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PAS Post #5: Summer Bangerz

Although we all have different tastes in music, there are some songs we all love to hear in summer, whether we are by the pool or at a party. Music is a big part of my life in a way that I listen to it all night and all day. Some people say that country music like “Cruise” by Nelly and Florida Georgia Line is their idea of the perfect summer song, but in my case it’s anything that is hip-hop and very upbeat. For my PAS Post this week, I made a top 20 list of songs that I can’t help to dance to. I do not own any of these songs and am not responsible for what the artist says within the song (because most are explicit). You don’t have to listen if you find this offensive, but at least scroll down and look. Hopefully you will agree with me on some song choices. Let me know in the comments if you liked or disliked any songs, and tell me what you like to listen to when summer rolls around! Thanks! XOXO

1. Loyal – Chris Brown

2. Summer Time – New Kids On The Block

3. Summer Love – Justin Timberlake

4. California Gurls – Katy Perry

5. Pursuit of Happiness (Steve Aoki Remix) – Kid Cudi

6. Country Grammar – Nelly

7. Hot in Herre – Nelly

8. Loud – Mac Miller

9. Anaconda – Nicki Minaj

10. Scream & Shout – will.I.am

11. Big Pimpin’ – Jay-Z

12. Shake Ya Ass – Mystikal

13. Get Low – Lil Jon & The East Side Boyz

14. Don’t Give A Damn – Yonas

15. Summertime – Will Smith

16. Tipsy – J-Kwon

17. Kiss You – One Direction

18. Summer – Calvin Harris

19. Classic – MKTO

20. Beat It – Sean Kingston Feat. Chris Brown

RCL Post #5: Rhetorical Analysis

 

Emma Watson has been one of the three main stars of the Harry Potter movies ever since she was 11 years old. Now, this extremely confident and remarkable actress is speaking on behalf of HeForShe which is a campaign led by women in the UN. This campaign is originally for women and men to come to an understanding and speak out against inequalities that gender’s face among all countries. In this 12 minute speech Watson approaches the word feminism from a different outlook. It isn’t a word to scare people, or as she says means “man haters”, because that is the last thing it REALLY means. Emma goes on to explain how women should have the same rights as men, for example getting paid the same amount as men for the same job. Also, she takes a man’s prospective and says that some men are too afraid to speak out in pain just because they don’t want to appear less mansculine- which makes me very emotional myself because no man should ever feel that way. The text of the speech and her delivery of the speech go hand in hand when comparing pathos. Her tone is shaky in the beginning but she gets her points across loud and clear. She basically says we can help fight gender inequalities, we can fight it now! It is our job as people of the Earth to make everyone equal and if everyone participated, the world would be one step ahead.

I was really drawn to Emma’s speech because I am a feminist myself and always have been. I used to hear about it when i was younger in school, and I know some actresses don’t get paid the same amount as men, even if they are better then them! I was also interested in this because inappropriate pictures of  Emma Watson were leaked soon after this speech. This is just adding on to her speech as many men scrambled on the internet searching google for these pictures. Women are treated as sex symbols. Emma tells personal stories within her speech and uses many statistics to back up her thoughts. Overall this was a well put together speech, and very talked about, yet modern. I am so excited to analyze this piece myself and really look deeper into it.

 

RCL Post #4: Open Wide (;

Chiquita Banana

This ad is a prime example of the extremely dirty minds of people. For this ad to actually be published is actually quite disappointing. This also shows how women are portrayed to the public  by using “sex roles”.

The advertisement for this particular brand of banana’s is trying to show that the bananas are full of flavor. Although this may be funny at first, you have to realize that these are CHILDREN. I’m sure this ad brought up many riots or people to voice their opinion against this because of the ages of these children. Also, this shows how women are displayed. They are “supposed” to fill the sex roles and do what the man wants. The little boy is laughing and the girl seems to be serious like she is “doing her duty”. It is not appropriate for a company to use such an ad. This is a lot like the Burger King add saying “It’ll blow your mind away”. There are many other ways that Chiquita could have advertised their products without being unethical.  In Chapter 5 of our RCL book, it goes on to explain how to write a rhetorical analysis and one of the parts is to “summarize the argument”. The claim of this ad is that the banana’s are so flavorful that anyone will love it. But, the company didn’t think about who the audience was. Most people that buy bananas are parents, or adults shopping; parents especially would find this offensive and would not want to buy this product because of associating sexual innuendos with their child. This is a cleverly funny, yet horrible ad that was put on the market that we can laugh at, many years later.

Like WTF? (‘:

 

 

PAS Post #4: 10 Summer-y Date Ideas

Summer is a time to be the social butterfly you were meant to be. Whether you’re going on a first date or just another date with your boyfriend, there are plenty of fun things to do in the summer. I can completely agree on the fact that in the moment it’s hard to think of different places to go and activities to do so write these things down in your calender! – Let’s get started with 10 summer-y date ideas!

1. Of course it depends on whether or not you are comfortable with whom you’re going on a date with there are always options. If it is your first date, you can always consider going with a group of people, or even a double date. You could all go to the mall and hang out for the night. If things get awkward, there’s always more people to distract you. Mini-golfing, chilling by the pool & having a BBQ, laser tagging, and bowling are all great group date ideas!

2. The cutest of all dates is to go to the beach for the day! I know this is unreasonable for some people who live far from the beach, but you can always consider getting a group together and going if all else fails! Take a walk along the beach at sunset, hopefully there isn’t too much pressure since other people will surely be around, and things will click from there. What’s more romantic than that?!

3. Bike riding! Not very romantic but a good way to be able to talk to the person you are on a date with, without the awkwardness. & it’s a great way to exercise- you guys can both get a little hot and sweaty (; Any other sporting date is cute! Kayaking, jet skiing.. etc.

4. Go for a picnic! Around sunset, go to a beautiful place, and lay a blanket down! You supply the food yourself; the person you are on a date with will appreciate it, and realize what a great cook you are.

5. Go to a local theme park! I know for me, I live near Hershey Park in PA and it’s a great place to go for a date! You can hold hands on a ride and after you can laugh together at how horrible the picture turned out!

6. The classic date– go out to eat. Very romantic and classy. This may be a little awkward, but awkwardness brings out people’s real personalities and forces conversation. Make sure you agree on the place so you both will like what you order. The only negative to this date is the all around common talk of the bill. The guy SHOULD pay it in my opinion, so at least offer to pay the tip. My only piece of advice for this is be chill about the whole situation, don’t seem uptight.

7. Stargaze at night! It’s amazing to look at something beautiful with a person, and you will hopefully both open up to each other. Maybe light some sparklers to spice things up!

8. Go to one of your houses! Chill out, eat pizza rolls, and play xbox! You get to see each other in a natural environment which can be relaxing and reassuring.

9.  Ice cream! Go cool down after a baseball game and grab some dairy queen for a quick, easy, and inexpensive date.

10. Zoo Time! Go to a zoo on a nice day! It’s a great environment with plenty of things to talk about yet you still have the perfect opportunity to spend quality time with your date. Its fun and take plenty of pictures! It’ll make for some great memories.

PAS Post #3: Mealtime!

Summer has ended and I know Penn State is freezing already! Just because the bathing suits are back in storage, doesn’t mean the amazingly yummy snack foods and drinks have to stop. Here are a couple easy to make and quick snacks that you could make, even in your dorm, to keep summer alive!

1. Fruit salad

Fruit is one of the main food groups and as a college student, I definitely think it is difficult to eat healthy. It is so easy to walk 30 seconds away to the commons and grab ice cream or chocolate or a f’real milkshake-but it needs to stop. Fruit can be fun to eat! Try freezing a banana, it’ll change the texture and mix it up. Make fruit kabobs with your favorite fruits. My mom makes amazing dip that reminds me of summer. Throw some cream cheese and marshmallow fluff together in a bowl, mix thoroughly, and you have the BEST FRUIT DIP EVER. Also, don’t limit it to fruits, vegetables are just as important! Grab some celery, broccoli, green bell peppers, carrots and veggie dip and you have a great snack for on the go! Don’t forget to use the dip in moderation.

2. Salsa & Chips

I know for a fact that they sell chips and salsa just about everywhere. Salsa and other spicy foods are known to speed metabolism up. Also, spicy foods like salsa make you thirsty, so you will also benefit by drinking more water. Get together with friends, watch a movie and eat some salsa and chips! It’s quick and oh-so-yummy! I suggest, if you have never tried it, get the salsa con queso because it will change your life.

3. Freeze Pops

You can never go wrong with freeze pops. Literally just throw them in the freezer and eat them as you need. It’s only ice! SO fast and are perfect for study breaks. The best part is all the juice at the end of the pop! There are also 100 calorie freeze pops so you don’t have to feel guilty about eating!

4. Creamy Lemon Dip (http://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2014/06/20/favorite-summer-snacks-super-healthy-kids)

My mom found this recipe over the summer and got me hooked! All you need is honey, greek yogurt, lemon juice, and lemon zest. It is a little sour and bitter, but in a good way. You can eat it with any fruit but i love it with blueberries and strawberries.The recipe is on the website above if you wish to view it!

5. Truffles

WHO DOESN’T LOVE CHOCOLATE. Truffles are a do-able treat for a college student. These are great to grab on the go and if you even slightly mention you have truffles, you could make so many friends, haha. I found that using golden oreos when making truffles is truly amazing and better than the chocolate. You can quickly look at this website as a reference to your truffle making http://www.wikihow.com/Make-Chocolate-Truffles.

We all love food, especially food that reminds us of summer. These 5 treats are my favorite snacks for summer, and are easy to eat/make in the winter. Try all this stuff when your diet starts getting boring or you start to feel the wintery symptoms of depression.

Enjoy!

RCL Post #3: Chapter 1 Reflection of Americanah

Americanah written by Chimamanda Angozi Adichie focuses on cultural differences through romantic relationships. Although I only read chapter 1, I was intrigued at the topics she discussed.

For starters, from the very first sentence of the novel, Adichie is very descriptive. I could picture every small detail about Princeton. I imagined it to be a gorgeous town, with perfectly green, freshly cut grass, bright flowers everywhere, wealthy people that were dressed for success walking around, and lots of street vendors. Because of how well she described the environment, it felt as if I was right there in the book, as one of the characters.

Secondly, because I am mixed- half African American, half Caucasian, I understand what she mentions about race. Although “slavery” is long gone, or legally anyway, racism is still in the air. Black people are still seen as if they are of the lower class because of natural background knowledge. Yet, I somehow also agree with what one of the guys she interviewed had to say. Sometimes, it’s not about race, it’s simply about class. People always judge others based off their class, meaning how much money they have and their position on the social ladder, whether we like to admit it or not, we cannot control it.

Thirdly, I found it relative that the main character had a blog, sort of like what I am doing for my class! It was cool to be able to relate in that way. I also had a tumblr that I was addicted to, and I can see why she thought getting so many comments was a big deal. It’s like a new connection to people!

I am a slow reader and find it hard to become interested enough to finish reading a book, but Americanah did leave an impression on me. It is nice to have someone address the topic of race, because it is not spoken about as much anymore.

RCL Post #2: I Now Nominate You To Read This or Donate $100

ice bucket

The ALS Ice Bucket Challenge has raised over $90 million. ALS, Amyotrohpic Lateral Sclerosis, is commonly known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. Eventually, the ability of the brain to control muscle movement deteriorates and is lost. Patients in their later stages of ALS have known to become paralyzed until the point where they can’t even move the muscles in their throat to speak or swallow.  There is no cure or treatment today. Worldwide, the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge has been taking over the internet. Someone gets a bucket of ice and dumps it in water, then pours it on their head. This was originally to raise awareness. Also, if you don’t complete the bucket dumping, you must donate $100 to the charity. It became very popular over the summer of 2014 and everyone seemed to be doing the ice bucket challenge, but what was the point if no money was going towards them? This video by Anthony Carbajal explains just that, and if you haven’t watched it before, please watch it till the end– grab some tissues!

He not only satirized how most people view the ice bucket challenge but also put it in perspective. The bucket challenge is kairotic because it gets people to act now! Especially videos that are not simply dumping ice, but a video where the person explains how they connect with someone who has ALS or even them themselves. It is persuasive and grabs the viewers attention in an emotional way. You can’t help but to feel bad for the people that were diagnosed. This randomly happened to them, and they will be deeply impaired and can’t do anything about it. It also could happen to anyone at anytime in their life; that is why I think Anthony’s video is so amazing and touching.

There is somewhat of an urgency to the campaign in the sense that if someone nominates you, you have a day to complete the challenge or donate. Overall, it’s widespread and it could take awhile for someone to get ‘nominated’, so they might not do it, or think they have to be nominated to jump in and make a video or donate for themselves. The only thing lacking about the ice bucket challenge is the detailing. I know when i was browsing on facebook and saw someone do one of those challenges, I thought to myself oh? whats ALS?… It wasn’t until later on that I found out ALS was Lou Gehrig’s by looking it up, online, by myself. The dialogue you’re supposed to say in the beginning of the “script” should include what ALS is and where the money is going to. I wasn’t motivated per say to do it, but it did make me think about the cause and I was able to think about what I could do to help- not just pour water on my head.

I definitely think everyone should keep talking about ALS and not let this sit on the back burners anymore. You yourself can make a change so donate to  www.alsa.com/donate.

PAS Post #2: “I AM SO PALE!”

As a half Caucasian and half African American teenager, I expect to be able to keep a tan, but it never seems to work out that way! We can all agree that tans peel or fade very quickly, but you can do something about it! From reading magazines like Seventeen and Cosmopolitan my whole life, I can tell you exactly what to do to help your cause!

1. exfoliate your skin!

You definitely want to start off exfoliating your skin before you tan. Exfoliating with any type of scrubbing body product will help remove dead skin cells and leave the fresh skin cells to get tan! For a great exfoliator, I suggest Lush’s Ocean Salt. It has worked for me over the last 3 years, and it smells amazing!

ocean salt

 http://www.lushusa.com Ocean Salt 21.95

2. take a cool shower & lotion up!

After tanning, take a cool shower to get rid of sweat and clean pores. You should be able to see the intensity of your tan increasing. After your shower, moisturize! You can visit http://www.allure.com/beauty-products/2013/ten-moisturizers-under-20#slide=1 as a reference to some of the top brands of facial moisturizers. I personally suggest any lotion by the brand Aveeno. Aveeno has some amazing products that are thick but not greasy at all and will work wonders for your skin!

aveeno

3. drink water & eat these foods!

Keeping yourself hydrated is one of the best things you can do to reach your peak for glowing skin. Remember– your skin is an organ too! Show it some love. You can also eat what the huffingtonpost.com calls “super foods for the skin!”: carrots, tomatoes, sweet potatoes, and cantaloupe. All of these foods have an antioxidant called Carotene in common. It will naturally create a tan. You can never go wrong with eating fruit and vegetables. I also suggest visiting http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/07/26/natural-tan-foods_n_3644629.html for a longer list of beneficial food! It’s worth it!

4.  bronzer = bae

Bronzer is a necessity! There are so many drugstore brands of bronzers that it doesn’t even matter honestly. All you have to do is apply it to your cheeks, temples, and nose! Makeup wise, bronzer adds a natural glow to your skin– so dewey! To compliment bronzer I suggest investing in a highlighter also. It is hard to explain where to apply this, so please refer to the picture below. Together, bronzer and highlighter illuminate your face, and catches the light. It is truly an amazing mixture. If you are looking for a cheap bronzer, visit eyeslipsface.com, click makeup, bronzer, and purchase the e.l.f. studio baked bronzer for $3.00. You won’t find better prices than e.l.f.’s. I also use  Sephora’s make up forever white pearly shimmer eyeshadow and apply it as a highlighter and works just as well and stays all day. Whatever you can do to catch the suns light- whether it’s bronzer or highlighter or both, use it!

highlight

5. self tan/wearing the right colors

As a back-up, you can apply Jergens Natural Glow Daily Moisturizer. I love this lotion because it doesn’t turn me orange! It gradually tans, is streak free and is just a hint of color. Since it is a drugstore brand it should be fairly reasonable in price, approx. $13.99. You can also pick the right colors out to wear to make you look like you have been sun bathing all day or like a Brazilian.  Colors look better on certain people depending on their skin tone and hair color. White is always a yes! White contrasts with you skin color and will make you look tanner; same with black. Sunny colors, or colors that remind you of the beach are also encouraged: coral and mint! I would stay away from pastels or anything that looks like it blends in with your skin tone.

jergens

I hope all these awesome tips encourage all guys and girls to maintain their tan and continue to look sun-kissed! If you have any tips, tricks, products, or experiences about keeping a tan or getting a tan please comment! I would love your feedback!

RCL Post #1: Chapter 3

I feel like when I am passionate about something, I can be very persuasive. Throughout high school, I always produced quality work on persuasive essays and coming up with ads. An example of this would be in my senior year for a speech class, we had a debate. It was me against one of my best friends, but I needed to grab the audience’s attention for me to get a good grade, and win. The topic was the controversy over whether we should be able to leave the school campus to get lunch or not. By stating statistics that make the other position look unappealing, being very confident, and somehow getting the audience involved, were my best techniques for pulling everyone to my side of the spectrum. I was successful in persuading them which made me feel like I had all the power.

At some point, everyone tries to persuade someone to do something. On a completely serious note, you hear stories of males in college trying to persuade drunk girls into having sex, or to take another shot.  But it doesn’t even have to be that complicated. My mother would persuade me to go walk the dog and she would an effective technique that would make me feel so bad for my dog, like he wasn’t living a proper life if I didn’t talk him for this walk. I have been persuaded to finish my dinner that consisted of cauliflower and sauerkraut. My parents used incentive to get me to eat it all.. “We can go out to Dairy Queen!” they’d say. But hey! I’m not complaining, because it always worked out for me! At my high school, we had a day for Relay for Life where we would walk around the track. The principal begged people to donate money, and just like my mom made me feel bad for not walking the dog, my principal made us all feel bad for not donating. She also connected donating with a child in our community that has a muscular disease. Just by seeing how cute the little boy was, everyone began dropping dollars for the cause.

Persuasion is a powerful thing and is common from day to day, we just don’t notice it as much.

survive

PAS Post #1: Summer

tumblr_mm3etvvVCK1s594zyo1_400

“And so with the sunshine and the great bursts of leaves growing on the trees, just as things grow in fast movies, I had that familiar convictionthat life was beginning over again with the summer.” – F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby

In summer, the sun comes out to play. Everyone’s complexion looks healthy, almost glowing like a dim light filling a dark room. Laughing and giggling can be heard around every street corner. At the park, large groups of athletic guys gather to play games of soccer and basketball. Cars dart by with their windows down and music up. There does not seem to be a care in the world during summer. That is what makes summer most appealing to me. School is out. Fun times will begin and memories are guaranteed to be made.

I live in Lebanon, PA (which is about a half out from Hershey, PA- the chocolate capital), but my grandparents are from Philadelphia, PA. So every summer, my parents and I take a trip up and stay for about half of the season. Spending time with millions of cousins, aunts, uncles, and the two most amazing grandparents for 2 months is always unforgettable. I was always sad to leave them, but anxious to see my friends. When i was younger I would sit around and read Seventeen magazine which is currently inspiring me to make this blog filled with everything summer related. I want my readers to have fun with my blog and for it to be like a cruise away from the cold weather. One experience I am particularly excited to share with you is when I went to the beach for the first time ever when I was 17 years old and I almost died. I have told the story so many times that it is fresh in my head and I will never forget it, Looking back, I laugh, but at the time it was life or death!

I plan for my blog to be sort of a “go-to” post to get away from reality and remember that summer is around the corner. A lot of people suffer from S.A.D.- Seasonal Affective Disorder – which is mild type of depression that often occurs during the winter. Hopefully my blog will also inspire people to make bucket-lists as I share what is on mine.  A few topics I will cover over the course of a semester are:  my favorite vacation, places I wish to travel/vacation to, tasty yet quick summer drink and snack recipes, pros and cons of tanning and “how-to-do-it-right”, hairstyles and makeup tips, trending styles for guys and girls, cute date ideas and much more. My readers will experience summer by reading my blog. Stay tuned!

sun

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