College Search

I am currently on the college hunt and I was thinking about the things one must consider when choosing “the perfect college”. For some, there is literally no limit to which college to choose, because you get to pick which you would like to be a student at, typically in the general area of the country that you prefer. For me it is a little different, I am going to be a student athlete in college so my choice has a bit more to take into consideration.

                First things first, if I want to play volleyball at a college, the team must recruit me first, and be very interested in me. This can be difficult because it limits my choices as far as location. If I want to play at a top level division 1 school, I wouldn’t have a choice but to move far away, and by far I mean FAR. On the other hand if I choose to settle with a division 2 school, I can stay a little closer to home, more in the Midwest area- which I would prefer. The final option if I think I will be getting extremely homesick, is to attend a division 3 school, which isn’t exactly the level of volleyball I would like to play at, but is in the state, and very close to home.

                Next, I have to of course look at the volleyball program at each school. That could drop off a few division 3 schools, and maybe even a few division 2 schools depending on how good they are. With the schools I narrow down to, I must take a look at the coaching staff, of course, to see if I could see myself playing 4 years under that type of coaching style. I next have to look at the team. If I will be spending about 20 hours a week in a gym, plus numerous hours of road trips with these girls, there has to be some kind of connection.

                Finally, the part which should be the most important, academics. The school I choose must be just the right level that I could feel challenged, yet content, but pressured enough to reach my full potential in the long run. For me, I would like a somewhat easy-going school, with above average academics, that can teach me the things I need to know, as well as look good on a job application coming out of college.

Word Count: 409

Restless Leg Syndrome

                I am one of many people affected by RLS, or Restless Leg Syndrome. Although my case is very mild, this sleep disorder can be very severe in some people. What is RLS you may ask? It is basically having a frequent urge to move ones legs, and is usually worse at night. It is typically described as a “creepy-crawly”, tingly, or itching feeling inside of the legs. Self control definitely plays a role in controlling it, but in some cases that just isn’t enough. I had a few unanswered questions on what causes RLS, so as usual I referred to the handy-dandy Livestrong.com.

                Livestrong.com gives a list of things that may contribute to RLS in some people. Low iron (which I have) is a cause, but can be treated by increasing iron in ones diet. Other causes are addictive drugs (which I don’t have), medication side effects, and genetics. Some pregnant women, mainly during their last trimester may experience RLS. Also, many people affected with chronic diseases such as diabetes may also have RLS.

                For many, restless leg syndrome may be almost like a phobia, where it noticeably affects their daily lives. People may experience issues with fatigueness due to lack of sleep and other side effects from not getting the needed amount of sleep. For me, it is more of just a hassle. Those nights where all you want to do is sleep, but you lose an extra half hour or hour of sleep trying to forget about your restless leg syndrome. It may be more of a psychological thing with me whereas I don’t feel it as much unless I think about it. And the more I think about it, the more it bugs me. I’ve been trying to increase the iron in my diet to prevent anymore sleep disruption from my restless leg syndrome. I also read that stretching before sleep and not drinking caffeinated drinks before bed helps prevent RLS.

Word Count: 324

How to get rid of your stomach pouch

                One thing every girl can agree one: we all want a flat stomach. The majority of girls struggle with the “pouch” of stubborn fat that seems impossible to get rid of, right below the belly button, above the hips. Even if one is very thin all over, somehow any extra weight seems to go right to the midsection. It is beyond frustrating being that it is a very difficult place to lose weight, and an even more difficult place to keep it off.

                For my own personal at-home exercises I look to Livestrong.com, it has virtually any kind of health tip or exercise that you could ask for, for almost every part of your body. I looked to Livestrong for tips on losing a stomach pouch. The first thing the website said which came as a huge surprise to me, is that to lose weight on your stomach pouch, it is not about forming muscle. To lose pouch weight you must lose overall body weight to get rid of it. This is why losing a pouch can be so difficult.

                Everybody has their reasons to lose a stomach pouch. I would say it is definitely self-image/self-confidence thing for me, along with many other women. Although I am very thin I do notice things like when I sit down and my little stomach pouch sticks out. Teenage girls nowadays (me being one of them) have a new fad for “box-top” shirts, or those shirts that you see that look almost like belly shirts. Nothing spoils a box-top shirt more than a little extra weight in an unwanted place. For many people it could be just a main focus for the summer to look good in a new bikini. Others may fear the health risks that come with a stomach pouch. Livestrong.com says that any stomach fat can be the worst for you. In some cases it can be dangerous putting oneself at risk for diabetes, heart disease, and even breast cancer.  

                It comes down to the overall determination on how you want your body to look. I plan to try my best to get rid of my stomach pouch not only for myself, but also to see how accurate Livestrong information is.

Word Count: 371

Hunger games

                Am I the only one who feels like the Hunger Games could happen in real life? I mean look at our society. We all rushed to the nearest movie theater or the nearest bookstore, to get a taste of Hunger Games, knowing in advance exactly what this series was about. Teenagers, children, killing one another to survive. And not only the horror of humans turning to borderline cannibalism, but all of these horrendous things happening with an audience? For the entertainment of the world? Although this was a tremendous movie, isn’t it sick the way these kinds of terrible acts could be used to interest us?

                Our society today consists of billions of people, claiming to be family people, or friend people, but really only out for one thing: Themselves. We may all be too stubborn to admit it, but it’s clear that the main focus of every human being is “me”. Me, me, me. This self-centered attitude is what is tearing our world apart. We shouldn’t be focused on the good for ourselves, but for the good of the world as a whole. We will get nowhere without the help of one another.

                Although extremely unlikely, I get the feeling that Hunger Games could be possible in our world, and I am slightly surprised that something similar hasn’t happened. We are a selfish bunch. If you were put in a cage with 10 strangers, and forced to fight to the death, obviously you will fight to the death, no questions asked. Now picture it this way: You are placed in a cage with your nearest family members, and closest friends, forced to fight to the death. Would you still be family and friends? Or would you turn on them, forced to fight, every man for themselves? I know the answer you would be willing to tell somebody, but when faced with the situation, we all know which option we would pick.

Word Count: 322

Potato Chips

                Potato chips, baked chips, kettle chips, what’s the big deal anyways? What is the difference? Let’s take a look. Potato chips are fried in oil, but according to Livestrong.com, the healthiest alternative to regular potato chips is baked potato chips. This gives you near the same delicious taste, with much less harmful fat and grease. Some baked chips even give you a small boost in Vitamin C to keep your immune system running smoothly, and keep a regular blood pressure. Although baked chips are much healthier than regular potato chips, I would not say they are essentially healthy. They are, however, a good substitute to those that keep a close eye on their diet.

                Kettle chips. It’s a common assumption that people have that kettle chips are like baked chips, or healthier than regular potato chips. No worries, I had the same idea. I figured since Panera had kettle chips, that they must be healthier. NOT TRUE. Kettle cooked chips are just as unhealthy as regular potato chips. The main difference, according to theKitchn.com is the way the chips are processed. Kettle chips are processed in batches, while regular chips are “continually processed”. The common misconception of kettle cooked chips being healthier than regular chips may come from the difference in texture between the two. I assumed that kettle chips are healthier because of the thicker slices, and crispier feel. Looks like they fooled me.

                Well, I come down to the conclusion that I will stick with baked chips for the majority of the time. They have a good taste, a large variety of flavors, and they’re somewhat good for you! Don’t let these common misconceptions fool you. Baked chips are the way to go.

Word Count: 287

http://www.thekitchn.com/whats-the-deal-with-kettle-chi-115818

http://www.livestrong.com/article/403298-are-baked-potato-chips-healthy/

Dark chocolate is healthy?

                Scientists have made a new discovery that could change a lot of things for chocolate lovers. Dark chocolate may be healthier to eat than milk chocolate. This could be a huge step up in offering an alternative to the addicting milk chocolate that can be harmful to your health when consuming large amounts. What makes dark chocolate healthier?

                Well, Faculty of Life Sciences (LIFE) at the University of Copenhagen found that dark chocolate is much more filling than milk chocolate. This would cause people to crave salty, sweet, and other fatty foods much less. They think that consuming a reasonable amount of dark chocolate over the holidays could help keep your weight down.

                A study was done with 16 young men to test this theory. Half of the men were tested eating dark chocolate, and half with milk chocolate. Each consumed an equal amount (100g) of their given chocolate within a given time. They were asked to record their hunger throughout the next few hours. They were then offered pizza and instructed to eat enough to satisfy themselves. After measuring each man’s calorie intake, the scientists’ hypothesis was proven correct. The men that had consumed dark chocolate had consumed about 15 percent less calories than those that had consumed milk chocolate.

                Dirk Taubert, MD, PhD, and colleagues at the University of Cologne in Germany found that dark chocolate also helps lower blood pressure, but only when combined with a healthy and well-balanced diet. Mauro Serafini, PhD, of Italy's National Institute for Food and Nutrition Research also finds that there are helpful antioxidants in dark chocolate that prevent certain molecules that cause heart disease.

                I don’t know about you, but I think these are some pretty big factors that can be caused by making a small change in one’s diet. I have a big sweet tooth and next time I eat chocolate, I might take a step back and consider the alternative of eating dark chocolate to improve my health.

Word Count: 331

http://www.webmd.com/diet/news/20030827/dark-chocolate-is-healthy-chocolate

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/12/081210091039.htm

Book Review: Push

                Push was a very interesting book, one like I had never read before. The main thing to get used to while reading this book is the dialogue, and how the author writes. To some, it may seem almost illegible due to how uneducated the author is, and how it shows through her writing. The author is a 16 year old African American girl with not much knowledge besides street smarts. “I ain’ done nuffin. I doose my work. I ain in no trouble. My grades is good.” This is just one example from the text on how the dialogue can take some getting used to.

               It becomes almost hard to keep track of what is going on in the book with being so focused on the incorrect spelling, and use of words. As the book goes on, and the troubled author meets a teacher that works to teach her proper English, the author’s writing becomes increasingly better. Although the grammar isn’t quite as it should be, it is a noticeable difference and allows you to focus more on the story. Precious, the author, takes up poetry after she meets her new teacher, and shows a few examples in her novel. The formatting is different than I have seen, but it is eye-catching. In the end of the book there are also examples of poems the whole class has written, and it is fascinating to see the difference from the beginning to the end of the novel.

                This book was very inspiring to me, and I would recommend it to anyone who may be struggling in life, or someone who is interested in reading of others overcoming their own struggles. I would not, however, recommend this book to those that may be offended by some of the profanity and cruel language used in this novel.

ACL injuries

                ACL injuries, or the anterior cruciate ligament, have become increasingly common within athletes in the last few years, specifically female athletes. This injury can be caused by one’s knee bending backwards, twisting, or bending side to side. And chances are also increased if you are bumped or pushed during these movements. This is a horrible injury that on average takes a minimum of 9 months recovery, which can seem like an eternity to any athlete.

                Livestrong.com states that about 70% of ACL injuries result from awkward landings, pivoting, cutting, and many other movements common in high intensity sports. The other 30% results from contact with another player. There are a much higher number of female athletes, compared to male athletes that tear their ACL. Females are 2-8 times more likely to injure this ligament. (Livestrong)

                According to the American Orthopedic Society for Sports Magazine, approximately 150,000 ACL injuries occur each year, resulting in an average of 500 million dollars in health care costs yearly. A lot is being done to try to prevent any more increase in these injuries. Many sports lifting and conditioning programs are now implementing injury prevention, instead of waiting to act after an injury takes place. HSS (Hospital for Special Surgery) lists many prevention techniques: Warming up, stretching, balance, landings, and strengthening. It is imperative to have a correct landing in sports with excessive jumping, to ensure that your knees don’t buckle, and that you have a soft landing to reduce impact on your knees. Strength in certain areas of your legs play a big role in injuries as well. Strengthening your hips, thighs, and even your core can decrease your chance of injury in high-contact activities.

                Although the technology today is advanced enough to prevent these injuries from being career-ending, it is even better if they can be prevented any way possible. Taking the necessary precautions can keep you on the court, and off the sidelines.

Word Count: 321

4G vs. 3G Phones

I recently invested in a new phone. The Samsung Aviator is the first ever 4G phone from US Cellular. 4G is basically just a fancy way of saying “faster internet”. The difference is clear when using this network. The basic 3G phone processes about 1.5mbps, while the 4G phone processes about 12mbps. Around 10 times faster. I was recommended this phone by one of the US cellular workers because, of course, as a teenager I use the internet on my phone a lot. I can download pictures; load YouTube videos, Facebook, or almost anything with the click of a button. No buffering and no waiting for my screen to load. It loads almost instantly. 

The main criticism I have to this phone is the battery, but what smart phone doesn’t have an insufficient battery life? I guess it depends on how often you use apps, the internet, or stream videos or other data. I noticed the shortage of battery the first few days after purchasing my phone, because naturally I was constantly trying to test the 4G and browse the internet. There are a few ways to save your battery life with a 4G phone, or really any smart phone. You can turn down the brightness, obviously, or make sure the apps you aren’t using are turned off. With the 4G phone you also have the option to switch off your 4G setting, which will just move the phone back to the normal 3G speed. This helps for times when you’re not using the internet and want to preserve your battery. You get used to the speedy-fast internet quickly, and trying to go back to a 3G phone is… not possible.  

Despite the criticisms and short battery life, I wouldn’t trade back my 4G phone for any other type of phone. I love that I can find anything I want on the internet almost instantly, which is something I couldn’t do with my old 3G, or any phone.

Word Count: 328

Midnight Movie Premieres

                Midnight movie premieres could perhaps be the highlight of someone’s life. These premieres don’t happen often, and only occur with a movie or series that truly deserves it. How these movies are chosen? I may never know. The anticipation, that may start even months in advance, is the best part and unlike any feeling in the world. That crazy rush you get when you find out tickets are for sale and there are only a limited number allowed.  
                I dont't personally get too worked up over movie premieres for any movie even if I'm reading the series. I get excited for the movie to come out, but not to the point where I would campout all day or stay up all night just to be the first to see a movie, along with another million people around the world. I can contain myself enough to wait a couple days for the rush of people to die down so I can see the movie peacefully, without being crammed in like sardines.
                I don't mean to be bashing on midnight movie premieres, because if I did get the chance to go to one, I would. I have only been to one midnight premiere and I enjoyed it. I ended up getting free tickets to the final Harry Potter movie of the series. It was sort of a lucky kind of thing, I was visiting my dad and step sister and a family friend told us that he had 2 tickets, and couldn't make it to the movie. Score one for us! Of course we didn't go all out with tailgating all day but we did have to get to the movie over an hour in advance just to get a seat.
                It was unlike anything I had ever seen! The line was longer than any I had ever seen. Imagine the lines at adventureland on the first day of summer for the best ride. And multiply that by 10. At least a thousand people were in line when we arrived, with even more to come after we had waited. But it doesn't stop there. COSTUMES. About 95% of the people in line were dressed as some sort of Harry Potter character, and I mean decked out.
               The atmosphere was crazy throughout the whole movie. Everyone cheered for the opening credits and for the end of the movie. Overall, my first midnight premiere was a success, and I would do it again given the chance at free tickets!

Word Count: 415

Rap Music

            Everyone has their own preference of music; I am one that doesn’t exactly have a favorite genre. I like everything from Rap to Country to R&B to Pop. All music lyrics have some type of meaning or story behind them, but one type of music in particular that I feel doesn’t get much recognition is Rap music. Most see Rap music as being only about sex, drugs, alcohol, and partying. Although a lot of it refers to these things, many fail to look deeper into the lyrics and take a look at the poetry in each song. I find it so interesting to look up lyrics to different rap songs and look at all of the different similes, analogies, metaphors, etc. that no one seems to notice what’s behind the lyrics.

                Although a few are vulgar, here are some funny memorable quotes:

·         “I love you like a fat kid loves cake.” -50 Cent

·         "Safe sex is great sex, better wear a latex, cause you don't want that late text, that I think I'm late text." –Lil’ Wayne

·         “We carry choppers on a neck and call it cut throat” –Lil’ Wayne

·         “Cause my swag is serious, something heavy like a first day period.” –Janet Jackson

·          “Only thing on right now, like a night light.” –Drake

·         “But if we can hump dead animals and antelopes then there’s no reason that a man and another man can’t elope.” -Eminem

Some quotes are even inspirational, or quotes to live by:

·         “I don’t care about what brand you are, I’m concerned what type of man you are, what your principles and standards are.” –Mos Def

·         “If you are what you say you are, a superstar, then have no fear.” –Lupe Fiasco

·         “I know I can be what I want to be, if I work had then I’ll be where I want to be.” –Nas

·         You better lose yourself in the music, the moment

You own it, you better never let it go
You only get one shot, do not miss your chance to blow
This opportunity comes once in a lifetime” –Eminem

·         “Don’t wait till you die to go to heaven.” –Rza

ITEDs vs Iowa Assessments

               It’s that dreaded time again for our annual standardized testing, but this year it’s not ITEDS we have to worry about, it’s the new Iowa Assessments. We have been taking these standardized tests since I believe the 2^nd grade, where we began with ITBS testing. We eventually progressed to ITEDs once we made it to high school. Which were a little harder, but the same general idea. ITEDs are basically a test of what you have learned in school over your years, and to make sure you are within the vicinity of where you should be academically at any given year.

                This year we were informed somewhat recently that we would be taking a new series of standardized tests, the Iowa Assessments. Our teachers warned us that these tests would be much more difficult than the previous ITEDs and a little different. They also told us that these new tests will be looked at much more by colleges.

                We started our testing yesterday with reading comprehension and writing expression. Compared to the previous ITEDs, I found these tests much, MUCH easier. The stories were much easier to understand, and even shorter, and also the questions were a lot more straightforward. The writing expression test was a combination of the old spelling, grammar, etc. tests. This test, also, was much easier, and it was a big help to have two terms of AP Lang under my belt.

                Today, we took a math and science test. The math test was close to equivalent to the old ITEDs, but I found the science much more difficult than usual with the new concepts. Overall in my opinion I would prefer the Iowa Assessments over the old ITEDs.

Word Count: 283

Larry Bird biography: Book Review

                   Larry Bird, Drive: The Story of My Life is an inspiring biography written by Larry Bird himself, with help from Bob Ryan. This book is about one of the best players to ever play the game of basketball, arguable the greatest. I read my first free-read biography last term about Steve Jobs. I loved the book so i decided to read another biography.

                   I picked Larry Bird because I already knew of him, but not necessarily about him, and because it was in Ms. A's book selection. I started the book and read in a couple pages to ensure that the book was the right level of difficulty for me, and i couldn't put it down. It was so fascinating to me to learn about the life of a now hall-of-famer from birth and all through his high school years. Being an athlete i enjoyed reading about the things he did everyday to become a better player and person despite his struggles and the people that tried to hold him down.

                  The format of this book was a little different because the book was separated into 4 parts, as well as individual chapters. It threw me off a bit at first while reading because i would look forward to taking break at each chapter, but couldn't. The different formation was a bit of a challenge to me. Overall i enjoyed this book and i would recommend it to any athlete, fans of the NBA, or anyone who enjoys sports to read.

Word Count: 251

Volunteer Work

Volunteer work is kind of an everyday thing, which some people never experience, or get the chance to take part in. I think it is somewhat a rite of passage for every person, and something every person should do at least once in their life, if not more. There are many projects all over the world to help with, and millions of people, also that need your help. Whether it’s working in a soup kitchen, feeding the poor, or helping sand-bag buildings to prepare for a flood, every little bit helps.

Not all volunteer work has to be work, either. Simply donating to the Goodwill, or a shelter, could change someone’s life. I look up to famous and wealthy people who not only work hard to get their money and riches, but also share their wealth with others, and to make the world a better place. For example, Cameron Diaz, trying to promote eco-tourism. Wyclef Jean (Musician) is helping along with George Clooney to help with the problems facing Haiti. Even pop sensation Justin Bieber cut off his coveted and most well-known hair to auction for money which went to children facing hunger all over the world. Anyone can do it, and even the littlest things can do wonders.

I feel as though volunteer work is a bit of a humbling experience. I took part in volunteer work for my church when I helped package non-perishable items to send out to families in need. While working I took a second and thought about the people who I was packaging the food for, and how grateful I am for what I have, and that sometimes I don’t appreciate the gourmet meals, or going out to dinner once a week, that many people may never get to do. It’s hard to think that some whole families will live a month eating only a box of non-perishable goods that were donated. I only worked for 2 hours but I like to think that I helped many families in the process, and it made me feel good about myself.

Word Count: 345

Online Education

                Online education is the new fad this year. But personally, I think it has more of a negative influence than a positive. It is allowing an excuse for students to drop out of regular high schools, while giving them the option to take classes at home. Which, although a positive for those who choose to dropout, is somewhat poisoning the minds of teenagers to think it is a smart choice to drop out of high school. I think that this is going to result in much larger issues in the future.

                Increased dropout rates: Sure, there is the option to take online courses when you choose to dropout of high school, but are all of these students taking advantage? Some students will dropout, but remain too lazy to take these courses seriously and end up not receiving a high school diploma.

                Tuition: With these increased dropout rates and less students attending traditional high school’s, who will pay for the necessities needed to maintain a high school, such as teacher salaries, maintenance, and teaching supplies? Although outnumbered by public schools, private schools require yearly tuition, and cannot be run without this income.

                Human interaction: Some online education courses include chances to interact with other students enrolled in online courses outside of their homes. Such as field trips, study groups, etc.  But not being in the same type of setting each and every day as your fellow peers attending a “real” high school are, will make you less capable of communication with others, as well as interacting with teachers and other adults.

                Couch Potatoes: Without this human interaction, and requirement to wake up early everyday, and physically go to school, our country will become increasingly lazy. Even our own First Lady complains about how our country is obese and don’t get enough exercise. This will only get worse if we allow our nation’s teenagers to sit on the couch or in bed all day while “receiving an education”.

Word Count: 326

Kim Kardashian: Spoiled Heiress or Hard Worker?

                Kim Kardashian. Known to most- along with the rest of the Kardashian/Jenner family- as a spoiled heiress that does nothing to earn her money, and basically has everything handed to her on a silver platter. This is the perception that she receives based on her good looks, wealth, and ability to have fun while also being paid by the second for almost everything she does.

                The large group of “haters” that Kim Kardashian has, may have their reasons to bash on her fame. Sure, her infamous 72-day long marriage with NBA star Kris Humphries may have added to her criticisms by the public, but personally I think that Kim deserves the wealth that she receives and I am definitely part of her fan club.  

                Aside from the bad sides of every celebrity, I feel that people need to focus on the good, and not just what you hear in the tabloids, or pictures taken by the paparazzi that can be morphed into something else. The Kardashian family was blessed by their father who supplied them with a large amount of money when he passed years ago, but I applaud the family for continuing his franchises, as well as following in his footsteps and creating his own.

                Kim, alone, brings in a yearly income of at least $5.4 million a year and it will only continue to increase over the years to come. She is a very busy entrepreneur, model, store owner, and also manages to have time for her personal life and family. I think it is amazing the things that Kim does to work hard and support her own life, while also contributing to the better of, and producing things for others.

Word Count: 283

My Type of Humor

  
            Let’s put it this way, I speak fluently in sarcasm and in every non-serious way possible. I basically speak in joke. To my friends, I’m the funny one, or the jokester. If you need cheering up, I’m the one to go to. I’m not much of a person to be serious or get mad at my friends or other people. I don’t really enjoy serious conversations because let’s face it; life is no fun when you’re too serious. Laugh a little, or in my case, a lot. 
            I tend to use sarcasm a lot in daily discussion or conversation, especially with my friends and family. My friends understand my sarcasm which makes it funny or almost normal and they get used to it, but it’s the people that don’t understand it that get me in trouble. It's a problem when I use sarcasm with people, and they don’t understand it, but take it the wrong way. When I'm around people I don't know closely I tend to have to reinforce that it is merely sarcasm, or a joke.
            Honestly, I think that I get my sarcasm and somewhat dry humor from my family. Being around my family is like being in the middle of a comic act. My mom, especially, is just like me and we are pretty much a ruckus when we're together, constantly cracking jokes. My family- including aunts, uncles, and cousins is very big, but the majority of them are the same as me. We get together for holidays and have a blast. Let's just say if you can't take a joke, you will be eaten alive in my family.

Cause and Effect: Lying

                Lying. We all do it. But nowadays it’s becoming such a common thing that it isn’t seen as a big deal anymore. Many people come to be “natural liars” where without even thinking about it, they just lie while in casual conversation. Whether about something big, like that you aren’t really a woman, or something small, like “I’m on my way”, when you haven’t even left your house yet. However you choose to lie, it all ends up as a domino effect and can snowball into something big.

                Let’s create a scenario. Say you meet a new person, Sam, and decide to give them a fake number as a harmless joke. You tell them your name is Kim Smith, and your number is 555-1255, knowing the whole time that it is a fake number. You go home that night not thinking a thing of it and completely erasing this event from your memory. Meanwhile, Sam calls you that night- or, the number he thought was you. 555-1255, let’s say is a sex offender named Joe. Sam asks for Kim Smith, and Joe replies by saying, you have the wrong number.
               After hanging up the phone Joe then thinks, hmmmm.... who is this Kim Smith? And proceeds to look you up on facebook, where he finds your phone number, and address. Joe selects you as his new victim. Clearly your little fib, meant as a harmless prank, has turned into something much more than you were expecting.
             Yes, of course everyone lies and there are also times where lying is necessary. But no one seems to think twice about lying, and the effects that it may have on both yourself, and others.

Snow Days

          Snow days, everybody loves them. But I think we need to take a step back and think about when we do and do not need snow days/two-hour delays. First of all, yes we need to be in school as much as possible regardless of weather, but when the weather conditions are bad making the roads hazardous there is a problem. And with young and inexperienced teenage drivers, these hazardous roads are even more risky. Of course every time a snowflake drops it is not necessary to cancel school, adding yet another makeup snow day to the end of the school year, but that’s why we have the alternative two-hour delay for conditions that could be hazardous on the morning commute to school.
          Typically I feel that we have snow days when we do not need them, and don't have two-hour delays when we do need them. Although it may be frowned upon because we live in Iowa, and should know what to expect during the Winter, I think that for sure the first decent sized snowfall of the Winter season should be a two-hour delay. The majority of Kennedy students have been driving in these conditions to school since they were either a Freshman or Sophomore, so should know how to handle this. But we need to take into perspective the younger students driving in snowy conditions for maybe the first time ever. There is of course the option of not driving to school and having a parent or adult drop you off at school, but not all students have that luxury and we need to think about stepping in the shoes of these students too.
           On days where we unfortunately cannot accomodate every student and have a delay or snow day with harzardous driving conditions, typically it causes many students to be late for school. Living in Iowa, drivers know that they must slow down to prevent accidents, and this can potentially double your traveling time depending on the intensity of the storm. I love that most of our teachers and administration are understanding of this and that they try their best to ensure that students can get into class even if a few minutes late to class due to driving conditions.

Long Car Rides

        Nowadays it is anything but uncommon to go on long car trips. These trips may vary in time depending on how often you travel long distance. Some may consider 30 minutes a long trip, while others may consider 2 hours a short, average trip. Another thing that may effect your view on long trips is your age, and whether or not you are driving.
        Personally I don't mind long car rides because I frequently am taking hour long drives, 4 times a week to Iowa City. These trips I typically go on alone and am driving. Because this is a short trip and I have become used to it, I have started to actually enjoy these car rides. I kind of find it as sort of a time for personal meditation. You can choose whether to have the music on and jam out, singing at the top of your lungs (no matter how bad it sounds), or driving on silence just to reflect on things by yourself. I can listen to my own music and blast it until my ears bleed and no one will judge. I also tend to stock up on food before my Iowa City car rides and eat basically the whole trip there and back for the fun of it, again, no one can judge you.
        The other way to go on a long trip is when you aren't driving. And again there are multiple ways this can happen, the first way might be riding in the car with a friend. These are the times when you are obligated to talk talk talk talk with your friend because of course you can't ignore the person driving you, or fall asleep. My favorite way to go on a long trip is with my whole family. We drive a Suburban, so I get dibs on the farthest back seat and stretch out and sleep pretty much the whole ride, or watch a movie with siblings. It's also different, though, when you are driving with only one parent. I go on more trips with just my mom than I do with my whole family. These are the trips that you are somewhat obligated to stay awake the majority of the ride, because I start to feel guilty leaving my mom driving alone.
        

How to: Be BFF's

            So you say you want a BFF? Here’s the real definition of best friends and what you must do to have a successful “Best Friendship”.

·         Break down walls: To be BFF’s you must not hide anything. Best friends are best friends for a reason, because you can be exactly who you are around them and not care what they think, because they will accept you as you are, and love you for it. If you are too embarrassed to show your true colors around someone because you are afraid of being judged, then that person cannot and should not be your best friend. (For example: sharing the ugliest pictures that you could possibly find with that friend and laughing about it.)

·         Flaunt your flaws: A best friend is someone who finds out the worst things about you, and uses those as the reasons to be friends with you. Your flaws are what make you YOU, so work it girl.

·         Find common grounds: Having something in common is what makes you friends, typically if you have nothing in common with someone, your relationship will not work out. The way you know you have a best friend is if you have the most random things in common, such as the things you wouldn’t tell anybody, and when you finally tell that one person- they do that exact unique thing that you do.

·         Secret code: In addition to having common grounds, you must also be able to understand your BFF when no one else does. That one look, word, or symbol that you and your partner in crime have that no one else would know, but it makes complete sense to you and ties you together with a “secret code”.

·         Honesty and Trust: The main component of a best friendship. With any relationship it is impossible to be successful if you aren’t loyal and most important, trustworthy. If you cannot be loyal, or honest with someone- which means speaking your mind- and in addition you cannot trust someone to do the same, then you cannot be best friends.

This may not be the only way to be best friends, but it’s for sure the right way, and anyone without these basic qualities will never be considered “BFF’s”.

School Sports vs. Club Sports

            Many people that do not participate in outside of school sports or club sports do not understand the time commitment that is put into these extracurricular activities. Not only are there school night practices that may go late, but also weekend tournaments that can cause you to miss school days occasionally. With school activities, the majority of practices and activities are on school days usually right after school, and don’t typically run late.

            Not only is there a big time commitment, but also the overall commitment of each player varies from school sports to club sports. Club sports are optional, and require tryouts or invitation to be on the team. This makes the teams very exclusive, only with kids that are truly committed to the sport. On the other hand there are school sports, where everyone must be accepted one way or another, which usually causes teams to end up with uncommitted people who are just on the team for a waiver out of gym.

            Coaching controls a lot of things between school and club sports. Club coaches are typically not paid, but are volunteering their time to do what they love to do, and most likely have been training and wishing to do for most of their lives. Club coaches take the sport very seriously. Not to bash on school coaches and say they do not, but usually school coaches are teachers that are asked to coach by the athletic director because they have experience with the sport. These coaches use coaching as an extracurricular type thing, or a side job.

            The coaching style usually affects the intensity of play amongst each team. Club sports are very intense all the time and taken very seriously because they can affect a lot of things for each player, such as where they go to college. Club teams are usually assembled to make a trip to Nationals or some big tournament, and get kids on their way to collegiate level sports. School sports are an alternative for many people that want to get exercise or just stay active while having fun, not all people are aspiring college athletes, which brings down the intensity to some extent.

            To me, and many other people, the best part about sports is the lifelong relationships that come from them. Club sports especially can make you the best friends you will ever have due to all you have to go through together to reach the common goal you may have. Not only with the players on your team but also relationships between oneself and your coach. School sports are usually played with a lot of people you don’t know or aren’t close with, and maybe a few close school friends.

 

Unfair Treatment

                One thing I don’t like is unfair treatment in classes. Sure it’s okay for teachers to have favorites, but when it is blatantly obvious that some kids are favored more than others, it upsets me a lot. I understand that there are some kids that don’t work in class, have a bad grade, or disrespect the teacher, and this puts a bad label on the kids making the teacher dislike them. But when there are students that are nothing but nice to teachers, work hard, and continue to get an acceptable grade in each class, they should not be discriminated against for other factors that shall remain unmentioned. It seems to be, in most classes at least, that some teachers tend to favor certain kids, although some (not all) should not be.

                I have ran into multiple situations where I feel as though I have been treated unfairly with our supervisor contradicting themself because they allow certain things with some students more than others. I have never been one to disrespect a teacher, talk back, or not follow rules, and I feel somewhat insulted when some teachers don’t take the time to notice this, and go off their first impression and what they think they know about my character.

                The majority of high school students are talkative, have friends, and like to socialize. This is just a regular part of being a teenager. When you have a friend in a class, you may be tempted to get a little bit more talkative than usual, and typically not to the teachers liking. I understand a teacher’s position when they ask students to quiet down or not to talk at inappropriate times but I would appreciate if it was applied to everyone and not singling out a select few. I know it is hard for teachers to contain classes of high school students but I would like if teachers would look at students the same.

Why take AP Lang?

           When I first heard about AP Lang last year during class registration I immediately thought people must be either completely crazy, or have way too much time on their hands. I rejected the idea right away. After giving some thought, and looking into my schedule and future ambitions (college) I started to consider what good and bad would come out of taking this class. I came to the conclusion that not only will this class help prepare me for college and boost my GPA, but it will also help me in ways I would have never imagined.

            A common myth about AP Lang is that it is a heap-load of homework, reading, and huge essays. This is not true. Yes, there is a lot of reading involved, but the majority of the reading isn’t homework, but reading in class. We read a variety of essays in this class, some long, and some short, from different authors and writing styles. Although many are boring, there are many interesting essays as well.

            Many people also complain about the analysis or synthesis essays we have to write in AP Lang. The essays may sound hard, but come pretty easy when you take the right notes on our readings, and properly analyze. Each term we have a few class discussions over excerpts we read in or out of class. These discussions help a lot to maybe catch things that you didn’t notice in the excerpts, but your classmates did, and also to ask questions you may have to clear up before writing your own analysis essay. I think this is the thing that has helped me most in this class by preparing me for reading college level essays, and learning how to construct my own advanced analysis essay.

            As with every other AP class, there is, of course, the dreaded AP test at the end of the school year. Although I haven’t taken the exam yet, I have heard that it is extremely challenging to many people. This could be a potential “turn-off” to people considering this class, but if you look at the big picture of the things that you will learn from this class, and also use in college, it is worth taking the class.

            I have learned a lot of writing, analyzing, and synthesizing techniques, as well as other things not involved in this class. One of these is time management. I have had to learn how to manage our homework assignments in this class, along with each term’s reading pages and blogging numbers, and also other class work. I would highly suggest anyone with college aspirations to take this course.

Learning Foreign Languages Should Be Required

The United States is becoming more and more diverse every day and every year. Along with this diversity come different races, religions, beliefs, and languages. Our nation is constantly working toward equality and acceptance of people of all sorts. But how are we supposed to accept without the ability to communicate? This is why foreign languages should be a required course in high school.

            Communication with those of other nationality, who may not know English, is used in everyday life. When working in jobs involving interacting with customers, it is a necessity to be able to communicate with all kinds of customers, even those that may not be fluent in your language of preference. Being capable of communicating with an assortment of people is very beneficial in most professions, and can sometimes be used on job applications to impress your employer, giving you a larger variety of job options.

            Studying abroad and exploring other countries is a great way to learn more about other cultures and discover alternative ways of life. Knowing foreign languages can give you greater opportunities when going to places unfamiliar to you, where you would in other cases not understand the native language. When travelling to other countries and continents it is required that you must communicate to get around in a foreign country.

            There are many advantages to being multilingual, and I think this should start at a very young age, when teaching languages is more effective, and children absorb languages with ease.

 http://www.buzzle.com/articles/benefits-of-being-bilingual.html

Make It or Break It

                Make It or Break It is a teenage hit television series that started about 2 years ago. This series is about a group of 4 elite gymnasts training in a gym with one goal: to go to the 2012 Olympics, and win. The Rocky Mountain Gymnastics Club, or “The Rock”, is a high-class training facility that also has some high-class drama. Each girl is completely different in their own way.

                Payson Keeler is the hardworking gymnast that has always been on top, and was projected to win the 2012 Olympics without contest. This all changed when Payson had an accident at the national meet, breaking her back and threatening to end her career for good. After a big-time back specialist developed a new procedure that could heal Payson’s back, she expected to come back better than before, but was held back when she found out that she must pursue a different kind of gymnastics, a more artistic approach.

                Kailey Cruz is the national champ. She had always been an underdog until Payson’s accident resulted in her winning the national championship. With all of the pressure with staying on top Kailey changed her entire attitude, training non-stop and almost over-focusing on her goal.

                Emily Kmetko is a girl from “the wrong side of the tracks” that was discovered at a nearby YMCA and brought to “The Rock” for her raw talent. Along with her struggle for being on the National team and trying to go to the Olympics, her single mother is also trying to make ends meet. Emily is the underestimated girl that will blow your socks off on the gymnastics mat.

                Lauren Tanner is the gym snob. She has extreme talent and is a definite contender for the 2012 Olympics, and will do absolutely ANYTHING to be on top. Along with her millionaire dad, that controls “The Rock”, the father-daughter duo intends to be on top no matter what it takes.

"Movie Moments"

      

There are some scenarios that people consider “Movie moments”, or moments that you think only happen in movies. Today I had a terrible experience with one of these moments. I was walking innocently down the hallway with my dearest friend Emily having a nice chat while walking to the bathroom, when BAM!!!!! I was completely thrown off the ground and on my back. Completely in awe, I stand up and realize a teacher had viciously opened the door to her classroom and hit me with it. I won’t go overboard and say I needed medical attention, but this blow definitely wasn’t something I was expecting on my peaceful trek to the restroom.

Another example of a “Movie moment” is the infamous pouring milk on the head in the lunchroom. You see it in every teen movie, with the nerdy girl who finally builds up the courage to stand up to the mean girl. Typically, the mean girl will be wearing a white shirt, or brand new expensive outfit that will be completely ruined. Let’s get real; this would never actually happen in real life. There would either be a throwdown-actually a wimpy girl fight- involving a lot of hair pulling, or a whole lot of clawing. (Note: this scene may also happen with any messy food, preferably a type of pasta, like spaghetti, that will make the scene even more dramatic)

            My final-and most ridiculous- movie moment I will mention is the in-sync singing that takes place generally in musicals. We’ll use High School Musical as an example- please take note that I have absolutely nothing against this movie, it is one of my favorites-, although there are multiple scenes where the cast breaks into song I talk about the very first classroom soon. While in homeroom listening to the drama director talk about the spring musical, Troy Bolton spaces off looking at the ticking clock with 1 minute left before summer. The students all start chanting quietly, gradually getting louder, “summer”, “summer”, “summer”… and as the bell rings, they all break into song! WHAT TIME IS IT, SUMMER TIME! And so on with the song. This isn’t the only part that bugs me, but also the way that every dancer seems to know the same routine dance. Again, let’s get real; this would never actually happen in real life.
            Not saying that these are bad things to have in a movie, but it does make the movie way less believable, as well as unrealistic.

Texting While Driving

               Texting while driving should be illegal. Not just for minors but for everyone. It is one of the most dangerous things that you can do while you are driving. Your chance of being in an accident is increased. You are more distracted and you are a hazard to the people around you.

                While you are texting and driving you are not fully focused on the road. According to CNET’s Jennifer Guevin, “Texting while driving took a drivers focus away from the road for an average of 4.6 seconds- enough time… to travel the length of a football field at 55 mph.” In that 4.6 seconds you can swerve across the lanes, hit pedestrians, be unaware of certain signs and stop lights, change speed drastically, hit other cars, or go off the road. You can also be mistaken for a drunk driver.

                Accidents are increased while texting and driving. Virginia Tech Transportation Institute found that truck drivers who are texting are 23 times more at risk of a “crash or near crash event.” People stop paying attention to the road because they are more focused on the text that they are sending or reading. People may think they can multitask on the road and their phone but they cannot.

                I personally realize I cannot text and drive. I am a hazard to myself and others around me. I tend to swerve around in my lane and almost into others. I speed up without even realizing it. That could cause me to run into people in front of me because sometimes the distance between my car and the car ahead of me is not always realized.

               Texting while driving is hard to resist. Almost everyone does it at least once. Even that one time can cause an injury, a car that is wrecked, or the loss of a life. All of those are proven so it should be illegal. It is not worth the risk.