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Being married for only a week has made this ring very important to me. But it also has made me think how important it is to society. I found it so weird, so weird and I sat for 5 minutes on my wedding day to think about it, that some guy said that we were husband and wife, and my whole life changed! I got to live in a house with a guy and it wasn't considered bad. Furthermore, we shared money, cars, and people expected us to be and travel together. So much of what was considered bad in a relationship was now "normal". All because of one ceremony! It is so interesting to see how culture built that, and in a religious standpoint, God built it too.

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Orange juice is part of the ideal breakfast in American culture. I never had orange juice with breakfast growing up, but whenever I see orange juice I think of breakfast. Orange juice has been socialized into society through commercials to be a part of breakfast. By drinking orange juice with breakfast individuals can feel like they are eating part of the ideal breakfast. The significance of orange juice is that marketing can be used to socialize a society into believing something, even if it is not the truth.

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These lunchables represent how we live in a time where "busy people are successful people". As a full-time student, and working a more than part-time job, it makes it so sometimes I barely even have time to eat! This is the only thing I have found where I get a somewhat decent breakfast or lunch. The reason I do this is because I grew up in a world where it is all about being busy. Busy getting a good education. Busy with my job. Busy working hard to create a good future for myself. The culture of this world is, if I have nothing to do, then I am lazy and will not have successful future... even if that means being so busy I forget to take care of myself! This year I have a goal to change what I have been taught by society so that I can have a better lifestyle.

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Social Media has changed the way that people communicate, even in politics. When I started paying attention to politics this year I was shocked and amused by the fact that the News was full of who "tweeted" what on Twitter. Social media allows individuals to participate in internet culture. The significance of social media is that it has become an integrated part in almost every aspect of life, such as business, art, politics, weddings, etc.
Art: CoffeeBeanWorks, Pixabay.com

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This artifact represents the culture of my family because I grew up LDS. One thing I was taught is that women strive to be virtuous, clean, and worthy. I connected this to temples and how they are always so perfect and white. One year, I moved to Utah and saw the Provo City Center Temple. It was different than all the temples I had seen before- it wasn't the regular perfect, white Temple. This partially struck me because when I came to Utah, I felt so imperfect. When I realized that I was still worthy of God's glory and acceptation it made me so happy! It helped me understand much more about my family's LDS culture and what it teaches about what God has in store for us.

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At my high school, it was very important to have a phone, and more importantly, an iphone. I remember friends always bringing up the fact that I didn't have one and how it was annoying they couldn't name our group messages (because everyone needed an iphone to do that). The importance--and regularness--of iphones at the school I attended shows how well-off students' families generally were and how important it was to fit in, to the extent that you sometimes were cut out of social things (like group messages) if you didn't conform.

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Ever since I can remember school, I remember my parents talking about their experience at BYU; their friends, my older friends, always talked about how it changed their lives. The importance of this school to me gradually increases because of how I dreamed my life would be like there. It would change my social life, future, and in the end who I would end up becoming. In short, all my dreams did come true, and BYU surprisingly kept all the promises and ideas that other people installed in my mind. My sister and brother also attend this school, and it has become an exception of my family to go here.

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This is a screenshot of one of my (many) spotify playlists. One of the first things I normally get asked when meeting someone is what music I like. Even when listening alone, it is something social, as seen here on the right-hand side where I can see what my friends on Spotify are listening to. We tell each other which songs/artists are good and share playlists with each other, and it's expected that we all kind of like the same music.

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This is the recycle bin at my parents' house. Growing up in WA, I always heard a lot about recycling. Even kids in elementary school are expected to know what is recyclable and what isn't and do their part to save the Earth. Plastic shopping bags are illegal in many cities because they often end up in landfills. Using resusable containers and recycling whenever possible is a huge part of the culture.

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This lid is representative of the kind of food we eat. Many people enjoy "ethnic" food, while in reality, the authenticity of these foods--Thai, Chinese, Mexican--is superficial at best. Still, we tell each other that we like "Mexican" or "Korean" food and invite our friends to come try it with us.

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Instagram is an example of how much we all value the appearance of happiness and beauty in our society. We ask our friends for advice on which caption or picture to use and compare the number of "likes" we get with other people to determine our social standing.

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This the first time I got this certificate, I was 15. It allowed me to have a summer job. The training cost $250 and required me to attend for 26 hours of training. Because of this my job paid above minimum wage. Many students in my high school held jobs year round and were expected to help contribute to their family finances. But people in my neighborhood and other neighborhoods like mine, being a lifeguard during the summer gave us financial freedom pretty early on.

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This is the temple that I grew up with. It represents the idea that families are eternal and that I am an eternal being. It is a holy place. It allows people to be connected to their families forever.
It also was a symbol of being different and standing out because of it. I was always one of the few members of my church in school. I often stood out as weird because of my beliefs. The temple also stands out as being different. Most of my friends called it Cinderella's castle or Disneyland.

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This song is by Journey. This song is the song played at every school and stake dance. Everyone would link arms and belt the lyrics on the top of their lungs. My nonwhite friends would always roll their eyes when this song came on. It is the quintessential white song. However, my nonwhite friends would always participate so they felt like they belonged. I think it was the ultimate “things were so good back in the day” song which is only a thought process white people can have and feel safe about.

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Ver Journey - Don't Stop Believing Live - Thierry Estrada en Dailymotion

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In high school, there was a communal box of Old Bay spice that was passed around during lunch. Everyone had lunch at the same time and could eat anywhere in the school. The box never went empty and, without fail, made it to every little group across the school during the hour lunch period. I went to a “bad” high school but this Old Bay unified us. Despite the differences between us and the fights that often broke out because of those differences, everyone was kind and caring when it came to the Old Bay box. This item signifies treating others with kindness and respect.

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The area I grew up in was very into canning and jamming. In August, every wife and mom I knew would go to farms and collect fresh fruit to make jams and sauces. This showed that you were resourceful and prepared. I’ve been married 3 years and every August I collect raspberries to make jam.

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This artifact represents my culture because it shows our ideas on beauty which is a learned and shared thing. Some of my friends wore make up when I was in first grade, but I wasn’t allowed to wear make up until sixth grade. But I knew I wanted to wear make up because it would make me “beautiful”. Makeup is meant to enhance a person’s attractiveness in my culture and is expected for most girls to wear at least a little bit and the amount of make up wipes in my trash can shows I wear it almost every day, even when I don’t want to or don’t feel like it. Individuals do the culture by wearing it and comparing their make up with other. I think the cultural significance is that this is a way girls learn about the things they will need to do to be “attractive”. I’m not saying that wearing or not wearing make up is wrong, but my culture puts a lot of emphasis on it.

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This Little Caesars Pizza box represents my culture because it shows the food we like to eat. As young, poor, college students, this is what we could afford on a Friday night out. I think this is a shared experience among many in my culture. We need food that is cheap when we go out to eat and we like our food fast. Little Caesars often fits the bill. A Little Caesars pizza often works as a date night dinner or food for a party. I grew up going to holiday parties at my grandparents where Little Caesars was the choice of food. The pizza allows people to come together to eat and socialize. The cultural significance is that it shows the place I am at in life. My husband and I don’t buy fancy pizza for date night because we don’t have the money, but we still like pizza.

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My watch represents my culture because I live in a culture where timeliness is important. It is considered impolite to arrive late for things. I am also a very scheduled person who likes to plan ahead and know what is happening. Being in the moment and slowing down can sometimes be hard. This idea of timeliness is a shared and learned thing. From having to remember when piano lessons were, getting homework done, and arriving on time for a job, it is ingrained in us. A watch keeps a person on time for school, work, job interviews, activities, lessons, etc. A watch keeps people aware of their schedule throughout the day so they can get everything done and meet up with the people they need to. The cultural significance is that coming from a very individualistic culture, time is important. It’s all about progress and moving up in the world and being timely helps with that.

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This figurine represents my culture because to me it feels very Utah County mom to me. I love this figurine. It was given to me on my mission in Florida by a member and is the ASL sign for “I Love You”. I’ve noticed that many women use these figurines to decorate their home. Because I’ve seen these in so many homes, I’ve learned that Willow Tree figurines are a good way to decorate a home and send positive messages. They allow you to do the culture by putting up symbols in your home that you want transmitted to your family. In this case, this one says, “I love you”. My aunt gave one to my mom as a gift and it was a figurine of a mother holding a baby because my mom had helped my aunt with her daughter a lot as a brand-new baby. So they also represent shared experiences or ideals. The way we decorate our homes shows a lot about who we are. Willow Tree figurines are one way I’ve seen a lot of people in my culture do it.

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Courtship and Engagement Ring and Photos

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Courtship and Engagement Ring and Photos

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These items are culturally significant because we all grow up learning the proper way to date, court, and get engaged. We grow up learning how our parents met and how our moms were proposed to. The engagement ring is a tradition and custom that we learn about and do. This artifact shows that in my culture, when you are looking for a spouse, you go on dates with a person you like exclusively, then there is a proposal and engagement and a ring, and eventually a wedding (not pictured here, haven’t printed those out yet 😊). Those are the steps and behaviors we learn about from our parents and movies since we are young. By putting up these pictures or wearing your wedding ring, you show others in my culture where you are in that courtship process. The ring is very symbolic in the culture in that it means you choose to be with that person forever and keep the promises you make at marriage.

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These gifs, memes, and text messages represent my culture by showing how we often communicate non-verbally. Whether it is friends or family, we like to share gifs or memes with each other to express how we are feeling and to connect. People can tell a lot by your “text language” whether you are happy or upset. This all can be determined by using the symbol of a gif, emoji or meme. These things also show how culture is shared. You see from the Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings meme what my friends and I like to watch. It shows the media that is accepted and liked in our culture. It shows what the common interests are. (Space Team refers to a group of my friends who liked to play the game space team on our phones. One friend likes to pick a movie and decide which character relates best to each member in the movie.) Gifs and memes are a fun form of communication in my culture. In my culture you want to know your way around gifs and memes in order to be in the loop. See below for pics.

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I just got married, and one thing that has been constantly on my mind is how my home is so different than all my other newly married friends houses. Their houses are not bad or worse than mine, just that they are really different. At BYU, most of us come from different backgrounds, economic statues, and cultures. It has been so cool to watch how each of my friends' have built their culture, almost unknowingly, with how they decorate their house, how it smells, what they cook, and what they feel is important. This shows how our ideas on what our home is like is learned a lot from our parents/role-models  and the values and culture they had in their home.

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For as long as I can remember we have gone to this lake.  There was a time where we would go at least once every week for the whole summer.  Coming from a upper-middle class family living in one of the hottest states in the US, this is a normal part of life for me.
In Arizona, it is a norm that people do some sort of water activity during the summer.  If you're in the middle class, you have a pool or access to one.  If you are in the upper-middle class, you have a pool, access to a nice pool, or a boat.  If you do not have access/do any of these things.  You are considered an oddity in Arizona.  Participating in these things allowed me to be accepted in the culture I grew up in.

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"I am a hugger". This is a statement that I have said and demonstrated so many times. It is a practice that I learned from my family and allows me to be accepted in my family. If someone comes into our family and does not hug, we perceive them as standoffish and formal. In my family, hugging and physical/emotional intimacy are key to being accepted and viewed as a part of our family and culture.

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This artifact goes along with the lake. I received swim lessons and joined a swim team at a very young age. Growing up in a white middle class family in the suburbs of Arizona, I had to know how to swim to be accepted. As a child, if I did not know how to swim, I would be viewed as odd by the other children. If you know how to swim and are a part of a swim team in Arizona, you are viewed to be "cool" and popular amongst your peers.

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Back in the day when movie theaters were open my family and friends would go almost every weekend to see a movie. This is a key part of the culture of the suburb (Anthem,AZ) I grew up in. Anthem is a small town with a few nice restaurants but that's about it. However, there is a movie theater about 15 minutes away that is surrounded by more restaurants and shops. You would always see someone else from Anthem at the movies and feel accepted. If someone had never gone to the movie theater (Harkins Theaters) or didn't want to go, they were perceived as odd. Going to the movies, allows each individual to become more apart of the culture and enjoy of the bond that is formed with their family/peers.

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The happiest place on Earth has always been just that for my family ever since my mom and Patrick got married. The Potter's (Patrick's family) went to Disneyland annually and once my mom and him got married they expected us to adopt their culture. My mom doesn't love amusement parks or roller coasters and when she expressed that she was met by some level of outrage. She quickly hopped on board and although she doesn't love it, she goes to Disneyland to be accepted in the family culture. Loving Disneyland, allows for any person to be more quickly accepted in my family's culture.

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Apple Pie

The making of apple pie represents my culture in multiple ways. In one way, it symbolizes gender roles. In recent history, the women would typically run the household and be a homemaker, this gender role is changing and I suspect will look different in years to come. This, however, is a part of my culture that I love. My culture as a white, middle-class Christian woman living in the United States, has taught me to value being a wife and mother and caring for a family. Growing up in the Midwest, meant that my ability to cook apple pie became a form of social currency and I was seen as having great potential because I could make a great apple pie.

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The making of apple pie represents my culture in multiple ways. In one way, it symbolizes gender roles. In recent history, the women would typically run the household and be a homemaker, this gender role is changing and I suspect will look different in years to come. This, however, is a part of my culture that I love. My culture as a white, middle-class Christian woman living in the United States, has taught me to value being a wife and mother and caring for a family. Growing up in the Midwest, meant that my ability to cook apple pie became a form of social currency and I was seen as having great potential because I could make a great apple pie.

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Homemade gifts also represented my culture, this specific picture is a leaf I made out of paper for my brother (he liked to collect my art). I was encouraged to use my creativity and innovation to make more meaningful and heartfelt gifts for the people that I love instead of gifting money or a store-bought item. I was culturally able to express love for people in this way and make people feel included and valued. It is how we interact with each other and how you know you are accepted for who you are.

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These are just a few movies that represent my culture. They symbolize a form of speech that lets me know that I am a part of something and that I have been taught the culture. Not only does one have to see these movies, one has to know them enough to quote them verbatim, in the same tone and inflection as the movie characters, in everyday conversation. When one can do this and know when others are doing it, they know the culture.

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This represents the culture of a woman in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. As a female member, it is an important part of the culture to dress modestly. In the “For the Strength of Youth” pamphlet, it even explicitly states that females should not wear clothes that are too short. Other members of this culture will usually look at someone differently who doesn’t dress modestly. https://www.zappos.com/p/levis-womens-bermuda-shorts-hawaii-sunset/product/8693271/color/839011

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This represents the need for American culture to view things quickly. YouTube has videos on any topic, and it’s often the first source that people consult when trying to learn about something new, review a product, or just be entertained. Part of the modern American culture is to be entertained and to receive instant gratification. https://www.youtube.com/howyoutubeworks/policies/community-guidelines/

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This represents the culture of being a young woman in America. It is not uncommon for women to attend self-defense classes or to own a taser or pepper spray. This is because the culture is that women need to be careful on the streets or when they’re by themselves because they could get raped or attacked.https://www.homedepot.com/p/SABRE-Pink-Key-Case-Pepper-Spray-with-Quick-Release-HC-NBCF-02/302630804

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This represents the culture at BYU. It is expected that students will do their homework because to even get into BYU students have to have performed well in high school. The culture dictates that students must work hard in school and do well on their assignments. https://www.mhsmarquee.com/news/2020/02/14/homework-haven-helps-students-with-classwork/

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This represents the American culture surrounding fitness. If you don’t do some kind of exercise, you’re looked at as lazy. The American culture values being “fit” and even “thin” and will even glorify certain body types (while looking at others as inferior). In America, it is important to exercise not solely for health reasons, but to obtain a certain body as well. https://health.clevelandclinic.org/how-to-pick-the-running-shoe-that-is-best-for-you/

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Formerly my Grandmothers then my mom’s, the mug now resides in my care. It represents one of the last links I have to my Grandmother on my moms’ side, as well as being an excellent representation of how I respond to stress. Whenever I find myself wondering how to react when things don’t go exactly my way; I like to look at the mug to remind myself to laugh at the absurdity of the situation and move on.

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Having lived in South Carolina for two years it has made a considerable impact on my life. This medallion was given to me by a man in Georgetown, South Carolina to remind of Brookgreen Gardens; a cross between an art and botanical gardens on the coast. It represents the people that I still have a connection to down south and helps me to remember the importance of maintaining those relationships. Additionally, the medallion reminds me of the tranquility of the gardens and the importance of taking time to unwind and be at peace with myself.

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Some of my favorite memories with my family come from Sunday night board games. We love to compete against each other as we seek to obtain bragging rights for the week. Sometimes we can get too intense about the game, but we all understand that it’s just a part of the competition and that our love for each other is more important than anything.

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One of my favorite novels of all time, it symbolizes my love of reading. It was gifted to me by my uncle and began my love of seeking out lesser known authors and finding unique pieces of literature. It’s a constant reminder that what tops the charts is not always the best; sometimes it’s best to take recommendations from others or to take a chance on the lesser known.

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In addition to Sunday game night; my family loved to gather round the TV on Sundays and watch the NFL. Superbowl Sunday’s could always be counted on as being one of the best days of the year combining food, football, and family all into one. Cheering for the New England Patriots became a huge part of my identity as a child and throughout my early years was often one of my most defining characteristics. I never played on a competitive sports team, yet sports remain as one of the easiest ways I have of connecting with others.

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This is a picture I took of a photograph for sale in Seward, Alaska, depicting the Northern Lights, happen frequently in my hometown. This represents how in Alaska culture we admire the simplistic and natural way of life because we use nature to make our art. Alaskans are proud of their home and want to show it off in its natural form, which means we tend to reject laws or industries that threaten habitats or increase pollution. This represents how our culture has rejected the metropolitan way of life and wish to preserve our state’s natural beauty.

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This is a picture of my brother at hockey practice, which is filled with all boys. This picture represents how our culture is typical of boys to play masculine sports like hockey, while a girl would be expected to participate in a more feminine activity like ice skating. In fact, during this practice, a group of girls was waiting for their turn to use the ice for ice skating practice. Parents will enroll their children in stereotypical sports, so their children can conform to societal norms and avoid bullying from other children.

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This picture of graffiti from my hometown. Typically graffiti might represent a negative message of poverty or gang activity. However in my hometown, there is lots of graffiti, and it is not always perceived as negative. Because Anchorage has a lot of immigration, there are a lot of different cultures living there. There is also poverty but it is looked as a normal part of life. The graffiti in this area of my hometown represents the different cultures that pass through and leave their mark with artistic expression as well as the acceptance of the working class. This represents how in my culture there are lots of cross-cultural interactions and there is a casual response to it

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This is a scarf I made for my brother for Christmas. As a college student, I have a limited budget for Christmas gifts, so I make homemade presents. Homemade gifts represent the frugal culture of college students because it allows someone to produce something with personal meaning as well as having high quality without the high price tag. I believe how this represents the younger generations beginning to reject materialism and overconsumption because we are adding personal connections behind gifts.

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Source for picture:
https://www.mastercook.com/app/recipe/WebRecipeDetails?recipeId=5085050

This is a dish called a Hawaiian haystack, and it served at church functions and large family meals. This dish is served frequently because it is inexpensive to make and easily serves large groups of people. This represents how in the LDS culture it is expected that people will have many children and will end up with large families.In fact, some people in the culture will look down upon a couple who suggests they want to wait to start having children. This dish is a frugal tool to help sustain an expected growing family.

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Tract homes represent part of American culture because they allow people to easily participate. Having a big spread of equal, slightly cheaper housing enables Americans to fit into the culture without spending a large amount on property. The location is often close, but not too close to stores and the buyer can count on people of the same social class in the neighborhood.

Photo Credit: Blake Wheeler, Unsplash

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Bulk stores represent a part of American culture. Americans value the ability to save money and time. Buying things in bulk at a store like Costco saves time with less trips to the store and money with less transportation required. The bulk items are usually discounted as well. In American culture, heavily influenced by the capitalist economy, saving money is important.

Photo credit: Sonder-Quest, Unsplash

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This part of American culture goes along with bulk stores and drive-thrus. Super-sized foods tend to be cheaper, ounce per ounce, than buying more of a particular food. With the American capitalist economy, it is cheaper to get more food at once and save money than spend more money. People in American culture can easily save money when they spend a little more money to get more food and save time having to eat later.

Photo credit: Amirali Mirhashemian, Unsplash

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Movie theaters represent a part of American culture because they represent the prevalent media industry and the importance of leisure time. Hollywood and the things it produces make up a large part of American culture. Leisure time, and time for viewing media, are important in American culture. It is easy to view the media and become familiar with American culture.

Photo Credit: Roman Mathon, Unsplash

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Handshakes are traditional when greeting or giving leave of someone in many western cultures. It can be seen in business settings in the United States, bu tone of the only social setting it can be found regularly is churches.

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My life and the lives of my friends was permanently altered in 2013, with the public release of Vine, a social media app in whic users share short--form videos. "Vines," as the videos were called, had a lasting impact on the teens of the time, becoming a cultural touchstone of sorts. After the app shut down common phrases on the app made their way into internet memes, usually perpetuated by the teens who first used them in everyday language.
Pictured below: "When Will You Learn," audio taken from SammyClassicSonicFan and video taken from "The Almighty Loaf"

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In cultures where physical modesty is important, new styles of clothing are introduced to preserve the modesty of the wearer of "mainstream" clothes. One popular item is the "shade shirt," a tight shirt worn under sleeveless and see-through shirts. I first came into contact with this when I moved to Utah, where every girl seemed to own and love these shirts; I felt quite the opposite. I went out of my way to not wear the shade shirt.
This is a great example of popular culture being driven by religious practices and an even better example of counter-culture movements where certain groups reject popular styles and fads.
Pictured below: Megan donning a shade shirt and immediately gagging because she hates it so much.

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In cultures where physical modesty is important, new styles are introduced to preserve the modesty of the wearer. One such style is the "shade shirt," a tight shirt worn under sleeveless and sheer shirts. The first time I saw this style was when I moved to Utah in 8th grade and saw girls wearing and loving it. Because I was angry about moving, I attached negative sentiments to the shirt, ultimately deciding I hated it. I went out of my way to avoid wearing one and still do to this day. The shade shirt is a great example of popular culture being driven by religious practices, and my rejection of it is a great example of counter-culture movements.

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Tables across the world are an important and useful tool, but the kitchen dining table is the most useful of them all. American use their dining tables as food preparation space, display areas, and as a place to gather for meals. Because of their functionality and nature of being a common area for people within a household to meet, dining tables can become important artifacts of happy memories and family connectivity.

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This Art Book from my Dad's collection represents the rugged idealism of cowboy culture. The cowboy culture could represent living with and against the elements of nature. The cowboy idea influences culture in our entertainment, for example, the movie Avatar and the Star Wars franchise both drew inspiration from cowboy culture. People participate in this culture through entertainment. The cowboy  is significant because this ideal has penetrated into our entertainment to the point we may not recognize its origins.

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Barnyard Rummy is a game passed to me and my siblings from my mother's family, played with playing cards by a minimum of 4 people. The goal is to lay down all your cards, or to minimize the number of cards in your hand by the time someone else lays down all theirs. While this game may be unique to my family (or others, by different names), it has shaped our culture. It represents the passing of knowledge from grandparent to grandchild and the importance of shared experiences that connect generations. Culture is not only object, but inherited behavioral patters and knowledge passed "from generation to generation," (Parson).
Pictured below: one hand of Barnyard Rummy.

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Friday nights on the field and our parents never missed a game. Sundays were spent bbq-ing and watching the Seahawks. The whole town turned out for the local games and it was usually the beginning of any conversation. Everyone knew how the game was played and how important it was to the community. This is the sport pretty much everyone played, and the place that everyone made friends. Football is a form of interaction that we’ve learned. This was our form of socialization.

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The temple is a symbol and place that serves as an important piece in my culture. This is a place that you learn about and prepare to enter one day to make sacred covenants. Everything in your youth prepares you for entering the temple and it also serves as a place of solace where you can go and clear your head and talk to your Heavenly Father.  This is a right of passage in my culture. When you go through the temple and get married it is almost as though you’re becoming a whole woman. This is also a super special place to my husband and I because we can go here and remember the wedding day feelings, and remember the promises we made with each other and kind of get to relive our wedding in a way.

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I have this sticker on the back of my car and we fly this flag outside of our house. My family trade is law enforcement/first responders. We all spent time in the back of fire stations and police stations celebrating holidays or having family dinner while my dad, grandpas,uncles and cousins were on duty. Most of us have grown up to have a job in public service or marry someone in that carreer. We were raised in the law enforcement culture and have learned those behaviors because that is who we socialize with. My family has devloped the pattern of this career path because that is what they’ve learned in their youth, what they’ve grown up admiring, or getting excited over. Being apart of public service is a learned patter/behavior that has been picked up on generationally.

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My family is a composed of generations of ranchers. As far back as I know my family has been participating in 4H and FFA.  These youth organizations are based on agriculture, but also serve as programs that teach youth about service, public speaking, homemaking, etc. Anything you can think of is taught in 4H and/or FFA. This is something that people in my culture are involved in because in one way or another we are apart of our rural community. Being a member of FFA and 4H is a learned behavior and pattern in my family and where I was raised. Everyone was a member of 4H or FFA and had some kind of project. The clover symbol or the patch on my jacket represent where we come from and what club we represent. You wear your jacket with pride and a sense of honor when you are competing or representing your club and your community.

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This is my cousin, Kalo, dancing at my wedding. The dance is usually done to honor and pay homage to the newlyweds. The guests at the wedding throw money as a gift. The money is collected and given to the couple as a gift to start their marriage. This is performed at most weddings and is a huge thing. Everyone gets behind the dancer and dances behind her or gives off the usual 'che-who' shout. The dance is performed by an unmarried girl and is usually the younger sister or cousin of the bride/groom.

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Lawns with the needed lawn mower were adopted by Americans from Europe. A well kept lawn represents in Utah a good neighbor. The neighbor that lets their lawn go brown and weedy is looked down upon. This is how lawns are perpetuated in society. A well kept lawn in Utah shows you are wealthy. Lawns are culturally significant because it shows how people can adopt a practice even if it does not work as well in a different climate.

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My family drinks herbal teas, especially when we’re sick. My sisters and I often had tea parties pretending to be elegant characters in a Jane Austin novel. When we invited church friends over we would change the tea to hot chocolate because some members thought drinking herbal tea was breaking the Word of Wisdom. This tea represents the way my parents taught me about the Word of Wisdom. It also represents how in the US we sometimes see British culture as more refined.

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This is a rocking chair my dad gave me as a wedding present when I got married last week. This rocking chair says a lot about my culture and positionality. I specifically asked for a rocking chair because I wanted to have/start my own family heirloom, something I can pass down to my children and from them to my grandchildren. This demonstrates a value shared among those similar to my social class and perhaps my race and gender. The shared value is that we want to leave something for our heritage. We want the generations to come to remember us. We don’t want to be forgotten. The chair also perhaps says something about my gender because rocking chairs can be perceived as something for women or for older people no matter the gender.

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This is my tag from my mission to Chile. My parents are both converts and I was taught since I was little that missionaries bring people the gospel, which blesses families. On my mission, this tag told others I was the equivalent to a “Mormon nun” sent there to “preach the word”. Among members my name tag represented the special rules and calling I held, which set me apart from other members of the church.

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This image is of the value pack of gum, mints, and icebreakers that my husband and I keep stored in our house at all times. I’m not posting this picture because we LIKE mints and gum. We keep gum and mints on hand at all times because it is important to have good breath in our culture. When someone has bad breath it can be a sign of bad hygiene. We don’t want people to think we have bad hygiene and don’t brush our teeth so gum is our way of getting people to think we take care of our hygiene! This highlights an aspect of our culture that we care what other people think about us...especially in regards to hygiene. Not only is it a negative thing to have bad breath, but someone can compliment you and say “your breath smells good!” This gum may also say something in regards to social class because it’s an extra expense that isn’t necessary to survival. 

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This is a picture of my hydro flask with stickers from different places I have travelled to. These water bottles have become increasingly popular. 1. Because they keep your water very cold. 2. Because they are a way to express your individuality. You were pretty cool in high school if you had a hydroflask. Walking around with a 50$ water bottle also meant you had enough money for one. You seemed richer if you had a hydroflask. At least to me, it seemed like if you had a hydroflask you were probably a super adventurous traveler that did fun stuff all the time. People would deck out their water bottles with stickers that reflected their personality or that showed off all the places they had explored. It seems there is a shared value in our society of adventure and individuality.

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This is the “Promposal” from my first date. This is a part of my high school’s culture where it was normal to drop off something funny to ask someone to a dance. I moved to Idaho when I was 13 from Massachusetts, so I learned to do this from my friends. As outsiders to this culture, my family thought it was a little weird and excessive. I was used to it when I was first asked out and even though it was my first date, I knew how I needed to respond and that because I was now 16 I was permitted to go. This represents the dating expectations for youth in the church, in our decade and in the area I lived in.

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This is a picture of my rice cooker and InstaPot. When I got married there was a societal expectation that I would be prepared to maintain a home. This includes cleaning and cooking. In my society, but more prominently in my family, gender roles are values and embraced. My grandma once said to me, “You shouldn’t be out shooting guns with the boys! You should be in here cooking with me!” There has always been that belief in my family that cooking is primarily the job of the women in the house. These cooking pots symbolize that value that has been transmitted to me from my family. 

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This is a picture of my makeup drawer. Makeup represents my culture and positionality as a white female. Makeup is a symbol of femininity and beauty. Makeup is what we use to make ourselves more beautiful or to enhance our facial features. SO it is safe to assume we value beauty and that we believe that being beautiful is better than being ugly. On another note, growing up and throughout high school I didn’t feel like I needed makeup, I claimed that I felt confident without it. Which I did. However, I also felt like I was embracing my individuality and separating myself from the rest of the girls. I felt like I was unique and special cause I was different, cause I didn’t need what the other girls needed to feel pretty. Looking back I see that I was also embracing individuality. Arriving from my mission I decided I should start wearing makeup because I ought to get married and I’d get dates if I looked a little cuter. It’s quite funny how culture’s impact on me has changed throughout my life.

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This is a photo of my family as cast members of the 2018 Hill Cumorah Pageant. Being cast members meant we were familiar with the pageant and were committed to being in Palmyra for three weeks to prepare the pageant. As members on the east coast, the pageant was a time to gather many members together and feel like we were a part of something bigger than our individual wards and stakes. In areas where the church isn’t as strong, it was often a time for youth conferences and EFY’s to give youth spiritual experiences at historic sites. This reflects the culture in our church of remembering the past and prioritizing the spiritual experiences of  our youth.

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This is a box of generic mac and cheese. Growing up in a middle class family of eight we always had four or so boxes of this in the pantry as a backup meal, and were taught to always look for the cheapest brand. Mac and Cheese was also easy to make, so that older kids could help make dinner while my mom was doing something else. This box represents the budget my family held and the expectation for kids to help out in my house with cooking. As my parents have gotten older and money hasn’t been as tight, we haven’t eaten this as often in my house. However, knowing how to shop for food as a college student eliminates stress while I’m studying and keeps me nourished so I can focus on my classes

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This represents not only the food I eat every day because it’s considered “healthy” and a “clean diet”, but also certain pressures from the society we live in. Diet culture shames us into thinking that we need to deprive ourselves of specific foods in order to maintain an ideal image and healthy lifestyle. I am all for being healthy, and I consciously make a choice to eat the way I do, but it’s taken too far when it creates fatphobia.
(Image from google images)

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I was born and raised in California which plays a big part in how I act and how other people assume I am before getting to know me. A lot of the stereotypes are definitely true: Yes, I know famous people, I go to the beach whenever I get the chance, I try to be eco-friendly and health conscious, I’m more liberal, and I’m blonde. For a long time, I was in denial that I was living proof of these stereotypes, but now I embrace it.

(Image from Google images)

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Makeup has always fascinated me from the moment I knew what lipstick was. I was so happy when I got a few items for my 12th birthday. Girls and women are constantly told that we look way better with makeup, and that adds a lot of pressure to look good for other people, not just ourselves. For many years, I refused to go outside without a full face of makeup because I truly thought I was ugly without it. I think being in quarantine this summer changed things because I got more used to my natural face, and thank goodness!

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My pioneer ancestry book represents how Utah culture is rooted in the idea of sacrificing for the cause. The culture of pioneers is celebrated in church with the telling of pioneer stories and the Utah (and some other states) holiday, Pioneer Day. Before college, I thought Pioneer day was a national holiday, until I met some people from out of state that thought it was weird. People participate in the pioneer culture by going to pioneer museums, giving and listening to pioneer talks in church, and by blowing up fireworks on pioneer day. Pioneer culture is significant because it has help shape the attitude of the LDS people in Utah and to impart the collective values of sacrifice, hard work, and charity.

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This represents my culture as I  keep myself protected from suspicious characters. I have learned that I need to know how to defend myself, as a woman, from others who may want to hurt me. I have been taught to carry protection instruments with me whenever I go into public areas and to be aware of the people around me. I have been taught that other people and strangers have been taught in different ways than I have and that I should love them and also be cautious.

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Drive thrus represent American culture because Americans tend to value speed and savings in its capitalist economy. In American culture, people are often rushed and there is a lot to be done. Going through drive thrus allows individuals to save time preparing and cleaning up food, in addition to saving time not having to go into the restaurant. Drive thrus are culturally significant because they are common and nearly everybody uses, or has used one.

Photo credit: Robert Penaloza, Unsplash

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I grew up with both of my parents being teachers, and they always held me to a high standard to get good grades that would eventually lead me to pursue higher education. I was raised in a culture where knowledge is important and skipping out on college was never going to be an option. Because of this, I will be passing on this same expectation to my future family.
(image from Google images)

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This represents my religious culture of living your life in a way that will bring you back to Christ. It is a guide that teaches how to do certain things and provides direction to living a happier life. It tells you how you can represent the Savior and be His disciple. Others who follow this pamphlet know the culture and they will stand out to you. When you follow the guidelines in the pamphlet, you feel connected to others who are doing the same and you know when others, who say they have the same culture as you, don’t.

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This badge is what I use when I am observing different teachers in action in various schools. There is a whole different culture in how teachers act and conduct themselves in a classroom. They are very professional and can handle any situation thrown their way. I am currently in school to learn how to be an effective teacher someday, so it’s important to embed myself in teacher culture as much as possible.

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As a student, I never leave the house without my laptop and especially not without my charger. As a student, I read textbooks, participate in online learning, and do homework, all with the help of my laptop. My laptop represents my position in society as a student. I also think that brands have a lot to do with culture as well. I have a MacBook. Do I need a MacBook? No. I could have easily (and a lot more affordably) purchased a comparable laptop for a fraction of the price. But a part of the culture that I am a part of is not only having certain items that provide independence and convenience, but certain brands as well.

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I almost always know where my keys are and never leave the house without them. I think that the main things that they reveal about my culture are that I am in a culture of independence and speed. I could take the bus, I could bike, or I could walk to campus. But I am in a culture that makes it fairly easy to not have to rely on other people and to get where I need to quickly. Some cultures have incredible public transit, where people never have the need for a car. But independence and speed are valued in my culture.

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Lagom is a Swedish word that roughly translates to the philosophy of “not too much, not too little.” This book talks all about it. My husband is half Swedish, his mom grew up in Sweden, so this has always been a part of his culture, and now is a part of mine. Part of this culture is to have balance in all things (sleep, work, diet, decorating, etc.). My place in this culture has been first, understanding it, so I can understand more about my mother-in-law and the home that my husband grew up in, and also incorporating balance into my life to integrate into his family and find peace in balancing my life.

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These are few of my favorite records. A big part of my family’s culture is music. We would spend a lot of time listening to music together at home or in the car, going to music stores to find new records, and talking about our favorite bands, artists, or songs. I realize that I love to listen to music as a hobby, but it runs so much deeper than just a hobby because it has always been a part of my home and a part of who my family is. I now collect records of my own and listen to them often with my husband, who has also been a part of a culture of music. These records will continue to represent our place in a culture of music.

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1. This is one of my favorite snacks! Hummus and pretzels. I really love these little snack packs that are ready to go, so I can take one with me to campus or work. I think that what this snack reveals about my culture is interesting. It reveals that I am in a culture of convenience. I could easily buy a big bag of pretzels and a big container of hummus (which would be a lot cheaper than these little snack packs), but it is much more convenient for me to buy the snack packs.

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The Book of Mormon is an important book of scripture that is known as the “keystone of our religion.” It is a huge part of the culture of members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I grew up reading the Book of Mormon with my family and learning its stories in church. I also read the Book of Mormon on my own, initially because it felt like an expectation. In my conversations with other members of my church culture, we are able to refer to Book of Mormon phrases or stories and understand each other.

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This is a razor that I use for shaving my legs and armpits. It is representative of the expectations of physical appearance that exist in my culture and my positionality as a woman. Women in the United States learn from socialization that we will look better without body hair and that it is embarrassing to have our legs seen unshaven.

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Ramen is a food that is inexpensive, quick, and easy to make. Because of this, it has become a symbol in our culture of being a poor, busy college student. The phrase “living off of ramen” is widely used and understood among students. We all eat ramen, and we all talk about it to emphasize our lack of money and time for eating anything else. (The second picture is not the artifact, but the license plate reemphasizes the cultural importance of the artifact.)

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My extended family once got together and decorated these shirts so we could wear them to a Colorado Rockies major league baseball game. I am from the Denver area and my dad is a big baseball fan, and so in my family’s culture, it’s important to understand the rules of baseball and to cheer on Denver’s home team, the Rockies, when they play. I grew up frequently hearing the sound of Rockies games being announced on the radio, and we went to games in person at Coors Field almost every summer. This shirt is representative of the importance of being a Rockies fan in the culture of my family.

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My parents sent me these Christmas lights for my dorm room my freshman year of college. My roommate and I were so excited and put them up along with a bunch of paper snowflakes. Christmas lights are such an exciting thing in our culture because they represent Christmas. They signify celebration and happiness. Christmas is considered a Christian holiday, but it’s celebrated more widely than that, and most Americans can connect with each other about the excitement surrounding Christmas and the holiday season.