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Working students who maintain a full-time job and take college courses have less of a social life than students who don’t work throughout their studies. I can certainly attest to this by speaking from personal experience. The very thought of going back to school after obtaining a full-time job can be quite nerve wracking and, often, repulsive because there isn’t as much time throughout the day after working to do much else. Recent data shows that a lack of individual social lives may be a bigger problem than some people realize as “The US Department of Education reported that, in 2017, 43 percent of all full-time undergraduate students and 81 percent of part-time students were employed while enrolled.” (Perna and Odle) Through unique time management and more attention to their personal health triangle, working students can regain some aspects of their social lives that they enjoy most.

Time management is a skill that can continuously be improved and adapted with whatever situation a person might be in. Through better time management techniques, one can easily track their schedules and make plans without fear of added stress. Brian Novak, in his article titled “The Benefit of Time Management for College Students and Others,” he states that with adequate time management skills, a student completes assignments on time, thus allowing additional free time to enjoy the other areas of college life. (Novak) One way to keep track of a schedule full of due dates and work shifts is to invest in a daily and weekly planner. These planners will usually have multiple pages that break down each month into separate weeks and days and can be used to write down any scheduled events of importance to remember them in the future. This method is extremely helpful for people who have a stationary working environment, but if you’re a person on-the-go and don’t have the ability to always carry a planner and pen with you, then consider using a calendar or planner app on a smart phone. While using a smart phone for time management, you can easily add events at any time and even set notification alarms to remind you when the events are getting closer. A drawback while using this method for time management is the user must be tech-savvy enough to navigate their way through the application for proper use. Using one of these two methods to manage time allows for a clear overview of each day so when other plans outside of the school and work events arise, you’ll know if you’re able to attend and where you can make up for the lost time elsewhere.

The health triangle is a visual representation of the distinct aspects of life that create a healthy balance between mental, social, and physical health. It is described in a way that if one of these three areas of someone’s life are inadequate, the triangle becomes lopsided and isn’t healthy. Yes, school and work are particularly important, but a working student needs to remember all three sides of the triangle. Maintaining a balanced life can be accomplished by dedicating time to meditation, in-person interactions with others, and going to the gym. Rebea Fatema gives more examples in an article published in 2022, “Volunteering once a month at the organization of your choice and chatting with your neighbors if you see them are Health triangle Examples and solutions for Social Health. Also, try to meet someone new once a month, or make sure that you call a friend at least once a week.” (Rabea) Prioritizing time with other people and getting away from work and school for at least an hour a day can greatly improve someone’s mental health while simultaneously increasing their social lives since, after all, that is the ultimate goal of a working student.

         Overall, a strong social life is equally as important as a good education and financial stability. Given the increasing popularity and accessibility of students being able to attend college via online courses, more individuals can earn degrees while also working. While online and in-person college course attendance is on the rise, it will become ever more important for people to understand the ways in which they are able to support their social lives and health triangle. By utilizing time properly and focusing on the three main aspects for a healthy life, a working student can maintain high academic success, financial security, and a social life that is supportive of their goals and aspirations.

The problem of evil can be easily discussed in a manner that, assuming God exists, why would he cause suffering and bad things to happen? On the other hand, if God doesn’t create, or at least endorse, evil, why can’t he stop it if he is omnipotent? Furthermore, provided God is omnipotent, is he evil for continuing to allow evil to exist and not putting an end to the suffering of, at least, his believers?

In this chapter, there were several different solutions that were given to the problem of evil, with the most convincing of the group being skeptical theism. The reasons I believe this solution to be the most convincing is because it does seem as if God is a parental figure, allowing all of us to suffer through the hard parts of life because he knows what is to come ahead after the suffering has ended. As stated in our book, “It is often argued that events in history that are bad in themselves nevertheless have good consequences” (Page 70). The author goes on to explain how good things like technological advancements and vaccinations both came out of bad events occurring. This solution makes the most sense to me because it’s something that we are taught all throughout our life; maybe there’s a bigger picture and there is good in the end, but we just can’t see the whole purpose yet or another common phrase, “everything will work itself out in the end.”

The solution that was the least convincing to me, personally, is theodicy, more specifically, the second portion of theodicy given in the text which essentially states that suffering is good for people because it builds character (Page 68). Although I do believe that character building is important for everyone and makes us each individually unique in how we are in our lives, I don’t believe suffering should be a necessary step, set forth by God, to inflict certain character types. I also would like to point out that with this solution, why does suicide exist? If God truly is omniscience, omnipotent, and benevolent wouldn’t he know when someone has reached their breaking point with their personal suffering and do something to prevent them from ending their own life for the sake of relief? As the book also mentions, with this suffering, there are often long-term effects like PTSD (Page 68). Are these people supposed to suffer their entire lives because God views this as a building of character? This solution is the least convincing because if the ultimate goal of God is to reduce evil and draw someone closer to his word and eternal peace, I would think he would alter the lives of many in order to prove his existence or, at minimum, guide them more towards a life of theism than a way of thinking ending their life is the only chance for relief from the never-ending suffering.

Ultimately, I don’t believe God, or any combination of gods, could eradicate evil from this world, but by using skeptical theism, I could more closely relate to the argument that the problem of evil could be solved.

   When the topic of discussion is social justice issues what comes to mind first? The oppression of minority groups, wage gap inequalities, universal healthcare? How about child abuse and neglect? An average of five children a day under the age of eighteen died in 2019 as the result of abuse and neglect.[1] Since 2015, death from child abuse and neglect has been on an upward trend without a predictable reversal. I feel the following information will be able to bring more awareness to the social justice issue of child maltreatment we face in this country, why it exists, and what can be done to stop the increasing child deaths as a result.

Future Generations: Mistreated and Ignored

  There is an issue that has been plaguing this country for many years and, in my opinion, is worse than COVID-19, race issues, and low minimum wage. This problem is child abuse and neglect. According to the “2021 Child Maltreatment Report,” released by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, an estimated 3,016,000 children received either an investigation response or alternative response. Fifty-one states reported 588,229 victims of child abuse and neglect. 76.0% of these victims were neglected, 16.0% were physically abused, 10.1% were sexually abused, and 0.2% were sex trafficked.[2] I understand, there are several different social justice issues in the United States, but protecting the safety and well-being of the children should be one of our main focuses as a society. Not only is child abuse horrific on its own, but it truly does primarily affect families of lower income versus their middle-to-high-class counterparts due to income inequality. As stated in, “The link between child abuse and income inequality: Research brief,” written by John Eckenrode of Connell University, “Overall, the higher the level of income inequality in a county, the higher the reported rate of maltreatment of children tends to be. That is true no matter what the average family income happens to be.”[3] This conclusion was made after a study, performed in 2014, linked income inequality to the rate of child maltreatment in America. Minority groups compose the largest amount of data in relation to child maltreatment as well, with an almost direct correlation between their minority and income status. Statistics from a 2021 study collected by the National Child Abuse and Neglect Data System (NCANDS) and published by “Statista Research Department” show that per 1,000 children, 10.5 children were of American Indian or Alaskan Native race, 13.1 were of African American race, 10.3 were multiracial, 8.5 were Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander, 7.7 were of Hispanic race, 7.1 were of Caucasian race, and 1.4 were of Asian race.[4] Given these two demographical groups, is it possible to make the changes necessary in order to give these children a better quality of life and improve for the future generations to avoid increases in child maltreatment? How could child maltreatment be eradicated?

Saving the Future

  Most of the problems with child maltreatment, I believe, come from generational, cultural, and socioeconomic differences. Parents of maltreated children were often maltreated themselves. This causes a generational pattern of children being maltreated. One way in which this country could reduce the amount of child abuse/neglect would be to require those who were abused as children to attend therapy sessions to work through their childhood trauma and learn how to be a better parent to their children than their parents were to them. These therapy sessions could take place from the time of conceiving up to and beyond delivery. A major part of generational child maltreatment is the lack of healing from the abused child and inadequacies in information offered to them. Some forms of abuse and neglect come from a person’s cultural background. For example, is some African, Middle East, and Asian cultures, female genital mutilation is common practice occurring with roughly 200 million females from infancy to 15 years old.[5] This practice isn’t nearly as common in America, but it does still occur due to a person’s culture continuing to remain the same after migration to the United States. Although it is exceedingly difficult to change someone’s cultural beliefs, I think it would be possible simply with more education. This education could include the lifelong effects and damage it causes to a woman’s body and the risks of medical problems throughout their lives.

  Children often face continued abuse and neglect because they are not able to voice these issues on their own. Unfortunately, it usually takes a mandatory reporter or member of the public to contact the correct resources to change the child’s surroundings. The maltreatment of a child causes physical and psychological effects that typically will go untreated. Currently, the social justice issue of child abuse and neglect is far more important than any others due to it affecting so many children and years upon years of their future lives. Something must change, and I truly hope that it changes quickly for the sake of these children who were dealt a life that was out of their control.

[1] (Child Welfare Information Gateway, 2021)

[2] (Aysha E. Schomburg, Associate Commissioner, 2021)

[3] (Eckenrode, 2014)

[4] (Statista Research Department, 2023)

[5] (World Health Organization, 2023)

1)     For this project, I decided to focus on the issues of an adult with ADHD in the workplace. This topic resonates with me because I recently received an official diagnosis of ADHD and so many parts of my entire life suddenly began to make sense after doing some research about how it truly affects me and the way my brain functions. I also chose this topic because I think it’s important for other people to understand how someone with ADHD may have different approaches or techniques when completing work tasks.

2)     Because of my own research on this topic, I know, on a personal level, a lot about how this condition specifically affects me, but I don’t know a whole lot about how it affects the millions of other people with the condition and the differences between someone who is medicated versus unmedicated. To complete this project, I will need to know more about how it affects others and the different types of ADHD that exist along with the solutions for managing life with the condition.

3)     ADHD is a problem in every community type, but, I think, plays the biggest role within the working class because it truly dictates how information can be retained and how work is able to be performed on a daily basis. I wouldn’t necessarily say that ADHD is a “problem” in the workplace, but more-so an additional challenge that a lot of people with this condition must face which their coworkers/peers may not experience the same struggles. The real “problem” with ADHD is in those who have the condition, but don’t know how to manage it along with those around them who also may not know how to work along someone with ADHD.

4)     ADHD is something that is so widespread and common that, I think, it’s important for everyone to know about. The condition affects everyone from friends and family to coworkers and administrators. If more information was readily available and provided to not only those with the condition, but also the people around them, there could be a lot less stress for everyone involved and improve conditions within the workplace as well as provide a more inviting space from the person with ADHD where they are able to feel understood and accepted.

5)     For this project, I plan to review scientific and psychological journals involving ADHD, watching videos from people with ADHD to see what kind of techniques they have for overcoming obstacles caused by the condition, and diving to more in-depth learning of the condition itself. I will also be looking inward to myself to find out exactly the types of issues I have in my own job that are caused by having ADHD. Most of this research will most likely come from internet resources; although, I would also like to talk to some of my colleagues about their own struggles with the condition as well.

         There is a growing problem in the workplace, especially in the United States, that affects millions of people every single day who have ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder). With roughly six million children being diagnosed each year with ADHD (Data and statistics about ADHD), the issues associated with ADHD and work will continue to be a growing and pressing issue. Although this may seem like a negative impression on the current and future workforce, there are ways to utilize those with ADHD to provide stronger relationship between management and colleagues alike and increase production.

         You may be wondering, at this point, “why would ADHD play a role in someone’s work?” This question is completely valid because, although the effects of ADHD can be diminished by adulthood, there are still around 8.7 million diagnosed adults with ADHD (addrc) who must maintain work performance and relationships with management and coworkers. Another issue stemming from ADHD is the $122.8 billion of total excess societal costs associated with adults having ADHD in the workforce (addrc). This cost is due to people with ADHD facing unemployment, productivity losses, and healthcare expenses. To combat issues associated with ADHD and working, there must be steps taken by those with the disorder and those surrounding them to ensure a coherent working environment that promotes growth, success, and goal achievement. There are three main groups that can focus on changing the workplace to accommodate this continued issue: the person with ADHD, their coworkers, and their management team.

         The benefits of seeking personal treatment have been shown to greatly increase quality of life, self-esteem, functional performance, and work performance (Fairbank). I’m a firm believer that the best solution for overcoming the issues caused by ADHD is seeking personal treatment. This can be achieved through therapy or medications and truly is a subjective experience. Because this disorder affects everyone in different ways, it’s important to figure out which treatment method would work best for the individual with ADHD. Commonly, with psychological counseling, or therapy, efforts can be focused on improving time management and organizational skills, reducing impulsive behavior, coping with past failures, and improving self-esteem and problem-solving skills (Staff, Mayo Clinic). Improving these areas of someone’s life who struggles with the effects of ADHD can positively impact their outlook on life, productivity at work, and interpersonal relationships with friends, family, and coworkers. Some people, however, don’t feel much improvement with counseling alone and would rather opt to use medications to alleviate ADHD symptoms. Medications can be prescribed by a psychiatrist and are primarily aimed at improving focus and memory by balancing chemicals in the brain. Also, with medication or counseling, one might be able to better help those around them understand how they, specifically, suffer from ADHD.

         The coworkers of someone with ADHD can play a vital role in the success or failures of that person. Since there isn’t usually much interaction between employees and management, coworkers are sometimes the closest with individuals with ADHD. A solution offered by Kathleen Nadeau is for coworkers to identify the areas that cause the most procrastination within the person who has ADHD and all work together to take some of the burden away from them so they’re less responsible for tasks that require harsh deadlines (Nadeau). Obviously, for coworkers to make these accommodations, it may increase their own workload so they won’t be extremely likely to do this, but, when possible, it could increase the overall productivity in the workplace and decrease the amount of stress if everyone relies on deadlines being met to maintain standards. Building friendships with coworkers can build a level of trust, understanding, and compassion which would benefit the person with ADHD by allowing their friendships to help cater to their strengths and minimize their issues with areas they’re weaker in, such as deadlines.

         The final solution to the problem of ADHD in the workplace involves the person’s boss or employer. Surprisingly, upper management has a much bigger role than they may realize. If the management team can become educated on ADHD and the different ways it can affect the people who have it, they can begin to implement changes with a top-down approach. By educating the other employees about the difficulties that arise from ADHD, as well, it can bring more awareness to the entire workforce. “She [Psychotherapist Elizabeth Fedrick, PhD, LPC] explains that because some people don’t take ADHD seriously as a mental disorder, people with ADHD are often in work environments that clash with their skills. And the results of being in this kind of environment are often overlooked or dismissed” (Gatta).  An employer can delegate certain tasks to someone with ADHD if they know more about that person’s strengths. If someone with ADHD is very imaginative, it might benefit the employee and the company to give them tasks that require more creative work, if possible, versus work that involves, say, numerical data. The employer also holds the ability to create an environment where mistakes aren’t disciplined so harshly and are, instead, met with encouragement and coaching for how to handle the issue in a better manner next time it may occur.

         At this point there may be some questions as to how effective some of these solutions might be. A common question that’s asked is “Don’t most people with ADHD who take medications randomly stop taking them?” Although, it is, unfortunately, true that sometimes people who are being treated with medications will randomly stop taking them; if this were to happen, often they end up restarting the medications or get a different medication that might help them even more. It’s important for someone with a psychological disorder to have a healthy support system that can encourage them to continue with their treatment, even if they don’t want to.

Someone who doesn’t have the best understanding of ADHD, or psychological disorders in general, may also believe that therapy is “fake medicine” in the sense that, since ADHD is psychological and can’t be visibly observed, therapy isn’t going to help the person overcome any obstacles. It’s always important to remember that everyone is entitled to their own beliefs, but for a lot of people, therapy is a key ingredient in making their lives more enjoyable and productive. Therapy for those with ADHD is extremely subjective and can fulfill their needs by coaching them into a healthier and more balanced lifestyle. Most people with ADHD want nothing more than to be “normal” in the eyes of their coworkers and employers and sometimes are never able to achieve the feeling of being like everyone else. In an interview conducted with Joshua Orth, a technical project coordinator with ADHD, he says, “if coworkers and bosses would take more time to understand ADHD and why an individual struggles with certain tasks, the workplace would become a more positive and enjoyable space for everyone involved.”

         In conclusion, solving the problems revolving around ADHD at work is dependent on everyone involved. More than anyone else, the person with the disorder should be seeking personal treatment first and foremost to try to resolve any issues themselves before responsibility can be dispersed to others around them. By learning how the disorder affects the individual specifically, more targeted solutions can be made. Seeing as these problems can only increase as future generations enter the workforce, it’s important to begin taking steps to minimize its effects before they become so much of an issue that can no longer be easily managed. If the workforce, as a whole, doesn’t start acting, there will be an increase in national monetary deficits due to ADHD, an increase with depression in adults (these two disorders are closely correlated due to a poor quality of life) (Cuncic), and a decrease in morale. The need for action to be taken by everyone surrounding someone with ADHD is because it can and will affect everyone. From the person suffering with ADHD to the coworkers who need to be able to rely on this person, and the bosses who require high levels of productivity to be considered successful in their own work.