final thoughts

Sociology has taught me a lot of things about what goes on around me and how I am influenced by my surroundings.  I have developed some sort of 'sociological imagination' as this class has continued throughout the semester.  I do look at the world around me in a different light and look at people differently now.  I try to see people for who they are and not for what class they are from or what race they are.  I also can tell more obviously how a society influences how a person behaves, thinks and interacts with people.  For example, when I visited my college in Florida, I noticed that the people from there act differently than what I am used to.  The town my school is in much more affluent than Barrington, and the only thing the people there were concerned about was themselves rather than others, while here there is more of a sense of community and helping each other.  I would have liked to have talked a little more about gender issues in our society, because they are very prevalent.  It frustrates me to see how our society, more so the men, still treat women and still act with a slight air of superiority, and that women really have little ways to defend and stand up for themselves.  This class really has taught me to look at society in a different way and to appreciate the people around me more.