U2 Picking the right college

Picking the right college is another reason why high school students tend to get stressed out. What happens when you’ve been accepted to every college you applied to and can’t make your decision any narrower? Well, go back to all the reasons why you applied to those colleges in the first place and see how each college compares to each other. Make sure to notice if any changes in your preferences that may have happened while waiting for the colleges to respond. Rank your priorities when it comes to colleges. Basically, what matters to you, and how much? Another helpful technique is revisiting one of your top contenders. Bring along some detailed questions to ask. Also, try to focus on the bigger picture here. Where do you want yourself to be in 4 years? Do you want to be drowned in debt, or starting off a new job? Figure out what college is going to give you what you want at the end. Remember that just because a school has academic prestige overall, doesn’t mean the specific department is all that well. Find out what college is going to give you the best education for your major. Obviously, aid rewards is a huge aspect when deciding on a college. Think logically. If college A is more expensive than college B, but college A gave a better aid reward, is it worth it? Some colleges give a higher renewable reward because they know it will be hard for students to graduate in just 4 years. In many cases, it takes a lot longer to graduate than just the standard 4 years. Don’t procrastinate when dealing with the pressure of picking the right college. Spend an average of at least a few weeks when making the big decision. College is definitely one of the big reasons why seniors in high school are stressed out.

U1 What has students so stressed out?

NPR says, “Almost 40 percent of parents say their high-schooler is experiencing a lot of stress from school, according to a new NPR poll conducted with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Harvard School of Public Health. In most cases, that stress is from academics, not social issues or bullying, the poll found.” That’s quite a lot if you think about it. Some stress is a good thing, but when students physically and mentally can’t go to school because of how overwhelming it may be for them, that’s a problem. From that study mentioned earlier, homework was a leading cause, resulting in an average 24%. Kelly Wallace, from CNN states , “Today's teens, unlike when I was growing up, can now compare their academic performance and everything else about their existence to other teens 24 hours a day through updates on Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat, you name the social network, and that only increases the stress.” So now a student’s not just worried about the homework, but the grades other students are getting. Another reason why students are so stressed out is because of their parents. Some parents don’t listen to their children; some parents push their child too much. Either way, parents add a lot of stress. “"Many parents demonstrate unhealthy coping mechanisms and live a full-blown stressed out lifestyle," said Lori Lite. “Teens learn and internalize these messages." Parents should try to set an example for their children. Being thirteen may be different than being thirty, but that doesn’t mean students don’t feel stressed, or even more stressed, as adults. Early habits of dealing with stress will carry on to their adulthood as well. Being stressed is common in high school, but the reasons for stress are all different. Teachers should keep in mind that maybe there’s a reason why that student is failing that class. Students come from all walks of life and many different backgrounds. What stressed one person out may not affect the other one at all.

Q2 How to get people to quit smoking?

One of the major controversies going on right now is CVS is refusing to sell tobacco products in stores. "Ending the sale of cigarettes and tobacco products at CVS/pharmacy is the right thing for us to do for our customers and our company to help people on their path to better health," Larry J. Merlo, president and CEO of CVS Caremark, said in a statement. "Put simply, the sale of tobacco products is inconsistent with our purpose." There is a huge problem with smoking right now. Our country complains about the health care system and how expensive it is, but then they go and put harmful substances to in their mouths that only increase their chances of scheduling an extra doctor’s appointment. People complain about how broke they are, but then the first thing they spend their money on is a pack of cigarettes that are only increasing in price. 

"This is an important, bold public health decision by a major retail pharmacy to act on the long understood reality that blending providing health care and providing cigarettes just doesn't match," said Dr. Richard Wender, chief cancer control officer at the American Cancer Society.

"As one of the largest retailers and pharmacies in America, CVS Caremark sets a powerful example, and today's decision will help advance my administration's efforts to reduce tobacco-related deaths, cancer, and heart disease, as well as bring down health care costs -- ultimately saving lives and protecting untold numbers of families from pain and heartbreak for years to come," Obama said in a statement Wednesday.

The health of our society is in the hands of the consumer. Will other pharmacies follow their lead? Probably not right away, but definitely within the next few years we will see a decrease in the sale of tobacco products at grocery stores and pharmacies.

Q1 "The Real Cost"

“Every day, more than 3,200 kids under the age of 18 smoke a cigarette for the first time. About 700 of those become daily smokers,” CNN states. The Food and Drug Administration plans on creating a campaign to target teenagers between 12 and 17 who have tried, or might try, smoking a cigarette. It’s called “The Real Cost,” and it highlights the many risks there are from smoking. There are television, radio, print, and online ads. “These ads show the costs of smoking, from skin damage to gum disease and from tooth loss to a loss of control over their lives because of from addiction,” CNN states. About 9 out of 10 regular smokers say they had their first cigarette by the age of 18. These ads rely mostly on “scare-tactics,” and for the most part actually have some effect. "We know from research that there is a group of youth -- 12 to 17 -- who are more vulnerable, partly because of the nature of their lives -- you know, chaotic lives, lots of stress, lack of control…Some live with smokers, "which dramatically increases the risk, and so we're hoping that we can potentially interrupt a deadly cycle," FDA Commissioner Dr. Margaret Hamburg says. CNN says, “Smoking as an adolescent can stunt growth, stain teeth and cause premature wrinkles, health officials say, and smokeless tobacco can cause mouth, esophagus and pancreas cancers. Studies have estimated that every cigarette smoked shaves 11 minutes off your life.” I don’t know about you, but that doesn’t sound pleasing in the least. From personal experience, many of my underage friends have claimed to only smoke while they are drinking. They say it “makes them feel even more drunk.” Is that a real thing, though? Personally, the scary ads that I’m exposed to aren’t what make me stay away from smoking. It’s the smell, the taste, the feel, and the cost of cigarettes. Who would want to put something like that in their bodies?

R1&2 How Facebook Has Changed Society

We all know the hype about social media and social networking. Almost everyone, and their grandmothers, are on Facebook. This is not entirely a bad idea. It's actually amazing the power that social media and networking have on our daily lives. Facebook is completely free to use, but how do they make their money? Advertisements are basically what has Facebook still alive and beating. You're scrolling through your news feed and see a suggested post from Facebook based on what you've searched. Which is really awesome! It might be a new hair product or a coupon for something you really wanted. Either way, Facebook is a great way to spread the love. It has been alive for about 10 years now, and it is estimated that about 1.2 billion use it. What does CNN have to say about what good Facebook has done? "Wedding announcements? Thing of the past. Birth announcement? Just slap an Instagram shot of that bouncing baby boy or girl on your timeline. Dating? Graduated? Bought a house? Got a puppy? Same deal. We take it for granted now, but the ability to share major events with all the people closest to you with a single click of the mouse is unprecedented. There were the Myspaces of the world before Facebook. But mom, your second cousin and Aunt Jenny weren't on them. And it's not just the good stuff, either. Changing that relationship status to 'single' can save you from those awkward 'How's Joey doing? You two are so cute together!' conversations." This is incredible. Information is spread in a blink of an eye, and suddenly your whole family knows what your GPA is. With the good comes the bad, though. Is there such a thing as oversharing? Do we really need to know what you had for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and the three snacks you had that day? What else has changed? CNN states, "When a site has 1.2 billion users (OK, we all know some of those are multiple or abandoned accounts, so let's say at least a cool billion) it's a pretty amazing database of the world's Web-enabled population. That means your odds of finding just about anybody are a heck of a lot better than they were 10 years ago. There have been the remarkable tales, like the woman who -- after years of failed efforts -- reunited after 44 years with her birth mother. How long did it take on Facebook? Two days. For most of us, it's less dramatic than that. Childhood friends who moved long ago, college roommates who drifted away, even former teachers who served as inspirations are now but a quick search away. There's no doubt we have friends because of Facebook that we wouldn't have otherwise." It's incredible how easily you can connect with people you haven't seen in years. Relatives you haven't seen in ages because they live in a different country are just a click away. What about the bad? Well sometimes, drifting apart isn't always a bad thing. CNN says, "Nostalgia is part of life. But, with Facebook, getting nostalgic about an old crush or flame could lead to a late-night Facebook message. Or, you know, a poke." How does that affect us personally? Well, "More than 80% of U.S. divorce attorneys say they've seen an increase in cases involving social media, according to the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, and one-third of all divorce filings last year contained the word Facebook, according to a survey by Divorce Online." As if divorce rates were climbing before Facebook interrupted. What is CNN's opinion on privacy? "For those willing to find and use them, Facebook provides tools that let you select who sees what. So, while grandma is welcome to look at those pics of the kids playing in the snow, she might not need to be privy to your strongly worded rant about the cable guy who is two days late. You can direct that one instead to buddies with a proper appreciation for your expansive vocabulary. Rival Twitter is designed by default to be a public forum, where you broadcast your 140-character pearls of wisdom to the world. Facebook allows that, too, but is more geared toward limiting your thoughts to certain family and friends."

"At the end of the day, Facebook benefits when you decide to share more openly. The details about your life that you share on Facebook are rounded up and compiled into a profile of you that helps advertisers target you with things they think you'll like....That, in a nutshell, is the entry fee to use this remarkable social tool. Yes, Facebook has changed the way we communicate. Whether it is truly cost-free remains another question," CNN states.

"Facebook published this map in 2013 that shows its global reach. The lighter a country or region, the higher its concentration of Facebook users (note the black hole of China). Some believe the social network has reached a saturation point and is poised for a decline, especially among fickle younger users."