Yes, after taking this class I have had a completely new perspective to races and ethnicities. It was an eye-opening experience and I learned so much information about the trials and tribulations that other races still face to this day. Although I was aware that discrimination is still very much a part of our society, I never knew that races face disadvantages in regards to the workplace. After this class I am more aware of my surroundings and I view situations differently because of it. I think one of the best lectures was the class about the Racial Identity Stages. Before this class I believe that I was in the Awakening stage but I had the tendency to avoid racial issues. This class has made me question a lot of things so now I believe that I am still in the Awakening stage but I am attempting to seek a deeper understanding of race issues so I can eventually move to the next stage. I also enjoyed our group discussions because I was able to learn and gain a better understanding of the perspectives and opinions of other people. The discussions were interesting and helped me view where other people are coming from. I was always scared before this class to speak about a person’s race or try and guess what the race of an individual is. For some reason I thought that if I guessed someone’s race and it was wrong then I would be seen as ignorant or rude. After this class I feel like I will be more willing to asking questions to try to understand the reason for the way things are in regards to race. I feel that this class has not only changed my views but has made me less quick to judge other people. I always try not to stereotype people but I have learned that it is a natural process and that the best way to combat stereotypes is to understand why there are assumptions and stereotypes in society and decipher what is right from wrong. I learned that most of the stereotypes in our society are wrong through the poll questions that we answered in class. Overall, I found this class to be very interesting and informative and I feel that I have a lot more knowledge on the subject of race and ethnicity.

I believe that the amount of money you have can affect how happy you are to a certain extent. Money plays a huge role in our society because so much emphasis is placed on someone’s income and status. People with a lot of money also have more power and influence on our society, which could be factors that determine happiness. I wish I could say that you would be just as happy if you didn’t have a lot of money, but for most people that isn’t the case. Earning a lot of money will give you more opportunities and options than those who are not wealthy. For example, a person cannot run for President if they do not come from a wealthy family because they have to spend a certain amount of dollars on their campaign, promotional items/events, sponsors, staff, etc. If you have a lot of money you can choose where you go to school, what profession you want to be in, where you live, what you eat, what you wear, etc. Those without a lot of money do not have the luxury of making these choices; therefore they may not reap certain benefits that are associated with wealth.

One reason that money may affect your happiness is the ability to spend on possessions. People with high-paying jobs will be able to afford more material possessions, which could increase their happiness. Many people believe that material possessions will make you happy, which they do, but only for a short amount of time. This statement reminds me of the article, “5 Scientific Reasons Your Idea of Happiness Is Wrong” by Kimmy Dee. In the section titled, “Money Can Buy Happiness…Sort Of,” a study found that materialism could have a negative effect on your happiness. Even though our society basically revolves around the newest gadgets and products, “science says that endless pursuit of stuff leads to decreased life satisfaction, decreased happiness, depression, paranoia and narcissism.” Material possessions can only make a person happy for so long, until a new and improved product comes out or you break or ruin that product.

To answer this question I think you also have to consider what exactly makes a person happy. If I had to make a list of all of the things that made me happy it would probably include: spending time with my family and friends, traveling, going to college, shopping, having a job, and making my own money. Five out of the six things that make me happy deal with money. I do not think my happiness stems from spending money, but my happiness comes from being able to make choices based on my financial independence. Everything costs money, therefore if you have a lot of it you will be able to enjoy and take advantage of experiences that life has to offer.

It also goes without saying that people who make less money will most likely have a harder life. They may have to work at an entry-level job (or not have a job at all), have bills to pay, cannot take vacations, worry about sending their children to school, and may not be able to afford food and other necessities. For example, in the video about welfare, a mother had to work at Burger King to support her children. She was not able to afford college so now she is forced to work a low-paying job. Her financial state makes it difficult for her children to attend college, therefore the cycle of poverty continues. In the video her children said that they would be happier if they could afford clothes that the other kids have, if they had a car, and if they had a nicer house.

I am not saying that people who make less money are not happy people, but they are faced with more challenges and obstacles on a day-to-day basis than rich people. Their level of happiness could be affected by worries about money, like where each paycheck is going to and how much of it they can spend on certain things. They may not ever be able to take a vacation with their family and therefore miss out on certain experiences.

It is difficult to measure happiness based on money because it varies by each person and each situation. One thing that is true is that having money can make your life easier and more enjoyable. Since our world revolves around money, most people grow up wanting to make a lot of it so that they will be able to provide for themselves and their families. Although money doesn’t necessarily equal happiness, it does give people more opportunities. Opportunities are a central part to our society because we focus on attaining the American Dream, which is the belief in freedom that allows all citizens and residents of the United States of America to achieve their goals in life through hard work. The American Dream is about prosperity and success and for many people success and happiness is achieved through money.

If people are speaking a different language around you does that make you feel uncomfortable?

In certain situations yes it does make me uncomfortable when people are speaking a different language around me. For example, I get my nails done at this place that is owned by a Chinese family. They speak English to their customers but they speak Chinese to each other while they are doing people’s nails. A lot of the times I sit there wondering what they are talking about and even though I know it is not necessarily true, I always assume that they are talking about me or other customers. For some reason I think that they speak Chinese so that they can say whatever they want and we won’t understand them. However, I never really considered that they speak Chinese because it is their native language and that is what they are comfortable with.

Another time I was uncomfortable when people were speaking another language was in my workplace. I work at the TJ Maxx in State College and it has a very diverse staff. While we we are processing clothes, two of the associates always speak Chinese to each other. Although it makes me uncomfortable because I do not know what they are saying, it makes me more curious and annoyed than anything. I am curious because I want to know what they are saying and I am annoyed because I think it is rude since they speak fluent English but they choose to speak Chinese. I always think that it would relieve a lot of tension at work if they chose to speak English because then they could interact with the other associates working around them. Even though I know my opinions and views are narrow-minded about this topic, I am trying to become more understanding and open to the decisions that certain people make and try to place myself in their shoes and see it from their perspectives.

Last semester I studied abroad in London, England and I was very thankful that their primary language is English. I am from State College, which I consider a small town, so moving to a giant city like London was a huge cultural shock for me. I was very grateful that everyone spoke English because it was difficult navigating my way around the city, learning the conversion rates of their currency, figuring out how to use the tube system (underground subway system), and learning specific words for different things. Even though they spoke English their accent and unusual names for certain things took some time to get used to. I always had an interesting time grocery shopping because they had unique terms for different products. For example, I spent around 20 minutes trying to find oatmeal in a grocery store, only to find out that they call oatmeal porridge. Some other terms I had to learn were loo (bathroom), que (waiting in lines), bits (pulp in orange juice) and many more.

I also travelled to different countries while I was abroad and I must admit it was frustrating when I went to places where they didn’t speak English such as Paris, France, Seville, Spain, and Prague, Czech Republic. When I was around people speaking another language I felt out of my comfort zone. For some reason it made me self-conscious because I was upset that I wasn’t able to understand them. It also made it extremely difficult to communicate which is important for figuring out directions, ordering food, and talking to the locals.

Communication is so vital in our everyday life that facing the language barriers proved to be one of the most challenging things about studying abroad. I was mad at myself because a lot of the people I met were fluent in other languages. I felt like I was a failure and lazy for not taking the time to other languages or pursue further education in taking French courses. Being around different languages also made me feel more vulnerable. For example, I visited my boyfriend in Seville, Spain and it is a less commercialized city than Barcelona and Madrid, where many of the tourists typically travel to. Most of the people there do not speak any English, so I had to rely on my boyfriend to speak Spanish to order my food, tell directions to the taxi driver, and inform me on what different signs said.

In conclusion, I guess I am uncomfortable around people when they speak another language, mostly because I am frustrated that I cannot understand them and speak to them. In the future I plan on learning Spanish and continuing to learn French because I think it is important since I plan on traveling to different countries for my job. I am a Communications major and an International Studies and Sociology minor so I think it is imperative that I learn the basics of other languages so that I am able to have basic communication with clients and people that I will come into contact with through my job and travels.

If people are speaking a different language around you does that make you feel uncomfortable?

In certain situations yes it does make me uncomfortable when people are speaking a different language around me. For example, I get my nails done at this place that is owned by a Chinese family. They speak English to their customers but they speak Chinese to each other while they are doing people’s nails. A lot of the times I sit there wondering what they are talking about and even though I know it is not necessarily true, I always assume that they are talking about me or other customers. For some reason I think that they speak Chinese so that they can say whatever they want and we won’t understand them. However, I never really considered that they speak Chinese because it is their native language and that is what they are comfortable with.

Another time I was uncomfortable when people were speaking another language was in my workplace. I work at the TJ Maxx in State College and it has a very diverse staff. While we we are processing clothes, two of the associates always speak Chinese to each other. Although it makes me uncomfortable because I do not know what they are saying, it makes me more curious and annoyed than anything. I am curious because I want to know what they are saying and I am annoyed because I think it is rude since they speak fluent English but they choose to speak Chinese. I always think that it would relieve a lot of tension at work if they chose to speak English because then they could interact with the other associates working around them. Even though I know my opinions and views are narrow-minded about this topic, I am trying to become more understanding and open to the decisions that certain people make and try to place myself in their shoes and see it from their perspectives.

Last semester I studied abroad in London, England and I was very thankful that their primary language is English. I am from State College, which I consider a small town, so moving to a giant city like London was a huge cultural shock for me. I was very grateful that everyone spoke English because it was difficult navigating my way around the city, learning the conversion rates of their currency, figuring out how to use the tube system (underground subway system), and learning specific words for different things. Even though they spoke English their accent and unusual names for certain things took some time to get used to. I always had an interesting time grocery shopping because they had unique terms for different products. For example, I spent around 20 minutes trying to find oatmeal in a grocery store, only to find out that they call oatmeal porridge. Some other terms I had to learn were loo (bathroom), que (waiting in lines), bits (pulp in orange juice) and many more.

I also travelled to different countries while I was abroad and I must admit it was frustrating when I went to places where they didn’t speak English such as Paris, France, Seville, Spain, and Prague, Czech Republic. When I was around people speaking another language I felt out of my comfort zone. For some reason it made me self-conscious because I was upset that I wasn’t able to understand them. It also made it extremely difficult to communicate which is important for figuring out directions, ordering food, and talking to the locals.

Communication is so vital in our everyday life that facing the language barriers proved to be one of the most challenging things about studying abroad. I was mad at myself because a lot of the people I met were fluent in other languages. I felt like I was a failure and lazy for not taking the time to other languages or pursue further education in taking French courses. Being around different languages also made me feel more vulnerable. For example, I visited my boyfriend in Seville, Spain and it is a less commercialized city than Barcelona and Madrid, where many of the tourists typically travel to. Most of the people there do not speak any English, so I had to rely on my boyfriend to speak Spanish to order my food, tell directions to the taxi driver, and inform me on what different signs said.

In conclusion, I guess I am uncomfortable around people when they speak another language, mostly because I am frustrated that I cannot understand them and speak to them. In the future I plan on learning Spanish and continuing to learn French because I think it is important since I plan on traveling to different countries for my job. I am a Communications major and an International Studies and Sociology minor so I think it is imperative that I learn the basics of other languages so that I am able to have basic communication with clients and people that I will come into contact with through my job and travels.

To answer the question about how I would feel once whites become the minority in the U.S., I think I would have to wait and see how I would feel when it happens. I don’t think I can discuss my feelings until I see the changes that come about when whites are the minority. I went to Los Angeles, California last summer and while I was there I felt that the majority of the people were Hispanic. Although I didn’t think anything of it at the time, I do think it would be a completely different world once we become the minority. I believe that the U.S. is currently very white centered with white politicians, celebrities; CEO’s of companies and many of the key figures in our society are white. I do not think that it is anything to be scared of, however there is a history where white people have been racist, which could result in some backlash from other races once we are the minority. Since we currently have a black president I do not think the government would run very differently, but I do think that it will cause several changes in society. The changes that may occur I’m not quite sure of yet, but I do not think it is something that whites need to be scared of.

I just had to discuss racial identity and the importance of it in my SOC 119 class. I said that it wasn’t very important to me because my race doesn’t affect me as much as it affects a black or Hispanic person. I think once we become the minority that my racial identity will be more important to me since whites will be treated differently in certain situations and our society will no longer be centered around whites. As of right now since we are the majority everything in society comes very easy to us and whites don’t really have to question or think much about their race. However, when we are the minority I think that we will evaluate our race or at least think about it more on a day-to-day basis. As far as my feelings about being the minority, in a way it makes me more curious than scared. I am curious to see what different changes will occur in society and if we are treated differently, how will we be treated. I am interested to see what race the majority of people are going to be and how it is going to change the world that we live in. I also wonder how my children and grandchildren will be raised, growing up as the minority. All in all I am only scared because I never want them to be treated the way that the minorities have been treated in the past and are still sometimes treated today. I hope that we will only grow from the past and become more welcoming to all races in the future.

I am a white female and I would say that I am in stage 2, Awakening. I would consider myself to be in stage 2 because I am aware of race around me and I notice the divide between “us” and “them”. I think out of the three paths that I could be on in the awakening stage, I am most likely option C, which is seeking a deeper understanding of race issues and trying to lay the foundation to move forward to the next stage. One of the reasons that I took this class was because I feel like I do not know the language of race communication. Like the student in class who was used for this example, I get awkward and uncomfortable when I have to speak about someone’s race but I want to learn and understand what is the proper way to use racial and ethnic signifiers. I often wonder why different races choose to hang out with each other and the reason for the divide. I would say that I first entered the Awakening stage in high school. Although I had a pretty diverse elementary school and middle school, I didn’t really notice race and either did most of the other kids. Once I entered high school though race became very apparent, especially in the lunchroom. Our cafeteria looked like the cafeteria set up in the movie Mean Girls, with different races sitting at different tables. I still try to comprehend the reason for this but I feel like I am learning more and more in this class. Also I am becoming less scared of using racial signifiers after hearing Sam discuss it so openly, I feel like I can discuss it more openly.

As far as my family goes, I believe that we are all in different stages. My brother is a junior in high school and I believe that he is entering the same stage as I am because he is noticing the racial divide. My sister is older than me but she went to a very diverse college so I believe she is at the stage 5, Pseudo-Communitarian because she attempts to seek approval from people of color. My dad would probably be at the stage 6, Humanitarian because he grew up in Cleveland, Ohio so he was exposed to many different races and has always instilled in me to accept and embrace all cultures. I would have to say that my mom is at a stage 4, the Reversal stage. I believe my mom is at this stage because her parents were racist. She also never went to college so the only exposure or opinions she has formed about other races has come from her parents. She would never say that she is racist but I know that people of other races causes her discomfort because it is not what she is used to. Since she was so sheltered her whole life, I believe that she has preconceived notions about how people are going to act before they do. I try to teach her messages that we have learned in class and I hope one day that she (and I) will be able to reach stage 6.

This article really opened my eyes and made me realize that I cannot be happy all the time and that once I stop placing importance on being happy, everything will all fall into place. I think the perfect quote to explain how we should approach happiness is, “Still we're trying one more time. Maybe we're just trying too hard. When really it's closer than it is too far.” Like the article said, our view of happiness is so screwed up that most of us wouldn’t recognize the real thing if we saw it. I believe, if we stopped worrying about being happy and instead focused on developing social bonds with other people, following our instincts on making decisions, and sought out the little things in life that put a smile on our face (playing with puppies- not material goods), we will be the closest to achieving the feeling of “happiness”.

For example, it is much easier for someone to say, “I am unhappy because I don’t have a boyfriend and I don’t have a boyfriend because I chose the wrong college to go to,” than saying, “I am unhappy because I don’t have a boyfriend and I don’t have a boyfriend because I put a guard up.” Instead of blaming ourselves for our unhappiness, we take the easier road by making excuses for ourselves so that we are not held accountable for being unhappy.

It is a constant struggle, because if I choose something and I am happy as a result, I just decide that it was the right decision. However, if I choose something and it doesn’t make me happy, I automatically assume that the other choice would have resulted in happiness. I look at our society as a group of people who always believe that the grass is greener on the other side. Has anyone ever wondered if it’s the exact same color and that there is no perfect decision or path? I try to not let my decisions rule my happiness but it is difficult not to associate my choices with happiness because otherwise I wouldn’t have anything to blame for my unhappiness.

It is because these possessions can only provide celebrities with happiness for a short period of time, until their new record bombs or they fail to make a hit blockbuster.

Another myth that I can relate to is the myth that “Freedom of choice will make you happier.” Sometimes I wish that I grew up in an earlier time period where I didn’t have so many options to choose from because it would be easier and less stressful. I am in a constant debate with myself that I picked X because I thought it would make me happy, but I’m not happy (at the moment), so I probably should have picked Y instead! My regrets and doubt affect me with every decision I make whether it be what college should I go to? or should I wear rain boots or sneakers?