Research Essay:

1. Read essay 

2. Fix gramatical errors

3. Add some of the pictures I took between paragraphs

4. Add more sentences to shorter paragraphs

5. Add some examples

6. Ask friends to proofread my essay

7. Fix the stuff that my friend’s suggest I should change

8. Look back on the paper “Steps for Revising Your Paper.” Can I answer all the questions on that paper? If not, add more changes to essay so I can answer all questions 

9. Re-read the whole essay one last time.

I feel that my essay is well written and there are a few minor changes to make. This essay has a word count of 1,912. 

At the beginning of the semester my first blog post was on communication in the 21^st century. I brought up the point that almost all communication involves some sort of cellular device or revolves around using the Internet. My understanding hasn’t changed all too much, except for the fact that everything is changing. Ways that people communicate are always evolving the more time goes on. Communication started with human messengers delivering letters to people, or people just having to personally go and talk to the person they wanted to communicate with. Communication has changed immensely throughout the years, because now we send text messages that get to the receiver within seconds. My understanding of communication has not changed very much since the beginning of the semester. I still think that communicating through texting and calling, or Facebook and twitter, is very useful and faster than emailing or sending a letter. But my understanding has changed slightly because of the safety of each of these ways of communicating in certain situations. For example using such ways of communication while driving or walking around.

In 2007, Washington was the first state to pass a law that banned texting while driving. My understanding has changed because I know that using some of those forms of communications can be dangerous and harmful. I know the risks and it makes me more appreciative that sending letters is still something that people do. Though at the beginning of the semester I feel like I was more for using cell phones and social networking sites I have evolved my understanding and opted for sending letters when its not an emergency. Sending more letters can also evolve my writing and grammar, as well as help me articulate something worth reading. I believe writing letters makes a person put more thought into their writing, and writing something worth reading and keeping. Overall my understanding of communication has slightly changed over the course of the semester.

One of my favorite posts this semester was where I had to create my own advertisement and do a research essay. I did my research essay on energy drinks and their effects on people when they drink them. I really enjoyed researching energy drinks and finding out all the bad effects that can happen to people. Now that I know all the bad effects from all types of energy drinks, it makes me not want to drink them, as well as share what I know about them with other people. I think that it is a really good idea that people know what they are putting in their bodies, before they actually do. Another one of my favorite blog posts was when I had to create an advertisement for a product that I use constantly, which is my iPhone. My phone is something that I always have on me, whether I am communicating with friends and family, or surfing a social networking site, or just browsing around. This was one of my favorites because I got to write about something that was important to me and meant a great deal to me. I find it easier to right about something that I’m really invested in and that interests me. I think that it is easier to write about a topic that you know, rather than something you know nothing about.

A blog post that was something I didn’t enjoy as much was when wrote about the primary research. I didn’t find that enjoyable and it wasn’t something that was easy to write about because I didn’t have much knowledge in the research. Another blog post I didn’t really like was the consumer essay because I already know what type of consumer I am. For me it was hard to explain what type of consumer I was, because I didn’t really have to words for it. I liked taking the pictures for it because I thought they were easier but sometimes I didn’t think that it expressed the type of consumer I was in the right way. I know from experience what its like to not have a lot of money to spend on everything I want. From that I learned good consumer ways to buying things on sales and asking myself if I really needed something. Overall I liked expressing what type of consumer I was but I didn’t like reviewing it and writing an essay about it.

Something about posting in a blog that I really enjoy is taking pictures for our posts because I really enjoy taking photos. I feel like pictures are really expressive and can convey things that words cannot. The reason I liked the ones I listed more than others were because I got to write about something that interested me and was an easy subject. When something is interesting then I think the words flow out more and it is not as hard to try to come up with something to say. Overall there was some blog posts that I really enjoyed doing while there were others that I didn’t enjoy as much.

I am not entirely sure how I would define myself as a writer as a whole. I know I am the type of person that likes to write about something that really interests me. If the topic is interesting or something I know then it is easier to write about it and I do not have to think as hard. Personally I do not like to write very much if it is a boring subject, but if I can relate to tit then it is easier to produce words about it.

As a thinker, I would define myself as someone who likes time to have time to think about something and also build off of other people’s ideas. I like to work with groups because then you can throw out ideas and really get your creative juices flowing. Where someone can give one idea and you can add on to that or refine it and make it better. I also like to have time to think about something, instead of having to come up with something right on the spot. I’m the type of thinker that comes up with ideas when I’m walking home from class or doing a different activity at another time of the day, and the idea will just hit me.

The type of inventor I am depends on what I am trying to come up with. When I need to think of something I need time to put something together and get my creative juices flowing. I think ideas for inventing things come at the times when you are not trying to think of them. Overall, I do not know how to define myself as an inventor other than someone who needs time and lots of ideas to create something. But, I also think that I like to try and fail, and then start something new and make it successful.

After going through what type of writer, thinker, and inventor I am I think that I have gotten to this point through everyone that we’ve talked about and done. Practicing writing and coming up with ideas I think makes a person more experienced. Doing everything we have done has expanded my knowledge and made me come up with new techniques of doing things. Overall, this had been a good and exciting semester that has really got me thinking and learning new things.

College can be a very stressful transition for many students. For many freshman students, high school was easier and not as stressful as college. With so many students stressing during college, we wanted to know how people deal with their stress. Our Invention mob was “How do you de-stress?” This project was focused on students who attend Washington State University that were in any year of college. Our goal was to talk to students we do not know who go to Washington State University and find out their methods. They are some students who relieve their stress in a positive way but there are also other who relieve their stress in a negative way. By de-stressing in a negative way, we mean partying every weekend and doing illegal drugs. These negative ways of de-stressing can harm your body in the process. Even though our main goal was to find out how students de-stress, we want to go above and beyond that. Another goal for this invention mob was to help students that de-stress in a negative way, hopefully change their methods and de-stress in a positive way.

 To accomplish our goal of finding out how students de-stress we used different techniques. Because our invention mob was “How do you de-stress?” we wanted to physically see how students de-stress instead of having people tell us what they do. The first technique we used was asking our friends. This was very easy for us because our friends were always willing to help us. Our friends then helped us out by telling their friends about our English project, which got other people interested in what we were doing. Our original plan was to start off by going to the CUB and sparking a conversation with students we don’t know and talk to them about de-stressing while they were walking by. This plan didn’t have a lot of success because of several reasons. First many students did not want to talk to us about de-stressing, or didn’t want to bother stopping and talking to us in the first place. Another issue that came up was that people did not always want they’re picture being taken. Since they did not want their picture taken, we simple said “thank you” and moved on. Little did they know, they were probably at the CUB to de-stress. Whether it was going to get something to eat, shop in the Bookie, or simply relax at a table and talk with friends; which were all ways people de-stress. The third technique we tried was making a Facebook group with students who attend WSU. In the Facebook group we posted a little summary about the purpose of this project along with a group member’s email. Each member in our group invited as many students as they could into this Facebook group that went to WSU. Students were then asked to either post how they de-stress or take a picture of them de-stressing. We posted a group member’s email so students could send their pictures to us. The last technique we used was making a survey and passing it out to a class of about 75 people. On the survey, students had to pick a way that they distress. If the ways they de-stress were not on the survey they would circle “other” and write how they de-stress. The choices they had to choose from were based off of the 20 pictures we got from our friends and strangers from the Facebook group.

 We decided to use the Facebook group and survey method because the word would get out faster, and that way more people would be able to get involved. Our classmates liked our invention mob idea the first time we presented and they gave us some positive feedback as well as said that they would participate if they were asked. We ended up not getting a lot of feedback from going to the CUB so we decided to change the process up a bit and stick with the Facebook group and the survey idea. Using Facebook and the survey allowed us to accomplish more because we were able to find out the top five ways people de-stress. Based off that we figured out the top five ways students de-stress by using our pictures from friends and strangers and the survey and grouping them together. The survey helped more because we were able to find out how both females and males de-stress. With the pictures we received, there was not a lot of males that sent in pictures or wanted their picture taken. Girls loved taking pictures so that was not an issue and we got a lot of response from the girls.

 During the invention mob process I used several different writing skills. One writing skill that I used was taking in past inputs and including that in my writing. From writing past essay’s and posts, I was given feedback on how to improve writing and things I should or should not add into my writing for the essay. I used those types of helpful tips to influence my writing skills and help my writing evolve for the future past the invention mob. Another writing skill I used was revision. On our blog, we have four tabs. The four tabs are purpose, product, process and persuasion. We all wrote in these four tabs and before we made our final PowerPoint, I went through and revised them further. I fixed grammatical errors as well as adding and deleting some sentences, which I like to do in all writing. Doing this helps me revisit what was written and lets me add things that I may not have thought about before.

 In our invention mob, we experienced success and failure. With failure, comes change. Our successful experiences included getting all of our pictures put up in time, getting students to participate and have fun as well as our group finding some enjoyment as well with our invention mob. As a group, we were able to work well together. Having four people in the group made it easy because the work was split up evenly. Each person would contribute whatever he or she wanted to, and we were able to find common ground and agree what each group member’s responsibilities were. Getting a student to participate in our invention mob was not too difficult because it was easy and fun. I thought our invention mob was enjoyable because we got to interact with students that we did not know, and were able to find out different ways they de-stress. Some of the ways students de-stress helped me in the long run, because now I have more ways I can de-stress and more de-stressors to share with other people. One of our failures was getting people from the CUB to participate in our project. I think a reason why some students did not want to participate was because they may have been trying to get somewhere or didn’t want to stop and talk, or were alone and didn’t want to participate without group support. Students that had a group of friends with them would easily participate because they were not alone. Because we did not have much success there, we had to change our way of persuasion and student involvement. We then had friends of friends help us out a little more. These friends of friends were considered strangers to us because we did not know them personally. We also went to a classroom and passed out a survey to students to get more input from strangers.

 There were many factors that played a role in helping to accomplish our task of finding out how people de-stress. Some of these factors include my English teacher, Dr. Leeann Hunter, my English 101 class, Facebook, the written survey, group members and the students who participated in our project. My English teacher and classmates critiqued our project, as well as gaving us some feedback to help make our invention mob more successful in the long run. Facebook helped make this project more successful because it allowed a larger expanse of students from Washington State University to post and send in pictures of how they de-stress. By writing up a survey, this enabled us to have more participants as well as more honest answers, because the survey was easy. All students had to do was circle one or two of the options that helped them de-stress. There was a wide range of selection, such as hanging out with pets, baking, paintballing, working out, drinking coffee, going out with friends, playing video games and getting nails done. Some other options they could have chosen were being with family and friends, eating food, listening to music, arts and crafts and “other”. In “other” the students could write whatever he/she does to de-stress. The survey results helped us narrow down the top five ways WSU students de-stress, which was one of the goals we wanted to accomplish during this project. My group members also helped accomplish our task because without them it would have been a little harder to get all these pictures. As a group, we discussed the process and how we were going to make this project successful. We put all of our ideas together and collaborated well. Overall with the help of all our participants, classroom feedback, and group members we were able to complete a successful invention mob.

            Have you ever thought about what energy drinks could potentially do to your health? Many people don’t think about this kind of stuff when consuming food and drinks. Drinking energy drinks has been an issue that has recently come up quite a lot. It is a topic linked to high school and college students. But why do so many adolescents drink energy drinks? Energy drinks are supposed to provide people with an increased energy level that will keep them active and alert. If a student is working on homework late at night they will end up drinking an energy drink to help them stay up. Because energy drinks are so popular, there are side effects that we need to be aware of. Though the only positive thing about drinking energy drinks is having an energy boost, there are negative side affects that come along such as becoming exhausted, dehydration, and weight gain.

            Energy drinks contain many ingredients in which people are not familiar with. According to Carolyn Roy-Bornstein’s article, Just Say No To Energy Drinks, the drinks may even contain even more caffeine than what is listed on the label. With this, the main ingredients in energy drinks are caffeine, sugar, B Vitamins, Ginseng, Ginkgo Biloba, L-Carnitine and L-Theanine. Each ingredient has its own potential side effect. If you ask around, most people would not be able to tell you what ingredients are in energy drinks. The one that most would be able to tell you are caffeine and sugar.

            Mandy Rath, author of the article, Energy Drinks:What Is All The Hype?,” argues the fact that many people are unaware of the dangerous risks that energy drinks have on people and that we need to recognize the potentially harmful health effects that can occur with excessive energy drink consumption. She also discusses the facts about energy drinks, the major ingredients, the perceived benefits and the associated adverse health effects. Since so many adolescents and young adults drink energy drinks, it has become a great concern in regards to overall health and well-being. About $2.3 million dollars are spent on energy drinks from consumers such as teens and young adults. If people knew about all the dangers of energy drinks, I think they would change their mind about picking up and drinking another energy drink.

            Caffeine is the most common energy drink ingredient and it is also one of the most widely consumed substances in the world. This ingredient causes a lot of problems. It can cause people to have high blood pressure, heart palpitations, dizziness, nervousness, jitters and painful withdrawal symptoms if not consumed. Most energy drinks are high in sugar, which can also be called “glucose.” Sugar causes obesity, tooth decay, increased risk of type two diabetes and a spike of energy, which later results in a “crash like” feeling. B Vitamins, such as Niacin (B3) and B6 can cause flushing of the skin, liver toxicity and nerve problems. Ginseng is an ingredient that is linked to sleeplessness. Some other possible symptoms include: headaches, appetite suppression, low blood pressure, palpitations and insomnia. Ginkgo Biloba is a herb that can cause minor side effects such as nausea, diarrhea, headaches, dizziness, heart palpitations and restlessness. L-Carnitine can cause vomiting, nausea, headaches, stuffy nose, restlessness and sleeping difficulty. L- Theanine is an amino acid derived from green tea which produces a different type of alertness than caffeine.

            Many high school and college students drink energy drinks. Some popular ones that students tend to drink are Red Bull, Monster, Full Throttle and Nos. Students drink energy drinks because it helps them stay up during long nights of working on homework. Energy drinks are supposed to give you a boost of energy to help you stay awake and alert but in reality, this energy boost actually wears off in less than a couple of hours. The is high amount of caffeine in energy drinks can cause energy to spike but then it will cause you to become exhausted and crash. After the first boost of energy is gone, students will then grab another energy drink to help the stay awake. Drinking energy drinks late at night will become a habit and sooner or later the person will drink them for any reason. The caffeine in the energy drink leads to dependence and withdrawal symptoms.

            The caffeine in energy drinks is just like the sodium in soda, it makes you want to drink more. Since the flavoring in energy can be addicting to some, athletes and students will drink energy drinks whenever they feel thirsty. The flavoring in energy drinks are made up of sugar and other ingredients that all have their own side affects that aren’t controlled substances, and are potentially harmful in large amounts. Some people drink an energy drink before working out because they think it will power up their workout. The energy drink will then cause you to become more dehydrated because you are working out and sweating. In the article, Liquid Fuel: Measuring Up Sports and Energy Drinks, by Heidi McIndoo, Heidi talks about hydration basics, contents in sports drinks, and energy drinks. A lot of athletes want that “energy boost” when working out. Heidi McIndoo explains that if you’re only working out for about 20 minutes that water is probably the best thing your could drink. If you workout for more than an hour, or for less than an hour but very intensely than you can hydrate yourself wisely with a sports drink. A sports drink includes drinks like Gatorade and Powerade, not energy drinks. According to this article, sport drinks contain a few ingredients that aren’t necessary for a low intensity workout. Along with sport drinks, energy drinks are another type of drink that is popular among athletes. Heidi explains that energy drinks such as Monster, Red Bull and Rockstar are popular as an everyday drink. She argues that these drinks should not be taken on a regular basis, but if we feel like having an occasional boost than we should drink a two ounce 5 hour Energy decaf, a two ounce 5 Hour Energy Original, an eight ounce Amp Energy Sugar Free or a sugar free Red Bull.  

            Weight gain is another side effect of drinking energy drinks. Drinking energy drinks frequently will easily cause you to gain weight. With the high amount of sugar contained in these drinks, it will give your body a lot of unneeded calories, which causes you to gain weight. Your body will also consume all the excess caffeine and carbohydrates. Plus, it is not like people will actually be working out after drinking energy drinks. They are mostly used to stay awake late at night. People are usually concerned about losing weight so why drink energy drinks if it makes you gain weight?

            Another commonly known side effect is tremor. Tremor is also known as shaking. After drinking an energy drink, you make feel your hands shaking. If too much caffeine is consumed then that is when you will experience shaking hands as well as various side effects. Some cans have two servings so it is important to read how much you are supposed to drink per serving. This can help reduce the risk of getting any of the possible side effects.

            In the article, Just Say Not To Energy Drinks, by Carolyn Roy-Bornstein, She starts off by talking about the popular energy drinks and the caffeine content in them. Caffeine content in some energy drinks can be three to five times more than what is in an eight ounce Coca Cola soda. Because of all the people that drink energy drinks, mainly high school and college students, energy drinks are the fastest growing U.S. beverage in the market. The reason why Carolyn wants people to say no to energy drinks is because of the effects they can have on you. Many people are unaware of the contents inside their drink. The main argument in this article is that Carolyn wants people to know what they are drinking and to be careful of how much caffeine you take in everyday. It is very important to know what you are consuming, and that is something most people do not do.

            Many people may not think drinking energy drinks is such a bad idea but there have been some serious cases reported. Drinking energy drinks can go as far as causing deaths. In October of 2012, Kenny Hummel died of alcohol poisoning. Kenny attended Washington State University and was in the mood to party one night. The energy drinks he had that night also played a role in his death. Kenny was mixing energy drinks with alcohol, which is a very bad combination. You may not know it but energy drinks can actually affect your body in many ways. Students, as well as other people, should really consider drinking less energy drinks.

            There are many side effects that come in hand with drinking energy drinks. In order of most common to least common, the top ten energy drink side effects are palpitations, tremors, agitation, gastrointestinal upset, chest pain, dizziness, paraesthesia, insomnia, respiratory distress and headaches. Even though these side effects are short term, they still have an effect on your body and health.

            Before you buy an energy drink, think again. If you read the nutritional facts on a Full Throttle can, you will find out that this bottle actually tells you not to drink this energy drink if you are under the age of 18 and that “too much caffeine may cause nervousness, irritability, sleeplessness and occasionally, rapid heartbeat.” After learning about all the effects of energy drinks, it is safe to say, we should not drink them frequently. Having an energy drink every now and then is not bad for our bodies. Having one every day or every week would be a different story. People should also be more aware of what they are drinking and acknowledge what is happening to people around them. Spending money on energy drinks is pretty pointless. You are going to pay up to five dollars for a boost of energy that will last you maybe an hour and a half. Buy energy drinks are not worth spending money on. As long as you’re healthy, your energy will come from a balanced diet, exercise and rest.

            In conclusion, as much as people enjoy drinking energy drinks, there aren’t many positive outcomes. The only positive outcome I can come up with is the energy boost, which doesn’t even last that long. If you think about all the negative effects that energy drinks have on you, why keep drinking them? One easy way is to get plenty of rest. We need to get at least 6-8 hours of sleep every night to stay healthy. Staying hydrated and drinking plenty of water everyday is also very important. Working out on a regular basis, and prioritizing your time so you don’t end up cramming and needing to stay up late. It’s like a chain affect, if you procrastinate then you have to stay up late at night and finish your work. When people stay up late, they feel as if they need more energy to get them through the long night. They then go get an energy drink and that’s where all these bad things about those drinks come in. This all comes together in one huge circle, so the way to avoid all of this is to stay healthy, prioritize your time efficiently, and stay away from energy drinks.

Over spring break I was very busy! I felt like I was always doing something. I spent my spring break in Bothell, Washington, with my friend Rachel. Her family was kind enough to let me stay with her for the whole week. I am so thankful to have her as a friend. We met in the beginning of the year and have been friends since. I love her like a sister! Here are some pictures from my spring break. 

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