Final E-Portfolio!

Hello, and welcome to my E-portfolio! My name is Sarah Aronson and I am currently on the road to earning my undergraduate degree in Psychology at the Pennsylvania State University (Class of 2015).  After I graduate from Penn State I hope to further my education with a masters degree in an area that will allow me to become a councilor or therapist.  Since I began college many aspects of my life have changed and have forced me to grow as an individual and as a student.  I hope to display these changes to you through the work I chose to put on display in this portfolio.
In order to be successful in the career path I have chosen I must have good communication skills.  A therapist or councilor has to be able to connect with their patient and be able to associate with many different types of people.  Throughout this year, I have taken different courses that have enhanced my ability to use rhetorical tactics and varying communication skills.  All of this new knowledge will help me to connect better with my audience.
In addition to helping me be successful in a future career, my understanding of rhetoric and communication skills also can assist me in everyday life.  I have become better at expressing my thoughts and persuading people, and also have become more comfortable public speaking.
Like I said earlier, I have certainly grown this year because of all the events that have occurred in my life, as well as my college experience.  You can look at a collection of just some of my work so far this year in this portfolio in order to fully grasp the changes I have gone through as a person, and my newly found knowledge of rhetoric tactics and communication skills.

You can access my E-portfolio with the link above, or right here!

Happy Thursday Bikers!

I was waiting for the walk sign at an intersection downtown one of my very first Thursdays here at Penn State.  All of a sudden a huge group of people biking streams around the corner and I thought, "well, that's strange, but I guess it's just another club or something."  However, I realized it was more than just a group going for a daily bike ride when a man in a gorilla costume riding a bicycle came around the corner and then all 20 or so people started shouting, "HAPPY THURSDAY!" over and over again.  Needless to say, I was extremely confused...

It wasn't until I saw them about two more times I connected the dots and realized that they did this every Thursday.  When I found out that a group of people actually gets together just to ride around campus and make people smile by saying happy Thursday I was so impressed! I was happy that people were going out of their way to bring a little joy into people's lives. 

The video I posted above is a short 4 minute documentary about the bicycle group that does this and why they do it.  You should all take time to watch!  The one guy talks about how all they want is to remind people that college life doesn't have to be dull and boring during the week, class after class, work on top of more work..  they want to bring a little randomness into people's lives and make them smile when they are in bad moods, or simply stressed out from college.

I honestly look forward to Thursdays now because I love seeing them ride around. They are always so jolly and happy and it never fails to put a smile on my face!

Celebrity Status

It has always perplexed me how obsessed with celebrities we are as a society.  Many people know more about celebrities and what they wear and tweet than they do about national issues and the government! Why is this? People put celebrities on pedestals.  They consider all their actions to be of more importance because they are rich and famous.  They have in some cases become role models for people today.  Every magazine on the stands cover the lives of celebrities, from their break ups to what they eat.  They even have articles like this one below that try to justify that even though we treat them like this, "they're just like us!"

The first time I ever saw this article I laughed out loud. "They fly with pillows" and "they feed parking meters", really?? It is so absurd! Of course they do these things! They act like they are gods and the fact that they do these things too should make us feel like we can relate to them.  This monthly article is a subtle way to keep us interested in them and keep us thinking that maybe we can be like them.

Celebrities are people, just like us.  They have relationships, they buy clothes, they go out to eat.  The only difference is they have money because they ended up very successful in their careers!  THEREFORE, they eat at nicer places and buy nicer clothes!  That does not make them untouchable or good role models.  I won’t lie, I like looking at their outfits and reading about their lives.  But in no way do I consider them people to base my life goals on or think that they are perfect.

I know that saying these things won’t change the way society, as a whole views, celebrities.  Their faces will always be plastered all over magazine racks and their actions will always be viewed in a different light than “normal people”.  I know this has pretty much turned into a rant about celebrities, but my main point is that celebrities do normal everyday things, and there is no reason we need to be obsessed to the point where we base our goals in life on them. 

Morning Burst

 

Every morning we'll be

Wakin' up to love

Don't you know that we'll be

Wakin up to love!

Well now doesn't that sound like the perfect way to wake up in the morning?  This song is only one of the ways that the company "Clean and Clear" advertises their product as something that is a must-have in the commercial above.  All the commercials for skin care products like this one use the same plan of action to grab their viewers attention.  They start off with a normal, everyday person that isn't anything special, just like the miserable girl at the beginning of this video.  Then, they introduce something so amazing that it can change your entire day around!

FACE WASH!

How revolutionary! It's crazy that this girl can go from miserable, to being a morning person who is singing to the radio with her best friend just because she washed her face with this amazing product!  I always thought washing your face was just so you can stay clean and keep your face from breaking out, but not anymore apparently.....

In all seriousness though, I think these commercials go way over the top and don't even hit the real point of why people should buy face wash.  You will not wake up singing everyday because you use this product, and when you use water to wash the product off, it will not splash perfectly in slow motion on your face without getting everything else around you wet... trust me.  Although I get their desire for the commercial to be upbeat, I think this is a little drastic.

Hunger Games

What else can I talk about this week other than the phenomenon that has taken the whole world by storm all within the last 6 months?  I am of course talking about the award winning trilogy, The Hunger Games.  This first book in the series, written by Suzanne Collins, has won many awards and has been on both the USA Today and New York Times best seller lists (100 weeks straight).  As most of you know the books are being made into movies, and the first one actually premieres today!  

Im sure many people who have heard the hype but not read the books are wondering why these books are so popular.  I actually just finished the trilogy yesterday, and it only took me a little over a week to read all of them because they were that good! The author of these books hit the nail on the head when it came to connecting to many different audiences.  The story itself is about a post-apocalyptic world in which different districts surrounding a capitol compete for food through a deathly anual competition called the Hunger Games.  That alone would attract one certain kind of audience, as I'm sure the subject of a post-apocalyptic world is a rather popular one among certain groups of people.  This also would attract male readers who are interested in these types of stories rather than romance novels.  However, Collins is very smart and attracts females to the books by using a strong female lead, and also writing an underlying love story behind the otherwise dismal story. 

Personally, I loved it.  There is so much of… well everything in this book!  There's an amazing story that you get absorbed into, indulging complicated characters, and a plot that would get anyone's attention.  I know many people who have never picked up a book in their life who read this novel in one day because the suspense is just too great! Suzanne Collins displays her uncanny skill as an author to capture her readers attention by using matter that she knows will surprise and shock her readers and make them feel like they are actually part of this story.  I recommend the book to anyone!

Spring Break Vacations

 

March is the time of the school year a lot of students are looking forward to because of one thing: Spring Break.  While some go home to catch up on sleep and spend time with their families others sign up to go to incredible vacation spots to have the time of their lives.  Whether its clubbing in Panama City or going to a concert on the beach in the Bahamas, many college students are drawn in by these amazing opportunities to "live it up" with their friends on spring break.  There are multiple groups that organize events like this, such as Electric Island in the picture above.  They use things they know will attract people ages 18 to around 24: perfect weather, bathing suits, young people all the same age.  Who wouldn’t look at images of hundreds of bikini clad girls rocking out to music on the beach and not want to go?  They make everything look like people are having the time of their lives in the ideal setting.  Most times even the price is doable if people plan early enough.  The people who organize it create simple packages that include hotel rooms, clubs, concerts, and drinks.  All the student has to do is click the button and hand over the cash.  It’s seems surreal, something that only happens in movies, but these groups have made it real and possible for younger people to attend and have an amazing experience somewhere warm instead of staying up north! I know I myself have considered saving up for this type of trip and many of my friends have gone.  Although tiring by the end of it, and probably hard to get back to reality afterwards, I can’t deny that it looks like an amazing experience you can only do when you’re young!

Animal Abuse

Recognize this picture? Most people have probably seen the commercials on TV for the ASPCA, otherwise known as the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. They work to save animals that have been abused or left behind by passing humane laws and sharing resources with shelters. And one of the most effective way to get money to fund all of these things is by playing commercials on TV that grab millions of viewers attention.

These commercials are probably the best way they could have helped their organization.  All that plays in them are countless pictures and videos of puppies, cats, horses, and other animals that have obviously been abused.  By showing pictures of sad little dogs, or cats with cuts on them or limbs missing, they are connecting with their audience emotionally.  What person wants to see little cute puppies messed up and sad?

Then, they talk about how if you donate money, something like $18 a month, you can save countless abused animals lives. Who wouldn't want to do that?? And if you are still on the edge about donating they then tell you that if you do that you will receive a FREE tote bag so EVERYONE can know you are supporting the ASPCA. Personally, I think that offering free things just to convince people to donate to a cause such as this isn't right. However, it is pretty smart of them to do that. They just keep reeling you in! Then, they go one step further and say you don't even have to donate that much ($18)! You can simply donate whatever you can afford and they would be thankful. By doing this they are trying to tell their audience two things. One, this cause is SO important, they just want every penny they can get, that it's all equally as appreciated. Two, they are completely getting rid of any requirement or obligation they made you feel when they originally stated $18. Pretty genius if you ask me.

I think that this advertisement is extremely effective and thought out. Playing it on popular TV channels was all they needed to get people to help out with this worthy cause.

THON

I think everyone that is reading this blog knows what Thon is, but just in case there are people reading this that do not I will summarize it for you.

Thon is a two day annual dance marathon put together by students at Penn State with the sole purpose of raising money to help fund research for pediatric cancer.  It is the largest student run philanthropy in the entire world. They represent themselves through the letters FTK, or "for the kids!" Thon has become a Penn State tradition, and something to look forward to every single year.

Thon is unlike any other philanthropy because of the way they present themselves. Instead of an organization that hands out flyers asking for donations and putting cans places by themselves Penn state students are much more involved in the cause. They go on "canning weekends" where instead of just putting a can somewhere they walk around representing our school and talking to people about the cause. I think this makes the cause much more personal to people because after they get to actually hear actual students talk about Thon they want to donate to it. Also, instead of it just being a cause they donate money to the students go one step further and make it a dance marathon that lasts an entire weekend. All of this effort truly shows how much the students care about the children being affected by pediatric cancer.
Everything students do for Thon can be analyzed in rhetoric because the whole reason they are so selfless is in order to persuade others to donate money and support the cause. They try to appeal to many different audiences such as other students and adults all over the communities they travel to. And it obviously works well because like I stated earlier, it is the most successful student run philanthropy in the world!

Nike Ads

Since we have been talking about analyzing ads recently in class I thought that I could try and practice doing it in my rhetoric blog for this week. I chose to analyze not just this Nike ad, but Nike ads for women in general.

Most ads for women from Nike are advertizing their workout clothes.  The very first thing I notice is that everyone in the ads that are wearing their clothes are already extremely fit. I'm not sure about other people's opinions, but mine is that most people that are going to the gym are attempting to lose weight, and they most definitely do not look like these girls. However, I do know there are the people who are already in shape and would like to stay that way. But, what these ads are saying to me is that if i buy these clothes I will look like this, or even saying that if I want to buy these clothes I should ALREADY look like this.  I'm not sure if that is the best way to advertise this workout gear.

Another thing to look at is the general mood of the picture. the girls all look serious and confident, therefore advertizing that you too will be confident in your body if you workout in these clothes.  What girl wouldn't want to look as cut and intimidating as these women? In addition, the room they are standing in is rather dirty and rugged looking for women to be in. But it gets the point across that these women, dressed in Nike gear, are determined and not afraid to work as hard as possible to get the bodies they want. The neutral tones of their clothes also add to the mood of the ad.

Overall, this ad falsely advertizes the clothing, but I do believe that the mood it sets with the colors, background, and expressions on the women's faces is effective. It motivates women to get those clothes and workout in order to look as good as these models do.

State Patty's

State Patty's Day

The day that every Penn State student looks forward to every year.

And as a Penn State student, I know first hand how upset the majority of the student body is about the current situation revolving around State Patty's Day and how many guests everyone is allowed to house in their rooms.  Although it is extremely understandable that the school would be upset with the results of State Patty's celebrations in the past, I think that there are definitely better ways to deal with the issue at hand. This holiday has become known as one of friends coming together to enjoy a good time.  Some students even have their parents come to celebrate with the rest of the school and see how Happy Valley comes together on a day like this.  However, this can no longer happen due to the administrations decision as of today that each person can only have one person per dorm room.  First of all, this was an extremely late decision. Some people have already paid for their means of transportation, expecting that they also have a place to stay, only to find out today that they must either find other accommodations or sell their bus tickets.  Second, many students like to have their siblings come up, or even their parents. They are no longer able to do this without choosing between people because they have no where to have them sleep.
This holiday has become a tradition for Penn State and I believe there are better ways to deal with the negative effects.   One of the biggest things is trash around the campus and downtown due to the influx of people here that weekend.  What if the Sunday after the celebration a huge philanthropic opportunity was given and clubs and groups could help clean up different areas to make everything back to the way it was? Maybe instead of immediately instilling these punishments on us we could have first gotten a warning about it. I believe that maybe if these issues were presented to the student body we could possibly work with the school to organize State Patty's Day instead of completely ruining the celebration.

This I Believe podcast

A Legacy Untarnished

Joseph Vincent Paterno.  The last week at Penn State has been spent showing our support to him, and his family.  From the scare of thinking he had already passed last Saturday night, to his actual death announced Sunday morning.  All of this was followed by an extremely moving candlelight vigil in front of Old Main, a viewing that thousands upon thousands of people attended, a campus lined with students and alumni waiting to "guide Joe home", and then one of the most touching memorials I have ever been blessed to be a part of.  

However, some people do not think that any of these things were appropriate.  Many people in fact view Joe Paterno one of the villians in the scandal that has been overtaking our school for the past 3 months now.  Many critics voiced their opinions saying that we are taking everything too far, and that we are forgetting what crime he has committed.  They say that his legacy was tarnished forever.

I completely disagree.

Maybe it is just because I am a Penn State student, or because I live by the rule that you should look past people's mistakes and see who they truly are and what they have done. Today,  I attended the memorial for Joe Paterno and all I could think while I was there was that I wish every single one of those critics could hear what everyone had to say, and how everyone came together.  I am not saying Joe didn't make a mistake, but to say his "legacy is tarnished" is going too far.  62 years dedicated to this university, 409 wins, over 4 million dollars donated to Penn State... that is only some of the contributions he made in his life.  Along with influencing individual lives I believe one of his greatest achievements that makes it impossible to say his legacy is tarnished is that he helped to make a body of students a family.  This week at Penn State has been proof that Joe's legacy indeed lives on.  Thousands of students coming together, along with families and alumni, to show their support for Joe and his family was beyond touching. He made us all a family, a family that lives on and has had and will continue to have amazing experiences because of him. This last picture is probably one of the most impacting things he could have done for me.  Today, at the end of the memorial, everyone in the entire Bryce Jordan Center, friends and strangers alike, held hands to pray the Our Father, just like Joe does after football games with his team. For me to see thousands of strangers do that together, to celebrate the life of one single man, moved me. It made me see how no matter what outsiders say about Joe, or about how we talk about him, or treated his memory the last week, that he was an incredible man that touched the lives of so many people and created a family.  And although he is gone, this family will stay strong because of his legacy.

We are because he was.

The Rhetoric of SOPA

SOPA, or the Stop Online Piracy Act, is a highly controversial proposal by the government that was created to prevent the online trafficking of copyrighted material.  It is an extreme way to deal with the issue of pirated files.  Although many people do agree with the fact that this issue has to be dealt with, they do not think this is the right way to do it.  Many online search engines such as Google and Wikipedia see this bill as a way for the government to censor the internet.  In protest to this bill many websites, such as the ones listed above, participated in a “blackout”.  This was not to prohibit people from using these search engines, but instead create awareness of the bill and the consequences it would have on the internet as we know it.  Many other websites (around 7,000 of them) posted either some kind of protest or links to petitions to sign.  Some even had links to your closest representative you could contact in order to voice your opinion.  In addition to protests that were held in the virtual world there were also organized petition drives, boycotts of companies that were pro-SOPA, and rallies held in New York. One political issue people have with this proposed bill is that it is a piece of legislation that could be said to reduce the freedom of expression.  It is another way for the government to control us, and go back to censoring what we can say and think.  Overall, I believe that the amount of opposition to this bill should be taken into consideration.  There has to be other ways to control the trafficking of copyrighted files.