China and Us

Lately I’ve been hearing about how instead of English being taught around the world as the international business language it should be Mandarin, the Chinese language.  Lately it has been evident that China has been ruling the market for business, I mean, almost everything that we own is made in China.  Since many U.S. companies rely on China for its “manpower” it has been essential to eliminate the language barrier between our Eastern brethren.  Though what I really want to know is will this completely change the language taught in classes? Soon enough, if China’s power over the economy grows will learning Mandarin be required in order to land a good career?  I know it seems like a superstition but think about it, who seems to have the most power over products made?  Who does the US owe most of our national debt to?  If China were to become the primary country of where primary business is being dealt, what would that mean for us who never got the opportunity to learn Mandarin in the first place?  I know at this point I sound like one of those late-night radio channel hosts who keep spouting nonsense about the government and lizard people, but I honestly am sort of concerned about this overall.  I know that many of you definitely have plenty of counter-arguments and I’m totally open to different points of view about the matter in the comments section below.

Senior year and still not feeling it

You’d think that once senior year begins you’d feel it and think to yourself “wow this is my last and final year of high school”, however, I still feel nothing. It’s almost as if next year id be coming back to this campus, getting a new schedule, and seeing the same familiar faces I've known for the past several years of my life. It’s just too weird of a feeling that every day is sort of your last. When I think about it like that, it makes me want to make each day more special, even if it’s something small. I want to make my senior year worth remembering so when I look back on it I won’t feel any sort of regrets. This is the time to make things happen, to join that club you've had your eye on, the sport that you’d always wanted to try out. Sure there will be clubs and sports in college but why wait then when you can try it now. This is our last year to enjoy the time we have with our current friends until we all part ways. I’m surely we all know that after a certain amount of time we won’t be hearing from them again. I knew that for my senior year I wanted to make something more of myself so I set some personal goals. So far it’s not all going to plan. Just like the topic states, I’m just not feeling it. However, I’m scared that when I finally do feel it I know that I wouldn't be able to stop myself from feeling sad . I can still remember the 10 year old me thinking about how it'd be like to be a high schooler, to be going to college all grown up. I also clearly remember shaking my head and thinking that’s too weird to think about and continued doing some math problems. Now that its seven years later and that I’m finally in that moment it’s still kind of weird to think about. Also, everyone I ask seems to ask has some sort of plan of what they want to major in or hope to be. Others are just like me, clueless. I fear that I won’t find my passion in life, that I’ll end up working in a career that is a burden to me every day waking up to, but then again, who doesn't. For now I just hope that it’ll finally hit me that it’s our last year and enjoy it to the fullest. 

College Bound

What exactly are we hoping to see in college? For me, I truly believe that college is a chance to start over. It is a time for you to look back at all of your past mistakes and then try not to relive them. You are introduced to a whole new group of friends and to a whole new world of culture. We can shy away or be adventurous and experience things that we have never experienced before. It is a time to rediscover ourselves. One common mistake that most college students make is that they use their "independence" to get themselves into trouble. I am not saying that all college students are like this, but that there are a small percentage of us college-bound kids who are not used to such independence and can end up mishandling it. Here are just a few tips for us college-bounders:

• Make friends that will help you progress and not digress
• Meet people from different backgrounds
• Expand your horizons
• Get to know your professors
• be money wise

                   - You are going to be bombarded by credit card companies next year. credit cards are fun to have until you start having bad credit, then it becomes an unwanted load. if you are going to get a credit card, make sure to pay it off every month. your life literally depends on good credit

• Don't be afraid to try different things
• Join clubs that interest you
• Keep building a positive representation of yourself.
• Make sure to check with your parents regularly, they really do miss their little child

• Most of all, don’t quit when the going gets tough.

College is a lot harder than High school. We don’t have teachers or parents reminding us to do or work. It is a time to really define independence. You will be forced to make decisions that will ultimately affect your future. Those decisions can either make you or break you. Remember that there is no “grace period” in college. If you don’t do your work, you will not pass the class. There are also no tardy sweeps or Saturday school. If you miss class, you stand in risk of being dropped.

Lastly, you should have fun. Always make time to take a break from you work. You mind and soul need a break from time to time, so treat them occasionally.

 

 

Procrastination

It is something we all do regardless of what we say. Procrastination. It is the absolutely worse thing and it is something I am doing right now. I am in trouble because I feel that procrastination is also the best motivator regardless. I feel like it is something that leads me on to finish my projects rather than just wait back and relax. Once i do that I am able to focus and understand more of the topic at hand. I understand this is probably one of the worst things that a person could do because it is not something that is meant to help you. This will not help me at all in college. But i feel like it is a good things I am breaking of the habit this year. I am so stressed with school that sometimes procrastination is all you can do.

ACC College

Last weekend I was lucky enough to be able to go with my sister to ACC. My sister set up an appointment for the both of us because she is interested in going back to school and also wants me to get a feel on how colleges are and questions I should ask I had a really nice time and even found out things about careers I didn't know about. They were able to give us prices of the course and a more in depth view. In the beginning I was shy and quiet, observing the things around me and listening. The lady was more focused on my sister I don't know why but it was ok I was making sure I listened and took mental notes for next time when I go check out a college I have a list of questions to ask. She offered us to take a practice test and then an actual test to see how we would score and see any financial aid. She gave us a tour of the building and as we were talking she kept bringing up dates to when we can enroll. That's the part I didn't really like because it felt like she just wanted to make us enroll and not really care about what we needed and why my sister couldn't start school now. My sister isn't prepared financially and that's a problem and even though my sister could be eligible for aid she doesn't have money for another bill. The lady just kept insisting and starting to get aggressive and asking why she had so many bills and telling her she made mistakes and i didn't like that and neither did my sister so the experience was in a way ok but also kind of frustrating.

Fear

This year we students class of 2015 are facing a life turning moment. Graduation. I am going to be very honest and express my fear of graduating. I am absolutely terrified of graduating. I understand why everyone is excited because you are supposed to be and it makes perfect sense to be, but I also think it's okay for everyone to be a little scared too. I am terrified because it is already October and I still have no idea what it is I want to even be. If i have no idea what it is I even want to be then how can I be truthful and honest to myself and make all my options available if I am already enrolling in a community college just to be on the safe side. I am so glad that in this class I read about the annotated articles on college. It really boosted my confidence and doesn't make me so scared anymore. I feel that ever since that I am now able to feel liberated. More often than not many kids have no idea what they even want to be in college. It's okay not to know. Kids also go into college thinking that they know their career, but they will eventually veer away from that also.I learned that I can traditionally take a gap year just to travel and figure out my life for that extended year. I also learned that I can do other careers that are well paying without the degree. I can go into the military or the Peace Corps. I was able to turn that fear into new found confidence.Everybody should be able to be confident about life after high school but not everyone is aware of these things and feel forced to go into college. The majority of kids who go into college with unsure minds may eventually just quit and realize it isn't for them. For example, the last year in a half everyone within my life has been telling me to go to nursing school because they have great benefits and pay well and there is always work within the medical field. I perfectly agree that it is a smart decision and that is something I truly considered as a life career but was unable to agree. I could not ever do that because I have NO INTEREST. I do not care to learn of veins and check on people. I could not be kind to those who are rude to me. I sure as hell can not wear that lime green scrub that they consider uniform eiither. I just can not. Now I do no have to either. I am able to be whatever it is I want to be. This is great because it takes away my fear. I am no longer scared of the future. I am content for now. I will go to a community just to figure myself out and take the next step from there. I learned that everything has to be one step at a time.

Gap year

I feel gap years can be very much necessary, so I definitely don't disagree with them, but I do believe that it is very hard to stop going to school and then suddenly want to go back. But of course if you really want something, then you'll do whatever that it takes to get it, in this case, a college degree. A gap year is something is a time period that initially lasts for about a year, or maybe even longer, where students study what they want to be in the future so they know how everything works or they procrastinate and do whatever they want. Personally for me, I wouldn't be able to take a gap year because I wouldn't be motivated to go back to school. But if I skip taking a gap year and just go straight to school after high school I'd be used to it so it wouldn't make much of a difference. In Europe, after high school most students do gap years, choose what they're interested in, and try their career out before they go to college so that they're certain of what they want to do, then they go back to college and study that profession. By the sounds of it, it seems smarter taking a gap year so you can know for sure what you want to do in life and then study it so you can get the actual job for sure, but in reality, at least for me, it wouldn't work taking a gap year. I would just lag on studying the profession that interests me and then I still wouldn't know what to do with my life afterwards. People say that you save a lot of money, time, and stress when you do a gap year because of the whole "finding yourself" part of the gap year. It's weird that people that take gap years are mostly the students that have high SAT scores and a high GPA, which is interesting because how can you take a break from something and just go back to doing it like nothing and expect to do good like how you did the whole year before? It's just weird to me, but very interesting that some people have the ability to do so. 

procrastination

Procrastination is something most kids our age end up doing, yet almost all of us wish we hadn't. Waiting until the last minute to finish a homework assignment or knocking out all of your chores can put a lot of stress on your bodies and negatively affect your mind. But why not start your homework a couple hours earlier or your projects a couple days sooner? Personally, practicing after school for sometimes two or three hours, I get home and i am just tired from the day, so i lay down maybe watch some netflix and relax. I feel too slumped to start any kind of mental training like a personal essay or cladogram worksheet. So i end up not starting my homework until 8 or 9 oclock, with the everlonging yet highly avoidable distractions such as twitter and other social media sites.I either end up having to cram it all in that night or decrease my oh-so-needed beauty rest. My brain sometimes tends to go off onto a tangent, especially when i am not one hundred percent focused on my task, and i believe new technologies contribute to this. Any turn ups for tonight?
                        -CV

Senior Year.

Its senior year and all I hear is people talking about universities their going to or applying to, makes me feel like an outcast. I'm going to a local city college right after high school. Now I'm not saying community college is a bad place to go to after high school but I wanted to go to a UC after graduating. All of my cousins attended really great schools ad I wanted to do the same. My parents expect the same thing from me, every time my parents ask me what I'm going to do right after high school, and it gets me very nervous. It always gets me thinking on what I'm going to do with my life. Hearing people talk about going to a UC reminds me of why I didn't do good through our high school. Why didn't I care about my grades the way I do now. I didn't care about doing my homework or anything now it's different, but it's to late to go back. Lately I've been really nervous just thinking about how we are all going to start a new chapter in our lives once we start college. Once I starting thinking about it, I see myself not being able to succeed at anything I want to do with my life. I always feel like I'm going to be that one person who fails at anything they want to accomplish. Seeing my friends living a happy life, then I'll just be there failing and I don't know why my mind is set to that. Senior year is suppose to be easy and fun, people in the past said it was. Honestly they got the fun part right but I personally don't think senior year is easy, all this homework teachers assign is crazy and I don't see how it's easy. Hopefully I pass all my classes,graduate and most importantly being able to succeed once I start college. With all that being said its now senior year and I'm going to tell myself that it's going to be a great year and that everything is going to be ok after high school.

Sleep, good grades, social life. Choose 3

If you were forced to choose two of the three out of sleep, good grades, and social life, which would you choose? Each of the three possibilities each hold certain benefits that the others don't. Sleep and good grades would allow you to focus more on your schoolwork and allow you to get into a good university, and you will probably succeed very much in life. Good grades and social life would allow you to enjoy life while also doing well in school;furthermore, college is still a very viable option if one were to choose this combination. Lastly, with sleep and social life as the main priorities, one could live a more relaxing lifestyle with the least amount of commitment or responsibility. 

However, you can't have your cake and eat it too, so to speak. Although there are many positive reasons to choose each of the three combinations, there are negative reasons as well. Social life and sleep would most likely make you very lazy and unsuccessful in a long term view. Grades and Social life would put a lot of stress on you which could be difficult to cope with. With grades and sleep you would miss out on the more enjoyable parts of high school.

Overall, I believe that good grades and social life is what I would choose due to the fact that i believe in the importance of college but also in making the most out of this year. And although that is the one I think is best, it doesn't mean that everyone has to think that too. It's a personal opinion, so there is no real answer to which is best.

Which would you choose?

difficult decisions

Now that college applications for Cal States are almost due I've never felt so pressured before as I do now. I'm so stressed because I never really have much time in the day to sit on my computer for a couple of hours and works on applications because of homework and projects assigned etc. I opened up an application and noticed I had to put what major I'm interested in and realized I wasn't so sure. I took an ROP Health Occupations class to see if i would be interested in the medical field and i was. I was interested in becoming a neonatalogist (doctor for premature,ill babies) because well.. I love babies and just the thought of being able to save a newborns life would be so incredible. If I do choose that route, I would major in Biology or any science major. But then ever since I was about 8 years old I've always been that "crafty, creative person" you can say. I loved the thought of being able to come up with new ideas and making them my own. That still hasn't changed about myself, so another interest I would like to major in is designing. I'm still looking more into it. So should I major with a BS or BA? Both are totally opposite careers but they are both careers I would really love. The downside of Neonatalogist would be the fact that babies wont make it and I know that will devastate me. The downside for designing would be it doesn't make as much of a high salary as a doctor does. I spoke to a friend about this complicated decision and their automatic response was to become a doctor. They said I wont be as successful if I major in designing. I felt really offended because that response basically told me "Don't do what you love, you will fail." They obviously don't know the famous designers. I'm not saying in any way i'll be "famous" but its a way of saying that nothing is impossible to achieve a goal and becoming successful in life. Should I double major? or would that be a waste of my time? I feel as myself only being a 16 year old, I feel so pressured to know exactly what I want to major in and my career option in so little time. Then I feel if i'm pressured, I will make a mistake and waste more time. I still have about a 10-11 months until I start college and feel as if I must have a response and decision this very second. Any advice?

Beginning a new chapter in life

It saddens me to think that we're almost done with high school and we're about to begin a new chapter in our life. We're coming to an end with our high school years and we are going to have start being more responsible and doing things for ourselves and not relying on anyone else. I always rely on my mom to pick me up and drop me off at places and now i know that I'm going to have to rely on myself to get me to places. However our parents can still help us with things, but just don't rely on them. I remember starting ninth grade as if it was yesterday I see where I was at at this time of the year in ninth grade and its completely different I would've never imagined it. in this time of the year i bet its very stressful for seniors including me we"re taking our SATs, trying to do our college applications because there due in a month for most schools and also trying to do our regular assignments for our classes. But either way we have to remain positive and see the best of things and know that some things are meant to be and some are not. The first quarter is about to end and then we have three quarters left we still have to pay attention in school and remain content. After all of us graduate a new chapter will begin and we will all go our separate ways either go to a community college or a four year university or the peace corps or start working or many other things that's out there, everyone has their different interests and that's what makes each of us different. there can also be problems at home that can delay us from doing what we want to do but just hang in there and stay strong and things will start to go the way you want it as long as you remain positive and won't give up.

Senior Year
        We’re only a week away from the end of the quarter, and its honestly incredible to think that ¼ of the year already gone by. I don’t know how to feel about that, it still feels as though we just started senior year a week ago and before we knew it time has been really catching up on us. I don't know about everyone else, but I'm interested in what's yet to come and the challenges that we still have to conquer for the next 3/4's of the year. However, now that I reflect on the valid information I learned just in our ERW class on college, alternatives to college and just post-high school in general. ERW goes into detail on topics that we once used to just brush over in regular English classes. And using that information, we are able to apply it into real world circumstances such as for use in personal statements, whereas before they would only be for a grade in the grade book. FAQ assignments forced students to have to research college information. It showed us information on colleges, and an aspiration that gave us hope that they could now possibly be a reality. I know that I can genuinely be excited for senior year.
 

Not Knowing....

When college applications opened I really didn't care for them at all. I honestly didn't know where I wanted to go or what I wanted to major in. Every time someone would ask me what I want to major in all I would say was a lawyer. I knew I wanted to major in that field but I didn't know what type of lawyer nor what school I wanted to attend. I was so lost and confused. Just hearing everyone saying were they wanted to go and what they wanted to major in with full confidence brought me down, because,  I didn't even know what I wanted to do. I just simply didn't care for it as much and didn't make a big deal about it. Until, my best friend got her letter of acceptance from Stanford.  At the moment I was really proud of her, she’s an amazing brilliant girl, but I was sort of jealous. Not because she got accepted to an amazing school but rather because she had gotten the whole application process done and knew what she wanted to major in. It just made me want to figure out what I wanted for my future. So, the next day it was an eye opener for me. I got up and started to get my act together. I started to look into many schools and started focusing on my major. It was pretty hectic and hard because they’re so many types of lawyers and I was unsure of what I wanted to do. But, colleges provided background information and I was able to read about different types of lawyers till I found the one I wanted to major in.  Then the next step, that was much harder. Finding a school for my major as an undergraduate, Out of state it is much easier to find a school for but Local schools I didn't have many options. I had to look into schools and make sure it was the right school that would start my 4- years.  At this moment I knew exactly what I wanted to do but I started to question myself. I now faced the real questions. Do I see myself as a criminal justice defense attorney or not? Will I be the right fit for this job in the future? Will I even do well? I started questioning myself in every aspect until I went to UCI law school.  I saw the law school department and fell in love. I was blown away with the library, the courthouse, and even the classroom. I got a rushing feeling of excitement inside of me and I knew that I would see myself attending UCI as a graduate someday. I finally knew that I wanted to major in law. I didn't have any doubts anymore. They all left after that day. 

what is success ?

What is success? The definition of success I believe is very personal and will be different for everyone. I personally feel success is the reaching of a single goal: true, unquestionable happiness. Success is something accomplished over time. Over this course of time you gain knowledge and endure obstacles with patience and hardship. It is all about how hard you try in your life, even if you have failed, your struggle to strive for success is so great you will feel no remorse. For some, success may partially be the attainment of a steady paycheck that allows you to afford your life style. However, success is something that is more than just a goal in life. You may have everything but still not be happy nor satisfied. Success doesn’t always have to be big, It can be a personal achievement, it’s something you strive for and accomplish.  I believe that living a happy and successful life is the combination of three key elements: passion, support, and confidence.  You need passion to drive you, it's like your fuel. It's the reason why you want to get where you want to get. You need support because the obstacle you're facing may be bigger than yourself and you may feel like giving up during your strive .  You need someone to have your back during though times.  You need confidence because no one else will reach your goal but you. No one will do it for you, so you need the confidence to stand up and do it yourself. In the end, only you can define your efforts as successful or not, and only you can define when more effort is needed to keep going to reach that goal. Success is yours, personal and unique. No one can take it from your grasp, nor define it. 

Next Stage in Life

            For me the next stage in life is going to be college. I am excited and yet scared of this new stage of my life. There is one thing I am worried about moving on with life and that is that I am sill just a kid who doesn’t know much about the real world. When you move out and become an adult you have so much responsibility because now only you are responsible for yourself.  You can be a kid and try to blame others for your mistakes. When people grow up there are all these things they need to learn and know like: taxes, paying bills, applying for a job, financial aid if you go to college, social security number, credit score and all of these other things. If you told these things to mostly any adult they can explain these things to you. I don’t know much about doing taxes, paying bills, credit score, or any of the other things. There are all of things that I need to know when I become an adult. It just piles up and it feels like a massive obstacle that I need to overcome, but I believe that is easier than what I have made it out to be. I am frightened and excited about the future. The reason why I am scared of the future is because there are all these things I don’t know. As a senior I thought that high school was going to be easy and fun but it turned out to be stressful. This month of October has been the hardest month of school I had. There were all these things I had to do. No one ever told me how stressful applying for college would be. I have gotten so used to my high school life , but now I have to move onward to the next stage and get used to it all over again.

Senioritis

On the other hand I just feel overwhelmed and stressed out. I feel that there is not enough hours in the day to get any work done. I wake up in the morning tired from last night because I was up late from doing homework because I took a nap at like 4 until 7, then I eat, take a shower, and then try to squeeze my homework in. Senioritis is real. You just get lazy and don't feel like doing anything at all. Something has got to give us motivation. Also, all of our teachers decide to give us all this homework in one week all at once like we are some type of homework gizzard.😂😩  While  getting ready for school i just think of sleeping more then I come home from school.  While at school I think about how I will go home and do my homework right when I get home , but it just doesn't work out that way. There is so many distractions like Instagram and Twitter. You could be on those social network and an entire hour will go by and you wouldn't even notice. I am trying really hard because it is too early to be slacking already. I will try to be more motivated and to not procrastinate. No matter what I still get my work done but it's the time frame that is a problem.

Senior Year Realities

Going into Senior Year I wondered what would I do while most of my friends graduated already. Well, senior year is about preparing myself for the future and no one is going to be there to hold my hand all the time. I can see that I am growing and maturing into a nice young lady. For college I want to go to San Diego State. I chose San Diego State because it is not too far and not too close. I am the only child, so my parents don't want me to go far. I have friends and cousins that go to Spelman, and Howard and if I got accepted there at this point I'm not really sure what I would do. Realistically it's all about what I want not what my parents want. I'm the one that has to live there for four plus years of my life. Anyways, I have applied to a couple of schools already and I feel much better about it. Procrastinating with college would not be a good idea. I say get it done early so you won't have to stress and worry about things you could have handled a long time ago. I am just worried a little about my personal statement because the final draft is due Friday and now I am thinking about starting all over and that is going to be a disaster.  One thing I am grateful for is parents that actually care about my well being and want the best for me. I have gotten good grades all my life so now I could get into a decent college and start a new journey. I am excited for what the college life has to offer me. I know the temptation will be even harder now and I will really have to be on my A game. Parties especially will be a big distraction. I think I can party a little, as long as I get all of my work done first. I am exited for the college experience all around. I just want a new environment, a new start. No I will not be the first person to go to college in my family, and I am ready for the new experiences. C/o 2015🚴🎓

Lazy & Stressed

Overall, I just feel stressed.  It's not even that senior year is difficult, because with the classes that I chose to take this year, it's really not.  I'm just getting lazier and lazier and the year barely began, so I'm already showing bad signs this early on.  I still have good grades, great grades actually, but everyday I have to take a nap when I get home, so I push my homework aside and always wait until the last minute to finish it.  Even if I still get good grades, I never used to be as lazy as I am now and I remember going through so much more stress and a lot more assignments when I took Chemistry and Algebra 2 sophomore year at the same time.  Compared to my sophomore year, senior year is nothing.  I think the main issue about senior year is all of the projects that we're getting in all of our other classes.  I have this government project that I was given at least two weeks ago that is due next Friday that I still haven't started on.  It's a big project.  But don't get me wrong, I still have plenty of time, but at the same time I really don't.  Also, just the simple fact that I'm too lazy to do anything and I usually get to this kind of behavior towards the end of the school year.  I guess that since I'm already thinking of graduation, the thought of it makes me want to slack off because I already know that I made it and I'll soon be done with high school.  But pushing homework aside until the last minute ruins everything because that means less hours of sleep, and I cherish my sleep a lot and since I'm not getting enough, it's a problem.  I just need to get myself together before the school year is over, because I can't stay the way I am all year long.  It's weird because when I am at school, I always tell myself "Right when I get home, I'll do my homework so I won't have to worry about it later." and as soon as I get home, I always say I'll do it in ten minutes, and that eventually begins to add up as every ten minutes passes by.  As soon as I look at the clock, I see that it's 10:30 P.M. and I'm confused and wondering where the time went and now I'm trying to finish my homework as fast as possible.  But I'm setting a goal for myself and that's to not procrastinate as much anymore because I need a lot more sleep than what I usually get.  That'll probably start when it's the second quarter.

Major in whatever you find interesting!

As a senior, one of the main questions you're asked most likely revolves around what you plan on majoring in in college. Now as an aspiring speech therapist, Psychology is one of the biggest majors to go into and study from but that wasn't good enough for my uncle.

 "That won't get you anywhere."
"You won't make any money with that." 

"Go into the medical field! So much easier." 

Sigh. I'm sure you've heard things like these as well and it doesn't feel great at all. It made me feel like what I hope to do and accomplish with my life isn't good enough. It made me feel like I won't be as great or even be as happy if I don't join another major that would guarantee a bigger check on pay day. I then came to the realization that if this is what I really want to do, then it won't matter how much I'm getting paid or where I'm working. My dad's girlfriend's daughter was born with Angelman Syndrome and due to her birth defect, she can't speak at all but by working with a speech therapist, it's allowed her to communicate easily with us and in the future I hope to give a family the comfort of speaking to their child or a wife to her husband. As long as I get to help a person who is struggling to speak because of an accident or because they were born with a birth defect that doesn't allow them to speak, then I'm okay with majoring in Psychology and being happy with where I settle in life.

Mainly, I hope that if you ever feel discouraged by someone who doesn't support your choice in majors, I beg you to do whatever makes you happy because at the end of the day, it's your life and not theirs. And remember.. Not everyone has to join the medical field.

Make Memories. Have Some Fun.

A hilarious moment happened in Cheerleading practice today, and I would like to share it with the rest of you. We have been rushing to put together a dance for this Friday's assembly. We didn't know of a way for us to all get a hold of the music and Myah yells out, "Put it on the blog." The rest of us who are taking ERW think it is the funniest thing in the world. This made me realize something. It is nice to have a way to communicate with others who are all in the same situation as you. This blog has actually informed me on a lot. I realized that talking to others and hearing their stories that I am not alone. I am not the only stressed out senior who is preparing for the next step in their life.


At the start of this year I had no idea where I wanted to go to college, or what I wanted to major in. All I knew was that I wanted to go. And now two months later, I am finally on a path. I'm not one hundred percent sure where it is headed, but I have turned a lot more corners and made a lot more footprints than before. I am proud of myself, and the rest of you should be too.


I wanted to now talk about the packet of articles that we read a couple of weeks ago. Thank you Ms. Fletcher for those because it helped. I learned that failure is okay and it is something you should share with others. I learned that there are certain things that most college students are stressed out over, such as money and getting home sick. Just know that once we reach that next step in our life, we will have other students to talk to about our problems; just like we are doing now on this blog.


Remember, not only are you going to college to get an education, but also to have some fun. It is our first chance to experience full freedom; we are going to make all the decisions on our own. That is a scary, yet frightening thought. But I believe in myself and I believe in you too. Don't let the worries take over. Make memories. Have some fun.

Beneficial

These last few weeks I have been noticing more and more people who take ERW are expanding their vocabulary and enjoying things, like the blog, or writing that we as teenagers usually wouldn't enjoy. I think we can all agree that ERW within the two months we've spent in there so far have been extremely beneficial. The past English classes I have taken weren't exactly challenging or teaching me anything I didn't already know, which I know is partly my fault for not signing up for more challenging classes. However, I feel that each grade levels work should become more stimulating and progress as the students progress. I still have yet to understand how spending 2 years in a row reading stories and answering packets filled with questions ALL YEAR LONG was expanding my English skills ...oh right, it didn't ... Any who, in this class I feel that I am actually learning new things and getting things done . I would never think that I, of all people, would absentmindedly use the words "banal" or "myriad" in my everyday vocabulary . Or that even my friends from cheer would start referencing things to do with our class like putting things on the blog, as if we had one for cheer . I want to thank Mrs.Fletcher in advance for sharing her knowledge to further our English skills and also for not giving us large packets of questions on random stories . 

Since Myah requested that it be on the blog, I thought I'd post it for her. (:

Tips for those applying for Federal loans

I’m sure that many are going to sign up for Federal student aid. If you haven’t already filled it out then here are some tips that I want to share with you guys that I am sure will help you guys when applying as they did to me. I hope that they are useful and remember the sooner the better.

1. Skipping deadlines

Colleges impose deadlines on families to submit their financial aid forms, and these dates can be much earlier for students applying through early decision. Find out what the deadlines are, and don't miss them.

2. File early

Although there are essentially no federal deadlines for seeking financial aid, states do impose deadlines for families who hope to qualify for financial aid through their state programs. State deadlines can be as early as February. In some states, aid is given out on a first-come, first-served basis, so it's best to file your FAFSA well ahead of the state deadline.

3. Seek help

Confused? FAFSA staffers can help. You can contact the Federal Student Aid Information Center via online chat, phone or email.

4. List the most current marital status

You need to provide your marital status -- divorced, separated or married -- on the day that the FAFSA is filed. Separated and divorced parents will sometimes enjoy a financial aid advantage.

5. Have the right parent complete the FAFSA

In divorced families, the parent who has taken care of the child during the majority of the 12 months dating from the day the FAFSA is submitted is considered the custodial parent. This can be especially advantageous in families when one ex-spouse earns significantly less than the other. Ideally, the child would live with the lower-earning parent for at least six months and a day. This parent would complete the FAFSA, and the other parent's income would not be included. If the custodial parent remarries, however, the income from the new spouse would also be included on the FAFSA.

6. Avoid blank answers

If the answer to a question is zero or not applicable, write "0" or "Not Applicable" on the online form. Leaving blank answers can cause miscalculations.

7. Pay attention to graduation rates

When you complete the FAFSA and designate that the application be sent to specific schools, the FAFSA website will provide you with the graduation rates of each school on your list. Try to avoid schools with low graduation rates.

Should college be a must?

    First of all I just wanted to say... I'm soo happy I'm finally on the blog!! Mrs. Fletcher and I have been struggling all week to get me on it. Anyway,  here we go again, the age old question, "Should I go to college or not?" Some say yes, some say no. With 100% confidence it can be said that no matter what one chooses in life there will ALWAYS be someone who disagrees. If we look to please everyone we will constantly be jumping from one foot to the next, always wondering who we are, where we stand and where we are going. College is somehow tough to get in, especially in a world that is becoming more and more competitive with higher levels of standards required to simply "get by," higher education is even more critical. One thing is for sure; everyone is different in what they are in life and all have different reasons for choosing their path. Education is a choice, a great choice with many doors that open afterwards. It may be tough but never impossible. If a person feels inclined to obtain an education, they should  do so. I believe that college may not be for every single being in this world, people can chose different paths and still be successful in many other ways. Everyone has their own opinion and definition to their own success.  People need to be told that it's okay to not go to college if it's not for them. I say follow your dreams and strive for your personal goals and achievements.

LOOPING

Why Colleges Offer Early Admission

Have you guys ever wondered why colleges offer early admission? If you have are you guys going to do it? Most of us high school students focus on the advantages that early applications offer them. Here are some of the reasons colleges like Early Decision (ED) that explain something about why they offer it and also whether or not you should apply early.

1. By admitting a solid number of freshmen under an Early Decision (ED) plan, a college can improve its admit rate, since early decision acceptance is binding.

2. ED programs help colleges better determine the composition of their freshman class by early on choosing a number of people from the mix the colleges look for: great test takers, high GPA students, different geographic areas, a variety of academic, extracurricular and sports interests, a balance of genders, you name it.

3. Early Decision allows colleges to lock in special, top applicants and thus preventing competitor schools from having them.

4. ED applicants tend to be very excited about the schools they apply to, so accepting a large number of applicants who apply to their top choice means a college pretty much guarantees itself of a bunch of happy, motivated entering freshman. This is great for campus morale.

When you apply on ED, ED is a binding program that demands that if accepted to a college, you are obligated to attend. Given that reasoning it really pressures you to be very sure that an ED college to which you apply is a hard and fast first choice. Once accepted, there is no turning back.

If you apply ED, you need to have all of your application materials gathered by the end of October and have determined through researching colleges where you want to go. When students and parents think of early applications having a significantly higher acceptance rate, they are correct if the college offers an Early Decision program. Believe it or not ED applicants often increase their chances for admittance by 20-75 percent.

Applying ED is a non-binding application program in which you can apply to as many ED schools as you want. Applying ED is a program for students who have all of their application materials together by the end of October and have schools in mind for college already. If your one of those people why not do early admission as it could benefit you greatly to wherever you decide to apply.

Defined by a Number

Today, I got back the scores for my second and last SAT. I should be proud of what my score was; it was considered above average, but coming from a household where letters and numbers mattered, a 1660 was below my parents' standards. I was taught and conditioned that hard work would get you somewhere far in life. I grew up with the notion that anything lower than an A was unacceptable.

With the first quarter of senior year coming to an end, our current grades show the progress in our classes. With college application season in the air, we can't afford to let bad grades bring down our chances of getting accepted into our dream school. So at the second month of school, here I am pushing myself to come out on top. I have a majority of B's and C's. And I admit, it's tough having to balance my academics and grades when my mind is focused on applying to colleges in order to further my academics. And of course, coming from my family, my grades are anything but acceptable.

For the past four years in high school, I've pushed and I've tried and I've lost sleep and I've cried in order to get top notch grades. By the time I graduate high school, I would of taken eight AP classes and an additional handful of honors courses. I would of graduated among the top 25 of my class. But for what? The hopes of getting into a good college. It seems like everything I do now determines my future. I hardly care about learning the actual material in the class; all I care about is that polished "A" on my transcript. We've moved into a generation who cares about more about the final grade rather than leaving the class knowing  bits of information that you didn't know before.

This isn't to say that grades and numbers and letters don't matter; they truly do. Sometimes these grades measure your ability to measures dates and facts rather than applying the actual material. They measure your work ethic and ability to do homework, not actual intelligence. They don't measure your creativity, imagination, etc.

So I guess this post is to tell you that you're worth more than what numbers tell you. You're worth more than your GPA, your SAT scores, your AP scores, etc. Try your hardest and put in work and it'll eventually get you somewhere. This isn't to say that you should fail your classes because "grades don't define you." This is to say that you're much more that those numbers tell you. Your life is measured by the experiences you live and the people you meet; years from now, your grades in high school will be the least of your worries. You're smarter than you really think you are, so apply those skills somewhere.

I wish you all the best of luck.

Reality of Senior Year.

How crazy is it, we are finally seniors! The moment we have all been waiting for. The excitement for senior seminar and all of the fun senior activities like grad night. We have all been waiting for this moment to “rule” the school, to just be free and not care, and most of all enjoy our last year of High School. But wait, none of this fun stuff is actually occurring. Going into senior year we all set high expectations for our last year to be fun and easy but, it’s not. We hear past experiences from past seniors and they all make it seem like it’s worth wild. But they never really do tell us the reality of senior year. I was never once told that applying for college would be so stressful, having to find schools that allow me to take courses as an undergrad for my major is pretty complicated. I wasn't told about the amount of work I would be receiving my senior year or the lack of sleep I’d be getting each night. I don’t know about you but this year has been the busiest year ever! Teachers assign work like crazy! I have been getting homework every day and more projects than, I've ever had in the past, and it all piles up. I can’t even, take a break on the weekends because I’m doing more homework. Homework on the weekends is the worst. If only there were more hours in the day to be able to cram everything and get it all done. Maybe for once I won’t be going to bed around 1 am, or maybe for once I will be fully awake during school, and most of all, not having to stress.  But then again stress will never go away. We've all learned how to cope with stress throughout the years. We've faced many challenges and accomplished many things under stress. Maybe stress is actually a good thing; it actually helps me get things done.  Although, starting the year has been stressful it has taught me many things and made me realized that we are all going to be independent in a few months. We won’t have that guidance anymore, the guidance that was built and set for us since day one, will be gone. We will all branch off and take our own path and create our own guidance. We won’t be able to relay on others but rather on ourselves. The friendships we have built throughout the years won’t be there when we start our new chapter in life. We are all going to experience change, good change and even bad change. We will make many mistakes throughout our transition to our adulthood years, but, we will learn from them. When ending our senior year it will allow us to grow as individuals.

Sitting here thinking.

Sitting here thinking about what to blog about I am considering sharing a reliable source  about working with kids and encouraging them to be active in there lives and school. Being a dance teacher working with children every week I have learned to understand whether or not they like to be engaged in an activity or just being flat out bored and  distracted. For those wanting to learn how to deal with kids but, don't know how to. here are some tips you might want to consider doing to help you after you graduate and have to work with kids. you can use this is a doctors office if the child is going to get a shot, if the child is bored and unamused with what you are saying . Anything to help you with taking charge of young children.

Step one: Keeping your voice loud and happy. I've learned this by going to Disneyland so many times. every single cast member is loud but cheerful, non threating. The difference in the tone of your voice will have an impact on the kids whether it is negative or positive. it'll let the kids know when its time too fool around or time to stay focused and alert.

Step two: Keeping kids in order . Having over 10 kids all at once can be overwhelming , Having kids who are either jumpy, moody, active, loud, shy, distracted, lazy can be tough to take control over. But remember kids are simple to engage in an activity. A child's mind can be a whirl wind of creativity , take advantage of that. keeping kids in order is important. needing to know where each kid is , is one of the first rules of taking care of children. with out keeping them in one place, two can be in totally different locations. some can wonder off into a "no zone" or in a worse case, lose a child. expanding kids to being is lines, reminds them of being organized in school. Every single thing you do to a child will be absorbed.

Step three: Remind the child of their worth in this world. Teaching kids steps in dance can be hard. every times a student in my class achieves a dance step I congratulate them with showing them they are capable of anything. A bad way of trying to get kids to encourage them is by yelling at them, telling them they aren't doing it right. I'm positive if you mention anything in that direction , it will scare them and the parents wont want to bring their child back to you. discipline all rely on their age. if the child isn't doing what they are being told , simply remind them of doing the right thing instead of the wrong.
http://youtu.be/LqA6sZk3xus
here is a link to further help you with encouraging kids .

Vocab sentences for Peter Elbow. Due Thursday Oct 30.

Proliferation (pg 50-51): "The sea voyage is a process of divergence, branching, proliferation, and confusion...

Convergence (pg 51): "The coming to land is a process of convergence, pruning, centralizing, and clarifying.

Salvo (Pg 52): "The next step, the following thing, the reply, the answering salvo."

Muse (Pg 126-27): "Everyone is visited by the muse under certain conditions..."

Perfunctory (Pg 183-184): "Your account is a bit perfunctory."

Feasible (Pg 228-29): "Both tasks, while difficult, turn out to be feasible and enormously rewarding."

Criteria (Pg 240-241): "Measure your writing to a certain criteria."

Digression (Pg 245-46): "Besides, readers often guide their own... digressions..."

AF: I lost a great friend and teacher

My friend Bob Calfee lost his battle with cancer this weekend.

Robert Calfee is a professor Emeritus from Stanford University, and a rock star in English education, language and literacy.  I met him two years ago when I was selected to serve on the California Framework committee, and in that short time, he became a wonderful mentor and friend to me.  He would invite me to have breakfast with him in the mornings, before the work of the day began, and he would pick my brain and ask me the kinds of questions that made me think hard.

Bob inspired me to do good work, and to remember that the work we do serves the future, and that literacy outcomes for young people are highly consequential.  Whenever I have been confounded or confused by some policy issue or implementation plan with the Common Core Standards, I ask myself "What would Bob think?"  He was so open and generous with his time and his wisdom — an unfaltering advocate for the students of California, the country, and indeed the world.  He traveled far and wide to talk and work with teachers, and his influence is huge.  I am going to miss him terribly, and I will think of him always as I work with friends and colleagues to bring the vision alive -- that every student we face gains access to the keys that unlocks and opens the gate to their future.

It's a challenge.  Students often treat me as if I am an inconvenient interruption of their very busy lives, but I have to remind myself that this cannot and will not set my agenda.  I need to expect the best work possible -- demand it, and settle for nothing less.  There is just too much at stake to accept mediocrity.  The "C" and "D" grade just should not be acceptable to anyone.

It is my great wish for all of you that you have someone in your work life like Bob -- someone who moves you to do great work with their thoughtful and intelligent example.

This Is Really It . . .

On Friday night after the game, which happened to be senior night, I found myself crying because of my realization that this is really it. We're actually seniors, we're actually graduating the last of our six years here at Mayfair is coming to an end. Before Friday night it hadn't exactly hit me that after this some of us will be scattered across the country, some of us will still be here in our hometown, and some of us off to join the service but now I am aware and to be honest I'm a bit scared.

I mean after June 18 we're being thrown to the real world and we have to become fully responsible adults. We think personal statements, making blog posts, or applying to colleges are the most stressful things right now but after graduation no one’s going to coddle us when we're out of money, or struggling to find jobs or gas money to get where we need to go. We're the adults we've always longed to be, we have the freedom, the responsibility, and the struggles that come with it.

Now that it’s almost over we will miss the random conversations with the kid you barely knew last year in English, or the girl who always smiles at you walking to 3rd, or the sophomore girl who always tells you she loves you and most of all the people you spent 4 years on a team with because you know after this you may not see them again. And it’s tough knowing this is your last conversation with them or your last friendly smile or last shared performance with the people you've grown to love.

I know many of you have come to these understand these things as I did, but I thought that I’d just share them aloud. However, with those realizations I've also come to understand that even though it’s going to be tough, we won’t all be together anymore, and we aren't going to depend on our parents as much anymore .. It will be okay, and everything coming our way is to benefit all of us in the long run. This is really it you guys, Time to do big things.

There's so much going on in my brain.

Hey guys! There's so much going on in my mind right now so I figured I would write out what's going on in my life on here. I just got home from my last Fall Concert ever for Mariners. I honestly don't know how I feel about it but I'm realizing now that I will never have to go through the pain of learning all the music and standing still on stage for a whole show when we usually dance the whole entire time. Part of me feels like it's going to miss it since it's the concert that starts off the year and gives a first impression but the other part of me is so glad that it's over with. I think that I'm going to get more emotional when it gets to my last Christmas and Tour shows, mostly Variety Show when all the seniors take their final bow. I can't believe that graduating is just around the corner and I haven't even started filling out any college applications yet. I know where I want to apply, but I don't exactly know what I want to do. All I know is that my dream is to go to New York. A lot of people are saying that I'm crazy, but I feel at home there. In New York, they actually have 4 seasons instead of all summer and one month of winter like California. I really want to stay here in California and get a job at Disneyland and go to college here to save money, but my heart is set on New York. The only problem with going to New York for college is because it's so expensive, especially since it's out of state. My family is super tight on money this year with all the expenses we have to take care of; tour payments, church events, bills, application fees, etc. I'm also trying to get a job so that I can start saving up for a car and my mom can stop complaining about having to take me everywhere but nobody wants to hire me. I'm stressing out over everything that is due too, I feel like everything is building up onto my shoulders and there is so much to get done. I have to memorize my Spanish article by tomorrow and I only have 6 words memorized, I have a Spanish project due next Tuesday, I have a history project due next week that I need to start, and I have a bunch of different rehearsals for Mariners related things. I really just need like a week off to process everything that's happening around my and plan out what I'm going to do to get everything done. Well, thanks for letting me tell you guys my thoughts, have a wonderful weekend!

The Value of Senior Year

Coming into senior year, I thought it was going to be a piece of cake. A few factors came into play that led me to this false assumption. First, was that junior year had been so demanding that I didn't think high school could get much worse. Second, was that I thought my grades from sophomore and junior year were the only ones that really mattered. Third, was that everyone I knew who had graduated in the past couple years had told me specifically that "senior year was a piece of cake.
However, it hasn't turned out quite as planned.

Playing for two soccer teams, being in a committed relationship, and also becoming a new member of the American work force, I find myself constantly with something to do. To make matters worse, everyday I'm forced to fight through the headaches from the day so that I can start my homework. But even though I stay up late or wake up early to do my homework, I still show up to school the next day to find that I forgot to do at least one assignment for one or more of my classes. The whole process just leaves me frustrated and exhausted.

Now I'm starting to realize what senior year is all about, and the best way to put it would be "with hard work comes great rewards." This is due to the fact that although the work load is borderline impossible, the benefits make it all worthwhile. For example, working gives us more spending money for weekend activities, stressing about school  will get us into a good university and makes our relaxation time more enjoyable, and getting through our school rewards us for getting us through senior year  with senior activities. Knowing that there's a light at the end of the tunnel is what keeps me from letting "senioritis" take control of my being. Moreover, its good preparation for what we're going to be facing in college where everything's going to be on us, not to mention all the tempting aspects of the college life that we're yet to face.

Overall, senior year isn't a "piece of cake" or unimportant in any way, shape, or form. Although junior year and sophomore year are more important in a college sense, senior year is our last year where everything is taken care of for us. We have to take value in every minute of this year whether it be for school, work, sports, friends, family, or ourselves. It's our last year as an adult or our first year as an adult or even both, but no matter what, don't waste your senior year.

A bit of advice.

Tip #1: Don't Procrastinate.

Being a senior is extremely stressful. I remember just hearing that word would give me anxiety. Since school has started I've been overwhelmed with questions. Will I get accepted into college? Will I pass all my classes? When's the SAT? What happens if I fail and etc.. But the fact of the matter is, If you get everything done, then you won't be so stressed.

Tip #2: Get your homework done.

I understand that this is a stressful year, and senioritis has definitely kicked in. But sadly, there is no excuse to slack off. Sometimes it's way easier to just avoid studying or even doing your homework but in the end what do you really get besides a bad grade, unnecessary stress and a disappointing look from your teachers?

Tip #3: Don't be afraid to try new things.

If you haven't already join clubs or sports. High school is a one of a kind experience. Go out and meet new people. Go to football games, or to dances, or maybe get more involved in pep rallies and assemblies. It won't hurt to stand up and cheer or even dance along, although it may be funny, most of us will cheer with you. Even though these things may seem corny, at the end of the day you're going to regret it. You can't rewind time so have fun while you can.

Tip #4: Save your money

Before senior year started, we all got a yellow paper with cost for senior year on it. (If you don’t have it I'm sure they have extras in the office) There's a list of majority of the events that we can participate in throughout the year. Some are optional  like Homecoming and some mandatory such as getting a cap and gown. This year is going to be extremely expensive, if you haven't already noticed and it’s only the beginning. So instead of blowing $100 on some fancy shoes, or clothes. Consider saving it and paying off something school related.

Tip #5: Don’t be so hard on teachers

I know that certain teachers frustrate us beyond no repair, but that is no reason to get angry and disrespect, argue, or fuss with them. Yes some of them are unorganized, lazy or just plain boring but we have to deal. I’ve realized that getting angry with certain teachers won’t make the class better, but instead make it more hostile and that teacher won’t be as lenient when it comes to make up work or failed tests. Just remember, if and when you’re angry with a teacher just count to 10, smile and walk away. You’ll end up less tense and seem less disrespectful, and your teacher will have more respect for you as a person. Patience is key.

Tip #6: Apply for scholarships, FAFSA, and Cal grants

 

If you plan on going to a 4 year college next year you might want to consider signing up for scholarships, Financial aid, or Cal grants. They all aid you in paying off school. And like Pat Dean said the sooner you apply the better the outcome of being approved. There are thousands of unused scholarships out there. I recently submitted a 140 character personal statement for a scholarship pledging to not text and drive. It may have been only $1500 but it didn't hurt me to apply and if i win that’s extra money to help pay off my tuition.