Introduction.

During my undergraduate career, I learned many important things, like:

1) If you don't study, you won't get good grades.

2) Declaring every Friday your freshmen year a "no class Friday" is a terrible idea.

3) Just because your friends can stay up until 4am doesn't mean that you can.

So, even though I can't remember every step of the Krebs Cycle or how to draw all the amino acids, I can remember how to write a research paper. But, because research papers are often technical and potentially dull, I'm modifying the format and formality.

So, without further ado...

This research, based on scientific observations and experiences, explores the idea that believing something makes it true. I have many crucial examples to support this statement:

1) For some reason, I've always had trouble sleeping. I mean, I don't think I have insomnia, because most nights I go to bed around 9pm. Plus, in my mind, insomnia looks like this (figure 1):

Figure 1. Zombie crawling from a manhole.

Yes. It looks like the zombie from the movie Hocus Pocus. And, seeing as my mouth isn't sewn shut and I don't have black hair, I've concluded that I don't have insomnia. Anyway, last year I lived with my grandparents, and Papa used to tell me that all I had to do when I couldn't sleep is tell myself to sleep. I've tried it a couple times and it didn't work, so in the end, I have decided to blame my sleeplessness on the weather and the barometric pressure. However, this magical thought-power does work for Papa. He says it's because he has more willpower than I do and I'm just not convincing myself hard enough. So, when Papa can't sleep, he simply tells himself to go to sleep and he does! He says it works with Grammy's snoring, too. He just tells himself that there's going to be some snoring going on over on the other side of the bed and he can instantly block it out. Conclusion: If you believe something will happen, then it will.

2) Religion, or believing in God or a god, is based on belief. Christians and people of other religions believe in God or gods and, therefore, God, or various gods, exist. In contrast, if a person does not believe in God or any other gods, then God/gods do not exist. Conclusion: If you believe something is true, or untrue, then it is (and if you use the words God and gods enough in a single paragraph, you will undoubtedly confuse someone).

3) The placebo treatment groups in scientific experiments. For example, oftentimes people who are secretly given a fake treatment for their illness/disease/ailment not only feel better, but often actually become better. Or, to make this more personal, I have a lot of stomach problems for some unfortunate reason, but I've convinced myself that Tums magically cure me. So, when I'm feeling a little gurgly, I just take some Tums and think myself better! Conclusion: If you believe you're being cured, you might actually become cured. That's the power of positive thinking, my friend!

One thing Grammy taught me is that despite everything that may be going on around you, people are good. That's what I believe. And that's what this blog is about: the people I encounter and the effect they have on me.