Socialization/Adolescence Reflection

1. It's ironic that you asked about both what we've decided to wear today and what sports we enjoy because today I happen to be wearing my Stevenson Varsity Poms jersey. This jersey is what we wore to our state competition last year, and I think it represents the nurtured qualities that being part of a dance team has instilled in my character. The competitive spirit and strive to beat rivals is actually pretty relevant in the world of poms. Although we're usually grouped into the "dumb cheerleaders", I think that the values of teamwork, dedication, and commitment that have been nurtured by our environment allow us to overcome the stereotype and achieve great things, like winning state championships for example. However, there are also aspects of nature that have brought me to be able to wear this jersey. Talent and love of dance are things I was born with. My sister and I were both lucky enough to make Junior Varsity freshman year and Varsity sophomore year. This is not a privilege given lightly, and I think I was born with natural talent that I worked really hard to pursue in order to achieve these goals.
2. Social status power is so important to adolescents because it is one aspect of life that they have control over. As opposed to political or economical responsibilities, teens focus on social power because they actually have a say in what they can and can't do. They want to have the most power within and amongst their groups because if they do not succeed socially, there is not much else to succeed in until they get older. This concept is consuming the minds of teens because they always want to be the best.
3. Socialization for children today is dramatically different from past generations to do the advancements in technology and the relentless advertising that companys have imposed on just about everything. Because communication and accessibility have increased tenfold, it makes it that much easier for advertisers to reach children and manipulate them. This raises plenty of concerns because at this rate, it will be nearly impossible to control the consumption of infantilized minds because they will be so impulsive and irrational. When kids are socialized more by the media than by their own families, it should raise red flags that we need to regain control. The nurture part of a child's upbringing needs to be less about what they have and more about who they spend time with and what they do.
4. Gender differences in socialization are prevalent because society imprints certain responsibilities and values that differ between boys and girls. We are pushed towards different activities and passtimes that are more socially accepted. Parents make the decisions for us that girls are more likely to enjoy ballet class and boys are more likely to love Little League. Specifically for me, I chose between my two loves when I was younger. I started dancing when I was three years old, and basketball when I started first grade. I was pretty good at both and always had so much fun. When it came to 7th grade, I did both sports at Daniel Wright, and volleyball too; however, in eighth grade, I had to choose one to focus on because my mom told me that both my favorite sports were during the same high school season. My sister danced, and my brother played basketball and volleyball. Looking to them made my decision even more difficult. I picked dance because it seemed like I should follow in my sister's footsteps rather than my brothers because she was a girl, and my mom pushed for me to dance as well. I don't regret my decision, but thinking about it now I am curious to know what I would've picked if gender differences in socialization were irrelevant.