TP Night

So I think most of us are aware that the traditional senior TP night is approaching, and that got me to thinking. Personally, I do not understand why such a large portion of our senior class will go tp-ing. I understand the urge to do something rebellious and the fun of participating in school traditions, but I feel like this particular event only leads to trouble. First of all, you are putting yourself at risk to be caught by the police and either receiving a curfew ticket, or even a vandalising charge. Also, we all know that the issue of hazing came into play a couple years ago. Besides the legal risks, people are also missing out on sleep! My shock over this issue might just be my IB-ness talking, but I cannot imagine staying up all night, running around in the cold, and then going to school for 7 hours. Another thing to keep in mind is the fact that people, often parents, will have to spend hours cleaning up the "fun." I know people often TP their friends, but all that really does is punish them. They, or their parents, will have to spend hours removing toilet paper from their yard. Overall, I believe that the risks outweigh the "gains" of this tradition.

Choices

It's hard when you really want to do something, but your parents will not allow you to. For my 18th birthday in a week, I want to get my nose pierced. However, my mom is very against it. I guess I understand her hesitation, but I was not expecting to be forbidden to make this choice. I think it's interesting how there really is a different mindset between teens our age and our parents. It really is a generational gap. My argument was that it is my body, and as an adult, I should be able to do to it what I please. She countered with the whole "my house, my rules" routine. This demonstrates the knowledge issue of whether or not you should do something knowing that there will be consequences because someone else is against it. This is one issue I have been thinking about lately. I've more been trying to place myself in my mom's shoes, just trying to understand her strong opposition to a nose piercing. The subject of the conflict really isn't the point here. What I'm trying to get across is how we have the decision to choose what we want to do or to defy our elders and do what we think we have the right to. A very interesting topic I think.

Young At Heart

I don't know about the rest of you, but I loved Young At Heart. It was phenomenal! It was so great to see seniors still being very involved in their community and living an active life. They were so supportive of eachother, especially when it came to illness and health crises. It's interesting to think that worrying about health is such a big concern in their lives. I also thought it was amazing how the group performed even after losing two of their long-time members. That really took courage. I think this movie should show us that we really can do what we want- I mean 80 year olds are performing in a show choir! This was also a very good way of showing us how to write an ethnography.