. Dynamic Impressions

Student Survey

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97 high school students (boys and girls) in 2003-2004 school year from a Long Beach, California High School completed the following survey questions.  Marissa Tucker conducted the survey for Kathleen Dickinson.  The questionnaire was designed by Kathleen Dickinson.

39 Seniors

 “Do you use the internet?”  11 responded “No”

 “Do you use the internet?”  28 responded “Yes”

 What are the types of issues that are of concern to you right now (please list your top five)?  (highlighted responses are ones mentioned by more than four people)

 War, girls (or boys), music, friends, popularity, college, graduation, work, moving out, insurance

My family, health, sex, school, career, weight, love life, my band, environment, traffic, parents, clothes, abortion, grades, world, success, cars, money, happiness, sports, chatting, games, shopping, skating, motor cross, direction in life, death, news, politics, basketball, baseball, belly button ring, truck, sleep, looks, legalizing marijuana, finding a job, censorship, meeting new people, life after graduation, religion.

 If one of your concerns is dating, please give a couple of sentences on what aspects of dating (i.e., sex, disease, violence, maturity, things in common, harassment, acceptance by others etc.) (highlighted responses are ones mentioned by more than two people)

 Girls like me; I don’t want to feel pressured to have sex; boys just use me; harassment/violence; fitting in; I fear guys will expect me to put out; girls distract me, I don’t need that right now; my girlfriend doesn’t want to have sex, but I do; I don’t want to get pregnant; my boyfriend is too busy for me and won’t talk to me about things; love; getting along with people and being accepted; I like girls; I want a boy who has the same interests as me; he never has time for me.  Is he cheating?;  I don’t think girls like me very much; which girl do I like more?; if I will be single for the rest of my life; if me and my ex will ever get back together; how long will it last/is it too good to be true?;  being too short, I guess that is not too good; sex and STDs; basically not knowing who to choose or how to choose, all that related stuff.  Finding a decent guy that is nice, caring, sweet, smart, and a Christian;

 If one of your concerns is your home life, please give a couple of sentences on what aspects of home life (i.e., parents, siblings, food, safety, being able to talk honestly and being listened to etc.) 

I miss my mom (I live with my grandparents); parents fighting all the time; I am afraid to honestly talk with my parents about sex, drugs …; I hate being told what to do, I am moving out ASAP; I love my family, they rock; I don’t get along with my sister; my brother is cool and I feel like a loser; I make my family proud; I’m an only child and I get lonely; if they are well taken care of; what they are doing; If I make them proud; If they are safe when I’m away on tour; parents like to keep tight leash on me and don’t let me say what I want to when I am going to give them an answer; I have a great home life;  

If one of your concerns is health and happiness, please give a couple of sentences on what aspects of health and happiness (depression, death of a relative, incapacity of caregivers, finances, friendships etc.)

I get migraines a lot and it makes it hard to focus; Looks, I guess if I look healthy; everything; Happiness is being with Heather; I miss my ex; I’ll be happy as long as I’m successful and know my life hasn’t been wasted; I’m depressed a lot; my boyfriend would make me happy, but he is never around; I’m overweight and I feel lonely; love, success; my band makes me happy; I am too fat 5’7”, 115 lbs can we say cow???; My asthma gets in the way of things I like to do; 

If one of your concerns is school, please give a couple of sentences on what aspects of school (i.e., grades, clothes, peer pressure, bullying, teachers listening, getting a tutor when needed, harassment, acceptance by others etc.)  (highlighted responses are ones mentioned by more than two people)  

I feel like an outcast; I’m not good at math or science; I don’t know if I’m smart enough for a good job; I hate school; what am I going to do when I graduate? A job, or college?; Money for college; grades/social aspects of it (clothing etc.); I’m afraid of going from high school to college.  What if it’s too hard?; I need a career, not just a “job”, will I ever decide what I wanna be?; I’m popular so people think I’m stuck up; my best friend just left my school and I feel alone; I had to leave school to take my GED and feel lonely; graduating/future; my grades are good but I don’t have money to go to college; I want to go to college, but I don’t know where; I feel pressured to go to college; I do good in school, I am not stressing; I don’t know what I want to be; I am on the basketball team and have to get good grades; good grades rock; grades;

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 35 Juniors

“Do you use the internet?”  9 responded “No”

“Do you use the internet?”  27 responded “Yes”

 What are the types of issues that are of concern to you right now (please list your top five)?  (highlighted responses are ones mentioned by more than four people) 

Friends and Family and work; parents, dating, school; dating; cars, off roading, girl friend; love, cars, style, parties; music, war, social life; makeup, boys; Presidential Elections; trust and how to give it out; health, grades; sex, disease, violence, peer pressure, fighting; driving and grades; myself; boyfriend; Laker loss; why don’t more people call me pimp!, why is George Jr. President?, why am I so fly!; love life, happiness, sex life; racism, career; paintball, water polo; G.P.A., college, job; graduation, drugs; politics, media influence on teens; moving out; work; English/Science, acne, camping this weekend, my aunt’s car crashed; college; ignorance, home, money; dance;  

If one of your concerns is dating, please give a couple of sentences on what aspects of dating (i.e., sex, disease, violence, maturity, things in common, harassment, acceptance by others etc.) (highlighted responses are ones mentioned by more than two people)

Sex, things in common; I always get involved in dead-end relationships and get hurt; finding a girlfriend, being accepted by my peers; the sex part concerns me most and the disease part because everyone is doing it and some people have disease but don’t like to talk about it; sex and violence; harassment, maturity; whether or not the guy is interested in me for me and not just physical stuff; If I should go further than dry humping, when is a good time have sex?; whether or not they guy is interested in me for me and not just physical stuff; if you don’t get the goods, you need to go!; everything never turns out as I would want it to; not concerned with dating but I want to have sex; I miss my boyfriend; my friends all have boyfriends but I don’t;  I feel pressured to have sex but I don’t want diseases; I don’t want premarital sex; not ready to date, just got out of a 3 yr relationship; I feel left out of the dating scene; I have too many boys to choose from; how I can make my girlfriend happier; I feel pressured to have a boyfriend; no one likes me; boys suck. 

If one of your concerns is your home life, please give a couple of sentences on what aspects of home life (i.e., parents, siblings, food, safety, being able to talk honestly and being listened to etc.) 

Love my family; my parents argue; mom just got re-married, we’re adjusting, its weird; my siblings are favored by my parents; my mom is sick and can’t do stuff with me like she used to; my little sister is a brat; my parents are real cool and I know they are there for me but I just can’t tell them my stuff, I don’t know why; my parents don’t love me, I don’t get to eat; if my room is clean enough…everything must be clean or it bugs; if my family is safe and happy; siblings; siblings suck and I wish I was an only child; the relationship with my parents isn’t all that great; making sure they are happy and stable/more trust; my parents expect me to be perfect and it’s like constant pressure; I have to share my room, parents aren’t home much, I have to do all the housework, I never go out;  brothers that are stupid; parents. 

If one of your concerns is health and happiness, please give a couple of sentences on what aspects of health and happiness (depression, death of a relative, incapacity of caregivers, finances, friendships etc.) 

My aunt just got in a car crash and can’t move; lots of violence in the world that effect many of my friends that constantly brings me down, it’s dangerous; I’m happy but I don’t know how to stay happy; happiness concerns me most because people die and friends change and people get depressed faster; trusting friends, honesty; If I am healthy, I try to keep myself happy and everyone around me; I’ve been depressed a lot so I try to stay positive, think positive, be positive, got it; I am a weird person, everything seems to get me down.  I have tried to commit suicide.  I try to be happy but I just always do stupid things; my grandma died a few months ago and it’s been really hard on my mom; I am doing all I can for the people I love?  I’m happy when I do my best; being loved, happy; 

If one of your concerns is school, please give a couple of sentences on what aspects of school (i.e., grades, clothes, peer pressure, bullying, teachers listening, getting a tutor when needed, harassment, acceptance by others etc.)  (highlighted responses are ones mentioned by more than four people) 

I don’t like some of my teachers; I feel like a geek because I get good grades; I want to be a model but I don’t think I’m pretty enough; I want to get a medallion at graduation; I have too many classes/homework and not much free time; I still don’t know what I want to do with my life; I’m trying to be more popular and fit in more; I need more friends; my teachers are encouraging but I’m still confused; grades; college is too much money; peer pressure; I don’t ask questions; career; if certain boys like me, if my papers I turn in are a reflection of my effort; clothes; discrimination, requirements, authority figures not doing their jobs; I want higher than a 3.2; graduating; grades and fitting in; how do I find out how to become an interior decorator: English/Science; my parents want me to be a doctor or a lawyer and I want to be a teacher; I’m popular but people automatically assume that means I’m mean, it’s hard to tell who my real friends are; pass with stupid rules; memorable senior year; grades, teachers listening; grades, clothes, acceptance; 

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11 Sophomores 

“Do you use the internet?”  2 responded “No”

“Do you use the internet?”  9 responded “Yes” 

What are the types of issues that are of concern to you right now (please list your top five)?  (highlighted responses are ones mentioned by more than four people) 

Boyfriend, work, modeling, school, music; Parents, girlfriend, my band, friends; love, sex, economy; family; college; driver’s license; getting a job; watching TV., playing guitar, chugging beer; home life, dating, happiness in general; war, fashion;  

If one of your concerns is dating, please give a couple of sentences on what aspects of dating (i.e., sex, disease, violence, maturity, things in common, harassment, acceptance by others etc.) (highlighted responses are ones mentioned by more than two people) 

My future with my boyfriend; my girlfriend doesn’t have much time for me; sex, I don’t want to get my girlfriend pregnant but it’s hard to talk to her about how I feel; girls don’t like me, they call me a loser; I don’t have a girlfriend; I don’t have any of those concerns because I’m not a loser; maturity, pregnancy, acceptance;  if I’m pretty enough or skinny enough;

If one of your concerns is your home life, please give a couple of sentences on what aspects of home life (i.e., parents, siblings, food, safety, being able to talk honestly and being listened to etc.) 

My dad is in Egypt with the army and my mom is really REALLY protective; parents, siblings, openness, discipline; I can’t talk to my parents openly;  Home is a shield for me, I’m not a loser there;  my brother is mean to me; my parents got a divorce a few months ago and it’s been hard;  

If one of your concerns is health and happiness, please give a couple of sentences on what aspects of health and happiness (depression, death of a relative, incapacity of caregivers, finances, friendships etc.) 

My future; you can’t be happy if you’re lonely; happiness is one of my concerns because it is hard to find; friendships (loyal or unloyal friends), finances/not having enough money; I think I’m sort of over weight and people tell me I’m not but I think they are just being nice;  

If one of your concerns is school, please give a couple of sentences on what aspects of school (i.e., grades, clothes, peer pressure, bullying, teachers listening, getting a tutor when needed, harassment, acceptance by others etc.)  (highlighted responses are ones mentioned by more than four people) 

Grades/Finals; I want to fit in and be accepted, graduating, clothes; not enuff time to drink and smoke; I am an outcast; school is easy, I need a challenge; my grades are low;  I feel useless that I have yet to decide the career for me, shouldn’t I know by now?;  my grades are dropping and I might get kicked off track; will modeling work out for me?;  

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13 Freshmen 

“Do you use the internet?”  4 responded “No”

“Do you use the internet?”  9 responded “Yes” 

What are the types of issues that are of concern to you right now (please list your top five)?  (highlighted responses are ones mentioned by more than four people) 

School, girls, work, success, looks; war, video games, family; stuff; jobs, college, sex; soccer, scholarships; I don’t know; the war (Brother is fighting in it); dating, after school (working), happiness; money, everquest; home, career, choices; music, friends, boys, movies; 

If one of your concerns is dating, please give a couple of sentences on what aspects of dating (i.e., sex, disease, violence, maturity, things in common, harassment, acceptance by others etc.) (highlighted responses are ones mentioned by more than two people) 

I like spending time with my boyfriend; if my parents approve of my dates; I want everyone to stay healthy and not die; I’m not very popular and so it is hard for me to talk to girls; I don’t want to be known as a slut; my friends don’t like my girlfriend; I’ve never had a girlfriend and feel like there’s something wrong with me;  

If one of your concerns is your home life, please give a couple of sentences on what aspects of home life (i.e., parents, siblings, food, safety, being able to talk honestly and being listened to etc.) 

My parents are getting a divorce; we don’t have any money; when will my brother come back (from the war)?; my brother picks on my all the time and I don’t want to tell mom and dad; I want everyone to stay healthy and not die; whether or not me and my mom will ever be closer; moving ordeals, my parents are getting divorced and I may have to change schools; 

If one of your concerns is health and happiness, please give a couple of sentences on what aspects of health and happiness (depression, death of a relative, incapacity of caregivers, finances, friendships etc.) 

My grandma died 3 months ago and I miss her a lot.  She was fun; I would be happy if I got a scholarship; will I be happy with my decisions throughout my life?;  

If one of your concerns is school, please give a couple of sentences on what aspects of school (i.e., grades, clothes, peer pressure, bullying, teachers listening, getting a tutor when needed, harassment, acceptance by others etc.)   

I can’t choose just one career I like, passing classes; I want a career in computers but it takes a lot of schooling, I don’t have many friends; Famous soccer player is hard to be, how do I keep determined?, I have to do well – I need a scholarship; I feel like I need to look like everyone else; I want to follow my father’s footsteps, he is so inspiring; I don’t really know what I want to be, I don’t have a lot of money for college.  My grades are good but people are mean to me and tease me;   I just want to choose the right career.  Getting the grades I need; I need a job; stressful, barely have free time because of homework. 

3.  Do you discuss people skills with your employees? Let them know they are part of a team. Compliment your employees, treat them with respect. Talk to them about current issues such as sexual harassment, customer relations, and positive language.

4.  Be gentle when you discuss Etiquette and Grooming issues. If they have not received this information at home, or you know they cannot afford soap or clothes, be creative and non-judgmental.

5.  Knowledge is Power. Give them the information they need to have to do their job well. Give them knowledge about the business; knowledge about security; What is their Job Description? How often will they be reviewed? Will their decisions be backed?

6.  Keep your employees busy. Boredom is a killer. Give your employees a list of things they can do when things are quiet. Let them know that standing around and talking to friends or just leaning against the wall is sending a negative message. Ask them what they think when they see unoccupied employees when they go into different businesses. Keeping your employees occupied looks good to your customers and it teaches your teenagers how to take initiative. It also builds their self-esteem and their self-confidence.

If you think you are at the end of your rope, take a deep breath and remember how you wanted people to treat you when you were a teenager.

Copyright 1988 | Dynamic Impressions- Kathleen Dickinson, CGA


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All Rights Reserved | Dynamic Impressions-Kathleen Dickinson, CGA                                                       Created By Greg Stover