Hey guys! My name is Jasmine Te. I am a freshman at the University of California, Santa Barbara and am planning on graduating in 2023 (hopefully 2022). I am a Classics Major with an emphasis on Greek and Roman culture. Basically it’s the study of Greek and Roman culture. I am 18 years old, and something I like to do in my free time is binge watch Youtube videos and movies on Netflix. Feel free to read more about self-love here: https://pluggedin2020.school.blog/2020/03/04/self-love/

WAYS TO START LOVING YOURSELF

1. Make a list of 10 things you love about yourself
2. Create a vision board for your dreams
3. Take a 30 min walk in nature and/or watch a sunset
4. Try an empowering workout
5. Try to get 7 hours of sleep and drink water
6. Spend a day with little to no Internet

Taking care of yourself is VERY important. Don’t get me wrong here. I understand sometimes we have so many things going on in our lives that we sometimes forget to prioritize our well-being, but it’s good to start building healthy habits early on. Trying something new for yourself such as going a day without the Internet can be difficult at first, trust me I know, but it’s definitely worth it to take some time off the Internet to go enjoy a walk outdoors! Smell the fresh air, listen to the sounds of birds chirping, feel the breeze… Want to take on a challenge? I dare you to do as many of the things that I have listed.

With final exams and midterm exams, college can be stressful. What UCSB has is a quarter system which means the school year is divided into four quarters (fall, winter, spring, and summer). Currently, I am in winter quarter and am almost in spring quarter. What this also means, unfortunately for me, is that everything here is fast-paced. Without a balance between academics and fun, it’s very easy to get caught up in the schoolwork and feel overwhelmed. Ways I like to cope with the stress are watching sunsets at the beach, tanning, taking walks, hanging out with friends, and watching movies in my spare time.

Family

Family love is not always like you see in the picture above. Most people try to hide the bad parts of their families. When they go out to events it is like they put a filter over their entire family to look picture perfect. It can get tiring and sometimes fights can happen between family members. Getting through those fights is what makes you stronger.

When I was growing up, I never got along with my mom. It would be so bad that my step dad once asked us to stop for a day. We always fought about the most random things. No matter how much we fought we would always apologize at the end of day because we knew we never really meant any of it.

Once, I researched Zodiac signs, and it turns out my mother’s zodiac and mine do not get along.

Zodiacs That Don’t Get Along

We always resolved everything by talking things through. This became more necessary because when it came to choosing a college my parents did not approve of my decision, but talking it through helped us. In the end, leaving for college made our bond stronger. Now that we have distance we value our time together when I come home and do not fight as much.  

Family can be a pain, but they will be the ones to listen to anything you have to say and they will always stand by you when you need them most. 

Communication

No family is perfect! Talk it out and everything will work out.

Meet the Author:

Introduction

From middle school until now, I’ve learned how to build my accounts on professional websites like LinkedIn, Handshake, and Glassdoor, how to write awesome essays in MLA format, and I’ve been able to distinguish professional relationships from typical ones. Now that I’m a little older, I’ve learned that the relationships you share with family members or your best friends are totally different from the relationships you share with professionals.

A few examples of professionals you will meet in your life are:

Getting into your first relationship is exciting. After all the hours you’ve spent over-analyzing every text, all the flirting, and all the Instagram stalking you’ve done, you’re finally dating the person you’ve been hardcore crushing on. But when I got into my first relationship, I didn’t know what the heck I was doing, and I’m sure a lot of you feel the same way. So, to help you out, here’s 5 five things I wish I knew before I started dating.

1. Space is important for a healthy relationship.

I know, I know. Your S/O is really cute and amazing and you just want to spend every second of every day with them. But your S/O should not be your whole life! While it’s completely normal to spend a lot of time with them, especially in the beginning, remember that you are your own person and that you need time alone to grow and mature as an individual. And don’t forget about your friends and family! They were there way before your S/O came along and shouldn’t be tossed aside just because you’re in a relationship now. 

2. It’s okay to love who you love. 

Everyone remembers their first love, and mine was this nerdy guy that sat next to me in English class. He was really sweet and treated me like a queen. But throughout our relationship, people would always tell me that he was “weird” and “ugly” and told me that I could do so much better than him. Their words made me feel ashamed and embarrassed for liking him. I ended up breaking up with him because of what they said, even though he was super sweet and nice. Don’t make the same mistake as I did. Never let anyone make you feel like there’s something wrong with you for loving who you love. As long as your S/O treats you right and makes your life better, forget about what anyone else says! Your happiness is all that matters 🙂

3. Know your self worth.

I let my exes get away with a lot when I was with them. I constantly felt drained and unhappy in these relationships because they kept treating me like trash. Every time I confronted them about it, I bought all their lame excuses and gave them endless chances, even though they definitely didn’t deserve it. If you find yourself constantly unhappy because of how they treat you and you aren’t seeing a change in their behavior, think about whether you really want to be with them or not. You’re all kings and queens and you deserve someone who treats you that way! 

4. Communication is key!

Your S/O isn’t a mind reader! Always tell them how you’re feeling or what’s on your mind. You feel like your S/O isn’t appreciating you enough? Tell them! They said something that upset you? Tell them! You want to get In-N-Out for lunch? TELL THEM. Even if your inner dark Kermit is telling you not to, don’t listen to him and communicate with your S/O! It’s a simple solution that’ll save you from a lot of arguments and heartache later. 

5. It’s not going to be easy. 

I know it seems impossible that your S/O would ever hurt you- they’re cute and funny and they make you so happy. But every relationship has its ups and downs, and you will get hurt during one of the low points. No one’s perfect, not even your S/O, and in order for it to last, both of you need to put in effort to get past these challenges and make your relationship stronger. Relationships are hard work and it’s not always going to be easy, but the highs will make going through the lows worth it. 

About the Author

Hi guys! My name is Cynthia, and I’m a first year Psychological and Brain Science and Communications double major. I’m from a small town in the Bay Area that’s about five hours away from here. In my free time, I like going to the beach, petting cute dogs, and hanging out with my friends. I hope you like our blog! 🙂

Global Warming Reality or Myth?

For many people global warming is a myth, in other words it does not exist or it is not happening. They pretty much see global warming as something people say to scare others. I would hate to burst your bubble but global warming is happening, and at a fast pace.

Many environmental changes have been happening over the years, these changes vary from temperatures rising to droughts. At first many people saw it as a normal thing, since throughout the year the weather changes depending on the time of year. For instance, in July it is warmer compared to December. Except these changes are happening more often than they should. For example, winter is shorter and it is not as cold as it used to be. In other words, global warming is not a myth, it is a problem that we as a society are facing and if we do not do anything we will face various consequences. 

What is Global Warming?

Global warming is an increase in the Earth’s average surface temperature. Climate change has always happened on the planet, even before humans lived on the planet. It experienced changes in temperature in terms of ice age and volcano eruptions that would occur.

However, since the Industrial Revolution the temperature has increased at a more rapid pace, due to the release of the greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. Although natural causes, like volcanic eruptions do cause a release of greenhouse gases, humans release more greenhouse gases into the atmosphere compared to volcanic eruptions.

What Causes Global Warming?

Humans have increased the concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere in many ways, such as burning fossil fuels, cutting down forests, factories, and even by driving a car. In fact, after the Industrial Revolution the release of the greenhouse gases began to increase, such as carbon dioxide levels increased almost 38% and methane has increased 148%. These gases block the heat that is being released from the planet to space from escaping, trapping it in the atmosphere, resulting in warming up the planet.

Factors of Global Warming?

Global warming affects us in various ways, the main one being that the planet will become warmer, which provokes more consequences to the environment. For instance, the warmer conditions will lead to more evaporation, causing more rainfalls. Although there will be some locations that will be more dry than others, meaning that some locations will face droughts while others face floods.

In fact, the state of California has already experienced a drought for around 6 years, fortunately we are no longer in a state of drought, but there is the possibility of a drought once again. It has also experienced various heat waves these past years, which has caused most of its wildfires. The state has experienced hardly any snow or rain over these years due to climate change, which made the drought situation worse. Aside from that the warming of the planet as well means more hot days than cool days, meaning that winter will become shorter and it will eventually no longer feel like winter. In other words, the temperatures will not get as low and possibly no more snow.

Will you Meet Spongebob?

Warm temperatures also lead to a rise of sea level, since the glaciers from the atlantic are melting due to the warm temperatures. In fact, between the year 1800 and 2000, sea level has risen 1.7 millimeters a year, and now the sea level has accelerated to 3 millimeters a year. If it continues to accelerate, it is estimated that the sea level will rise from 0.59 to 1.9 feet by the end of the century. This will be a result of the polar glaciers melting. This sea level rise will cause various islands and other coastal locations to disappear. Meaning there is the possibility of becoming SpongeBob’s new neighbor. 

How Will this Affect Humans?

Global warming as well affects us in terms of ecosystem, meaning it can affect plants and animals. With the different temperatures happening at different times of the year, it shifts the growing system of crops in various locations on the planet. This affects animals in terms of needing to seek food at an earlier time. It may affect the food chain in terms of limiting the amount of food sources since it is an earlier time compared to before. Warmer temperatures as well increase the growing system, which calls for more water for the crops or they will dry. If the crops become dry it leads to a risk of failed crops and wildfires. As stated before people are the ones affected most by this. Wildfires and droughts would lead to loss of property, land, and limitation on resources.

Can You Make the Change?

Global warming is happening right now, and it is currently moving at a fast pace. With global warming happening, various changes are occurring and as these changes increase, the harder it will become for humans to adapt. It will have an impact on people’s lives. Us humans caused this damage, but we can do something to improve this situation. We just have to start right now, before it is too late to make the change.

Works cited

• Callery, S., & Bailey, D. (Eds.). (n.d.). Climate Change: Vital Signs of the Planet. Retrieved from https://climate.nasa.gov/
• Riebeek, H. (2010, June 3). Global Warming. Retrieved from https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/features/GlobalWarming

noun

1: the general condition of one’s mental and emotional state

2: health care dealing with the promotion and improvement of mental health and the treatment of mental illness 

Hello RJ Frank Middle School! Today, we will be talking about mental health, and providing our personal tips and experiences with maintaining this part of our lives. Let’s introduce ourselves!

First, what is mental health? We like to think of mental health as a person’s emotional and psychological well-being. 

Next, why does it matter? Our mental health affects our ability to make decisions, manage stress, and interact with others. For example, when I feel sad, it becomes almost impossible for me to focus in class or to exercise. It is not always easy to talk about mental health. This can make it hard for people who need help to find it. But we all struggle with these tough feelings, and we want you to know that you are not alone, even when it feels like you are the only one! 

 

In order to stay physically healthy, we have to exercise and eat food that will nourish our bodies. To stay mentally healthy, there are also very simple steps that all people can do. Eli is going to give you a guide for how she maintains her mental health below! 

Eli’s Blog work

Hey guys! So as you know from the blog written by Caitlyn, our blogs will focus on mental health. I know not everyone is interested in this kind of stuff, but it is very important to know how to self care. With that being said, my blog will narrow down ways for you to find out how to self care.

 

Step 1: Think about the things that make you happy.

Everyone has those activities/ people in their life that make their day better. It doesn’t have to be something super big, it could be something as simple as going on a walk, watching the sunset, etc. There’s no real guideline to this step because it’s different for everyone. Simply think of whatever makes your day feel a little brighter.

Step 2: Talk to a close friend

This definitely isn’t for everyone but it does help. If you have someone you feel comfortable enough talking to about anything at all, you should. Sometimes talking to someone else about even little things that made you upset can be relieving. You don’t have to tell your life story, just what you feel comfortable telling them.

 

Step 3: Have a fair balance of personal and school life

Setting up a good schedule that works for you will really help in high school. It’s important to be able to fairly balance your school work and the life you have with your friends and family.

Step 4: Celebrate the small wins!

Acknowledging the little things that you accomplish will boost your ego! It’s ok to feel like you’re doing great and to treat yourself for it, especially if you worked really hard previous to it.

I hope this helps you figure out how you can better take care of your mental state. School can be challenging, so knowing how to handle it and what works for you hopefully makes it a great, memorable experience.

Harry’s Blog Work:

Hi, there!:

Getting ready for the future: 

I bet being an adult is fun especially now that your lives are in your hands where you make all the decisions.

 

The way to become a true adult without any fears!

They just give a generic mundane definition of taking care of yourself. The real hard facts deal with emotions with the mind. As I was becoming an adult and preparing for middle school and high school, I used to let so many negative thoughts come into my head. This made me feel so stressed and at times, I felt like my life was crumbling away. Every day I went to middle school I wanted to have fun but felt so stressed about my future. The biggest thing that I wished I had known was just to talk to people that were close to me. Let it all out. Until high school, when I was finally talking to a close counselor of mine. I was able to let it all out! The fear, the pain that was holding me back. I just couldn’t hold it back so I decided it was best to talk to someone. Let me tell you it was the best thing ever. Letting it all out!

BUT WAIT, THERE’S MORE!

The true meaning of being an adult: 

My friend went through something far worse, he lost a certain someone that was really close to him. When he was in high school, he told me that he was always trying to hide it behind a fake smile from his problems instead of facing them or at least he thought it would get better over time. As he told me he held back his tears and sadness. Now he’s doing so much better finally able to release all the sadness because someone listened to him!

Now that you are no longer kids, it is best to release those very emotions, because they can become friction on the road you guys and gals move on. That’s why, as you move through that road, there will always be roadside assistance like your teachers or even your close friends right by you, so you guys and gals can move easily to your dreams. 

To wrap it all up, mental health is both important and personal. Eli’s self care steps may work very well for you, while Harry’s advice about overcoming bullying might work better for another person. The most important thing is for you to learn how to take care of yourself. 

We want you to know that your emotions are important, and we also understand that sometimes it can feel like we are completely out of control. If you are experiencing anything like this, we strongly encourage you to reach out to a trusted teacher, counselor, or friend!

You got this!

About the Authors

My name is Marlene Gonzalez and I am a first year, Pre-Sociology major. I am from Watsonville, CA which is over four hours north of Oxnard. A fun fact about me is that I actually grew up in Oxnard most of my life! I am very excited to be living close to my hometown again through attending UC Santa Barbara. Whenever I am not busy with academics, I enjoy listening to spanish music, dancing, and watching crime documentaries. You can contact me at marlenegonzalez@ucsb.edu if you have any questions regarding high school, the future, or emotional support!

Hey guys, My name is Michael Leon and I am currently a first year at University of California, Santa Barbara. I am a chemistry major looking to switch to Psychological and Brain Sciences major with a double major Sociology and possible a double minor in applied psychology and poverty, inequality, and social justice. I am from a small desert town in San Bernardino county, Hesperia. Most people don’t really know where that is so I end up saying I from La Puente, where I grew up for most of my childhood. I am extremely excited to be able to communicate with you guys again! In my free time I typically hangout with some of brothers from my Fraternity, Theta Nu Kappa Multicultural and Academic, Inc. or study/look into career paths and major opinions. I also have a job on campus, actually had two. You can also contact me with any questions, comments, concerns, and/or opinions that you may have at: Michael_leon@ucsb.edu.

Hey everyone! My name is Miracle McMillan. I am a first year sociology major at UC Santa Barbara. Sociology is the study of social problems, social change, diversity, and interactions within and between social groups. It’s a really cool major. I am from Long Beach, Ca., the home of SNOOP DOGG :). I love to listen to music and read. (only interesting books though). Now that I am done talking about myself, I just wanted to say that you are going to do great things in life and don’t let anything get you down. You are the future. Have faith in yourself and strive to do your best.

What is an Internet Troll?

Have you ever heard of the term “trolling”? If you have, it was probably on social media where it occurs. Trolling is when you post something to get people bothered and upset. The people who do the trolling are called trolls. Don’t confuse them with the mystical creatures. These trolls like to sit behind a screen and create conflict while the mythical trolls hide under a bridge, cause problems, and look scary; but don’t underestimate the power of an internet troll. They too can be scary. Trolling can make people uncomfortable and can cause them to react in many ways. Some people try to argue back with these trolls and prove a point, but that only feeds into their plot of trying to make people mad.

Avoiding Those Trolling Trolls

What does trolling look like?

Trolling occurs when someone tries to make people mad by saying things on the Internet. Trolling can be represented in numerous ways. The most common places to see it is on social media platforms like Instagram,Twitter, and Youtube. There are even memes about trolling that you probably see a lot. Trolling may seem like cyber-bullying but, there are some differences between them. While cyberbullying mainly targets a certain individual, the theme of provoking comments is still present in both.

How can I avoid them? 

Sadly, there are a lot of trolls out there, but social media sites, like Instagram, offer a reporting tool. This tool helps you report abusive behavior or spam in posts/comments. Reporting a violation, which can take form as a hate account, is the first step to addressing abuse. 

What to do when coming in contact with Trolls?

Like we mentioned before, Trolls thrive off of negative energy. They will say anything to make you mad. There are a lot of trolls out there, Here are a few tips on how to avoid them:

1. Ignore them: We know that this can be really hard to do, especially when people say things we don’t like. However, it’ll save you from wasting time that you can be spending doing homework, hanging out with friends, or even playing video games.
2. Report them: If ignoring them didn’t work, try to report them. Sometimes these trolls can go so far and you might feel like they might spread their negativity to real life. Most, if not all, social media has a system of reporting and taking care of these said trollers that continue to bother the users. 
3. Block them: If ignoring and reporting them does not work then try blocking them. Blocking works on any social media site that you could possibly use and it is effect for not seeing content that bothers or offense you. Using this to deal with trolls online is effective but doesn’t stop them from posting or commenting about the issue. This is just a way you don’t have to deal with their foolishness.

If none of this rings a bell, then maybe this image will:

This symbol is supposed to represent the face of a person who is trolling someone. This face is seen all over the internet and you have probably seen it in memes. It is more commonly seen in the cringer memes and older memes online.

How to avoid being a troll

Most people can avoid being a troll by simply keeping negative comments and opinions to themselves. If you keep yourself to certain standards and try to understand the power of your comments on other people there should not be a problem with trolling. Have prudence with all things that you do online because it can all come back up in the future.

 Educating Yourself on Trolling

Though we have provided you with information, we would like you guys to check out the following articles and really think about how it can impact your life in the future.

Survey finds employment background checks nearly universal today 

“The research confirmed that background checks are a standard part of the hiring process in the U.S. In fact, 96 percent of the employers surveyed by HR.com reported that their companies conduct at least one type of employment background screening.”

https://www.ghrr.com/survey-finds-employment-background-checks-nearly-universal-today/

How to Identify and Protect Yourself from an Unsafe Website

http://www.bu.edu/tech/support/information-security/security-for-everyone/how-to-identify-and-protect-yourself-from-an-unsafe-website/

Digital Footprint 

“Even if you use false profiles to try and hide your identity, the user profile can be linked back to you if required. So, if the profile is used to do harm like cyberbullying and it is reported to the Police, they have the means to trace that profile back to its creator. Even if users attempt to hide their presence on the Internet they are never truly hidden.”

https://bulliesout.com/need-support/young-people/cyber-bullying/digital-footprint/

What is a digital footprint?

• an online identity that is created by what is posted online, building a digital reputation
• negative effects, as trolling, can have serious consequences
• everything is tracked online, so social image can be at risk if participate in risky behavior online
• can negatively affect you during employment background checks if not careful

Hello students from RJ Frank!

High Fashion on a Budget

For this blog our group decided to focus on fashion because it is essential for how we present ourselves as individuals. Fashion trends are often created by famous influences and their followers are quick to hop on the trend. Trends are often seen as the way to go but they may also be detrimental to an individual’s ability to be themselves. Having a personalized style is the best way to display your personality and feel comfortable.

Key Takeaways

• Be yourself, create your own style
• Understand that fashionable outfits don’t have to be expensive
• Be humble and dress comfortably and stylish

This is Us

My name is Andrew Ruiz and I am from Los Angeles, California. I am a first year currently attending University of California, Santa Barbara. Fun fact about me is I am the only person out of my whole family with colored eyes.

I’m Christian Lezama and I am from Lake Elsinore, CA. I am currently a first year student at the University of California, Santa Barbara where I am pursuing a degree in Environmental Science. A fun fact about me is that I am passionate about aviation and I have traveled to Italy and Greece to study art.

HIGH FASHION ON A BUDGET

In terms of acquiring affordable clothing, there are many options out there especially with stores like H&M which sell essential items at low prices and thrift stores which offer vintage clothing at a low price. People that thrift use their creativity to create fashionable outfits at a very low price. The following outfits all retail for less than one hundred dollars and they resemble current fashion trends.

A CHEAP FLEX

Fashion is more than just the trends society follows to have “drip.” Fashion is a distinction, which means being different. What can you wear that makes you stand out rather than fit in. You can’t have a fit without the shoes, and I am here to tell you the one and only pair of shoes that will have you looking fresh, without having to pay hundreds of dollars on some Off-White Jordans.

Old Skool Vans

• Under $70
• Can go along with any outfit
• Brand new or dirty, these shoes are “clean”
• You can NEVER go wrong with old skool vans

Rappers and Celebrities that have worn Old Skools

They are people who each have a distinction of their own that makes them stand out other than just their music or fame. They could wear other shoes way more expensive than Vans, but they stay true to their own fashion. So don’t think having expensive shoes is a necessity to look cool or stand out. Be yourself, have your own style, and just rock them kicks!

NO RULES TO MAKEUP

Many people think that there are “rules” to makeup when in reality there aren’t any. Makeup is essentially an art and ANYONE is allowed to express themselves with the use of makeup however they please. With that being said, do not be afraid to use color, jewels, or draw on patterns or prints. Your face is a canvas.

Examples of Artist’s Works:

As you can see these make up looks are very unique and beautiful. Anyone is welcome to do natural makeup as well as editorial makeup if they’d like.

It’s also good to keep in mind that purchasing good makeup doesn’t mean buying high end brand makeup such as:

• NARS
• Anastasia Beverly Hills
• Mac
• Tarte

There are other drugstore makeup products that work even better than these expensive brand ones. Here are some drugstore brands that have really good reviews:

These makeup brands have face basics, eye makeup, and brushes too. Remember that wearing makeup doesn’t have to consist of expensive brands. These drugstore makeup brands allow for unlimited looks to be created. In the end it is all about your creativity and what you want to do. So if you ever need some good makeup, get yourself to target or any pharmacy and look out for these brands. Save your coin!

When people think of food waste, they usually think about restaurants, food prepared or stored at home, and leftovers that’ll eventually go uneaten and thrown away. Food waste can occur anywhere and even impact schools. If you ever have a chance, at the end of lunch or the end of the day and look at the trash cans around the cafeteria. How much food do you see there? How much of it goes eaten? How much of it goes uneaten?

Why is food wasted?

Food is wasted due to the quality of the food (that may be extremely questionable at times) that is served in school. Another reason that food is wasted is due to the requirement that students have to get a fruit or vegetable as part of their meal.

The impact: 

Uneaten food goes to waste and students are taught it is acceptable to waste food. A lot of money and resources that are used to create school food go to waste as a result and impact the quality and money used to create cafeteria food.

What can we do?

Here is a list of things that we can do to reduce food waste:

-Compost uneaten food

-Food that is untouched (ie fruits and milk cartons as long as they’re preserved properly) can be washed and saved for tomorrow to give out to students who may want a snack

-Any leftover food (i.e. cafeteria food) that is unopened can be sent to shelters where people can consume the food due to scarcity

-Post signs near food: Take only what you will eat/drink

Hello RJ Frank students!! Our team here at UCSB is going to try and inform you guys on why to avoid social media’s influence on communications and fashion. Some of the ways it could influence our everyday lives is shown in our style and how we talk. We hope that our guidance can hopefully make a change in your life regarding social media usage. Read on and enjoy ! CLICK LINK BELOW :)))

About Us

Shayan Maghsoudi:

• Pre-Biology Major
• Fun Fact: I’ve played soccer since I was 4

Kassandra Guerrero:

• Environmental Science major
• Fun Fact: I started my own lash extension business a few months ago

Joseph Lopez:

• Film/Communications Major
• Fun Fact: I am the only boy in my mother’s side of the family

Grecia Zelaya:

• Undeclared Major
• Fun Fact: I am the second person in my family attending UCSB

Venus Medina:

• Pre-Global Studies Major
• Fun Fact: I’ve hiked on a volcano

CLICK HERE

socialmediainfluence.family.blog