Sara Ceraso, Post 3

After yesterdays discussion on how people are "expected to act," my mind immediately jumped to instances of black and white people. I figured because we already stated that in class I would try and break off of that.

I am from Long Island. So I would definitely fit in on the Jersey Shore? No. Or I am definitely part of a gang because I live so close to the city? No, absolutely not. I remember my freshman year someone actually asked me if people were scared of me when I met them. When I asked them why they thought that, they said it was because I lived near Brooklyn. I honestly just laughed. I wanted to ask her if she had ever even been to Brooklyn. I have been hearing this stuff for three years now, ever since I got to Fredonia. Now I don't act different at home than I do at school, but up in Fredonia, the second I speak people often automatically place me in a category and start making assumptions. Which is fine with me, get to know me and I bet all of those assumptions will disappear. Since I am from Long Island, I am expected to fit a certain stereotype. It doesn't offend me really, it just makes me think how close minded and media influenced everyone, including myself at times, can be.

Over the Summer I worked at Forever 21. I was one of 2 white people out of the 150 employees to work there. Didn't bother me at all. But I did notice something. Some of my friends that I had there were hispanic. Mostly everyone spoke a different language, most times I just sat trying to pick up any bit of information, it never worked. Well one friend would act a certain way in front of his other friends who were also hispanic. The way a hispanic "should act." And then when he came up to me, did a complete 360 and had a totally different personality. It is just sad that he felt the need to do that.