College Students and Consumer Culture
Electronics
1. Toshiba laptop with charger - want
2. Wireless mouse - want
3. DVD player - want
4. CD player - want
5. Smart Television - want
6. iPhone 6 with chargers - need
7. iPhone 4 with chargers – want (now; it’s my old phone)
8. iPod - want
9. USB portable charger - want
10. Batteries (AA, AAA, C, and D) - want
11. Remote controls - want
12. Blue earbuds - want
13. 2 Canon camera kits (with stands and external lights) - want
School Supplies (in total)
1. Three-in-one Solo Briefcase/Backpack - need
2. 5 bookbags – want
3. 13 notebooks - need
4. 20 page protectors - need
5. 4 packs of lined paper - want
6. 50 pens (roughly) – need (but not that many)
7. 25 pencils (roughly) – need (but not that many)
8. TI-84 Calculator - need
9. 100+ books, magazines, textbooks, bibles - need
10. 4 binders - need
11. 10 folders - need
12. Post-Its and notecards – want
13. Highlighters, colored pencils – want
Clothing and Accessories
1. 10 sweaters and long-sleeve shirts – need (but not that many)
2. 10 pairs of pants [lol “pairs” - because on “pair” of pants is technically one item, but it’s also a pair haha … ok let’s continue] – need (but not that many)
3. 100 shirts (roughly) – need (but not that many)
4. 10 suits – need (but not that many)
5. 5 scarfs – want
6. Wallet - want
7. 4 bracelets - want
8. 4 necklaces – 1 is a need (personal), the other 3 are wants
9. 4 watches - want
10. 20 hats (incl. beanies, snapbacks, buckets) – want
11. 12 belts – need (but not that many)
12. 10 pairs of shoes – need (but not that many)
13. A lotta’ underwear – need (but not that many)
14. 25 pairs of socks - want
15. My glasses? (with a case, cleaner and wipes) – need (without contacts)
16. My contact lenses? (with holder and solution) – need (without glasses)
Grooming items
1. 2 hair clippers (w/ adjustment combs) - want
2. 4 hair brushes - want
3. 2 hair combs - need
4. Hair scissors - want
5. 2 2-in-1 Suave Men’s shampoo and conditioner - need
6. 3 deodorant sticks – want (society pressures)
7. Bath & Body Works NOIR 2-in-1 hair and body wash and Ultra Shea Body Cream – want
8. 1 200-pack of One-a-day Men’s Vitamin vitamins - want
9. 3 colognes - want
10. Dove soap (unscented) - need
11. Aquaphor Healing Ointment – need, but can be substituted
12. Body lotion - need
13. 40 towels (all sizes) – want
Additional items (transportation, household furnishings, appliances, and more)
1. Lamp - want
2. Dresser - want
3. Nightstand - want
4. Adidas travel bag – need, when traveling
5. Two bookcases - want
6. Furnished bed - want
7. Car (2018 Hyundai Elantra) - need
8. Photographs of friends and family, signs of affirmation, calendar - want
9. Planner - want
10. Debit and Credit cards - need
11. 30 Envelopes - want
12. Best birthday cards I’ve received (about 60) - want
13. 98 DVDs - want
14. 50 CDs - want
15. 60 cards (birthday, holiday, and special event) - want
16. 10 gift bags - want
17. 3 pieces of luggage – need, when traveling (but not that many)
18. Bb trumpet (with cleaning kit) - want
19. 6 posters - want
20. 4 yearbooks - want
21. Misc. business and personal documents and papers – need because security
22. Napkins, toilet paper, tissue, paper towels - want
23. Toolkit (ex: screwdriver) - need
24. Business cards - want
[The home that I live in has the following appliances]
25. 2 full bathrooms
26. 1 half bathroom
27. Dishwasher
28. Kitchen
29. Washer and Dryer
30. 2 Refrigerators
I took this assignment very seriously. I made it personal. I was on a quest to understand how much I take things for granted. Today, there are places in the world where people will sacrifice their lives for a portion of what I have in my possession to be given to their family. If you’re reading this, the same probably goes for you too. We have the agency to contest damaging things that linger in our cultures, like consumerism. Somehow, one of the cultures I belong to enforced the idea that Nike, Adidas, Toshiba, Suave, Bath and Body Works, and other “brand name” companies deserve my loyalty.  What I love about this assignment -at least at this moment- is: I’m questioning how and why I have things. Some things I have were given as gifts, while other things were bought at a price that I could’ve bought the same thing, with the same quality, at a fraction of the price. Some are brand new, some are worn. Some things look or feel better than others. But one thing is for sure, most of these things are wants. I don’t need most of this stuff. So, I ask myself: if a fire broke out on the third floor of my home, and I had a few minutes to grab all that I wanted or needed, what would I grab?
Five wants
1. 4 watches – two are gifts, two I bought. I was raised to believe to never believe a man without a watch, because he will not value your time if he doesn’t value his own time. However, a man does not necessarily value time by whether he is wearing a watch. Plus, I can just check my phone, look at clocks, or ask people what time it is.
2. Post-Its and notecards, highlighters, colored pencils – all these things are great to make papers organized and pretty, but they aren’t a need. I can just use pencils and pens to supplement to achieve the same purposes.
3. Bb trumpet (with cleaning kit) – I was a trumpet player from 6 years in grade school. I played in concert, marching, and jazz band. I was gifted with a mid-grade Bb Trumpet from my mother when I hit high school. So now, I keep it for sentimental reasons.
4. Bath & Body Works NOIR Ultra Shea Body Cream – This was a gift
5. 3 deodorant sticks – Most of us wear deodorant to keep our natural smells hidden due to society pressures. Some of us wear it so that we prevent our armpits from producing a lot of sweat. I consider the former a more valid point.
Five needs
1. iPhone 6 with chargers – My iPhone is a need because I need a phone for emergency purposes. For example, I commute to campus. I drive for hours on the freeway super early and super late at night. On the other hand, I don’t need to have such an expensive phone with so many features and instead of multiple chargers, one charger is sufficient.
2. Car (2018 Hyundai Elantra) – Yea, I’m questioning why I bought a new car too. Minor mistake but I’ll be alright. Similar to the iPhone, I do need a car, for car stuff, like transportation. I need my car to run errands, go to school, go to work, and more. But, I could’ve bought a hooptie and went on my mary way.
3. 10 pairs of shoes – I have a decent number of pairs of shoes, but I don’t need these many shoes. I need two pairs of shoes: one pair of sneakers to walk around campus in and one pair of dress shoes for work.
4. Three-in-one Solo Briefcase/Backpack – I can’t carry around all of my books, notebooks, and supplies in my arms all day, and I need these things for my classes during the day, so I need my backpack so that it can hold everything for me as I carry it around comfortably.
5. 12 belts – I do need a couple of belts. One for dress pants for work, and one for a pair of shorts and/or jeans. The rest are extra and not needed.
Please feel free to reply/comment!
