Small towns are looked down upon and criticized because they are small; however, they might be the best town of all. All of the people who reside there are thoughtful of one another, care for their neighbor, and their family. Small towns have good cultural values of what is considered good, desirable, and proper (Schaefer 2016:63). Residents feel like they are a part of something bigger than the town. People who grow up in small towns have better morals, give more athletic opportunities to children, and have a sense of community. Our social behavior is a big part of what makes us who we are. Personally, I think that growing up in a small town is better than growing up in a city. My small town values influence my behavior and criteria for …show more content…
As I experience college life, I realize my morals are different from others. When crossing the street, I always wait for the cars to pass and if I do cross I make sure they see me. This is also a safety precaution that I was taught because drivers are frequently distracted and do not see pedestrians walking. On University of Northern Iowa’s campus, drivers are used to waiting for pedestrians; instead, I find myself waiting for the cars to go when really they are waving me to cross. Other students mindlessly walk across the street not even thinking about the cars. Another moral of mine is the golden rule; treat others how you would like to be treated. However, other kids did not grow up in a town that taught this. So, I let others in the door first, open the door for others, or let them cut in line. While everyone else takes advantage of what I am doing for them and do not receive a “thank you” back I brush it off because I know better. For my culture system to survive and thrive well we need to treat others well. This is part of the functionalist perspective that Emile Durkheim describes with the Arunta tribe. He understood the role that religion had on …show more content…
When there are less kids, there is a greater opportunity for kids to be involved. They can be in several sports, performing arts, or any group they desire. I was involved in volleyball, football managing, basketball, track, cheerleading, softball, choir, and student council. I was always busy with projects or practices “promotes an overall feeling of unity and social solidarity (Schaefer 2016:18). Activities and “sports serve as a safety value for other participants and spectators, who are allowed to shed tension and aggressive energy in a socially acceptable way” (Schaefer 2016:18). At big schools, not every kids has a chance to be involved and so they have to get their anger out some other way, which can lead to bad things. Since I have been involved in many activities and had ways to relieve my anger I do not need another way; therefore, I have not gotten into bad situations. I am satisfied that I haven’t missed out on an activity that I have wanted to do because of my school. Sadly, this does not happen in all schools. Many large schools do not give the students the same chances because there is more competition. At these schools, kids have to compete to be on an extracurricular team. They really have to specialize in the organization or else they do not have the opportunity to be a part of the activity. Many have to specialize in this extracurricular activity
Small towns, quaint and charming, ideally picturesque for a small family to grow up in with a white picket fence paired up with the mother, father and the 2.5 children. What happens when that serene local town, exuberantly bustling with business, progressively loses the aspects that kept it alive? The youth, boisterous and effervescent, grew up surrounded by the local businesses, schools and practices, but as the years wear on, living in that small town years down the road slowly grew to be less appealing. In The Heartland and the Rural Youth Exodus by Patrick J. Carr and Maria Kefalas equally argue that “small towns play an unwitting part in their own decline (Carr and Kefalas 33) when they forget to remember the “untapped resource of the
Thesis: Growing up in a certain neighborhood doesn’t have to determine where you go in life.
Within a community is a sense of unity, which for many is brought together by the young athletes of the community. In his article “High School Sports Have Turned Into Big Business,” Mark Koba of CNBC highlights that within the last thirty to forty years high school football has escalated into a highly revered tradition in which not only communities, but highly successful corporations have begun to dedicate millions of dollars towards (Koba n. pg.). This highlights the status of sports within the community and may explain part of the reason schools would favor sports over other programs. Because sports programs can often turn over big profits for schools, they tend to dedicate most of their excess funds towards sports, and rely on sports programs to create large profits for the school. When school administrators see how much sports unite, excite, and benefit the school, they develop a respect for sports and consider it a necessity to provide a good sports program for their students and community. Also in his article, Koba quotes an interviewee named Mark Conrad who is the associate professor of legal and ethical studies at Fordham University 's school of...
These areas could reach beyond the academics, which Ripley touches on, and into other extra-curricular activities. In high school, I was extremely involved in theatre and speech and debate, as well as choir. Even in my small school our already small programs felt the effects of budget cuts. Yet, I never saw evidence of any financial struggle for the sports teams. While our theatre program could not afford microphones for our school musical and our science classrooms had not received updated textbooks in nearly a decade, the football and volleyball teams were given all new uniforms, even though the old ones were only a year or two old. Our school often spoke of the financial struggles they felt, yet the budgets for sports were never up for debate. Ripley talks about the benefits of high-school sports, and while I cannot deny that it is important to value “exercise, lessons in sportsmanship and perseverance, school spirit, and just plain fun” (3), it’s not worth the sacrifices the schools must make to have sports. That mentality also suggests that playing sports is the only way to gain certain life skills; however, someone might learn about teamwork from being in a play or doing a group project in school. School spirit could be encouraged through pep assemblies. There are several other ways to gain the same values without sports being involved in a school
Growing up in a small town left my life lacking in experiences and opportunities, I felt trapped. Nothing memorable or influential ever happened in Swansboro, North Carolina. From the spot where you passed the initial “Welcome to Swansboro, Friendly City by the Sea” sign, whether you were entering the town from the east or west, there were only a handful of assorted businesses and neighborhoods, considering the only road through was a three-mile stretch of highway, before you reached beyond the city limits and were headed to the next town. Living in such a close-knit, barely populated community greatly impacted my thoughts, beliefs, and personality. Except while everyone else was content with the average town and the limited possibilities for
There is rarely a worry about the safety of children because of the trust and friendliness in a small town. Additionally, children know that they have to be well behaved because someone is always around. This freedom lead to countless hours running to various friends houses, parks and the beach. Of course the candy store is also a frequent stop. The only rule in place is to be home before dark. The lack of entertainment in a small town, only increases the independence children have. They are forced to create their own forms of entertainment rather than to rely on adults. The independence this creates carries into school and adult life. People in small towns know how to be self-reliant and responsible for their own
Some of these students are star athletes and recreation becomes the primary factor in their lives. It has been set into their minds when they were young by their parents and piers. Early in their lives the child is taught the importance of being the best and nothing else matters. The school system now comes to realize how important this athlete has become to the school team and grades are given to keep the student on the team, and problems are just pushed aside.
Growing up in a small town provides you with a close knit community which can be a good or bad thing when you think about it. Growing up, everyone knows everyone and we all attend the same school from elementary all the way up to high school. Although this has provided me with some close friendships, it has limited my viewpoints on other things and it has no allowed me to spread my wings and discover myself.
Those activities are not possibly in the city. I wonder what my interests would be if I were raised in the city. Cost of living is much lower outside of the city. There is more room for the people so that they are not limited to living in a ten-story building apartment. My family owned their own home and my sister and I were able to play outside and have animals that were allowed to run and play with us in our yard. I take for granted that yard sometimes especially during the summer when I had to mow but if I were caged in the city with very little freedom, I would be a different person. There is a city about thirty minutes away that has a few restaurants and activities such as a movie theater and bowling center. It does not bother me to drive the distance for a few hours of fun and because I have to drive to those centers, I don’t spend as much money as I would if they were right out my back door. But once I am done, I am ready to return home because of all the traffic. In my town, there are zero traffic lights and minimal vehicles on the roads, I never have to wait in traffic unless there is an unexpected event. Where I live, most everyone I pass waves at me or holds the door while I enter the one gas station that we have. Those acts of kindness, are not seen very often in the
Student athletes live very busy lives. A typical school day runs from 8:00-2:30, add in a two- hour practice or game, score a part time job, dive into some family time, a grand slam of homework and catch a little bit of sleep. Students are more stressed due to the many activities they are a part of. This issue affects a lot of people not only in this school district, but most other high schools throughout the country. All student athletes exercise more than other children who are not involved in an extracurricular sport. In school athletics, the players are called “student athletes” meaning that school activities come first. There are strict rules for student athletes, not only on the field but in the classroom as well. In physical education
Living and growing up in a small town is better than doing so in a big city.
Imagine having to choose to reside in one place for the rest of your life. Which would you opt for? Some people would argue that the hyperactive lifestyle that a big city has to offer has more benefits than living in the country. However, others would contend that the calm and peaceful environment of the countryside is much more rewarding. Several people move from the city to a farm to get away from the hustle and bustle. Likewise, some farmers have traded in their tractors and animals to live a fast paced city life. Of course, not all large cities are the same nor are all of the places in the country identical. Realizing this, ten years ago, I decided to hang up the city life in Indiana to pursue a more laid back approach to life in rural Tennessee. Certainly, city life and life in the country have their benefits, but they also have distinguishable differences.
Urban living like suburban living has positive and negative characteristics. The homes found in urban areas are primarily lower class. The absence of extra money creates an environment with more crime and run-down neighborhoods. In inner cities, the homes are found feet from each other. Since people live so close together, it causes the environment to be more disruptive and creates a less peaceful atmosphere. Having neighbors so close by in dangerous neighborhoods can also be a safety feature. It is easier to get help in emergencies if your neighbors are nearby. This may influence a person's decision on living in urban areas.
Organized sports help keep teens out of trouble, give them an opportunity to meet positive influences, provide an opportunity to develop a higher self-esteem, and enables students to set goals. Staying with sports through school helps teens stay on the right track. Students should be interested in their sport and enjoy participating and always should try to have fun!
Extracurricular activities can benefit students greatly through their personal lives and well being. According to Justin Coulson in his article on kidspot.com, students that are involved in extracurricular activities, such as sports or clubs, are generally healthier than those who do not participate. Extracurricular activities can help raise student’s self esteem and self awareness as stated by Joy Burgess in her article, “Extracurricular School Activities and the Benefits” at more4kids.info. Being involved allows the student to learn about the skills and talents they already have and can teach them new ones such as time management, organization, and prioritizing skills. It also allows the students to realize what they are good at or enjoy doing (Burgess). As similarly described by the College Board staff at collegeboard.org, extracurriculars can enable you to learn your personal talents, interests, ...