Personal Introduction

In Howard S. Becker’s book Outsiders, he states, 

“All social groups make rules and attempt, at some times and under some circumstances, to enforce them. Social rules define situations and the kinds of behavior appropriate to them, specifying some actions as “right” and forbidding others as “wrong”” (1). 

Becker introduces his audience to deviant behavior and this idea that those who do not obey societal laws and structures are deemed as an “outsider”. Someone who falls out of line and strays from societal norm. He urges us to investigate what larger ideas and institutions in society shape us and how so. Following Becker’s investigation, I will dive into my own story, my life, and uncover what has shaped myself and my behaviors. 

My name is Elizabeth Cullinan. I was born in Sharon, Connecticut on April 19^th, 1999. On my actual birth date, the number one song in the U.S. was No Scrubs by TLC. I grew up in Millerton, NY. I have two older sisters, Victoria and Katelyn. My family is Italian and Irish. I am fortunate to have loving, married parents. I am a senior studying Health Policy with a minor in Sociology at Siena College in Latham, NY. Students enrolled at Siena College are majority white females, like me, at a rate of 41.5% according to Data USA. Unlike most students at Siena, I live off campus in my own apartment in Menands, NY.

Family

As I’ve stated before, I grew up with two older sisters and loving, married parents. My sisters are 25 and 29 years old. My oldest sister, Katelyn, works as a physicians assistant in Saratoga NY. My Other sister, Victoria, works for Knolls Atomic Lab as an environmentalist. Both my sisters education and career choices have inspired me to pursue my degree in Health Studies. My father is a database analyst who works for VOYA and my mom is an artist. She sells her work locally in her friend’s store. My family is very close with one another, we won’t go more than a few weeks without all getting together. I have a lot of extended family as my mom’s side is Italian and my dad’s is Irish. Being close with my family has shaped me into who I am, as the relationships I have with all my family members has helped develop my personality.

Hometown

Although I was born in Sharon, CT, I grew up in Millerton, NY. One of the best things about my hometown is that it borders two other states. I can be in Connecticut in less than 5 minutes and Massachusetts in a little over 15 minutes. Millerton is another one of those small, quaint villages that draws NYC people because of its close proximity and easy access to Metro North. The most recent population is 958 according to City-Data. This was dated back to the 2010 census. According to HomeFacts, Millerton’s populations is 48% female and 52% male. Also according to HomeFacts, Millerton is 78.8% white, 3.6% African American, 3.1% American Indian, and 5.3% Asian. The most common high school for students in Millerton to attend is Webutuck High School. My sisters and myself all attended Webutuck. Webutuck is a very small school. My graduating class consisted of only 54 students. My high school has a graduation rate of 89% which is roughly the same as the national average according to US News. Growing up in a small town gifted me with unique experiences I would not have had in a larger town. Because my class was so small, all students in my grade knew one another and maybe knew more than they wanted to. Word travels fast in small towns, everyone knows everything about everyone.

Education

In social science there are considered to be five main social institutions. These include; family, education, politics, economics, and religion. Although there are considered to be five, social scientists would argue that there are numerous different social institutions that shape individuals in society. In today’s society, education is considered a privilege. I was fortunate enough to graduate high school and continue to further my education at a four-year college. I am also fortunate to have my parents contribute to my educational career and help me pay the increasingly high tuition rates we have here in America. According to Statista, only 35.3% of women in the U.S. had received a four year bachelors degree in 2018.

My Deviant Behavior

In society, humans play different roles deemed acceptable by said society. As Becker said, “Social rules are the creation of specific social groups” (15). Social rules govern what is acceptable and what is deemed not acceptable within society. When a member of society fails to adhere to societal rules or societal norms they are considered an outsider or someone who engages in deviant behaviors. Becker states, “The simplest view of deviance is essentially statistical, defining as deviant anything that varies too widely from the average” (4). Basically, anyone that strays from the normal is considered deviant. Living on campus at Siena College is considered a major part of the college’s experience. Unlike the majority of my fellow students I chose to commute after 3 years of living on campus. At Siena, roughly 75% of undergraduates live on campus in student housing according to Cappex. I consider this deviant behavior as it is not the norm here at Siena. I did not enjoy normal college life as a residential, always staying off campus and counting down the days until I could live alone in my own apartment. This deviant behavior of mine correlates with education as a social institution. Our level of education and our experiences with education shape us. Commuting vs living on campus has influenced the way I make friends at school and the way I focus on my studies.

References

Becker, Saul Howard. (1963). Outsiders: Studies in the Sociology of Deviance. New York City, New York: The Free Press.

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