"My Drug Problem"

It is the unfortunate truth that the necessary medication is not available to all who need it. Many barriers stop these people from getting the medication that may save their lives or improve the quality of life significantly. One of the most prominent barriers is the research on the disease and awareness of treatments. In How To Survive a Plague, for example, the people with aids had an extremely hard time getting medication because there was little research done, and the research that had been done was taking over 7 years to be published and approved. Another significant barrier is the cost of the medications or treatments. Not everyone has great insurance that covers all or most costs of treatment for life-threatening diseases. However, this barrier creates an even larger issue: should people who cannot afford medication or treatment be given it anyway? Who decides this? In my opinion, it is impossible to give treatment to everyone who cannot afford it. I wish it was, but it is not. It is ultimately up to the government to decide this, and we all know with the recent election, it is likely that there will be little to no effort in helping those who cannot afford necessary things in life. It is clear that a change must be made so that those who do not have the finances can still save their lives, but what that change will be is the hard part.

How to Survive a Plague

The activists pushing for aids research and treatment used a vast amount of tactics to get to the people in charge. Some were effective, and some were not. For an effective protest, certain things are necessary. Having a large group of people is always beneficial because the more people involved, the more significant the government (or the group being protested) sees the issue. Having a phrase or slogan to repeat is also effective because the people will hear it over and over again, and eventually it will be stuck in their own heads. People use protests because it is the most upfront way of showing that you believe a change needs to be made. It is much more personal and unavoidable than a strongly worded, hand written letter. The aids activists used the most beneficial way to get what the wanted and needed, and any other way would have slowed the process.

My Education

Compared to the readings, my high school is spectacular. I have been a student of Nazareth Area School district my whole life, and I would not chose to have it any other way. The education Nazareth students receive is the best in the area and we are lucky to be a part of it. When I read about how bad some schools have it, such as Freemont High School, it makes me appreciate my school district so much more. Bathrooms are always clean and open, teachers are almost always nice, and class scheduling is very flexible and customizable for each student. In every single class, I learn more than I ever knew existed. Most students take class seriously; it is less common to find a student who skip class or doesn't care about his or her grades. Nazareth has prepared me for the future to the fullest extent. I have taken every class necessary to apply to the colleges I hope to go to, and I have also taken every class that relates to the career field I plan on going into. Ever since elementary school, I have been taught to set goals and work hard to achieve them.

Media Image Analysis

In this advertisement released by the American Apparel clothing brand, we see a man dressed formally with his hands around the ankles of what appear to be a woman's legs. The woman doesn't seem to have pants on, and she is upside down with her legs spread apart. American Apparel probably chose to release this advertisement to make men feel like if they buy American Apparel clothing, they will be dominant and powerful, and women will do anything they want. This image is demeaning to women because it portrays them as objects that men can be dominant over if they are dressed nicely. It is also demeaning because the man is dressed nicely and the woman has no clothes on, which only further creates her to be a sexual object.

The Mask You Live In -- Film Blog

As children grow and mature, society teaches them what is and is not acceptable for their genders. We learn that pink is for girls, blue is for boys, dolls are for girls, and trucks are for boys. Before we even realize the differences between genders, we are told which one we are and how we are expected to act. The earliest memory I have of learning these unwritten rules begins when I was about 5 years old and my brother was 9. Being a boy, my brother loved pirates and enjoyed pretending our house was a pirate ship. I watched him put on pirate costumes, hold a hook in his hand, and pretend to fight enemies. He was my role model at the time, and I aspired to be like him. I would try to do exactly as he did and put a pirate costume on. Although I found nothing but joy in it, my brother thought it was weird. He would tell me that girls aren't supposed to be pirates, and that a princess was a better idea for me to be. I listened to my older brother because he knew better; I followed the gender stereotype because I thought it was the right thing to do.

My Favorite Book

When I was 15 years old, I read a book that made me look at the world and appreciate my life in a new and better way. This book was The Giver, written by Lois Lowry. The main character, Jonas, lives in a futuristic society they consider utopia, where people have no free choice, no memory of the past, and are unable to see any colors other than black and white. This does not bother him because they do not know any better, until one day Jonas is assigned with the job of the "receiver." He is the only person in society who will have memories of the past: everything from wars to birthday parties. When he receives the memories, he decides it is time for society to change and basically becomes a martyr in fighting for making life normal again.

This book changed how I perceived the world because I had a new appreciation for the freedom I have. I have the freedom to be who I am with no restrictions, the freedom to choose what I want to be when I grow up, and the freedom to see the world as it really is without filters. This book made me realize that in society, we have to accept the good with the bad because if we try to completely take away the bad, we will not appreciate the good.

Introducing Steph ☮

Stephanie Haddad is 18 years old and is from Keansburg, New Jersey, which is about 2 hours away from Northampton Community College.

When she was in high school, she was in the band and played many instruments including the bass clarinet and the piano. She was also on Student Council, and was a student athletic trainer. Before going to college, she had a job as a waitress at a pancake house. As for her personal life, she is very close to her stepdad and enjoys spending time with him since she as not as close with her mother, who works a lot, or with her 12 year old sister. In her free time, she likes to spend time outdoors and go hiking and exploring. A unique thing she likes to do is get in her car and just drive randomly until she is out of gas. She then gets gas and does the same thing until she returns home.

She decided to attend NCC because it was the closest 2 year school with on-campus housing, since she did not want to attend a 4 year university. She is in school to become a health care office coordinator, and hopes to eventually have a career in a privately owned physician's office.

In ten years, she sees herself possibly going back to school to become a medical assistant. She does want to get married, but she is in no rush at all. Similarly, she wants to have 3 or 4 kids, but again is in no rush.

Steph is a super nice girl that I am glad I had the pleasure to meet.