Final Reflection and Portfolio Work

My name is Chantal De La Cruz, I am freshman at City Tech. My major is nursing. I am from the Dominican Republic, my favorite music and food are dominican. I like to read fiction and love stories.In my spare time I like to sleep and go to the gym.

Reply

Jody R. Rosen

Welcome, Chantal! I love reading, too–what are some books you enjoyed recently? I just finished reading Guilt and Ginataan, which is the most recent book in the Tita Rosie’s Kitchen Mystery series by Filipina-American author Mia P. Manasala. There are love stories in them, too–and lots of descriptions of delicious foods that main character Lila Macapagal makes for her cafe or enjoys elsewhere–alongside a murder mystery. Looking forward to your recommendations!

Post author

Reply
- Yousoufu Jalloh
  
  My name is Yousoufu Jalloh, and I am a freshman at City Tech. My major is Data Science. My home country is Conakry, Guinea, in West Africa. My favorite music is hip hop in English and French, and my favorite dish is Attieke. I enjoy playing soccer and working out. In my spare time, I enjoy watching soccer games, MMA (UFC), and going to the gym.
IVY

Hi Chantal De La Cruz. I too in my spare time sleep and sometimes go to the gym.

— Ivy

Reply

Tequia Williams

Hello, my name is Tequia Williams. My academic interest is nursing. No, I don’t read but I do like to bake. My favorite food is Carribean food. I like to dance, sing or simply listen to music on my free time. I chose to become a Pediatric Travel RN because kids and I, simply connect. And I love to travel so why not put the two together.

Reply

Jody R. Rosen

Welcome, Tequia, and nice avatar! I don’t know if you saw my comment to Chantal, but I was mentioning a book I just finished that has lots of great food in it–the whole series always includes recipes at the end that baker/main character makes by infusing bakery favorites with Filipino flavors (while also solving murder mysteries). What are some of your favorite Carribean recipes?

Post author

Reply
- Tequia Williams
  
  Hello, since I’m made up of different ethnicities, I love doubles, Pelau, roti and curry chicken, Mangu and arroz con gandules
  - Jody R. Rosen
    
    Mmm!
    
    Post author

Nalah Ettienne

Hello! My name is Nalah, I’m a freshman in my second semester at City Tech. My major is nursing, not only because it is a well-paying job but because I really want to help people those who are scared to speak up about underlying things going on in their body. I love listening to music and dancing with my friends, we love to have a good time because we’re all Caribbean. I love to cook especially for holidays, even though it’s a lot of work. I honestly don’t read as much as I should, I mostly just write in my journal. The furthest I’ve traveled is to my country Grenada that I go to every year. I lovee spending quality time with the people I’m closest to, so going out to eat, binge watching movies with my mom, or doing a fun activity are my favorite things to do! Lastly, in my spare time I literally just find something to do even if I should be doing homework sometimes, but I love doing my hair and nails it makes me feel better.

Reply

Jody R. Rosen

Welcome, Nalah! I loved reading about all of your interests–and seeing the shared interests and backgrounds in our class. What’s something that you made for the holidays that was labor-intensive but totally worth it?

Writing in a journal can be such a valuable practice–I would love for us to talk about this as a class.

Post author

Reply

Francine

Hi my name is Francine. I’m Guyanese American. My major is Business and Fashion Management, I’m focused on wanting to manage the online aspects of a clothing business in the near future. I do enjoy listening to music on my free time, sometimes watch shows on netflix and also youtube. I really do enjoy doing makeup and hair on my free time, I was self taught. I usually eat a lot of west Indian food, which is apart of my culture, so my favorite would have to be curry goat or cook up rice which is a mixture of meats, rice, and peas. But I also find interested in trying out other foods in different cultures. I’ve only ever traveled to Guyana and Canada, but I’m opened to traveling more throughout South America and Europe.

Reply

IVY

Hi Francine. I too can relate to your background about being Guyanese and eating the same cuisine.

—Ivy

Reply
Jody R. Rosen

Welcome, Francine! Seriously, all this talk of delicious Caribbean food makes me think this class should collaborate on writing a cook book or a food blog! I’d love to learn more about your aspirations for a clothing business.

Post author

Reply

Samuel C

Hey. My name is Samuel Cordova, I’m a freshman in my second-year semester at City tech. My major is CTTE (Career and Technology Teacher Education). I’ll be honest, I’m still hesitant on pursing the major due to personal reasons but I hope I commit to it. I’m from a Mexican background. I listen to any kind of music that I find amusing. In my free time, I usually go to the gym, work at my job, and occasionally go out. I like eating. I don’t read but I want to get into it.

Reply

Jody R. Rosen

Welcome, Samuel! I haven’t encountered many CTTE students, but I’m interested to know more about what subjects you would be interested in teaching–and if you ever want to talk about pedagogy, I’m up for it!

About getting into reading–this is a topic I’m really passionate about. The short version is that getting into reading is hard but worth it, and it takes patience because we’re used to reading social media or websites, short things that change quickly and include lots of other stimuli. Pick something that you’re really interested in, start really small (read a paragraph or a page) and increase incrementally until you want to binge more at a time. We should talk more about this as a class!

Post author

Reply

IVY

Hello everyone, I am Ivy H. The reason why I chose to major in Hospitality Management is that one day I would love to get a business in the food industries. I hope in the summer I get better at playing basketball. The fruits I love to eat are papaya, mango, pomegranate, and soursop. I love to watch the Druski and Kai Cenat with Kevin Heart Stream on YouTube. On the other hand, I love watching The 100, Vampire Diaries, Through My Window, and Prison Break these are some of my favorite shows I have watched. I would like to spend more time in a place where there are fewer people and their hills and lakes and a farm on the east and nice female trees. THANK YOU ALL FOR LISTEN.

Reply

Jody R. Rosen

Welcome, Ivy! I love your description of a place you want to spend more time. Do you ever get out of New York City? Even if not, there are places in the city that can make you feel far away from urban life. Let’s brainstorm together as a class for places to visit by subway or bus that offer a change of pace.

I love fruits, too, and am sad that persimmon season seems to be over.

Post author

Reply

IVY

In the morning I noticed I was happy to attend school usually that doesn’t occur but it did for Monday class. I notice my face and how beautiful I am. When I was walking through the hallway I noticed in my self I was a bit confused about where 1121 was located. I noticed in the subway there weren’t any cops standing at the emergency exit. But that is all I noticed for now. Thanks for reading.

— Ivy

Reply

Jody R. Rosen

Thank you for sharing these things that you noticed. If you’re up for the challenge, I would ask you to write more, adding what details you notice that lead you to notice these things. What did you notice about yourself, your face, or the hallway to lead to to conclude about your happiness, your beauty, or your confusion? What did you notice as a result of noticing that there weren’t cops at the subway exit?

I’m looking forward to more noticing from all of us throughout the semester!

Post author

Reply

Jayden

Hello my name is Jayden, I am a freshman and this is my second semester at City Tech. My major is Hospitality Management. I don’t read like I used too but in my free time I like to play basketball, watch sports, and cook. My favorite food to cook and eat are chicken alfredo and macaroni. My favorite basketball players is James Harden and Kevin Durant. I watch movies and anime such as One piece and jujstu kaisen. I listen to many different genres of music but my favorite artists are Carti, Future, and Lucki. Other geners than rap I listen to are pop, r&b, and punk rock ranging from artist and bands such as Chris Brown, Rihanna, SZA, Justin Bieber and GreenDay. I also recently just started listening this UK punk rock band called ” The Chisel” the other day.

Reply

Jody R. Rosen

Welcome, Jayden! Thanks for sharing about your different interests. How did you get interested in the UK punk rock band?

Since you mentioned a favorite dish to cook, I have to ask–are you interested in the culinary side of Hospitality Management? I haven’t visited the dining room at City Tech in a long time, but it used to be great to go and experience what students in HMGT could do in all the different aspects of serving a meal.

Post author

Reply

monzer

Hey, my name is Monzer and I’m a Paralegal Studies major in my 2nd semester at City Tech. I chose my major because I’ve always liked humanities, and the law was something I found interesting from a young age. Outside of school, some of my interests are cooking, learning about fashion history, and just spending time with my friends and siblings. My family is from Sudan, so I’ve traveled there as well as Egypt a couple of times. My pronouns are He/Him. Nice to meet everyone!

Reply

Jody R. Rosen

Welcome, Monzer! I’m glad that you can pursue a field that has been interesting to you for a long time–is there a particular field in paralegal studies that you think you’ll want to pursue when you get a job?

Teach us something from your interests in fashion history! I’d love to know more!

Post author

Reply

Ayo

Hey my name is Ayo Taiwo and am an IT major in my second semester I’ve always liked programming language and I aspire to become a software developer , something I found interesting from a young age. Outside of school, some of my interests are dancing, playing soccer, and also playing games , and just spending time with my friends and siblings. My family is from Nigeria , so I’ve traveled there as well as and I have also been to Egypt . My pronouns are He/Him. Nice to meet everyone!

Reply

Jody R. Rosen

Welcome, Ayo! I hope that your work on the OpenLab will boost your studies in software development, since the OpenLab uses WordPress, a very widely used open source software. You might even want to become an OpenLab intern as you progress in your studies.

What kind of games do you like to play–video games, or more old-school board games, or something else. I love puzzle games.

Post author

Reply

Devon

Hello, my name is Devon Collington, I go by He/Him. I am currently a high school student who is taking college courses through the ECI program. I was born right here in the borough of Brooklyn, New York. I tend to be caring a lot of the time and I’m more than willing to help other out. I am a transit enthusiast who likes to be creative and sort things out. I am currently going for an AAS in Construction Management and Civil Engineering and Technology. Although, I am looking forward to learn more of the fundamentals of writing in this course.

Reply

Jody R. Rosen

Welcome, Devon! I don’t know what the ECI program is, but I’m glad that you’re getting a college experience while still in high school–and hope that gives you more insight into your college choices when you’re applying.

I would love to talk transit stuff with you sometime! Have you been to the transit museum right near City Tech? Or seen the masstransiscope when riding from DeKalb to Canal on the Q?

Post author

Reply

Aniyam

Hello, my name is Aniya Martinez, pronouns are She/her, and I am a high school student taking early college classes. I plan on majoring in civil engineering in the future. My family is from Trinidad, Honduras and Venezuela. Outside of school I enjoy doing my nails, hair and putting outfits together. I also like exploring the city and trying new food spots with my friends. My favorite foods are roti, doubles, macheteadas (only made by my grandma) and almost any pasta dish.

Reply

Jody R. Rosen

Welcome, Aniya! Are you and Devon in the same early college program?

I love being a food tourist here in New York–or anywhere I travel! Aside from your grandmother’s kitchen, where are some places to find the favorite foods you mentioned?

Post author

Reply

Jody R. Rosen

Hi everyone! I love getting to know each of you better and seeing points of connection among students in the class so you can make connections and friendships that last all semester and beyond. I hope this helps you get to know me better, too!

My name is Jody R. Rosen and I use she/her/hers pronouns. I usually use my middle initial (R) because there’s another Jody Rosen who writes about music and pop culture, but I’m not him! Also my middle initial is in my City Tech email address, so I think that keeps things clearer.

I am a native New Yorker and love seeing new places and taking photographs, using skills I learned when I taught an ENG 1101 course in a First Year Learning Community with a photography class in my first few years teaching at City Tech. I don’t have to travel far to enjoy seeing new things or seeing things from a different vantage point. I love photographing things that don’t always mean to be beautiful–like the lichen that grows on trees and wooden benches and rocks; flowers and plants; interesting juxtapositions or vantage points; and other things that catch my noticing eye.

” alt=”wooden bench slat covered with yellow and blue-grey lichen”>

But also things that are beautiful, like this double rainbow I witnessed in December!

” alt=”double rainbow against blue sky”>

I’m one of the OpenLab co-directors and a professor in the English Department, and I have a PhD in English from the CUNY Graduate Center with a certificate in Women’s and Gender Studies. But as an undergraduate at Brown University, I double-majored in English and Biology. People used to ask me if I wanted to write science textbooks, seeing that as a way to combine my majors. I had no interest in that, but I do like using science in my creative writing, and as a metaphor in my literary and gender-studies scholarship (mostly focused on the early 20th century fiction). My research lately focuses more on teaching and learning and on open digital pedagogy and the OpenLab. I’m also researching detective fiction. That started with an interest in detective fiction set in the 1920s, but has morphed more broadly detective fiction and television with a focus on community. I’m always interested in mentoring undergraduate research projects on any of these topics.

If you have any questions for me, want to learn more about what I do, or just want to talk, feel free to reach out to me, or reply to me here!

Post author

Reply

Jody R. Rosen

When I look at our classroom, I notice that there is a regular green chalkboard, but then there is also a whiteboard on the side wall. I noticed that the chairs were in disarray which I suppose is really that I’m noticing the chairs have been rearranged but not in an orderly way. I’m used to classrooms with a different layout, where the door leads you into the side, not the front, and the windows are along the opposite side, not the back. I notice that I can’t really look out the windows, that they are not part of my realm, even though I’m used to looking out the window while standing at the classroom computer. I’m going to miss that this semester.

Tonight, I didn’t notice that the snow had started. I heard that I could see the crescent moon and planets in the night sky. I didn’t see anything in the sky–it was probably too cloudy, a dull neutral rather than an inky dark–but when I tried, I noticed that the snow had already started, left a soft, thin blanket everywhere, and then paused. The walkway must have been salted because it was clear of snow, but the sidewalk that wasn’t part of the walkway must not have been salted–I was surprised to see snow on the ground that wasn’t the grass because I wasn’t expecting it to stick so much.

When I read “HERS” by Perri Klass, I notice how important it is to speak the language at work. It makes you feel like you fit in, like you’re just as much a professional as the other people you work with. In the author’s particular situation, there’s also a reason to exclude with language, so that medical staff can communicate without patients and their families understanding. Though is that really necessary, or just an excuse for rudeness?!

Post author

Reply

Elijah A.

My name is Elijah Archer. I’m a freshman and this is my second semester at City Tech. MY major is Graphic Design, Web Design, or just design in general. I want to focus on creating something that can please the public eye. Plus coming up with a design for something sounds interesting and a lot of hard work that sounds rewarding. Plus, with these skills, I can try and become a person who’s creative when coming up with a design. Spare time I can play video games which is my fav pass time.

Reply

Jody R. Rosen

Welcome, Elijah! I’ve worked closely with students and faculty in COMD, and I hope that our version of ENG 1121 complements your design goals as well as advances our course goals. We’re definitely going to have the opportunity to incorporate visual components into our writing to create multimodal texts.

Do the video games you play match with your design aesthetic?

Post author

Reply

Jody R. Rosen

easier chunks to work with throughout the semester, not all weighted to the end of the semesterSee this comment in context.

Post author

Reply

Jody R. Rosen

emphasizing thisSee this comment in context.

Post author

Reply

Jody R. Rosen

This includes in-class and online writing, conversations and discussions, group work, other means of showing your engagement with the class and class materialsSee this comment in context.

Post author

Reply

mahendrabassoo

My names Mahendra, and im currently studying Communication Design after switching majors from Architecture to Communication Design, in my spare time im usually either working out or spending time with my friends and family. I also love baseball, lets go yankees!

Reply

Jody R. Rosen

Welcome, Mahendra! You can see from some of my other comments that I see important crossovers between the work we’ll do in this class and the work you’ll do in a design major. I’m excited to see how you work that crossover.

As a lifelong Mets fan, I’m going to focus on our shared love of baseball rather than on our team allegiances. Are you excited for spring training to start in a week from today?!

Post author

Reply

tiffani

A word I found unfamiliar in HERS by Perri Klass is primeval. “I started out in a state of primeval innocence, in which I didn’t even know that ‘s C.P., S.O.B., N/V’ meant ‘without chest pain, shortness of breath, or nausea and vomiting.'” I wasn’t completely sure what primeval meant in this context. After looking it up, I learned that primeval refers to something very old or ancient, often relating to the earliest ages of history.

Reply

Jody R. Rosen

does “primeval innocence” make sense to us, then, applying tiffani’s definition of “something very old or ancient, often relating to the earliest ages of history”? It’s as though it’s existed outside of human contact or, in this case, outside of medical civilization. Thinking about what a primeval forest is might help think about how Klass is using the word. Thanks, @tiffani!

Post author

Reply

IVY

A word/ jargon that i really didn’t know is L.O.L, N.A.D, M.I. which mean little old lady. And No apparent distress, M.I is heart attack but its known as myocardial infarction. “M RS. TOLSTOY is your basic L.O.L. in N.A.D., admitted for a soft rule- out M.I.,” the intern announces. I scribble that on my patient list. In other words Mrs. Tolstoy is a Little Old Lady in No Apparent Distress who is in the hospital to make sure she hasn’t had a heart attack (rule out a myocardial infarction). And we think it’s unlikely that she has had a heart attack (a

soft rule-out).”

Reply

IVY

HI, Professor am in class for the 2-10-2025. I think you made a mistake with the date. You’re welcome!See this comment in context.

Reply

IVY

HI, Professor am in class for the 2-10-2025. I think you made a mistake with the date. You’re welcome! ok i saw i miss read what you were saying it’s the 2-12-2025 college is close your correct. my bad!See this comment in context.

Reply

Devon

I feel like as a teen I feel mostly devoted to the railway community. It’s mostly about Trains, Railroads, Metros, a lot of transportation stuff is involved in this community, and we put it a lot more into detail than average commuters, we go through the lore of trains and public transportation. I love trains, so I am glad to be a part of this community.

Reply

Jody R. Rosen

Hi Devon–I hope you liked my example of the R211 that didn’t have an open gangway (R211A) today in class. I was so glad that it made sense to you and was a good example for everyone!

Post author

Reply

Samuel C

I feel like a discourse community that I’m apart of is the gym. I’ve been in this community for a good year now and I like helping people. I sometimes help people who are beginners since at one point, I was like them. It makes me feel happy even though I’m a shy person at times. I also discuss about how to feel some of these exercises and how to get better.

Reply

Jody R. Rosen

I love that you have moved into the role of the expert or mentor! Do you think that comes from your confidence in what you do at the gym, or in how you talk about what you do at the gym? Could be both…

Post author

Reply

Eddy

I think a type of community I feel like I always belong in is a photography community. I’m always involved with a lot of events that requires a photographer or needs a photographer to be present.

Reply

Jody R. Rosen

What I love about this example, Eddy, is that so many people take photos, but not everyone does it in the way a photographer does and with that skill, those goals, and the technical language. Have you taken photo classes here at City Tech, and is that how you developed the language and skill for photography?

Post author

Reply

Aniyam

A discourse community I feel I am apart of is the nail tech community. This community is about the art of nails. This community has 3 main sub-communities based on how you create the foundation of the nail; gel x, acrylic, and poly-gel, and these sub-communities are broken down further based on what the nail tech’s preferred design style is. This community always keeps me intrigued because there’s always a new nail trend, product, and technique to learn or buy.

Reply

Jody R. Rosen

It’s great that you mention trends in the field–such an important point! How do you stay up to date on nail trends? I imagine you know who to follow on Instagram and Tik Tok, but are there other places you go to keep up? We should all think about how we learn and keep current in our own discourse community analyses!

Post author

Reply

Ayo

I feel like a discourse community that I’m apart of is soccer. I’ve been in this community since middle school now I do feel like going pro but to do dat I will have to go to Europe cause that where the big leagues are.although I do feel like going I can’t just rely on dreams to make it so my alternative was to go school to archive something just incase my dreams don’t come true . I play CM I.e center midfielder. I also discuss with my friends which teams are going to become champions in the league.

Reply

Jody R. Rosen

Ayo, do you think there is a different discourse community among players in a position to try out for professional soccer vs amateur players vs fans who don’t necessarily play? I see crossovers for each, especially in shared language, but I wonder how much the different goals matter in differentiating the three groups.

Also–wow that you’re considering going pro!

Post author

Reply

mahendrabassoo

A discourse community that I consider myself to be apart of is the baseball community. Fell in love with in the game since 2017 and from that point on I made it my best interest trying to understand the game and having fun going to games filling up the seats along with every other baseball fan whiles also even helping my bestfriends out with their parlays.

Reply

Jody R. Rosen

Like I was asking Ayo about different discourse communities in the soccer world, do you think that baseball fans have a different discourse community than people who bet on baseball? Maybe they’re two overlapping discourse communities, like a Venn diagram.

I am definitely in the baseball fan discourse community, too, but sometimes I hear fellow fans talk and don’t know the terms they use or the people they refer to, and I realize how vast the field is and how sometimes even in a topic you know well, you feel like you have to fake it. Not specific to baseball fandom, or fandom, but just to any discourse community–there are levels of knowledge, investment, and experience.

Post author

Reply

Elijah A.

I feel that for me, I am more devoted to the gaming community. I get a pique of interest in a game that is on the rise and trending, look into the game and see what it is about. Along with seeing the community around said certain game. Everyone in this discourse community has diversity, their way of playing, and what type of games they like. With that in mind, I get content that there can be people who have the same interests as me, of course, which is based on the type of game we’re all into. Without this being the main community I’m in, I don’t know where I’d be, and this community gained me some friends who I contact via social media obviously. With that in mind, I am glad to be a part of this discourse community.

Reply

Francine

I would say that I’m apart of the beauty discourse, it does give me a sense of peace and knowing what I’m talking about when I’m doing it. It’s something I could relate to someone who has a mutual interest in beauty like myself. Also, gives me a space to learn more about something I never knew from someone else who is into beauty. The other discourse community i’m slowing moving into is fashion, although my major is fashion and business, I don’t think at times I fit in. When it comes to my knowledge of fashion knowledge, I feel like I’m lacking in that area, with designers and who made what. Hearing people who say they’re apart of the fashion community, they’re very strict on where you should get your clothes from and who to shop from. I also feel like there’s a lot of networking in that particular community, I’m a very shy person. So as of right now I’m reserved and cling to those I’m already familiar with.

Reply

YOUSOUFU JALLOH

I’ve been involved in the soccer world since I was a teenager. This community goes well beyond casual fans who only watch weekend games or big games. We discuss tactical formations, talk transfer market complications, and debate past matches and players. From researching individual player stats to appreciating difficulty of the game, we interact with soccer at a much deeper level than casual watchers. YJ

Reply

Chantal

A discourse community that I feel part of is my work place, which is a supermarket. In this community we share a common interest which is make the store run in the best way possible. This community offers me friendships, dedication for my work, we share a common language, happy moments and others not so much.I have been there for over a year and its been an amazing experience.

Reply

Jody R. Rosen

Thanks for sharing this, Chantal. I can see how you and your co-workers can be a community. Do you think that you are in a discourse community only with the workers at your location, or do you think the DC would include workers at other supermarket locations, and across different supermarket companies? In the example from Perri Klass, she seemed to generalize about the medical profession, but I wonder if people working in a different hospital or a hospital in a different region would use the same abbreviations and have the same need for them. What do you think about your community–does it expand beyond your one location?

Post author

Reply

tiffani

One discourse community that offers me a strong sense of belonging is the hairstyling community. I have always had a deep passion for doing hair, and it has become more than just a skill—it’s a creative outlet that brings me joy and fulfillment. Whether I’m braiding, installing wigs, or trying out new styles, I find a sense of ease and happiness in the process. Hairstyling allows me to express myself artistically while also making others feel confident and beautiful. I love the transformation that comes with doing hair, not just in appearance but in the way people carry themselves afterward. Seeing someone smile and feel good about their look because of my work is incredibly rewarding. When you look good, you feel good. Whenever I’m bored, I naturally gravitate toward doing hair, whether it’s for a friend, a family member, or even just experimenting on my own. It gives me something productive and enjoyable to do, and it never feels like a chore.

Another discourse community I feel a strong sense of belonging in is the health science major. This field has introduced me to a wealth of knowledge and new experiences that continue to shape my academic and professional journey. Being part of this community has allowed me to deepen my understanding of the human body, medical concepts, and the scientific principles that contribute to healthcare. One of the most exciting aspects of being a health science major is the opportunity to take higher-level biology courses. These classes challenge me to think critically and apply what I learn to real-world situations. From studying anatomy and physiology to understanding complex biological processes, I have gained a newfound appreciation for how fascinating the human body is. Beyond the classroom, health science also involves hands-on tasks that bring learning to life. Whether it’s conducting experiments in a lab, working with scientific equipment, or applying theoretical knowledge to practical scenarios, these experiences make my studies more engaging and rewarding. The hands-on aspect of health science helps bridge the gap between textbook learning and real-world application, preparing me for a future in healthcare administration.

Reply

Jody R. Rosen

tiffani, I’m so glad that you took the time to think about both discourse communities–this will help you as you begin to draft Project 1! You might want to think about moments when you realized that, for either, this was a community you fit into, that you had the knowledge and the know-how to speak as a member of the community.

I’m curious if you see crossover between your interests in beauty/hair and in healthcare–do you imagine yourself working in a job that combines both, or do you see them as separate interests?

Post author

Reply

mahendrabassoo

Mahendra, Eddy, Devon

https://youtu.be/sncGGjaYJ5I?si=GdMJJiLHJ1f0V258

Reply

Monzer

Monzer, Ayo, Chantal

https://youtu.be/nopWOC4SRm4

Reply

Tequia Williams

https://grad.berkeley.edu/news/announcements/lets-talk-about-code-switching-a-double-edged-sword/

Reply

tiffani

Reply

Elijah A.

Here’s is what our group found, this video is very useful and broken down when it comes to explaining about code-switching

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W1AW3vX0ZvY

Reply

Samuel C

Samuel, Elijah, Cuyuni

https://youtu.be/W1AW3vX0ZvY?si=E7ojA2QVhE2jj8Wl

Reply

Aniyam

https://youtu.be/bq2mlaYFzAw?si=HniB1eRERZtg4a1s

Talks about how the speaker, Benjamin Abiola, experiences code switching. He switches in a few different scenarios like when he’s with his sister in London he switches to a British accent or when he talks to his mom he speaks in his African language.

Other group members( Amanda and Zyelle)

Reply

IVY

This is a YouTube video by “let’s study social science.” It’s just 3 to 4 mins long let’s say. It’s helpful because it broken down code switching even further than any other video. If anyone watch the video they will hear that theirs 3 type of code switching within code switching. It’s was helpful for me to see that’s theirs many way of code switching. Ivy, Elijah, Samuel. I feel like it connects to discourse community because many people do code switching everyday without even noticing it.

Reply

monzer

Monzer, Ayo, Chantal

https://youtu.be/nopWOC4SRm4

Reply

Jayden

A discourse community I feel like I belong in is sports but specifically basketball. I have been playing basketball for a long time and so have multiple of my family members. I mostly play with my brothers and friends who are very good at it which makes us all competitive. Although I gave up on trying to make the NBA a long time ago I still watch it and play it for fun to because I just love all the things in the game. Watching my little brother who will also be going to college soon play basketball for his school and continuously shows his dedication to the sport also makes me happy.

Reply

Alexander Hernandez Cruz

I feel like one discussion community that I’m a part of is the programming community. I started learning to program a semester ago at university, and although I found it very difficult at first, little by little I’ve come to understand more. Sometimes I get frustrated when my code doesn’t work, but I like that there’s always a classmate willing to help me and that thanks to that I’ve made several new friends. I also like to share small advances with my classmates and discuss different ways to solve a problem. Although I still consider myself a beginner, it motivates me to see how much I’ve learned in such a short time and to know that there’s much more to discover.

Reply

Nalah E

I honestly am not a part of a special/specific discourse community. So I would say my discourse community is my friends, talking/venting to each other about my feelings or motivating each other to do better helps us as individuals. Knowing someone has your back and having full trust that you have strong support system no matter what. Another discourse community I would say is beneficial to me would be class discussion, especially when open ended questions are asked and you get to hear other people’s perspective and opinions. I enjoy hearing professors also add into those discussions because hearing from a person who has a good education and experience is always worth listening to.

Reply

Zyelle

The first thing I think of when I hear discourse community is my track team or the track community as a whole. Being a part of a discourse community like track and Field is overwhelming at first because you get bombarded with all of these new terminologies and everyone is focused on themselves. Hence, you feel as if you’re not part of a community at all, but as time goes on you get comfortable. You start to figure everything out, You start picking up on new lingo every day, you realize everyone isn’t self-centered, and you can learn a lot from your peers.

Reply

mahendrabassoo

The first Discourse Community I plan on writing about is Baseball. I plan on talking about why I enjoy watching it so much as well as talking about much of a passionate fanbase Yankee fans can be which makes it a great Discourse Community.

The second Discourse Community I plan on talking about involves my major here at CityTech, which is Communication Design. I plan on talking about my enjoyment of Designing and maybe mention some of the classes and type of work we do in those classes.

Of the readings that we’ve read in class, i plan on using HERS to support my Argument.

I feel that whether people know it or not, everyone can be seen as apart of any Discourse Community because of the fact that everybody loves something.

Reply

Devon

The first discourse community I plan on writing wrong is obviously the railway community. I plan on telling about how the trains work from a more analyzed perspective and I plan on telling you how trains have became more advanced in today’s world. I will also try to connect it to the worlds of engineering and architecture.

The second discourse community I plan on writing on is the complex community of engineering and architecture. I may try to connect some facts from the railway discourse community and go in more depth and analysis towards engineering and architecture.

I plan on using the reading HERS to connect to my argument.

I feel like discourse communities are a great way to branch out in some sort. It can also help you find the community you’re most interested in.

Reply

Tequia Williams

The first discourse community I’m planning to write about is being a part of the black community. I plan on writing about what I’m allowed to wear and what I’m allowed to say without offending anybody. A word I might throw in there is the “n” word (I won’t actually spell out the word I just use the letter “n” to represent the word).

The second discourse community I’m planning about writing about is trying to get into the nursing major. I’m planning to talk about all the test, and prerequisites I need in order to be accepted. The GPA requirements and the rest of the requirements. I’m also going to write about why I want to be a part of that discourse community.

I’m planning on using the reading HERS to support my writing.

Somethings that I would want to say is how much I love being a part of the black community and how much I want to be a part of the nursing community here at city tech and out in the real world.

Reply

Elijah Archer

The first discourse community I plan on writing about is the gaming community. I feel like I belong in this community because I have experience with gaming before officially being involved in the community. The community sometimes has a bad reputation for certain people who have bad personalities, toxicity, etc. But if you find the right people then you can fit right in (which is what I did). This community is very diverse and depending on the game you play you’re in that community. This makes the gaming community feel very different from other communities because there’s a lot to choose from. I feel right being in this community and never regretted it in my own experience.

The second discourse community I plan on writing about is the Graphic Design community. When I started learning about graphic design and started to like it especially when I did projects involving it. You can be very unique in what you want to do and being able to create something that appeals to the public eye or a client, sounds rewarding when things go right. Plus, taking criticism is beneficial because it leads to better results for your work. I want to be involved in this community and create something along with a team to bring pleasing work to clients and public audiences.

I plan on using the reading HERS to draw a connection to my argument.

I feel I want to say in terms of discourse communities is to try to fit in with the community you want to try and fit into. It may take some time, but, in the end, it will be worth it because then you’ll be able to achieve anything you want, along with meeting others with the same goal as you. Plus, if things aren’t working out with that community, you try to fit into, just branch out to other ones because there are a lot of discourse communities out there, and there is one that is right for you. The choice is always yours.

Reply

Ayo

The first discourse community I plan on writing on is about soccer sport the community. I plan on telling about how the the sport work from a more analyzed perspective and I plan on telling you how players are needed to play this sport . And also I plan on shearing the pros and cons about it . I will also try to connect it to the worlds of sports entertainment.Tho am part of this community am trying to go professionally about it

The second discourse community I plan on writing on is the swimming community and . I may try to connect some fun fact about being a swimmer from the swimming community and go in more depth and analysis towards it .Tho I really love to be in this community I can’t, because I almost drown two years ago.i plan on overcoming my fears first to go back to join this community. And to shear the fun facts about being in this community

I plan on using my experience in this project.

I feel like discourse communities are a great way to branch out in some sort. It can also help you find the community you’re most interested in.

Reply

Samuel C

The first discourse community that I plan on writing is the national football league (aka NFL). I enjoy watching football a lot. I’ve been a fan of football since 2015. I can talk about many things like the mechanics, rules, phrases, and other aspects of the sport. Even though at times I hear people commenting about it, I can and will show people that it’s a entertaining sport.

The second discourse community I will probably write on is the gym community. The gym has been my second home since 2023. It’s been there at times where I was down or needed to steam off. It’s like my therapist. To be real though, the gym is a nice place where you can meet many people who want to improve in their life. I want to talk about it to spread the word about the gym.

The text I’ll mostly like use is “HERS”.

Discourse communities are a way to connect with people and build relationships with them. Anybody can be in a discourse community and feel welcomed.

Reply

Samuel C

Ignore what I said about my second discourse community. My second discourse community is the education communities, specifically technology wise. I’m into all type of technology especially computers. I want to show why technology is important for the next generation.

Reply

IVY

I’m planning to write about Food lovers and Tourists as a discourse community. As a food lover and a new interest in tourism, I want to write about the purpose of why I find interest in food and travel? How can this discourse community help you in day-to-day life as a person? Some of our food lovers’ slang is FOMO which means ” Fear of missing out” We often tell our peers this. We also have “Guilty pleasure” which means eating an unhealthy dish knowing it’s not good for you. Some tourism phrases are ” right up one’s alley” which means if something is up one’s alley it means it is something that appeals to them. A Mile a Minute. which means very fast. The reading I would want to connect or counterpoint my claims is the one that talks about the girl who is a medical student and, in the summer, she learned new jargon. Maybe I would look up my own story to quote from. I just want to say when you’re in a discourse community you are now a family member of whatever you find interesting.

Reply

Zyelle

The first discourse community I’m going to talk about is my family.I plan on talking about how I grew up, and how being around my family has shaped me into being who I am today.

The second community I plan on writing about is the Architecture and Engineering community.I decided to choose this as my second community to talk about because I do attend a CTE school, which specializes in teaching Architecture, Engineering, and Technology.Im going to talk about the up and downs of this community and how ive slowly started to lose interest in it.

At this moment I don’t have a reading that o consider quoting from to support my argument or use as a counterpoint.

I believe that a discourse community is a community where you should be able to be yourself without being judged, it’s a community where you shouldn’t feel alienated.its a place where you should be greeted with open hands.

Reply

Aniyam

The first community I plan on writing about is the nail tech community. I plan on writing about how I feel connected to the community and basic run down on how it works. A word I plan on writing about to demonstrate the community is “Contact dermatitis”.

The second community I plan on writing about is city tech as a whole. I plan on writing about how I don’t feel apart of this community.

Not sure what reading I’ll use to support my argument.

I think discourse communities are essential to the feeling of belonging. It connects us with others of like interest and also separates us from those we don’t share similarities with.

Reply

Jayden

The first discourse community I plan on writing about is basketball. I feel like I belong in the basketball community because I been watching and playing it for very long as well as having a strong understanding of the terminology. A shared language or phrase in basketball that i want to write about is the phrase “And-1”. This commonly refers to when a player gets fouled while making a shot and then goes to the free throw line to shoot one free throw.

The second discourse community I plan on writing about connected to city tech is my major which is Hospitality Management. I don’t think I really belong in that discourse community as yet because there’s still a lot of terminology I have to learn and know about managing certain things around that management profession.

The reading I would use to back up my argument is HERS.

I feel like discourse communities are important because they are so many of them that everyone can find a common likeness in and express themselves.

Reply

Chantal

The discourse community I am planning to write about is my job. I want to say what my job is about, how I feel, how do I feel I belong in, what language we share and how much time I have working there. A word a want to share that proves we share a language s “ void card”.

The second community I want to write about is being a student at City Tech. what is my major interest, which I am having doubts at the moment. My professional goals are getting good grades in my classes, finishing my major, getting a good job.

I would like to say that is really important to be part of a community and feel part of it. People need to feel that they are part of something and feel they are love, understand and valued. Somewhere they can be free and express their feelings and thoughts.

Reply

Zyelle

The first discourse community I’m going to talk about is my family.I plan on talking about how I grew up, and how being around my family has shaped me into being who I am today.

The second community I plan on writing about is the Architecture and Engineering community.I decided to choose this as my second community to talk about because I do attend a CTE school, which specializes in teaching Architecture, Engineering, and Technology.Im going to talk about the up and downs of this community and how ive slowly started to lose interest in it.

At this moment I don’t have a reading that I consider quoting from to support my argument or use as a counterpoint.

I believe that a discourse community is a community where you should be able to be yourself without being judged, it’s a community where you shouldn’t feel alienated.its a place where you should be greeted with open hands.

Reply

IVY

The discourse community I feel like I belong in is being a food lover. A discourse community I feel like I want to belong in is the stock market. Because I always wonder where can I invest in and earn profits… This community is new to me but I have to do more research on the language they speak and how can i navigate the apps and website to check what am looking for. Its a lot of thought and work I know I have to put in.

Reply

Tyler Cover

I’m planning on writing about a discourse group I share with my friends. I’m going to talk about things we all share as a group, including how we use words like “comp”.

The second discourse community I’m planning on writing about is my high school. My high school focuses on technology and architecture, but I mainly focus on technology. I’m going to talk about how my school helped me learned important information about my future career.

Im not sure what I’d use for reading quotations.

Id say any place can be your own discourse community as long as you are able to be comfortable in it.

Reply

Yousoufu Jalloh

The first Discourse Community I aim to write about is Soccer. I want to talk about why I enjoy watching soccer, as well as talking about it and playing the sport. I’m a big supporter of Real Madrid.

The Second Discourse Community I want to write about is my major Data Science. Data scientists, who actively exchange knowledge and talk about technological difficulties. And it is because I took an IT course on cousera in which that I learned a lot and decided to pursue this major.

I plan on using the reading HERS to connect to my argument.

A Discourse Community provides a sense of belonging through shared of language and interest. I believe anyone belong in some sort of discourse community.

Reply

monzer

I would say that the discourse community I am most engaged in would be the football (American) community. I’ve been watching the NFL since I was 8 years old, my entire family watched alongside me, and I’ve dedicated countless hours to watching my favorite team repeatedly lose in horrible fashion. As a result of these factors, I would consider myself to be well-versed in the NFL community and I would feel very confident to have a full discussion on a certain football topic. One discourse community that I am starting to get into but would like to go deeper in would be the fashion community. I’ve been more dedicated to perfecting my closet in the past year or so, and while I do have a couple designers/brands that I love in particular, I think I can still learn a lot more. To help me get closer to this goal, I’m taking a fashion history course this semester and so far it has been incredibly interesting.

Reply

monzer

For the discourse community I am already apart of, I would like to talk about the NFL/Football community. I could talk about a lot of different topics since I’ve been watching for numerous years, but I plan on focusing on my favorite team he Carolina Panthers, as well as the league-wide debate about artificial vs real turf.

For my second discourse community, I plan on writing about my major of Paralegal Studies and the career opportunities one could obtain via a legal education. Considering I’m only a freshman and there are many people more qualified to talk about this than I am (such as Law School students), I think there is definitely room for learning and research. I’m currently not 100% decided on what I’ll use to connect my arguments.

In my opinion, a discourse community would be a group of individuals who appreciate the thoughts and ideas of other people when it comes to subjects they are passionate about.

Reply

tiffani

For the first discourse community, I plan to write about the hairstyling community because I enjoy doing hair, including braids and installs. I want to discuss how this community shares techniques, trends, and specific terminology to help each other improve. I want to also explore how this shared language fosters learning and creativity, making it easier for hairstylists to exchange ideas and improve their skills.

For the second discourse community, I will write about the healthcare field, specifically related to Health Administration, since it connects to my major and career goals. I plan to discuss how professionals in this field communicate using medical and administrative terminology to ensure efficient patient care and facility management. A key term I might highlight is “healthcare compliance.”

Reply

Alexander Hernandez Cruz

I feel like one discussion community I’m a part of is cooking, even though I’m still a beginner and pretty bad at it. I’ve only recently become interested in cooking because I want to learn how to do more than heat up food in the microwave. I’m also interested in learning how to cook because I believe nutrition is directly related to health and healthy living and I’d like to improve my nutrition to take care of my health. Even though I’m still a beginner and sometimes find it hard to follow recipes, it motivates me to know that I’m learning something to help me take care of my body.

My second discourse community is the programming community. I started learning to program a semester ago at university, and although I found it very difficult at first, little by little I have come to understand more. Sometimes I get frustrated when the code doesn’t work, but I like that there is always someone in the community willing to help. I also like to share small improvements with my peers and discuss different ways to solve a problem. Although I still consider myself a beginner, I am motivated to see how much I have learned in such a short time and to know that there is much more to discover.

Reply

Nalah E

The first discourse community I planned on writing about is my friend group because that discourse community is where I can completely be myself, I express myself clearly to my friends with no fear of being judged. I will explain and highlight how it’s good to have a great circle of friends, especially with different attributes so you can see and hear more perspectives and be open minded towards certain situations and life as a whole. A phrase that is important in my discourse community is “emotional intelligence” because it’s good to know when and how to address situations as well as people.

The second discourse community I’m writing about is class discussions in any class because I really enjoy talking with other student and hearing the professor’s opinion. Since my major is nursing, I also enjoy doing group work in Biology class because figuring things out together as a group is fun.

In my project I would explain how the connection between having a good friend group can push you to become a more socially aware person, find interest in more things, and learn how to be patient with people, can overall make you a great student and individual so you know how to network.

Reply

IVY

Discourse Community

In my essay I will be talking about discourse community. What’s your thoughts on having a discourse community? A discourse community is a community where you and the person in the community share a similar goal and interest with the same language.

————–> The discourse community, I identify with is food- lovers community. Because a story that defines my belonging is when I can recall joining the culinary art course in high school. I was new towards the whole cooking in school kitchen idea with a stranger teaching me how to prep, cut, clean, boil rice, season my food, etc. It was interesting to cook in school with my friends and learn how to do things. We often started off with greetings like we had a strict rule from our chef flavor (is the name of the chef) about never coming to class without acknowledging him. Like we had to say hello chef flavor what’s the menu? Or any other froms of saying hi chef flavor you need to say it with your chest. By doing this you earn a point and feel a sense of working in a restaurant because he said usually you communicate with your mouth and say it with your chest in the kitchen because people are so focus on working that they are unaware of what is going on around them so speaking is essential and greeting your team is essential to a positive environment. But then after all that explanation of how we greet, we ended up making a dish of my peers’ likeness, she wanted fried rice its mostly commonly an Asian cuisine because if you go in an Asian restaurant you can see on the menu fried rice. Then we had all the vegetables and sauces, eggs, oil, rice, and the stainless pan. Well, I chose to rinse and prep the vegetables, and some other students chose to cook it, and some chose to serve it and plated it. We had a lot of fun cooking food that we tried all the time but never cooked them. It was interesting to see how much things go into making fried rice. I then learned how to identify cuts like I thought there was only one name for all these cuts but no. We have julienne, which is a long slim rectangle shape cut, medium dice which is a small cube, brunoises which are tiny cubes cut perfectly for serving. I think it’s eight types or more cuts. I feel like saying this word can be a language because if I say Professor give me a drawing of julienne cut shape would you know what am talking about if you’re not interested in cooking in the kitchen. Like would you know? Because I didn’t know even though I watched master chef for like four months in my birth country. Even doing the culinary art course makes me feel happy to cook. Because I always wanted to learn how to cook. Like I said, I used to watch master chef with those children making pastry and baking. Every day I sat down in front the tv watching the tv show and how the judges say your dish is the best thing I ever taste. Sometimes I used to envision myself being there in that big, weird kitchen where the judges can see me make a mess of myself and cook a tasty dish from my birthplace for them. But I never went on the tv show but I did told my mom I would like to learn how to bake and cook. The first food I made was pumpkin strew with brown rice and beef as the meat. It tasted good because my mom told me what to do. Then I gain a bit of confidence that I can cook like I brag about cooking that strew and how my mom and brother loved it. But I just started to watch my mom cook and baked her favorite things… These are the reasons why I felt a belonging as a person who genuinely love food and cooking it.

In college my major is Hospitality Management. The major I am in helps me feel a more belonging in this discourse community because it teaches me about food and how to cook, prep, and what’s it like to be working in a real restaurant kitchen with people with degrees and years of experience. Also get knowledge of food and beverages. A story time of me going on a recent college class trip to the number one hotel that made me feel a sense of belonging is when we saw the hotel and spoke to the people that worked their and get their Insite of how’s it like greeting guest… also we saw the kitchen and chefs working of course and rooms and pool it was interesting to see in and understand the reason why they open up the hotel where they did because of what the hotel is built from recycle materials that mostly be causing pollutions. Oh, I almost forgot the food, it was expensive, but it tasted great. The reason why this discourse community is significant to me is because I was always fascinated with cooking and then loving the dish I made which causes me to be a food lover. But the importance of this community is the job I want to work in when I graduate from college. The steps I took were doing culinary art in high school and watching master chef, also cooking with mom. These things give me more knowledge and made me love food even more. Since I get to see the process on how things is made.

In conclusion, being a part of a discourse community means you get to be more involved in society norms. Then you learned new and interesting things that can build you in the future. Which will help you get opportunities in life with first-hand experience of the job requirements.

Reply

Tequia Williams

A discourse community is a group of people who share similar goals, language and practices. A discourse community that brings a sense of belonging to me is being a part of the dance community. I started dancing at 5, from my memory, and I’ve always loved it. Dancing at school and going to dance class was always a joy. I grew up with a different meaning of dance. The reason why I started going to dance class is because dancing was simply easy for me. It was never difficult and never confusing. I guess I can say it’s in my blood. Dancing is a part of my culture, my Caribbean culture. Dancing isn’t just moving your body to music. In the Caribbean it’s more than that. Dancing is a way to connect with other people of different races or with people that share the same race as you. We share the passion for different Caribbean music that’s played. We dance to soca, we make beats with glass bottles listening to Calypso, we dance to reggae and dancehall, there is no choreography, just vibes. Yes there are different countries of the Caribbean but together we are family. We share similar history and music.

The dancing community brings a sense of belonging to everyone. Dancing is a way people express themselves. Dancing is a form of art. You can move your body according to how you’re feeling at the moment. The dancing community includes dancers, choreographers and peers who communicate to enhance their skills in art form. Members of this community participate in attending dance classes, performances, learning about the history and discussion of dance techniques and styles. Communication within this community often uses vocabulary and terminology related to dance, genres, movements and techniques. For example, ballet dancers might use the terms “ pirouette”, “plie”, and “arabesque” while hip hop dancers might use “pop and locking” or “breaking” This shared language helps members communicate with each other and work together more efficiently. Additionally, the dance discourse community often relies on various platforms for interaction, including social media and dance studios. These platforms allow dancers to interact with each other by sharing their videos, offering feedback, staying up to date with events and opportunities. Dancing comes with confidence. You can’t be a coward and expect to make it in the dance industry, But, through these interactions, dancers can build connections, gain inspiration and continuously improve. The dance discourse community is where dance members can thrive and express themselves through the language of dance.

I am aiming to be in the nursing community as of right now I completed most of the prerequisites the only one left is Human Anatomy and Physiology. That class so far is hard because we have to learn the structures and functions of the body, the different body cavities. We also have to memorize all 600 plus bones and 700 plus muscles in the human body, histology, cytology, chemistry, biology, which organ is responsible for what in the body, different body sections and different body planes, anterior, posterior, lateral, distal, superior, inferior and etc. That’s a lot right? But that’s what it takes to work in the medical field. I want to be a nurse because I have the ability and the tools to save someone’s life. And joining the nurse discourse community at City Tech will allow me to pursue that.

The primary goal of the nurse discourse community is providing high quality patient care. This involves not only addressing patients physical health but also their emotional and psychological well being. For a nurse to be able to access you and diagnose you, the nurse has to offer you their trust. The commitment to patient care is evident in the rigorous training and education that nursing students undergo. I spoke about completing Human Anatomy and Physiology. But little did I know I have to take pharmacology, I have to maintain a 3.6 and higher GPA, I have to score extremely high on the TEAS exam because the nursing program is highly competitive. Save me. I am terrible at math but going into the medical field, I can’t go in with a negative mindset. A part of the nursing program I’m a little excited about is clinical rotations, where we gain hands-on experience in different health care settings. I can’t especially wait for the pediatrics side in clinical rotations. Completing clinicals will make nurses well prepared to meet their patients needs.

Another reason I want to join the nurse discourse community is to promote good health. Nurses aren’t only care givers but they’re also educators and advocate for their patients. The provide valuable information on how to stay in good health, how to prevent diseases and how to maintain a healthy lifestyle. By empowering patients with knowledge, nurses help to make informed decisions about their health and well being. This section of nursing requires strong communication skills and the ability to build trust with your patients. And to be able to do that a nurse is required to have strong communication skills and psychology. Because what if a patient comes in with ashy white hands and you notice how ashy your patients hands are. Then you may ask your patient, do you wash your hands frequently? And if your patient replies with “Yes! All the time”. In your head, you should automatically think of OCD. That’s when psychology comes into play.

In conclusion, the dance discourse community allows me to have fun and go with the flow. The dance community for others may bring dancers closer and learn choreography. It doesn’t matter what type of dance genre you’re doing, all that matters is you’re having fun. The nurse discourse community is defined by sharing goals of providing high quality patient care and promoting health wellness. Nurses have a type of language they use to communicate with other nurses. And that is important because they are charting information and leaving it for other nurses. Nursing is also a commitment to lifelong ethical practices. So, I want to join the nursing community to give my patients the best care and the best advice on how to maintain good health by working out and eating a balanced meal.

Reply

Amanda Lora

The first community I am doing is the Dominican culture because it is a community to which I feel connected. I want to touch on the surrounding family and its importance in Dominican culture. I also want to touch base on specific phrases that are only spoken in Dominican culture.

For my second part, I will talk about how taking college classes in City Tech was a big jump for me and my emotions through the process.

I don’t have a reading that I would like to use yet.

I believe a discourse community is a group of people who share common goals, interests, or values and communicate using specific language or practices. A community where people feel safe and comfortable to express themselves.

Reply

tiffani

Discourse community

“Discourse communities play a crucial role in shaping communication and knowledge-sharing within different fields. These communities are defined by shared goals, specialized language, and practices that enable individuals to effectively exchange ideas and refine their skills. This paper explores two distinct discourse communities: the hairstyling community and the healthcare administration field. The hairstyling community thrives on creativity, using specialized terminology and shared techniques to stay updated on trends, while the healthcare administration field relies on precise communication, including medical and administrative terminology, to ensure efficient patient care and facility management. By examining the unique ways these communities communicate and share knowledge, we can better understand how language fosters collaboration and expertise across different professions.

The hairstyling community is a dynamic and creative discourse community, fueled by a passion for innovation and a shared commitment to refining techniques. As someone who enjoys hairstyling, particularly braids and wig installations, I have observed firsthand how hairstylists exchange ideas and collaborate to perfect their craft. In this community, professionals and enthusiasts communicate through social media, tutorials, and in-person interactions to stay abreast of the latest trends. For instance, when working with lace frontal wigs, hairstylists must follow a set of precise steps—such as cutting, coloring, and installing—according to the client’s specifications. Effective communication is essential, whether it’s greeting clients, booking appointments, or providing guidance on hair care products and maintenance. Additionally, hairstylists educate clients on the type of hair required for specific styles and demonstrate various techniques using tools like curlers, hot combs, and rollers. Through referrals and client interactions, hairstylists cultivate strong relationships, further strengthening the community. By continuously developing new styles and refining techniques, hairstylists contribute to a culture of creativity and learning, ensuring that this discourse community remains innovative and ever-evolving.

Similarly, studying Health Administration has given me a deeper understanding of how the healthcare field operates as a discourse community, one that I am truly passionate about. In my courses, I’ve learned how healthcare compliance ensures the smooth functioning of medical facilities and promotes safe, ethical patient care. One standout aspect of this field is the emphasis on clear and precise communication using medical and administrative terminology, which helps avoid errors and maintains organizational efficiency. I’ve also realized that patient care extends beyond just treatment—it involves addressing emotional and cultural needs, an element I hadn’t fully considered before. What makes this discourse community particularly meaningful to me is how it combines structure and organization with the ultimate goal of improving people’s lives. Through my studies, I’ve gained a strong appreciation for the way healthcare administration unites professionals around a shared language and purpose, and I am excited to be a part of this field in the future.

While the hairstyling community is rooted in creativity, collaboration, and personal expression, the healthcare administration field is characterized by structure, precision, and a focus on patient safety. Despite these differences, both communities emphasize the importance of effective communication, whether it’s through artistic techniques in hairstyling or administrative and medical terminology in healthcare. These shared languages allow professionals in both fields to advance their craft and expertise, ensuring continued growth and innovation. Understanding how these discourse communities function deepens our appreciation for the role of language in fostering professional collaboration and expertise across industries.

Reply

Jody R. Rosen

Hi Eddy,

Can you please add the content of your project to your post? I don’t have permission to view your Google doc. I find it makes it easier if you put your whole project in a post on the OpenLab so we can all view it.

Thanks in advance!

Prof. Rosen

Reply

Aniyam

A word in the book “passing” that was unfamiliar to me was ‘spasmodic’. “raged threateningly up and down the shabby room, bellowing curses and making spasmodic lunges at her which were not the less frightening because they were, for the most part, ineffectual.” On page 4

Reply

mahendrabassoo

I thought about talking to the sports audience, and had the idea of citytech adding sports teams since this cuny doesn’t have any as from chatting with some of my friends, they each have a hobby or passion in either playing or watching different types of sports likewise myself with baseball.

Reply

Jody R. Rosen

City Tech used to have sports teams! And many other CUNY schools do. What information can you find about athletics at City Tech (athletics but not team sports, unfortunately)? Where are other places near City Tech that have intramural sports or neighborhood leagues? These examples might help you think about what is possible even if your own school doesn’t offer these options.

Post author

Reply
Samuel C

I like that idea Mahendrabasso. I feel like you should advocate to the student government about it. It would be cool to see sports being played here

Reply

mahendrabassoo

The topic I thought about writing about was sports, and why CityTech should consider adding sports clubs as based off of conversations I’ve had with my friends I believe a lot of the kids going to city Tech has an interest in playing sports and would even consider maybe joining club that dealt with sports as the information needed to support my opinion would be asking people around the school.

Reply

Jody R. Rosen

Sports clubs can bring students together, help them communicate. How do sports clubs or teams help students? What do they offer?

These can bring students from different majors together who share similar hobbies.

what does it offer professionally? socially? physically?

Post author

Reply

Chantal

Something that I am kind of interest is how majors works? What are the requirements too strict ? Why sometimes they make us have a hard time? A example is nursing it is really hard to get it in.

Reply

Jody R. Rosen

It would be really interesting to read about what Nursing’s requirements are for admission and why they are so rigorous. You might want to think about what options there are for students who don’t get into the program, or ways that students can improve their chances of getting admitted.

Post author

Reply
- Samuel C
  
  Something that interests me is the human body. The human body is unique and cool to read about. It’s like a civilization living inside of us. How it protects us or how it creates cells. Things like that will make me read and talk about it.
  - Jody R. Rosen
    
    This interest makes me think about how science education can be made more welcoming, more exciting. Perhaps you would want to think about the kinds of texts (written/audio/video/graphic) that help you engage with science.
    
    Another way into this topic might be to ask other students to care about science, more of a “here’s why science matters” topic.
    
    Post author

Tequia Williams

Something that might make me stop to listen and read a text is knowing the reason behind murder because to me everyone is innocent as a child but the environment that people are in changes them. Also every one to me has some type of anger may be anger triggers murder. Or did people grow up around it and what turns some one into a sociopath.

Reply

Jody R. Rosen

Wow, BIG topic–and I wonder how you might think about this topic in the context of the audiences we’re aiming to reach. What might be interesting (or not) is an opinion essay that wants students to take an ethics class to grapple with these difficult questions. Another approach might be to learn more about how schools provide mental health support for students so that they can grapple with dangerous emotions they’re struggling with. The first of my suggestions is perhaps a more neutral one, an the second might be much more emotionally involved.

Post author

Reply
Tyler

I think this topic is pretty bold. Some people usually wouldn’t want to talk about people being murdered, much less the people behind the murdering. I think most people wouldn’t think more of a murderer as just a bad person. This idea goes in depth into a topic people don’t generally discuss.

Reply

Devon

I considered writing about transportation and why New York City should expand it. Many people in NYC have commutes that take over an hour simply because they don’t have good transit access. Transportation is key in this city, and most of it relies on the New York City subway. Some citizens live in neighborhoods that don’t have access to a subway line. So they have to deal with taking slow buses that have to go through a lot of traffic. We need subways in those neighborhoods too, otherwise, New York City wouldn’t feel very reliable.

Reply

Nalah E

I would be interested in reading about why students that go to colleges in the city seem to have a hard time making friends or don’t really care to. Another thing I would be interested in reading is how professors attitudes and teaching styles can affect students motivation to do work, especially knowing how hard college is.

Reply

Jody R. Rosen

It would be great to read something about how students find friends or a sense of belonging at their college, and even how that boosts their learning and helps them move more quickly to graduation.

I’m very interested in how instructors can create a motivating, welcoming environment for students, and how students react to that. I might have some resources about student-centered pedagogy that I can help you with.

Post author

Reply

tiffani

I was thinking about something about women’s right or healthcare. I am a very passionate about women rights. Sometimes nobody takes us serious just because we are women. I think women rights would be a good one to do because it would talk about the setbacks, disadvantages, advantages, etc that women faced from years ago until now.

Reply

Jody R. Rosen

It would be great to know more about how this is taught in college nursing (or other health fields) classes. Maybe you want to argue for curricula to address bias more directly, or for more students in these fields to take on research projects that focus on bias, or on the different needs patients in different identity groups have.

Post author

Reply

Devon

I would like to talk to an audience of students from NYC because I believe we would be able to relate to them more and understand how they feel. They know how their commute can be like, they know how our commutes can be like. It can be thought of as a view of society that we relate to,

Reply

Jody R. Rosen

That’s a good way to narrow your audience group. But what would you want to argue once you have your audience’s attention? Would it be something about commuting? Or what else about transportation could you make a case for?

Post author

Reply

Tyler

If I were to read, look at or listen to something, I think I’d get interested into it if it mentions anything fiction. I like to read and watch well developed fictional stories. One example of literary/art that I like could be anime’s, specifically ones that take place in a fantasy world we could only imagine. However, this form or literary or art doesn’t specifically need to be fictional for it to catch my eye. I’d probably also be interested in an art piece if it’s still able to share a unique and well developed story. A story like this could still be in the bounds of nonfiction.

Reply

Elijah A.

I was thinking about the mentality of students or just people in general. I find it an interesting topic to choose, and I care about people mental health. Mental health today is not an easy thing to contain, certain individuals go through a lot in their life and need the help. I wanted to write about this to see what I come up with on my research.

Reply

Jody R. Rosen

Something you might want to look into is what mental health services City Tech provides for students. You might also want to learn more about trends in mental health, both in terms of what troubles are more prominent and what treatments are more frequently offered. Another angle is what people struggling with their mental health can do for themselves vs with trained professionals.

Post author

Reply

IVY

I am thinking of writing about underwater (sea or ocean) discoveries. Or What’s my initial thought about going to college? or something about New York hotels. Well, I am not sure yet which topic to choose, but when I do, I will think of my thesis statement for my essay. The audience I am aiming to reach is teenagers. Well, I need a lot of info from TMZ, NEWYORK POST, ETC.

Reply

Alexander Hernandez Cruz

Something that would make me stop and read a text is finding ways to simplify tasks and find new ways to do schoolwork, organizing our schedules to be more effective at work and have more time for ourselves. Although I know these practices don’t usually work, as I’ve tried them many times, I would like to find a phone app that constantly reminds me of what I must do or a way to keep a schedule for doing homework and resting.

Reply

Jody R. Rosen

One way to think of your topic is to think about why there is a need for this type of tool. Another is to think about the types of tools that are available and how they address people’s needs, or what’s missing in the field. Each of these approaches–and others that we can think about–would lead you to a different thesis statement.

Post author

Reply

IVY

The topic I am thinking about choosing is Underwater Discoveries. My audience will be people from toddlers up to teenagers. But I will mostly focus on teenagers. I think this would be a nice Opinion Essay because they will hear my and others’ opinions about what’s really underwater and how much history there is to uncover.

Reply

Jody R. Rosen

I’m so glad we had the chance to talk about this topic after class, and you started to see ways to link it to your major and to other interests. Things like the Billion Oyster Project, increased tourism at New York’s waterfront, and other local water-based projects you might consider including. We can think together about if your argument would be about the importance of this in the hospitality major, or if it’s more broad for something any NYC student should know about, or something else.

Post author

Reply

Ayo

Something that might make me stop to listen and read a text is a bout manga which genres is all about revenge on innocent people or family’s been killed and there is only one survivor reason behind murder because to me everyone is innocent as a child but the environment that people are in changes them. Also not everyone as the will to forgive those killed their families

Reply

Ayo

Something that might make me stop to listen and read a text is a bout manga which genres is all about revenge on innocent people or family’s been killed and there is only one survivor reason behind murder because to me everyone is innocent as a child but the environment that people are in changes them. Also not everyone as the will to forgive those killed their families.

Reply

Jody R. Rosen

One version of the opinion essay I could imagine in your topic is that reading–any type of reading–benefits students, so if students want to read manga, they’ll benefit from it. Another topic seems to be about specific sub-topics that readers engage with. Thinking about why other students need to read about this might help you think of what within your topic matters for this project.

Post author

Reply

Jayden

Im interested in talking about paying for college being free for all students. My argument would be education should be free especially for college for all students no matter their financial situation. Im aiming to reach the audience of college students and people who can’t afford to pay for college. Information that I will need to support this information is news, real life situations, and research about how much people pay for college.

Reply

Tequia Williams

My topic is going to be about the effect social media has on people and how it slows down their life. In my argument, I’ll speak about the positive and negative uses of social media are. I’m aiming to reach the younger generation because we grew up with it and I’ve experienced the positive and negative sides of social media. I might find an article to help support my opinion.

Reply

Elijah A.

My topic is going to be the effects of emotional and mental health. It’s a common thing that happens and more people should see how serious this can be for others. It’s hard to get people to care because they don’t know anything about it or it’s not explained enough. I’m positive with some research that I can give my own opinion of how mental and emotional health effects people? Should people care? Personal experiences? Research an article on it can also help too

Reply

Chantal

My topic is going to be majors in college and why they give students a hard time. I would like to know why healthcare majors are so complicated and competitive to get in? The audience I would like to reach are those who are in last year of high school and are thinking on studying nursing, medicine, radiology, dental hygiene and others. I would need to look for information about college programs and requirements to help me explain my point and why those majors are so difficult.

Reply

monzer

For my opinion essay topic, I’m thinking of writing about the use of lyrics within court, specifically rap lyrics, since in recent time there has been an influx of notable hip-hop figures finding themselves in legal trouble and having their lyrics used against them. My intended audience would be lawmakers and judges, but also people of my generation who resonate with this type of music and don’t wish to see it used as a weapon against artists.

Reply

Jody R. Rosen

” alt=”You can do it!”>

“You can do it!” by Quinn Dombrowski via Flickr under the license CC BY-SA 2.0.

Post author

Reply

Jody R. Rosen

” alt=”Do what you can with what you have (and no parking)”>

“Do what you can with what you have (and no parking)” by Dai Lygad is licensed under CC BY 2.0.

Post author

Reply

Jody R. Rosen

” alt=”you are awesome”>

“you are awesome” by TORLEY via Flickr under the license CC BY-SA 2.0 Deed

Post author

Reply

Jody R. Rosen

Thanks for sharing your proposal! Today in class we’re talking about how we are each situated in a position of authority for our opinion essays. Are you aiming to write about this from a food safety perspective? or nutrition as health care? Who are the people who don’t believe in parasites, and why do you see them as your audience? How would you reach that audience?

Reply

IVY

I believe that I don’t have full authority on my topic because am not doing enough research on that topic yet, But since it is a very important thing to know about, it would be more easy for me to find sources stating either my pinot of view or otherwise. I think writing it from a food safety point makes sense. Well, I think the people that believe they are healthy and don’t need to stop eating the food they consume is perfect, but really have a long run of creating parasites or the people who attend the gym think a good-looking physical look tells oh and healthy and don’t know they are feeding parasites with the body even though they exercise. Well yes, I do see them as my audience.

Post author

Reply

Ayo

The topic I thought about writing about is does watching action films promote violence among children. Cause some children children who display violence either pick this up from a movie or either from an adult. It all depends on which environment the child grew up in and also how the parents trained the child .

Reply

Jody R. Rosen

Is this a topic that you’re passionate about or an expert on? I ask because it was one of the topics that my debate team practiced in high school–which was a long, long time ago. I feel like it’s the kind of thing you think you’re supposed to write about, but it isn’t really your interest.

Another thing to think about: the opinion essay is not the same thing as an argumentative essay. You’re not choosing sides. Think about the samples we read in class. They each supported an opinion that wasn’t just for or against something. Instead of a “violence in media is bad” polemic, you might want to argue that it’s not about there being violence but instead who the violence is directed to in the media that matters. See how that’s not as polarizing? What are other opinions like this one that you could write to share a nuanced view of the topic? Anyone else in the class is welcome to share!

Otherwise, think about something you actually care about, something that comes up in conversation within your discourse community, or among your classmates, and write from a position of investment and interest in the topic.

Happy to met and talk in student support hours/office hours on Monday or Wednesday!

Post author

Reply

Jody R. Rosen

do the pomodoro method! use a tomato timer!

Post author

Reply

Samuel C

For my opinion essay, I’m thinking about why people should exercise. My thesis would be exercise should be recommended because it promotes a healthier lifestyle, a better mindset, and a better environment. My audience would probably be people in general. I don’t have any specific people in mind since i feel like everyone should do exercise. I’ll probably look into articles and videos.

Reply

Tyler

I’m interested in writing about the importance of technology in schools. My argument would be “Students learn more efficiently using technology in their classes”. I’m aiming to reach teachers and the Department of education. I will have to use students academic successes from students who use technology to learn, and from students who don’t use technology. Id need research and studies on the students who do use technology to learn, and students who don’t use them.

Reply

Zyelle Bryce St juste

For my opinion essay, I will discuss how social media can affect the mental health of teenagers. in my argue I will be highlighting the pros and cons of social media, and how it affects people in both aspects. I’m hoping to reach teenagers and help them realize social media is a facade.

Reply

Zyelle St juste

I want to talk to teenagers whose life is engulfed in social media because social media can affect you in a lot of ways without you evening noticing.

Reply

Yousoufu Jalloh

My topic will be why MMA (Mixed Martial Arts) is harder than boxing. It’s a topic of disagreement among combats sports fans, but I believe MMA brings more challenges to fighters. MMA fighters must learn different combat skills and respond to different situations than boxers do. This makes it a more challenging sport. I’m hoping to reach combat sports fans. I’ll need information on the different sets of skills required for each sport, as well as training structures.

Reply

Francine

Beauty Vs Fashion Community

I always questioned whether I would fit in anywhere, thinking that because I was so shy and self reserved that I wouldn’t make friends anywhere I would go. But I’ve learned to bond with others through mutual interests. Although I’m growing out of my shell to communicate with those who share mutual likings with myself, at times I find it hard to still bond with them. Being a part of the beauty community has given me a sense of self and comfortability, with the shared language and knowledge of cosmetics and hairdressing. On the other hand, trying to find myself a part of the fashion discourse has been a challenge. My lack of knowledge and not much of a community in that space, makes it more difficult for me to engage with those a part of this space, and feel more included.
Since I was young, I’ve had an interest in both beauty and fashion. As I’ve gotten older, the more I learned that they go with one another. The beauty discourse has brought me to a calmer self within me and gives me peace. I grew up watching many makeup videos on youtube, learning the types of makeup brushes, types of foundations and concealers. While I was so young learning all of this, it did make me feel different from some of the girls in my elementary class, but it made me feel different in a good way, like I was nuanced from them. After I graduated and moved into middle school. Many of the girls that I did interact with knew about makeup. It was easier for me to talk to them, they knew the “beauty” language. Talking about learning how to contour, the blushes we preferred, the more pinkish kind or the orangish kind. This community gave me the ability to talk to anyone about beauty products or skills.
Transitioning into highschool, I started to experiment with doing my hair and my makeup. I gained the skill of not only using what I learned about makeup on myself, but I learned how to do my hair and make profit off of it. This started to become a great hobby of mine. It was a gateway to express myself without being judged, because if there’s one thing in the beauty community, those who once knew nothing, knew about the trails and eras it takes to master a certain makeup style or hairstyle. That’s why I feel so connected and not isolated in this community.
After I graduated highschool, I learned very quickly that I had a passion for fashion as well as beauty. I knew I wanted to pursue something in the fashion field. Being the fact that I already had retail experience in the past few years, I realized that it can help me pursue a position in the e-commerce or merchandising field for clothing.
Once I got to college, I felt like many of the kids that were in my major had more experiences within fashion than I did. They knew more designers, and not just designers for today, but designers like Vivienne Westwood, Virgil Abloh, and many others that I wasn’t up to date with. I didn’t feel like I fit in, from the knowledge that my peers knew. They had a sense of how to style themselves, it came from their own mind and not inspired by someone else they saw. Looking at myself, I didn’t think that I had my own sense of style. I still wear very basic clothing, like the classics, denim, t-shirts, sweatshirts, and sneakers. But I feel like everyone else, when you look at them, you assume they just put this outfit together because they had to go somewhere. That’s different for me, I just haven’t found my sense of fashion as yet, but that doesn’t mean I’m not willing to still learn more fashion knowledge, or be more creative with my outfits.
From the people in my major to those I see online, the fashion community seems pretty judgemental at times. The fashion scene is always evolving but something that stuck is, the newer generation hates seeing fast fashion, any brands that are fast fashion and cheap, has become an automatic no no. To be quite honest, there are times I may shop from those fast fashion brands, which puts me aside from those in the fashion community that believes that fast fashion isn’t “cool” or “trendy.” But that’s why I feel like I’m different and it’s hard to fit in besides having the lack of knowledge, I know that whatever I like and is fashionable will become a part of my wardrobe and my style. Apart from the negative thoughts on fast fashion, the fashion community are very big on name brands from what I’ve seen, some of those who have made themselves fashion icons, have created many outfits with big names brands in the industry. Those named brands have very high prices and at times are very hard to get because of the limited quantity of the item.
Top name brands and knowledge of fashion doesn’t make me less interested in wanting to be in the fashion community. I’ve acknowledged that I have to find my people who are fashionably alike. I don’t fit in because I’m not necessarily like the “majority,” and that’s okay. I would rather find my people within the fashion community who can also share other mutual interests outside of fashion, then fit into a group of those who would judge me for not knowing certain things in fashion history. Everyone starts somewhere, being in college has given me outlets to meet some of those who are in the same fashion major and have similar interests in beauty. As I continue to slowly find comfortability in the fashion community, I will educate myself on fashion history, not just to fit in, but it could later help me in life within my field that I want to pursue.
The beauty community was easy for me to fit in and find my people. I made ways of having peace within myself because it became a hobby for me. But it also turned into a way for me to profit off of it as well. I used the knowledge and my personality to create the bonds that I have made in the beauty community, which has given me the confidence to create friendships or mutuals with those within the beauty community. The fashion community has been a bit harder for me to fit into because I just started to learn the depths of fashion, when I started college. The fashion community that I’ve seen online and some friend groups in school have seem pretty judgmental. Despite that, I’ve realized that I have to find people within the fashion community that have a similar fashion sense like myself, and maybe an interest in the beauty community as well.
Both of these discourse communities were always of interest to me growing up, but building more connections in each discourse helps me feel more comfortable and relatable. For those who are shy and self reserved like myself, we have to put ourselves out there and make connections. It can feel uncomfortable, but if you’re in college, take advantage of the clubs and events for your majors. Associating with people who have similar interests, will give you more ways to make relations, probably with people in the industry.See this comment in context.

Reply

Aniyam

I am interested in writing about nails once again and my argument will be “Gel-x is better than Acrylic”. The audience I intend to reach are the gel-x haters in the nail community and customers who want to be informed on what they want for their next appointment. Some information I need to back up my claim is statistics and data that show how gel-x is better and first hand accounts to prove it

Reply

Tiffani

“Is the Pursuit of Happiness More Achievable After College, or Is It an Illusion?” The audience is for college students who feel lost or trying to figure out what are there next steps. As a college sophomore myself, I am still adjusting from the transition of high school to college while also trying to find balance. I would be discussing the transition from college to adulthood and whether it leads to a more fulfilling life or if it introduces new struggles.

Reply

Nalah E

The topic Im interested in is why the process to even get in to the nursing program is hard and where or not it should be that way. My main argument would be that prerequisites for the nursing program should be worth more credits so you won’t have to take no more than 1 or 2 other classes, and so that students can study/ focus on those classes, and that if you’re having a hard time in a specific section of that class you should be able to move classes without having to drop the class or wait for another semester. My suggested audience is college students so they know they aren’t alone or even seniors in high school so they can be informed on the struggles of medical based majors in college. For my work, I will need to include data on how many college students get through fall and spring semester as a freshman and the average students that applied to the nursing program vs th number that get accepted into the nursing program.

Reply

Zyelle

Wikipidea definition of a discourse community is “ a group of people who share a set of discourses, understood as basic values and assumptions, and ways of communicating about those goals”, but i believe a discourse community is deeper than that, it is a chance for you to be yourself, it is your chance to find a second family. The two discourse communities I’m going to talk about are my track team and the school I attend.

When I first entered high school two years ago, I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do or what I wanted to stand for. I wasn’t even sure who I was as a person. And it was like that for a while. I went to school and went home; that was my routine. It felt like I wasn’t doing anything with my life. It felt like I didn’t have a purpose. So, instead of having a boring high school experience, I decided to take the initiative and look for extracurricular activities.

One day, I was walking through the hallways on the fourth floor near the boys’ bathroom, and I overheard the older classmen talking about the track team and how they needed people to join. I’ve heard about the track team a couple of times in the past, but I have yet to get the chance to be informed about it. So, instead of letting the perfect opportunity to ask about it pass me by, I asked two questions: “Do you enjoy being on the track team?” and “How do I join?”These questions would change how I viewed myself in a few months.

At first, everything was new to me; I felt like an alien. I didn’t know the name of the events or the terminology and slang they used. It was overwhelming being bombarded with all these new sayings such as “rolled”, which means to be bad at the event you participated in. I had to learn that track and field wasn’t only about running and that it consisted of things like long jump, shot put, pole jumping, etc. All these things made me feel disconnected from the sport, but after a while, I became comfortable and started to act and feel like a track runner.

Track and Field became a way for me to express myself. I never looked at it as extra work, it was always an outlet for me. It was a way for me to relieve stress, a way for me to better myself. The track helped me stay out of trouble by creating discipline in my life, something I wasn’t familiar with before I joined an organized sports team. Not only did it better my life physically and emotionally, but it also showed me that I could rely on others. At first, I didn’t see my teammates as anything more than individuals who shared a common interest with me, but as we progressed through the year, our bond grew closer and stronger. It wasn’t only a track team, but it was now considered my second family.

If you asked anybody that runs track to describe it in one word, they would probably say therapy. Track is a hard sport; don’t get me wrong. But once you get in the groove, everything just flows. It’s like we go through something called runner vision. It’s when runners zone out and get into a state of relaxation.

Without track, I honestly don’t know how I would’ve survived high school. Being at City Polytechnic is like trying to fit a circle where a square is supposed to go, but it just doesn’t fit. When I first heard about City Poly, I was intrigued. I thought I was finally going to be around people who think like me, I thought I was finally going to be understood; I thought I could achieve my goals with like-minded individuals. But then I arrived, and it was the total opposite.

Before high school, I was always interested in how things were built. My mom would always buy me Legos and toys that focused on building things. She would also take me to museums and do activities that helped feed my enthusiasm. I was sure this was what I wanted my career to include.

In my last year of middle school, my mom had a sit-down to decide what I wanted to go to high school for. If I’m being honest, my mom always had City Polytechnic in mind because my older cousin went there, and it was also an amazing school for architecture, engineering, and technology. Because of that, my selection of high schools was very limited. When I got accepted, I was excited because I was finally going to be attending a school for something I wanted a career in.

When I first arrived at City Polytechnic, I was outgoing. I introduced myself to the majority of my peers. I bounced around from friend group to friend group to figure out where I fit in. By doing that, I realized that I didn’t fit in with anyone, so I just stayed to myself for the time being. After a while, I found a friend group that best suited me, and those three people would become some of my closest friends. They are another reason I can survive high school.

As I settled in, I realized City Poly is split into two sides: the kids who came here for architecture and those whose parents sent them here. I was one of the kids who attended the school for the opportunities. The kids who came here willingly aren’t from the same background as me, we don’t share the same struggles or experiences. I am a student who is rough around the edges, and they are more polished than I am, and because of that, I was judged. Some of them never wanted to be in the same group as me, or they never spoke to me. It never bothered me at first, but as time went on, I started to feel a way; I started to feel as if I didn’t belong. The more I sat there and thought about it, the more I lost interest in architecture and engineering.

In conclusion, discourse communities play a crucial role in shaping how individuals communicate and interact within specific fields or interests. But just because they share common interests with you doesn’t mean you fit in.