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This is my journey
Sonoma Moreland

Throughout life we all face struggles seeking to understand our

identity. We endure lifes roller coaster of unforgettable devastations and
greatest achievements. Sometimes life doesn't turn out the way we want;
but if we work hard, keep pushing, and stay determined then we might be
surprised to find that we can still be happy where it leads us. This is my
journey.
Everyone seems to have some sort of troubling times growing up. For
me, Id say, it was more than others. It started with my weight; it held me
back from making friends at school and being accepted by my family. As I
grew older, it only got harder to deal with. My family was atrocious with how
they treated me. My younger brother bullied me to the point where I cried
myself to sleep every night. To my family, he was the golden child and was
placed on a pedestal. He was successful throughout school, exceeded in
extracurricular activities, and even today the man has no enemies. This
made him the apple of my parents eye. He was my biggest competitor. I
competed with him for the support of my own parents. After graduating high
school, he received a full scholarship to the University of Kentucky where he
now works for the football team, giving free tickets to any game my parents
ever wanted. This has made him exceptional. My parents could gloat about
him for hours.
Only graduating one year earlier, I was accepted to Northern Kentucky
University (NKU) but this still didnt give me enough credit with my parents.
They still viewed me as weak and insubordinate. They never would mention
the goals I had already achieved or the kind heart I shared with others. This
sent me into a deep depression. After only one semester at NKU, I found
myself struggling with pushing myself to finish out the year. By the end of
the second semester, I was failing all of my classes. You can only imagine
what my parents thought then. This made them reach a decision that led me
on a different path then most young adults. They gave me an ultimatum of
either going back to college and completing my degree or applying for a full
time job and start paying rent. Deep down, I knew it was not my time to go
back to college. I knew I could not stay focused to complete my work;
especially without any support. So, I took the second option they offered and
started applying for a full time job. Only a couple weeks later, I found myself
now working for a non-profit organization, Meals on Wheels, as a secretary. I
felt a sigh of relief landing this job. I hoped my parents could see that I was

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Major Papers
trying; but it devastated me when they only
became even more distraught. They believed
that right after graduating high school, you move
on to college, and then begin working full time.
Since I wasnt doing things in the order they
liked, they were not happy.
After a year passed, I was still trying to find
comfort. I was reaching out every which way for
some sort of acceptance. Along the way, I ran
into a long lost friend. We began reminiscing
about how good life was when we were younger,
how we faced the struggle of finding matching
socks and not bills. We talked for hours, him and
me. We soon began dating. He was everything I
was looking for, acceptance, support, and love.
With him now standing behind every decision I made, the next would change
my life for the better. With fall approaching, I knew I had to step it up. This
was my time to face all of the obstacles college was to throw at me. After
days of research and weighing all of my options, I finally applied at the
University of Cincinnati. Not only was it a top school for the Criminal Justice
program, but now living in Mason, Ohio, it was located nearby.
Just in this past year alone, I have achieved some self-oriented goals. I
found the love of my life, refocused on graduating college, landed a job as an
officer at a detention center, dedicated my life to Jesus, and am now living
on my own. These achievements have made me realize that I never needed
acceptance by anyone. Even though I didnt take the approach my parents
wanted, I didnt need their support. I was strong enough to stand on my own,
strong enough to push myself to better my future. As every young adult, we
still face struggles to find our strength. With this, I continue to share my
testimony with others; you never know who it could inspire.
Life is about the path, the road, the journey we all pave ourselves. The
enthusiasm towards bettering my future also comes with the territory of
making amends with people I have tried to avoid in the past. I know that if I
dont forgive and forget, I will not truly by free. They are what made me who
I am today. This had to start with my parents. Making them realize that they
were the root of this evil, is like expecting a lion not to eat you because you
didnt eat him. I knew it wasnt going to be easy but I had to start
somewhere. I know its going to be a daily task to improve our relationship; it
seems to be going great thus far. After them acknowledging the confidence I
had in myself, they began to realize that I am a strong and independent
woman who doesnt need the approval of others. This in itself was an
accomplishment. Next, it had to be my brother. After my parents pinned us
against each other, what little we have of a relationship is left mangled and

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non-existent. He and I have decided to look at life very differently. With this, I
know its going to be one of the hardest things Ive had to confront. We
probably wont be stable for quite some time, but this is a goal to keep
striving towards.
Inspiration can be defined as to influence or impel another. I have been
inspired throughout life by several different people. One of them I have never
even met. Her name is Dawn Loggins. I once read an article about her
college success story, A homeless student to Ivy League college. Loggins
was a teenage girl who craved support from her absent minded parents.
They became drug addicts that neglected to raise their daughter. Loggins
beat the odds and was very successful throughout her schooling. She
became an honor roll student that landed a job as the school janitor. Loggins
wound up doing so well in high school, she was offered to attend a summer
camp program; but was devastated when she found her parents had
vanished upon her return. She was left with nothing. Only a young teenage
girl, she was now homeless. Trying to exceed the teachers expectations as a
student, Loggins had to complete her assignments by candlelight. Noticing
something was wrong, her teachers reached out to help her through this
troubling time. They not only provided her a place to live, but eventually
helped Loggins get into Harvard, her dream college.
Not as severe, but much like Loggins, we are very similar; not having
that support we needed at home but still having the drive and dedication
towards pursuing our dreams. Loggins didnt let anything stand in her way.
Her journey will inspire me for years to come. I can only testify to others in
hopes mine will do the same.

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The Effect of Bystanders

Sonoma Moreland

Our reactions are shaped by the reactions of others- all too commonly
by their inaction. Our emotional behavior is a sign of our continuing concern
how to respond to an emergency situation. The bystander effect,
or bystander apathy, is a social psychological phenomenon that refers to
cases in which individuals do not offer any means of help to a victim when
other people are present. The probability of help is inversely related to the
number of bystanders. Moreover, the greater the number of bystanders, the
less likely any one of them will help. Ambiguity, cohesiveness and diffusion of
responsibility are several variables helping to explain why the bystander
effect occurs. Due to these five characteristics reported by scientists,
bystanders go through a cognitive and behavioral process: notice the
commotion, interpret the situation as being an emergency, degree of
responsibility felt, form of assistance, implement the action choice. This
study was showcased by researchers Bibb Latane and John Darley.
In the early hours of one cold winter morning, I was awoken by the
aroma of fresh brewed coffee. This morning, so far, was like any other;
organizing the needed accessories to rush off to work. Since my car was a bit
older, the need to get the engine running for a couple of minutes was a
necessity. As too much of my surprise, as I approached the car I could tell
something wasnt right. The front of the car was leaning towards the left; I
had a flat tire. For the next twenty minutes, I was crouched over, feeling like
a mechanic, trying to unbolt the screws to replace the flat with a spare

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stored in the trunk. Forty minutes pass by, then an hour; I cant feel my
fingers at this point. I ran back inside, trying not to get upset when thinking
why is this happening to me.
Finally stable, I gather myself trying to hurry to not be late for work.
Living in an apartment, I have several neighbors to ask if I needed help; if
only I would have. Because it was so early, I had decided to keep to myself.
Just as I was certain on not asking, one after another they trickled out of their
abodes to accompany their cars. I was stunned to find they only observed as
I tried to change this tire; like I was an animal at the zoo. Not a single person
stopped to ask if I was alright. Time elapsed and I finally got the job
accomplished; my spare was bolted down. Even though I was still a half hour
away from work, I was doing well with time management.
Construction on the roadways seemed to be very popular during this
time of the year; which boggled my mind as to why they would start a
project in the dead of winter. This made the route to work horrendous; parts
of the highway were shut down and the back roads werent any better. I had
only hoped the spare would hold for my navigation to and from, but of
course, the tire didnt stand a chance with the roads unpaved. Turning off the
exit and only a half mile out from my destination, I heard a loud crash. My
spare tire collided with an enormous pot hole. This was devastating. I was
stranded without another tire to replace, and no way of getting to work.
Thinking about all of my options, I decided to call my manager for help. The
mornings, at work, were our busiest time. This means I would have to wait to
be rescued for another thirty minutes.
Placed off the side of the road next to a scrapping company, I observed
the next shift of workers staggering into the entrance of the building. Much
like my neighbors that morning, the workers only stood by and watched as I
sat on the rear of my car with the lights flashing, pointing and whispering to
each other. Again, not a single person asked if I was alright. Twenty minutes
pass by and finally a nice gentleman approached; he asked how I was doing.
I felt a sense of relief when I had told him about the morning I had overcome.
He then assisted with calling a tow truck driver. He waited along the side of
the road with me until they arrived. Only when his co-workers noticed his
compassion towards helping me, then did they decided to approach the
situation; but by that time, I didnt need their help.
Concluding with, our actions are shaped by the reactions of others-all
too commonly by their inaction. This psychological phenomenon is displayed
when three other victims and their tragic situations become headliners.
Beginning with the first article, 38 who saw murder didnt call the
police. The events reported took place on March 14, 1964. For more than
half an hour 38 law abiding citizens in Queens, New York watched a killer
stalk and stab a woman on three separate occasions located in Kew Gardens.

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The killer was frightened during the first two attempts by the chatter and
sudden glow of the neighbors bedroom lights leading him astray. With each
attempt, he sought her out and stabbed her repeatedly. Not once did the
citizens phone the authorities until after the final, fatal, attempt. The
detectives were stunned. They stressed how simple it would have been to
have gotten in touch with them; quoting a phone call would have done it.
Today, witnesses from the neighborhood find it difficult to explain why they
didnt call the police. Detectives reported the people finally arose as the
ambulance came to escort the body of Kitty.
The second article titles Deadly Chatter. In the early hours of January
12, a young man named Brandon Vedas was sitting by himself at his
bedroom computer, but he was hardly alone. He was logged on to an online
chat room filled with devoted drug users. They would cheer each other on to
take as many drugs as it would take to pass or black out; it was now
Brandons turn. As they cheered him on, he downed one prescription pill
after another while smoking marijuana. As dawn approached, the dangerous
game was taking a toll on Vedas; with a half dozen other chatters watching
via Webcam. Minutes after gloating about how hardcore he was, he lost
consciousness. This time it was fatal. According to the transcript of the chat
room, several of his online pals did send some warnings during the two-hour
binge, but yet not a single person actually called the police. What is the
world coming to when people are watching someone die on a Webcam?
asks Vedas mother, Nancy Russell. If only someone had encouraged him to
get help, then maybe he would have just overdosed. Brandon would be in
counseling right now, instead of dead she stated. Late that morning, Russell
found her late son spread across the bed with prescription bottles lining his
body. I was so oblivious to what he was doing says Russell. Nancys last
statement reported Were hoping his death will make people more aware of
whats going on around them.
The last article publicized, Why people dont help in a crisis. How can
so many people watch another human being in distress and do nothing? Why
dont they help? Since scientists have started to research on bystander
responses to emergencies, they have reported many explanations for the
lack of intervention in such cases. Once scientists looked closer at the
behavior of witnesses to tragic incidences, the people involved begin to
seem less inhuman and a lot more like the rest of us. As part of a study,
scientist stage many different emergencies to show the presence of the
bystander. Concluded by the study, people who failed to report the
emergency showed few signs of the apathy and indifference thought to
characterize unresponsive bystanders. Scientists found that a bystander to
an emergency is an anguished individual in genuine doubt, wanting to do the
right thing but compelled to make complex decisions under pressure of
stress or fear. The study resulted in that we all are that bystander; caught up
by the apparent indifference of others, we may pass by an emergency

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without helping or even realizing that help is needed. Once we are aware of
the influence of those around us, we can resist it. We can choose to see
distress and step forward to relieve it.
A new approach on the bystander effect is not why didnt bystanders help
during an emergency but their attitudes toward the victim and who is even
worth helping. Reported in this next article, Bystander attitudes toward
victims of violence: whos worth helping? scientists monitor numerous
studies to answer just this. Most studies examining bystanders' reactions to a
violent attack have used an experimental or hypothetical situation involving
a single victim. Scientists created a study that compares the intention to
intervene on behalf of three hypothetical victims: a woman, a child, and a
dog. Surveying over 700 college students, they found that there was not a
significant difference in intention to intervene by type of victim. However,
there was a significant interaction between the sex of the bystander and the
type of victim, such that women are most likely to intervene on behalf of
children, while men are most likely to intervene to aid a woman stated by
one scientist. They conclude with people who perceive themselves to be
stronger, more aggressive, and more sympathetic than others are most likely
to intend to intervene.
With each articles discussed, they all share similarities. Although
summarized, the articles narrate bystanders who witnessed a horrific event
but did not realize that help is needed; relating back to my own personal
situation as well. The quote I always wondered why somebody didnt do
something about that. Then I realized I am somebody, inspires almost every
present character judgment and decision I endure today.