Our first live exchange took place on December 5!
Thank you all for participating!
Where our stereotypes come from
Californians are said to be tanned, rich, relaxed / laid back and to smile a lot.
Sport is said to be very important in the US.
In films that take place in high school, football players and cheerleaders are very popular. In Glee, Finn is very popular because he plays football and Quinn or Santana are famous cheerleaders. The movie Forest Gump also represents this aspect of sport. The Superbowl is a big international event broadcast on French TV. By practicing a sport in school you can get a scholarship to study in a university.
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#31
I think the stereotype of popular cheerleaders and football players has mellowed out. In Diamond Bar High School, we are more worried about academics than sports
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#30
I don't really know simply because like some people, I don't really care about sports.
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#29
This is not so true since Diamond Bar is mostly asian and we don't really play sports.
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#28
I wouldn’t say sports are necessarily that popular, especially at Diamond Bar High, because everyone is mostly focused on academics and things like that.
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#27
Sports are not a huge deal in high school. They are a great way to get away from academics and find your group of friends but it's not like being a football player or cheerleader will make you super popular. Yes, you can get a scholarship to a school through sports. It's pretty common.
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#26
Yeah sports are incredibly large part of American society, but of course there are still people like myself who have no clue what's going on. Oftentimes people will use the various events as an excuse to just hang out.
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#25
It is very possible to get university scholarships if you play sports, but you do have to be pretty good at what you're doing. Not everyone is really into sports at Diamond Bar, as far as I know, but we do have the classic American football field and pep squad, etc. but, for example, I don't even know the rules for American football, so it really does depend on the person.
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#24
Sports are a big deal at school. However, not all people care about sports. I personally do not really care for sports. However, I will go to the game against our rival school because it is a fun place to hang out with my friends and just support our school.
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#23
Yes sports are indeed important in the U.S. A lot of times people who are good at sports become popular in school and have a higher chance of being accepted in college. Also, it is socially more acceptable to be fit and healthy. However, this does not apply to everyone because there are plenty of nerds who don't care about sports.
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#22
Yes, the sports teams are glorified at high schools. The cheerleaders are popular and Americans love the Superbowl.
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#21
It is true, you can definitely get a scholarship through sports. Many people love sports, but there are still a lot of people that do not like sports at all.
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#20
Yeah, sports are important and all but people like to make fun of our school teams (i.e. badminton isn't a sport, football is bad, etc.)
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#19
Sport is very important not only to get scholarships but also for better health. At our school, many of the students are involved in sports, sometimes more than one. However, there are still people who dislike sports for many reasons.
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#18
This is actually really true, however, there are also a lot of Americans that doesn’t like sports and have no idea what is going on.
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#17
Sports are important in the US due to American pride. Many colleges and universities do offer scholarships for them. However, many people do not care much about them. Many people, especially at Diamond Bar focus more on their grades and academic scholarships. Additionally, the stereotype about football players being popular is not always true, especially at Diamond Bar, where they are actually ridiculed for their poor performance.
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#16
That is very true, as in our school, we have an entire week to support our American football team to beat the rival high school. We have a rally and lunch events promoting the event. Not all sports are celebrated, but sports can help get scholarships, so many people take them.
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#15
This stereotype is very much true. Football is my favorite sport to watch because it is always quite exciting. Although professional and college football players are important public figures, the same cannot be said for cheerleaders at their level. It seems to me that cheerleaders have become less popular recently in professional football.
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#14
I would say people take sports very seriously.
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#13
Yes, sports are said to be very important in the U.S. . Us Americans take sports very seriously. Even though I am a cheerleader, I don't feel at all more popular than the rest of the students at my high school but I definitely see how you guys think that seeing TV shoes or movies.
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#12
This stereotype is really true in my opinion. For example, at Diamond Bar High School, many of the "classic American" sports teams like football, soccer, and baseball suck. However, they still think they are very cool even though they lose a lot. I think our football only won 1 game the entire season 1 or 2 years ago. Sports like badminton are neglected even though the badminton team is literally the most successful team in Diamond Bar High School. Also, your point about Glee is very important. In Glee, Finn is seen as very popular because he plays football, but he himself does not automatically take on that perspective. Because he struggles between committing to Glee Club or Football for popularity sake, we can see that many of the people who are "popular" do not automatically assume that ideology in which they are better than everybody else. As an avid Glee fan, this is a topic that I have researched and considered very closely.
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#11
I think sports are a large part of the “typical American” leisurely lifestyle. The Super Bowl and Rose Bowl are definitely probably the biggest sporting events for football as well as the Indie 500 for Nascar racing, and the World Series for baseball. It is true that many students participate in sports, and some are able to obtain scholarships when they play in high school. I personally don’t find sports to be the most important thing in the U.S, but I do enjoy participating in them and watching the large international sporting events like the World Cup and the Summer and Winter Olympics!
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#10
Sports are important in American schools and in America in general but I wouldn't say we're as crazy about it as they depict in TV shows. We do have really talented athletes/ sports teams and we have big events such as Branding Iron (for our school) or the Super Bowl (in America), but it isn't properly represented in shows. Sports don't determine the hierarchy of the school and it doesn't make you popular. But specifically at DBHS, I don't think many people care about sports. However, you can get sport scholarships for really elite universities/colleges.
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#9
Even though sports are kind of a « big deal » to colleges (due to colleges offering scholarships and such) sports aren’t important to everyone and doesn’t necessarily determine ones social status. Just because you play a sport, it doesn’t make you popular (which is a common theme in high school movies). In fact, from personal experience, a lot of people really don’t care much for sports, it just depends.
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#8
Sports are definitely a huge thing in the US! At the beginning of the school year, a lot of people attend Branding Iron, a football game against our rival school. It's a huge event, and a lot of fun! Besides our own school events, we have many famous sports teams that encourage spirit.
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#7
Football players and cheerleaders are indeed very popular in American high schools as depicted in movies and the Superbowl is the most watched sporting event here in the US. However, at our school, football is not as big as compared to other high schools or in the movies. If you are really good at a sport, universities will offer scholarships in an attempt for you to join their teams.
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#6
Sports play a huge role in American culture. However, I prefer to watch baseball over football. At DBHS, football is not our strongest sport and many students only attend one to two games a year. Instead, we go to basketball, volleyball, and water polo games.
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#5
Sports are indeed a major aspect of American culture. Americans become exposed to sports programs from a young age as high schools and even grade/secondary schools pride themselves in their sports teams. Excellent performance within such groups could lead to educational benefits, such as scholars and direct university recruitments. Professional sports matches are also celebrated, with leagues such as the NBA (Basketball) gaining international attention. Of course, the love for sports is not shared throughout the entire population.
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#4
You can get scholarships through sports, but also through intelligence. It is good of course to be active throughout your lifetime, but I believe there is more focus on academics and intelligence in America.
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#3
Sports are really important to Americans. Sports both unite Americans, because of a mutual love for the game. But also divide, since we probably support different teams. But not everyone is into sports.
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#2
For me sports is a big deal. I am a big football (American) fan. The stereotype that jocks and cheerleaders are the most popular is true but most of them are really nice. The superbowl is a big deal here and sports in general are huge, but maybe not as mich in Diamond Bar Highschool.
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#1
i despise sports but that’s a personal opinion, many people get super hyped about sports though so i see where this is coming from
Americans are said to be all overweight.
Americans are known for the large quantities of food they eat at each meal, which contributes to reinforce the representation of their consumer society. We have heard about the Heart Attack Grill in Los Angeles on TV, a place where you can eat for free provided you exceed a certain weight limit.
Besides, we have a lot of American fast food restaurants in France (McDonald's), which leads us to think that Americans eat a lot of junk food. In American TV shows like the Simpsons, many characters are overweight. Homer Simpson (who loves his donuts!) has shaped the image we have of Americans. In the series NCIS and Cold Case, we can see a policeman who eats donuts all the time in his car.
This stereotype comes from the media, more specifically documentaries about the American way of life that we see in France.
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#32
In general, people like to eat at fast food places, but there are a few who diet and become vegetarians
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#31
Yes. Junk food makes people fat although it tastes good.
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#30
No, not all Americans are overweight. Most people at our high school are relatively fit.
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#29
Yes, overweight people are very common here. Most people do not exercise regularly unless they are part of a sport or activity that requires it. Most people rely on cars for transportation so they don't walk long distances or ride the bicycle. I think in general people in America enjoy eating sweeter and saltier things. The flavors here are very extreme.
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#28
Yeah that's pretty accurate. Most people try to watch what they eat to an extent, but we still probably don't have the best habits. And I'd like to say that when it comes to food shows like The Simpsons are an exaggeration, but in many cases its not.
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#27
It's not a false stereotype, at least according to the statistics.
Our portions are large and cheap and fast food joints can be seen as close as next door to each other. KFC, McDonalds, In-n-Out, and many other fast food chains are simply too convenient.
Apparently, McDonald's signature colors, red and yellow, even makes people hungry psychologically, but, you know, capitalism -
#26
This is pretty accurate. In America, you will see giant portions of food being served. Also, the food may not be the most healthy. Usually healthier foods are more expensive. For some reason, we also have eating competitions to see who can eat the most food in the shortest amount of time. We do have some pretty good food though.
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#25
Most Americans eat a lot of fast food because of how inexpensive they are when compared to healthier food and they also taste good, so some people eat more of them. However, now many people aren't eating a lot of unhealthy food and are turning to healthier options, so this stereotype isn't as accurate as it once was
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#24
Well, U.S. is one of the leading countries in obesity but people are becoming more aware and taking steps to a healthy lifestyle. I've noticed that the new generation care more about their health than the previous millennial generation.
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#23
It’s a complicated problem, but fast food definitely does contribute to it. Fast food is just cheap and not very time consuming. There is also the fact that Americans rely heavily on cars and not their feet for transportation for practical reasons; the US is a big place, after all. It’s also important to remember that poorer areas of the US have higher rates of obesity so it’s a social issue, not just “these people make bad choices therefore they are fat”.
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#22
A lot of people are fairly healthy, but I agree that there is an excess of unhealthy foods that many people seem to love. Fast food is too commonplace in my opinion, which contributes to the image of obesity.
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#21
In my opinion people love fast food is because fast food can save us a lot of time and I think they taste pretty good also. If you want to eat healthy in LA, you can still find some place.
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#20
This is unfortunately very true. Many Americans suffer from diabetes and heart disease due to lack of exercise. There are many fatty foods in the United States.
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#19
Not all Americans are overweight. Americans are seen to be overweight probably due to the many fast foods we have in America. Many students also enjoy snacks that may not be healthy.
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#18
The obesity rate in America is fairly high due to the convenience of fast food. However, not all Americans are overweight. Many of us eat fairly healthy foods and exercise in order to stay healthy. Although many people eat junk food, they do not consume enough to become overweight. Additionally, some Americans are vegetarians and have diets to prevent obesity.
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#17
Fast food is certainly a part of American culture, and it definitely causes widespread obesity, especially to those who depend on the cheap, quick food for their meals every day. However, as your images say, fast food causes a large variety of food that is not found in many other places in the world. No matter what cuisine you crave, you can find a place nearby that sells it. There is something to eat for everyone.
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#16
I think this is true given that the United States have a high obesity rate (I think almost 40%). This puts the US one of the top 20 overweight countries. But In-n-out is good so it's all worth it.
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#15
This stereotype is true, but up to a certain degree. Because it is difficult for us to walk to many places since it is too far to walk unlike the convenience in France, we tend to drive everywhere, which can also lead to the laziness in walking or not going to the gym. However, there are some vegan fanatics or people who strive to eat healthy for the rest of their lives in the U.S. .
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#14
I think even Americans understand how unhealthy the food is, but the problem is that it tastes really good. Everytime I eat fast food, I feel guilty, but I still eat it because it makes me happy :)
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#13
There have definitely been several statistics showing that America has the highest number of people who are overweight, and I think that’s mostly true, but I also haven’t met mamy people who are overweight, and even if I have, I couldn’t say for sure. It is portrayed a lot in TV shows like “My 600 Pound Life” and other shows like that. Like others have said, junk food is found everywhere even if it’s healthier and “fat-free,” so junk food seems to be a lot more accessible and a lot cheaper too. Food portions in America are also so large, and many restaurants will put large portions but serve the food in large round plates, which is deceptive. So when a lot of people are hungry they might eat faster, and because the plates seem to make the portions looks smaller, they will order more food, which very possibly can lead to weight gain.
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#12
This stereotype is true to an extent. Fast food is more convenient, more accessible, and cheaper than "healthy" food. You can see heavier people in America; however, more people are eating healthier and are growing more aware of the rising health problems in America. People also have a variety of different food options that cater to their eating style but it really depends on that person.
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#11
First, I just want to point out that police officers don’t eat donuts all the time! That stereotype was made because donut stores used to be the only food places open at 5am (because cops work really early hours) so people assumed they just ate donuts. Also, not everyone is overweight, in fact I don’t know many people (besides some really old family members) who are really overweight. However, a lot of people eat junk food (unless they’re on a diet). I’ve noticed that a lot of Americans (not including myself) eat a lot of chips and cookies though not enough to make them over weight.
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#10
This is pretty true, but it is understandable why. Junk food is a lot cheaper than healthy food in America, and tends to be more filling. Junk food is also more accessible than healthy food and requires less work on your part. However, Southern California is filled with food-conscious people, we have a lot of vegetarian and vegan restaurants!
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#9
Here in the US, you will see more obese people compared to other countries. Also, the portion sizes here are huge, but majority of the people know how to control themselves. The media tends to portray the extreme cases of obesity in America, which are quite rare.
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#8
This is true for America in general, but in Southern California, especially LA, many people try to eat healthy. In fact there are many vegan restaurants and other healthy options.
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#7
This stereotype is not true, but there is abundant reasoning behind its claim. Over thirty percent of Americans are considered medically obese, and this is partly due to the excessive availability and cheap prices of fast food restaurants. Since items in these joints cost cheaper than healthier options (ex. McChicken = $1, Mcdonalds Salad = $5), many tend to buy the cheaper option, leading to unhealthy diets. However, many choose to eat healthily and have active lifestyles.
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#6
Americans indulge in a lot in junk food, making the stereotype somewhat true, but there are a lot health freaks in socal, so i guess it also depends on the area of the country.
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#5
I think that this generalization is true to a certain degree. However, I think many people these days are trying to live healthier lives.
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#4
Yes, though this stereotype isn’t true to the degree that most people in other countries point it out to be. Many Americans are overweight. This is due to the fact that food, especially fast food. Is inexpensive and easy to obtain. Also the fact that today, most Americans are employed in a field that is not labor intensive.
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#3
While we do l1ke to eat not all of us are overweight. Many of us try to keep in shape and workout. And we do eat a lot of junk food.
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#2
i’d say that there are certainly more overweight people here but most of the people you’ll see in america lean towards the thinner side due to an imbalance in diet. (hey i drew that as well)
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#1
Not all of them
All Americans are said to carry guns.
Americans seem to feel the need to protect themselves and their families. This right is protected by the 2nd Amendment to the Constitution. Some shops like Starbucks guarantees the right for their customers to carry guns openly. We feel like mass shootings happen every day as we read about them in articles and see them on TV news.
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#27
We are fighting about that amendment as we speak, so there's a significant amount who oppose the right to freely carry guns
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#26
There is nothing wrong with owning gun as long as you do not use it for sick purpose like taking people's lives.
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#25
No, most people in Diamond Bar don't carry guns at all.
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#24
This is a pretty sensitive topic in most parts of America. Most of my generation and democrats, in general, have become opposed to the second amendment and are in favor of banning guns. I personally feel that the issue is not in having guns but it is in the way that Americans view guns as a something that is cool or badass. I don't think guns would be popular if they were all required to be pink. In addition, the sale of guns is not regulated very well which means that it is very easy to get a gun without background checks. The veterans of the military are also not given the proper emotional support after being deployed and often return to America with mental health issues. There are many nations that allow citizens to carry guns but do not have mass shootings. The issue is in the culture of America as a whole. I don't know anyone that carries a gun with them every day. It's quite sad but mass shootings are so common that I have become desensitized to them. I can pretty much assume there will be another mass shooting about 4-6 months after the latest one. It is definitely something our generation will fix
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#23
For better or for worse, the 2nd Amendment of the Constitution doesn't seem to be going anywhere anytime soon.
Mass shootings are certainly a big issue in America today, and it is one of those controversial debates going around. However, not all people carry guns, especially those who have immigrant parents (whose home countries don't allow private ownership of firearms). However, as mass shootings continue to occur, there are people who feel safer if they owned a gun as well as people who feel that firearms should just be taken out of the picture. -
#22
While its true that many Americans carry guns, there are also many who don't and are against people carrying around guns in their everyday life. Currently there is a large divide in the country about whether or not gun control laws should be tightened or loosened.
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#21
Not all Americans carry guns. However, there are a lot of shootings that occur in America and people want to feel protected or want to protect their loved ones, so some will carry guns with them or have one at their home.
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#20
Even though there are occurrences of threats and actual incidents of mass shootings, not all Americans choose to carry guns wherever they go. Some stick to martial arts and other techniques for defense rather than carry a gun.
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#19
Not all Americans carry guns. This is a highly debatable topic but contrary to popular belief places in the U.S. with stricter gun control have higher crime rates than places with less gun control. A lot of people here in California and other liberal states hate guns because it can promote violence and also believe that not everyone should be allowed guns. With that being said, Americans like their guns because historically, guns are used for self protection and against government tyranny.
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#18
Not everyone here owned guns, but this kind of freedom also gives a chance to those crazy people.
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#17
Not all Americans feel the need to keep a gun around, but the truth about mass shootings is sadly true. It is allowed in our country to own guns, despite the growing number of shootings. The topic of gun control is highly controversial, as some of the states treasure the 2nd Amendment. It is quite sad.
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#16
This is not true since there is a law for guns. Also, not all Americans are into guns. Some may carry a gun to protect themselves, but others are not interested in that.
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#15
Although there have been various mass shootings lately, they actually do not occur very often. Many Americans do carry around guns for protection. However, I would not go as far to say that all of us do. Although their right to bare arms is protected by the 2nd Amendment, most people do not carry around a gun on a daily basis.
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#14
This stereotype is sadly true. America is one of the only countries in the world that has a notably high rate of school shootings. On the other hand, our country's constitution has an amendment that allows people to own guns. Because of this, gun control is a topic that is intensely debated in our society. In my opinion, guns are popular not only because people want protection and safety, but also because pro-gun organizations have constantly been promoting gun ownership.
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#13
The topic of guns in America has become a very sensitive and serious topic. For example, if you say the word gun at school or even outside of school you are suspected to know something or potentially have an armed weapon. Not everyone carries guns, however we have an Amendment that gives us the capabilities to own and carry them.
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#12
It definitely is scary that so many shootings happened, but as part of the 2nd Amendment, Americans are guaranteed this right. It has become a very sensitive topic in America, and rightfully so. The things that happen are really scary, but it isn't a problem with the guns. In my opinion, it is more about gun control and gun safety laws, like checking the mental stability of those who wish to carry guns. It has more to do with the person carrying the gun rather than the gun itself.
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#11
I’m not exactly sure how many Americans own guns, but for sure not everyone does. Many people own guns that do not require licenses like Airsoft guns, and many people also own firearms which do require licenses. Many people, especially those who live in areas where animals are frequently hunted (like the Midwest) use hunting guns, which also require a gun license. I don’t think a lot of people go out in public carrying guns because they feel like they aren’t protected. There have been several mass shootings as you have seen in the news, unfortunately.
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#10
Not all Americans carry guns but a lot more people own one in America than they do in other countries. Guns are extremely controversial and there are many differing view points on it. Mass shootings also occur too often but it's rare and extremely unlikely you'll see someone casually carrying a gun around on the streets.
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#9
Guns are a very controversial topic in America. In the end, it is up to personal preference of whether someone wants to own a gun or not. There are definitely some unsafer places, so it is understandable why some feel the need to arm themselves with a gun. I personally think that if we implement stronger gun control, then there wouldn't be mass shootings.
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#8
The debate over the 2nd amendment splits Americans along party lines. Some argue that gun control will reduce gun deaths while others claim that it is their right. Mass shootings do occur everyday, as there have already been more than 300 in the US since the beginning of 2018.
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#7
Not everyone in America are armed with guns, yet many are armed. Personally, I am strongly against this, as America is a heavily armed country and seems to be the only country dealing with mass shootings frequently.
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#6
A large portion of the population does not possess guns. Mass shootings portrayed on the media create the feeling that American schools are dangerous, but this is not true. They rarely occur and most students attend their schools feeling perfectly safe. However, gun control is an important issue that is constantly being discussed in the US.
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#5
I believe this is an issue that Americans are very split on. Many people are against guns and many are for guns in this country.
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#4
Though The United States is the most heavily armed country in the world. I can say that not everyone here is armed to the teeth. But our love for guns goes back to the founding of our nation.
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#3
This is kind of true. A lot of people do own guns and school shootings are a big problem here, but we do not go around showing off these guns. We also need a gun license before we can own a gun.
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#2
personally i wish that guns had stricter restrictions so that gun violence wasn’t so rampant throughout america but it’ll take a lot of time and money to get the NRA to step down and for the goevernment to enforce any gun laws
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#1
Not all but there are a lot of people who have guns, like my dad.
It is said that it's easy to become rich and famous in the US.
Usually an unpopular person that no one knows ends up being famous and loved by everybody. For example, in the movie Project X, there is a boy named Thomas who is a teenager turning 17. At school, no one likes him (he is even bullied). He has 2 friends. One of them organizes a birthday party at Thomas' and he invites everybody. People come even if they don't know Thomas. At the end the house is on fire and Thomas is now a popular kid.
We also watch the Kardashian family on French TV. They started from scratch and now they have become one of the most powerful families in the US.
The idea of the American Dream attracting immigrants to the US is popular in France but we think it's a myth due to inequalities in American society today. This dream has been represented in movies and literature.
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#29
I believe that you can become rich by working hard, but becoming famous is all based on luck and circumstances.
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#28
There is no pie falling from the sky. You have to work, work, work, work, work.
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#27
Like everywhere else in the world, you need hard work to be successful. We might have better opportunities, but hard work is still a must.
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#26
It is not that simple to become rich and famous in the US. Also, I think the Kardashians became famous through OJ Simpson's murder trial so they didn't exactly start from scratch. But there are definitely still "from rags to riches stories" such as Kendrick Lamar.
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#25
Of course, there are many stories of getting rich in America because of the meritocracy system we have in place here. However, I think nothing is 100% hard work -- there must have been some factor of luck in their overnight fame. Furthermore, the news only broadcasts the successes while the many more failures are overlooked.
Basically, the media is overexaggerating the American Dream. It isn't as easy as it looks. -
#24
There will always be those few rags to riches stories that happen, but they are still incredibly uncommon. It might be more common now that making connections is easier, but it still takes an incredible amount of work, and some luck, to become famous.
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#23
It is not that easy to get rich and famous. There are obviously exceptions. The Kardashians all got famous because their dad represented OJ Simpson in a court case. Now, they have their own makeup lines, modeling contracts, so on so forth. However, other people like Bill Gates or Mark Zuckerberg had to work hard to become rich and famous.
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#22
It isn't that easy to get rich and famous. If you work hard, save money and/or play smart with investments, one can get rich, however this may take some time. You need to have good connections to make it easier to get rich, but the basic principle of work hard and play smart still apply.
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#21
The U.S. is mostly based on capitalism so as long as you work hard to achieve your dreams you will succeed but this can be very difficult so one must try their best to become famous and it's not as easy as you think. Here in the U.S. everyone has an equal chance to achieve their manifest destiny regardless of their background.
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#20
It’s true that there are so many opportunities in the USA. My parents immigrated here from Canada and have never regretted it because the job market was just that much better here. But it’s also true that while there is a lot of success, there is also a lot of disparity. It’s crazy to think that despite living in one of the wealthiest nations in the world, most Americans live paycheck to paycheck and are in debt. So yes there are opportunities in the United States, they just aren’t distributed to/taken advantage of the same by everyone.
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#19
I think it is really hard to get rich and famous, because almost everyone thinks America has more opportunities.
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#18
The American Dream does seem like an illusion. It may actually be harder for immigrants to chase after this vision due to discrimination.
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#17
This can be true since there are many opportunities in the US. As long as you find something that interests others, there is a possibility that you can become rich and famous.
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#16
Getting rich and famous in the United States is largely based upon luck. You never know who will be the next popular person here. While there are many books and films supporting the American Dream, there are also many pieces of literature that criticize it and show how futile it is to try to achieve it.
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#15
It is not impossible to go from nothing to everything, but it is not as easy as it is seems in movies or TV shows. A lot of hard work and determination is required but the competition here is not getting any better.
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#14
Movies and TV shows create a false image of Americans. It is fairly difficult to become rich and famous. Although many people immigrate to America to give their children better lives, many of them are poor and are often mistreated. Though some may become wealthy over time, this cannot be obtained without any effort.
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#13
I’d say it is very hard to get rich and famous, no matter where you are.
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#12
Definitely a myth. Although there are many ways to earn money and prosper in America, it is not realistic to achieve fame like many of the stars that are seen everywhere in American society.
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#11
I don't think it's easy to become rich and famous anywhere. Fame is often short lived and "stars" are quickly forgotten by the media by the next year. Many people are attracted to Hollywood for the hopes of becoming famous but it involves a lot of hard work and there's lots of competition. Yes people can seemingly rise to fame overnight from a viral video but it's difficult to maintain that.
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#10
The concept of the Ameeican Dream has been portrayed in several movies and pieces of literature as you guys have said. It definitely is not easy to become rich and famous I the U.S though. It is very true that several individuals and families started from the bottom of society and have become super famous and multi-millionaires, but I would say it is a super small fraction of Americans.
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#9
I think that it is pretty hard to become rich here. Costs for everything continue to rise, and there is a lot of competition for jobs.
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#8
This myth is definitely true. Probably only a fraction of one percent of those who go for the American dream will achieve it. TV shows follow the lives of that fraction.
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#7
People in the US have to be discovered for something and work hard to grow, I think it seems easier because we do not really show the hard parts of anything.
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#6
Yes, movies and literature portray the false presumption that one may become famous or affluent with minimal effort. The American Dream suggests how anyone can come to the US and become successful and this is partially true. Inequalities based on ethnicity and ideologies still exist and it is difficult, but not impossible, to climb up the social ladder.
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#5
Yes, for the most part it is a myth that it’s easy to be rich and famous in America. However, there are plenty of opportunities available for those who are willing to work for it. There is still inequality in our society but that isn’t to say that we aren’t trying to improve. Although I’ve never seen the movie Project X I recognize some of the cast. In general, the Kardashians aren’t the best example of the American Dream. However, you will meet and hear about many inspiring people who have achieved extroadinary feats here.
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#4
I think to become rich you have to work very hard and get lucky. It might seem that many Americans who are famous do nothing special or important it is not easy to become famous.
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#3
No, It’s not easy to become rich and famous in this country. For example, thousands of people move to California each year in hopes of becoming the next big star. Most of them fail.
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#2
It is not that easy to be rich here. There are so many people and loving cost are so high. I guess it just seems that way because of all the reality t.v. shows that show all the rich people and celebrities.
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#1
I feel like it seems that way because all these rich people talk about how fast they rose to fame but Hollywood also overly portrays the american life as luxurious and many of the wealthy people in media come from already rich families
Students are thought to drink large coffees all day long and high schoolers are thought to behave like adults.
Our stereotypes come from TV shows like Gossip Girl, Youtube videos about students in high school or college and our American assistant Chris carries a large bottle of coffee with him every day (we discovered later that is was actually water...).
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#27
We drink coffee a lot but I'm not sure about the adult thing
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#26
Yes lots of people drink coffee frequently.
P.S. am I the only one who doesn't really like to drink coffee???? -
#25
This is partially true, we do drink a lot of coffee.
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#24
Yes, many students frequently buy coffee or other drinks.
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#23
Oh, coffee.
I wish I could say we behaved like adults, but honestly... we don't. -
#22
Yeah we'll drink a lot of coffee, but usually only to wake ourselves up in the morning, but usually we have them finished before school starts since a lot of teachers won't allow drinks besides water in their class.
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#21
This is pretty true. Most students do act very mature for their age. Many students also drink coffee. I even drink coffee, but I only do this when I am tired in the morning and do not want to sleep in class, but usually I don't. However, other students may drink coffee daily as a normal part of their day. I know some students who get Starbucks drinks every week, sometimes even more.
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#20
Not all students drink coffee and I haven't seen a person who drank coffee throughout the entire day. Many students might drink coffee to help wake themselves in the morning due to doing homework until 4 in the morning. Some high school students are expected to become mature by adults both in school and at home.
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#19
This is a fairly accurate stereotype that is applied to a specific group of people in the U.S. especially when it comes to coffee. I personally see many people with large coffee drinks, and coffee is one of the most popular drinks here in the U.S. but not all of these people are mature and well behaved.
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#18
I've only seen a few coffee addicts on campus. On the "behaving like adults" part...well...yikes.
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#17
Students do drink coffee, but maybe not all day long. For example, in our school many teachers do not allow drinks in class. I can not finish the venti size coffee, it is too much for me.
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#16
I don't like coffee, but I do see students at school drink Starbucks. Most of us would rather choose boba over coffee, I think. There's a good population of students who do act like adults and have discipline, leadership, and time management. But most of the high schoolers here are just stressed and emotionally distraught.
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#15
Students do not drink coffee all day long. High schoolers also do not completely behave like adults. Some high schoolers may just act more mature, which may make them seem as if they are acting like adults.
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#14
I personally do not drink coffee much, but I know a lot of people who do. Many students here grab a cup of cold coffee before being dropped off at school. This may be because many of us lack sleep from doing work late the previous night. Hot coffee is not popular here for some reason.
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#13
It is very common to see someone carry a Starbucks drink because we have one walking distance from the school, however I don't typically see coffee it is more as frappes, iced coffee or Pink Drinks. Us high schoolers behave like adults so we can be independent and try to live life as leaning towards as possible, distancing ourselves from relying on our parents unless it is necessary.
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#12
You do see a lot of people drinking coffee here, it is very common, I myself only drink coffee a couple of times.
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#11
I believe that the stereotype about drinking coffee is true because many of us, especially at Diamond Bar High, are sleep deprived due to the long hours spent on homework every night. Additionally, many high school students act mature. They have jobs, drive, and take care of their siblings. Some teens act older in order to counteract the stereotype that teenagers are irresponsible and rebellious.
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#10
Coffee tastes terrible. Once again, you have mentioned a show that I believe myself to be an expert on: Gossip Girl. Gossip Girl portrays rich, upper-east side teenagers who are incredibly wealthy and have higher than average aspirations. This creates an unrealistic portrayal of American teenagers, because we really do not have the freedom to go get Starbucks whenever we want.
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#9
It's really common to see someone holding coffee and we have coffee shops in many places. I don't personally drink coffee but many high schoolers do in order to stay awake during school and while doing homework. We are expected to behave like adults from adults themselves. We try to act more mature than we actually are because we'll be looked down upon if we are childish or immature.
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#8
I think some students drink coffee, but I wouldn’t say the majority of us do. I don’t see a lot of people at school carrying coffee in the mornings, and when I do it’s usually a cold drink from Starbucks. I do, however, see a lot of students carry large bottles around like your American assistant, Chris, but those bottles usually contain water.
I also think a lot of high schoolers do tend to behave more independently (getting jobs to make money, paying for university without the help of parents, etc.). -
#7
I agree with the large coffee, but I think that is mostly because we are sleep deprived. High school is challenging, especially at Diamond Bar. I think that we are only thought to behave like adults because we are quickly realizing that we will be off to college soon, and that we need to learn how to become independent.
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#6
Students do drink coffee, but not usually all day long. At our school, it is rare to see anyone with a cup of coffee as we are not allowed to drink them in class. We usually drink coffee in the morning or when going out with friends. High schoolers here are definitely more mature compared to other countries.
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#5
Coffee is a popular drink but not universally adored by all high school students. For example, in Diamond Bar, appreciation for milk tea is more prominent than admiration for coffee.
It is true that high schoolers tend to behave like adults. Since we could start driving at 16 and work jobs, many of us take on numerous adult responsibilities. -
#4
Many of us act like adults because we want to be independent. Also, we drink coffee to stay awake to do homework for hours.
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#3
I think that many girls enjoy drinking large cups of coffee. I also believe that it is true that many high schoolers act like adults in America.
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#2
A lot of us do drink coffee but I do not. Many of us act like adults because we have to due to or lives and because we want to be independant.
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#1
we behave like adults because our society requires us to mature faster in order to deal with the political and social climate as well as because there’s a higher expectation set by our parents to take charge earlier. also we drink iced coffee because it’s good and it’s almost always really hot. also we drink it because we need to stay awake.
Joey Man (mercredi, 28 novembre 2018 18:41)
We never smile.
Yanti Liang (mercredi, 28 novembre 2018 06:53)
In my mind people living in Beverly Hills suits these stereotypes (tanned, and relaxed and to smile a lot) because they are really rich.
timothy yeh (mardi, 27 novembre 2018 21:39)
Unfortunately, much to my and probably your disappointment, I am not tan, and I am middle class, perpetually stressed, and don’t smile much
Patrick (mardi, 27 novembre 2018 20:15)
I think a better word instead of relaxed would be lazy in my case but everything else is pretty accurate in my opinion�
emily lee (mardi, 27 novembre 2018 20:14)
We are more tanned than normal i suppose but other than that, we are not usually rich and often stressed out.
James Yang (mardi, 27 novembre 2018 19:07)
We are depressed and filled with stress and anxiety with our school district and surroundings. And yea weather sucks
Saamir Appali (mardi, 27 novembre 2018 19:07)
We are not relaxed, we are slightly depressed due to a competitive school environment.
Wenbo Ding (mardi, 27 novembre 2018 19:02)
California can be both happy and sad. Most people here are not all that rich and the sun just sucks.
Jerry Cheung (mardi, 27 novembre 2018 13:44)
Like most places in America, California has places of the wealthy, the poor, and the middle class. Compton is in California but it is undeniably a poor place. In Diamond Bar, most people are in the middle class. Most people are generally friendly but I would not say they are super relaxed. The cost of living in California is much more expensive than that of other states in America. Not everyone is tan but most people are not pale. I personally love the heat and sun in California. It never rains but that's why I love it when it rains.
Jay Siri (mardi, 27 novembre 2018 10:49)
The sun is terrible, most of us think 20°C is cold.
Karen Zhang (mardi, 27 novembre 2018 09:41)
Diamond Bar is pretty middle class; not extremely rich, but not too poor either. Whether or not we're tan depends on the person; some have sports or other extra curricular activities and have to stand out in the sun for hours on end and, as a consequence, end up tanned, but if you don't participate in those things, or if you don't like the sun, then you can stay indoors all day. Pretending to be amicable and smiling a lot is one of those American things; people generally try to be friendly.
Ashley Sim (mardi, 27 novembre 2018)
Generally, most of us do not enjoy sitting in the sun, especially in the summertime. Often, it will get over 100 degrees Fahrenheit, and we basically all melt. However, in the winter time (or like the 2 days of winter), the weather is really cold in the morning, then really hot in the afternoon, then really cold at night time again.
Daniel Motamedi (mardi, 27 novembre 2018)
Only some areas of southern California are like this such as Beverly hills and Malibu. Everywhere else its just a normal city with a busy life. But it's true a lot of Californians are tanned because of the sun Also we are not laid back and relaxed, especially in southern California I'm not too sure about northern California. Southern California is a busy and stressful environment so people tend to be more mean. I traveled to other states such as Texas, Arkansas, and North Carolina. People there were much more relaxed and nice.
Johannah Chung (mardi, 27 novembre 2018 07:09)
No, we are not all tan or rich here in Cali. Maybe some folks in Hollywood are happy and wealthy, but the majority of people here honk and curse at 8am in the morning.
Noah Del Campo (mardi, 27 novembre 2018 07:04)
This stereotype is somewhat true. We aren’t all tan because we would rather stay inside or in the shade to protect ourselves from the sun. We aren’t all rich if that were true that would be crazy. A lot of us relaxed and laid back when we don’t think of school. So were pretty much never relaxed because of the constant homework assignments and tests we get from teachers.
Jacob Chang (mardi, 27 novembre 2018 07:03)
I feel like the seasons are out of sync with the actual weather. So yeah this is true to some extent, but it does eventually get very cold (but we hide indoors).
Joy Guo (mardi, 27 novembre 2018 07:00)
Most of us prefer to stay indoors because we hate the sun. During winter time, the temperature will go down, but the sunshine will remain the same or even stronger.
Phoebe Wu (mardi, 27 novembre 2018 06:38)
This is not totally accurate since where these stereotypes come from are from the films, which only portray the good aspects of California. There are those who dislike the sun, so they aren't tanned, or those who have a lot to worry about, so they aren't laid back and smile a lot.
Audrey Law (mardi, 27 novembre 2018 06:22)
This stereotype is not completely true. A lot of us dislike the sun and the heat, not all are rich, laid back, or smile a lot. Because of the dislike for the sun, only some of us are tanned.
Edward Wong (mardi, 27 novembre 2018 06:21)
Everything here is true. It applies to alot of people here but theres still that minority that do not share that description.
Hannah Pham (mardi, 27 novembre 2018 06:01)
Although it is very hot in California, many of us are not tan because we are lazy and prefer to spend our time indoors. Additionally, many people can't spend their time outdoors because they're busy doing homework, cramming for tests, or watching Netflix/ YouTube. We usually are relaxed and laid back during vacations or breaks, but on a daily basis, we are usually stressed about school. Additionally, Americans do smile a lot in order to seem friendlier to strangers.
Keshav Sriram (mardi, 27 novembre 2018 05:48)
This stereotype is untrue in pretty much every way. Although it is hot all the time, we do not usually get to enjoy the heat because we are holed up in our rooms being stressed about school. The unfortunate consequence of the heat is that many of us cannot move to the East coast because it is too cold there. Also, we don't usually smile a lot.
Brandon Zhou (mardi, 27 novembre 2018 05:31)
It is true, most Californians in Diamond Bar are tanned, rich, relaxed, and smile a lot. We are naturally born like Hollywood stars, full grace and beauty. If you came to California for a year, you can be just as "amazing" as me!
Yash Karwal (mardi, 27 novembre 2018 05:24)
Not everyone is tan, rich, or relaxed as high schools and colleges decide to keep us away from the sun, colleges decides to get us bankrupt through student loans, and stress levels from colleges and high schools usually keep us from being relaxed. However, most people do tend to smile to help see the bright side, or to enjoy the moment where things that keep us down don't interfere as much with our day-to-day lives, like enjoying time with friends and family. The claim about it being hot throughout the year is mostly accurate here, but there are times where the temperature drops to around 60 degrees Fahrenheit, or about 15.56 degrees Celsius, in the middle of the day during winter.
Manuel Mata (mardi, 27 novembre 2018 05:18)
The sun sucks
Landon Lam (mardi, 27 novembre 2018 05:13)
I agree with that somewhat. I along with many others absolutely despise the sun and try to hide from the outdoors as shown in our video. But, the beach is a nice getaway where many go to relax and of course to tan. I think the beach and Hollywood make up the bulk of the stereotypes surrounding Californians.
Erin Lai (mardi, 27 novembre 2018 05:08)
This stereotype is not true. Because it is always hot, we get very tired of the sun and hot weather which results in us staying inside majority of the time. If we want to get a tan, we go spray tanning. Us Americans do smile a lot. It is seen as an act of kindness to strangers.
Sarah Abdo (mardi, 27 novembre 2018 04:50)
This stereotye is somewhat accurate. I’m not sure that all Californians are tanned, but in the summer, I, and many others I’m sure, love going to the beach because it’s so hot. Some of us get really tan, and others just get sunburns at the beach!! But I think for the most part, the only time when a lot of Californians are very tan is during summer vacation when people go to the beach the most.
The stereotype that we smile a lot is definitely accurate. I smile so much throughout the day, and I think it’s because it comes off as polite (like when we pass friends in the hallways at school). I also smile a lot because it forces me to find more things to be positive and happier about when I’m having a bad day, and in turn, causes me to be more relaxed or laid back.
Mason Pan (mardi, 27 novembre 2018 04:47)
I hate the sun. I wish it was colder.
Zoey Meng (mardi, 27 novembre 2018 03:54)
Many Californians are actually not as tan as you would think. It's a common stereotype but because it is so hot all the time, we wear a lot of sun screen and try to avoid the sun as much as we can. Californians are depicted as laid back and stress-free, however it's not true. Many of us are dying from stress and it's difficult to be relaxed with school, activities, and finals.
Sherissa Cheng (mardi, 27 novembre 2018 02:56)
I think that we are seen this way because of movies, tv shows, social media, etc. We are too busy and stressed about school to be relaxed, and contrary to popular belief, most of us are pretty pale.
Brennen Wong (mardi, 27 novembre 2018 02:50)
Because of the heat and high temperatures, many Californians choose to stay indoors, thus not allowing us an opportunity to become tan. If one does want to get a tan, they usually go to the beach. We do tend to smile a lot, even at complete strangers. Smiling at others is something that is normal to us.
Lindsay (mardi, 27 novembre 2018 02:38)
Most of us are not very laid back due to stress from school and we spend a lot of time indoors studying, so we are not all tan either.
Michael Cheng (mardi, 27 novembre 2018 02:27)
Knowledge of this stereotype is prevalent across foreign countries and even other states in the US due to the prominence of the entertainment industry here in California. Multiple forms of mass media, including movies and television shows, portray Californians as affluent, relaxed, and eager to be outdoors. However, such a depiction is only representative of a small portion of the population, which consists of extremely diverse individuals, many of whom are not wealthy, prefer to stay indoors, and do not live relaxing lives.
Brian Lee (mardi, 27 novembre 2018 01:17)
Most Californians are not super tanned. However, most californians are probably upper middle class because of the high cost of living of the location. We are laid back and relaxed mostly on the weekends, but I think everyone is on the weekends.
Christopher Mucha (mardi, 27 novembre 2018 01:00)
I believe to be true in some degree but not entirely.
Alyson Tjhan (lundi, 26 novembre 2018 23:54)
While we do smile a lot most of us are not tan because we stay away from the sun. We are also not thay relaxed or laid back because we are stressed from school or work.
James Tsao (lundi, 26 novembre 2018 23:00)
oh hey i drew that! also it’s actually so hot i want to die all the time so i don’t know about the laid back and smile a lot part