Free Essay On Students As Sociologists

In my immediate environment I am more aware of what is going on around me. I am more aware of people who are both similar to me as well as different from me. I notice some of the odd intricacies that people have, the nuances that they possess, and the mannerisms that they use. Many of these subtle differences would have gone unnoticed before this course, but now these details are more evident without any effort.
In my community there is more diversity than was ever noticed before. This is a positive aspect that just was never noticed. Since the world is becoming smaller in that all things are becoming more interdependent, and as this occurs, people interact more with each other, diversity is growing everywhere. Travel has become easier as well. As people travel more and become exposed to more areas, they find other areas where they desire to live and relocate, mingle with the population, and this leads to a more diverse population. I do not see the growth in diversity ever slowing and find it continuing to spread in my area, throughout the nation, and throughout the world. Other things that I noticed in my community are the great diversity of languages that are spoken. It was easy to notice that there were a few, but it is more evident since I took this course. When I used the self-checkout the other day at the grocery store there were eight languages to select from. Even though I have used this machine countless times, and the options have been there, it has been through this class that I have been made aware of such things that have been in front of me all of this time. I have been participating in such a beautiful and diverse population in my own community with blinders on for so long.
My community is also full of cultural events that have gone unnoticed and groups that are available to join that one has never paid attention to see. There are free and paid performances in the visual and performing arts every weekend and many times during the week that I never knew about because that lifestyle just was not a part of my world. There are art exhibits for new and established artists in galleries that have been ignored as one never took the time to peer through the glass and observe. There are opportunities for ballroom dancing, pottery classes, acting classes, poetry readings, free music lessons, writing workshops, and jazz band and other music groups to join. Even though I do not see myself jumping in to any of these adventures, at least now I am aware that they are going on right in the community where I live. There is so much more to do that was unknown.
For the nature aficionado, there are weekend morning outings through neighborhood parks where people will share their knowledge about the wildlife, the horticulture, and the architecture of the surrounding buildings as well as tell about the local history. There are groups for new moms, new dads, singles, couples, and the young, the old, heterosexuals, homosexuals, and newlyweds. There are groups for bicyclists, bikers, and hikers. It seems if one looks hard enough, even within this small, diverse neighborhood, there is a group where one will fit right in.
I have also noticed more about the people with whom I regularly interact due to this class as well. I do have my closest friends, the people with whom I am acquainted, classmates, and people I know from work. There are few from these groups that overlap. I never considered why before this class. Through this class I have learned about myself. I like to keep my life compartmentalized. It is fairly common in the United States but not always so in other areas around the world.
I, like many people my age, keep in touch with my family as I see fit. I am close with some members of my family, but do not speak as often with my extended family. I use social media primarily to keep in touch with some members that are about my age. I often do not talk to older relatives on a regular basis. I was surprised to learn how uncommon this is in other cultures. People of all ages are much closer than I am accustomed to in many other areas around the world. I often see my extended family only at weddings and funerals. It would seem odd to speak with them on a routine basis.
As for too many of my peers, it has also been demonstrated how disengaged people in this country are from the political process. Although it is easy to point the finger and blame politicians for much of what is wrong in this country, complaining to each other about it is pointless. This class has helped me to understand that too many are quick to place blame and too slow to do anything to fix the problems. It is a societal issue. It is also amazing how people in the United States shield themselves, without realizing it, from the ills that happen around the world. Many know so little about what happens, yet often consider ourselves to be educated, savvy people when in fact we are quite naïve and content with our lack of knowledge.
As one person I have become much more aware of whom I am as a person through this course. I am a better person because of this class. I am more aware of myself and my surroundings. I am also more aware of other groups and how I interact with them, how I am influenced by them, if at all. If there is no influence, that, too, is fine. Knowing about them and understanding them is also good as it helps make me more aware of others within society and only good can come from such knowledge.
I have also learned about how people categorize others, why we judge other people, and how we are influenced by other people. I have learned that even subconsciously, I make judgments about people within seconds after I see them. Such decisions are based on how they appear in their dress, gender, age, apparent socio-economic status, assumed educational level, and other issues that I determine. I am not proud that I do this, and I find myself trying to correct this behavior since I have taken this class. I was not raised to stereotype people. I was raised to accept all people for who they are and that all people are equal. But, through this class, I also have come to realize that people judge me within seconds as well. First impressions are important. What one person says to another, how it is said, and any unsaid implications that might be implied, are all valid and important. As I age, move though my courses move closer towards graduation, and get closer to having a career, these are all issues that I need to be aware of on a consistent basis.
This class is partially about how people and different groups within a society interact with each other. It has also been a class about life. It has been one of the most interesting and relative classes that I have ever had in school and I will take with me some of what I have learned throughout the rest of my life. It has opened up my eyes about how there is no true normal, and what one may believe is normal is not seen as normal by so many others. Just because one is different there is no right for one to be judged. It has been a very influential class and should be required of all majors.