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i. Claim: Students should get free bus passes.

b. Students pay tuition.

d. It helps the environment.

a. Public transportation reduces traffic.

c. Riding the bus is fun.

The college students should get free bus passes because tuition they're paying for school is already very high and adding a bus fare for students just adds onto the expenses they have to pay for that year. And sometimes students don't have money all the time to pay for public transit, especially if they aren't working to spend their time on school.

Source: https://perspectives.acct.org/stories/transportation-costs-in-student-living-expenses?utm_source=chatgpt.com

ii. Claim: Classes should start later in the morning.

c. Students would be more focused.

a. Teenagers naturally wake up later.

b. Teachers are also tired in the morning.

d. Cafeterias could sell more breakfast food.

If classes started later in the morning there is a chance that students would probably attend all of their classes on time and be more attentive and more focused in their classes. And more participative because teens and young adults are more prone to sleeping more and their performance can be closely related to the amount of sleep that every teen gets, and energy levels.

Source: https://www.washington.edu/news/2018/12/12/high-school-start-times-study/?utm_source=chatgpt.com

iii. Claim: Everyone should learn how to cook.

b. Cooking is healthier than eating out.

a. Cooking saves money.

d. You can impress your friends

c. Cooking shows are popular.

While cooking may not be for everyone it is a fundamental skill everyone should have because its important to know how to nourish ur body when you're hungry, yes there is always the option to eat out however eating out isn't healthy all of the time and you may not know what's going into ur food. So you could be consuming calories you don't even need unconsciously. Eating at home does cut costs but it is way better for you in the long run. It may take some time but in the end its a big investment because it's your health at stake.

Source : https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/public-health-nutrition/article/is-cooking-at-home-associated-with-better-diet-quality-or-weight-loss-intention/B2C8C168FFA377DD2880A217DB6AF26F?utm_

iv. Claim: Reading fiction improves critical thinking.

a. Fiction helps people imagine perspectives.

d. It strengthens empathy.

c. Fiction builds vocabulary.

b. Some novels are boring.

Fiction does improve critical thinking because although fiction isn't real sometimes the situations and scenarios in fiction can be hypothetical and relate to someone's life or a personal experience in some way so id argue that fiction can help people imagine perspectives, and you can view things differently even if the situation wasn't real, because at the end of the day it should be yourself asking “well what if it was true what would i do?”and then that exercises the brain to think critically and strategize.

Source: https://www.scienceintheclassroom.org/research-papers/point-reading?utm_m

v. Claim: Voting should be mandatory.

a. Democracy works better with more participation.

d. It would make elections fairer.

c. Other countries have mandatory voting.

b. Some people don’t care about politics.

Voting should be mandatory because we are a democracy and that means that we as a country have to pick the person in the election and we essentially have the control over who will run the country. If we had no way that would be a dictatorship or monarchy and that's not what we have and if voting was mandatory we would see the people who voted and maybe the elections would be more accurate with the numbers to the ratio of people in the country.

Source : https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/ajps.12393?utm_

vi. Claim: Homework should be reduced.

c. Students get stressed from too much work.

a. Students are too busy with jobs and activities.

b. Extra practice improves learning.

d. Teachers spend too much time grading.

Homework should be reduced because sometimes students can get stressed with the levels of homework they have and their for it can sometimes even alter their performance in school as a whole. I do think homework is effective and can be very helpful to get that extra practice in but teachers should pick the most effective assignments, Quality over Quantity.

Source: https://news.stanford.edu/stories/2014/03/too-much-homework-031014?utm_

vii. Claim: Social media does more harm than good.

d. It creates anxiety and comparison.

a. People waste time scrolling.

b. Social media spreads misinformation.

c. It helps people connect with friends.

Social media can do more harm then good because it can cause anxiety and comparison and this can be dangerous because the most users of social media are teens and kids in their adolescence and this is the years where they are growing and may have issues with body image and social media can just enforce these internal problems at a higher rate.

Source : https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39425720/

viii. Claim: Video games should be considered a sport.

a. They require strategy and skill.

d. Gaming competitions draw huge audiences.

b. Players practice many hours.

c. They don’t involve physical activity.

Video games should be considered a sport because they do take time and to be very good at a game it does take skill and strategy and to be really good at these games that means you have talent and could be considered a sport as many sports are based on skill and talent as well.

Source: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12599-022-00748-w?utm_

ix. Claim: College students should take at least one art class.

b. Creativity is useful in any career.

a. Art classes reduce stress.

c. Some students dislike art.

d. Art encourages problem-solving skills.

Students should take at least an art class in college because although it can be soothing and calming and helpful for stress level on a career based level we need innovation and a big part of that does come from imagination and creativity and a lot of industries need creativity just for companies to think outside the box and succeed.

Source : https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/hequ.12521?utm_

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West Harlem, New York

A. What makes this space distinct from others?

What are the implicit rules/norms of this space? How do people navigate and understand them?

In west Harlem, the neighborhood is predominantly Black community. It's best to respect the history & community, to really get a feel for the community & support local spots when possible, such as local restaurants owned by locals or bodega stores also owned by the locals. Understand tensions around gentrification, as this is becoming a high issue in the community and pushing out locals out of their homes due to new commers in the community and the lack of respect the space has itself.

How does the history of this space contribute to its current atmosphere and purpose?

The history of Harlem would include the Harlem Renaissance, Civil rights, immigration, and redlining. Harlem is very heavy on keeping the culture alive and the energy which reflects into our music, art, and identity expression.

In what ways does this space promote or prohibit/discourage certain kinds of social interactions?

Well Harlem is very big on social interaction especially amongst our own peers, it's easy for you to become known with positive relationships and influence, it's a small area of Manhattan but it's still possible for people to say hi and interact regularly. We also have Support networks, depending on your area neighbors would check in and watch out for one another. As well as having cultural events, open mic nights, church activities. The social opportunities are endless.

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Who has entry to this space, and who does not? Why might that be? What kind of rights or identities do one need to gain entry to this space?

Beyond physical capacity to enter or access this space, consider emotional or psychological access. Who feels welcome here? Who might feel excluded?

Well I would definitely say that I know that black, latinos and minorities would fit in into the community because everyone here would most likely look like you or understand your cultural background because it's been like that for so long, however sometimes outsiders that try the gentrify and try to “fix” may not get a warm welcome because Harlem has some parts that are low income and a majority of the locals would like to keep it that way so they can afford the cost of living.

Who seems to hold authority in this space? How is that authority demonstrated?

The main people that hold authority here would be the people as the nypd would be just under that because in some parts of harlem there are cops around to regulate the areas however the people control and have the authority in harlem because this have been their home for so long their for its almost like we own the land. And when issues in our neighborhood arise the people have the highest credibility to say anything because of how long they've been in the area.

What are the economic factors that determine entry into this space? Are there hidden costs/invisible issues?

Unfortunately, since Harlem is a more minority based neighborhood the property value is lower and can be changed and utilized into buildings that are high in rent, gentrifying the area essentially taking away from the elasticity of the culture and the people that live here. So essentially yes the cost of living is going up as tourists come around and people from other states enter our space.

How do different social markers (such as age, gender, religion, ability, class etc.) exist or do not exist in this space?

Harlem is home to a various amount of diversity when it comes to age, religion and class. Harlem is very broad spanning from 110st to 145st from the east to the west. Therefore you will see a plethora of people, young, old no matter what the age. It's very family oriented. Religion here is mostly christian churches but there are also islam mosques here along with the class being between working,middle and high class. According to the buildings and the value of them.

Are there any visible or invisible signs of social control or surveillance within this space?

Only the NYPD is here to regulate the space because there is also an unfortunate use of drugs in the community and drug overdose in the neighborhood and homelessness. However there is high surveillance on the east side of Harlem specifically 125st and lexington and park avenue. There used to be high traffic there due to the stores there but now almost everything has been demolished in hopes of new buildings and now many drug users are moving towards the west side so find somewhere to locate themselves so now we have high surveillance in the west side as well at night. Crime here isn't that bad; it's mainly just the drug usage.

How does the maintenance of this space reflect the values of the people or the groups that exist here or have entry to it?

It's hard to authentically measure the maintenance of Harlem because each street and area is very different from one another. But as for my block in the neighborhood id say were pretty clean and maintain our space well however, if you were to go towards the east side it is a little more abandoned and less unkept there and i would definitely say it does reflect on the demographic of the people because the east side has a more low income rate opposed to the west side therefore people would like to keep their property or homes/ buildings clean as possible as such.

“When we said four years ago that we were going to have cleaner streets and fewer vermin, the cynics rolled their eyes and said, ‘New York City is too big, the government moves too slow, and no one will ever beat the rats,'” Adams said in a statement. “But we refused to take no for an answer, and our Empire Bins are striking back at rats and garbage in West Harlem.”

West Harlem becomes first neighborhood in North America to fully containerize trash

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C. What do you know about this space? Where does that information come from? What you may not know, and how might you find out more?

How do your personal experience and background influence your entry to and interpretation of this space?

I've lived in Harlem for 19 years. I've been born and raised here. And I've watched it change and evolve in my eyes in so many various ways. However as I was growing up here I never really grasped that I was in a predominantly black neighborhood because I just felt like I belonged and it wasn't much of a big deal to me, But as I gotten older and started gaining knowledge and information I have noticed how we are slowly getting mixed in with other races and while the identity and culture is still there.. The chances of it going away is likely, slowly but surely because locals are beginning to struggle to afford the cost of living here.

Demographics : Central Harlem Neighborhood Profile – NYU Furman Center

What assumptions might you have about this space and the people who are seen here?

Well i would assume that it's very fast paced here and you should know where your going and what you're doing because it's very easy to get caught up in different parts of Harlem, but as soon as you get here into the neighborhood you will be quick to see the demographics of the people and the population.

How can you use different research methods (such as observation, interviews, online/library research etc.) to uncover histories and information about this space?

Observation would be very useful however if you would like a biased opinion about harlem i would ask a local that lives here because the credibility is high there for you can truly encapsulate their experience opposed to just observing and reading why not go to the source, the accuracy level of empathy and knowledge you'll get will be extremely usuful.

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6. Finally, reflect on how “walking research” can enhance your understanding or awareness of the spaces, lives and bodies we inhabit.

Although I may have a bias because I live in this neighborhood and can understand the ins and outs relatively well; Walking Researches can simply help us understand other peoples spaces and how they navigate through them and how us as outsiders should treat the space accordingly. If people actually stopped and paused to see the living conditions they are in we can actually get a real perspective on these environments. For me this project just solidified how important it is to Harlem to keep the history and culture alive as we have 3 avenues dedicated to 4 Black important historic figures such as  Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Boulevard, Frederick Douglass Boulevard, Malcolm X & James Lenox. This alludes to my next point of embodiment as mentioned in the walking methodology article by Springgay & Truman “Embodiment is conventionally understood through phenomenology, where researchers and participants examine the lived experiences of what it means to move in a particular place”. This connects with me very highly because I believe that the only way you can truly learn about a new space is to fully submerge yourself and take the time to put yourself in the same shoes as the people that may live in that space to fully encapsulate your experience. And as a local this project truly shows how imperative it is to really submerge and pay attention to the details as you're literally just walking. You can simply take so much away from walking around and exploring and expanding your curiosity. This project itself has taught me that there is still so much for me to learn about my neighborhood because even today I taught myself something I didn't know and I thought I was knowledgeable enough. And one of my biggest shockers that I've gotten from this research is how much African Americans moved out and how much white people have moved in. But this research actually gave me an opportunity to truly stop and think and analyze where I am and the influence it has had on me as an individual. Everyone's roots are different and they shape how many humans act. This research has many benefits. It can help you understand how different spaces and neighborhoods are, why people in those spaces act in the ways they do, why there are only a specific type of people in that area and among many other benefits, it's a very useful tool and it helps eliminate ignorance. People are fearful and ignorant because of the simple fact that “they just do not know”, these research projects led into the known, and from there more knowledge can be spread and used for an advantage for any other space of that matter.

Sources: Gentrification and Displacement in Harlem: How the Harlem Community Lost Its Voice en Route to Progress - Humanity in Action  - Gentrification

Central Harlem Neighborhood Profile – NYU Furman Center  - Demographics

https://www.6sqft.com/west-harlem-becomes-first-neighborhood-in-north-america-to-fully-containerize-trash/ - mission for cleaner streets

A Primer on Harlem's Avenues Named After Prominent African Americans  - Avenue names

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Michael is my long term closet friend of mines and we are the same age but we have different school experiences, I'm 19 as a college freshman and he is a senior in college. And these two different dynamics, fascinate me on how were different but also similar. Michael has always been very smart and never knew that this would be the path we would have together as college students. Michael does have a love for people and children and work with them, and he does a sweet and patient soul with him being emotionally intelligent it does shape him today and the career path that he choice to be in becoming a behavior technician, And he said to me " ignorance is from a lack of knowledge". And that truly resonated with me because I believe in that quote personally and people are ignorant because of a lack of knowledge for example people with disabilities like people with autism and the clients he works with does have autism and I personally have a family member with autism and a lot of people mistreat or misjudge people with disabilities because simply of the fact that they're "not normal" But if people was just more understanding and less judgemental and less ignorant I would say there would be less mistreatment among other people in society. And if anyone could take anything away from this interview it would be to stay true to yourself and your own personal beliefs and what you believe in because they'll follow you wherever you go. Michael truly values family time and spending time with the ones he loves all while taking care of his personal experiences in his own life. And people should know that its important to go the life at your own pace and not compare you're life to others because your own personal path is structured and made for you and you wouldn't be where you are today if you didnt make the choices or decisions you decided to make in the past.

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First year writing question

What similarities & Differences did you notice seeing the presentations of your peers?

One big similarity for me would be that all the presentations walked in cities are walkable areas; I didn't see rural spaces, and it was urban just like my own personal research. However, when it comes to the differences I would say nobody really did my area, and I think it's unique, and everyone had their own personal perspectives and personal twist when it came to their own research.

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1. how has your college experience been over the last 3-4 years and what advice would you tell a college freshman.

2. what does your typical day looks like as a 19 year old senior in college

3. What is your biggest accomplishment that you’ve achieved in the last 4 years of your college experience

4. What do you plan on doing after graduating next semester

5. How has college shaped you as a person