Unit Introduction

Even though I finished before the deadline, I remember being so nervous about submitting this

assignment that I waited until the last minute to submit.

Introduction

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Unit 1

Most people imagine high school to be like it is in the movies. Well, at least that's what theyounger me thought. In case you didnt know, I was born and raised in Grenada. Then, at the age of twelve, I moved to America. To this day, I sometimes feel like I'm living a double life because I dont feel like I fit in. I loved going to school on the island. There were only two secondary schools (or high schools as theyre called in America), so after primary school (middle school), all the kids on the island chose which one they thought was best for them based on everything theyd heard of both schools while growing up. I loved it because the school I selected was small, everyone knew each other, and we all got along well. However, when the opportunity arose to come to the US, I was excited to see what awaited me at my new American high school for the next four years and beyond.

Since I didnt get the full middle school experience in America, I didnt take the tax exam nordid I get to physically make a list of high schools and apply to them. My parents and I both knew that a public high school was not for me because I didnt enjoy the little time I spent at the public middle school, so I went to an open house at a private school and I liked it because it was small and welcoming just like my school back home. It was a Catholic all girls school so my parents thought that would be a great fit. I had an interview with the principal and vice principal. We talked about the differences and similarities between my school back in Grenada and the high school, as well as my goals for the next four years. I answered every question they asked me, and finished each one with a friendly smile. After going back and forth for about 30 minutes the principal and vice principal shook my parents hands then mine and said, If you wish, you are welcome to join us this school year. Hearing that made me smile even more because I was really excited--but still nervous since I didnt know what to expect at a Catholic all girl school.

The day before my first day of high school, my parents took me uniform shopping (becausethey love doing things at the last minute). I remember walking into Flynn O'Hara and being bewildered by all the different school uniforms hanging on the wall and on the mannequins. In the dressing room I tried on some grey uniform pants, a grey skirt, white polo shirts and a few sweaters with my schools logo on the top left shoulder. Then we went school supply shopping on the same day. I surprisingly got everything I needed for the school year. We then went home and my dad ironed my uniform, my mom did my hair, and I packed my book bag. I got to sleep around 9pm. I remember being the first person to wake up in my household the next morning which was around 4am because I was so excited and nervous about my first day. I showered, got dressed, and ate cereal with strawberries and bananas. My dad was already in the car waiting to drop me off because he claimed that he was also excited about my first day, but I think he was more excited to get me out of the house because I was a pain.

I walked into the building with joy, seeing all the girls I'd be spending the next four years with,not knowing that it wouldve technically been two years together in person instead of four and that I would be miserable and tired of it all before the four years were up. Everyone was in the gym/ auditorium having conversations and making new friends and the energy was very welcoming from the staff and the upperclassmen. In my high school, a freshman was paired with a sophomore, junior, or senior to help us feel less nervous and show us around the school. We had a twin day competition with an assigned sister; my junior sister and I won first place. As the years went by I would be excited to meet my freshman sister and go shopping for twin day, hoping to win the competition one day, but I never did with any of my freshman sisters.

Freshman year I was ready to start school. I...

…Spent on Instagram on Consumers' Gratitude, Altruism, and Willingness to Donate. Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, 28 Jan. 2022, https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0148296322000583.

In this article, we learn about the positive effects of time spent on Instagram. Despite all the negativity on Instagram, research suggests that using it could instantaneously improve consumer perceptions. While time spent on Instagram might contribute to negative emotions like depression, mental health issues, and loneliness, it can also produce some positive emotions like fulfillment and enjoyment (Berezan, 2018; Cohen, 2019; Pittman & Reich, 2016; Slater, 2017). Instagram users can alter their photos by applying enhanced filters, which causes people to alter their online perception of themselves with the potential for lower self-esteem and anxiety. However, research has also shown that scrolling on Instagram reduces loneliness, although it tends to promote levels of social comparison. Checking and reading posts of friends and family becomes part of sharing life and brings people together (Pittman & Reich, 2016)./p>

I agree that Instagram has a negative impact on our mental health because I have witnessed it--even though scrolling online and seeing all of your friends, family, and strangers celebrate their accomplishments makes you happy and also motivates you. I find that taking breaks from Instagram is better for my mental health, because when I do, I feel much better mentally. I think there's a lot of us who use the enhanced filters because we rather like how we look with the filters rather than the real usso, yes, I also agree with the fact that the enhanced filters can lower our self-esteem and cause anxiety like thinking about how we look in person without the filters 24/7.

In conclusion, Instagram has both positive and negative effects on adolescents. There are many more negative effects than positive ones. The negative aspects include social media causing you to be depressed or anxious, and the loss of self-control, which leads to the larger issue of mental health problems. Another would be comparing themselves to models and influencers and being bullied, and the more serious problem would be increasing suicide rates because not everyone has thick skin. And the positive effects are using social media to make money and find your aesthetic self (learning to be more independent) and also to feel the void of their loneliness-related thoughts and feelings.