Peaks and Valleys free essay sample

On the white, sandy beach in St. Pete I finally knew what I wanted to do in my life. I knew where I was going and what I should be. Sometimes in hard times, you see your true goals. You find who you are, and that is exactly what happened to me. I realized what I should major in, I realized where I wanted to start my life. Though I had been going through my lowest time God shed light on who I was meant to be. For my 16th birthday, my ex-boyfriend, my mother and I hopped on a flight and went to Florida. It had been really rough the past months before. I had been abused in multiple ways and had been keeping quiet about it. I was on the edge of giving up on everything, but then my mom had surprised me with a trip to Florida. The day of my birthday was 5 days into the trip. We will write a custom essay sample on Peaks and Valleys or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page We left Saturday and my birthday was on that upcoming Wednesday. So, on Wednesday we went to the beach of my choice. It was the white, sandy beach of St. Petersburg. From a 3-hour car ride, I was so excited to just lay in the sand and tan. But from the parking lot, we had to go through a trail to get to the sand. And as the amazing view started to peak through the bushes, I was at home. It was warm and I could feel it wrap my skin with an excited welcome. I fell in love with the vibes. Realizing what you were meant to do in life is the most reassuring thing anyone could ever feel. It makes you feel like you have a reason to be on earth. And a lot of times people lose sight of that idea of belonging, and it makes continuing hard. It makes living seem stupid and unreasonable, and I had been stooping to that point. It was so rough, but looking at the horizon while I was paddle boarding and realizing Im so small but I can have a big impact on other people by becoming a psychologist. I had been through hell and back, and I knew from my life experiences I could help others to the right path. I knew that I needed to spend the rest of my life in St. Petersburg so I wouldn’t quit on the thought of not sacrificing my happiness to help others. You never really know what your life plan is, but when you get a small glimpse of it†¦ Its so relieving. You have to take that ray of hope and hold onto ittight because in the worst times comes the best of opportunities. God closes a door and you feel trapped, but before you know it†¦ he opens another one and its better than what you could have ever expected. So on that white sandy beach in St. Pete I found who I was in a horrible situation. That ocean is what showed me my path. And that path has peaks and valleys, but those valleys make the peaks so much higher.

The Not So Perfect Body essays

The Not So Perfect Body essays I wish I looked like that! Does this sound familiar? Millions of images everyday are pressuring teens today to be slimmer, taller, and stronger. No wonder more and more teens have a bad self-image of themselves and are willing to do anything to get the perfect body. The American Society of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons says that the numbers of teenagers getting cosmetic surgery has more than doubled in the last few years, with the most popular surgeries as rhinoplasty (nose surgery), breast augmentation, liposuction, and otoplasty (ear surgery). Surgery is not the only way teenagers are working for the perfect body; eating disorders are becoming more frequent. The National Center for Health Statistics estimates that by college as many as 4.5% to 8% of girls have had bulimia (an eating disorder associated with binging and purging and severe weight loss). Also 1 in every 100 women is diagnosed with anorexia (an eating disorder characterized by low calorie intake and extreme exercise in order to lose weight). The complications of these disorders can cause seizures, fatigue, irregular heartbeat, slower breathing rate, and has been linked to at least 1,000 deaths per year. Though eating disorders are usually associated with females, it is projected that over one million teenage boys also suffer from these disorders. Along with the obsession for a thin, slim, body, having a well-sculpted, muscular body is another aspiration for most teenagers. In 2001 over 400,000 teenage boys reported that they were steroid users even though the drugs are illegal in the U.S. Steroids are used to enhance their muscles and strength but in the end steroids can cause severe mood swings, paranoia, delusions, impaired judgment, heart attack, cancer, liver disease, and has lead to many other complications as well as suicide. With all these risks, then why would anyone gamble their health on such a superficial cause? ...

4 Reasons You Should Take the SAT

4 Reasons You Should Take the SAT As graduation nears, tons of high school students are asking themselves this question: Why should I take the SAT? Many colleges and universities out there dont require the SAT, and theyd rather get into a university that doesnt force them to take even more standardized tests. Thats a great question, and there are some very good reasons for you to just take the SAT, even if you dont want to. Read below to see the benefits you can get from making the choice to sit for the exam. The Universally Accepted Test If youre going to college, you kind of have to take a college entrance exam like the SAT if youre attending a school that requires one (some do not). All major universities in the United States accept the SAT as a college entrance exam; most accept the ACT. Scholarships Scholarships, kids! Yes. Money often follows an impressive SAT score. Check into your college of choices SAT scholarship requirements. Many schools dole out huge bucks for great SAT scores. For instance, St. Louis university has awarded $15,000 merit scholarships for a 1210 on the combined Reading and Math scores. Villanova has given more than $10,000 for a 1310. Your school doesnt offer cash for your score? No worries.  Even if your college or university doesnt offer scholarships for your SAT score, many community organizations and foundations do. Trust me, youll appreciate not having to pay back school loans when youre all grown up if you can get much of your tuition covered with a test, so get out there and  practice for the SAT  until your fingers bleed. Balance a Low GPA So maybe you hated your World History teacher, flunked the class to spite her, and ruined that 4.0. That doesn’t mean you dont have the brain skills to survive college. Scoring high on the SAT can show off your smarts to the college admissions team when your GPA doesn’t. And yes, although admissions committees take a look at you as a whole person, not just at your SAT score, it  is  one of the pieces that makes up the picture of you. You want it to be good.   Your Scores Follow You Around I’m not kidding. When you apply for your first entry-level job, your SAT scores (if theyre good enough) are going to be on your resume, because truthfully, your pizza delivery gig can’t showcase your reasoning ability like a 90th percentile on the SAT can. You wont have a lot of job experience right off the bat. Take the SAT to prove to your first future employer that you have the smarts to be successful at your job, even if intelligence is NOT really one of the things the SAT predicts or measures.   Here are the Top SAT Registration Questions to get you started on your SAT journey. Good luck!

Mosques in America Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4250 words

Mosques in America - Research Paper Example However with the emergence of Christianity and Islam, the technological development, particularly in the area of transportation and distribution of ideas, people started moving around the world more intensively, settling in other countries and bringing their religion with them. As a result, the societies which used to be homogeneous in terms of ethnicity and religion now included foreign elements. At the present moment this phenomenon can be easily observed world wide. It may be necessary to narrow the analysis down to a particular religion and country to perform a detailed examination of the issue. Thus, this paper will show mosques in the United States of America feature a considerable number of peculiarities which can be explained by the relationship between this country and the Arab world. To begin with, it may be particularly important to pay attention to those who visit mosques, namely the believers. According to a recent study, it is suggested that the number of Muslims in the United States may be underestimated. Indeed, it has been pointed out that only a million and a half people who live in America are to be seen as followers of Islam; however, it was found that Eid Prayer which is one of the major holidays in the Islamic world was attended by over two and a half million people in 2011 (Bagby, 2011, p. 4). It is quite obvious that this number may not be used as a rough estimation, but it surely casts a shadow on the previous estimates. There is no doubt that during census people might not have stated their religion or did not take part in it at all. However, one should put emphasis on the fact that the presence of Muslims in the United States is surely being underestimated. This holds important implications when it comes to the number of mosques as well as their value since there more there are Muslims, the more

Is There Any Right to Die Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 150

Is There Any Right to Die - Essay Example This question leads to an endless chain of contradictions; however, under a closer examination, it becomes obvious for everyone that such kind of existence can be barely called â€Å"life†. Nowadays medicine possesses a lot of tools, such as morphine, which are able to "facilitate" sufferings of deathly ill patients. In the meantime, the drugs change patient’s mind and psyche, which eliminates any personality features. Hence, even though the drugs may cure and help the person to defeat the unbearable pain, still human personality is being destroyed by those medicals. According to a liberal measurement of human life value, the liberal policy of European and United States stated that the value of human life is secondary in comparison with a person’s will. This means that if a person can be considered as adequate, according to psychological evaluation of one, the person is responsible for one’s own decisions and actions, and therefore one’s decision must be respected by the rest of the society. Hence, such person is eligible to do whatever one wants with his or hers own life and body, unless it causes any harm to other people and is prohibited legally (Seale, 1994). If to take a look at the issue from the personal point of view, it becomes obvious that the life has a meaning when pleasures prevail over sufferings; moreover, positive emotions are considered to be more meaningful than the negative ones. So euthanasia seems to be the only solution in some cases; for instance, when human’s life cannot be maintained in other way and suffering cannot be relieved except by death. In short, if suffering is evil, how can we morally justify preservation of life, which has turned into a constant suffering?   

Impact of Mobile Phone Technology

Impact of Mobile Phone Technology Modern Technology In the past two decades, technology has advanced and changed the manner in which people relate within family ties and social groups. Research suggests that in the 1990s, mails and letters were the most used channels for long distance communication and the postal services were very essential in fulfilling this duty. At the moment, communication has evolved from the use of land lines fixed in peoples homes to mobile phones carried everywhere to facilitate easy and quick communication. In this paper, the new possibilities unlocked by modern technology are examined and analyzed in an argumentative manner with close reference paid to mobile phones and communication. The mobile phone is a very interesting device that among all emerging trends in technology has captured the greatest number of audience with a great percentage of people owning one in reference to Elliott et al (25). The services offered by the mobile phone are so diverse from making of voice and video calls, sending text messages, to accessing social media platforms such as Facebook and WhatsApp, and also taking pictures among many other functions. The rate at which this device has been embraced by consumers of all age has brought a controversial debate on its impacts and whether people are over relying on it. The debate majorly lies on the question of whether mobile phones have taken over real human interaction and changed the manner in which people relate. A person with a mobile handset can reach anyone they want to, despite of the geographical distance between them in an instant based on Elliot et al (85). Today, text messages and the WhatsApp application have revolutionized communication by enabling people to chat and send each other pictures and videos with a lot of ease. The current generation enjoys all these services availed by the modern technology and have a different experience from their parents and guardians who grew up in a different era. Take for instance, the manner in which people in the 1900s depended on newspapers for daily updates and every morning crowds of people could be seen grasping to get a copy. A hundred years later in the 2000s, the difference is notable as one can easily witness a mobile phone in every persons hand at any time of the day, performing different tasks with their device. In this controversial topic, there are two kinds of groups, those who would condemn the embracing of mobile phones and label them as an obsession while others label it as a necessity and defend its presence. In my opinion, the mobile phone is being misused and overused. The percentage of people owning a mobile phone in the United States is approximated to be at 70% of the entire population with the rates continuously increasing in each year. The major users of these devices range in between the age of 16 years and 30 years while those above this age bracket having a lowered dependency on their phones despite owning one. The major functions performed using the mobile phones by this dominant group include; WhatsApp chatting, taking of pictures, listening to music, playing games and accessing social media sites in the internet. According to research, individuals in the mentioned age group spend more than 50% of their time on the phone, and their subconscious mind is fixed on the functions they could be doing on their phones 75% of the time. It is practically impossible to separate some individuals from their mobile phones even at family gatherings and during outdoor activities as they remain engrossed in their handsets. This is the kind of attachment associated with the mobile phone as one of the most popular modern technology. The mobile phone is associated with the most amount of distraction based on psychological research which reveals how peoples brain responds to notifications from the phone. In most cases, people have set a notification sound on their phones which alerts them in case of an incoming message or call. The notification sound takes a minds attention from whichever activity it was performing to first respond to the incoming message or call. The amount of time taken to achieve a similar level of focus by the mind after such distractions from the phone could be significant in conclusion of the ongoing activity and thus such distractions are obstructions to progress. In the case of human interactions, mobile phones have been constantly viewed as obstructions to how people relate. In the present times, it is common to find people during a face to face conversation frequently checking their mobile phones for communication with people in other parts of the world according to research from Siemens (42). The intrusion of mobile phones in human interaction is to the extent of family set ups where teenagers and kids with mobile phones carry their handset to the table during meals and repeatedly get carried away from the rest of the family. It is such behaviors that cause parents and their kids to clash during family time as real family conversations cannot be addressed while the phones are at the table. The family bond is ruined and at times, the entire family is engrossed on their phones interacting with distant friends and ignoring family members. The vice in this act is that distant connections are nurtured at the expense of real life relations where family values and bonds should be first in the priority from Turkle (135). The mobile phone was invented to ease communication and improve peoples relations but it can be said to be doing the exact opposite. The handset created a platform for people to interact, exchange information and more importantly socialize. These functions are in relation to the positive side of using a handset as it was intended to perform. The real life facts on the immediate effect of handsets on peoples relationship suggest that mobile phones are harmful to couples relations. Technology is prevalent to introverted people who find comfort in inanimate interactions rather than personal relations. The introduction of the social media technology in the mobile handset, therefore, has caused people in the modern world to become antisocial in real life. Interactions are based online and people are more comfortable relating on the Facebook and WhatsApp platforms in comparison to personal face to face relations. The negative impact on dating couples brought by the mobile phone is the stress placed on relationships due to a diversification of attention to the distant population rather than the ones nearby. The platforms introduced by social media through the mobile phone also ruin relationships by enabling couples to cheat on each other through these avenues. The internet is a hub of all possibilities, dating sites and hook up sites have been established to connect people who may intend to find new lovers online. In this way, couples who intend to cheat are aided in this task by their mobile phones through the internet access. They are also able to hide these connections by erasing any evidence which may exist on their devices or by simply locking their phones with passwords and patterns availed in the handset during the infidelity process. Modern technology aims to make peoples lives convenient by introducing an easier way of doing things that is less stressful. A shift of attention from the mobile phone and its impacts on human relations suggests that the general incorporation of technology in individuals lives contributes to a significant percentage of laziness among people. Take a remote control for instance, it is meant to facilitate easy control of technological gadgets from distance and in the process it contributes to laziness. Research indicates that most people with remote controlled gadgets within their houses have less mobility and perform such tasks at the comfort of their seats denying themselves any physical exercise. At the moment, kids have gadgets within their houses such as play stations which they use to play games after school. These indoor games have denied the kids in the current generation from engaging in outdoor activities and games which are beneficial to their health. The importance of outdoor games has been lost due to technological games which slowly replace the physical aspect of child growth. Playing outside is very healthy to the development of kids according to medical practitioners since it offers children the chance to exercise and also interact with each other. Take for instance, kids engaging in a game of baseball with a neighboring child of the same age, this fosters new friendships and improves their physical health as well as their social skills. The games played on technological devices are also very addictive and in some instances harmful to the mind. Once a child begins playing the computer games, their minds get engaged with a sense of excitement which makes them to want to play it more. In this attachment, their brains can be harmed by an increased level of anxiety and loss of sleep when they reach this level of attachment. Technological advancements in the modern day have increased dependency on easy quick fix solutions for every human problem. The easy fix solutions to problems are beneficial to individuals who gain an easy way of performing stubborn functions such as cleaning among many other operations but the general result is negative. Take for instance, an introduction of a machine or robot which performs the task which used to be performed by a human being in the early days. The indirect result is that many people will be laid off in the process of easing a specific task through technological advancements of this kind. Modification is a superb inclusion in the modern technological world but too much embracing of technology in every service is detrimental to the jobs of some human beings. When technology is embraced in every sector, it solves some problems as it creates others. The ultimate aim of human beings is to fix their problems and not to transfer them to another field. Technology in this case offers new ventures for human beings to explore while directing them to new challenges as suggested earlier. Take the practical example of the introduction of plantation harvesting machines within a society that depends on agricultural labor as their main source of employment. The owner of the plantation enjoys a reduced labor cost solving one problem while the people of the society risk losing their jobs due to the introduction of a technological solution to their work place. The level of unemployment in such an area will definitely rise as the machine eliminates the need for physical labor. Technological solutions in such a case will solve one problem and create another one. Modern technology is creating more harm than good in other areas where their complexity is too high for all humans expected to utilize its services. There is a close difference between the ways in which modern technology should be applied and how human beings without the necessary knowledge apply it. Utilization of chemical fertilizers is an additional modern technology aimed at improving the manner in which people farm and the products grown from the farms. In the process of applying fertilizers, heavy chemicals used in its preparation require an informed procedure of application that will not be harmful to the soil or the crops themselves based on Elimelech and William (712). The wrong use of these fertilizers is the reason some crops have become extinct while the soils lose their productivity after a period of application. The inability of some farmers to follow the application instructions is responsible for the environmental degradation being experienced. The soil loses its natural fertility and is unable to sustain the growth of crops as it is required. In the long run, continued application of chemical fertilizers could lead to soil poisoning which eventually harms the health of other living organisms such as animals and even human beings. The climate on the other hand has been on the negative end of technology as pollution from companies with mechanical advancements is a common aspect in the modern world. These machines require a source of fuel to run them and in the process of operation, some produce smokes known to be harmful to the earths atmosphere. Mechanization in this essence brings a negative impact to the climate and as humans embraces its operations in their daily routines the world climate suffers the most. It would be wrong to label modern technology as a demon in the current society due to human beings obsession and wrong use of the inventions brought to them. The reliance placed by human beings is the part where vices are created and modern technology produces negative results that were not expected in the start. For instance, the mobile phones inclusion in the modern world can be a very beneficial tool in the society with its capability to connect people even in different localities. The vices of the use of mobile phones appear when people get addicted to their phones and in the long run misuse them losing sight of real life connections in reference to Elliott et al (113). According to research from Bertot et al (30), addictions are harmful to ones mental and emotional health as signs of anxiety and restlessness appear when people are detached from their items of comfort such as mobile phones. People who are used to carrying their phones everywhere display a sense of stress when they forget them at home and at times compare the feeling to being naked. In terms of couples, this may be due to insecurities of what ones lover might discover in their phones during their absence. The stress associated with the mobile phone in this case becomes negative and this solidifies the argument that modern technology should be limited according to Ayyagari et al (831). The solution to this kind of dependency on modern technology lies in replacement of the gadgets with other physical activities which can shift ones focus to social events and interactions. The elimination of modern technology in this century is an attempt close to impossible but limitation of time spent on ones devices, and restriction of how people apply mechanization in all their daily routines. References Bertot, John Carlo, Paul T. Jaeger, and Derek Hansen. The impact of polices on government social media usage: Issues, challenges, and recommendations. Government information quarterly 29.1 (2012): 30-40. Elliott, Anthony, and John Urry. Mobile lives. Routledge, 2010. Siemens, George. Connectivism: A learning theory for the digital age. (2014). Turkle, Sherry. Alone Together: Why We Expect More from Technology and Less from Each Other. New York, NY: Basic Books, 2011. Print. Elimelech, Menachem, and William A. Phillip. The future of seawater desalination: energy, technology, and the environment. science 333.6043 (2011): 712-717. Ayyagari, Ramakrishna, Varun Grover, and Russell Purvis. Technostress: technological antecedents and implications. MIS quarterly 35.4 (2011): 831-858.

Crime and Punishment Analysis Essay

Raskolnikov’s redemption is an essential element to the story. His interaction with Profiry is a catalyst for this change. Additionally, the psychological concepts and techniques used by the investigator are crucial aspects of the narrative. In fact, his entire investigation involves the use of psychology to lure out the murderer in what Raskolnikov refers to as a â€Å"cat and mouse game. † Though Raskolnikov considers hi an adversary, his admiration for Porfiry’s intelligence and the good use to which he puts it are critical in redeeming certain aspects of his character. Porfiry Petrovitch is an intelligent young man who works for the betterment of his country. He is greatly devoted to Russia and believes his nation has a bright future. He sees Raskolnikov as a bright young man who can contribute to Russia. Through the story Petrovitch comes to realize that Raskolnikov has fallen under the influence of radical new ideas. He is clearly not a common policeman; otherwise he would have arrested the young man much earlier in the novel. Indeed, Petrovitch’s advanced knowledge of psychological methods makes him come across as an open-minded intellectual. He reads the article Raskolnikov had written about crime. He brings this up in their first encounter and Raskolnikov provides details on his ubbermensch theory. Porfiry concludes that the young student must have included himself in the theory, as he was the one who spread the new idea. He also uses other tactics, such as asking whether Raskolnikov noticed two painters at Ivanova’s apartment. This is an attempt to trap Raskolnikov, who realizes it because there were no painters on site until the day of the murder. However these clever mind games and exchanges provide the novel with a rich, compelling interaction. Raskolnikov recognized Porify’s intelligence, and fears him as an antagonist. The investigator however looks at his suspect differently. Soon Petrovitch’s aim is to show Raskolnikov the error of his theory; that his ideas cannot serve humanity unless they are executed by humane people. Thus a person must employ both humanity and intellect simultaneously in order for their ideas to improve society. By discovering the inaccuracy of his theory, Raskolnikov can begin to accept blame and punishment for his actions. Through suffering for his actions, Raskolnikov can begin his ehabilitation and progress towards becoming the valued addition to society that Petrovitch thinks he can be. Petrovitch believes that he can rehabilitate Raskolnikov into someone who can serve Russia in a useful way. This is exemplified by the final interview, in which he gives Raskolnikov additional time to confess to the crime and thereby reduce his level of punishment. Throughout their exchanges, Petrovitch pushes the main character to do the right thing by appealing to his intellect. His influence on Raskolnikov helps the young man to accept responsibility for his actions and move towards rebuilding his life.