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~My biggest circle of influence would probably be my friends. I have the most built trust with them, and I am able to express my opinions and give them advice to help improve their quality of life.

~I would say as I have gotten older, I have gained more authority with my family. When I was younger, I was scared to say things and express myself, but now I can easily say what I want to say to both my father and my mother. My relationship with my father is a bit rocky, so my influence there is greater because now I can tell him what he has done to wrong me. With my mother, we get along very well, but I am able to tell her my emotions better so we both have a say in my life, not just her. Overall, as I have gotten older, I have been able to influence my family and even friends due to the knowledge I have gained and the abilities I have gained to speak up and not accept things.

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When nothing goes to plan

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Claim 1: Students should get free bus passes.

b. Students pay tuition (https://www.bankrate.com/loans/student-loans/average-cost-of-college/)

d. It helps the environment.

a. Public transportation reduces traffic.

c. Riding the bus is fun.

~Students on average pay over 100k in order to attend university. Universities should allocate some of the money used for tuition to provide students with free public transportation.

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

c. Students would be more focused. (https://www.apa.org/topics/children/school-start-times)

a. Teenagers naturally wake up later.

b. Teachers are also tired in the morning.

d. Cafeterias could sell more breakfast food.

~Students tend to be more focused mid morning not first thing in the morning also starting latter allows for them to get more sleep which also allow them to be more focused.

iii. Claim: Everyone should learn how to cook.

a. Cooking saves money. (https://pupcakesugar.com/how-much-can-i-really-save-by-cooking-at-home/)

b. Cooking is healthier than eating out.

d. You can impress your friends.

c. Cooking shows are popular.

~Cooking is proven to save more money than constantly having to eat out. It also allows you to know where your money is going because you buy the materials.

iv. Claim: Reading fiction improves critical thinking.

d. It strengthens empathy. (https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3559433/)

a. Fiction helps people imagine perspectives.

c. Fiction builds vocabulary.

b. Some novels are boring.

~Reading fiction allows you to see unique perspectives which allows you to better empathize with others. You can understand peoples feelings better making you more empathetic.

v. Claim: Voting should be mandatory.

a. Democracy works better with more participation.(https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/politicsandpolicy/is-citizen-participation-actually-good-for-democracy/)

d. It would make elections fairer.

b. Some people don’t care about politics.

c. Other countries have mandatory voting.

~To get an accurate representation of what people in a country wants everyone has to vote especially minorites. When only 60 percent of the country votes that leave 40% of the population unrepresented.

vi. Claim: Homework should be reduced.

b. Extra practice improves learning.(https://fordhaminstitute.org/national/commentary/why-homework-matters)

c. Students get stressed from too much work.

d. Teachers spend toomuch time grading.

a. Students are too busy with jobs and activities.

~Extra practice is very important for reinforcing material. I think more effort should be made to make sure the homework actually helping students learning in a less stressful way instead of just being busy work.

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

d. It creates anxiety and comparison. (https://www.gse.harvard.edu/ideas/usable-knowledge/17/12/social-media-and-teen-anxiety)

b. Social media spreads misinformation.

c. It helps people connect with friends.

a. People waste time scrolling.

~Social media can cause anxiety especially because of how much misinformation it spreads. It also sets unrealistic expectations for younger people leading to comparison.

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

c. They don’t involve physical activity. (https://sn4.scholastic.com/issues/2022-23/032723/debate-is-playing-video-games-a-sport.html?language=english)

b. Players practice many hours.

a. They require strategy and skill.

d. Gaming competitions draw huge audiences.

~The dictionary definition of sports involved physical extortion which video games do not involve. I think because of this video games should not be considered a sport.

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

a. Art classes reduce stress. (https://dailycampus.com/2024/02/12/why-we-still-need-art-class-in-university/)

b. Creativity is useful in any career.

d. Art encourages problem-solving skills.

c. Some students dislike art.

~I think art can reduce stress and can be very beneficial to the mental health of college students. Improved mental health is very important for the preformance and wellbeing of students they just have to make sure the art class truly is stress free and does not add any more academic pressure.

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Later school times promote adolescent well-being

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Moving high school start times can improve student performance and general quality of life.

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beauty between the odds

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surrounded by so much and so little all at once.