My biggest circle of Influence is my mom and dad. As you can see through the picture, my parents have influences over many thing that i like, and go through in my life. They have made me who I am today.

2. Over the years, has there been a change in how much influence you have on certain people in certain settings? Where and how?

Over the years my friends back at home have had a smaller impact and influence on my life. Since I moved to New York I have had less time to do anything with them. And now they have their life goals as the same as me, our friendship has started to fade away.

https://www.canva.com/design/DAGztsFbVyI/zGAK_2zzzxFBYIc8HPlFYg/edit?ui=e30

7. i. Claim: Students should get free bus passes.

a. Public transportation reduces traffic.

b. Students pay tuition.

c. Riding the bus is fun.

d. It helps the environment.

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

a. Teenagers naturally wake up later.

b. Teachers are also tired in the morning.

c. Students would be more focused.

d. Cafeterias could sell more breakfast food.

8. iii. Claim: Everyone should learn how to cook.

a. Cooking saves money.

b. Cooking is healthier than eating out.

c. Cooking shows are popular.

d. You can impress your friends.

5. iv. Claim: Reading fiction improves critical thinking.

a. Fiction helps people imagine perspectives.

b. Some novels are boring.

c. Fiction builds vocabulary.

d. It strengthens empathy.

1. v. Claim: Voting should be mandatory.

a. Democracy works better with more participation.

b. Some people don’t care about politics.

c. Other countries have mandatory voting.

d. It would make elections fairer.

I believe this is the strongest because voting is very important to create a better future. Voting allows everybody to participate in national conflicts.

https://wearelee.org/blog/your-vote-matters-5-reasons-why-you-should-vote-in-any-election/

2. vi. Claim: Homework should be reduced.

a. Students are too busy with jobs and activities.

b. Extra practice improves learning.

c. Students get stressed from too much work.

d. Teachers spend too much time grading.

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

a. People waste time scrolling.

b. Social media spreads misinformation.

c. It helps people connect with friends.

d. It creates anxiety and comparison.

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

a. They require strategy and skill.

b. Players practice many hours.

c. They don’t involve physical activity.

d. Gaming competitions draw huge audiences.

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

a. Art classes reduce stress.

b. Creativity is useful in any career.

c. Some students dislike art.

d. Art encourages problem-solving skills.

Before the final I didn't have a graph showing any statistics, and I didn't do a great job applying how drumming can be played by the audience regardless of age or financially. This is my final draft showed on the link, but I couldn't go back and show the previous because it was updated.

For the final draft I added a graph/picture that showed some fun visuals and facts about the benefits of playing an instrument. I also changed the part where it says you can start playing at any age. Before that I had it at young adults, but statistically you can play at any age you'd like. This allows the audience to be engaged no matter the age.

Similarities: I noticed that most people expressed the little details in the areas that they walked. Like trash cans, and the areas, some areas were very open, and some people explored inner city areas. For most people's explorations they walked through tight inner suburban city areas in Queens. Many people observed the diverse ethnic backgrounds through race and culture. Everybody experienced something new they observed in the area that they wouldn’t have during a normal walk. I loved how everybody appreciated the pace of movement, and how everybody experienced the people who walk in these areas which we explored

Differences: The people who walked through the St. John's campus realized how empty the area is during the weekend, and people who walked throughout the inner queens area realized how the street layout, and the amount of people is different. Some people experienced a lot of greenery at parks, or at the campus. But the people who experienced their walk in the city, all of the greenery and plants start to fade away to concrete roads, and the vast number of buildings. A lot of people saw a varied mix of people in different parts of NYC (queens.) Flushing has a very big Asian population, Jamaica is mostly African, Indian, South American, and near JFK the population in hotels and the surrounding areas are tourists with their suitcases. 

https://padlet.com/harrisonryder25/rhetorical-artifacts-lvk29rvzs31hsuyw  

Script: of audio interview

I Sophia Feeney, consent to this interview

Harrison: Okay, I'm Harrison Ryder. Can you tell me your name, major, and your year at St. John’s?

Sophia: Yes, I am an International Management major, and I minor in French and Economics. I'm a senior, and my name is Sophia Feeney. Should’ve started off with that.

Harrison: Okay, what made you choose St. John’s in the first place?

Sophia: I would say, for me, it was definitely the diversity. Coming out of high school, I was living in a pretty monoracial area where everybody kind of looked the same — a rural town in Pennsylvania. So when I toured St. John’s and I saw the diversity, I kind of fell in love with it and knew this was the place for me.

Harrison: Yeah, that sounds great. How are your classes going so far this semester?

Sophia: They’re going well — very busy. I take six classes, but you know, as a senior, I'm kind of on the last legs. So I would say I'm pretty satisfied.

Harrison: Okay, how’s your academic workload?

Sophia: I would say it’s not light, but it’s not... I mean, it’s pretty rigorous. It keeps me on my toes, and it keeps me busy.

Harrison: Okay, yeah, sounds good. Do you have a place where you usually like to study — at home or at school?

Sophia: I like the library, but I also like to go to Marillac sometimes. I know it's really busy there in the cafeteria, but sometimes I like the noise. It kind of makes me stay working because I feel like I'm being perceived by people, so I feel more motivated to get more done when I'm at Marillac.

Harrison: Wow I never thought of that, sounds good. Can you describe a typical day for you at St. John’s?

Sophia: Every day looks a little bit different because I’m very involved on campus — so can I give you my week instead?

Harrison: Why not.

Sophia: So typically, Mondays are the days I have all my classes. So Monday, starting at like 10:40, I have class, and then I have class from 10:40 to typically Common Hour, which starts at 1:50. And then during Common Hour, I usually have a club meeting or something going on on campus. And then I have another class from 3 to 6, and then I have another class from 7 to 10. So Mondays are a very heavy workload.

And then on Tuesday, I work for the Core Studies department in St. John’s Hall, and I’m the coordinator for the First Year Seminar Peer Leader Program. So that’s usually my Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. And I'm also an intern, so I kind of mix those days up with my internship.

And then Thursday is pretty similar to Monday in terms of classes, clubs, things like that. I’m the Treasurer for Women on Wall Street as well, so I'm very involved in programming and stuff. And then on Saturdays, I am an ambassador, so I do tours in the Welcome Center for Admissions.

Harrison: Okay, well, yeah, that’s a lot of work. What do you think about New York City in general?

Sophia: I love it. It’s like my home. My dad’s from New York — I didn’t grow up in New York, but like I said, I love the diversity. I love how you can go to any neighborhood and be speaking in any language or connect with any culture. I love the artistic scene in New York — the film scene, the music scene. New York has a little bit of something for everybody.

Harrison: Do you go to Manhattan often, or do you like to stay in Queens?

Sophia: For the time being, because I'm so busy, I like to stay in Queens, but I’m not opposed to going to Manhattan. The commute’s a little bit far from where we live in Queens (Jamaica), but yeah, I would say maybe twice a month. If I had more money, maybe I'd go more often.

Harrison: Okay. I have two more questions for you. What has been, overall, the best experience here at St. John’s for you?

Sophia: The best experience, I would say, is going on service plunges with Campus Ministry. Through Campus Ministry, I've been able to travel to places domestically and also internationally, and it kind of gave me a purpose of what I want to do in my career. Because of the plunges, I joined AmeriCorps, and that was a life-changing experience, and it’s opened so many doors for me. So I would attribute the plunges to a lot of my outside success and aspirations as well.

Harrison: Yeah, that sounds great. Okay, for the last question: if you had to give advice to somebody coming to St. John’s, what would it be?

Sophia: I would say don’t stretch yourself too thin, but at the same time, don’t be afraid to stand out and get involved in many different things. Because then you can kind of decide what you like, what you don’t like, and decide what you want to prioritize. But also just be conscious of your bandwidth and not try to overextend that. And it is college — so definitely have fun with everything that you do.

Harrison: All right. Yeah. Those are great answers. Thank you for your time.

Sophia: You’re welcome.

Infographic: https://www.canva.com/design/DAG5oIMVvwA/3II1QVzbJWEoqF_ZCsl_ow/edit?utm_content=DAG5oIMVvwA&utm_campaign=designshare&utm_medium=link2&utm_source=sharebutton

As you move through each level, you’ll gain more confidence and learn how to make the most of college life. These are steps I’ve already completed during my time at St. John’s, and if I can do it, you can too. St. John’s has so many opportunities, clubs, and resources, but it’s up to you to take advantage of them. If you follow this map and stay involved, you’ll set yourself up for a fun, successful, and memorable college experience.