Sarah Matkowski

Hello, my name is Sarah Matkowski and I am 21 years old. I come from Bolton, CT. I am a junior at Westfield and I am currently majoring in Social work, I am intrested in working with children. I am currently a commuting to school, and I was an Irish dancer for 7 years. I have traveled to France and England and someday I'd like to travel Japan or China. -

Expressing Love, and Music

It seems that throughout the United States, people are taught to express their love for each other, whether it be through words or even nonverbal communication. Ever since I was a child I was taught by my parents to always say I love you to people close to you, every time you leave them. I would say this is because you never know when you are going to see them again, so it is just a good idea to express how you feel about them, in case you don't ever see them again.

As for music, I would say first off that music is a very big part of the culture here in the United States. Whether you are watching television, or driving in a car, it seems that music is always on in the background. Personally I enjoy listening to all different types of music. I believe musicians use their music to express their feelings and emotions, or to tell a story to the listener. It is interesting to hear what they have to say, in a way that is totally unique to them.

Music

I like to listen to music with a catchy tune thatI can sing all day long without getting sick of. My favorite music artists are John Mayer, Taylor Swift, and Billy Joel. They sing about being in love, and all if the different things they have to deal with in their everyday lives. Music is something that can instantly put you in a good mood when you're feeling down. One annoying song can get stuck in your head all day and it won't leave until you hear it, and then another just takes it's place. Often times music can define certain events in our lives in peoples lives; they become part of the memory. There is music to signify our first dance with our new husband or wife, songs that remind you of times with your best friends, and maybe even a song that reminds us of a time we spend with our mothers or fathers, and how much fun we had with them that day.

Expressing Love

People in the United States often tell their family members and friends how much they love each other. When I was younger, I was always taught to tell my family how much I loved them every time that I saw them. As I grew older and came to college, I began telling my best friends that I loved them every time I leave them; I never know when I'm going to see them again. When I have a boyfriend and I know that I am in love with him, I try to tell him as much as I can. Although that may seem like a lot, the people that you love should know how serious you are about it.

There are many different things we can do to express our love to a person. We can do extravagant things for their birthdays, cook them their favorite meals, or just be around them and make them happy as much as possible.

Christina Miller

Hi everyone! My name is Christina Miller and I am a sophomore here at Westfield State College. I am 19 years old and am a communications major. I am a member of the Lambda Sigma Honor Society, and I like to partake in community service. I also enjoy traveling, listening to music, hanging out with my friends, reading, and spending time with my family.

Gun Culture

In the United States, we have the Right to Bear Arms guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution. There are court cases still in progress about whether a government can restrict ownership of weapons. Generally speaking, conservative Americans feel that they have an individual right to protect themselves with firearms, as well as a right to engage in hunting and sports with guns. Others do not believe that anyone should be allowed to own a gun, or that guns should be seriously restricted. What is the attitude in Japan towards guns and the right to self-defense?

music

i love all types of music. i honestly cannot choose just one genre becuase i think that all music is amazing no matter how it sounds. i mean im not the biggest classical or heavymetal fan but pretty much everything else exsists on my ipod. plus certain songs will mean more to me than others becuase of the meaning of them. like mariah carey's "always be my baby" is my moms song to me ever since i was little. my friends and i have alot of songs that are our inside joke songs and mean alot to us. music just is so empowering and i think that everyone can realte to something in music, whether its the beat or the lyrics.