Big City vs. Small Town

I was born in Dallas, Texas and have lived there my entire life. I love living there, but it is certainly not for everyone. People are in a hurry, the traffic is a nightmare, and you rarely bump into anyone you know. It is definitely a business focused, fast paced atmosphere. This view does not necessarily sound appealing, but what about a big city draws people to it? Is it the multitude of restaurants, shopping, or the business opportunities?

I love the convenience of having any store one could possibly imagine being located within a 20 minute drive from my house. Also, in my opinion, the Downtown Dallas skyline is one of the prettiest parts of the city. There is something about driving past or through downtown at night that brings me great memories and happy feelings.

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What if you grew up in a small town? Although I cannot give a first-hand account of that, I do know that the culture is very different from that of a big city. When visiting small towns, I get the sense that there exists a much more laid back atmosphere, with camaraderie between neighbors. However, as far as shopping and restaurants go, there seems to be much less to choose from! Of course, my opinion could be incorrect, as I have grown up in Dallas all my life.  

 

Obviously, a big city and small town are two extremes that exist in the United States. Although these are all that I discussed here, there are many in-between cities!

 

Are you a big city person, or are you more suited to living in a small town? What about these cultures draws you to them, or makes you want to avoid them? 

Why do we Exercise?

Why do we exercise? Is it to stay healthy, or lose weight? It seems that oftentimes, in the American society, we face pressures to reach an ideal weight. These pressures can come from commercials, movies, magazines, and many other sources. However, it is so important to remember the most important reason for exercising is not achieving a certain "look", but rather gaining better health.

I love Skwigg's article about a "Happy Weight" because she says, "Your 'ideal' weight will be one that you can keep without any extreme behaviors. If you're exhausted, overtraining, and undereating to maintain a particular weight, that is not your happy weight and it's definitely not ideal."

What a great message. What matters is health, not how your body looks. Of course it is fine to want to improve things about your body by exercising; who doesn't want to do that? Skwigg's motivational tone is comforting to those who are trying to lose weight as she reminds readers not to force their bodies into weights that are not natural for them.

Another blogger, Starling Fitness, posts encouraging photos that motivate readers to get healthy. This blogger taps into readers' visual senses. This can be more interesting to read than a blog with only text.

Both bloggers are appealing to readers because they use an easy to understand, highly encouraging tone. A person could ask for nothing better when they are trying to get healthy!

 

Fashion Culture on College Campuses

It seems that college campuses represent the most current fashions. Take a walk around any campus, and you will likely see the latest trend in fashion. This makes sense, considering the amount of young people concentrated in the same area. However, what is "normal" differs greatly between every college. At some campuses, it is a rarity to see people dressed up for class, while at others, this is a regular occurrence.

After graduating from high school, my close group of friends and I each went to very different colleges, all over the United States. It is always interesting to hear stories about their experiences, and the unique aspects of each of their schools. I remember when the topic of fashion came up in one of our conversations. One of my friends attends a private school in Dallas, and she remarked that almost everyone comes to class dressed up. By dressed up, I mean wearing something other than a t-shirt. This makes sense, considering Dallas is a very fashion-forward city. Another friend attends a large state school, where the overwhelming norm is to wear t-shirts and athletic shorts to class. Yet another friend attends an Ivy League school in the north, where students tend to dress up more for class.

Fashion is an interesting culture to observe because it is so widespread, and I think that colleges are among the best places to do so!

What does fashion say about the people that attend these schools? Does it mean that they care any less or more about their appearance than students at another school?