Prioritizing

           Speaking about prioritizing, yesterday I was unable to blog because I had track practice and then a robotics build session from five to eight. The next few weeks are going to be hectic for me because it is the robotics build season. We only have a few weeks to put together a robot for the competition we are entered in, so every week on Wednesday and Thursday I'm not going to have an afternoon. That's how it is in high school. It is almost impossible to not overbook yourself. Let's be honest here, the main reason for most students (at least my friends and I) to do a lot of activities is so they can get into a good college. Being smart is not good enough anymore, or at least that's what they say. This spring I am traveling to France to visit a friend, and one of my friends asked me to do a debate camp at Harvard that conflicted with my trip to France. She asked me how going to France would get me accepted to college. I just looked at her like really? I am going to France because I've never been before, and I live for new experiences. I am also trying to learn basic french before I go to France. Knowing two languages could be very helpful when applying to colleges (I take Spanish in school). There is a time to prioritize fun and a time to prioritize school. I tend to be either one way or the other. In my free time I am either binge watching Netflix for three hours straight, or I'm working on a project for six hours. School is a whole other prioritizing issue. Robotics is my main issue. I missed a few build sessions a week ago because I was sick, so I have to make up the time (six hours). It so happens that debate is on the same day as robotics, so basically I have to make a decision. Annoy my debate partner, and make partnerships complicated, or push off making up the build hours and annoy my coach. In the end it came down to which activity was most reasonable for me. Debating would mean I would have to find time in my non-existent free time to prepare a case. In the end I decided I'll go to robotics. Life as a teenager can be difficult, so many decisions so little time. The truth is no one is perfect or can achieve everything, but focus can be a gift in high school. Once you've found your passion (it may take a few years) focus as hard as you can on what's going to get you to your goal.

Gossip

          Sometimes it's hard to resist inclining forward to listen in on a conversation about school gossip. High schoolers find this need to be in the know. My theory is that in order to engage in conversation with someone high schoolers feel like they need to know all the latest rumors circulating a school. That or they may attract people by always knowing the latest gossip. Someone may say that being informed is a good thing, and I would agree in most cases but this one. Gossip is not important information. Gossip is often false or an exaggeration. Gossip really won't improve your understanding of something instead it will leave you with a craving. A craving for more, until it is almost addicting. Gossip can hurt people more than the edge of a blade. Even if a piece of gossip is true it still is vile and unimportant. I hate gossip, yet I'm subject to its lure myself. I try not to spread gossip, but I will ask someone about something if they know about it. I mean if we didn't have gossip what would we talk about? Current events, politics, and scientific studies? Would that really be a bad thing? Think about how much gossip you know. What if you could replace that with important information. I've had engaging conversations with people that weren't about gossip. It is possible. Start with simple things. Just once try to hold a piece of gossip down, and ask yourself if you tell someone else this will it hurt someone or help someone? Try to turn a blind eye and a deaf ear to others talking about gossip just once a day. By not being wrapped up in other's lives you may discover new things about your own.

Friends

           High school can be the best time to form new friendships. People can be more open to breaking through their typical friend groups. You also have opportunities to meet people from different grade levels. This brings me to my first point which is the more you do the better your chances are of meeting someone new and interesting. This year I tried cross country for the first time. Previously I had played soccer for eight years. The program at my school continually got worse over the years. Whether it was the coach or the players I disliked something. Cross country was great, and I met many very nice upperclassmen. I also did different things to meet very different people. For example the people I met from doing cross country, and debate are different from the people I met doing robotics. Having a wide range of friends keeps things interesting. If I spend too much time with  one group of friends I begin to tire, but then I can go hang out with another different group of friends.  Another thing with friends is to be weary of trying to hard just for attention. I see it all the time in my school. There is a group of friends with one student who is slightly more popular than the rest. He or she may exploit that to their favor, because the rest of the students will act like they live to serve that one student. I hate that, and I feel like if one student steps out of line and defies the standards of the group they are ostracized. If you are in that situation in high school, try to get out. You have a lot of opportunities to meet new and perhaps better people. Don't be scared to be on your own, because it won't be for long. If you feel like you are constantly worrying about friendship maybe you need to meet some new people.

Prejudice

          Preconceived opinions and assumptions without proper knowledge or experience, that's what prejudice is. Unfortunately prejudice is not just an issue in high school. It is something present even in the adult world. Even with all the resources we have today, people still don't bother to inform themselves before formulating an opinion. Speaking globally I find that teenagers can be much more understanding and cultured. This is because (in my school at least) there is a huge movement for global education, specifically religious studies. For example, in my history class we have been studying Muslim culture, and I can definitely say that I know much more about Islam than both of my parents. High schooler's however can be very prejudice when it comes to their fellow classmates. For instance, popular students may think that there is no one else who is as entertaining as them (I beg to differ). Certain races may be prejudice towards minorities. I hate how some politicians exploit the knowledge gap of certain people. I also hate how people accept without question sexism. I've seen a few standup comedians be extremely sexist. They try and say that they're just being honest, or that are not sexist, but it is just not acceptable. Toys can be very sexist. I realized later in my life that my parents never got legos for my sister and I. My brother on the other hand has enough legos to build a castle. Girls should like dolls and avoid toy guns and building sets. Boys can't dress up or like princesses. It is ridiculous. One comedian I heard kept talking about how parents shouldn't hug male children because it will make them gay. Why do we have to be like that. A guy doesn't have to be a man to be a good guy. Just because he has feelings and cares doesn't mean he isn't a man. Why do we have these standards. They are oppressing and make people prejudice. I think it's because we are scared, but this is a changing world. It is time we adapt.

Survival

         Everyone in high school has at least one week where they are so bogged down with activities, tests, and projects that they can barely handle it all. This describes nearly every week of my life. This week for example I started with the same cold I had a week ago, a huge Spanish, science, math, and intro to science research midterm, along with a debate tournament on the weekend. I was very eager for this week to be over. My parents weren't much help. My dad went on a work trip to Florida. Thanks dad! So while he was chilling in the sun my mom's car wouldn't start and we had to call the car service company twice to have the battery fixed. My sister decided this week was a good week to have a complete meltdown at school, so on Thursday my mom got a call from my sister's teacher. I got tested for mono this week, and no I did not get mono from kissing anyone. I had to get blood drawn which I hate. The entire time I am clenching my teeth together, and the nurse keeps asking me if I'm alright. She finishes filling the first tube and then she takes out another one and sticks it in my arm. I'm sitting there just shaking my head....really? I had the debate tournament today. I would say it was great if that wasn't a complete lie which is something I did to myself last night. At around nine P.M. my debate partner starts texting me and asks how I'm feeling. Fine besides my hundred degree temperature and the fact that my throat is like sandpaper. This week is the state's tournament so I say I'll go. This morning on the bus I feel like I'm going to throw up. Every time I stood up I felt like I was going to puke. In a debate round you have cross fires (which are like questioning periods). Some judges make you stand up for cross fires....that was not good. So I'm looking at our opponents as they ask me questions (which are more like statements and at the end they just try to make me look bad). I'm standing there barely keeping it together, and I look at the other person and I think in my head are you really questioning me right now? Legitimately that was how sick and beaten down I was by the end of this week. I am so glad it is done. I am most likely going to sleep for the next month to try and recover. I usually say to people don't overwork yourself, but there are those times where you have to pull through. Surviving is what we do best, and we were all born with the abilities to survive. Through tough times just remember there is light at the end of the tunnel even if you can't see it yet.

The ups and downs

            Yay! I have finished my last midterm test of my freshman year. I feel like a new more mature person. The sun even seems to be shining brighter. The reality hits and I remember the upcoming debate tournament. My heart sinks, and I dip back down once again. School is full of ups and downs. In my opinion it's mostly downs, but those few ups make it almost worth it. That occasionally good grade, or successful project can really make you forget about all the bad times. No one is happy all the time or always receives the best grade possible. You can use the same theory when it comes to geniuses. Although they way know a lot about math or science, they can have very poor social skills or even forget simple things like where they live. Our brains have a limit. It's just how we choose to max out that limit that makes us who we are. From my own experience people who seem to be the most frequently happy is the people who are kind to others. It seems strange, but I think that by being kind to others and caring about their lives and how they are feeling they can treasure in other's success. If someone else did well they feel truly happy for them and then happy for themselves. One particular good example, of the ups and downs in high school, happened to me just a couple hours ago. I received my science midterm grade, and it was okay but not great. At first when I checked my grade I was terrified because I thought that my grade for the semester was the grade I got on the test (which would have meant that the test brought my grade down a good ten points). I raged to my friend for a while about the test until she told me about a girl who got a worst grade than me, but her average was still higher than mine. That's when I did a double check on my grade portal and noticed that I was looking at the grade I got on the test rather than my average grade (which had only gone down a point ;) ). So over the past couple of hours I've felt like it was the end of the world, annoyed, and then embarrassed and then completely relieved. Oh well...I made it through midterms mostly alive. Although today I did have to get blood drawn to be tested for mono (not for the reasons you may think). Other than that I'm fine (ignore the bags under my eyes). It's been a difficult, annoying, rewarding, fulfilling, and mostly tiring week, full of ups and downs ;).

Teachers

          Oh where do I start...teachers are some of the smartest yet dumbest people on earth. They know practically everything about one subject, and are completely oblivious when it comes to other things in life. I won't name teachers or even the subjects they teach, but I've had a few teachers that I just couldn't stand. Usually I'm careful about what I say behind teacher's backs. My friends are not so careful. I find that you really notice the quality of your teacher when you start studying for a test. For example, this week with midterms coming up I went to one of my teachers several times with questions on the upcoming test. I tried asking him something about a previous test question that I got wrong. I had written out how I solved the problem, and even then he couldn't figure out how I got the question wrong. He started explaining (or what ever you could call it). I was so annoyed that I just kept nodding every time he asked me if I understood. I then asked one of my friends (who hasn't been teaching this topic for twenty years) to explain it, and she explained it with very little difficulty. Another teacher I have will grade you on the spot and say your grade out loud in front of the entire class. We never learn anything in his class. Most days we are either reviewing assignments, taking tests, reading answers to worksheets he's already filled out, learning about a new assignment, or watching awkward eighties videos. No teacher can be perfect, and teaching is a hard profession, but one thing a teacher should try to avoid is being to arrogant to actually teach. One of my teachers is always bringing in his own opinions (mostly criticizing certain subjects and people) into our class discussions. He hates religion and criticizes every belief and misconceptions people had or have. He also claims that he would not have submitted to certain oppressive beliefs like the sun revolves around the earth, but if he was facing death for his belief I don't think he would be so defiant. My favorite teachers always have control of what they are teaching, and they are weary to the intelligence level of their students. They also have such a structured teaching style that none of the students feel rushed through the curriculum. Just remember to be respectful of your teachers, because they do have a tough job. Be thankful that these people were willing to pursue this grueling, and rarely rewarding profession.

Materialism

        Every high schooler knows that in order to be recognized and popular you need to have every new piece of technology or apparel under the sun. Materialism is especially ingrained in my generation. Even I, find myself making decisions on my purchases based on what others want or already have. For example, when I had to purchase a laptop for school, I had an especially hard time deciding between an expensive but very popular Macbook or a less expensive Windows computer. I ended up going with a Macbook, and sure enough on my first day of school I noticed that all of my close friends had the same exact computer. It was almost strange. We look like a group of identical octuplets; not diverse, dressed similarly, and using the same kind of computer. I am not a big fan of clothes shopping, unlike most of my friends. So when it comes to fashion I'm a bit bland, but it doesn't really bother me. However, I do find that my friends will pressure me to try different types of clothing or to wear my hair down more often (I hate my hair down because it gets in my face and in my way). Currently I have not taken any of their fashion tips. I'm happy the way I am, but I know many people (some who are my close friends) who are prone to peer pressure to peer pressure and become materialistic. It's not just girls who are materialistic, guys in my school have a huge brand issue. They must wear Nike, Adidas, or Vineyard Vines every day of their life at school (none of this brands are inexpensive). Their clothing choices aren't that appealing even, but they still wear the same clothes day after day (that includes shorts in winter months). If just the students in my high school were a bit more frugal and bought one less popular brand item we could save at least a few thousand dollars. Another thing that bothers me is the obsession with makeup and beauty products (like lotions and soaps). Not only are those things often way overpriced, but they also contribute to many bad things. For instance, why would one need makeup unless they felt that people really wouldn't like them without it (that could be due to extreme self esteem issues)? There is also all these bad things that go along with manufacturing and creating beauty products like animal testing. Despite all of this at least 75% of girls in my school wear some sort of makeup (I'm not one of them). I especially hate it when I see little girls seriously using makeup (not like raiding their mom's supply for red lipstick just for the fun of it). One of my sister's friends often uses mascara and concealer (she's ten). I could only justify using concealer to cover up pimples, but as most ten year olds do not have pimples I don't think it is appropriate or healthy. Another little girl I know, who is eight, is very eager to use makeup. Thankfully her father is very opposed to it. If you thought long and hard about the things you actually need you might be surprised at how much you have that you don't need. For example, an iPhone, although useful, it's often distracting and very expensive (there are other less expensive substitutes). Most apparel from Nike, Adidas, Vineyard Vines, American Eagle, and other popular brands, is expensive, low quality, and not necessary to your survival. You can find great items for less from knock off brands. Remember, you can always wash most clothes, so ten or fifteen pairs of jeans are probably not necessary. Try donating a few pairs. A lot of people say that they feel much more fulfilled without a lot of stuff (ironically). So getting rid of silly items that you don't really need could make you feel better. Try being more conscious about what you buy and what you need, and remember there are people who can't even get what they actually need.  

Relax

          Me and my friends sit in our deep pits of anxiety. Hands twitch and shake, and feet tap softly on the carpeted floor. Our Spanish teacher takes his time with the attendance. We all laugh nervously at his jokes. Finally he rolls the twelve sided dice on his desk. He looks at the name of students in my class and calls out a name. A girl shuffles to the front of the class. He calls out a second name and the blood match begins. That's how our Spanish speaking midterm went. I sat looking around the classroom at my fellow classmates slowly tearing away at their insides with stress. Somehow during this test I managed to control my stress. I'll tell you how I did it. It started this morning. I got to sleep-in, but I woke up during the night full of anxiety. I ended up rehearsing my entire Spanish skit at two in the morning. Only then could I get back to sleep. By eight I was watching Aziz Ansari's comedy performance in New York (good way to start the day if I don't say so myself). I highly recommend watching some of his skits. He integrates racism, sexism, and dating problems into every single performance he does. After that I had a good breakfast, and my friend's mom drove us to school. I practiced again with a friend, and then went to my Spanish classroom. I sat watching as students nervously shifted in their seats. I laid back in my seat and breathed. I had prepared, I had practiced, and I was going to do fine, I told myself. The anxiety disappeared, as I focused my attention on breathing and relaxing. I ended up doing really well, and received a one hundred. This was one of the first tests this year where I was able to relax. I think the most important part of my process was remembering to breath. Although a simple act, sometimes we don't do a good job of taking in enough oxygen to supply to our cells. When I experience anxiety my head becomes clouded and I don't perform as well, so it was great that I was able to stay calm during this test. I learned another way to become relaxed from a running buddy of mine. He said that whenever he is tired during a race he'll start smiling. He told me that smiling actually releases something in your body that gives you the illusion of happiness. So if you take anything from this post, remember to smile.

Endurance

          In my high school environment you are encouraged and almost forced to be involved. For a student like me who grasps on to opportunities like pieces of gold, I get wrapped into a lot. Currently I'm involved in robotics, service club, student council, civics club, debate team, and indoor track. I get a bit overwhelmed at times. Last week when I was sick I missed so much that I was afraid to check my email for the entire weekend. Juggling multitudes of activities takes a lot of endurance and tenacity. On this day in particular, we celebrate a person who had both of those qualities. Martin Luther King Jr., from what I've heard, was not one to back down, and kept fighting for a while. The guy was passionate and had a lot of stamina. It's ironic that I juggle a ton of activities and talk about stamina and then run competitively. I've done a wide range of sports in my lifetime, ranging from soccer and basketball to surfing and alpine skiing, so I know about stamina. Running, in my opinion takes the most stamina out of all typical high school sports. However, the stamina it takes to run five miles is much easier to find than the stamina it takes to write a research paper, or study for three hours. Running is just good practice for the stress you go through when you are doing things difficult for a long period of time. Running also helps me come up with metal excuses to push myself further. For example, I might tell myself that I only have a mile left and most of it's downhill, or I'm halfway there and still doing alright. Sometimes I play similar mental games with myself when studying or writing a paper. I'm halfway there, or the tough part is over, I'll say. It really does work for met. Another thing I'll do is think about how everything good I do now will positively impact my future. For example, I have a Spanish midterm coming up, and although I don't want to be bilingual or teach foreign languages, I tell myself if I do well in Spanish I have another thing to differentiate me from the rest of future college applicants. It is also for the same reason that I play the trumpet or go to service club meetings. It is not like all I want to do is go to a prestigious school and work forty hour weeks for the rest of my life, I also strive for a particular goal. Me and my sister have decided to live in and make it in New York City. Not only is New York diverse and full of great restaurants and people, it is a challenge and I live for challenges. So I guess if I'm to say one great way to have everlasting stamina and endurance, it would be to have a deep longing or desire, and then tie everything you do into that one goal. Just make sure your goal is big enough that you will have to really work for it, but still attainable. A good goal, when reached, must keep you happy for a while afterwards as well. For example, winning a race is great, but that trophy will be dusty adventually. Raising children will supply you with ups, downs, and new adventures to last you your entire lifetime. Just think long and hard for what you want, and don't panic if you can't think of it right away. Maybe you just need to do a bit more searching.  

Respect

          We all want it. Only a few have it. Respect is in short supply. More scarce than gold. In my opinion respect can be represented in two ways. The first, would be when someone is respected (or not questioned for their actions) by people who just want to fit in. This example is very present in high school. Popular boys can get away with saying something mean about someone else, and popular girls can refuse to be nice to someone just because they are slightly different. The second kind of respect is the truest form. True respect, is something that is earned, not by looks or socio economic status, but through kindness. This kind of respect is a two way street. The person who is respected also respects others. It makes sense. If you don't say anything rude against anyone else, no one will have anything substantially rude to say about you. What I wish is that celebrities, sports stars, and other role models, showed how, through kindness, you can gain respect. I won't name names, but there are many athletes who excessively show unsportsmanlike behavior. This is ridiculous, and I notice, especially in younger children, that this encourages them to mirror that kind of poor behavior. Peer pressure, also encourages people to be mean. High school boys in my school are some of the worst. They are constantly insulting people, even their own friends. However, a few people in my school have broken the stereotype.  One senior in my school is a very good example of a person who is respected for the right reasons. He is a captain on our cross country team, and he stars in many of our theater productions. He's smart, and popular, but very modest. Most importantly he is kind to everyone (even freshmen). He even bothered to learn my name this year during cross country. He's someone everyone wants to be around, because he is kind and modest, two uncommon traits in my school. He is proof that kindness can get you far in life, and it can earn you respect. Thus, in my opinion, the most true and honest way of earning respect, is through kindness. Just start with simple acts everyday. Like holding open doors, and saying hello. Try to learn people's names, and surprise them with a more friendly hello. Kindness is easier than you think. You know what's not easy, pretending to be someone to respect all of your life. Having connections can really help in life, and if you are kind and respected you will have no shortage of friends.

Developing Instrests

          Every high schooler knows that this is the time to decide what you want to be for the rest of your life. A scary but necessary choice, one that could ruin or support you for the rest of your life. In my opinion high school is still a great time to develop your interests. In high school there are so many more opportunities available to you. For example, you can study internationally, or be an intern at big companies. Why not take advantage of those opportunities. Alright I must tell you where I am right now. This weekend my family decided to travel to New York City. As the pathetic teenager that I am I've never been before. Right now I'm sitting on a sofa with my back to giant sky scrapers only fifty or so yards away. I've never seen buildings this tall or big. Speaking of opportunities ;), I'm glad I took this one. I've always enjoyed traveling. Seeing new sites, and meeting new people, vacations are always enjoying for me. I think if I'm ever to have kids, I will bring them to foreign countries instead of Disney or Orlando. Not that Disney, and Orlando, are not the most magical places on earth, but when it comes down to it, traveling to Paris or London is much more educational and fascinating, in my mind, than riding dumbo at Disney. A cultured person is always the best kind. Traveling can lead you to places and people you never felt possible ;). However, traveling doesn't have to be the interest you develop. Maybe you like going to concerts. Then save up and go to as many concerts possible. You never know, maybe your future potential employer is really interested in a specific band that you've happen to have seen (exploit that). You could also collect art, CD's (or records if you're that old school), foreign coins, go to theatrical plays, or maybe you love learning new languages. Then go for it. Passions are something you enjoy, so it's easy to pursue them, and then they can lead you into whole new worlds. Who knows, maybe one of those worlds will have a career that happens to suit you. I've heard from several older people, that if you work for a job you love you'll never work a day in your life. Additionally, if you don't like the typical work scene, and want to work from home or from anywhere, then there are many careers for you. Blogging happens to be one of them. Look online there are many people who make a living, and more, off writing everyday or so. You can blog about a lot of subjects. Have something you're interested in (any of the things I listed before would work)? You could start your own business and be your own boss. The most important thing when deciding your career is to keep your interests in mind. If you don't have any strong interests then explore anything that you can or find a little interest in.

Sick Day

         Some people are more prone to viruses than others. I happen to catch every cold possible, and always at the worst of times. For example, this week I caught a cold. The week before I had fractured my foot. So if that wasn't enough, by Monday afternoon I had a fever and a Spanish speaking test on Wednesday. I told myself that I had to make it to Wednesday (which was a half day). I suffered through Monday, Tuesday, and nearly died on Wednesday. Finally I took Thursday and Friday off. As soon as I put my feet up for a second my debate partner is barking in my ears. We missed last week's debate, and she wants to go to a tournament before states. However, this weekend I'm going to New York. The trip was planned by my dad, so if I didn't have a mother I wouldn't have known when we were leaving until an hour before we got in a car. That's usually how things are with my dad. Anyways, my mom told me we were leaving at the beginning of this week, so when I told my debate partner she flipped out on me. She's a bit of an overachiever, and she wants to get in some debate practice before states (we are in the novice group so it doesn't really matter). She ended up asking a guy in our grade who did debate in middle school, to debate with her this weekend. If she hadn't made me feel bad enough already, today at seven (when I was still sleeping) she texts me. She starts telling me how the guy she's debating with will not be able to read the evidence until the morning of the debate, and she is going to have to do most of the work herself. Meanwhile, I'm reading her texts while trying to keep my eyes open, and my head is pounding with a hundred degree fever. Even yesterday when I was supposed to be resting she was having me write paragraphs for our case. Anyways, this morning I said enough was enough, and I told her basically that my brain is not functioning currently, and you're not helping the cause, so try again later. Those weren't my exact words, but I came pretty close to saying that. She hasn't responded (I'm somewhat thankful). The moral of this story, is do not overwork yourself, or have others overwork you. There are some things you can't control in life, and you, and others, need to except that. A little word of advise, if your friend is sick please just show some remorse and then leave the person alone. We all need a break now and again. In high school, it can be especially hard to fall behind or take a break, but there are always people and friends to get you back on your feet again. I'm thankful I took a rest, because if I hadn't I wouldn't be able to go to New York (this is my first time going), and I'd still be very sick going into midterms next week. Remember, just because you are taking a sick day doesn't mean you can't be productive. Work on that book, or Netflix series you haven't finished, or write like me. Writing can really help take some stress off. Most importantly, cuddle up with a comfy blanket and silence your phone ;) today is your day.  

Body Image

          There are students from elementary school all the way to high school that are concerned about the way they look. One such person is my very own sister. I've always viewed her as my alter ego. A better more social person, with the spirit to light up all of New York City. Her and I are even opposites in appearance. I have brown eyes and brown hair. She has blue eyes and blond hair. Another difference between the two of us is size. She has always been a bit heavy, but over the past few years she's begin to notice, and worry, about it more. We've spent quite a few nights with my sister sobbing and me and my mother denying every ugly word she pins against herself. My sister's body issues have taken away from her true personality. How could a person love the world if she doesn't like herself? It breaks my heart to see her criticize everything that makes her an incredible person. The same goes for everyone else I know who is harsh to the way they look. If you are one of the thousands of teenagers who criticizes yourself constantly, know you are not alone. I don't have strong body issues (except for the occasional maybe I should lay off the fifth donut today ;) ). However, when it comes to school and sports I tend to be a little rough on myself. If I miss a shot or incorrectly respond to a question, I put a lot of stress on myself to do better. This ultimately, and inevitably, makes me do worse. I can't work under pressure. Some people can, but I'm not one of them. Part of me always wants to forgive my mistakes, but it is silenced by the part of me that can always hold a grudge, so to speak. There is light at the end of the tunnel though, for all of us. We all can find something that we like ourselves. If you cannot see it there is someone who does. For example, my sister (who is loudly singing in the hallways as I write this) can always bring a smile to my face because anything can bring a smile to her's. She is the person I will never be, and I believe she exists to account for the characteristics I am missing. When it comes to personality, your size and physical appearance is simply there as a barrier to make sure others aren't blinded by your inner awesomeness. It's true, and if others criticize you it's because they are more blind than those who do not have eyes. The only person who can really change your personality for the worse, is yourself. Develop and love your personality, and yourself for what you have. It could be much worse. You could be those people I was talking about earlier. Embrace compliments, and discard insults as flaws of someone else.

Being Opinionated

          Most high schoolers, at least in my school, tend to stick to the herd, and never stray away to discover their own beliefs, and image. There are perhaps a billion open ended difficult questions out there. The trick is to never be afraid to take the opposite side from your friends. For example, you and your friends could be avid hunters and outdoorsmen (or women), and your friends hate the idea of any more gun regulations. You are scared to say it, but you think too many lives have been lost and you think there should be more gun laws. Don't be afraid to come out and state your opinion to your friends and family. If you are really that scared to outright say it, then you can start by questioning your friends on why they dislike gun regulations (why our Founding Fathers wrote the Second Amendment? Could it be because of factors of during the time of the Constitution was made?). I'm using gun laws as an example because people seem to be very opinionated about it. Personally, I know very nice people who own guns, and I understand why they want to own guns. However, I myself, am not a hunter and do not own any guns. I think the loss we've taken from guns is too great, and i think the amendment is like slave laws. It was written during a different time. That is not to say I'm not open to different views. Anyways, in my own life I've debated gun laws multiple times. One such time, was during an aviation camp. We were traveling to an airport in a van. I was the only girl out nine campers. One of the counselors and I, were talking about the current presidential election when we turned to the topic of guns. He directly asked me my opinion on the subject. I told him I was opposed to guns, but my opinion was not all that strong. Then, as if I told him I hated puppies, he released a hurricane of verbal abuse on me. I started defending my opinion with a little more vigor. Little did I know that the entire van was filled with gun owners. I was fending off insults from every corner. In the end I had defended my position gallantly, in an debate of one to ten. At the end of the camp I was presented with a reward for my tenacity. If you want to ever be respected or respect yourself, know and defend your views. If your friends really don't accept you for your beliefs, then just know you are the more accepting and intelligent person. We need more opinionated people. Not only does debate fuel conversation, but it opens up and possibly solves open ended questions. Keep being you, and remember the best debater can accept the views of both sides. Additionally, if you want a great example of teenagers having an opinion watch the video "Somewhere in America". It is probably the best speech I've ever heard in my life. "Somewhere in America"; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YshUDa10JYY&noredirect=1

Tests 101 continued

           This is a continuation of the blog on tests. Yesterday I talked more about what to do before and after the test. Today I will talk about an issue that is often never spoken about. The moment of the great reveal. The second your teacher hands you your graded test, or posts your grade online. This moment is usually dreaded, yet can never come too soon. Recently I received a much awaited grade. No I did not get my english midterm back, but I did get my science grade from a test last Friday. Our science teacher usually puts in our grade only a few hours after we take the test. Sometimes we even see him grade the tests while some students are still finishing it. Watching him grade is terrifying. I hate watching people read or grade my work. I just get very anxious about what they will think. He grades like it's a race. I've seen him grade a paper in under ten seconds. If that's not scary, I don't know what is ;). Of course for this test he took his time entering our grades. I find that before are teacher grades an assignment two groups of students emerge. The first group, is of students who check their grade portal every three seconds, and all they talk about is the test. One of my friends belongs to that group, and if we are waiting for a grade she will text me everyday asking if I know mine yet. The second group consists of people like me. Those people who completely ignore anything related to the test they have just taken, until they have to face reality. I tend to completely put anything that is bothering me, out of my head. Whenever someone mentions a test that I've just taken I sort of go into autopilot and let them talk for a while. So back to the science grade, of course as soon as I get my grade my friend's texting me and asking how I did. The test was out of 85 points, so I send her how many points I got out of 85. Just to be cruel, I didn't specify whether it was the percentage grade (out of 100) or the numerical grade (out of 85). My friend went to the lengths of tracking me down during my math class (by the way, I think she had a class during the period too) to ask me to specify because my phone was off during class. Her and I have a very competitive relationship. As in, bragging rights are our currency between each other. We get extremely competitive about grades (usually I win ;) ). Thus, she needed to know whether to celebrate or completely ignore me for a full twenty four hours. Let's just say, she and I have fallen out of communication for a while ;). When it comes to waiting for a test grade, it depends on what kind of person you are. Maybe you hate thinking about grades and that's just fine as long as you reach out for help if you are struggling. There are always people to help, and some people even enjoy helping (I know weird right?). You'll feel better after you address issues. If you are not having issues with grades then feel free to forget about it for a while. It really helps reduce your stress. If you find comfort in constantly worrying about things, I may not understand you, but I know that works for some people.  Most importantly don't over stress. You can still go to college if you have one bad grade in math. Your parents will still love you if you bomb a history quiz. The earth will orbit the sun, even if you fail French (it's a true fact). For those of you who excessively rub your perfect grades in your friend's faces, please remember that you could easily be in their position. Yes it's ok to brag a little, but constantly bringing your friends down will leave you with no friends.

Test taking 101

          I don't know about you, but I hate tests. Not only do I hate taking a test, I hate preparing and studying for tests. It's not like I fail every test I take. I usually get fairly good grades, but the stress I go through before, during, and after a test is almost impossible to cope with. Sometimes, before a test my anxiety gets so bad that my hands shake, and every possible terrible scenario plays through my head in an endless cycle. I have been in high school for almost half a year now, and I have taken at least five tests per class (I take seven classes). I know what I should and should not do before a test. For example, today I had a midterm test in english where we had to write an essay on the status quo. We either wrote about sticking with the status quo or rebelling against it. My english class is not all that difficult. We've had around five tests, but two of them were vocab quizzes. We have written maybe two essays in the class. By comparison, in History I have written ten, or so, essays. I was particularly anxious about this test because we had done little to prepare in class. The teacher gave us an outline to fill out which we could then bring in to the test, but other than that there was no other guidance. Last night's I reviewed my outline (which means I took it out to make sure I had it) and then proceeded to watch Netflix. I should have reviewed, and actually looked over my outline, and then possibly written a rough draft of my essay just for practice. The second thing I did not do when preparing for this test was getting a good night sleep before hand. That I remedied with a large amount of caffeine in the morning. Please do not do the previous two things I did before your test. In this particular case, I wasn't to concerned about the test. This leads me to my third point. Do not stress! Right, because that's going to calm you down, but I'm serious. Tell yourself whatever you need to or whatever loophole you can find. For instance, maybe the test has a makeup afterwards, it doesn't count for that much of your grade, you know the material to the best of your capabilities, the class doesn't really matter to you, or in the long run a poor grade will not affect your entire life. This part of my test preparation I do a very good job of. I love finding loopholes in things or excuses. It's what most teenagers do best; procrastinate. I also find that thinking about these loopholes calms me down. Another thing that helps me get through a test day is a full stomach. You've probably heard it before, but I'll say it to you again. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, and not only is it important it is an encouraged eating session. All of my health classes have told me to eat breakfast, and breakfast is a good excuse to eat pancakes, waffles, sausage, and the ultimate superfood, bacon. Usually every morning I have my tea and eggs over-easy. Sometimes my mom makes smoothies or cuts up fruit. I could never go through the day without breakfast (I highly recommend it). If you are having difficulties with the subject matter I find it's great to talk one on one with a teacher or if that's not possible, email your teacher. All of the teachers I've had, love a well written and formal email. That includes starting with dear (your teacher's name), ending with sincerely (your name), and thanking them for their time somewhere near the end. If all else fails you could talk to a friend or a upperclassmen. You could also look up help videos or other recourses. One of my favorite websites is khan academy. They have some great tutorials. The most important thing when taking a test is to try your best and be sincere about what you know. The best use of a test is to help you, and your teacher, gage where you are. If you struggle in a particular area, a test will show that to your teacher. Just remember, this is high school, and a single number out of thousands is hardly significant.

Finding your voice

          From the second you enter the doors of my high school you feel instantly small. Physically and mentally. It is a largely known misconception that freshmen should not know anything or have any good ideas. This is simply not true. Everyone, from freshmen to seniors fear being wrong or made fun of. It is the simple fact of high school life. Teenagers can be mean and backstabbing. However, trust me when I say this, if you always voice your ideas and opinions they will be correct or good at least one percent of the time, and people will respect you more and more for them. The gratification of being appreciated for just a second is much better than the pain of holding your tongue for an eternity. One particular example in my life came up today as I attended a robotics brainstorming session. During the session we shared ideas for the design of our 2016 robot that will compete in this year's First Robotics game challenge. The game for this year is titled stronghold. It consists of two towers and two walls of various obstacles. In order to gain points (which go towards your team's record) the robot must either cross defenses which include drawbridges, portcullises, bumpy terrain, ramparts, moats, and the brick wall, or throw large dodge balls into windows in the tower. At the end of the game, the robot may scale the tower to a certain height to gain even more points. During the brainstorming session, I was in a group with several freshmen and a few seniors (one of which was a team captain). Together we designed a robot along the parameters. Our mentor asked us to defend a certain aspect of the robot. We all looked to the team captain in our group, he said nothing as if he was frozen to his seat and his mouth lost the function to open. I raised my hand. If you didn't realize before, I am a freshman. Our mentor smiled and posted towards me. I found the courage to speak confidently about why we chose what we did in front of forty students. Afterwards, our mentor complimented me for what I said, and I felt deep pride and gratification. Overcoming your own fear is one of the hardest and most rewarding things you can do as a student. Sometimes you may feel like as an underclassman you are oppressed by the social stigma that you are supposed to know nothing. Trust me, you will be respected for voicing your opinion and ideas.

           Hello, and welcome to my first blog. Starting from now on, I will submit an entry most every day about my experiences at high school. I go to a very good public high school, and I am given many great opportunities. However, that's not to say I don't run into any problems or hard decisions I have to make. For example, yesterday me and my public forum debate partner, decided to drop out of today's debate tournament. For those of you who do not know what public forum debate is, I will explain. Public forum is a style of debate in which there are two teams of two, debating a topic with facts. The topic changes every month, and for January the topic is; On balance, economic sanctions are reducing the threat Russia poses to Western interests. Lets just say that this was not a very popular topic. Anyways, yesterday my partner had to attend a track meet that went until seven. We met at eight and didn't start working until eight thirty. We had gotten together earlier this week, but we still had to write two four minute speeches on economic sanctions. I would explain the debate topic if I wasn't so sick of it already (if you really want to know just look it up). The dropout deadline for the tournament was nine p.m. on Friday, so me and my partner anxiously debated;) whether we should compete or not. Before I move on with the story I must go back to earlier this week. Me and my partner had both flipped out at least once at our parents because of how much stress we were going through. Midterms are coming up and we had a big science test on Friday. On Wednesday I got home from school after working on debate. My dad offered me a bowl of chicken noodle soup. I still had a garbage truck's worth of homework to do, and I know if I start eating I won't start homework for a while. However, part of me really wanted that chicken soup. I go back and forth until so much ridiculous stress builds up that I nearly explode on my dad. Then to let some of it out I march out of the room and mumble that I have to much homework. After settling at my desk my mom comes in my room. She asks me how I am doing and then asks me if I want a bowl of chicken noodle soup. I nearly explode on the spot. I say no and then she goes and asks me if I emptied the bowl she put out for me and I say no, dad must have done it. She keeps talking to me and then finally leaves before I have a total meltdown. Just to be clear I'm usually not like this. Just under stress I tend to get really mean. I love my parents, and they do so much for me. Sometimes I just get a little annoyed. However, after finishing my homework at the crack of dawn, I went down and had a bowl of chicken noodle soup;). It was good. Turns out the same day I had my mental breakdown my debate partner also screamed at her parents. Clearly it had been a rough week for the both of us. We thankfully decided to skip debate. Afterwards I felt so relieved and not the least bit guilty. That night talking to my parents I realized that it's ok to stop and breath for a second, especially as a high school student. So the next time you feel extremely stressed take something off your plate, and swap it with some chicken noodle soup;). Don't expect to be able to do everything all the time. No one is that perfect.