Summer 2012 Newsletter - LaGuardia Community College - CUNY

More documents

Recommendations

Info

celebrating right now? I was the older of the two by 22 days but he was the one who always looked out for me. I never experienced a death in the family and the fact that I was so close to him only made my emotions worse. Everyone watches gangster movies and our favorites were “Blood in Blood out Bound by Honor” and “American Me” so we already knew what we had to do, right? Needless to say this was the start of me being involved in gang violence but it wasn’t due to drug wars or even to “represent my hood.” For me it was simple revenge. I was filled with nothing but hate and I was out for blood. At first I got involved in street fights and I made sure they knew who I was. From there we used graffiti art to let them know we were watching them to keep them on their toes. All these things were done to us by them because of our uncles who were involved in gang war with their family, and so the cycle continues. I didn’t care too much about the gang stuff before because I wanted to be better and rise above all of that. It all changed when they took my best friend/cousin. As I got deeper involved I was also messing up big time. My grades dropped dramatically, my relationship with my parents was so distant they didn’t know what to do with me, and I missed so many days of school I was kicked out. I also realized that everyone in the gang weren’t all into it as I was. The same guys that were the first to start problems were the same ones to be nowhere in sight when fights happened. They also did it for personal gain i.e. get girls and because they were cowards. I also saw my uncles who lived their whole lives watching their back and never being able to fully go out in public with their family because the rival gang knew who they were. In the end I did what my cousin and I always wanted to do and that was to join the military. We always talked about military school and what guns we wanted and even went as far as to examine every war movie just to learn the movements so when we joined the military we would have a head start. So the same event that made me hit rock bottom was the same that smartened me up. My cousin and I never wanted to be in any gang even if it was “in our blood”. We wanted to see the world and when I did I’d be lying to you if I didn’t say that I felt my cousin’s presence next to me. Suad Hadzijic Change is to make the form, nature, content, future course, etc., of (something) different from what it is or from what it would be if left alone: to change one's name; to change one's opinion; to change the course of history. If it wasn't for our abilities to adapt and overcome, we as humans wouldn't be where we are to this day. Change is an important and powerful verb. It’s all around us and is happening right before our eyes. We as humans are known for our exceptional abilities for adapting to any environment and or situation. During our earths’ gravitational journey around our sun, we here in the United States experience 4 seasons: Fall, Winter, Spring , and <strong>Summer</strong>. During this change in our weather, we feel the change in the temperature and we then change our clothes to adjust to the varying temperature and weather conditions. In this case we change in order to survive. You would be considered crazy if you went out for a stroll in 10 degree weather with a T-shirt, flip flops, and booty shorts. Then come other circumstances of why we might make a change. One place where we might make a change is in a social situation. We would change our behavior in order to fit in and make sure everything goes smoothly socially. An example of someone changing their behavior is when, lets say Joe is out for a night on the town, Joe wants to make some new friends outside of his normal social circle. He’s a very loud, sarcastic, and blunt individual who never sugar coats anything. He happens to run into a bunch of people at an art show who are all for the most part intelligent but sensitive people who enjoy discussing the deepness of a good masterpiece. In order for him to successfully make a social interaction and connection he will need to adjust his behavior accordingly. In this case we are making a change for acceptance. You see the weather is getting warmer and it’s gonna be beach season soon. You want to make 10
sure you look fantastic without a shirt on so you can turn some heads and perhaps find yourself a future wife or husband. You look at yourself in the mirror and realize you could cut a couple of pounds. So you have now decided to make a change in your diet and your daily routine for an exercise regiment in order for you to achieve a goal you set for yourself. In this case we had made a change for personal gain. Change has a huge impact on people, in general. It’s truly an action word. Change sometimes requires so much energy, determination, effort, and willpower in order for change to settle in and become the new norm. When a new idea or change is first introduced there will always be a debate on whether it is better or worse than what people are doing or believing at the moment. Galileo was an astronomer who proved that the sun doesn't revolve around the earth but the other way around. When he first proved the church went mad and had the man put under house arrest. The church loved always being right but Galileo proved the church wrong. The Church did what they did because they weren't prepared for a change and they did not want to accept it. Change can definitely strike fear into hearts. With change comes uncertainty. That's why some people are afraid of it. All in all, change is a very important thing that we all must know how to do and not be afraid of. Change is used to make us better, smarter, and even for survival. Also some changes are easier than others, If the change will make your life better or societies lives better it’s totally worth the time and effort in order for the change to become the new norm. Jose Ortiz Having been married two times gives me an inside look on the subject of marriage - the ultimate change .Matrimony is the ultimate rush. You will be given the opportunity to share at a different level. The concept of individuality that you have will be erased. The ideas about sex - well, there will be a challenge. Matrimony is a part of life that no one can prepare you for. When you are sharing with another person at a romantic level not only his or her thoughts but also emotions, the results depend on the amount of understanding (love) that you have for each other. Sharing after you get married becomes a game of probability; in this order: will it benefit both or one, will it benefit the relation or just the ego, and the items on this list can only be determined by the knowledge one has on the other person. Yes it is a tricky subject but remember my ideas on the subject come from personal experience. What is the ultimate rush? According to the dictionary, the phrase is used to describe the feeling of climax. I am given to the institution of matrimony because there will be times physically and emotionally, always more emotionally, that you will be on the extreme of goodness and badness. Example: your spouse wants money for a coat , but the challenge is, the money is not asked for but demanded. One has to get his or her mind out of the equation and just let your heart guide you. If this is not the ultimate rush, let your heart guide you in the matters of your mind when it comes to the issues of your matrimony. Imagine what could happen at the end. Remember when I said I was married twice. Perception is out when it comes to matrimony: the issue here is your heart has to be more committed than your mind. The change from single to married means losing your individuality for the good of the marriage. There will be house chores that you will do like sweeping, mopping, doing dishes, laundry, cooking, buying groceries. Buying clothes sharing bills and, this one is a good one, explaining bills. Your mind is not taking decisions anymore based on one person but on two - that’s why matrimony involves losing you for the us. All this brings me to the topic of sex. Matrimony means exploring new territory when it comes to sex because now you are making love not only having sex. The amount of power needed for this depends on the fuel you use. If it is love go for it; if it is attraction only, sex only, it is destined to fail. Explore with the other half what is sex when love as a commitment is involved. 11
Page 1 and 2: Veterans Upward Bound, LaGuardia Co
Page 3 and 4: so I aggressively researched her co
Page 5 and 6: person and could have been perceive
Page 7 and 8: The boy scouts taught me how to be
Page 9: eak this cycle, by following throug
Page 13 and 14: compilation of mental abuse, unjust
Page 15 and 16: were the black shirts given to pool
Page 17: ough of Manhattan while other train

Summer 2012 Newsletter - LaGuardia Community College - CUNY

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?