Victoria Ray

ENG 101

Mrs. Hubbard

28 October 2013

Deceiving Looks

            “If you appeal to the crowd, either by being humorous or brutal or eccentric, you gain favor.” (Collins, the Hunger Games). Weather you know it or not, all women and even men have had a hard time fitting in to the poplar crowd. It goes anywhere from eating disorders, weight gaining, and the apparel we wear. But mostly what we humans do lately to impressing someone is what we do, the actions we take, getting in trouble so fare that it messes up our life completely.

            There are so many reasons why we do idiotic things to fit in with group, or to even make a friendship a friendship. PSYBlog blogs about the minds of people and why we act the way we do. One blog that was posted was on the 10 Brilliant Social Psychology Studies of why we do dumb or irrational things. The first scientific reason is the “halo effect”. The “halo effect” is the judgments we have on celebrities. Because they are very eye catching and attractive and also very likeable we instantly assume they are intelligent, friendly, and they display good judgment and so on and so forth. Just to fit into the “what is popular today” group you have to change everything that you knew yesterday. For some that is easy they really don’t care. For some it’s the biggest thing that will ever happen in their life to them. Making mistakes that could change their life for the “now popular” friendship that will most likely be over tomorrow.

            Ask yourself this; going to jail for those last years in high school is it really worth it? The person you’re trying to impress, would he/she do the same for you? If you are answering no to these questions and you have acted on these questions ounce in your life than that is not nor was not a friend. That was not a group that cared about you and those styles you tried to impress them with did not work, because they did not care at all.

How to Make Money Through the Internet

How you ever wondered about ways of making extra cash? Have you ever considered trying to make money through the internet?  For those of you who said yes to the above questions. I may have some interesting options for you. Many websites offer easy and free ways to make extra money. Blog ads, online questionnaires, and video ads are great ways to make extra money online.

Some companies give people the opportunity to make extra money just by putting ads on your blogs or websites. Things like Google AdSense and AdBrite will pay you whenever someone clicks on the link that is displayed on your page. The outcome of these ads can be anywhere between zero cents to ten U.S. dollars. To have these ads on your site, first you must apply to one of the many sites that offer this opportunity. If you are accepted, they will let you choose key words or phrases to customize your ads depending on your site or blog. For example, if you have a food blog you can choose to put different food related ads to show your viewers. There are some down sides to adding ads to blog and websites. Like stated before, there is a chance that a certain ad may not pay as much money as others. You also have to think about how the viewer will see your blog, such as the appearance of the blog once the ads are added to it. Sometimes if the ad is an ‘in your face’ ad, the viewer may click off assuming it’s just a scam or even a virus.

As someone who has used online questionnaires in the past, I positively say they are actually a very reliable source of extra income. The whole point of the questionnaires is to give companies feedback on products we use every day. These questionnaires are easy to do and are usually based on things you’re interested in. Websites such as Opinion Outpost and Survey Savvy are two websites I would recommend. When first signing up for Opinion Outpost, the site will have a user fill in there profile to determine what their interested in. Based on that information, the company sends surveys that will interest the user. Survey Savvy is very similar to Opinion Outpost; it uses the same personal profile system. The only difference to survey  is that once you have made approximately one U.S. dollar, you are able to ‘Request Payment’; meaning you are able to receive the money that was earned through the mail. Personally, I feel the only down side to this method is the fact that it is time consuming. These Questionnaires require a person to take time out of there day to sit down and answer these questions. If someone has a very busy schedule or a family to take care of, they may find it harder to find time to take these surveys. There is also the risk that a website may not be trustworthy. Sadly, there are scam sites out there that will take advantage of you. Even though there are no specific list of sites that are scams sites, here is a link to a website that will help you determine if it is a scam site or not.

            Whenever you’re on YouTube doesn’t it seem like there is always that annoying ad that plays before the video, or even a pop up ad at the bottom of the video player while you’re watching a video? You probably wouldn’t think that, much like the ads on the blog, the user of that account is making money off those ads. This is very similar to the ads on the blogs. By adding Google’s AdSense to your videos, you can make some extra money. Another reason it is similar to the ads on blogs: for every click on these ads, you make more money per click. Over time, a partnership can be considered a full time job. Much like many other ‘YouTubers’, Charles Trippy, also known as CTFxC, has made YouTube his full time job; he has vlogged (video blogged) every day for the past 1612 days (as of 9/30/2013). He holds the world record for the most consecutive days documented by video, has ‘vlogged’ his engagement and wedding to his wife Alli, tour life with the band he plays bass guitar for known as We The Kings, and two brain surgeries. He also recently filmed while in the operating room of his most recent brain surgery. This video has been receiving national news due to the fact this surgery has never been filmed and posted online before.

It is required to post videos regularly to keep your partnership statues. As well as keep a clean name by posting acceptable content and following the Copyright and original content rules. There is also a chance of being denied when you apply.

            There are probably many different ways to make money on the internet, such as companies paying people to ‘spam’ others on social networking sites to click links. I personally believe the three methods above are more reliable, as well as less annoying to others. In conclusion, always be safe on the internet, and never give out your personal information.

Tech Life draft2

 

How can a college student get on a professors good side? Spending long hours a week with the same professor in a small compact room can be a drag. It makes that valuable time to learn a lot harder in class when a professor and a student cannot get along. Therefore, it would be best that the student would focus on getting along and enjoying the class. Research indicates that being noticed by the professor, staying involved in class, and arrival on time means the most to a professor.

In order for the student to make the learning environment better for them, they must take the time to speak to their professor outside of class. A student must do this so they will not look like the uninterested student in class. It is good to be known by the professor because it shows an interest in the professor and lets the professor know that he or she cares to learn about the subject being taught in their class. Pretty much do whatever it takes to gain favoritism because it definitely pays off in the long run. For example, say Jerry worked so hard in his math class, but he was still failing by one point at the end of the semester. His professor checks the grade book, and sees that Jerry is failing. The professor likes Jerry as a student, so he rounds the grade up to a passing grade. Due to Jerry getting on his professors good side, Jerry passes his math class.

Secondly, staying involved in class means a lot to a professor because it shows respect. When a professor is trying to teach a class, it is disrespectful to be texting, doodling, listening to music, doing homework, browsing on the computer, sitting in the back of the room snoring away and drooling on the desk. A professor wants full divided attention from their students. A professor feels that they are wasting their breath when a student is doing any disrespected behaviors. Students' bad behaviors can make teaching stressful for a professor and may be identified as insulting to the professor. Also, most professors do not appreciate helping students that have not put forth the necessary effort and respect .

Most importantly, showing up to class on time is highly recommended. There is nothing worse than a student that arrives tardy to class. Most professors do not prefer students walking into class late because it shows disrespect and irresponsibility, disrupting the class. A good way to show responsibility is to email the professor beforehand and inform him/her that he or she will arrive late to class. A helpful website with comments from former college students may be very useful for new college students. Students who read web site articles like this may have a better idea of how to succeed in a professor's class.

In all, getting to know the professor may seem like a waste of time to some college students, but it definitely pays off. Also, just put the phone down and stay involved during class. Third of all, a professor thinks more highly of students that are present on time. To get extra brownie points; try being present on time. Being on the professor’s bad side could cause a lot of stress in the classroom, and make the learning environment miserable. Come to find out, getting on a professor’s good side can make the learning environment fun and lead the student to sweet success.

http://www.firstgenerationu.org/2010/01/5-ways-to-get-on-a-professors-good-side/

http://www.passingthebaton.org/news/147-five-ways-good-teachers-change-lives.html

          
            http://ssd.umich.edu/article/seven-tips-building-strong-working-relationships

                      

 

Victoria Ray

Draft 3

Being Electronically and Digitally Watched

             As Americans we may think that we are getting our privacy when it comes to small things. These things can be as small as placing phone calls to our loved ones, emailing friends, or even getting on Facebook to update our page. Lately we have found that the government is spying on certain phone companies, more specifically, the calls that the customers make and receive. As an American I think the government should not listening to the citizen's phone calls because we are losing our privacy, I feel as I am not trusted, and I strongly feel that I am being treated like a low profile criminal.

PresidentObama defends the government’s secret monitoring of Americans’ phone records. Obama is calling it a necessary tool to fight terrorism but says citizens’ privacy remains. “Nobody is listening to your telephone calls, that’s not what this program’s about.” President Obama said. Reporters have found out that the government has ordered the Verizon phone company to share daily records of their daily phone calls with them. Even though reporters and citizens just found out recently that the government was betraying their privacy, one source has told The Washington Post that this nonsense has been going on since 2006, and that there might be more phone company’s involved than just Verizon. Obama also said “They are not looking at people’s names and they are not looking at content,” “By sifting through this so-called metadata, they may identify potential leads with respect to folks who might be engaged in terrorism.” Even if this is true I truly think there are other ways around this action. Even if someone seems suspicious the government could judge that citizen poorly and potentially destroy his/her life dramatically.

It has been said before that if you are a user of Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Craigslist, or any other crowd- pleasing sites/site that you are possibly being watched by the U.S. Government. Just think about looking at your computer while you’re on one of your favorite sites and not knowing that someone is looking at you dead in your face. Bob Sullivan a Technology correspondent came up with a site called “Are you being watched on line?” It is posted on Security by NBCNews.com. If anyone can watch you in the comfort you’re home just typing away to your friends than it is just easily for the government to do the same thing as these criminals. Yes, we as Americans understand the concerns of the government with 911. So after that day the Patriot act allowed the National Security Administration (NSA) to eavesdrop on essentially all forms of communication and more. Witch entitles our phone calls, our emails, and also to watch the websites we also visit from time to time.

If you take a citizen advice and upgrade your server and everything there is to do with your internet and phones you will only keep the criminals out. The government will still have full accesses to your life and personal information. But not only are we being watched when it comes to calls and the internet also what we do with our money. The government can see where we have eaten during the day, how we party at night and how much money we are just tossing around. U.S. officials keep promising that they are only tapping into information that points at suspected terrorists and that there are plenty of safeguards to make sure the wrong people do not snoop around on the good people. “I want the American people to know that we’re trying to be transparent here, protect civil liberties and privacy but also the security of this country,” Gen. Alexander (head of the National Security Agency)., said. Jay Stanley, a senior policy analyst for the American Civil Liberties Union said “We don’t want to live in a world where anytime you do anything you have to stop and ask yourself, Could this come back to hurt me if somebody found out about it?’ And I as an American agree but the government has put us in a pickle so we do have to ask ourselves this question every once in a while. By the Civil Liberties Union saying what they said we are driving ourselves in a completely different direction.

Ask yourself a few questions.  Are we ever truly alone when we are in the darkness? Will we be blamed as a criminal even though we are not? Will we become a dictator country that we so dread to be in the end? Our government is shutting down slowly by the rates and by the surveillance we are under, we will indeed turn out to be like those other countries we dread of becoming, maybe not in the life time of us young adults but most likely in our children’s life time.

The Scary Side of College

        In today’s society not going to college seems to automatically classifies you as a “looser”, or a low life. Growing up I thought I needed to go to college, but I started to open my mind. I started to see the debt college will put you in, and the scarcity of jobs. Going to college isn't as prestigious and honorable as it once was, and it no longer guarantees you a job after graduation.
        The average student debt of the graduating class of 2013 is $32,000, which is more than the average family income in Myrtle Beach. How do you plan on paying such a big debt with such a low income? Student loans are the only type of debt that will stay with you even after you file bankruptcy, and have just topped the charts for the largest in history. Unfortunately after all of this money spent, many of these graduates will be forced to work a job that does not even require a degree because they can’t find a career specified for their degree. The value of a degree has drastically decreased in the past years with the large number of graduates, the scarcity of jobs have also gotten smaller. Some graduates are forced to pick up a serving job or a job at the local movie theater, and some are even going back to college to get a different degree.  Most graduates are also surprised when they get there first job that they aren't making the type of money they were hoping to make.
        Growing up, I always had the dream of going to college. It seemed everyone had that plan, regardless of not having a major or job in mind. Now here I am in my freshman year at Horry Georgetown Technical College, and I honestly have no idea what I want to do when I graduate. I have procrastinated my whole life of what I wanted to do when I grow up, which is a mistake that many college students have made. They make a last minute decision of their major, and after their first year they decide to switch majors. This can require you to spend more semesters in college which is really expensive, and consider you took a course you didn't really have to take for your new major. Switching majors is something that will always happen, as some people realize that field isn't what they were expecting, or just a sudden change in heart. Before you choose your starting major, or your new major you should really do your research and make sure that it is the right one for you. Changing majors is not a bad thing, but it should be taken very seriously and should have a lot of thought put into it before your final decision.
        There are some jobs out there that pay better than careers that require a degree, but the chances are not in your favor. While the success that people have made without a college degree is tempting, are the chances worth it? Mark Zuckerberg, Bill Gates, Rachael Ray and even Walt Disney have found their way to success without college. Chances are slim to none to become as famous and successful as these superstars but they are a prime example it can be done, and these types of stories of college dropouts give college students temptation to follow their paths. There is hope however to reach some level of success without college, with jobs like being a Realtor, Electrician, Plumber, or a fire fighter.  There are jobs out there that do not require a degree and still pay fairly well.
        College is a serious time in your life; you should make wise decisions whether you’re choosing your major, or deciding whether to go to a party or study all night, remember you’re paying thousands of dollars for your education. If you decide to go to college, I suggest you taking it as serious as it really is.  Make sure you plan ahead because thousands of graduates are left unemployed even after the tens of thousands of dollars they have spent for their degree. I started to see the debt college could put me in, and the scarcity of jobs. Going to college isn't as honorable and prestigious as it once was, where you get a job right after graduation, so I suggest you having a back-up plan for your back-up plan.

Tech Life draft3

                                           

                                               

                                          

How can a college student get on a professors good side?  Spending long hours a week with the same professor in a small compact room can be a drag. It makes that valuable time to learn a lot harder in class when a professor and a student cannot get along. Therefore, it would be best that the student would focus on getting along and enjoying the class. Research indicates that being noticed by the professor, staying involved in class, and arrival on time means the most to a professor.

In order for the student to make the learning environment better for them, they must take the time to speak to their professor outside of class. A student must do this so they will not look like the uninterested student in class. It is good to be known by the professor because it shows an interest in the professor and lets the professor know that he or she cares to learn about the subject being taught in their class. Pretty much do whatever it takes to gain favoritism because it definitely pays off in the long run. For example, say Jerry worked so hard in his math class, but he was still failing by one point at the end of the semester. His professor checks the grade book and sees that Jerry is failing. The professor likes Jerry as a student, so he rounds the grade up to a passing grade.  Due to Jerry getting on his professors good side, Jerry passes his math class. Therefore, a student doesn't know what kind of bump in the road college has to offer, but getting to know the professor may help he or she out during rough times. As the old saying goes, the little things mean the most.  

Secondly, staying involved in class means a lot to a professor because it shows respect. When a professor is trying to teach a class, it is disrespectful to be texting, doodling, listening to music, doing homework, browsing on the computer, sitting in the back of the room snoring away and drooling on the desk. A professor wants full divided attention from their students. A professor feels that they are wasting their breath when a student is doing any disrespected behaviors. Students' bad behaviors can make teaching stressful for a professor and may be identified as insulting to the professor. Also, most professors do not appreciate helping students that have not put forth the necessary effort and respect .

Most importantly, showing up to class on time is highly recommended. There is nothing worse than a student that arrives tardy to class. Most professors do not prefer students walking into class late because it shows disrespect and irresponsibility,  disrupting the class. A good way to show responsibility is to email the professor beforehand and inform him/her that he or she will arrive late to class. Better yet, arriving 10 minutes early will give the student time to unpack needed materials and settle down. This will prevent the student from disrupting the teacher in class. Most disruptions will be eliminated in class when students arrive on time.
 
 In all, getting to know the professor may seem like a waste of time to some college students, but it definitely pays off. Also, just put the phone down and stay involved during class. Third of all, a professor thinks more highly of students that are present on time. To get extra brownie points; try being present on time. Being on the professor’s bad side could cause a lot of stress in the classroom, and make the learning environment miserable. Come to find out, getting on a professor’s good side can make the learning environment fun and lead the student to sweet success.

http://www.firstgenerationu.org/2010/01/5-ways-to-get-on-a-professors-good-side/

http://www.passingthebaton.org/news/147-five-ways-good-teachers-change-lives.html

http://ssd.umich.edu/article/seven-tips-building-strong-working-relationships
 

Relationships: Does forever mean forever anymore?

In today’s world there is an ongoing debate today on whether most marriages end in divorce or whether they should last a life time.  Many individuals who I have spoken to, generally believe that most marriages will end in divorce for some type of reason, but there are a few individuals, including myself, who still believe in the idea of “happily ever after.”  Even though there is a slight decline in divorce rates within the United States many individuals believe more than half of marriages will end up in divorce, but I still believe that marriage should be a lifelong commitment.

According to the United States Census Bureau the divorce rate in the United States from 1993 through 2013 has dropped from an all-time high.   More and more marriages are finding ways to work things out today instead of ending in divorce. Some of those couples are going to counseling to work out their problems, some want to stay together for their children, and most couples find it more economically sensible to stay together.  According to one counselor “more and more couples are going to therapy today to understand why their marriages are not working out and what they can do to avoid divorce.”  This is a great sign to America because couples are willing to spend more money and time in order to save their marriage and not go for the easy way out.  For couples who have children, divorce will have the biggest impact on them because they no longer live in a home with both of their parents, according to clinical psychiatrist Dr. Nathan Dial.  Many couples feel obligated to work out their problems, so their family can stay together and nothing will happen to children to cause any type of harm. 

Although divorce rates are down, there are still a number of individuals who believe most marriages will end in divorce.  I had the chance to talk to many random individuals to discuss this broad issue on what they believe and overwhelmingly most of these individuals believed more than half of marriages today will end in divorce.  Some of the answers I received were mind blowing. One male individual said “why should people get married when they will end up hating each other after a few years.”  The general public’s perception on marriages today is mind-boggling, but it’s their right to feel this way because of the United States past divorce rates being so extraordinary high. After talking to these individuals I shared with them that the United States divorce rates have dropped in recent years and more marriages are staying together. To say the least, most of these individuals were stunned with this information. 

Divorce and marriage rates          from 1996 to 2012                                                                                                   It is my opinion that marriages are meant to be a lifelong commitment between two individuals. When asking married couples how they made it through many years, throughout all of the answers I found two that were common, which was between communication and tenacity. One woman, whom has been married to her husband for 49 years, told me that no matter how mad you are at your husband, never stop talking things out and never go to bed angry. She also stated that you should stay committed to each other but always put God first. One answer that really stuck with me was from a woman who has been married for twenty two years. She told me that marriage is like a roller coaster, it has its ups and downs but when its down, don’t just jump off , hang on until you’re back up again.

                                                                                                    

 

 

      

This report has proven that marriages not only are becoming more likely to succeed but also that marriage is a conscious decision that you make every day. Sometimes the decision is hard, and other times it is easy but you have to commit on making that decision daily. The battle between marriage and divorce should concern all of us, whether we are in a relationship or not because when the time comes for marriage you will know how to work things out for the better. I know this information has really helped me for marital knowledge. From the words of one of my favorite bible verses, 1st Corinthians 13:4-5, love is patient, love is kind, it does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered it does not keep records of wrongs.