Assingment 8- Slipping through the cracks- Chuck Logsdon

Fears: Dying, upsetting someone, being poor when I grow up
Annoyances: People making a big deal out of minor stuff, small talk with people I don't like.
Accomplishments: winning journalism scholarship, having a good friend group
Confusions: Multiplication, what happens when you die,
Sorrows: Deaths in the family, failing at something I put a lot of work into
Dreams: Having a comfortable job, having a solid support system when I am living independently
Idiosyncrasies: Playing with my DS, optical allusions
Risks: Going into unfamiliar social settings.
Beloved possessions: Stuffed cat (then) Relationships with cousins (now)
Problems: Staying on top of my grades, Being productive.

I do not know how to do multiplication on paper. It seems crazy, I know, but it is a skill I never learned and do not plan on ever learning. Even writing this right now seems kind of absurd, there must have been some point in school where they made sure everyone knew how to do written multiplication, I suppose I was absent that day. While I find it odd that I managed to slip through the cracks and get away with 11 years of schooling without ever learning multiplication but I am not at all upset or regret never learning this skill. I now want to see if I will ever need to know it at all, the math we do now seems much more advanced and the skill of written multiplication seems obsolete. I don't expect to ever need this skill and if I do I will gladly accept the consequences but I find peace knowing I have made it this far without ever learning how to multiply.

Assignement #8 - Luke Plummer - Some things you probably don't want to know

Fears: Being Alone, Dying
Annoyances: People who take things for granted, People who judge others
Accomplishments: Good Act Score, Lax Prestige
Confusions: Time management
Sorrows: Not caring about anything for a while
Dreams: Lax in college, a happy life
Idiosyncrasies: Nerd
Risks: Scuba Diving
Beloved Possessions: relationship I have with my nana, my headphones
Problems: Sleep, Organization, Wasted Time, over-thinking

My sorrows and problems, not caring and wasted time, go hand in hand. Apologizing in advance for anyone who has to read my personal complaints, but these are the easiest things to speak about. For a large portion of my life there was little attempt to create a better lifestyle for myself. I didn't try in school, I did not attempt to create new friends, and I did not attempt to better myself. This has since changed, as now I make an attempt to make "shine" and try to be uplifting to those around me. Although my mindset has changed there has been many of days where I have came home after school and I just want to be alone, lay in bed or sit in my chair and just think about things. This whole idea about not caring leads to my problem of wasted time. Personally I have felt that a large portion of my life has been wasted. Especially in my teen years. I am constantly trying to be happy, and that is easier now since I have been able to surround myself with people I love, and feel better about what I have worked for. Now, that I care about things, and try not to waste my time I feel happy. I look forward to going to school, I know that I can improve myself academically or at the least try and make other people happy.

Assignment #7 - Luke Plummer - College Is Too Close For Comfort

College is a weird subject. I have no clue where I really want to go. I have not committed myself to trying to gain access to one specific colleges campus. I believe that there are many places in life where I would be able to receive a good education that will set me up to succeed in life. Again, another issue found with college is that I have no idea what I want to be when I grow up. I do have standards that I want whatever college I choose to go to to meet. First, I would like to play lacrosse in college. Second, I would like to go to a place where I am able to feel comfortable on. I want to be able to live on campus somewhere with a beautiful campus. Third, I want to go somewhere academically challenging. Furman, is a college that I have both researched and visited. The campus is incredibly comfortable. In college I need a place where I would be able to learn and study while still being happy. Furman offers this. I would be able to stay happy, staying on campus in a place that was both appealing and welcoming while still attending class. Furman is an academically challenging school, so I would be able to receive a good education that would be able to propel me into my future. Receiving a good education while being happy and comfortable is ideal. My main goal is to be somewhere I enjoy, but also somewhere that can set me up to start in whatever field I chose to work in.

Assignment #6 - Luke Plummer - Chemicals Are Fun

I enjoy to learn when whatever I am learning, whether on my own or in a classroom, is something that truly interests me. I have done several academically and intellectually challenging things. I've done debate, which although interesting, was not something I enjoyed doing. Something, that I truly enjoyed doing was the large project at the end of the year in chemistry. I spent every day looking forward to class. There were multiple reasons why I was so attracted to this final project. The first was the freedom, to have to work independently for weeks to achieve your final goal. It forced me to problem solve and work on my own. I had to be able to work around things that struggled me and run multiple tests in order to figure things out. I really enjoyed working with my hands. The combination of having to think, working independently and working on my own really peaked my enjoyment. Another thing, that does not really fall under a project category but is still something that peaks my academic interest is learning about world history. Learning about past civilizations has always been something that has been very fun for me.

Assignment #8- Caroline Blitch- Nothing Gold Can Stay

A young child looking forward to being older so they can stay up late like their older siblings. A pre-teen looking forward to being in high school and able to drive themselves. A high schooler looking forward to college and the freedom that comes along with it. A college student looking forward to being done with school and putting their studies to use. We continually look forward to the future, in hopes that it will be better than the present. But as soon as the present passes us by, we miss it. It’s a scary reality that we hardly appreciate the present. The rare moments in our lives that we do, are memorable and cherished like a priceless treasure. But even in these instances, the reality of its fleeting presence looms over us like a shadow. This feeling of pure bliss elapses before long.

This bitter reality is a common theme, expressed in Robert Frost’ infamous poem “Nothing Gold Can Stay.” 

Assignment #5 - Luke Plummer - Limited Use of The Telly

Television, which I am including as Netflix, is something that a lot of people I know spend a lot of time doing. Personally, I have never been able to sit down and watch a movie or t.v. show. The only times I am able to sit through a whole movie is if I am either at the movie theaters or I am watching said movie with a friend or group of friends. Many friends have recommend that I watch certain television shows or movies, but I find it difficult to stay engaged in a movie or TV show, at least when I am the only one watching. I do not have the attention span, or rather the drive, to sit down and watch television. Not only is it hard for me to sit down and watch a movie start to finish, it is even more tedious when you are watching something on your TV at home, and there are more commercials than actual time spent watching whatever it is that you initially sat down to watch. This has always bothered me, and is one of the main reasons I stray away from watching TV.  There are a few exceptions that have been found. The only two shows that I have been able to watch start to finish have been The Punisher and Stranger Things. These two shows have been the only ones who I have been able to find myself looking forward to watch, and I was able to stay engaged throughout the entire season.

Assignment #8: A weird fear - M'Kiyah Baird

• Fears: Being alone in an open field, heights, things in the ocean that you can't see, never being good enough, public speaking 
• Annoyances: Forks scraping against plates/bowls, styrofoam rubbing together, telling me to do something I'm already doing
• Accomplishments: Made an all-tournament team at a volleyball tournament, got second overall at volleyball tournament, won gold in a volleyball tournament, made the varsity volleyball team, all A's for two years, never had an unexcused absence
• Confusions: AP Physics 
• Sorrows: weight, skill level for volleyball
• Dreams: Make the Kentucky (or any D1) volleyball team, become a famous author, become a famous artist, get a decently large sized house, have several dogs and cats, have a wolf
• Idiosyncrasies: somewhat of a theatre geek 
• Risks: speaking out
• Beloved possessions: Hex Hall book series, any necklace I own, my nail polishes, my dog
• Problems: procrastination

It was awfully bright outside. The sun was shining in my eyes, blinding me with every step I took. I could tell that there was an abundance of butterflies fluttering through the air and crickets chirping on the ground around where my feet stood. The air flowed through my hair as I stood in knee-high tall grass that was the color of candy. The sky was bright blue and the field expanded for miles beyond my sight. I. Was. Alone. Peaceful, right? Wrong. Completely incorrect. It was nerve racking. There was no one else in sight. The only thing near me was a tree, a dead one at that. I was stuck, hopelessly isolated in a place that was foreign to me. Of course before I would break down in a full on panic attack, I woke up in my bed. It was dark so I checked my phone for the time. The blaring light one again left me blind and I squinted my way to see the time of 5:30 a.m. I rolled my way off of my now sheetless bed and made my way to my door, carelessly running into baskets and walls. But I digress, me and open, isolated fields do not mix.

Assignment 7- Grounds for the future- Chuck Logsdon

I am excited for college. Not necessarily going to classes or the work involved but the freedom of living on my own and the fun of meeting and hanging out with new people. For this reason I would want a college that is smaller but still much larger than Henry Clay. I feel this would foster a sense of community on the college while also being large enough for there to be many diverse groups within. I would want a college that is D1 in football and basketball and actually decent in one of the two. As for education  would want to learn important life skills for when I graduate and have to live in the real world. I really do not know what I want to major in but I want a college that can keep me well connected. I would like to be able to find a job with my major right out of college.

Assignment #8 - Buddy Goodwin - Pet peeves

Fears: disease, poverty, injury
Annoyances: Being ignored and when my brothers use my things
Accomplishments: Winning the state championship for lacrosse, having good grades.
Confusions: School, why teachers assign so much homework
Sorrows: Having a broken leg, Homework
Dreams: Play lacrosse in college, get college scholarship, get a good job, get married and have a family.
Idiosyncrasies: video gamer, procrastinator, hardworking
Risks: Skydive, swim with manatees
Beloved possessions: x-box, lax stick, car
Problems: procrastination


One of my biggest pet peeves and something that literally drives me insane is when my brothers use my stuff especially when they have their own set, pair, or individual thing that they are using of mine. This drives me insane. One reason I think it does so is because usually when my brothers use my stuff if it ever gets returned then it gets returned broken or in worse condition than when they got it. This is why I rarely give them permission to use my stuff however they still often do it. Also another reason why this drives me absolutely insane is because my brothers typically have their own thing that is the exact same thing as the thing of mine they are using. This gives them no excuse to be using my thing which drives me insane as well. Another thing that annoy me greatly is being ignored. I feel like it is disrespectful and for some odd reason it annoys me more than most other things.

Assignment 6- Life throughout history- Chuck Logsdon

The development of social interactions throughout history is something that has always been very interesting to me. I have always been interested in history but beyond the wars, empires, and developments in technology, I have always been very curious of what day to day life was like in each time period. I don't think I would get along with people my age just 20-30 years ago but I'm curious of if I would even be able to communicate with people as far back as the 1800s- early 1900s. What would kids in ancient Egypt do for fun. I would love to be able to observe daily life in early America, or spend a day with famous historical figures, even attend the Roman Coliseum. This is why I love visiting historical attractions like Williamsburg, The Hermitage, Cahokia, or Incan Ruins. I find culture of the past fascinating and I love immersing myself in a specific time period to try to understand what life was like then.

Assignment #7: What is an Ambition Worth? - M'Kiyah Baird

College is slowly sounding worse and worse as I go about picking where I want to go and what I want to do. Through 16 years of life I've changed my ambitions several times. From an author to a teacher, an industrial engineer to a graphic designer, I have never truly had a grip on what I'm passionate about. That is, what I'm passionate about that could make money. I have a strong passion for art and yet a fine arts education won't get you far without a plan for a job(or so my mother says). So with my education, I'd like to work at a place like Painting With a Twist or maybe even sell my artwork. I'm excited to meet new people at college and be my own person. I've known most of my classmates since sixth grade and some even since third, and although I know I'll miss them (most of them), I want to meet new people and go places on my own. The education part itself still worries me. I'm only in the first semester of junior year and I'm already done with school. College education sounds like something I'm not ready to take on and I'm ready to be done with school. I'd like to play volleyball wherever I go but I doubt it will happen. Regardless, I believe that I can do well in college if I stay focused and work hard. More so that I already do because procrastination will probably be the death of me.

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Assignment 5- I don't care- Chuck Logsdon

I do not care about the Nobel prize winner. This is not something I am ashamed of I just simply do not find it interesting. People can pretend they believe the Nobel prize is so much more important than the entertainment awards shows but I can confidently be in the majority of people in saying I do not care at all. Upon a cursory google search I found that the Nobel physics prize went to three people who did some space thing. Cool, I don't care. I'm sure that accomplishment was important, but I like to watch TV and movies I would rather not learn about and "exoplanet orbiting a solar type star" because that is boring. The assumption that this should hold more weight than entertainment awards show downplays the importance of art in society. Winners of these entertainment awards made very good art. People enjoy consuming art. I'm sure James Peebles wrote a really good thesis about something important to physics. People do not enjoy reading essays about physics.

Assignment 4- Is god real?- Chuck Logsdon

Growing up my family would attend church every Sunday rarely missing. It always felt like that is what you are supposed to do. It was never fun or interesting I often either didn't understand the sermon or it made me feel like a sinner who was bound to go to hell. The older I got the more I began to doubt the existence of some almighty being  who controls everything and chooses if I go to heaven or not, it seemed silly to me. I felt very guilty about thinking this. I had always accepted that god is real and it felt disrespectful to have this dissenting opinion. When I finally worked up the courage to talk to my mom about this I learned she had been feeling the same way. More so, my father was completely atheist. They felt that no matter their beliefs they would expose me to the traditional family religion and allow me to come to my own beliefs. It was very comforting to learn my beliefs were accepted by my family. This led to me being much more vocal about my view about different subjects.

Assignment 3- A grateful traveler- Chuck Logsdon

I am very lucky to have parents that love traveling. I was able to visit a different country on 2 separate occasions. I visited Mexico when I was around 9 years old and while I enjoyed the trip I do not feel like I got much cultural exposure as we stayed in  tourist area. I did, however, get to see many Meso-American ruins which was very cool. I also visited the Bahamas. The area in the Bahamas we visited did not turn out to be the tourist area we expected but rather a very poor part of the Bahamas with a large homeless population. While this was uncomfortable for me at the time it was definitely a learning experience as I gained a new perspective on the struggles in different countries. Outside of those 2 trips I have traveled all over the country but I have not visited many northern states which is something I would like to do.

Assignment 2- A lackluster reader- Chuck Logsdon

Despite a previous zeal for reading, in recent years I have read very few books for my personal enjoyment. There have been plenty of books I have read for school but the only ones I enjoyed were The Great Gatsby, and Pillars of the Earth. The Great Gatsby had a fascinating style of writing that helped stay interested in the otherwise mundane story, and the Pillars of the Earth did a very good job in weaving three different stories into one and connecting them all. Outside of required reading the two books I would recommend to a friend that I read for fun were Ready Player One, and The Da Vinci Code. Ready Player One is a really interesting novel set in a dystopia where the real world is very bleak and has little to offer so the people to a vast virtual reality world. The Da Vinci Code is a novel about a big conspiracy hidden in famous art pieces. In my opinion The Da Vinci Code was very poorly written but I thoroughly enjoyed following the mystery in it.

Assignment 1- An introduction to my life- Chuck Logsdon

Hello, I am Chuck Logsdon. As college registration nears, I am very focused on packing my resume to help with college applications. I have tried to maintain good grades all throughout high school but this year I am really striving to make straight A's to boost my GPA to help with scholarships. The most meaningful moment of my summer vacation was visiting my aunt and uncle in California shortly after they found out they were having a baby. This was very exciting because I do not have any cousins on my mothers side of the family and I think my aunt and uncle will be great parents. If I had a super power it would be the ability to control time. This would be very convenient for finishing homework before a class starts. If I was ever tired at school I could just pause time and go to sleep. I would also pull so many pranks with this ability.

https://www.clickhole.com/

My favorite website is ClickHole, a satirical news website that parodies websites like Buzzfeed. It is the internet news counterpart to the Onion.

Assignment #8 - Max Carlson - My List

Fears: Spiders, Loneliness

Annoyances: Hypocrisy, Arrogance

Accomplishments: Having good friends, Being happy

Confusions: Apathy (What's the point if you don't care) 

Sorrows: Being hard to Focus

Dreams: Travel the world/Open a Veterinary Clinic

Idiosyncrasies: Logistic Mind, Video games (League of Legends)

Risks: Not really a risky person, I'd like to start becoming more Open

Beloved Possessions: Now and Then Then: Value (Monetary and not) Now: Bonds

Problems: Organization.

Assignment 8-Emma Lauritzen, Baby boomers vs me

Fears: my future, clutter, hospitals, suffocating, not being remembered when I die, not being good enough

Annoyances: people who don't take others into consideration, strong scents, chapped lips, baby boomers who come into chipotle, being too hot or too cold, socks that are too big, foot tapping, people who are fake, being asked what my accomplishments are. 

Accomplishments: still being alive, being healthy

Confusions: life its self, my future, why there are so many types of cereal, if this is all secretly an illusion

Sorrows: Alan, eighth and ninth grade, many regrets

Dreams: To be happy for a long period of time, to own a goose, to own a lot of dogs, to leave an impact on the world and to be remembered after I die

Idiosyncrasies: weird medical conditions, eggs

Risks: become a nomad, not go to college, drop out of the academy

Beloved Possessions, Now and Then: my dads record player and collection, bun bun, friendship bracelets 

Problems: I have no motivation

Annoyances: Baby boomers that come into chipotle-

In the nicest way possible I hate baby boomers as a whole the same way they hate technology. Now, its not all their fault-they grew up in a different time. They grew up with family businesses and "nice people," they had to work really hard (or so they say) for what they have in life. This excuses some things, like expecting above and beyond service at chain fast food restaurants and hating the kardashians. They also grew up with blatant government sanctioned racism. This does not excuse being racist, "it was a different time" is not an excuse for treating people unequally and making off hand comments. This is mostly directed at my grandparents who will still say the n-word when telling stories from the past, and who dont like immigrants. This hatred stems from them and is projected on the old people who come into my workplace and call my colleagues racist nicknames and say "sorry were old." I dont like old people (like 68 and above) because quite frankly I dont have anything in common with them and they dont have respect for me. Bernie and RBG are exceptions.

Assignment 7- Emma Lauritzen, Surprise: I don't want to go to college

Alright...so I don't really want to go to college, but don't tell my parents. I mean I will go to college, but it does not excite me like it does everyone else. The thought that I have to spend another 4-10 years sitting in classrooms makes me want to become a nomad. On the other hand, I know I need to go to college. This is where is gets tricky though because the college I want to go to cant possibly exist because of the contradictory nature of my wants.

• 10,000 students but a 10:1 student ratio
• as far away as possible but still close to home 
• Cold but warm 
• In DC but not near my brother (GW) 
• chill but prestigious

See my problem. I just really don't like the idea of college because I struggle enough in high school as is. I also struggle because I don't know what I want to study and at this point im just choosing colleges based on how pretty the campus is. I like American University but it is not the ideal school for studying psychology, I like Furman but i'm not smart enough to get in and its really small. The thought of college makes me sick to my stomach. All of my friends are so excited and seem to have the plan and then there's me-confused as all hell. There is one college that really peaks my curiosity and that is College of Charleston, i'm going to visit in January. The campus is stunning, they have a good psychology and anthropology program, there are all four seasons, and its a good size. 

At the root of it, I think college stresses me out most because I know that I am not as academic as the rest of my grade, my scores and grades don't compare. But I have been trained to want to go to all of the same colleges-colleges that I wont be able to get into, and the thought of being rejected from these dreamy schools that all of my friends will get into makes me want to curl up into a ball and disappear.  I understand that I haven't really answered the prompt but to answer it I would have to have a plan which I lack almost completely and even writing this makes me feel sick with nerves. So to complete the requirement for the prompt, here is the lie that I tell everyone when they ask where I want to go to college: 

I want to go to American University in DC, because they have a nice campus, a great teacher to student ratio, its my ideal size, and their anthropology program is very good. Its also in DC which means there are great job and internship opportunities. 

My hopes for the university that I end up going to are that it satisfies me, that I make friends, that I figure out what I want to do with my life, and that the experiences help shape a good adult version of myself. So in conclusion, i'm honestly really confused and I'm sorry that I did a poor job of answering the prompt.

Assignment #6- Emma Lauritzen, Do I ask too many questions?

Most kids go through the "questioning phase," where they have the burning desire to know the who, what, when, where, and why for everything they come across. Supposedly most people grow out of that phase. I did not.

There has honestly never been a moment, that I can remember at least, where I didn't have at least ten questions in my head. This constant questioning of the world led me to develop several different interests pertaining to my future career. These interests would allow me to answer all my questions and included doctor, cobbler, mortician, chef, teacher, and nomad. But I still always felt like none of these occupations would leave me satisfied, that was until I began reading The Human Story for AP World History and taking psychology my sophomore year. As I was learning about how the human experience and biology has changed over time. I felt every piece of my curiosity light up like a city when the power is turned back on after an outage. I finally had something I was passionately curious about. 

I love people, I love the who, what, why, when, where, and how of people. I love how we've evolved over time and how our decisions and evolution have led us to where we are today. Ive always been pretty quick to make friends because the idea of meeting new people and learning about them interests me. This worries me though. The my always questioning nature leaves me worried if I will ever be satisfied in the future, and I constantly fear that I will never find a profession that allows me to ask all my questions.
Last year I took psychology and it was amazing, it was a class that never bored me and allowed me to ask all of my questions. We did a project where we had to make a brain, and while my clay brain was not beautiful it held my curiosity for weeks after. To think that this brain, this 3 pound gelatinous blob holds the secrets to the human species, and while all brains have the same parts they somehow manage to create billions upon billions of unique personalities and an infinite number of ideas.
So, in conclusion I ask a lot of questions. This annoys a lot of people, but its my attempt to satisfy that ever present burning desire to understand the world around me. And I like the brain i guess.

Assignment #7 - Max Carlson - College is Coming

Being the unorganized student that I am, who has done minimal research into the future, I do not know what specific college is my "dream college."  I don't know what schools offer strong programs for my major, I don't know what schools cost what, I don't know a lot of things. So, know that I'm going into this relatively blind. I've accepted that I'm probably going to go into an in-state school. I have nothing against it, and in my specific financial situation, combined with the fact that i haven't performed incredibly well on past AP tests, and with Kees money being available, I'd like to use that. After going to undergrad school for as little money as possible, I want to go to a prestigious veterinary school  wherever I can. Personally, I am super excited about the freedom associated with college. Being independent of your parents and being able to do what you want when you want sounds like a dream. I can't wait.

Assignment #6 - Max Carlson - What science has meant to me

Since I was around 10 years old, I have known how my brain worked. I'm an extremely logic-based thinker. When I'm confronted with a problem, I logic my way through it until I inevitably come to a solution. This has led to some difficulty in math classes, especially with teachers who wanted things done their way with their formulas. Because this was the way I've always thought, science has always been a strong suit for me, particularly chemistry and, recently, physics. The problem solving aspect of the sciences has always had a draw on me, and is a big reason why that's one of the high points of the day. Those subjects just make sense in  my weird logic-driven brain. These classes allow me to just sit down, do my work my way, and figure the questions out how I need to. I'll always have a respect for all of my classes, and try in all of them, but Science will always have a very special place in my heart.

Assignment #7 - Megan Ewing - College is Terrifying

The prospect of college is terrifying. From leaving home, living on my own for the first time, and having a whole new level of responsibility, both to classes and myself, I freeze up every time someone asks me about it. Not to mention the stress that comes with making such a major life choice as to where to get what kind of education. My older sister moved out for college this past August and these few months without her help have been challenging but also a relief. I feel more like my own person and I know my own identity will grow with time, especially after I go to college myself. In addition to that, I look forward to learning how to truly take care of myself. A few weeks ago while I was visiting my grandparents, my grandmother explained to me how important being independent for a few years is. Even if you get married right after college and never live alone again, you need to know that you can. So. in college, no matter where I go, I want to learn how to be myself and how to start taking care of myself without any help.

Assignment #5 - Max Carlson - Too much TV?

TV is taking over the modern world. If you ask the average American what they do in their free time, (other than phone use) watching TV would probably be the next answer. TV was and is an amazing invention. It allows for mass media, lets the nation be more informed as a whole, and allows for entertainment across the country and world. TV lets the world as a whole unite and creates empathy across nations and cultures. It provides students in the middle of Kentucky to learn and actually see whats going off across the world in Africa or whats just south of us in South America. It also though, provides a platform for large companies and corporations to advertise products to the masses. This allows large corporations to grow, but also feeds capitalism. It's important to weigh those two consequences against each other, but I believe TV is a net positive definitely.

Assignment #1: Hannah Qazi - hello mtv welcome to my crib

Hi, my name's Hannah and oatmeal raisin cookies that look like chocolate chips are the reasons I have trust issues. This past summer was simultaneously long and short, especially since I spent most of it hiding away in my room experimenting with my paintbrush and sketchbook (to my mother's dismay.) Despite my attempts at transforming into a hermit, I did go outside once or twice. In fact, I not only managed to walk outside of my house but traveled 2,000 miles across the US to see the best coast (as in the west coast of course.) It was probably the only eventful part of my summer, but it was worth it. I mean, how can you top living on a beach, riding rollercoasters and eating in n out for two whole weeks? Anyways, to sum up my summer in one word, I'd say it was pretty tolerable (that's two words but oh well.) I'd hope that this year I'm much more focused, but as of right now that seems unlikely. I guess if I could choose a superpower it'd probably be the power of productivity, but that's a bit of a stretch.

Also, here's a picture of the beach I stayed at and my favorite youtube channel:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJFp8uSYCjXOMnkUyb3CQ3Q

Assignment # 7 - Buddy Goodwin - College coming up fast

Honestly I don't really know what I want to be when I grow up. I love to work with my hands and I am good at math and science so I think I would enjoy engineering or architecture. The problem that I face when I try to decide what I want to be is that I feel like I could enjoy a large variety of jobs. My lack of knowledge of what I want to be when I get older makes it hard for me to really pinpoint where I want to go to college. I do know that I want to go somewhere south because I like the warm weather and I like being outside.

Wherever I choose to go I hope to complete 4 years of undergraduate schools and then I hope to go on to graduate school after. I hope to maintain good grades in college yet still have fun. I hope to graduate college with a degree and to graduate with the smallest amount of student dept possible.

Assignment #4 - Max Carlson - Challenging Catholicism

I am, and always have been a practicing catholic. My parents are, and brought me and my brothers up in the church. As a young child, I doubted sometimes, but always believed deep down in Jesus and God. My first big challenge with this was when I was in the 6th grade. Our family was camping in the Natural Bridge state park when a branch fell on our tent overnight, killing my mom instantly and shattering my dad's left leg. Suddenly, in addition to the obvious other struggles this obviously caused me, I was fraught with constant feelings of why God would let this happen. I spent a lot of time thinking about why this could've happened and what we did to deserve this. That was the hardest time in my life religiously,and I personally almost left the faith completely. But after attending retreats and talking with youth pastor, I restored my faith over the course of the next year or two.

Assignment #8: Hannah Qazi - California

Fears - dying alone, living in complete silence, isolation

Annoyances - people who chew with their mouth open, insensitivity and ignorance towards a culture, cleaning the litterbox

Accomplishments - maintaining a healthy relationship with my family,  dedicating at least an hour a day toward my passions: art and piano, being trilingual (english, urdu, pashto)

Confusions - racism/sexism, physics

Sorrows - not making the most of my childhood/adolescence, not speaking up for myself, not keeping in touch with my grandpa before he passed, not making the most of a moment because I already know I'll miss it

Dreams - as cliche as it sounds, move to California to be closer to my family and friends, to be happy and successful in life, to live in another country and visit Pakistan at least once in my lifetime

Idiosyncrasies - I make a wish and blow on every fallen eyelash I see, If I spend enough time with someone I begin to imitate their behavior

Risks - skydiving (did), moving to another country (want)

Beloved Possessions, Now and Then - memories with my cousins and grandpa (now) and my cats/ stuffed animals (then)

Problems - i'm extremely insecure and obsess over the judgment of others

Exactly two years ago, I re-established my relationship with my extended family (my mother's side) after six long years of grudges and ignorance. It's frustrating to me that this all had to be resolved at my grandfather's funeral, instead of during his lifetime when he could've seen his family together one last time. There are still so many questions I have for him that will permanently be left unanswered, but it's my own fault for failing to ask them. It's hard not to dwell on all the memories I missed out on with him because of these irrelevant issues and the two thousand miles between us, but I try to cherish every moment I spend with my family now because although I would never admit it to them, they really are my best friends. As soon as I step into LAX, I am bombarded with hugs and reminded of their unconditional love. Despite the extreme joy I feel with their presence, I find myself reminiscing on the time I have with them before I've even left, which is why if I would drop everything to permanently be with them. I don't want to make the same mistake twice.

Assignment #7: Hannah Qazi - I will be poor

If I'm going to spend a significant amount of my life drowning in student debt, I should hope to accomplish at least a few of my goals. The first is that I develop new perspectives and ideas about my life that help my grow as a person. The second is that I build my overall skill set, academically and socially and the final goal is that I recognize and empathize with perspectives I've previously misunderstood or ignored. Following this mindset, my main goal or purpose in attending college would be to have at least an idea of what my passions and interests are and how I can incorporate this into an actual profession. College should act as a stepping stone in my path toward a successful future. However, in all honesty, I don't believe college should be prioritized as much as it currently is. If I wanted to experience my prospective opportunities first hand, I'd much rather do an intership, which I wouldn't have to pay such a heft fee for. Although I would like to continue my education after high school, I believe that it's possible to achieve this through an alternative method to the traditional American education system

Assignment #4 - Hannah Qazi: No mom i'm not going to medical school

Growing up in a stereotypical Asian household, I've been given such a wide range of possibilities for my future: engineer, lawyer, or doctor. How could I possibly choose? Unfortunately, my parents have yet to understand that no matter how many weekends of my childhood I spent trapped at Kumon or school nights I spend volunteering at my local clinic, I won't develop a sudden passion for math or science. Although I respect the great amount of effort they've put in pushing me towards a successful career, I've recently begun exploring interests and passions of my own and whether or not I can pursue a future in them. This has been a challenging experience for me, especially since I've only been exposed to such a limited amount of opportunities, but it has definitely helped me develop my individual identity. Overall, I'm grateful for the path my parents have navigated me through, but as I continue to grow as a person, I've learned that I have to prioritize my own interests over theirs. 

assignment #7 - lily gardner: class

I became enthused about the prospects of university when I realized I wouldn’t have to take math. This was quite a while ago, an indication both of how long I’ve despised the subject, and of how long I’ve pined from the freedom awarded by a college campus. 

I pine for an entire class about postmodernist feminist critiques, picnics on a quad, language classes where we practice the language, the sheer number of people who share my passions and interests and hopes and fears, professors who care. I pine for a place where I truly belong. 

But where that is, I don’t know. I would say that I would accept suggestions, but my list is narrowed. Now it’s just up to the fate of a rigged game of chance.

Why should I pine for only one institution, when the Lorie Laughlins of the world have overtaken them all. Wherever I end up, I will inevitably leave for abroad, in search of bigger and better and more foreign experiences.

Assignment #8- Ezra Mulalic-

Fears- Getting plus 4'd in Uno while at uno, not finishing my blog posts on time, accidently consuming a laxative
Annoyances- My brother and not getting enough sleep
Accomplishments- eating Vietnamese food
Confusions- Since Mike Wazowski from Monsters, Inc. only has one eye, does he blink or wink when his eye closes?
Sorrows- Not being as close to my father's side of the family as compared to my mom's side
Dreams- Living in Bosnia, being able to speak Russian
Idiosyncrasies- I prefer to sit in the back of the car if I am not driving
Risks- Watching The Conjuring at midnight, forgetting to set the chicken out to thaw for my dad
Beloved Possessions- Now, my bed and my earbuds, Then, Pokémon cards
Problems- Procrastination

I have a little brother named Alan, and he is a year and half younger than me. He is a sophomore and he attends Henry Clay as well, but I promise all of his intentions have one underlying goal. The goal is to annoy me. While I was taking a shower a little bit back he thought it would be funny to throw some cold water over and hit me. That might have been him getting revenge against me because I did the same thing but it was just mean. Now when I think about it, I might just be the one starting all the drama between us. Nevermind, that was a crazy thought, it is just him starting all the problems for sure. Something else that annoys me as much as my brother is not getting enough sleep. I am not one of those "morning people" as some are, because it just seems impossible to me. How can someone get so little sleep and wake up and just be fine and happy, because I would for sure be cranky. I need at least 10 hours to be happy, and 12 hours would be perfect. I would like to be one of those people that can just wake up and be ready to go, but since that won't happy any time soon I am going to stick with my sleep.

assignment #6 - lily gardner: rest in power

Rest in Power Elijah Cummings, a great man, gone too soon. The greatest white privilege is life itself. (Ibram X Kendi, Director of Antiracist Research and Policy Center at American University, found in The Atlantic)

When Serena Williams Announced her pregnancy in the spring of 2017, a flurry of congratulations descended upon her, until she was forced to undergo an emergency C-section due to a plummeting heart rate. She was then denied the necessary subsequent treatment by white nurses, who said the pain meds were making her crazy. 

Black infants in America are more than twice as likely to die as white infants, a rate higher than in 1850, when the institution of slavery were still abundant. Black women are three to four times more likely to die during pregnancy than white women. Black women will die, on average, two years earlier, black men: seven. 

White people are “dying of whiteness” - policies such as loosening gun laws that, while disproportionately impacting people of color, lead to more suicides by white men. Black Americans are dying of our white policies, and the consequences of weathering, or the cumulative impacts of racism and socioeconomic disadvantage on health and well being. 

Freshman year, I read Linda Villarosa’s article, “Why America’s Black Mothers and Babies Are in a Life-or-Death Crisis” instead of doing the assigned reading for AP Gov. I cried. Sophomore year, I dedicated six months to researching the adverse perinatal outcomes among African American Women in the United States. I became enraged. Junior year, I did something about it (hopefully).

Rest in Power to all people who have died before their time, because of the crimes of my ancestors, and the systems of oppression perpetuated by our people.

Assignment #7- Ezra Mulalic- New Chapter

Thinking that there is only one year left until we send our applications away and hope for the best is kind of scary for me. I still haven't decided on the big things like what I am going to study in or what college I would want to attend, but there are some must haves that I need. For example, I would want a college with a pretty cool campus. I would just want to explore the campus and see what secret beauties and wonders that may be hidden. Even with a wonderful campus, I still feel it is almost impossible to say what your future is like because you may never know if during your college experience you just decide to drop out and become a start up business or even try to become a twitch or YouTube star. The thing that scares me is that the possibilities are endless, and it is extremely hard just to choose one. I might not 100% know what might come next in this new chapter of my life, but I know that it is going to be a fun one.

Assignment #6- Ezra Mulalic-

Throughout my educational life, I've learned that language arts is not something I like. I believe that after learning the alphabet, and some conversational words that going deep into its grammar is not something I need. If I am able to say something a simpler way and still get the point across then why would I go and use the harder way. With all the fancy rules and their punctuations. But on the other hand, there is math. Math, having only numbers and solutions, is a much easier concept to understand. Math creating problems with a challenge is something that I love. With this new year of Calculus, I am quite enjoying all the new problems and challenges that I can solve. Math is practically applicable to everything in your daily life, like cooking, finding out tip, and seeing how much time you have left to finish a blog post. I am sorry if you disagree with this, but my passion for math won't equal that of my passion for language arts.

Assignment #8 - Taylor Galavotti - what's crackin...?

Fears: Dying, Failure
Annoyances: People walking slowly in the hallways, People talking during movies when they're aren't subtitles on the screen
Accomplishments: Having friends, keeping all A's, watching Sherlock through 4 times
Confusions: Why people can knowingly deny other people basic rights, how artificial flavoring works
Sorrows: body-image, not being "real"
Dreams: London, an apartment filled with books, friends when I grow up
Idiosyncrasies: reading??, being too early to events, dork
Risks: trying to finish 4 more blog posts before midnight
Beloved Possessions, Now and Then: a stuffed duck, my books (then) Apple iPhone 8, my books (now)
Problems: procrastination (there's a lot more, but this is the first one that came to my mind)

If it's not evident by the time stamp on my last 4 blog posts, I'm not too fantastic at time management.  Each weekend I told myself, "Do your blog posts. It'll take you but 15 minutes and then you won't have to worry if they're due Sunday October 27th at midnight or Tuesday October 29th at midnight and you won't have to work up the courage to ask Mr. Logsdon about which day they're due and then you won't have to feverishly type out FOUR WHOLE BLOG POSTS in about an hour."

Well, hello. It's Sunday October 27th at 10:08 PM and this is the last blog post I have to write. I've done three so far. I started at around 9:00, I believe. I was really trying to keep on top of my assignments, try out this "chunking" thing that all the teachers sing the praises of. Yeah, it didn't work.

I guess Netflix won out this time as it has every time. It's either Netflix, or this new historical fiction book I just checked out, or Instagram, or trying on just about every piece of clothing in my closet, but something can always win my attention over long-term assignment. It's all about self-control or so I'm told, but I could pound a whole box of Oreos without thinking twice if that tells you anything about my self-control, or lack thereof I guess.

But, hey, I did it, right? I think that's better than not doing it at all. And I know you've probably heard this line seven ways to Sunday, but I think I do my best work under pressure. Something in my endocrine system just sends a barrel of adrenaline coursing through my veins and all of the sudden 4 blog posts, 50 key terms, and presentation on Poisson d'Avril are done at 1:16 AM and I'm awake enough to watch Infinity War once more before they take it off Netflix for good. I don't know what it is, but if it ain't broke don't fix it, right?

Wrong. I know, I know. It's definitely broke.

Assignment #7- Caroline Blitch- College Requirement #1: Mashed Potatoes and Banana Pudding

I know I’m supposed to keep my options open and not get “dead set” on one college but it’s easier to have a college in mind as I start imaging the next “phase” of my life. It’s also easier to pick a college so that I don’t have to continue to discover colleges, research their programs and scholarships, and compare them to other schools. I say this with uncertainty but, I know where I’m going to college. I know the dorm building that I will live in freshman year is right next to the cafeteria with killer mashed potatoes and banana pudding (two essentials for finals). I know that I won’t be too far from home. My parents will be happy that I’ll be able to visit without a plane ticket and I’m happy that I (hopefully) won’t have to take out loans for just an undergraduate degree. However, I will be far enough away to gain more independence. I’d say I’m naturally a fairly independent person but sometimes it is hard to be with my family. It’s great to have parents that care enough to be involved but having the space to make my own mistakes and learn from them is something I hope college will provide me. I love being able to say I can do something by myself or figuring out a problem myself. I think about this when my brother comes by the house weekly to pick up food my mom made and take it back to his apartment. While college is primarily meant to further our education in school subjects, I’m excited to learn “street smarts.”

Assignment #8- Sam Chavez- Log Dog got DEEP with this prompt

Fears: Heights, spiders, loneliness 

Annoyances: slow drivers, lip smacking, lack of effort, rudeness, selfishness 

Accomplishments: good son and brother and friend, healthy (most of the time. ding dongs are good)

Confusions: why good people in this world go unrecognized

Sorrows: my fathers family

Dreams: nice family, nice house, steady job, financial and mental stability

Risks: want to bungee jump, want to travel to weird places

Beloved Possessions, Now and Then: Then:geology Now: medicine

Problems: time management 

What does my long list of annoyances say about me? That I'm picky? Impatient? Yeah those all sound right. Cruising down New Circle Road at 45 MPH is just a nightmare though. But I couldn't tell you why. Ill eventually reach my destination, in theory safer than if I was going as fast as I wanted to be going. But my long list of annoyances all stem from an experience that REALLY grinded my gears. Lets run through them real fast... 

slow drivers: late to a job interview, but little honda civic had plans to consistently drive 10 under the speed limit in one lane traffic.

lip smacking: Eating with a good friend and apparently "eat with your most closed Will" doesn't register in Wills little brain.

lack of effort: me having to restock everything at work because nobody else wants to help me after a long night. 

rudeness: Soccer moms with their shopping carts in target ramming into me.

selfishness: Friends disregarding what anyone else wants to do ever.

Assignment #6 - Megan Ewing - Pet Peeves

The thing that gets on my nerves the most is when people don’t learn from their mistakes. From friends going after the same type of guy time and again to classmates continuing to fail tests as a result of not studying. You have to realize at some point that you’re making an acute mistake that can be easily fixed and your life would be so much easier. As someone who generally learns from others’ mistakes, it’s become increasingly difficult to understand those who never learn from anyone’s.

People who expect unearned forgiveness also grind my gears. Some people in my life have backstabbed me continuously and expect me to “forgive and forget” every time. I’ve been through too much to forgive everyone’s mistakes and betrayals. There comes a point at which I can no longer keep going as if you did nothing wrong. That being said, I’m not innocent of either of these and I frequently make the same mistake twice or expect forgiveness when I haven’t earned it.

Assignment #7 - Taylor Galavotti - Can I Be Honest?

Really though? Can I be?

I have absolutely no idea what I want to do with my life.

Psychology and Neuroscience sound fun I guess, but how am I to know if I'll still think that in 4 years? Will I end up wasting 3 years of tuition on a degree that I'm not even interested in anymore? What if I have a quarter-life crisis and drop out of college completely to become a stand-up comedian?

I'm terrified for college. I know a couple things about what I want at my dream school, though.

Number 1: All the opportunities to gain experience
One thing that baffles me about the job market is that they want you to have job experience if you are to be hired, but they won't hire you to let you gain experience. It's a real chicken and the egg type of situation. So, I'm hoping the school I end up at has opportunities for me in the field that I hopefully choose sometime soon.

Number 2: I WANT TO STUDY ABROAD IN LONDON
I've wanted to go to London since I was in the 4th grade read Harry Potter. (I know Hogwarts isn't in London, I've just always wanted to go to make me feel like I was a real British person). The cold, the wind, the rain, the accents, the tea, the Sherlock Holmes, all of it has been my dream since forever so if I could get a chance to study in London through my college I would be absolutely over the moon. Clear to Jupiter over the moon.

Number 3: Floor to Ceiling shelves
If you haven't figured it out by now, I'm a dork. I've seen pictures of beautiful libraries all over the world and I know that if I am to go to a school, it MUST have a lovely library where I can study and read and feel like I'm being productive. I especially love the ones that look like they've existed forever with dusty bound books and shelves to the ceiling with the ladder that slides around the shelves. Think Erasmus's library from Barbie: Swan Lake. That's what I'm looking for.

So, if I ever figure out what my future is going to look like, I can only hope that it ends up looking at little something like this.

Assignment #7- Sam Chavez- Is it seriously only one year?

One year? That makes me all sorts of uneasy. Not all bad though, the thought of being an independent student at a school like Texas A&M sounds like the best 4 years of anyones life. I've always waned to go to a large school. 30,000 sounds about good. I want there to always be a new experience or a new person to meet. I want college to give me an exciting foundation for any career I decide to pursue. Whether that's Veterinary Medicine, trauma surgeon, or burger flipper at the McDonald's in Palomar, I look forward to the large pool of knowledge that ill be jumping into very soon. I feel that college places you in a community where everyone is experiencing the same weird new experience as you. Everyone you are surrounded with is also cramming for a test, searching in the pillow cushions for change, and eating ramen that probably shouldn't be eaten. And for some reason that sounds amazing. I feel that I would thrive in a large school, always meeting new people, trying new things, and making new memories while simultaneously gaining some of the most important 4 years of knowledge youll ever have.

Assignment #6- Caroline Blitch- Can't Commit to An Interest

What are my interests? A question I see all the time. When filing out silly “About Me” slips every year on the first day of school. When talking about college majors and career paths and what we want to do with our lives. You’d think I would have a pretty good answer to this question after being asked so many times. Unfortunately, that’s not the case. I am jealous of people that have something that they are so passionate about that they are driven to pursue it no matter the obstacles. This certainty is something I lack. There are plenty of things that “interest” me, that I enjoy, that seem pretty cool. But more often than not when we are asked to list things that interest us, we are essentially defining ourselves by these interests. There is more gravity to the question than is apparent at first thought. My interest in cycling and cassette tapes is not exactly what colleges are looking for and if I go with my standard answer of neurology and chemistry I worry that those topics will bore me eventually or that I am closing myself off from something far greater that I have yet to discovery. 

Assignment #6- Sam Chavez- Space

Space. Outer space never failed to captivate me from a very young age. My grandpa was an Aero-Space engineer at NASA for many years and this helped kickstart little Sam's obsession. Theres many a picture of me in a full astronaut suit on a space shuttle launch day in Orlando from ages 3-6. Learning about space would always be on my mind. What do stars look like up close? How does Saturn's ring work? How can something so heavy get shot up into space at the speed out sound? Trying to figure these questions and many more took up a large portion of my childhood. The best part, in my opinion, of learning about space, is being able to take the knowledge you gained, and throw it all over anyone you can whenever you can. And that is exactly what little Sam did. I would go around sharing every bit of space knowledge I could cram into my head. And I think that's the best part about learning anything. You can spread your knowledge like a wildfire and soon you could have a much smarter group of people just by spitting out some random facts.

Assignment #6 - Taylor Galavotti - The TEeNs

Something that really grinds my gears is the dichotomy of opinions on teenagers from adults.

On the one hand, they claim that everything teens say is a product of the generational divide, that they can't focus for more than 30 seconds, and their opinions carry zero weight in terms of political discussion. "You're just a kid," they'll say, using that as their piece-de-resistance when you capsize their entire argument with legitimate statistics. It's frustrating to me because we are meant to be making what I would consider to be the most important decision of our entire lives: what we want to be when we grow up.

The emphasis on college is important, don't get me wrong. Getting good grades, joining clubs, gaining leadership positions are all important facets of building your future. Understanding why these things are helpful may not be clear to us as impudent freshmen, but we'll be glad come senior year and we are filling out college apps. And in filling out those applications, we are taking the first steps towards our future as real-live adults.

But how are we supposed to be making these life-changing decisions if we are "just kids?" It doesn't make sense to me at all.

Assignment #5 - Megan Ewing - The Daytime Soap Opera

Different forms of TV have different purposes. While some shows, like those aired on PBS, have an educational value, some have no value other than the advertisements run throughout the show. One of those supposed worthless shows is the daytime soap opera. This show has little value, almost no plot, and each episode can be watched separately from the others. This type of show was used mostly as a filler during the day for unemployed housewives that sat at home. This allowed for the delivery of ads without television studios spending a lot of money on writing or actors. While many would agree that such shows are worthless for anything other than delivering ads to the unemployed, some thoroughly enjoy the one-off episodes these shows provide. Other people would argue that while these shows individually have little worth, as a genre, soap operas show an important element of American culture during their prime. Daytime soap operas remind us of the culture of the early- to mid- 1900s when most women sat at home cleaning, desperate for something to entertain them, so this genre was born to fill the time slot and sell ads without too much money or effort put into it. Daytime soap operas, while of little entertainment or educational value, have a great cultural value to those who remember them. For more on the history of the daytime soap opera, here’s a video I watched a few months ago and found interesting:
https://youtu.be/h683ckfeNok

Assignment #4 - Megan Ewing - Homework

Going into middle school, I decided it was okay to never do homework. It wasn’t fun and, because of the grading system, not doing homework wouldn’t affect my overall grades. So I decided it wasn’t worth it to do any homework at all. It took me two years to realize my critical error. Even after I almost failed two classes in 6th grade because of incomplete assignments, I didn’t realize the importance of homework. As I got into 8th grade, I started actually doing my homework and school became much easier. I was able to participate in class occasionally and I did much better on quizzes and tests, which actually counted towards my grade. After those two difficult years, I learned how beneficial homework is, even outside of homework grades. With the help of my parents and a few kind teachers, I got back on track and now I usually do my homework on time. As I write this, I have all 57 key terms for this unit done and the test is in two weeks. While I do still slack in some areas (these blog posts included), I get most of my work turned in on time now.

Assignment #5-Sam Chavez- for the love of Michael Scott

The biggest rock in the world is named Uluru. It's estimated to weigh 8.425 billion tonnes. And if you've never heard of The Office, you must live under this rock. The Office depicts the what would seem to the boring daily events in a mid ranged paper supply company in Scranton, PN. This has to be my all time favorite show. Its dry humor and weird plot never fail to take my mind off whatever is happening around me. And THAT'S why I watch TV. A mere distraction. No matter how strenuous or stressful a day was, TV can take you out of your world and implant you into one with a  more positive one, leaving behind all of the anxieties that your day carried.
If you're looking to hop in, S:3 E:20 is amazing.

Assignment #3 - Megan Ewing - I Don't Get Out Much

My first and only international trip I went on was a cruise to the Bahamas. My family and I visited Nassau and while we were there, we skipped the beach to instead get into the history of pirates in the Bahamas. We decided to escape the so-called tourist-ville of expensive, United-States-style shops near the cruise ship port and head towards museums. Our first stop was the Pirates of Nassau museum, where I learned about how pirates lived and how they impacted the lives of those in Nassau and around the world. Next, we took a tour of Fort Charlotte, where we learned more about how Bohemian culture was affected by pirates. During the tour, we discussed how the pirates were fought, living conditions within the fort, and the fort’s direct effects on Nassau.
My next impactful trip was my mission trip to New Orleans. While there, I learned more about how Hurricane Katrina affected people in the city, specifically in the Lower Ninth Ward. This was the area that was hit hardest by Hurricane Katrina. There are still many condemned houses in this area that stand because the owners can’t afford their demolition. While some consider New Orleans to be recovered from the destruction of the hurricane, during my trip there, I learned that there is still much more to be fixed there. I worked mainly on restoring parks during my 4-day mission.

Assignment #2 - Megan Ewing - Reading? I Wish?

Over the past few years, I have let leisurely reading slip out of my top priorities. While I have read a few books in my free time, I haven’t learned much from these. I’ve learned a lot more about the world and myself from school-assigned books. Last spring, I read The Great Gatsby. This book helped me to learn more about the American social structure in the early 20th century. It explained to me the vast social difference between those from long lines of rich families and those who recently came into their wealth. It also helped me understand the dangers of being involved in rich society between all the gossip, backstabbing, and deaths in the novel. 

Over the summer, I read The Teenage Brain, which helped me learn a lot about how teenage brains work. The psychological explanation of why teenagers are more susceptible to taking too dangerous risks and becoming addicted to drugs helped me to understand the behavior of my classmates. The biological reasoning for why drugs and injuries affect teenagers more and the explanation behind the heightened aggressiveness of some teenagers also helped me to understand how adolescence in and of itself can have a detrimental effect on many people.

Assignment #5 - Taylor Galavotti - The BBC

The BBC has taken over my life.

I am never more happy than when I rush home on Friday afternoons to watch the next episode of the Great British Baking Show to see who of my favorite English pastry geniuses will be leaving the tent after a lengthy weekend of creating culinary marvels.

Don't even get me started on Sherlock. I've watched the whole series through more time than I count and recommended it to just about everyone I've met. The last season aired in 2017 and both producers have said multiple times that another season probably won't happen, and yet I'm holding out hope. (Samuel Johnson would be disappointed in me, I know). The pace of the writing in that show makes the 90 minute episode seem like a couple seconds. That's a caliber of screenwriting I'm always trying to reach. Where the audience will stay completely focused for 90 whole minutes simply because they want to know what comes next, going so far as to think about that experience after it's over and create their own art from it. That's the dream, in my eyes at least, for writers everywhere.

That's the magic of television, I think. Encapsulating all the wonder that you see inside your head reading a book or imagining a storyline and making it tangible. Well as tangible as you consider pixels.

Assignment #4- Sam Chavez- conflicted

I never find myself conflicted too much. Probably because I'm pretty stubborn so I'll always know what I want. But there has been an ongoing conflict through the last year or so. My mom works at a large Baptist Church downtown. It's youth group is massive, supportive, and has some of my closest friends in it. Since my mom works there, I have the opportunity to take part a lot of their bigger youth group activities like the summer camp named passport, or their spring break retreats. They always leave me changed and feeling renewed. However, my church on the other hand is crawling with old men and women and about 4 people my age. This is to be expected I guess given that Catholicism is much older but it just never feels like its fun to be there participating in any youth group activity they have. So recently I've been struggling trying to figure out where I belong. Being half dipped in both groups but never being fully submerged in one is difficult. Can't give you a solid conclusion simply because it hasn't happened yet. I'm still trying to navigate where I belong between these two groups but I'm sure it'll all work itself out. Hopefully.

Assignment #5- Caroline Blitch- Netflix:1, Sleep:0

Television, or more accurate to today- streaming services (such as Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon Prime) serve as an escape from our daily lives. TV shows allow us to immerse ourselves in a world far more glamorous than our own. It is a distraction from whatever stresses may be consuming us, accessible with just a few taps or clicks. Some forms of television can be very useful such as educational channels, however a lot of tv detracts us from what we need to be doing. I do believe it is important to have an escape from work but the time spent on streaming services by most kids and even adults is unhealthy. Entertainment has become so accessible, it is naive to think people that can restrict theirselves. I love binging Netlix just as much as any high schooler, but I also realize the negative affect it has on my school work, sleep schedule, and general well-being.

Assignment #3- Sam Chavez- Home and back

Hopefully you don't think I'm recycling content here but we just don't travel much. But my trip to Pueblo this past summer was extremely eye opening in the sense that it showed me more of my dad's past and showed me the different little world that he grew up in. Lining the streets of my dad's hometown were poor families, tall weeds, vandalized walls, and convenient stores on every corner. However my dad would never be involved in the violence or the shady activity that crawled in every ally. Instead he would stay near the "nicer" parts of town. The churches, the schools, things of that nature. While there, I got to visit my cousins and half brother at an exclusive 5-star restaurant you've probably never heard of. Chili's. We later went to the cemetary where my great grandma, grandma, and aunts that I never had the blessing of meeting were buried. This trip not only showed me what an inspiration my dad is, but also showed how Chavez's in Pueblo still remain strong, never wavering to the temptations that it has to offer.

Assignment #2-Sam Chavez-real big book guy

I'm not gonna lie to you, if I don't have to read a book, I'm not going to. Sooooo the last book I've read was The Teenage Brain. It's a real good read I definitely would recommend it you should buy it. I don't know what it is about reading, it just never really clicked in my teenage brain. If I was bored and I had the option of reading a book or running, I would ALWAYS choose running. Whenever I read, all the letters jumble up and it becomes impossible to decipher which line I'm reading from. By the end of the page of read, I spent all of my attention on just trying to figure out the words that were on the page, so I have absolutely no idea what the main idea of the passage was. That's the main reason that this class is a struggle. But that's ok, because I manage. Maybe with a C in AP Lang. But I manage.

Assignment 4: Annie Bohannon Growing Up

I have grown up going to church every Sunday and Wednesday without fail. My parents have made sure of that. They are the reason I continue to go to church now even when they’re out of town or sick. My brother and sister and I will still get in the car and go without them. I’ve often thought about why that is and I think it is because they made us go for so long that we grew to like going. The problem I am now facing as I am getting older and getting ready to go to college is that I have been simply borrowing my parents' faith. Their faith is the reason I still go to church and believe what I believe. But in college when the workload gets heavy and its just too easy to just stay in bed their faith won’t be enough. And if people try to poke holes in my beliefs and point out contradictions it won't be enough either. I need to figure out what I believe for myself and if that still aligns with what they do. I don’t know if it will be. But I think that discovering it for yourself is a part of growing up and becoming your own person.

Assignment #1-Sam Chavez-A tiny bit about me

Howdy! My name is Sam Chavez. I play soccer, swim, and like to longboard, run, and watch every episode of the Office multiple times in my free time. I have one 21 year old sister, and 2 old people in  my house that I call mom and dad. This Junior year I want to tour colleges, score well on the ACT and SAT and have a somewhat accurate 5-year plan by the end of the year. I also want a consistent well paying job that doesn't put me to sleep and a car that doesn't break down every day or so. If I had a super power, it would definitely be flying. I don't know why, given my fear of heights, but I'm still confident in that answer. The most meaningful part of my summer was making it back to Pueblo, to see the rest of my family; as we are the only ones in our family that live in Kentucky its rare we get to make the trip home. Growing up in Orlando, my mom and I used to watch the Space Shuttle launches from Cape Canaveral. So THIS is what geeks me out on my favorite website, YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7XKBe2bqCVQ

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Assignment #5- Ezra Mulalic- The Good Ones

I watch TV as a way to past time, and look for a good laugh. Whenever I'm doing something like homework or chores, I need some background noise or I start to get too bored. This is where I turn on the TV, and start watching a series or movie. I might not completely have full focus on what is happening on the television, but I can just get an idea of what is happening. If there is a show that I really want to watch then I prioritize that over homework or chores, that show practically becomes my top priority. This is how I felt watching The Office, Parks and Recreation, and Seinfeld all for the first time. These shows were always able to make me laugh and keep me focused. When watching The Office I couldn't wait for Michael to say his next "That's what she said" joke, or for Kramer to enter Jerry's door in his unique way. I would always cherish these moments, and when I would watch the series again, I loved seeing these events that I loved so much happen again. Television has been embedded into our culture and the online world. I feel that television is a great form of entertainment.

Assignment 6: Annie Bohannon The Path to Psychology Club

Throughout my academic career my favorite course I have taken is AP Psychology. I took this class to fill an AP requirement but I ended up loving every minute of it. I have never thought of myself as a “math and science” person. I wasn’t necessarily bad at them I just didn’t enjoy them as much as other classes. I figured that psychology would fall in that science category and was not looking forward to taking the class. But, after about 2 weeks, I realized that I loved psychology. It was so interesting to learn about human behavior and thinking. But, the best part of the class was that it lead me to psychology club. On Friday nights, you go to Eastern State hospital and visit with the patients there. Talking with people that actually have the illnesses I learned about put everything into perspective. Before I didn’t understand mental illness like I do now and this club changed my mindset and learning.

Assignment #8 - William Webb- Impact of failure

#8 Ever since my younger years, I’ve always had a fear of what's to come. My future although I can’t see it nor do I know what it is, it is present.  The idea whether I shall “succeed of fail” is always lingering in my brain. I’ve become immersed in myself and I how I can prepare myself for the future.  Consistently working out, studying, watching film, eating (a lot), and etc. These present tasks that I partake in everyday, but all essentially preparing me for the future so I can succeed and stay clear on my biggest fear. FAILING.  Failing itself is nothing but a lesson from witch you should learn from. But if u prepare and prepare and still fail, what should be learned and taken into consideration for NEXT time? Myself and a few of my teammates from football (take note: only a few) this season have become immersed with this very question.  What is all this preparation and constinusincy of failing going to result in? What lesson will be learned? That were going to have to try even harder than what is human possible? Although the answers to these questions may seem unclear at the time and this very moment ALL fails and failures are for a reason. They’re apart of the PREPARATION. 

Assignment #7 -William Webb- Which College?

#7 The University of Kentucky has also been on my mind when the idea of college came around.  From the considensency of football games to baseball games to camps. My life has been surrounded by it all ready.  It’s also where my mother attended for her masters. And with an amazing Biology department, which is why I want to attend.  Which would allow me to focus and perserviver in my preferred learning topic. From my mother’s personal experience I can say it offers a diverse student body that provides a positive learning environment whether in the classroom or not. But due to personal obligations, if the University of Kentucky doesn't work out Technical school seems to be a great option, because my love for electricity would be an easy learning objective with my attendance. But with this idea my future life may not be as enjoyable, because although life as an electricity major may come with easy jobs, it'll result in longer hours and longer amount of time.

Assignment #6 -William Webb- Where My Interests Will Take Me

#6 As a student athlete, with 2 jobs, I find myself with little to no free time.  That I once experienced as a younger child. My days are longer and my ability to balance a great amount of tasks greatens as time goes along, but what hasn’t changed in my life are my passions and interests.  My love for stereos and almost anything speaker wise, as expressed in earlier blog posts, have always had a presence in my life, which by almost on accident I became vested in the idea of electricity and how it is used.  

These interests I own may or may allow me to recognize my point of existence but either way it’s a continuous thought on my mind that's always there.  This allows for me to research more on this topic and how I can widen my already present skills that I have acquired over my few short years actually working on and creating new systems. My most recent stereo project was actually my own car.  I met as well put, my RECENTLY purchased car. Almost a whole summer of work all put into it not only supported these ideas but allowed them to become clear present to myself.