once in a lifetime.

I do not have a specific ritual I follow daily, or monthly. Eating breakfast is the closest I come to having a normal ritual. I’m not religious so I don’t have a quince or a bat mitzvah. I brush my teeth every night and every morning before I get up and go to school. I take my birth control pill every day at 6:45 am. I fight with my sister constantly, but these are as close as I can get to a ritual. I have gone to many peoples’ quinces and bat/bar mitzvahs. I have watched them participate in their religious rituals.

My only religious ritual was being baptized but that was a personal decision. I did not conform to society. I was baptized because I wanted to start my life with God clean and fresh. Sinless. But it was a hard thing to do because yes, there was a lot of pressure on me to do it. But it was a personal decision.

Society can never tell me how to act, dress or convey my personality. I am who I am and I love who I am. If society doesn’t accept me for who I am, well there is nothing I can do about it. I will not stoop down to other people’s levels and conform to what society wants of me. I refuse to do it because it is not who I am. I need to be true to myself just like you have to be true to yourself.

Norms: Individual Vs. Society-Fired Up

Word Count: 426

Gordon, Emma

Filmmaking

“Eye” of the Universe

Norms: Individual Vs. Society-Fired Up

Emma Gordon, 17

Am I Normal?

What is the definition of NORMAL? It is conforming to the standard or the common type. But who is really “normal”? Who decides what “normal” is? All teenagers have one thing in common, rebellion. It is a word used lightly though. You can rebel by staying out past curfew, or resenting your parents. All teenagers have done that in the past and will continue to do it because they all conform to their friends’ norms.

I am a “normal” teenager as they would say it. I resent my parents, but at the same time I understand how much they have sacrificed for me. But when I do not get my way, then it comes time to rebel. My mom and I got into a fight one time and I was so angry so I went out and did something I know she wouldn’t approve of; I pierced my lip. She was so angry when she found out, but it’s a normal teenage thing to do; rebel.

Everyone thinks that being a teenager is all about sex, drugs, alcohol and rebellion. But that is not the “norm”. In fact most teenagers only do those things because it is what their friends are doing. I never got into drugs of any sort and I’m not going to say I won’t in the future. No one ever knows what the future holds for us. I have had sexual encounters before, but again, my friends influenced me. My idea was that if you love someone, you have to have sex. This idea changed after the first time I had sex. It was a very confusing time for me and I really didn’t know what to do after that. I talked to my mom about it and I understood that parents actually know what they’re talking about. They were teenagers once and they have experienced everything we have before. So now whenever I have a problem that I know I can trust with my mom, I go to her for advice. I love my teenage years. They are teaching me so much for the future.

I think I am a pretty “normal” teenager according to what society thinks of teenage girls. It is a struggle everyday to get up in the morning, see your friends and also the people who hate you or the people you hate. People everyday are always struggling with everything in their teenage lives. They need to understand that there are struggles and there are opportunities for you to just relax and let loose with your life.

Bikinis and Tiaras

Vida, Vendela: "Bikinis and Tiaras: Quinceaneras" Girls on the Verge: Debutante Dips, Drivebys and other Initiations-5cd New York, NY: St. Martins Griffin 2000. 41-59. Print.

Society and cultures have changed so much in the past 10 years. Fewer people follow tradition now a days. No matter what culture you are in, not everyone has to conform to society's norms. That is why society is so cool. Everyone wants to be different. It is an interesting feeling.

Norms: Individual Vs. Society- Versus

Word Count: 430

Gordon, Emma

Period 4, Filmmaking

“Eye” of the Universe

Norms: Individual Vs. Society-Versus

What Exactly Makes Me Different?

I’m a different breed of teenage girl. I am the outgoing person who everyone thinks is weird. I am the girl who goes up to you and makes random conversations. I love who I am. I love the person I am becoming as I grow up. Because I am the outgoing person I am, nothing stops me from telling boys I have crushes on them.

The norms that people judge on are that girls are not equal to guys. Guys always have to be the more dominant one in the relationship. Girls have to wait by the phone for a guy to call and they are disappointed if they don’t. This is the normal teenage stereotype. I don’t know if I am at all like these girls. I take initiative to ask out the guy or call the guy. It hasn’t failed me yet. But there is one guy who I’m afraid if I am my normal outgoing, initiating self, he won’t like me…

I have been outgoing my whole life, especially with boys. Boys are my whole life. I have had many crushes throughout my life and most of those relationships, I’ve instigated. I’m usually the person to start the relationship. Boys are usually scared to ask out girls. I understand that now, so I just go for it. If I get turned down, well that’s life. I cannot dwell on the past. I just move on. My crushes come and go. But I will always wonder what my life would be like if I dated that one special guy.

Matthew. He was my best friends boyfriend. I had the biggest crush on him and we always flirted. I could tell instantly he liked me too. My best friend and I broke off our relationship. But I still talk to Matthew. I really don’t know what my life would be like if I dated him. I still have a crush on him, but I am in a relationship. I really don’t know how to act around him. I do not condone cheating. It is totally out of the question. But when I talk to him, I just get tempted to tell him how much I miss him and tell him my feelings. This is the only time I am afraid of what guys will say if I share too much of my heart with them. It’s one thing to be turned down, it’s another thing to be heartbroken. I wouldn’t know how to deal with it if Matthew ended up breaking my heart. But I guess we’ll find out…

American Born Chinese

Yang, Gene Luen "American Born Chinese" New York: Square Fish. 2008. Print

This one is a love story. It is cute how such an innocent boy has a crush on a girl. He is so afraid to ask her out. It is so hard to get a girl to like you if you're self conscious. You just need to get up the urge and ask the girl out. She will eventually appreciate the effort.

Persepolis: The Story Of A Childhood

Satrappi, Marjane: "Introduction". Persepolis: The Story Of A Childhood. New York: Pantheon 2004 1-17 Print.

This story is about a little girl who wants to be different than everyone else and protect her country. She is very young and isn't ready to be a protector of her country. She doesn't know what she is doing yet. But she doesn't care. Her love for her country overpowers her fear and what people will think of her. God is on her side.

Stereotyping Wordle Image

Stereotyping Mind Map

Stereotyping Photo

My Brown Eyes

School Students of Roosevelt High, "My Brown Eyes". Entering New Territory. L.A. 872619, 2006. 114-115. Print

Alex wants to make something of his life. He doesn't want to be a failure like everyone makes him out to be. It's hard living the life that people expect you to live. Especially being Mexican. Everyone stereotypes them and thinks they can't achieve anything. Alex wants to prove everyone wrong.

Red: The Next Generation of American Writers-Teenage Girls-On What FIres Up Their Lives Today-The Border

Goldwasser, Amy.

Red: The Next Generation of American Writers-Teenage Girls-On What FIres Up Their Lives Today. New York, NY: Hudson Street Press; 2007. Print

This story was very inspiring to read. It makes me want to change myself for the betterment of others. She had such a struggle in life; but as long as you really want to and you try, you can get through any struggle in life. It will be hard, but it will be all worth it when you are happy again.

Our Boys Speak: No Laughing Matter

Nikkah, John. Our Boys Speak. No Laughing Matter. Print

Teenagers are bound to mess up a lot in their teen lives. They try to learn from their mistakes but if they have fun, they try to recreate the fun. Even though sometimes it is illegal, they have to rebel. It is their lives to mess up. Peer pressure is hard to come through especially as a young adult.

Our Boys Speak

Nikkah, John. Our Boys Speak. Intro. Print

Boys have just as many problems as girls do. They just don't express it as well as girls do. Girls need to ask boys what is going on and what is wrong and talk about it with them. Talking most of the time solves all of our problems. It is hard, yes, but it needs to be done.

Red: The Next Generation of American Writers-Teenage Girls-On What FIres Up Their Lives Today- Introduction

Goldwasser, Amy.

Red: The Next Generation of American Writers-Teenage Girls-On What FIres Up Their Lives Today. New York, NY: Hudson Street Press; 2007. Print

This is a story about what the book "RED" is about. It is a bunch of girls' stories about their struggles, happy times, etc. They have gone through so much in their lives and they need to express it somehow. They need to know that others have been in the same situation.

Red: The Next Generation of American Writers-Teenage Girls-On What FIres Up Their Lives Today- Curve

Goldwasser, Amy.

Red: The Next Generation of American Writers-Teenage Girls-On What FIres Up Their Lives Today. New York, NY: Hudson Street Press; 2007. Print

Allison Smith is 16 years old and an insecure teenager as are most girls at that age. She wishes she could be different than who she is. She wants to change her weight and not accept herself for who she really is. Her friends don't accept her either and that hurts her self esteem.

Mind Mapping