Personal Narrative: My Pop Culture

My identity can be defined by moments in my life. Moving to Canada, learning English and going to high school are three major moments in my life. Going through these experiences have changed the person in me and made me more confident, stronger, better in everything.

When I was in third grade my teacher assigned us to write a book titled “All About Me” and just about every word was spelled incorrectly. I remember my teacher reading it and asking what word I was trying to spell out and I got upset. I felt like I could not spell anything I was trying to write, put things into the right words, or into the correct order. However, in seventh grade my writing changed when my English teacher assigned us a paper to write about a book the class was assigned to read. My writing had improved, but still had its problems. My English teacher always told me that there is no such thing as a perfect paper. After he read my rough draft, he handed it back to me and there were red marks all over it, so I went home and fixed

There are many ways One’s identity can be defined. Only you can truly define who you are. You control what your experiences and influences make of you. When asked who am I, there could be millions of different answers depending on what you base your identity off of. To me, the question who am I, can only truly be answered in one way. So, who am I? For me, it’s an easy question. I’ve always known that I was the quiet girl In the back of the classroom by herself.

I experienced my pop culture moment when I was a senior at my high school. My transportation to go to my school was buses. I took the same buses to school from freshman year, but I have never noticed what I notice in my senior year. Every morning I wake up to go to school at 8 a.m. I would see people going to work, schools etc. but one day I notice there was a group of white women who is going to their work wearing sari (sari is a garment which is long and usually it’s draped around women’s body. Asian women mostly wear it). I found that very odd because they didn’t look like to me that they would know anything about the roots of sari or the culture. I thought they were mocking the culture because the saris that they wearing weren’t 100% correct. I used to see them wearing traditional Indian cloth and I

Anyone who knows me, knows me knows that I love to watch reruns of “What not to wear” on TLC, As it teaches me something I clearly know nothing about, fashion. However anyone who is in my Spanish class known that I not only care about my culture but others as well. This school year has been interesting both fashion-wise and politically, from the Kylie Jenner Lip challenge, to Donald Trump running for president. It has been such a weird school year however, that it has pointed out a sad fact about the current fashion world, that is prevalent through the politics we discuss in our everyday lives, and that is cultural appropriation. As cultural appropriation according to the Oxford Dictionary is “A term used to describe the taking over of creative or artistic forms, themes, or practices by one cultural group from another. It is in general used to describe Western appropriations of non‐Western or non‐white forms, and carries connotations of exploitation and dominance.” And despite how much we would like to believe that this issue doesn’t exist in our present day society, if one looks In clothing stores, fashion magazines, and even Halloween parties, cultural theft is occurring. This can be seen especially with indigenous cultures as: elements of indigenous cultures are morphed into fashion trends and costumes for those who will never understand their significance. “Navajo print” leggings, “tribal” jewelry, and “Indian princess” Halloween costumes are examples of gross

I found relaxing bamboo flute music on YouTube when I was doing bad in school. This soothing flute music helped me to control all my built up energy. I feel like this music helped me to concentrate and it also helped me focus. It was during the middle of freshman year I realized that I had a lot of trouble concentrating so I looked up relaxing music. Once I heard the bamboo flute I felt it calm me down. Like when I listen to this music I can concentrate better. When ever I am upset or angry I put this song on and my feelings just go away, it's like the music puts me into a dreamland. Growing up I always would have a hard to paying attention and concentrating but when I heard the bamboo flute I felt like it changed me.

It is a somewhat unspoken agreement that people all have, and breaking this agreement is frowned upon. The bathroom is a very unsocial place. You go do your business and then leave, it is very simple. The social norm that I broke was talking to someone in the stall next to me, and continuing to have a conversation even when it was clear they did not want to have one.

My mom said ‘’We should eat beerbutt chicken for dinner, after your sister and I get home from the grocery.’’ 2 hours later …. My mom and my sister were home from the grocery.

Life really doesn't like to tell you what's ahead; sometimes it's nice and gives you a little hint, sometimes life replays itself so at least there's some familiarity in it, but most of the time my life seems out of my control. As a fifteen year old many people would hear me say this and scoff saying I don't have 'real' problems, or I don't know what the 'real' world is like. On one hand they're right, I shouldn't know what the 'real' world is like, most fifteen year olds are thinking about what picture they Instagram is a 'real' world problem. But being the not-so-average teenager, I do know what this so called 'real' world is.

I read a book when i was 4 years old, you are probably surprised if not then I don't really care what you say. I was looking the paper that has the prompt for this assignment, So I have to write about an important event that shaped me as a reader. So then I found myself reminiscing about an event an event that set the stage for me as a reader.

Everyone has their own personal bubble, which has formed over years of experiences, likes/dislikes, and opportunities. I, myself, have a comfort zone that makes it so I like familiarity. One of our National Honor Society projects popped my bubble though. We were tasked with going and helping the Fort Morgan Golden Stars wrap Christmas presents for those unable to provide their kids with any. The location was next to the beef plant in town and can be a kind of sketchy area. The entire time I was driving over there I was imagining more of a Santa’s workshop with lots of people quickly wrapping assembly line style. When I drove past it the first time I almost turned around and went home, but I knew it was a good cause. I went through the

It all began back in the lasting popular culture and the infamous one hit wonders that would shape what we know as the years of the 90’s. I finally was born January 3rd, 1990, and my grandparents had just successfully bought land in northern Loomis, CA and built their first house! When I go back in time during that era all I can think about is how we were more aware and focused on the environment. I remember from a very early age that I naturally took interest in gardening thank to my grandmother Mimi. I remember my Papa was always out working on the acres for many sun hours getting our horse stables prepared and moving a lot of the chicken’s pens to their proper places. My grandma Mimi was always smiling and happy to be out in her yard creating

I find myself many times too engaged in popular culture. For example, for several years now I have owned Android cell phones. My last cell phone prior to this one was an Android and perhaps the best phone I have owned for the price. However, deep down inside because of popular culture and so many people telling me they love their iphone, when my wife switched our carriers recently and I was told I needed a new phone I did not ask for an Android(Samsung) I asked for Apple(iphone). Why? I believe it's popular culture which influenced me. I have learned that this new phone at least initially is not as user friendly. This is the way popular culture creeps in to our lives sometimes subtle sometimes not so subtle and it influences our decisions

Cultural appropriation is when someone adopts aspects of a culture that’s not their own. That's only the icing on the cake. It’s particularly a power dynamic in which members of a dominant culture take elements from a culture of people who have been systematically oppressed by that dominant group. Cultural appropriation is not the same as cultural appreciation, (when people share mutually with each other, because cultural exchange lacks that systemic power dynamic). When it comes to wearing fashion based on other cultures, it’s hard to know if you’re being tacky, cool, or offensive. Practicing appropriating culture let’s people show love for the culture,

Think of your favorite thing in the world to do. Something that defines you. Something that you can only experience from your eyes. For me it is soccer, and through that came a rite of passage that will be with me forever.