College Life A new experience, a change from the norm, looking out for myself, and living on my own: for me this is college. The transition of high school student to college seemed immensely overwhelming and even a bit scary. The shift opened a can of worms and created challenges, both good and bad, behind every corner. Due to the change of scene, I am now dealing with the everyday acceptance of the greater world around me: the town, the people and my new life. Graduation: the last day that I would unwillingly set foot on the fields of Horizon High School. I could feel my heart beating out of my chest, and tried so hard to keep my feet moving one after the other in order to maintain my perfect stature. After the two hour wait of opening speeches, class songs, and the calling off of the five hundred plus names that were in front of me, it was finally my turn. As my row stood up and we walked towards the stage it had set in at last, this is it, I am done. My high school career ended on that night, but it didn’t close the book that is my life, it only started a new chapter, and with it came a whole slue of uncertainties. I had to ask myself, “What’s next?” The only thing that I could think of was the rest of my life, and college would start the rest of my life. With college being this important I knew that every decision that I made would affect my life in some way, and this did anything but calm my nerves. I then had the next three months to prepare for this step in my life. Once again I was a little rattled by this notion. So for the summer I prepared whenever I got a chance. I picked up bedding and storage, my roommate and I made sure that we had all of the necessary appliances (i.e. refrigerator, TV... ... middle of paper ... ...t the strange thing was that it wasn’t my cocoon of a home that I missed. I had created a new life in the few short weeks that I had lived in Flagstaff. I found a family in the friends that I made, and wanted to see them again, ask them about their weekends and simply make sure that everything that I made was still there. My fears although real and still there, be it below the surface, are truly leaving. I never thought that I could feel safe and comfortable outside of the nice cushy box that I made for my self in the previous chapter of my life, but I stepped out. I ventured farther than anyone else in my family ever had gone. I have conquered my anxiety, or at least pushed it back for a while. I have faced my challenges of being out on my own, and maybe even created a few more that I cannot see yet on the horizon, but for now I am making it on my own.
Picture this. You are heading off to college to begin the next chapter of your life. It is a moment you have always been waiting for. You are past the high school drama, and are ready to start taking classes that will allow you to obtain a degree in something you have always been passionate about. It’s your first week on campus and you are invited to a party being hosted by a group of upper classman. You show up to the party and immediately are handed a red cup with what you know is something you shouldn’t be drinking. You take a sip anyway and soon start talking to that guy in the corner who at first seems friendly, but soon begins to take advantage of you. Just like that everything changes. This is a situation millions of people face every
In 2003 as a response to communities with a large amount and growing number of youth gangs the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP), a branch of the U.S. Department of Justice, initiated the Gang Reduction Program (GRP) (U.S. Department of Justice 2008). The formation of gangs is seen as a response to system failures and community dysfunction. As a result, one of OJJPD’s anti-gang initiatives is to make communities safer and have a pro-social environment (U.S. Department of Justice 2008). Furthermore, OJJDP plans to provide economic and social opportunities that gangs often promise to new recruits which are often obtained in an illegal and dangerous fashion (U.S. Department of Justice 2008). OJJDP believes that the GRP is capable of addressing the underlying issues for the increasing popularity and intensity of gang activity in specific suburban and rural neighborhoods (U.S. Department of Justice 2008). The program takes an integrative approach to dealing with the issue of increasing membership and participation with gangs. The following will discuss the program’s goal, theoretical basis, methods of operation, and overall effectiveness. After reviewing these major aspects of the GRP I will personally assess the value of this program and conclude whether or not the evidence supporting the program’s efficiency is strong enough for me to recommend it for implementation.
Although youth gang violence only accounts for a “small portion of all gang violence, (5-15%)”, it is important that we intervene and stop the growth of youth gangs as early as possible in hopes of decreasing those numbers, and overall gang violence (Gangs in the U.S. PowerPoint). There are many prevention programs in place currently that try and reduce the number of youth joining gangs, each program aims to focus on problems that would lead youth to join gangs, the Aggression Replacement Training program (ART), focuses on the youth who show extreme aggression early signs of a troubled youth. ART has been implemented in schools, communities, mental health facilities, and countries all around the world; this program has been around for a many years and has been effective in many ways. This program, like many others, purpose is to stop youth violence and gang involvement, but can be very effective if implemented in the
... easily getting ahold of these weapons. A national registry of weapons and more strict background checks would definitely help control who owns firearms. Almost all people agree that criminals and mentally ill people should not own firearms. By increasing the security in purchasing firearms and deeper background checks, this issue and the issue of shootings would drastically be reduced while maintaining the right of Americans to own the firearms they want to.
These issues are of utmost importance, gang membership does not only present an issue on an individual level, but on a societal level as well. Gangs are well-known for their proclivity for violence, even to those who were simply in the wrong place at the wrong time. Youth gang crime is no longer limited to big cities; these problems have now spread beyond those boundaries into suburbs, small cities, and even rural areas (Spergel & Grossman, 1997). These organizations put us all at risk, and are a threat to public safety. Furthermore, these groups put our youth at risk and threaten to destroy their
The term gang refers to “a group of people with a discernible structure, a recognized territory, and distinctive beliefs, values, attitudes, and behaviors” (Pearce and Pettis, 2011). Gang violence is a wide spread phenomena. Gang violence can be found in all fifty states and in most major cities. With gang violence being so common, it is no surprise that this type of violence is not only affecting are youth, but they are also becoming a main cause of this violence (Graulich, 2010). Youth gang violence has grasped the attention of the communities. Members of the community are joining forces to put a stop to this type of violence (O’Brien, Daffern, Chu, and Thomas, 2013). It is important to learn and understand the history
“We're this big melting pot, but someone turned up the heat too high, and the stew started to burn. Gangs, crime, fights, [violence] and fear are now a regular part of our local stew (Neil Shusterman).” Gang violence has been going on since the 1940s and to this day, as we speak, the numbers continue to increase through-out Los Angeles California. Gang violence has doubled their crime rates that has been happening present to this day. In order to prevent and reduce gang violence is to encourage those to attend to programs where ex gang members discuss and share their problems and emotional disorders due to gang violence. Through the course of human events it seen throughout history how gang violence has influenced the lives of adults and young adults affecting our generation today and how it is our mission to end gang violence making it safer for our communities.
The Jersey Shore is not the breeding ground for muscular, fake-tanned, loud-mouth party-goers popularized in American culture by the 2009 MTV reality television show. That image serves as the broad standing consensus of Americans understanding of the state’s one-hundred and thirty mile coastline. A few steps away from the glimmer of the neon lights in the beach towns of Seaside Heights, Belmar, and Asbury Park lies the heartland of America. A splendid melting pot of schools, playgrounds, parks, churches, small-businesses, and quaint old homes teeming with life. Some in Washington seem to do their only research with a television set. Four years removed from the shock, awe, and utter devastation that Superstorm Sandy left in its wake, New Jersey is stranded in a Superstorm that has never left. Wanting hard working New Jerseyans back in their homes that are built to code, reopening small businesses, and taking every necessary precaution to ensure that our coasts are protected from natural disaster seems to tall of a request. It is not and the people of New Jersey deserve to be lifted up and dusted off even if it is four years late.
Juvenile criminal gangs have long been a significant issue with the criminal justice establishment. Youths coming together to commit criminal acts normally attributed to adult and more vicious criminal organizations are now being routinely committed by juveniles. The reasons for these youths in committing the activities have somewhat baffled author tries as well as scholars and researchers. It must be noted however, that juvenile delinquency is not new; laws in the past have sought to control the criminal and deviant tendencies of children, and prescribing changes from rehabilitative to retribution against criminal acts committed by juveniles. Many of the common assumptions-from being accepted and venting violent behavior- have long been considered as the more traditional reasons accepted as the reasons why youths join gangs. However, research studies have shown that youths are joining gangs for different reasons than just material gain and acceptance. The paper seeks to use the theories espoused by Agnew as well as other supporting postulates proffered by Akers and Sellers, Guillon, and Merton in analyzing the issues as well as the possible solutions in lowering the propensity for youths to join these gangs.
The seasons on Earth occur because the Earth is on a tilt at 23.5˚. 62% of kids and 55% of adults believed that Earth’s seasons happen because the United States is facing more toward the Sun in June and away from the Sun in December. This statement is the true reason as to why the seasons occur. About 4.533 billion years ago, there was a planet named Theia orbiting in the same path as Earth about the size of Mars. As it grew too big to remain stable in it’s orbit, Theia crashed into Earth at an angle causing the tilt of Earth at 23.5˚. The Earth orbits counterclockwise around the Sun. At different points in the year, the direct and indirect sunlight is at different latitudes on Earth. When a latitude is receiving indirect light, th...
The day I moved away, a lot of things were going through my young mind. As I took my last look at my home, I remembered all the fun times I had with my family and friends through out my life. Now I was moving 800 miles away from all of that with no insight on what lied ahead for me. As my family and I drove away from our Michigan home, I looked out the window wondering what Virginia would be, and what my friends were doing. A lot of things were going through my mind at the time. At the time my main worry was if I would make any friends, and how I would adjust to everything. During the whole drive down, my mother would often let me know that everything would be all right and I would like it. Trying to be strong and hold back my tears, I just shook my head no, wondering why we had to move so far away. Life would be different for me and I knew it would.
This is shown in the song Graduation by Vitamin C. Graduation is about the change of leaving high school and moving on to adulthood. It shows the many questions young people have about leaving school, and uncertainty of the future. At the same time, it shows the constant of friendship that people can rely on, when many other things in their life are changing.
I can almost remember that day like it was yesterday, I awoke like on any other school day. It was a gorgeous May morning, the rays of sun flittered through my miniblinds blinding me as if I hadn’t seen light in days. I sluggishly dragged my limp body out of my warm bed, retiring to the bathroom to perform my normal morning rituals shower, shave, brush my teeth, get dressed, do my hair, and all the other regulars. As I looked at myself while combing my hair, it hit me like a speeding express train, I was about to graduate. I couldn’t help but smile, but at the same time I felt like a part of me was drifting away. A tear came to my eye as I realized what was about to happen to me.
Everything seems like it’s falling out of place, it’s going too fast, and my mind is out of control. I think these thoughts as I lay on my new bed, in my new room, in this new house, in this new city, wondering how I got to this place. “My life was fine,” I say to myself, “I didn’t want to go.” Thinking back I wonder how my father felt as he came home to the house in Stockton, knowing his wife and kids left to San Diego to live a new life. Every time that thought comes to my mind, it feels as if I’m carrying a ten ton boulder around my heart; weighing me down with guilt. The thought is blocked out as I close my eyes, picturing my old room; I see the light brown walls again and the vacation pictures of the Florida and camping trip stapled to them. I can see the photo of me on the ice rink with my friends and the desk that I built with my own hands. I see my bed; it still has my checkered blue and green blanket on it! Across from the room stands my bulky gray television with its back facing the black curtain covered closet. My emotions run deep, sadness rages through my body with a wave of regret. As I open my eyes I see this new place in San Diego, one large black covered bed and a small wooden nightstand that sits next to a similar closet like in my old room. When I was told we would be moving to San Diego, I was silenced from the decision.
It was one of the most exciting and nerve racking days of our lives. Although we were finally leaving high school, the feeling of being unsure didn’t go away. The whole day was full of practicing for the big moment when the entire class graduated on to a new beginning. All the girls wore shiny bright red robes and the guys were dressed in a shiny navy blue. Standing there, I had no idea what to expect. Some things I were aware of, my friends were leaving and we wouldn’t be the same friends anymore. My role was that of being so aware of the future that I was too shocked to soak in the present; being a pessimist was my main goal and everything I was sure of became true.