Then, for the graded part of this week’s discussion, reflect on a personal decision that you

have made recently - for example, the decision to wear a certain item of clothing, buy a
car, or eat at a certain restaurant. In what ways are your individual decisions socially
structured? Does your personal decision reflect broader patterns of behaviour?

Hi everyone,

My name is Bhumi and I’m in my third-year majoring in Biomedical Engineering. I’m

currently living in Mombasa, Kenya (my home country) where I’ve been working remotely
for an 8-month co-op since the Winter 2021 semester. By taking this course, I am looking
forward to learning to look at society more objectively and anticipate gaining a wide range
of transferable abilities, including the ability to write clearly and analytically, engage
effectively in argument and discussion and undertake independent research.

Except for grocery shopping and regular walks, I've spent practically all of my time inside
since the quarantine began as an international student living away from my family. I've been
able to spend more time at home because of social distancing, and as a result, I've been able
to save money on things like dining out and getting my daily dose of caffeine by cooking at
home. I've been learning how to make delicious new recipes like banana bread, baked oats,
and whipped coffee (also famously known as dalgona coffee) using content from social
media platforms like TikTok and YouTube.

I regard my decision to prepare certain food items to be socially structured rather than an
individual choice. Social media usage has increased during the pandemic, and it is
fascinating to see how the media can impact an individual and even society’s decisions and
behaviours resulting in popular pandemic cooking trends. Similarly, from the readings it was
highlighted how sociology teaches us that the social world guides all our life choices. With
this in mind, many people are spending more time in their kitchens during the pandemic,
looking to turn inexpensive pantry staples into delicious healthy meals getting ideas from
recipes shared on social media. I feel my personal decision reflects broader patterns of
behaviour as before the pandemic, I was lazy to cook/bake at home and didn’t prioritize my
health and wellbeing, however, today I enjoy cooking food at home.
Hi,

I enjoyed reading your post! Certainly, social media consumption during lockdown has
brought about new creative outlets in people and it is interesting to see the how social
media influences personal decision. I agree that upgrading old furniture reflects a broader
pattern of societal behaviour, because I, too, enjoy taking on a project in my spare time to
modernize vases and other items in my home to match the latest trends I observe on social
media. I believe that due to the lockdown, people have learned to be more mindful as they
spend more time with themselves, explore and pursue their interests and invest in
themselves.

Hi,

I resonate with you about the feeling that’s absorbed from society where the world wants
to tell you to, earn more, work more, travel more etc. I believe social media is the driver of
the fear of missing out because there’s an endless number of things to consume and for the
majority of the time, the focus is on what you don’t have. However, I agree with you that
chasing our inclinations and things that we personally find important, it could be finding
meaningful work, prioritizing personal health or whatever it may be, lets us realize what we
do have to offer and what we do have to share with the world.