I recommend getting your DNA tested because it is a fun and exciting experience for you and your family. You can settle your curiosity about your ethnicity, traits, health, and much more once you take the test! Taking the test also might give you a sense of belonging and what you are. 

Teenagers are interested in a sense of identity and want to answer the question “Who am I?”  Being able to take a DNA test, helps to shape that. Teenagers are getting more curious as to what their future would hold based on the traits and health found in their lineage. 

Some celebrities such as Snoop Dogg, have taken a DNA test in the past. Snoop Dogg thought that he was only Sub-Saharan African, but his DNA tests came back as him only being 71% Sub-Saharan African. The rest of his DNA results consisted of Native American and a little bit of European. 

People who have had difficult histories such as African American slaves and adoptees: it would help them to learn about themselves and to be able to make more connections. It would be more likely for them to take a DNA test because there is much more for them to discover rather than an average person, already having a hint of what ethnicity they are apart of. 

DNA testing has helped many people who have been wrongly convicted, to be sent home. One victim who was wrongly convicted for a mass murder, had been on death row for 30+ years. A series of people involved in a case such as the scientist, planted evidence that would result to Anthony Hinton’s execution. 

I had my DNA tested in January, 2019. I asked for a DNA test for Christmas because I was curious and I didn’t care if my DNA is private or not. The results came back quickly. My results came back with almost half of my ethnicity being from Northwestern Europe and a quarter of it being from Eastern Europe. My cousin who came to New York from Russia also had her DNA tested. Her results came in as having a full ethnicity of Eastern European. She used a different website than I did which was MyHeritage. Which of these companies are more accurate?  

My DNA results do not surprise me much because my mom has told me that my family originated from England, and my last name (Cabe) is also Scottish. My great grandmother is also from Russia, so the Eastern Europe part does not surprise me as well. 

“I chose Ancestry.com over 23andme because I saw that Ancestry.com was advertised more, and I wasn’t familiar with 23andme as much. Ancestry.com was also running a special during the holidays,” Lisa said. 

Ancestry.com is the most popular because it is the most advertised among the different DNA websites. 

One of the DNA tests can detect a few diseases such as celiac disease, Parkinsons, and Alzheimer’s disease. 23andme might be able to detect the disease, but the accuracy of the test doesn’t declare if you will or will not get the disease. There is still a possibility of getting it and not getting the disease. 

What do you think about the DNA testing? Tweet at us @LHSjournalism!