This website is the physical manifestation of the content and knowledge produced throughout my Fall 2025 semester, taking Writing for the Social Sciences. Not only have I strengthened my skills as a public speaker, but I have also been given the opportunity to think critically about the state of technology and its continuous and growing impact on individuals, especially younger generations. This website is a reflection of my journey and exploration of the social sciences and the never-ending intersectionality across numerous disciplines.

During the initial breakdown of our AI editor assignment, I grew confident- not necessarily in my ability to get an A, but more so in my ability to dissect an issue that had affected me on a personal level. Artificial intelligence not only impacted my learning as an individual but also as a student pursuing higher education. Although we didn’t blatantly refer to the mental health impacts of academic insecurity- this was the bit that spoke the most to me- the idea that whatever a human-being produces can’t compete with an AI-generated response. After identifying our angle: AI & its effect on learning, me and my group were able to dive deeper into our survey questions and collective criticism of AI. We consistently tied our research back to its effect on students and the growing dangerous dependency on open AI platforms. We demonstrated this not only through our generated survey questions but through the script we decided to generate for Chat GPT; “What do City College students do for fun?”. Through its response we were able to highlight its inability to substitute human, specifically, student experience, and in turn analyze the associated dangers of treating artificial intelligence as a companion rather than a tool. 

Although my I-Search project centered on the physical health aspects of heat tools, I strongly believe that societal standards have a huge hand in the disproportionate effect of heat tool health issues on women of color. This goes beyond social media presence and rather touches on the integration of colonial practices and the normalization of heat on hair. A majority of the time, hair straightening doesn’t begin at the adolescent age, but rather at ages 6, 7, 8, or 9. There is a fair claim to be made that parents impacted by colonial and racial prejudice are more likely to subject their children to harmful heat tools. It is significant to begin encouraging young women to embrace their natural hair at an early age, even beyond the physical impacts it is detrimental in ensuring young women are confident, mentally healthy, and secure in themselves.

In the Context Shift assignment, I focused on the parents’ role and the factors that contribute to excessive straightener usage in young demographics. I hope my audience, especially mothers, make more knowledgeable and informed choices when it comes to deciding on hairstyles and using heat tools on their daughters’ hair. Not only is the practice of using heat tools on children dangerous in terms of its relation to early onset cancer and fibroids, but it can also lead to insecurity and shame. I hope mothers reconsider their use of heat tools and take conscious steps in making more informed decisions that keep their daughters safe physically and mentally.