English Lit Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

English Lit - Essay Example Book IX of Paradise Lost presents Adam and Eve in their prelapsarian state and gradually develops to the theme of temptation and the original sin. The signs of self-will are shown by Eve, as she suggests to Adam that they can divide their work and go separate ways in the garden of Eden. As Adam is apprehensive of the enemy lurking in the garden, and shows his reluctance to separate from her, Eve protests, â€Å"How are we happy, still in fear of harm?†. To Adam’s fears about the Tree of Knowledge and the chances of Eve getting tempted, Eve declares that the very concept of heaven is false if there is suspicion among the two and a lack of confidence in each other: Eve’s sagacity to question the idea of a perfect state of bliss in heaven where differences and fear exist, though presented as part of a grand design, can in the contemporary scenario interpreted as a woman’s attempt to break herself free from the numerous norms set by the patriarchal society. The element of humanness that Milton attributes to Eve is capable of endearing her to the readers and to see her words and actions in a sympathetic light, even as the arguments that ensue after the original sin is capable of confirming the traditional Christian concept of seeing the woman as the eternal seductress who takes away the heavenly bliss man is capable of reaching, if not for her presence in his life. Adam’s words, â€Å"Go; for thy stay, not free, absents thee more;† hints at the paradoxical proposition of God trusting the free will of man and at the same time forbidding him and his companion from at least one thing in the Garden of Eden. The presence of a power relation which is deemed inappropriate in the eternal bliss and native innocence of the prelapsarian state of Adam and Eve is first recognized and contested by Eve. When Satan, in the form of an enlightened snake first flatters her and then reasons to her in a sophisticated manner, she does not try to

Perception of Beauty Essay Example for Free

Perception of Beauty Essay The term ‘beauty’ is used in multiple contexts. These can be divided into ‘inner beauty’, describing a goodness of personality, and ‘outer beauty’, concerned with aesthetic appearance. On the surface, disfigurement affects outer beauty, but it has been found that changes in appearance can cause anxiety, depression, grief, and a lowered self-esteem. These strongly affect a person’s disposition. Thus, defects in outer beauty can indirectly alter inner beauty. How do human beings decide who is attractive and who is not? Society is full of messages telling us what is beautiful, but what are those definitions based on? Do we consciously decide whom we are attracted to? The issue of beauty and how we define it has been studied for centuries. Scholars from all fields of study have searched for the formula for beauty. Darwin in his book â€Å"The Descent of Man† wrote, It is certainly not true that there is in the mind of man any universal standard of beauty with respect to the human body. It is however, possible that certain tastes in the course of time become inherited, though I have no evidence in favor of this belief. Beauty is an idea. Everybodys idea of beauty is unique. Beauty is a function of culture also. When ideas about beauty make powerful impacts, they can become beauty ideals. What is ideal beauty? We see it everywhere, from paintings, to magazines to TV. Douglas Yu of the University of East Anglia in Norwich, England, agrees. Its true by definition. Beauty is always judged by the receiver, he says. At the same time, he says in an email there is inter-observer concordance, a measure of objectivity, so that individual perceptions of beauty, factoring in other characteristics such as personality and intelligence, can often be aggregated to form a consensus opinion. Judgment of Beauty According to Kant, the judgment of beauty is different from cognitive or moral judgment because it is affected subjectively, that is, exclusively in reference to the person making the judgment. For a judgment to be truly â€Å"aesthetic†, rather than merely idiosyncratic, the person making the judgment must be adamant that their opinion be consensus. â€Å"A person who describes something as beautiful insists that everyone ought to give the object in question his approval and follow suit. Plato, one of the earliest philosophers to concern himself with beauty, defined it as a â€Å"property intrinsic in objects† which could be measured in â€Å"purity, integrity, harmony and perfection. † Media and Perception of Beauty Research shows that media play a dominant role in influencing females’ perceptions of the world around them, as well as helping them to define their sense of self. The media can definitely change our perception of beauty. It can indeed create a distortion in what a person considers to be ideal beauty or not. It is proven that those that are under the influence of media, either the TV or Print media may unsavorily change what is their idea of beauty by wanting to measure up the ideal or standard portrayed by the media. Another major influence on this centurys attitudes towards beauty was the growth of the film industry. For the first half of the century, all the major beauty icons were film actresses. It was a medium that allowed women who would have previously been overlooked to shine. For instance, the 19th century aversion to redheads was still in place as late as the 20s. It was that black-and-white medium that allowed Clara Bow to be the exception. However, stars such as Bette Davis and Katherine Turner who could not be described as â€Å"conventionally beautiful† invariably came from middle or upper class backgrounds. Beauty was an essential attribute for a working class woman to become successful in Hollywood. This period was also the beginning of the ties between the film and fashion industries, which would continue for decades to come. References Journal of Young Investigators Undergraduate, Peer-Reviewed Science Journal http://www. jyi. org/volumes/volume6/issue6/features/feng. html Utah Education Network  http://www.uen.org/Lessonplan/preview.cgi?LPid=4527

Thirty Years War Essay Example for Free

Thirty Years War Essay History is explicitly encompassed of many significant events that are attributed and related to the continuous and rapid development of the human civilization. In Europe, many wars were fought over by the different kingdoms and societies to rule over the other states and gain political supremacy in the land. On of the many historical wars that occurred in the early European civilization is the Thirty Years War. The Thirty Years war explicitly encompassed thirty years of very chaotic political and military conditions among the nations of the early European civilization. During this time, dominant nations in the western continent are fighting over for their claim of land, political dominance and the right of their religious order. This war is fought in 1618 until 1648 over the European lands of what is now Germany. The origin of this devastating war among the European nations can be attributed to two major aspects. First, the decline and instability of some of the dominant kingdom in the Western continent due to factors of internal monarchial conflict and lack of successor. Another important factor regarding the origin of this war is the social discrimination and stratification of the European society as a whole to the different religions and their sects. Some of the nations and their civilization developed religious tension with their neighboring countries will soon later becomes political and social dispute due to events of harassment and violence. The war later progressed to even more devastating condition thus, a solutions to end this dispute is very much needed. To answer this heed, a series of treaties were made and signed by the involved political parties to settle the dispute among them. These treaties were collectively called the Treaty of Westphalia, which main principles were to settle the sovereignty and land claims of the different nations involved in the war and end the controversy between the different religious parties that are involved. Summarily, the Thirty Years War is a product of the religious dispute mainly between the Protestants and the Catholics that is further aggravated by chaotic political conditions of the nations involve. From the political aspect, it seems that this war is a dispute that could not be overlook without an aspect of war due to the political agenda and the militaristic principles of the nations involved. Thus, diplomatic measures must be applied to settle the dispute and end the war among these European societies, which is primarily the main reason of the Treaty of Westphalia. Bibliography Atkinson, Chris (2005). The Thirty Years War. http://www.pipeline.com/~cwa/TYWHome.htm. November 6, 2006. LaRouche, Helga Zepp (2001). The Peace of Westphalia. The Schiller Institute. http://www.schillerinstitute.org/strategic/hzl_t_of_w_0599.html. November 6, 2006.

A Critique Of Nancy Chodorow

A Critique Of Nancy Chodorow In Nancy Chodorows Family Structure, and Feminine Personality it is argued that care, development and socialization of children and females is largely rested upon women, and therefore provides the basis on gender personality development within males and females; but from the perspective of Margret Mead and her book Sex and Temperament this fails to account for separating the European views of male dominance, and also the role of the male in early development of the children, and the socialization of females. In the conclusion of Meads book she entered the idea that children school yard teasing, and their taught early gender roles were partially to blame for boys to perpetuate male dominated roles, and even the young girls themselves were to blame for furthering this ideology. Chodorow continues on mentioning mother/daughter relationships, and of double identification, but fails to account for malleability as well. In these mother/daughter relationships Chodorow continues to link this relationship as paramount to the gender socialization of the sexes. It is my belief that Mead would be superior in ultimately and authoritatively speaking on the basics of gender development in the sexes, due to her studies of different cultures. With Chodorow she continually speaks from the perspective of her native western nuclear socialite development, and only academically mentions other cultures which so happen to be possibly more developed towards the ways of the western world. The ability of being able to draft from a larger pool of culture that Margret Mead did made it possible to draw conclusions, form a basis and gave the ability leave out the Western world perspective allows the reader to conclude to similar opinions as Mead had. When Chodorow speak in large part of the Western, or nuclear families, she was able to draw the reader to make conclusions out of familiarity or even to have close access to ask the opposite sex questions to meet the similar opinions. The problem with Chodorows formatting of her short article and conclusions rested far too great of weight on the mother perpetuating of the male dominated society, and that the absent father added to further influence on the development of young boys and girls. Mead was able to present to the reader that in three different and distinct cultures that gender identity was not based on Freudian sexual needs but social conditioning. Chodorow even suggests that the mother/daughter relationship promotes the mothers own challenges within her own social development was transgressed onto the daughter, forming the daughters basis of womanly gendered behaviors known in the western world was feminine behaviors. This was contrasted by Mead when she wrote about the Mundugumor, in which children of either sex were considered a hassle and needed to survive by their own means, therefore both male and female were only differentiated based on physiologic differences, and both sexes displayed Masculine and Feminine attributes. Mead presented terms such as social conditioning in which the society provided the bonds, or lack of, for gender identity. Chodorows accounts were formed of the western perspective, and therefore drew from a shallow pool of cultural intelligence. Chodorow left the reader to believe that male dominance was something inherent and passed from generation to generation, and that naturally passed on due to the dynamics of the heterosexual relationship of men and woman the devel opment of young children. Mead was able to counter this believe in the 1935s when she talked about the Tchambuli peoples, in where the women were dominant, and the providers of the family; much like the opposite of the western worlds common beliefs. With Chodorow leaving the inference that gender identity were based on the Freudian model of sexual development, continued because it is also passed generation to generation based on the mothers upbringing discredits that there is malleability in society. The western perspective on gender identities, and roles had to of evolved from somewhere. With Meads views of the different and primitive societies, we the readers are able to draw conclusions that societies are based on their surroundings and passed down. Cultural borders or other borders allow differences to the Western perspective of male dominance. Mead was able to smash the ideals, that women, because of physiological differences with man created masculine/feminine roles. But in fact made the roles subjective in context to what the rest of that society views are masculine/feminine roles. Chodorow alleges that because women have such hard and limited lives of child rearing, lack of career choices, and dominated by men mothers pa ss this down to their daughters perpetuating the male dominance. With male dominance Chodorow had to contort her theory of male being dominant and women perpetuating this practice by conveniently including the absent father. The absent father image was what Chodorow presented; child males must transition from the role of son-mother connection and more towards their remote father and take on a positional role. I believe from after reading the context of Meads book and how its presents different cultures proves Chodorows claims as false. If the absent father is absent, then how can his role be influenced onto the child whose father is in fact, absent. In this case, this bolsters Chodorows initial claim that mothers determine the gender roles of both sons and daughters. But according to Mead and the Mundugumor people, children were seen as a liability to the men, and therefore already sent in motion the social conditioning that followed. The Mundugumor men viewed the children as liabilities, could potential beat their wives, and their society in resp onse forced the framing an anti-children society. So in this one culture Chodorows claim is disproven because Mead directly illustrated men do have an active role, and even went on further explaining this point with just this one Papua New Guinea tribe. Mead in her conclusion of Sex and Temperament noted that in the western world, child gender development was continued in the school yard. Chodorows view was more limited in that she was attempting to bolster her view that women gender identities developed as based on the mother/daughter relationship. Chodorow did acknowledge that some external events could influence gender role/identities development. Mead noted very powerful school yard bullying in two examples of feminine behavior being taught or reinforced on females in particular. One example was the usages of the word tomboy. Mead went on to note that the term formerly encompassed acting like a boy, dress like a boy and things like that. Nowadays all girls have to do is act like boys quite quietly. At the core of Chodorows argue of gender development is that the mother/daughter relationship forges the ideals of femininity. This is also entirely of the Western gender perspective. But Chodorow states that the formation of female gender identity is through the socialization of her mother, in which is socialized in groups of women, and therefore has no need to reject this perspective unlike the males. With girls and women there is not fanaticising of roles, but direct identity and therefore easily transitions these feminine identities. Chodorow leaves the reader to infer that there could be biological reasons for gender identities, with the theory of the mother/daughter. This maybe the way how gender identity is perpetuating in the western world, but in terms of evolutionary, it isnt the methods these are roles based. Mead concluded with her studies that the social conditioning defined the roles of male and females, she also further concluded that what is masculine and feminine is relative and not based to sexual identity. Mead with her cross cultural research noted three different societies, one where men has the traditional to the western world feminine attributes (Tchambuli), another culture were the women were as aggressive as the western world men (Mundugumor), and a third culture were men and women were exact complete equals (Arapesh). With these findings Mead was able to conclude that the individual society dictated the society structure and the gender roles, and what was masculine or feminine. The reader could also infer that both the genders were responsible for advancing the sociality gender identities onto the youth further progressing their gender models. Gender identities have been researched by both Margret Mead, and Nancy Chodorow, and both have presented excellent ideas to the sociology of genders. Margret Mead was able to present views from three cultures unlike our own. Chodorow mainly presented on a culture like ours, with references to other modern developed cultures. Chodorow was able to speak extensively for the female perspective of how feminine behaviors are passed from mother to daughter, and gave some examples on the male gender development. Mead was able to present that genders were malleable, and therefore changed based on what that culture demanded the roles of males and females be. Mead illustrated that women were not born feminine, and men not masculine. But that those qualities had to be taught onto the different sexes and outside of physical differences that man and women were essentially the same. Chodorow illustrated that gender behaviors were forged based on the relationships of the children to the parents, and if the children could assimilate based of their sexual identity. But Chodorow failed to present how these roles were started and only talked about how that are perpetuated. Chodorow also failed to give some explanation as to how these role behaviors either evolved. This is why I still believe that Meads writings are a little more comprehensive on the discussion of the roles of genders, and the relativity of masculine/feminine behaviors.

Teenage Pregnancy Study in the Philippines

Teenage Pregnancy Study in the Philippines CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION The Philippines teenage pregnancy rate has increased by 60% in the year 2000- 2010, according to the Philippine National Statistics Office. This is very alarming. Teenage pregnancy often occurs between the ages of 15-19 years old, often in this age the girls are still studying. With early pregnancy the girls usually have to abandon their education to give birth or raise their child. Girls who become pregnant are expelled from school especially in a Catholic School like Lourdes College because it goes against the moral teachings of the school thus delaying the chance of earning a degree that will help them in providing for their child. Education becomes a lesser priority and is often delayed until they are able to leave the children at home are financially stable. But there are girls who are studying as well as taking care of their child and they are who we call Student Mothers. The burdens for these girls have double as to they have to take care of school as well as their child at home. The life of a Student Mother is no easy feat they have to juggle their time between attending their classes, making their requirements, taking care of their child and taking care of the house. They become the primary caregiver of their child and are expected to rear their child well. Many of these student mothers also engage in working part-time to help in the financial burdens of both studying and caring for the child. But, this becomes another disadvantage as it takes up time and effort on the part of the Student Mother. Statement of the Problem This study aims to understand how student mothers cope with their situation towards their studies and as well as child rearing. More specifically, what are the problems they have encountered in studying while nurturing their child at home.The study also seeks to find the coping strategy used by Student Mothers in their circumstances. With these in mind the purpose of the study is to help the readers understand the endeavors experienced by student mothers. The research will ask the following questions: What are the experiences student mothers? What are the coping strategies used by student mothers? What are the learnings of student mothers from their situation? What has helped them most in their situation? Scope and Limitation The study covered three (3) student mothers of Lourdes College Higher Education Department, enrolled in the second semester of S.Y. 2014-2015. The study was mainly focused on the student mother challenges, coping strategies and realizations. These student mothers were classified as students of Lourdes College that have a child under seven (7) years of age. Significance of the Study The results of the study will then be beneficial to the following persons and institutions: Student Mothers. They could gain insight about their situation and be aware of their responsibilities as both parent and student. Students. They will gain deeper understanding about the reality of student mothers and most importantly for them to learn about the experiences of student mothers. Researchers. They will broaden their knowledge about the experiences of student mothers in a college. Guidance Counselors. The findings and observations would provide them relevant data that can be utilized in their counseling interventions. Administration and Faculty. This will provide them information to promote, enhance understanding and support to programs concerning student mothers to help them cope in their situation. CHAPTER II REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE From 2000 to 2010, the number of live births by teenage mothers in the Philippines rose by more than 60 percent, latest data from the National Statistics Office showed. Another alarming fact is that the number of teenage mothers who gave birth to their second or third child during their teenage year has increased in the last 10 years. This is according to the data shown in the press conference in Quezon City by Carmelita Ericta, administrator and civil registrar general of the National Statistics Office. ( Ime Morales, July 9, 2013) Teenage preganancy is a global issue and a major contributor to school drop-out among girls. Permanent expulsion was one of the solutions made for teenage pregnancy but this has been proven ineffective and unfair to the girls. Now there is a return to school policy where a student is temporarily dismissed from school due to teenage pregnancy to further pursue their education.(Okeyo, 2012) As stated by Brown and Amankwaa (2007) â€Å"As more female college students are involved in sexual relationships their risk of conception increases. However, when pregnancy occurs it is only the woman who bears the burden and risk of the pregnancy and in most cases child care.â€Å" often these types of pregnancy are unplanned or planned caring for a child becomes a full time job. Having a child while being a student becomes stressful because child rearing consumes time and energy, with a few exeptions the women are the primary care giver of the child. ( Hofferth, Reid, Mott, 2001 as cited by Brown Amankwaa, 2007). According to Kidwell (2004), rearing a child while being s full-time student may be daunting and difficult however, it will be easier if she has a partner or a family member who can help her in taking care of the child. With the increase of higher education students, 10% of this population areparents or mothers who are hoping to give their children a better future and attending to their needs through receiving a degree. These nontraditional students are often Student Mothers and should be given special attention because aside from their role as student they are also mothers and care givers at home. Many see or consider their families a hindrance to their education which is wrong they should see it as a motivator because primarily, Student mother go back to studying because they want to provide for their child. (Wilsey, 2013) When pregnant students and student mothers are expected to subordinate their needs and desires to those of their children and families, they are forced to grapple with the conflicting roles of motherhood and studentship (Berg Mamhute, 2013). Brown Amankwaa, (2007) stated that parenting is a very stressful and some women cannot handle all the tasks involved especially the first time mothers and need help or assistance from the people around them. Although having someone help the mother is good but the expectation of receiving support after giving birth to a baby often causes Stressors that may lead to depression during postpartum period. Many student mothers have expressed feelings of guilt, worry and inadequacy in both as a student and as a mother.( Thompson, 2004) Though not always does being a student mother have negative effect, it also has positive effects. Story (1999), as cited by Brown Amankwaa (2007), has found out that student mothers are more responsible than those of regular students. He has seen that girls who were irresponsible before pregnancy has become more responsible after pregnancy and ismore less likely to drop out of College than the regular students. For women who juggle family and student responsibilities, the lack of time is one of the major issues faced. (Liversidge, 2004) Many student mothers use different coping strategies to adjust to their situation. As stated by Grohman (2009), student mothers depend on time management to handle the many different tasks of a student mother. Another coping cited by GrohmanRenelamn (2009) is managing tasks to handle the things needed to be done as both student and a mother as well as emotional and physical support from both the partner and parents of the student mother. Okey (2012) has said student-mothers go through a number of challenges as they live double lives as mothers and students. Often challenges are faced like lack of support due to other factors like lack of finances and time being limited. A study by Boutan (2012) shows the feeling of student mother in regards to lifestyle she said thaGale (her participant) said she juggles multiple lifestyles as a full-time student and a full-time mom. This does make her feel disconnected from campus life. Due to student mothers’ situation being difficult they have adapted coping mechanism. According to Okeyo (2012), Their coping mechanisms included: problem-focused, avoidance and emotion-focused strategies and the support they received upon resuming studies were spiritual and social support. It was argued that raising a child involves a great deal of financial, emotional, and practical planning (Kidwell, 2004). it is necessary to make sure that there are adequate child care resources available. This may be very difficult to do if the student is going to school full-time. However, if the student decides to remain in school and take care of the child it may be more fpossibleif she has a partner or family member who will provide additional help to care for the child (Kidwell, 2004). Parenting is very stressful and some women cannot deal with all of the tasks that are involved. It is best if there are people around who are there to assist. Although it is best to have family, friends and spousal support after giving birth to a baby this expectation often causes Stressors that may lead to depression during the postpartum period. (Brown Amankwaa, 2007) CHAPTER III METHODOLOGY Research Design In this study a qualitative exploratory design was used, allowing the researchers to get an in-depth understanding of the socio-educational problems faced by Student Mothers. Qualitative research has the advantage of uncovering the lived experiences of individuals by enabling them to interpret and attribute meaning to their experiences and in the process construct their worlds (Merriam and Simpson 2000, as cited in Berg Mamhute, 2013) Respondents of the Study Respondents of the study are the student mothers of Lourdes College, in the second semester of S.Y. 2014-2015. There were a number of three (3) identified single mothers in Lourdes College who volunteered and provided time to participate in this study. Research Instrument The primary tool used in gathering data was in a form of a one-on-one interview with the respondents. The interview was focused on the challenges, coping strategies, realizations of student mothers. Sampling Procedure In this study, the researcher used purposive sampling in which the researcher chose only student mothers who are caring for a child below seven (7) years of age and are studying in Lourdes College. Data Gathering Procedure Prior to data gathering, the researcher prepared an informed consent letter to be given to the respondents of the study, voluntary participation was highly emphasized in the letter of consent. The data-gathering procedure was done in a form of one-to-one interview in which the researcher took written notes. All interviews were tape recorded. The interviews were informal and open ended, and carried out in a conversational style. Results Profile of respondents: Experiences of Student Mothers: For Ione (27), her experiences are that its tiring, struggling with subjects, concentration, especially when at home and doing her homework, and time management. As for Dianne (21) her experience and struggle is that she struggles to manage her time between school, the child and for herself. And for Tepa (23), time management is the most difficult part for her. She stated that she needs to wake-up early and prepare especially now that her son is going to school. Coping strategies of student mothers: For Ione (27), she copes by focusing on school and home separately another coping is that thinking positive and being optimistic and going with the flow. As for Dianne (21), her coping is working hard and praying. And as for Tepa (23) she copes by not getting stressed being optimistic and being welcomed by her child at home. Factors that helped them: For Ione (27), her biggest factor that helped her cope being a student mother is her Husband, For Dianne (21),its being accepted by her family and friends. And for Tepa (23) she views her mother as the biggest factor that has helped her. Learnings of student mothers: As for Ione (27) she has learned that being a student mother is not easy but challenging. She also learned that a s a mother she needs to learn to set her priorities. And she learned that one should grab the opportunity to learn and study while still single. Dianne (21) learned that one should not be careless in choosing partners and achieve your goals despite having a child. And Tepa (23) learned that you should not panic and should be knowledgeable of the consequences of your actions. Discussion Time management is seen as the common obstacle for these student mothers. Because the live double lives as a mother and as a student, they struggle to split their time to accommodate all their responsibilities. This is supported by Grohamm (2009) work, student mothers greatly depend on time management. For coping the respondents commonly rely on being positive and not being stressed about their situation. As for the factors they consider that greatly helped them cope the common factor was the help of family members and husband. This is supported be works of Kidwell (2004), Thompson(20014 and Okeyo(2012) that it lessens the burden on the student mother if there are people around her who can help in caring for the child. This is evident as stated by Ione (27) that when she has things she needs to do at home her husband is the one who takes care of the child and as for Tepa (23) she stated that her mother has helped her both financially and caring for the child at home. The most common learning of the student mothers is that one should not be rash and should know the consequences of their actions. Conclusion Time management is the biggest obstacle of being a student mother as you need to divide your time between school and caring for the child. As for the coping strategy it is seen that the having a positive outlook is effective in handling different situations as a student mother. LIST OF RESOURCES YochevedGrohman, Renelamn (2009). Coping Stategies used by student mothers to succeed in Occupational Therapy School. Donna Mcgee Thompson (2004). A tunnel of Hope: the experiences of student mothers attending Community College based developmental study Program. Students affairs: Experiencing Higher education : P.67 Brown RL, Awankwaa AA. (2007). College Females as Mothers : Balancing the roles of Student and Motherhood. From:http://search.proquest.com/pqrl/docview/218901034/fulltext/A9E614CADCC34474PQ/1?accountid=167112 Sharon Liversidge (2004). It’s no Five O’clock World : The lived experiences of re/entering mothers in Nursing Education. Students affairs: Experiencing Higher education : p. 42 ChelseyBoutan (2012). Student mothers: Joys, Hardships, Misconceptions. From: http://northernstar.info/campus/news/student-mothers-joys-hardships-misconceptions/article_e1502dba-47c5-11e1-a057-0019bb30f31a.html?mode=story Kidwell, Christine Professional Staff (2004). Some facts psychologists know about unplanned pregnancy. Retrieved March 6, from www.psc.uc.edu/sh/SH Unplanned%20Pregnancy.htm> Okeyo, LinnahApondi (2012). Schooling challenges and coping mechanisms adapted by student-mothers in secondary schools in Nyando District, Kenya. From: http://irlibrary.ku.ac.ke/bitstream/handle/123456789/3611/Linnah%20Apondi.pdf?sequence=1isAllowed=y The Experiences of Student Mothers A Research Paper Presented to the Faculty of Lourdes College Cagayan de Oro City As a requirement for English 2 subject By: Bueno, Ma. Margarita

Project Management Of The Emirates Stadium Construction Essay

Project Management Of The Emirates Stadium Construction Essay A lot has been documented on the principals and methodologies required to successfully execute a project, that it almost seems a Clichà © when the term project management is discussed. However, I shall try to focus on project management in the construction industries as it is a good idea to discuss project management as it applies to a specific industry. In this two part report, I shall attempt to first critically analyse and evaluate the PM challenges as documented in the group presentations, with the aim of; Critically evaluating the management challenges identified and highlighting how the groups dealt with identifying the challenges and frameworks adopted in explaining these challenges. Evaluating the procurement strategy adopted and considering reasons for its adoptions, benefits derived and circumstances contributing to its success, before considering alternative approaches. Make a comparison between the management strategy adopted for the emirate stadium and established best practices. THE EMIRATE STADIUM Arsenal football club had previously occupied the Highbury stadium. With a capacity to hold 35,000 fans, this was grossly inadequate for a club increasing in fan base due to her popularity and successes achieved in competition with other top flight clubs in the premiership. Therefore the club management decided to invest in a larger stadium as a means of accommodating the increasing fan population but more strategically, rebranding the club and increasing its competitiveness with top flight clubs at the premiership. PROJECT OVERVIEW Hence, a design and built contract was signed by Sir Robert Alpine for a  £220m worth 60,000 capacity stadium facility, after an intense planning and conception stage spanning 5 years. The entire project cost was estimated at  £400m including related projects due to relocation works and ancillary works. (Designbuild-network.com, 2008) The actual construction commenced March 2004 and was completed by July 2006 ahead of schedule and on budget. At the end of the entire project, 80 businesses had been relocated, 2500 new homes had been provided, 2600 new jobs and 4 new community health facilities built. A successful project with regards to its achievement of project objectives at the stipulated time frame, within the estimated budget and to the quality and performance required. (Arsenal, 2007) But like all projects, risks, challenges and uncertainties are sure to abound, the outcome of the project however, will depends on the identification and mitigations of these risks and uncertainties plus the application of management strategies and tools. CLASSIFICATION AND EVALUATION OF IDENTIFIED CHALLENGES So lets look at the challenges identified, one key observation from a critical assessment of the group challenges identified was the frequent repetition of similar challenges expressed in different words, mainly due to varying dictions of expressions. Classification of these challenges was therefore necessary to critically evaluate and analyse them. Some groups adopted a framework to identify the challenges. Groups 3 and 4 in particular, identified the challenges using the project life cycle framework. On the other hand, groups 1, 2 and 5 viewed the challenges by broadly looking at individual elements of the projects strategic management and operational stages as viewed by the contractor during the implementation of the project. For groups adopting the project life cycle framework, the task of identifying key challenges was best viewed by considering each phase of the lifecycle. The initiation and planning stages in particular, required critical risks assessments before the implementation phase because of the ease to adjust plans and mitigate risks at these initial phases. They effectively pointed out that, due to the attention paid to issues such as collaboration, client management, extensive site investigation and a constant assessment of uncertainties, a smooth implementation stage ensued. Presentations for group 1, 2 and 5 as mentioned earlier, broadly looking at individual management strategies of the project implementation and operational stages as viewed by the contractor during the implementation of the project and can be broadly categorised under the following; Strategic Management challenges: client satisfaction, stakeholder impact and project coordination. By identifying the need to manage people, risks, strategy adopted budgetary issues and contracts details, these presentations focused primarily on organisational elements of the project with emphasis on the construction management aspects. Operational/Design and Construction Challenges: Although project management challenge was the main focus, it seems illogical not to consider certain technical issues as major challenges. Therefore key engineering challenges such as restrictions in stadium height (a local planning authority directive), pitch quality, service fitting and the need for access bridges to the stadium were challenges that shaped most decisions taken by the project managers. Table 2.1 Categorisation of Identified Challenges MANAGEMENT FRAMEWORK CATEGORISATION IDENTIFIED CHALLENGES GROUPS PROJECT LIFECYCLE FRAMEWORK INITIATIONS Scope and Specification, Identifying stakeholders, Deciding Location, Planning Business and home Relocations, 3 4 PLANNING Reaching and securing Authority Approval, Satisfying Stakeholder and client expectation, Procurement Strategy Selection. Risk Management IMPLEMENTATION Design and Technical Challenges, Risk Mitigation, Traffic control, Community involvement, TERMINATION Testing and commissioning Challenges, Client Satisfaction NO SPECIFIC FRAMEWORK STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT Procurement Strategy, Document Management, Timing and Scheduling, Stakeholder and Client management, Team work and Coordination, Defining Scope, Communication, Cash flow and Budget Control. 1, 2 5 OPERATIONAL/DESIGN CONSTRUCTION Pitch Quality, Roof design, Construction Technique, Weather, Geotechnical, height restraints, Relocation and details, Pedestrian Bridges, Choice of Material The table above show the key project management challenges identified and categorised under management frameworks as adopted by the groups. PROJECT MANAGEMENT APPROACH All groups identified the adopted procurement strategy as the design and build or turnkey approach however, the common opinion was that adopting a management contract procurement approach would have proved equally successful. To critically evaluate the management approach and understand the reasons for its adoption and factors aiding its successful utilization, a brief description of these two procurement approaches would be reviewed. Design and Build: one contractor is employed to design, manage and construct the project. Although mostly taking a variety of forms, the contractors roles may include the following; As principal contractor who carries out all design and construction, with minor subcontractors. As the clients agent, managing the consultants and contractors who carry out the actual design. A combination of principal contractor for design or construction, and management contractor for the other functions. ( F. Harrison and D. Lock, 2004) So why was this adopted? To a greater extent, it provided the client (Arsenal FC) the following advantages; Time/ contract duration could be shortened and facility ready for start of the new season Exempted the client from the technicalities of building a stadium. They were club managers who knew nothing about building a stadium but recognized the importance of the facility in meeting their business goal. Protected the client from the complexities in project organisation. Enable the client to transfer most risks identified in the conception stage. In this case study, Sir Robert Alpine was the designated design and build contractor, together with her supply chain which included Architects HOK Sports venue, Bur Happold (the structural, Mechanical and electrical engineers) and AYH PLC (Project Managers/Quantity Surveyors). Figure 2.1 ORGANISATION/PROJECT ROLE FOR THE EMIRATE STADIUM CONSTRUCTION The alternative, management contracting approach as recommended by all, is characterised by the client appointing an external organisation to manage and coordinate the delivery of the project. The main advantages to the client in the case study would have been benefits from time and cost savings and better flexibility with regards to changes. Thereby, allowing the client to concentrate on dealing with sponsorship deals, investors and the large number of stakeholders. COMPARISION WITH BEST PRACTICE The main success criterion of a construction project is the value of the facility to the client over time. Successful delivery requires an integrated process in which design, construction, operations and maintenance are considered as a whole, together with an understanding of how the project will affect efficiency and service delivery over the lifetime of the project. (OGC, 2009) So whatever they are called, best practices, golden rules or PM creeds, the general believe is, following these techniques summaries in figure 2.2 below will effectively manage a project to time, cost, quality and performance. The office of Government commerce therefore set out guidance to achieving excellence in construction project management. In their opinion success is guaranteed if projects are planned to ensure they possess the following; Projects provide the best option to meet the business need Have sufficient resources allocated to deliver the project and effectively manage these resources. Are managed through defined and accepted accountabilities, supported by clear and short reporting lines which ensure effective channels of communication between stakeholders, clients and project Implementation team Have a clear commitment throughout the integrated project team to clearly defined objectives. (OGC, 2009) I shall endeavour to compare the management approach as adopted in this case study with the recommended and prescribed best practices as stated by the office of Government Commerce. The OGC recommends that resources, roles and responsibilities for delivery should be assigned to effective individuals who are empowered to deliver, who are drawn from the business unit that owns the project. The OGC further stated, Critical consideration needs to be paid to ensuring effective lines of communication. The effectiveness of the lines of communication to top level management, who are then responsible for making decisions based on these information provided. Successful delivery requires an integrated process in which design, construction, operation and maintenance are considered as a whole. (OGC, 2007) Health and safety performance during all phases of the project is mandatory. There are also legal requirements which require clients to set requirements for healthy, safe working conditions and facilities on construction sites. (OGC, 2007) Amongst the OGCs best practice recommendations, is the selection of the right people for the project team. They stated that the selection of an integrated project team is a paramount consideration in project planning. The best projects and the best clients put time into getting the right project team. They assess the quality of the individuals, their ability to work together and their experience. For the emirate stadium case study, the design and build contractor commented after the project completion (SRM, 2009) [a] textbook example of project management and team building, Emirates Stadium showcases the benefits our collaborative approach to business can bring. Our early involvement and that of our key supply chain partners was an essential element in the projects success. Risk assessment and value management should be continually assessed throughout a projects lifecycle. With early collaboration between the entire integrated project team, risks are better identified and resolved before risk mitigations become too expensive to implement. (OGC, 2007) The adoption of the lowest price tendered does not often lead to best value for money. Quality and costs of the implemented projected over the life of the asset are the real indicators of value for money. The focus should always be the optimum balance of required quality and the whole-life costs of a facility the costs of acquiring it, the costs of maintaining it and the costs of operating it over the whole life of the asset to its disposal. (OGC, 2007) Judges at the awards for the building project of the year stated, The whole process was an example of how important teamwork should be to a project, with everyone from the client to the contractor and subcontractors coming together and working successfully to ensure the project was completed on time and under budget. The way that this team tackled design changes should be a lesson to the industry. (Martin Spring, 2007) In summary, the emirate stadium project highlighted in context and principle, is an exemplary addition to best practice adoption and utilization in stadium construction, of course with certain modification as best fits the project in question. Figure 2.2 BEST PRACTICE SUMMARY USING THE PROJECT LIFE CYCLE FRAMEWORK For example, collaboration during the planning and design stage, formulating and communicating set milestones to the project team, feed backs and managing the clients expectation in view of the outcomes provided. Figure 2.3 show as weights, the management strategy adopted in relation to a summarised best practice. Figure 2.3 COMPARING BEST PRACTICE WITH CASE STUDY THE 2012 OLYMPIC GAMES For this part of the report, I shall attempt to develop guidelines for the 2012 Olympic by firstly; Discussing the differences between managing a single project and managing a project as part of a larger portfolio or programme. Review current facts about the on-going 2012 Olympic stadium construction that will further assist to pinpoint and discuss project management challenges. And then finally, based on the characteristics of the project identified, lessons learnt and a review of the best practices, develop guidelines for the project. PROJECT OVERVIEW In July 2005 the International Olympic Committee awarded the city of London the hosting rights for the 2012 Olympic Games. With the establishment of this immovable deadline, the London organising committee for the Olympic Games (LOCOG), aware of the heights of expectations, particularly after the ingenuity displayed by the Chinese, began plans in earnest. Milestones were set, plans conceived and a programme to regenerate London in preparation for the games was hatched. The entire programme included amongst others, the redevelopment of a 24 hectare Olympic park to accommodate an Olympic stadium, ten sports venues, an Olympic Village, media centre, parklands, several training venues and pre-game training camps. THE OLYMPIC STADIUM The stage was therefore set for the construction of the main Olympic arena, the 80,000 capacity Olympic stadium. At an estimated cost of  £469 million, to be completed in 2011 and convertible to a 25,000 capacity stadium after the games. PROGRAMME MANAGEMENT VERSUS PROJECT MANAGEMENT Having clearly stated how the Olympic stadium (as a project) fits into the entire Olympic delivery programme, I will begin by defining a project, a programme and their managements. This will enable my arguments in reviewing the differences between managing a single project and a project under a programme of work. D.C Ferns (1991, p. 21) defined a programme as a group of projects managed in a coordinated manner in other to gain benefits which are not achievable by managing individual projects independently. R.S House (1988, p. 16) in his book the human side of project management defined a project as [a] group of related tasks or activities which together satisfy one or more objectives. Robert Prieto defined program management as [t]he definition and integration of a number of projects to cause a broader, strategic business outcome to be achieved. He further argued that Programme management is not just the sum of all project management activities but also includes management of the risks, opportunities and activities that occur between projects. (PM Hut, 2008) While an individual project will employ a specific project delivery approach (design-bid-build, design/build, DBOM etc.), program management may combine different delivery approaches across multiple projects to best achieve the desired strategic business objectives. In the case study as I will later explain, a consortium was formed (Team McAlpine) to deliver the project. Now using several management parameters, I will therefore itemize the differences between their managements. Table 3.1 Differences between Programme Management and project Management Parameter Programme Management Project Management Organization Semi-permanent in nature, resourced to address the full range of business requirements associated with achievement of a strategic business objective Transient organization in nature, resourced to address a limited set of requirements that may be more temporal in nature and not recurring through all project phases. Organizational Alignment Analogous to building a new company with a sharply defined strategic business objective. Team alignment around project and contract requirements Outcome Definition Strategic Business Outcome (enterprise viewpoint) Defined scope, schedule and budget (output viewpoint) Risk Management Management of all risks associated with achievement of the defined strategic business objectives Management of assumed risks Requirements Establish programmatic and system technical requirements and allocate as appropriate to individual projects Manage project to meet the allocated programmatic and system technical requirements Interface Management Management of all programmatic interfaces between defined projects as well as other programmatic interfaces with stakeholder groups Management of allocated interfaces, if any, and all interfaces within the assembled project team Execution Planning Program wide execution planning including top level schedule, budget, performance standards, supply chain configuration and contracting strategy Project execution planning consistent with agreed to scope schedule, budget. and performance standards Timeframe Through achievement of strategic business objectives (more permanent in nature) Duration associated with completion of project activities Stakeholder Engagement Identification and integration of stakeholders interests and proactive engagement to assure achievement of strategic business objectives Interaction with stakeholder groups only as contractually provided for Source 🙠 PM Hut, 2008) Figure 3.1 Impressionist view of the London 2012 stadium. PROJECT MANAGEMENT CHALLENGES Before outlining the challenges, we will look briefly at certain information we have gather about the games so far. The multidisciplinary management structure required to deliver the project. The LOCOG acts in the capacity of client for the stadium project. They appointed the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) to manage all embodied projects with the stadium inclusive. Hok sports, venues ltd was the designated architects, Bur Happlold the service engineers, Sir Robert Alpine the construction firm and M-E Engineers as the mechanical consultant. A consortium was formed and named Team McAlpine comprising all mentioned for the delivery of the project. The share size and number of stakeholders was of National and international proportion. These includes; The mayor and people of Stratford, London Minister for the Olympics British Olympic Association The International Olympic committee The individual featured sports committee The department of culture, media and sports The British Paralympics Association More than a dozen sponsors and Partners Quite a number of official suppliers and providers. The interrelated projects that would have direct and indirect impacts on the stadium construction e.g. the Olympic park, the volodrome, the access bridges. The budget initially estimated at  £280 million but quickly rose to  £496 million mostly due to rising inflation and an increase in contingencies (Guardian, 2009). The stadiums proposed location, a contaminated site at Stratford in central London. (Contract Journal, 2009) The economic downturn that hit the financial market and the world in general. Rising inflation figures as released by economic analyst on the health of the economy. The announcement by the IOC, naming sustainability as a focus for the summer Olympics, this made it clear that the London 2012 organizers had to think beyond the Olympics and consider the concept of legacy, in particular environmental sustainability. (B. Digby, 2009). Therefore, challenges were present right from the conception phase through the entire project lifecycle, and based on the facts listed above, the following challenges can be deduced; The sustainability slogan meant most of the designs proposed had to be carbon sensitive and sustainability driven. This called for innovative designs and as explained by Alan Webb (1996, p. x) the management and creation of innovative projects are the most challenging of all managerial tasks as novelty implies a leap into the unknown. It is not for the faint hearted for there are shocks and surprises around every corner. Cost and budgetary issues represents one of the greatest challenges the project faces. Many things can happen during the lifecycle of a project to increase project cost estimate, distort the expected rate and magnitude of expenditure (D. Lock, 2007). Has was the case when the recent financial meltdown raised its ugly head. The challenge of managing stakeholder involvement is worth mentioning. Particularly regarding the sensitivity attached to stadium construction in the United Kingdom. The media was recently awash with condemnation for the management team of the Wembley stadium finishing behind schedule and with an escalated budget. Secondly, the magnitude of stakeholders warrants a proper dissemination of information and the pre-planned mitigation of wrong or biased information. A.D. Orr (2004, P. 8) wrote, [t]he purpose of a stakeholder plan is to ensure that the relationships between the principal people in the project have been discussed and the information flowing between them have been agreed. The site for the construction was reported contaminated, although this might appear not to be a project management challenge, it is important to understand the project managerial resonance this might generate due to uncertainties ascribed. The selection of a procurement strategy is always a challenge for projects in a multi project environment. The OGC advises that the procurement of contractor should be on the basis of whole-life value for money. The design and operation of the facility should maximize the delivery of effective service and this is most likely to be achieved through integration of design, construction, operation and on-going maintenance (OGC, 2007). In the Olympic stadium case study, a consortium was formed and proved a substantial factor in the mitigation of the project risks. It is important to mention resources management (void of cost) as a key challenge. One of the aims spelt out in the London 2012 sustainability policy document is to demonstrate an exemplary resource management practice (TOB, 2007). As a result resource utilization was minimized to achieve energy and environmental sustainability and project manager had to make tough decisions during construction. GUIDELINES FOR THE 2012 OLYMPIC STADIUM H. Kerzner (1994, p. 43) wrote, [t]he success of a project is best determined by its ability to deliver within the specified time, cost, desired performance and technology level whilst utilizing the resources effectively and efficiently. If an organization is to be successful in the delivery of its projects, it is essential to establish standards by which those projects are selected, managed and delivered. And these standards must be consistent with the organizations strategic plans (Maxs, 2009). Therefore, a step-by-step recommendation for establishing consistent successful performance for the management of the 2012 Olympic stadium can be outlined as follows; Plan and understand the project lifecycle. A standard set of project phases, stages and typical milestones required by the organisations management to enable the consistent structuring and cost-effective processing of the organisations project. (Maxs- Issacons, 2000). Align your resources independently with each phase of the project lifecycle. Selecting a procurement strategy that best suites the project characteristics. Wright wrote, the selection of a contract and contractor are influenced by the nature of parties involve, the project objectives, and the equitable allocation of responsibilities and risk, amongst other factors. (N.J Smith, 2002) Establish a control over the project ensuring that a system of reporting, allocating responsibilities and quality assessment is well defined. Bower wrote that the purpose of control is to ensure that the projects status is reported in a consistent, cost effective and timely manner to the project manager, so that necessary action can be taken. (N.J Smith, 2002) Ensure that plans are understood by all team members and constant updates of the plans are frequently done. J.P Lewis (2000) wrote, It would be nice to think that a plan, once developed, will never change. However, that is unrealistic. Unforeseen problems are almost certain to arise. The most important thing is plan, re-plan and re-plan. Continually assess risks. It is helpful to try to categorise the risks associated with the project both as a guide to identification, and to facilitate the selection of the most appropriate risk-management strategy. (N.J Smith, 2002) Manage the impact of stakeholder involvement in the project. Although they appear as indirect players in the project environment, the stakeholders impact on the success of the project. Therefore managing their impact is vital to every successful project. Setting delivery milestones dates for the various facets of the project and having a work breakdown structure helps to identify critical paths and activity duration. This is a must have for the Olympic stadium project. CONCLUSION In this report, we have categorised the project management challenges highlighted in the group presentation. In the categorisation, I have pointed out that while some groups utilized a framework for identifying the challenges, other groups mentioned the challenges under two main categories, strategic management and operational risks. In critically analysing the challenges mentioned, it would appear that selecting a framework for evaluating the risks is indeed a good practice. It is now obvious that a proper understanding of project peculiarities help to reveal challenges. While all groups were speculative about the challenges categorising the challenges would have help to further identify peculiar risks and challenges requiring the formulation of a risks management strategy. The best practice for construction management refers to tools, techniques and guidelines that have proved effective over a wide range of construction management projects. And again this report has utilized a typical project lifecycle framework to outline the necessary elements required at each phase of a project. The assessment of risk and uncertainties was a process repeated in most phases of a project lifecycle because in actual sense the entire functions of a project manage revolves around his ability to provide resolutions to those uncertainties that eventually become a challenge in the implementation of a project. The importance of planning was also emphasised at every phase of the project and planning does not seize until the project has been delivered to time, budget and quality. In the 2012 Olympic case study, differentiating the stadium construction project from a single project and identifying it as belonging to a multiply project environment reveals the need to adopt a different strategies. However, some elements of an established best practice such as value management and risk management would generally be applied successfully. To successfully Identifying the challenges, a review of the facts about the project is necessary as the magnitude and true nature of challenges become obvious. Then finally based on the characteristics of the project identified, lessons learnt and a review of the best practices, eight sets of guidelines were develop for the 2012 Olympic stadium project.

Free Essays - I Found Timelessness :: Personal Narrative, Descriptive Essay

I Found Timelessness    Today, waiting on the schoolhouse steps, I saw something I had never seen before. My back against the warm brick wall, in happy prospect, I stared abstracted towards the red-orange of autumn on a tree. At the very center of my concentration was a single leaf; a torn yellow-green, not even red yet. But it fell. I saw the precise moment of release - the instant the leaf actually disconnected from the branch. It was the brevity of perfection. Partition in sunderance, an umbilicus severed, a future unlatched; an end and a beginning. There was an eternity within; the filial unity, the brief struggle for escape, then the sudden absence of support; and from an empathic vicariousness I found myself within.    I found my entire life in the transience of an instant; I sat up, in respect and humility. The leaf swung in descending pendulum. I rose to grab it, then stopped. I was standing in a small pile of wet and shredded leaves. The leaf, lifted by a breeze, slowed, suspended, paused then rolled over on itself. I knew that one day this leaf too, would crumble into a crust of sinew and stem - so I let the leaf continue, rising upward.    The leaf waltzed in an orbit around itself. Others fell around it, but I kept my attention. This leaf was lighter. It took its time. The torn yellow leaf, because of its shape, spun differently than the rest. The leaf was continually tossed up in irregular oscillations, gaining further distance, until it came near the wall of the building. As the wind approached the brick schoolhouse, the air was forced up and over, trying to pull the leaf along with it.    The leaf reached up, against gravity, and against the lacerated shreds below. It hung, pulled up and down by destiny and self-aspiration.

International Differences Essay -- Argumentative Persuasive Papers

International Differences Did you ever think about what it takes for an international student to come to America for a college education? They have to leave their family and friends, just as we do, but at a much farther distance. I cannot imagine amount of money and time it must take to plan a trip across the world, all for a new, exciting learning experience. Right now, many of us have just moved to a large university and begun a life on our own. It seems like a tough idea to grasp when you are just starting to look at colleges, while still in high school or another point in your life. When the time comes, though, hopefully you will be ready for a change. International students have to live through this same situation, at an even larger scale. I met Jennifer Kuesar the first day I came to Barton Residence Hall, my current residence. I was very nervous, anticipating the time when I would see my living space for the next year. I hoped that there would be some other girls their to meet and talk to about my life at Iowa State University. Luckily, I was in the right place at the right time. Jennifer is a 20-year-old, sophomore, working toward a degree in food science. She was born in Jakarta, Indonesia, and then moved to East Kalimantan, but her family now resides in Jamarinda. She has moved around quite a bit in her life. That may be why her journey to this university has not been as terrifying as it has been for her other friends. Jennifer says that English is a foreign language in Indonesia. You take it as a class, just as an American would take a Spanish class in school. Her first language is Indonesian. Within her family, everyone knows how to speak English except for her mother, as they all travel to the U.S. for b... ...ar, and did not go to all of the events. It did not keep their attention. If Cultural Days and Destination Days occurred at thesame time, the student would have the choice to get involved in one activity, or the other, or both if it could be worked out that way. This would hopefully keep the students more involved and busy in their first week away from home. If Cultural Days could help students to understand new cultures, meet some new friends, and get to know the anxieties of others are mutual, I think that the proposal Jennifer and I thought of could be a success. This idea is good because it is optional and can interest students of all backgrounds. If you choose to participate, you are guaranteed to enjoy yourself, and in turn tell your peers. People should learn more about others around them. It could only make life at Iowa State University easier and better!