McKenzie Jolley E-PORTFOLIO

Table of contents First Reflection Research articles (5) Last Reflection Page

First Reflection I know that sociology is the study of how we act in our social lives, but I honestly don’t really know anything more about it. Since I don’t know anything about it, I thought I should take the class so I could learn. I know there are a lot of studies and sociologists figuring it out, but I don’t really know why the research is so important.

Research Articles The first article I wanted to include is about how our society is obsessed with impression management. We each have a specific role/part to play and if we don't look, dress, and act the way we should in that role, we will not get far enough in the social world. I think it relates to the topic because it discusses how we act in society and it is a great article to read about impression management. Jacobs, Michelle B. (2003) "Obsessed with Impression Management: A Critical Sociology of Body Image in Capitalist Society," Human Architecture: Journal of the Sociology of Self-Knowledge: Vol. 2: Iss. 2, Article 10. The second article I wanted to include is about how students do better in school if their social life and dorm rooms are pleasing. I think it relates to sociology well because it teaches us that our social lives are actually a pretty big deal. What Makes a Positive College Experience? By TAMAR LEWIN, The New York Times

Research Articles Cont. The third article I wanted to include is about Obama not wanting full time working employees living in poverty, but it's still happening. People who are working full time at a minimum wage are still struggling and having a hard time with money and taxes. I think it is relevant to sociology in the way that it discusses status and the part we play in society. This story has been adapted from a news release issued by the Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health

Research Articles Cont. The fourth article I'm including is about how people tip waitresses/waiters and how it defines our society. People want to tip the least amount possible and don't understand how much waiters depend on that money. I think it's a good article because it teaches us the importance. "Tipping's twists and turns" by Catharine Hamm, Los Angeles Times The last article I wanted to include is about prostitution and how it makes more sense than working at Wal-Mart. More money is made and even though you are exposing your body, it is more fulfilling. I think it helps us understand sociology because we understand how bad society can get and how hard people have to work to be successful, let alone doing the horrible embarrassing jobs. "Why Prostitution can make more sense than working at Wal-Mart?" by David Henry Sterry, June 4th, 2014

Last Reflection Page I actually learned a ton of new things that I didn’t know before. I never knew why studying sociology was so important, and it is extremely. I also learned a lot about sociology in culture and how race and ethnicity is an important aspect of sociology. It’s interesting to know how different everyone is and how they live their daily lives. I liked learning about the different issues we face and how we handle them. Every society is different and I liked learning about the differences, especially in our culture. It was interesting to learn how different generations are too. Things are really different today than they used to be 50 years ago, and I really enjoyed reading/learning about that. I think that from now on I will be more aware of others around me and instead of judging them, I will probably be more conscious of where they came from and what they are going through. I think sociology is so interesting, I actually considered majoring in it, by taking more classes and learning everything there is to know.

Last Reflection Page Cont. I think I’m more interested in Psychology though, but I am happy with the things I have learned and the new information I have been exposed to. I also liked the discussion assignments. I liked seeing everyone’s opinions about the topics and learning different points of views. During the time I’ve been learning about sociology, I have actually thought about things while interacting with people in my life. I have been observing people’s actions and thoughts, and it’s really opened my eyes and helped me learn more about it. When I talk to someone, I observe the way they talk, walk, act, dress, and their body language shows a lot about the way they were raised. This was a very fun class and I really enjoyed taking it.