How to Survive a Plague

What makes an effective protest are the protesters themselves. If you don't have dedicated protesters willing to give their undivided attention, you won't have a successful protest. Groups of people use protests because whoever you are protesting, they are more likely to listen if a large group of people are directing the movement. If one person just sat outside city hall with a sign versus 50 people sitting outside with signs, city hall is more likely to take interest to the larger group of people. The AIDS activists used a very good way of protesting to get what they needed done. They could've used other methods, but they would've taken way to long to get some success out of it, and the AIDS movement was time sensitive, because of all the people dying from this horrific disease.

My Education

This coming June, will be graduating from Northampton Area High School. Most of the teachers in this school are great, and the material covered in lessons is nicely chosen. The school is very updated and modern, clean, and spacious. My high school does a pretty decent job at preparing their students for college, transitioning to this class hasn't been too difficult for me. In elementary school, I was put in an excellent comprehension program. The school noticed around 5th grade that I wasn't preforming well in comprehension, so they put me in an extra class with the permission of my parents. This class helped me a lot through school, and got me to the point of being in the same level English class as any other average student. Northampton has a decently well put together education system, and has help me get to where I am today.

Media Image Analysis

In one of  Dr. Pepper's advertisements made in 2011, they marketed that the new diet soft drink, Dr. Pepper Ten, is not for women. Studies showed that men are less likely to take a diet drink because they feel that diet drinks aren't "manly", so they tried to market towards men. You can see that the can has a very manly appearance, in the colors and fonts. If they were marketed towards women, they most likely would've went with a brighter colored can with more rounded fonts. Then, they have the slogan of "It's not for women." to really push more men to buy the product. They also use powerful words like "bold" to attract men as well.

The Mask You Live In

Every child is put through some type of stereotypical expectation- girls have to be sensitive and emotional, when boys have to be a tough, manly man. For example, society has taught boys to be the manliest version of themselves, putting so much pressure on them to make them shut down mentally. I remember as a child when my parents would take my brother and I to the store and told us to pick a toy, I was pushed towards the pink aisle with all the Barbies and stuffed animals, while my brother was pushed towards the blue aisle with toy cars and Nerf guns. I always loved playing with my brother's Nerf guns at home, but I would never pick one out at the store. My brother, even though he doesn't like to admit it, he used to like to play with Barbies and other girly toys with me. Maybe I was afraid to get judged by the clerk at the store by getting a boy's toy, so I only ever played with them in the privacy of my own home.

A Child Called It

My favorite book is 'A Child Called It' by Dave Pelzer. I was a young teenager when I read it, and it is still my favorite book to this day. In the book, Pelzer describes his life of being abused by his emotionally unstable, alcoholic mother. The only thing that kept him going was the hopes of someone loving him, looking at him as their son, and not an "it".

This book made me realize that not everyone has a good life at home, even at a young age. I started to understand that mental abuse existed along with physical abuse, and it made me want to learn more on the topic. Cases like this interest me a lot, and got me really interested in Psychology. This book also made it easier to understand what happens to someone emotionally when something like this happens to them, which is something most people couldn't even begin to understand.

Travis Stefanik

Today I am going to inform you on one of our fellow students, Travis Stefanik. He is currently a senior at Nazareth High School, while also dual enrolled at Northampton Community College. When he isn't focusing on his schoolwork, he spends his time playing football and wrestling. In wrestling, Travis is currently ranked 27th out of all seniors in the United States. After high school, he plans to pursue a major in Business or Economics. In 10 years, he expects to be married, possibly with children, and working in New York City while living outside the city. He lives with his mom and younger brother while his older sister who attends Tennessee State University. He has a dog named Dakota, and his sister has a cat named Leo, which he doesn't like very much. He has a fear of dying, and isn't a fan of the thought that the world will end one day.

Welcome to my blog! My name is Sarah Grube and this is my first college class. I would be lying if I said I wasn't terrified, especially since I'm not good with new people and I know no one in our class. I'm a senior at Northampton High School, but I have all intentions on becoming a Mathematics or Psychology major. I'm addicted to Red Hot Chili Peppers and the TV show Friends. I'm an amazing baker, and it's one of the few things I'm passionate about. I've moved all over the place, but managed to stay in relatively the same area. I spend most of my time making sandwiches for (some) inconsiderate people at Subway. Between high school, college, and work, I spend the rest of my time with my family and friends. I've been told I'm funny, as well as incredibly stubborn and indecisive, so I'm not the type of person to make any decisions for you, but I will listen to anything you have to say. I'm one of the nicest human beings you will ever meet, but I usually don't speak unless spoken to. My pets mean the world to me, my dog Bella (pictured below) is a jug (Jack Russell and Pug mix), and I have a Calico cat as well as a Guinea Pig. I've also been close to death a number of times, starting from the day I was born. I've found a best friend in my 15 year old brother, and even though I want to put him through a wall sometimes I love him more than anyone else. It's scary how alike we are, and I wouldn't trade him for anyone else.