The Great American Holiday: Black Friday

The holiday season is upon us once again. It’s the time of year reserved for spending time with loved ones, giving back, and expressing gratitude. The holiday season is a favorite of many across the country, and for good reason. Each and every year it delivers a joyous feeling that sweeps the nation and replaces usual feelings of gloom. Although Thanksgiving is right around the corner, people in the United States are getting excited for a much different reason.

Families and businesses across the US are preparing for the growing craze that has changed Thanksgiving tradition forever; Black Friday. The day after Thanksgiving has been labeled a consumer holiday and stores across the US are gearing up to offer the best sales. This year, stores will be opening at unprecedented times, and many are hiring a massive workforce to compensate for the large rush of consumers.

It’s no surprise that such an event has gained so much traction – US consumers are always looking for ways to save money. The monster that corporate America has produced is continuing to grow, introducing more days of sales, like “Cyber Monday” and even “Gray Thursday.” The demand for these sales will effectively send workers around the nation straight from the Thanksgiving table to their job.

Black Friday offers consumers a great opportunity to snag cheap deals during the gift-giving season. It’s a no-brainer decision to leave your family and friends during Thanksgiving, wait in long lines, and fight through rabid crowds of people to save $100 on that brand new TV that you’ve been wanting. It can’t get more American than that! When the holiday season rolls around this year, just remember what’s truly important.

Argumentative Essay Topic

For my argumentative essay, I have chosen to write about genetically modified food. At first I didn’t want to write about GMO’s because I feel like the topic is a bit overused or unoriginal, but it’s a topic that has interested me for some time now. I’m very conscious about what I put in my body, so I try to eat as much organic and natural food as I can.

Because genetically modified food has interested me for a while, I’ve done past research about the subject, but nothing too in depth. By choosing GMO food as my argumentative topic, I want to do more thorough research and learn the facts and the myths about GMO’s. Ultimately, I chose to dispute this issue because I am genuinely interested in it, which will make the research both fascinating and helpful.  

Compare and Contrast Essay: Community College vs. University

I will be writing a compare and contrast essay on the topic of continuing education. Throughout the essay, I will be comparing and contrasting community colleges versus universities. While both options offer students a great opportunity to continue their education, they present polarizing advantages and disadvantages to each other.

The main topics I will be discussing in my essay are the short-term effects of attending each (such as living expenses), the overall experience, and the long-term effects of attending each (such as student loan debt). I’ve decided to write it in this format to instill a chronological flow that gives the audience a better understanding of the entire process.

TED Talk Summary

In his TED Talk, Chris Lonsdale from Lingnan University describes the process of learning a new language in just six months.  He talks about how he learned this process first-hand and how he has summarized it to teach to others. While I am not trying to learn a new language, I found the concept and the information rather intriguing.

Throughout the TED Talk, Chris Lonsdale focuses on 4 steps; Focusing on relevant language to you, using the language to communicate from day one, trying to understand the message behind the speech, and creating a positive environment and mindset. These are the 4 major factors that Lonsdale outlines to learn a language in six months.

One of the main points Lonsdale attempts to get across is the idea that it is much more beneficial to learn by attempting to speak and listen to the language rather than studying it, much like a baby. This idea is one that I agree with, because in any situation in life I believe it is easier to learn by experiencing something first-hand.

The task of learning a new language in six months is a large one, but if possible it could be very beneficial and practical. If any “normal” person were to apply the principle that Lonsdale outlines in this TED Talk, he argues that they too will be able to learn any new language in six months. Not only is the concept a thought-provoking one, but it is good to keep in mind just how quickly we can learn and adapt.

Click here to watch the TED Talk