Brianna Aguilar

An artist's only
concern is to shoot
for some kind of
perfection, and
on her own terms,
not anyone else's.
-JD Salinger

I am a first time freshman at CSUN, I have not yet

declared a major, but am leaning towards business.
When I am not writing essays on topics about social
injustice I am listening to Kanye West or reading a
book that sparks my interests. I have many hopes
for my future and I hope my studies to help become
the person I want to be and most importantly that
they allow me to grow intellectually.

Progression 1 For the first

progression we learned a lot about the affects
that religion has on many aspects of our
everyday lives. Even in our professional
lives, such as school and work we are faced
with dilemmas that may involve the religious
beliefs of other people we might not agree
with. In my first essay I decided to write about
why religion and business shouldnt be
mixed. I also included some ideas as to why
people are sometimes threatened by other
people or things that dont exactly comply
with their beliefs. On a more worldly level it
also relates to the ideas that Madeleine
Albright addresses about different countries
with different religions putting aside their
differences for the greater good.

Religion Pushers: Bad for Business

Our country is often seen as the melting pot, a place where people can be anyone they want with out
punishment, a country with no limits; but the truth is America is not perfect. Often Americans find themselves in a fight
for their freedom too. Most of this fighting stems from the differences between two different people. Differences are
usually the main cause of fights and arguments between two people, whether it be friends or strangers, differences can be
enough to tear people apart. This also applies to the world as a whole. We often let our differences with neighboring
countries or surrounding cultures define our relationship, or lack thereof, with people who think and believe differently
from what we are used to. They limit us from creating bonds and keep us from having meaningful experiences because
we are afraid of the unknown. This can also be said about the many different cultures and the beliefs those cultures hold
in our world today. To some, eliminating or ignoring people that are different than the norm is much easier than
coexisting with them because it allows them to remain in a bubble of comfort. While change can be hard and scary, we
cant simply choose to eliminate those who are different from what we are used to from our society. This is, in many
ways, a form of oppression by ignoring the basic rights of one group to benefit the other. Instead we have to learn to not
only tolerate each other, but also accept and understand the views that other hold in order to move forward in the world
and more specifically in the work place, where there shouldnt be any dilemmas involving the religion of others.

Progression 2 Unlike progression one,

progression two had to do with issues that are
more social rather than political. In my second
essay I decided to write about how women can
be empowered through their actions if they
truly feel good about what they do, despite
societal views. This had a lot to do with many of
the articles given to us in class, along with the
documentaries such as Generation M, all which
describe their own side on the matter of female
empowerment vs. what the media tells us what
empowerment is.

If women are expected to do the

same work as men, we must teach

them the same things.

The Twists and Turns of Empowerment

Everyone has his or her own ideas about sex, and more generally, different cultures also have different
ideas of what is acceptable in a society when it concerns sexual expression. Not everyone has the same views about
what kind of sexual expression is appropriate for the public to be exposed to. With so many ideas about this widely
discussed topic, its no wonder there has never been a universal way to embrace sexuality the correct way. These
issues have been reoccurring since anyone can remember, and professionals, such as psychologists and writers,
constantly debate the negative and positive affects of the many kinds of sexual expression. One of these people
being Sharon Lamb, states we must not confuse sexual freedom with a commodified version of sexuality (316)
which goes against Zo Petersons claims that girls expressing their sexuality is a positive thing. This debate is
everyones concern, yet it seems to almost solely revolve around the sexuality of girls and young women. Much of
what is written and debated about is about the way women are treated by men, and more importantly, whether or
not women in our American society are being empowered through their personal actions and decisions. What
women do in the name of sexual expression is often seen as being hyper-sexualized, but by whose standards? What
some consider degrading and disempowering might be empowering to someone else, which is why so many people
discuss the idea of empowerment. But, because everyones idea of empowerment varies, it only makes sense that
we look at sexual empowerment as a subjective matter, because, if sexual empowerment is an objective matter no
one could ever truly be empowered, especially women. Women should be able to freely express themselves because
not only does it allow women to be confident with their bodies and minds as they are, but it also empowers them in
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ways other than sexuality.

My Semester in Writing

Slow Improvement

Not Perfect But In the

My revisions on my essays
beginning of the semester I
were mostly fixing certain
Over the course of the
knew there was a lot I had to sentences that didnt make a
semester I wrote more than I
work on, and now I know
lot of sense. I also tried
ever did before. I also wrote
what that is. Some of my
fixing phrases that didnt
about many different topics
weaknesses involve me
make sense or didnt come
that are very current which
being too repetitive, and
across the way I wanted
forced me to really pick a
dishing out way too many
them to. I also added some
side, something that I didnt
points without any support
quotes in order to help
really feel comfortable
to back it up. This has a lot to support what I was trying to
doing until now. I still not
do with my organizational
argue. Overall I dont
writing the way I want to be
skills which I also need to
believe my essays are
writing but I would like to
work on in order to keep my
perfect but I know I will
say this class did help me
thoughts in order and dont
continue to improve. This
improve. I also now have a
dwell on the same thing
class not only helped me
better idea of what makes
over and over again.
realize what I need to work
writing great compared to
Despite my many
on in my writing, it taught
good which is what I hope to
weaknesses I am able to
me that knowing whats
achieve in the future.
bring up some good points
going on in the world and
and I will work on
taking a stance in real life is
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supporting them.
what really matters.