What Difference Does Kindness And Music Make?

People often find music to be, in a few ways, very useful, such as helping you concentrate, settling your nerves, or even allowing you to escape from reality, even if only for a few moments. Every song has “hidden meanings” behind the actual lyrics, leading to the true story of the song. An example would be from the song “Royals by Lorde”. The lyrics “And we’ll never be royals. It don’t run in our blood, this kind of luxe just ain’t for us, we crave a different kind of buzz.” means that she was not born into a famous family and does not have the luxuries of a materialistic lifestyle, however, she prefers a lifestyle fit for having a good time without any cares. The stories behind the songs are often inspired by the musician’s own life events, and because the musician has dealt with these things, people find that they can relate to the musician as well as the song. Therefore, they are affected by the song because of the connection they feel towards it. This experience can also affect people’s emotions and outlooks upon the world, changing the way they feel and think about things. An example of this would be if someone were listening to a song with an upbeat tempo and cheerful lyrics that are connected to the world around them. This would cause the person listening to the song to change the way they view their surroundings and such.

Whatever emotion people happen to feel at the moment, the music they listen to at that time tends to reflect those emotions. For example, if someone was feeling upset and it was more towards the extent of being sad, they would drift towards music with slow tempos and sad lyrics. People do this because they need something to help justify their feelings at the current moment instead of trying to make themselves feel better by listening to upbeat and joyous songs. Also, the kind of music that people choose to listen to affects how they view things. For example, if someone was angry and they listened to heavy metal or rap songs during this period, their mind would automatically set itself so that the person would find some reason to be aggravated by their surroundings. The music that they are hearing arouses their emotions, increasing their amount of anger. This is caused because the connection people feel with the lyrics of those loud songs change the way people feel and think about the things around them. However, if, in the beginning, someone was sad and, instead of wallowing in their misery, they decided to listen to upbeat songs in an attempt to cheer themselves up, they would be able to connect and relate to the music, viewing things from the song’s perspective, thus putting themselves into a good mood.

Personally, when I am in a bad mood, particularly when I am angry, I tend to listen to music that matches my mood. I find it to be a way to release some emotions before I finally move on. However, listening to that kind of music does not change the way I view things. The only music that changes the way I see my surroundings are sad, slow songs and upbeat, happy songs. When I just wish to listen to music, no reason necessary, I tend to listen to pop/rock songs as well as songs that give me the feeling of wanting to get up and dance. I find this kind of music very enjoyable; it always makes me smile and lifts my mood. Also, when I am with my youngest brother, we dance to the songs together just for the fun of it.

Because music tends to change people’s outlooks on the world and do, in fact, make a difference, I recommend the following songs because they can change your opinion on things in a positive way.

-        Happy by Pharrell Williams

This song, as it says in the title, is very happy and is also upbeat. The tempo is fairly fast and the beat makes you want to tap your foot, bob your head, or even break out into a dance. In the song, the lyrics include “Here come bad news talking this and that. Well, give me all you got, and don’t hold back. Well, I should probably warn you, I’ll be just fine. No offense to you, don’t waste your time. Here’s why: because I’m happy.” This implies that, although there are people talking improperly about him, he believes that he can handle it, the reasoning behind his brave attitude being that he is happy and refuses to let anything ruin his mood. It is important to not let people’s comments get to you, because in reality, their opinions do not matter. The only opinions that matter are yours and the most important people to you.

-        Born This Way by Lady Gaga

I find that this song is very powerful and uplifting. It has a strong tempo and a good dance beat, and every time I listen to this song, it makes me feel as though it is a good thing to be myself, which it is. I find that the lyrics “No matter gay, straight, or bi, lesbian, transgendered life, I’m on the right track baby, I was born to survive. No matter black, white or beige, chola or orient made, I’m on the right track baby, I was born to be brave.” are strong, understandable, and relatable because they are very true. If you were to strip human beings of their entire outer appearance and organs, they are all simply bones, and afterwards, you would not be able to distinguish the difference between each of them just by using your eyes.

-        Roar by Katy Perry

I find this song to be very powerful and uplifting as well. The tune is catchy, upbeat and fun, and when I listen to this song, I am able to find bravery and I can believe in myself, and these are important factors for people who aim to overcome their fears. The lyrics “So I sat quietly, agreed politely. I guess that I forgot I had a choice. I let you push me past the break point. I stood for nothing, so I fell for everything.” implies that she was being pushed around and controlled as though she were a puppet. However, the next lyrics “You held me down, but I got up. Already brushing off the dust.” tells me that, once she realized how she was being treated, she decided to take action and is now ready to take back the control of her life. This is important because you are the puppeteer of yourself, and no one else should be allowed to replace you in that job.

-        Count On Me by Bruno Mars

This song is very happy and sweet. The tune makes you want to bob your head from side to side, smile, and sing along; I find that this song gives off that kind of vibe. When I listen to this song, it makes me feel as though there is someone that I am able to rely on, to trust, and it can definitely help to build stronger friendships. The lyrics “You can count on me like 1, 2, 3, I’ll be there. And I know when I need it I can count on you like 4, 3, 2, you’ll be there. ‘Cause that’s what friends are supposed to do.” shows that true friendship is based on trust and knowing that you can rely on your friend to come to your rescue if necessary. This is important because it is always a good thing when you know you have a friend who will always have your back and be there for you.

I find that music is a very powerful thing; it changes people. For better or for worse, that is for the listener to decide, but the main point is that music has a large effect on our generation. It can persuade you into changing or enhancing your emotions, or having different perspectives of your surroundings. Music does make a difference. Each way may be different from another’s, but it is always changing things.

Does school ruin creativity?

what would you change from high school? current events post #3

What would you change in high school? On Sunday evening teens on twitter where asked ONE thing they would change about high school and why? Teens are willing to change time schedule to cafeteria food. There where 20 teens that tweeted to this question. The teens are asking for time, help in school and career offers. As I was reading these tweets everyone is wanting something to change high school but most tweets are for learning. one tweet that was posted that i got attached to was this one" The courses available. My school doesn't offer any classes that are going to help me with the careers I'm interested in".  

I think that this shouldn't happen to students because they should be able to choose there own courses to have their own career. Students have also tweeted about letter grades which has been discussed already but has people tweeting about because they care that they are telling people what they want to change about high school and its there own opinion.

In high school i thought you would have more opportunities to classes and different courses but when i see these tweets i see that students are not enjoying high school because their not getting what they wanted to learn like in the tweet i posted on the top. Theses students need to be heard to learn. The students want more activities and clubs so they have a chance to enjoy high school. Some students are complaining that teachers aren't doing what they need to do and teach more and not start with lowest common of teaching. i think this is a good topic to talk about because theses students give ideas and opportunities to learn better and have a good career for collage/university.


Follow  @HuffPostTeen on twitter to follow the convo



click here for more tweets on high school changes

Current Events: Things that are Obsolete in 21st-century Schools

A blogger (ingvihrannar) has recently compiled a list of fourteen things that are considered "obsolete" in today's schools. This list included things like having a separate "computer room", not having WiFi in school, banning electronics, having unhealthy cafeteria food, starting school early for teenagers, and others. The purpose of the post was to generate ideas and discussions for the future generation of learning, and to not use the same "outdated" system students used 100 years ago. I am in agreement with most of the things included on this list; however, there are some things that I am in disagreement with, and some other things I want to add to this list.

One of the things I agreed with the most on this list was starting school too early for teenagers. This is extremely relevant to all teenagers in high school, since some of the things on this list only applied to some teens; many kids are very tired in the early morning and have a hard time concentrating on the lesson and the material being taught. Some students may also be in a rush to get to school and may miss essential morning activities, such as breakfast, which can be unhealthy to them. High school students (especially seniors) have a lot of homework or daily commitments such as clubs, sports, or extracurriculars that the school doesn't provide. These commitments can eat up a lot of the students' free time, giving them less time to do schoolwork. As a result, many students stay up late trying to get work done or cram in extra study time for tests. When they wake up for school the next morning, they would be utterly exhausted, inattentive to the lesson being taught, and maybe even stressed out. This leads to a decline in the student's ability to learn well. Research shows that teenagers do and feel better in schools that start at a later time; it also shows that if we push back the time for school start by just fifty minutes and extend school time by half an hour, students will do much better in both school and after-school activities. Teachers also have more time to prepare for their daily lessons to their kids, so it's a "win-win situation".

Another thing I agreed with was having unhealthy cafeteria food. If classes in school tell students to have a healthy and balanced diet, then go on and serve unhealthy food for them, then teaching students to eat healthy would be pointless. Instead, schools should promote healthy eating -- not just in the form of worksheets or lectures, but also in the form of the food itself. Maybe healthy food doesn't have to be served every day; sometimes the cafeteria could serve "junk food", but only once or twice every week (this is similar to how in reality, you can have junk food every once in a while). The idea of students cleaning up after themselves, or washing their own dishes, is a great idea as well -- this teaches students about responsibility, which helps them prepare for the world afterwards. The small task of washing dishes will teach students to be more independent as they journey into the real world after they are done with high school. The farm/"windowfarm" is also a good idea; it could provide students with the food that they eat, and at the same time have hands-on interaction with the science of nature. However this idea may not be so realistic, since many factors can play out to make the farm idea an unsuccessful one.

Something I disagree with, however, is for the students to create their own poster/website/pamphlet for the school. Buying a service from another place does not make the school "obsolete" at all; there is nothing wrong with doing so because there would be no huge impact on the school if the students were to design the school's website. Of course, it would enhance the interactions between the students and the school, and be used as a way to showcase what the student(s) have learned in a certain class, but that does not make the school seem more "modernized" in any way. On the surface, students designing websites/posters/pamphlets for the school may only show that the kids in that school may have more artistic ability than others. Even if the kids do make their own pamphlets/posters/websites for the school, the school should not call it a "collaborative project", which implies that it is mandatory and counts for marks; students should consider making websites for the school because they enjoy it, not because it's a compulsory task. I would take this idea away from the list.

Something I would add to this list is schools that have activities that are all run by teachers or staff. By doing this, teachers restrict the amount of freedom and creativity the kids should have. Now, more and more clubs, and even sports teams are usually led by senior students and students who have been in the club for a long time or are very good at a certain sport; they are not usually led by teachers. Yes, teachers do play an important role in the forming of clubs and sports teams, but students also play a key role. This can increase the leadership side of students, increase interaction between students, and help kids become more independent and not as reliant on teachers for help. This also helps develop creativity for student-led activities; kids can have the freedom of choice, in terms of what they choose to do in their club, instead of having a teacher give instructions for compulsory guidelines for that club.

In my opinion, Fraser Heights is a modernized school; many of the things on the list apply to our school, such as the molding of today's technology into every subject, or having WiFi in school, or letting kids use the powerful tools in cell phones or tablets for educational purposes. The school is opening up a new world of opportunities by taking the modern discoveries of our world and fitting it into the school's curriculum. By doing these things, Fraser Heights is taking a big step towards education for the next generation of learners.

Link to the original article: here.

Should Women's Hockey be in the Olympics?

          Sould Women's Hockey be in the Olympic?. This question has been mentioned alot for example Jacob robinson said on't tell me women's hockey shouldn't be an Olympic sport, that was as good as it gets.

The International Ice Hockey Federation president Rene Fasel guaranteed women's hockey would not be taken out of the Olympics.That will never happen," Fasel said. "I can guarantee that will never happen.
Even though The Internatinal Ice Hockey Federation said they guaranteed that woman's hockey would not be taken out there will be things going around saying that they should take out woman's hockey, also

Fasel knows that, with the exception of Canada and the U.S., women's hockey "is not as it should be" in Europe. But it has improved.With that said what i think about if woman's hockey should stay in the Olympics is that i agree with what fasel said.Even though that Canada and U.S.A are really the only compitition in the woman's Hockey they shouldn't remove it from the Olympics.Other countries other than Canada and U.S.A could still grow in that area.

Will Woman's hockey remain in the Olympics?

       Should Women’s Hockey event be taken out of the Olympics? This question had been frequently asked during the Sochi 2014 Olympics.  
“This will never happen. I can guarantee this this will never happen.” Rene Fasel, the International Ice Hockey Federation President says. Though apparently it has been confirmed officially that Women’s Hockey will be kept in the Olympics, there is still some commotion about the idea whether it should be kept or not. People are starting to take notice on the idea that in the Olympics, there’s basically only two dominant teams for Woman’s hockey that really get the chance of getting a shot at gold medal: Canada and USA. The rest of the Olympics roster? Not that much.

        People who thought that woman’s hockey should be taken off, recommend that the Olympics committee should consider taking Woman’s Hockey off the chart until other teams develop into a better team, with more chances, instead of Canada and USA easily sweeping them off the charts for a chance to get a shot at the podium-- ultimately, the gold medal. Some people even thought that woman’s hockey didn’t deserve to be in the Olympics in the first place. Woman were thought of as “weaklings”, and they didn’t have enough “power” or “force” to their play- they were looked down upon.
People who disagreed and thought that woman’s hockey should be kept in the Olympics say that the winter Olympics could be used as a goal and a measure stick for the other countries. If they took the event away, women may also miss their chance too, after all it happens only 4 years. They may become too old to play. They thought that woman’s hockey needed more recognition, and they simply just needed some more time and patience to piece everything together.

          Personally I think that this event should definitely be kept in the Olympics. For the people who think that women aren’t hard enough, aren’t physical enough, too gentle, don’t mind them, because they are the opposite. They can be physical, and hard if they wanted to. They may not be as physical as men as a whole, but they still can be powerful and strong. If they took away women’s hockey from the Olympics, women who did play would no longer have that big motivation, that big goal. They may have awards like the Stanley Cup in the NHL, but it’s definitely not the same. To be honest, if the other countries did want the medal so bad, they would have it right now. They would work their hardest until they got what they wanted, instead of waiting for the medal to come to them.

          For the past five winter Olympics where women’s hockey was added, Canada has won three gold medals, and USA with one.
“We need a little bit more time with the women. We need to work very, very hard to close this gap with the help of USA and Canadian Hockey. Just give me a little bit more time.” Fasel says. The committee have been sending coaches from Canadian and American hockey teams permanently to give teams a stronger build and try to guide them.

---

SOURCE(S) :

[x] - Global News, Is women's hockey an endangered Olympics event?

[x] - CTV News, IIHF president : Women's hockey will 'never' be out of the Olympics

[x] - Toronto Sun, Women's hockey will remain in Olympics : Official.

Current Events: Should Surrey Introduce Communal Dining in Restaurants?

_{Imagine this: Instead of grabbing a bite at a restaurant with friends or family, picture being seated at a long, narrow table and enjoying your meal... with total strangers. It may seem strange or unfamiliar to picture, but this style of dining ("communal dining") has been introduced in Vancouver in 2012; it was one of 19 reports made by the Mayors Engaged City Task Force, a group dedicated to making Vancouver a more "welcoming" and "engaged" city for tourists, residents, and immigrants alike. Communal tables are, as mentioned above, very long tables that can seat many people. Customers can "reserve" a seat on the table for lunch and dinner, then be seated with unfamiliar people (or people they don't know at all!) while they eat a meal. The goal of this project is to get more people in Vancouver to interact and bond with each other. So far, some of the restaurants in Vancouver have already begun to do this, such as "The Salty Tongue" and "The Alibi Room".}

_{People who agree with this idea say that contrary to popular belief, Vancouver is not as engaging as it should be when it comes to making friends. A survey showed that one-third of the residents in Metro Vancouver had a hard time when it came to making friends, and that a poll showed that Vancouver was "less than friendly or inclusive". This way, strangers can meet face-to-face at a public place (a restaurant) in a stress-free environment, and just get the chance to know each other. At the end of the day, the purpose behind the communal tables is to provide a window of opportunity for people to interact with potential friends, and to hopefully form bonds that will eventually lead to friendships. It also develops better etiquette and manners -- one would certainly need to behave themselves when talking to someone they are unfamiliar with, especially if they are eating together.This is also a good way to get Vancouver as a city to be more active and engaged; Canada's global reputation for being friendly and polite somehow didn't extend to the act of eating a meal, and by promoting the use of communal tables, that could change.}

_{However, some ideals might not turn out so well in reality, says the people who disagree. Some people, especially those who are introverted or shy, prefer eating with those familiar to them, such as friends or family. Others, who are preoccupied with phones or music, don't need, and therefore don't like the idea of having long tables. People who prefer privacy over being in the open may not find the idea of having communal tables appealing either. Ian Tostenson of the B.C. Restaurant Association says that idea behind the communal tables is a good one; however, he doubts it will change many things: he implies that friends will still sit together with friends, and they will talk among themselves instead of to other strangers. As stated above, it seems that while Canadians will go out of their way to help someone fix their flat tire or give directions, but draw the line when it comes to eating, an act too "intimate" to share with others.}

<sub>In my opinion, we should give communal tables a chance. As the poll stated, there are lots of Vancouver residents who have a hard time finding friends; the communal tables could make for an opportunity to get some of the people to interact with each other, and to form new friendships. However, we must also take the people who favour privacy into consideration: lots of people (me included), are shy, especially when you consider the fact that you're almost elbow-to-elbow with the stranger sitting next to you. Some people feel uncomfortable when stuck in a situation like that, especially when having a meal; eating is an "intimate" thing, and some people like to enjoy in privacy, away from the prying eyes of strangers. Restaurants should have both communal tables and regular tables so people, whether they're outgoing people who want to gain more friends in their friend circles, or for the introverted adult or the average group of teenagers, can have more choice over who they want to eat with.

Reference links:

Vancouver made friendlier by communal restaurant tables? -- CBC News
Dining with strangers among recommendations to make Vancouver more engaged -- the Vancouver Sun
Vancouver Communal Dining and Long Table Restaurants -- BC Living</sub>

Women`s hockey out of the future Olympics

Should Women's Hockey be in the Olympics?

                   Jacob Robinson"Don't tell me women's hockey shouldn't be an Olympic sport, that was as good as it gets."

Evan Soloman "Could that be one of the best hockey games ever? Maybe. Congrats on gold for #teamcanada. What a comeback."

Steve Paikin "tell me people don't care about women's hockey as much as men's. this place just erupted. #sochi2014`` 

These 3 people say that women`s hockey should be in the Olympics. Some people are saying that women's hockey shouldn't be in the Olympics because there is no competition because its always Canada and USA in the finals. I agree with this because there is simply no competition because the other countries are just under developed. The other countries don't focus on women's hockey because they think that its a waste of time when they are so underdeveloped while Canada and USA are just destroying competition. I also agree with this because even though its an interesting match up between Canada and USA it gets boring after a while because its always the same match up, I would like to see other teams like Sweden and Russia vsing in the finals.


I have mixed feeling`s about this topic because i agree with it and disagree. I disagree with this because women`s hockey is a tradition in the Olympics because it has always been in the Olympics. I agree with this because in my statement before the other teams are just simply are to underdeveloped if they other countries were more developed then i wouldnt disagree with this topic


If you want more information on this topic just click the links

http://globalnews.ca/news/1162894/is-womens-hockey-an-endangered-olympic-event/

http://www.ctvnews.ca/sochi/iihf-president-women-s-hockey-will-never-be-out-of-olympics-1.1691364

Should Surrey Have Communal Dining In Restaurants?

 
 

In an attempt to make Vancouver more engaged, the Mayors Engaged City Task Force has made a recommendation for more communal tables. These are long tables with chairs put on each side going from one end of the table to the other, open for strangers to come and share a meal with other strangers. Many people think this is a great idea; it can bring people together and make Vancouver a friendlier place. However, many people prefer to go to a restaurant with the people they know and talk to the people they know.

 

Those who agree with this idea believe that an engaged city is one that can bring people together so that they can speak and address issues of common importance, solve problems that they share and bring a positive change to people’s sociability. Strangers should be given the chance to get to know each other, and while dining with others, it gives you the opportunity to engage in conversation and bond and learn from each other. Also, it helps develop better manners, and the small social skills used during the meal times can provide a base for future social interactions. An example could be if new immigrants were coming to Vancouver. If they were to go into a café that was filled with people who chose to keep to themselves, remaining in an eerie silence and refusing to socialize unless necessary, that would not be a very welcoming sight.

 

However, others prefer to keep to themselves and only converse with the people they know. Ian Tostenson of the B.C. Restaurant Association says that it’s a nice idea but doubts it will change much. Many people like to go to a restaurant with the people they know and talk to the people they know, not with strangers who decide to take a seat next to them and have a conversation. It is found to be surprising that the Canadians who are friendly, willing to give a tourist directions or help with a flat tire, find the common joy of food to be too intimate to share.

 

I think this is a great idea for people who are outgoing and willing to have a conversation with someone they just met, and it can definitely help to bring people together, making any place more engaging. However, I find it uncomfortable when I am seated at a table next to another group of people. There is no conversation, yet I still feel awkward about their presence. I have no objections to being friendly and engaging, but I find that eating is not something I would do with someone I do not know very well. There are people who enjoy talking to others in an act of friendliness, but there are also those who feel shy and awkward, and do not wish to socialize with strangers. I think this should happen in Surrey, but not throughout the entire year. It would be good for everyone to come together and socialize, and for the people who are shy, for them to step out of their comfort zone and have a friendly chat with someone. However, if this event went on at someone’s favorite café or restaurant every day, specifically someone who does not feel comfortable in engaging in conversations with strangers over a meal, it could prevent them from not wanting to come back. Before the event starts, they could have possibly gone there every day. But if they were put in a position that they were not comfortable with, surely they would not want to return. If you like to converse with strangers, go to a café or restaurant that has communal tables. If you do not, you are not being forced to eat and engage in conversation with strangers. Although it is recommended, it is not necessary if you do not want to attend.

 

Links For Information:

Vancouver Sun News Article

CBC News

BC Living

communal dinning in restaurants? Should we have them in surrey?

  Communal dinning started in a restaurant downtown Vancouver. The restaurant has  put a long wide table for everyone to sit in. Most people get amused by what they see but the crowds do not interact. people find that sitting near or beside a stranger you will socialize but sometimes people like to eat individually or just with group of friends alone from other people. As this restaurant puts a long table where everyone sits to socialize it could get tighter and uncomfortable to most people. How would people that cant stand tight spaces sit in a table that is crowded with chairs. there are some minor problems because families like to sit together as a group not crowed with strangers, but for the younger people that like to communicate and socialize with one and another. It also gets people to bond together and engage to opportunities with each other.
 
  The problem is that the fact that u don't get to eat enjoy your dinner without anyone looking at you because people like there privates and personal space. So far in Vancouver there are 16 restaurants that have the long table for communal dinning.

Salty tongue- in Vancouver  

 
  I think communal dinning in a long table is a bad idea because as a family its nice if your sitting alone together instead of sitting with strangers but there are good thing that you can do sitting on a long table is that you communicate and socialize with strangers but also have a good time. Which will make the restaurant/ pub popular because of how many people talk about how much fun it is to dine and engage to people. This would be a good idea but i think it would be better if it only stayed in Vancouver because in surrey most people go to restaurants with a group/friends and mostly families. This depends on the people themselves but I think they should just leave it as it is because if people want to dine with strangers they could connect the tables together but if not its should stay as a regular sized table for families or friends that could eat alone and at their own time.



click here to see more about communal dinning 

More information on Vancouver's foodster website