Assignment 8- Jasir Rahman- A Smorgasbord of Personal Information

Fears:  Death, Rejection, failure, log kya kahenge (what will people think)
Annoyances:  Ignorance, lack of fairness
Accomplishments:  good academic standing, authored gun education resolution passed by Kentucky Medical Association, decent debater (at least in KY), soccer state semis- come out and support, Wednesday at 8:00 at Station
Confusions:  the morality of some people (as in why is one racist, sexist, ignorant, etc...)
Sorrows:  the entirety of freshman year, breaking collarbone last year, not being more ambitious, not preserving past relationships, being all too cognizant of my flaws, lack of confidence
Dreams:  getting into a prestigious school, not being alone for the rest of my life
Idiosyncracies:  have an unexplainable urge to break off plastic clip on mechanical pencils
Risks:  Coolidge Scholars application, JFK Profiles in Courage Essay Contest, SVT Research Fellowship application
Beloved possessions: then and now- pair of headphones
Problems:  Time (lack thereof or lack of management)

As I apply for various scholarships, which (if attained) will inevitably end up on another sheet of paper to be scrutinized to see if I get the privilege of paying tens of thousands of dollars to a University, I find it hard to see why I, of all the other fantastic and amazing people applying, deserve to be chosen.  I don't have perfect grades or test scores, I'm not particularly fantastic at any of my extracurricular endeavors.  So why try?

I have recognized that such belief is inherently flawed, as my own belief that I will never get a scholarship or admission to a good school before I have even made an attempt creates a self-fulfilling prophecy.  If I don't think I am worthy enough, I will stop trying to be worthy, thus destroying my chances of attaining my goals.  Sometimes I wonder whether or not recognizing the flaw in that thinking will actually end up paying off.  Am I destined to the same fate regardless of my own actions?  I suppose it is impossible to tell.

Assignment #8: My Short-lived Rock Climbing Career- Kelly Landry

Fears: butterflies/moths, spiders, inadequacy, rejection

Annoyances: slow-walkers, chronic negativity

Accomplishments: completed entire Via Ferrata (8 level, easy-expert) climbing course in one (my first ever) attempt

Confusions: chemistry, physics, SCIENCE

Sorrows: the unattainability of perfection, poverty/inequality in the world, losing friendships/relationships because of time/distance

Dreams: run a 10k and/or half marathon (with about an 8min/mi pace) before graduation, travel, help others with and enjoy my job

Idiosyncrasies: washing and drying clothes (light and dark) on “cold” setting only, eating pb&j sandwiches in a specific way, eating things (such as blueberries and popcorn) individually/one-by-one

Risks: watching scary movies/shows alone

Beloved Possessions, Now and Then: books (then), friendships (now)

Problems: organization/time management

The most physically, mentally and emotionally tolling experience I can remember is completing the Via Ferrata at the Southeast Mountain Guides in Wolfe County, KY. I did it the morning after I had stayed up until 5 in the morning with some friends so I was already exhausted and mentally drained. We got there and it was not what I was expecting, I hadn’t asked too many questions so I was under the impression that we were going hiking. The “trail” was completed by rock climbing.

I am afraid of heights and love them at the same time. I have the arm muscles of a cucumber. These were definitely setbacks to my climbing adventure.

I went third in my group of friends because one of my best friends went second. Big mistake. This meant my pace affected the other 6 people behind me. My friend ended up being way faster than I expected and soon I couldn’t even see her most of the time.

About half way through I found myself basically isolated from everyone in my group. My best friend was far ahead, excelling at this and the friend behind me had stopped with someone else to take a break. We had been climbing for about 2 hours at that point and I saw most of the girls in our group had quit and gone down to hang out, I wanted so badly to join them and give in to my aching arm muscles and sore, blistering hands. Shut I couldn’t. I had made it half way so why not just finish? My competitive nature would not allow for me to quit, I wanted to complete the course.

At first I had tried to ignore the fear of falling to my death (we were tethered to the mountain but it didn’t feel adequate) and my extreme lack of upper body strength, but as I progressed the path got higher and my body quite literally could not pull itself up at times. I kept saying to myself, out loud like a crazy person, “You’re not gonna let a big pile of rocks make you cry” because I was very close to crying and giving up. My arms had never been that used and tired before, I could feel muscles in them I didn’t know even existed and it burned.

The last level you are essentially dangling the entire time unless you pull yourself up, this is what almost broke my will to live. I was stuck, no going back. A teenaged guy I didn’t know had started climbing right behind me which made me want to go as fast as possible but I couldn’t move, my arms wouldn’t pull hard enough. Turns out the guy was a boy scout, making me feel even more wimpy than before, but instead of being exasperated by my minuscule progress in the 15 minutes we’d been dangling next to each other he started to encourage me in response to my profuse apologies.

It took every ounce of willpower, bodily endurance and mental fortitude but I pushed through the last level.

In retrospect it was a fantastic experience, it showed me just how capable I am of doing things I set my mind to, regardless of physical and mental constraints. However, that trip was the entirety of my rock climbing career.

Assignment #8-- Daniel Mendoza Vasquez

Fears: Losing family members, dying slowly, bizarre accidents
Annoyances: ignorance, selfishness, delusions of superiority, the GOP
Accomplishments: doing well academically, good test scores (not much yet)
Confusions: how one can hate someone for their inherent characteristics, the stock market and bonds
Sorrows: Colombia always getting knocked out of tournaments on tiny mistakes or referee error, corruption in the world, not being good enough at soccer
Dreams: [continuing] to travel, having materialistic wealth, stability
Idiosyncrasies: dual-citizen, no hometown, usually unaffected
Risks: Trying to spend next year in a German school, would like to learn to fly a plane, eating strange foods
Beloved Possessions, Now and Then: My cat Churro (now), scores of action figures (then)
Problems: managing a consistent workout routine, inconsistency in general

It was the midpoint of summer in 2014, but skies were gray and winds were heavy. Of course they were; I was in Bogota, where rain is the only weather that exists. We awoke to horns honking and anticipation in the cold air. Colombia was riding high, the national team had just made the World Cup quarter-finals for the first time in its history with a 2-0 win over continental rivals Uruguay. So, we were confident, even though five-time champion Brazil was next. My family and I headed north out of the city to a popular amusement park, Multi-Parque, to watch the game on a big screen that had been set up next to the go-kart track. We, along with numerous other families, eagerly anticipated the game while enjoying a fattening ‘parrillada’ from a restaurant in the park.

The game began, and seven minutes in, Brazil had put one past our goalkeeper. The excitement deflated, but one goal was hardly insurmountable. Fifty minutes later, the park erupted into cheers as defender Mario Yepes scored following a tussle in the six-yard box. We seemed to be back in it, but the cheers were suddenly hushed when a man on the sideline waved a checkered red and yellow flag. Yepes was, allegedly, offsides, and so our goal was disallowed. But when the moment was replayed on the screen, it became more and more evident that he was not, in fact, offsides-- the Brazilian defender had touched it first! Our players argued this but the referee did not budge (there were several calls in that World Cup that seemed to favor the hosts unfairly, I don’t doubt there was corruption there). David Luiz banged in a free-kick soon after, and even with a late penalty, Colombia lost 2-1. We left the park that day feeling cheated, and conscious that an injustice had occurred. And as I looked out the window through teary, red eyes on the ride home, the gray sky became depressing and suffocating, rather than a simple characteristic of the region. To say I take soccer and my national team seriously is an understatement.

Assignment 9- Hannah Whaley - weapons of mass necessity

Fight fire with fire. Don't bring a knife to a gunfight. If they punch you, punch them back. These are all words that I've heard since a young age. Surprisingly, I happen to agree with them. Of course I, in agreement with the Miss America contestants, want world peace. But sometimes war is necessary to get there. When there are terrorist organizations like ISIS that will destroy lives for their cause without a second thought, it isn't likely that coming to a peaceful agreement will be successful. If they have bombs and guns and horrible intentions, our words aren't going to stop anybody. That's why war is needed. Sometimes there isn't a way to end destruction without destroying the enemy. It's more evil to sit idly by and watch innocents be slaughtered and pushed out of their homes than it is to confront the guilty. If weapons are the only way to stop other weapons, let us use them. When a county's people are at risk and there is no other reasonable way to save them, the country has a duty to go to war. Alternatives, such as "talking it out" or ignoring the issue are far from effective. War may not be humane, but going into a fight with only words to protect your people is much worse.

Assignment #7-- Daniel Mendoza Vasquez

Though the more cynical side of me would like to scoff at the ridiculous price and difficulty of accessing higher education in this country, I will almost certainly be doing everything within my power to get into an ideal school. Yes, the system is, without a doubt, extremely flawed and exploitative; more of a business than a service no matter how much colleges claim to be ‘non-profit’. And yet, the value of an actual degree can never be overstated. It is now a key that expands your employment options infinitely, far beyond that of a high school diploma. Moreover, for most of the fields that I am personally interested in, it is either required or very useful to have a degree in them. Business certainly has a lot to do with intuition and socialization, something that isn’t concrete, but a major in business can teach the best way to use those skills and provide a better understanding of how the market works. Careers in foreign affairs and diplomacy, another field of interest for me, are almost entirely in government and exceed credentials.

Even then, the concept of college itself is appealing to me. Going to school and taking classes isn’t inherently bothersome, it’s that I have to stress and study for things that I have no interest in and that I know I will not pursue. It’s the rudimentary nature of required classes that angers and annoys, not ‘learning’ itself. So, getting to choose what type of field to study, along with much more flexibility and freedom, doesn’t seem like a bad thing. On a less deliberate note, I am torn between which of these three places I’d like to attend: Tulane, which is in New Orleans, my fantastic city of birth; New York University, located in cosmopolitan and urban heaven; and the University of Miami, residing in another great city that boasts warm weather and a gateway to Latin America. UCLA, too, grabs my attention but seems too far away. Of course, I’m getting ahead of myself in debating these things, I have to get accepted first--and they’re all quite selective.

Assignment 7- Jasir Rahman- There's Something About Northwestern

I love Northwestern.

Chicago is perhaps my favorite city in the US.  It is a big city with historical landmarks and opportunity, but it is not suffocating like New York.  It is close enough to home that I can appease my parents, yet far away enough so that I have some freedom.  Being a student at Northwestern gives me the perks of getting free public transportation and admission to most museums, allowing me to make the most out of my time in the city.  The campus has a view of the city from Lake Michigan, and Evanston is a gorgeous little college town.  The location is fantastic.

For my predicament, as laid out in "Master of None," Northwestern would accommodate my inability to decide what I want to do with my life, as 1/3rd of my classes would be electives, allowing me to explore other areas of study.  It also has a fantastic public policy school, if that is what I end up wanting to pursue.

I visited last spring, and out of the few colleges that I visited, something clicked.  Other schools seemed pretty pretentious and full of themselves, but Northwestern was able to feel humble despite its high academic standings.  It felt like a place I wanted to go, not just for the clout of going to a prestigious institution, but a place I could actually call home for 4 years of my life. 

Now I just have to get in... easy enough, right?

Assignment 10: Boo

ZOMBIES (or White Walkers) HAVE ATTACKED. Detail your survival plan.

OR

Explain what scares you the most and why.

OR

Describe a moment in which you were fraught with peril. Tell it as a ghost story.

OR

In the vein of David Sedaris write an observational humorist piece related to your daily life: school, home, social, etc.  (don't be mean)

Happy Halloween!

Minimum of 150 words - due Sunday,

November 3 at 11:59 pm

December 8 is the last day to make up blogs 9-15

Assignment 5 - Justin Zhu

I watch TV, but mainly only for nostalgia's sake. Sometimes I'll turn on the TV and see that one of my favorite shows from Cartoon Network or Nickelodeon is getting a rerun such as Phineas and Ferb or Wizards of Waverly Place. Shows such as these hold an important in my heart and I can remember sitting on the couch for hours to watch the newest Wizards of Waverly Place movie. I also love shows such as Adventure Time and Regular Show. These shows were super weird but their crazy adventures never failed to awe me and left me looking forward to the next episode. These shows held such a close place to my heart that I even watched the finales even after other people considered me to be too old for "cartoons." On the other hand, I'm not the greatest fan of someone of the new shows or what they've decided to do to older shows. For example, remaking Teen Titans is personally one of the worst decisions as it completely ruined the vibe of the original.

Assignment 4 - Justin Zhu

Growing up between my parent's opposing views was challenging in how I've formed my priorities. My dad's concerns have always been my performance on tests, my grades, and what level of college I could attend to. My mom on the other hand, is very religious and wants me to pursue a career in the church. While the too don't argue over it with each other, both often come to me to discuss what they want for my future. This has been the case for most of my childhood, but they've started picking it up once I started high school. I find it extremely stressful and recently I've started questioning what I want for myself. I've started to wonder if the importance my parents place on my education and religion are as important as they say they are, and I've come to the conclusion that while both are important, I have the power to make my own decisions in both categories. I don't have to follow the path that both my parents have set out for me and instead pursue a path that allows me to both successful and happy.

Assignment 3 - Justin Zhu

Wow, another topic I really don't have much to say about, but how I wish I could. I can remember going to Maine as a really small kid, but I don't remember too much. I do remember however, going to China in the summer of my 5th grade going into 6th. It was the first time meeting my extended family outside of when I was a baby and honestly I was completely lost. I had pretty much forgotten how to speak Chinese outside of a few phrases so I couldn't be anywhere without my mom. Sadly, I didn't get to sight-see as much as people thought I did. It was an annual visit my mom makes to China that my brother and I decided to go on, and we spent most of that time at the apartment my extended family lived in. Life was really comfortable and they lived in a big city, sadly the name forgoes me. I remember every night, my uncle would go out and come back with these bags of just sticks of grilled meat, and I can't even start to explain how amazing they were. I could eat them for every meal of every day, and they always had different spice levels as well.
On the other hand, I've traveled to the big cities; Chicago, New York, Los Angeles. Culturally though, the only one that really stuck out to me was New York. It hurts the heart to see the amount of homeless people that only have the street at night, and it hurts to be unable to do anything about it. Despite this, I definitely want to be able to travel more, in and outside of the states.

Assignment 2 - Justin Zhu

Books and reading, definitely not my forte. I'll be completely honest, the only books I've read in the last year were for school, and those were The Teenage Brain, The Great Gatsby, and The Joy Luck Club. I know this says a lot about my character, but I'm just not a fan of literature. Concerning The Teenage Brain though, I honestly enjoyed reading it because I could relate a bunch of Psychology that I learned Sophomore year and it was cool to see some terms concerning neurotransmitters used in a book like that and relating the development of the brain to myself. Honestly The Great Gatsby was a very annoying read for me. I just don't like the types of characters that Gatsby, Daisy and Tom were, which makes sense considering they were made to seemingly mock the rich upper class. Either way, reading that book just made me mad. On the other hand, The Joy Luck Club hit a lot closer to home. As someone who's also from Chinese descent, I really started to wonder about the origins of my parents and how they grew up, and what really inspired them to come to the states. While their motivations and the ones shown in The Joy Luck Club were different, I still respect them for taking their own risks to make me who I am today.

Assignment 1 - Justin Zhu

So for a brief introduction, I'm Justin Zhu. I procrastinate and am a relatively lazy person. Of course like anyone else I want straight As but more than anything I just want to perform well on my AP tests so I can save money and graduate faster. No idea what I want to be, but I'll take my time to decide on something that I can enjoy. I would consider myself a nerd, I enjoy playing games online and have met a bunch of people through the internet I play with and talk to on a semi-regular basis. I also am a complete weeb, addicted to manga and anime to the point I went to a convention over the summer in LA. To be fair, I was invited by my friend from Columbus if that makes me any less of a nerd, but I still loved it. I enjoy being a part of a variety of clubs and after school activities such as the Ultimate Frisbee Club and playing lacrosse in the spring. I'm an active of the Psychology club and Debate team, but I like some of those clubs more than others. 

Here's a video of this streamer named xqc that I find extremely entertaining

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XdI3NaaGAeo

And if I had to choose a favorite website, I think https://www.twitch.tv/ has to be it.

Assignment 6- Jasir Rahman- Master of None

Mr. Logsdon, I hope you can understand my inability to complete this blog post... but I just can't.  Because I can't decide what I want to do.

I like to think of myself as a Jack of all trades, but master of none.

Debate has opened my world up to the analysis of policy.  I have had to analyze everything from the impact of pharmaceutical prices to China's transcontinental infrastructure project.  I enjoy the study of policy, but I think myself to introverted to dedicate my life as an elected official.  I would much rather do specific analyses pertaining to one particular topic, but I can't seem to decide which area of policy I should go into.

My family is made up of medical professionals, and as such, I have been expected to be a doctor.  It doesn't help that people don't distinguish between countries on the Indian sub-continent, and thusly a half Pakistani is relegated to the typical stereotype of having to become a doctor or be shamed by your family.  I can't help but be fascinated by the stories told by my parents about the patients they see, or the satisfaction they get from an arduous day saving lives at the hospital.

I am also interested in language.  I ought to be quadrilingual if it weren't for my family's failure to teach me our native tongue and my own lack of dedication.  I have dabbled in Urdu and Arabic, but it is difficult to stay dedicated to learning these with my busy schedule. 

I hope to be able to decide what I want to do with my life before I apply for schools, as that would be nice to know.  I suppose if not I can just apply as undecided like everyone else.

Assignment 5- Jasir Rahman- TV and Corporate Mind Control

It must be conceded that TV is a good form of entertainment.  If not, then awards such as the Emmys wouldn't mean anything, a TV wouldn't be a staple in every American home, and streaming services wouldn't be pumping out shows like there is no tomorrow.  However, such entertainment is a vessel for the mindless consumption of advertisements that inevitably fuel the corporate greed present in our capitalistic system.  Everybody hates ads, but loves their shows, and will sit through insufferable presentations about products to get back to their action-adventure, sitcom, or drama.  However, the subliminal messages still manage to get a stranglehold on millions of consumers, driving corporate sales.  In this case, I believe TV can be both entertaining and a way to package advertisements to the masses.

I do feel like there is always a better way to spend one's time than loaf around on the couch watching one's favorite show.  Laziness is engrained in our DNA, especially in a world where convenience is prioritized over quality.  Now, with streaming services becoming the norm, it is easier than ever to strike that balance, find quality entertainment at the click of a button whenever you want.  It all depends on one's values.  If you are truly driven to get ahead on your studies so you don't have to spend all night doing key terms or blog posts, then perhaps you won't engage in such behavior.  However, I often find myself forcing myself away from a screen in order to be productive.  You have to strike a balance and get your priorities straight, entertainment or productivity.  Unfortunately, it is often a 50/50 split for me, despite the fact that I know I ought to choose productivity 100% of the time.

Assignment 9- Sarah Clark- the necessity of war (look at yugoslavia)

Yes, there is a time for war. Although compromise and diplomacy are obviously preferred, it is naive to think that war is completely avoidable. People look to Alexander the Great, Napoleon, and President Eisenhower as “great men.” Neville Chamberlain is no hero: he foolishly declared “Peace in our time” in 1938, he chased after appeasement as a viable form of foreign policy, he expected the Munich Agreement, where he attempted to satiate Hitler with the Sudetenland, to be enough for a land-hungry and bloodthirsty fascist. To an extent, compromise is the right solution, but we must understand when it is no longer realistic.

War is never necessarily morally right. Innocent men, fighting for their respective countries, and dying for a cause that seems to get lost along the way is not right. However, when compromise fails, humans (myself included) are lost on what to do next. War is the next logical step, as it has been for all of history.

Although countries never have to go to war, I do believe countries have responsibilities to go to war. For example, when Milosevic was attempted to ethnically cleanse Yugoslavia of Bosnian Muslims, was NATO supposed to sit idly by? No. When human rights are being infringed upon, war is necessary, and countries in power are responsible for protecting those rights.

As for alternatives to war, I have yet to figure that out. For now, I suppose, I am satisfied with compromising until compromising is no longer possible. Although I wish it weren’t the case, at a certain point, war is the only viable option.

Assignment #6 -- Daniel Mendoza Vasquez

I have a rather strong affinity, and ‘talent’, for anything involving geography, demographics, or maps. For some reason, which I have yet to clearly define, I find these things highly intriguing and would not find it difficult to peruse an atlas for hours. That’s something that I’m sure my classmates would laugh at, but it’s true. I can point out and name almost every country on an unlabeled map, save for Pacific island nations perhaps, as well as populations and capitals of many. It helps me have a very clear sense of where things are in the global sense, put simply, and also my sense of direction in general. Regretfully, though, I can think of no occupation that would allow me to actually employ these interests and earn money from it in the future (a superficial but necessary concern, in my opinion), as cartographers are not really needed anymore. The only thing that I believe could be at the root of this is my tendency to travel from a young age, and my tendency to really enjoy it. Remembering the capital of Denmark, for instance, is much easier to do when you’ve spent nights there and navigated it. Then again, I’ve never been to Sri Lanka and can tell you the capital is Colombo. So, is it a skill? Yes. A gift? I’m not so sure; I have no idea what to do with it. For now, however, knowing that Indonesia is the fourth most populated country in the world has put me in good favor with some of my classmates during Jeopardy.

Assignment 4- Jasir Rahman- Weed is the Devil

Weed is the devil.  In the home of 2 healthcare providers, such sentiments have been repeated militantly throughout my life.  With the death of every member of the opioid epidemic, with every tragedy that besets thousands of families across the country, with the passing of the sons and daughters of friends and family, comes wild speculation about how the victim of addiction and overdose all got their start with the blunt.  While I still agree that cannabis is a substance that can potentially put oneself in compromising situations, the policy aspect is what I have come to question throughout my life.

Ironically, while I was one of the few kids in my 8th-grade class that identified with more liberal ideologies, I found that it was the white, rich, privileged, conservatives that made up the majority of my class that supported the legalization of marijuana.  With the backdrop of the election in 2016, the halls of my school were filled with political discourse.  While I insisted that the effects of cannabinoids on the brain were impairing in the long-term and warranted being illegal (I even attempted to e-mail pieces of evidence that supported my case to an especially ardent defender of the substance), I still was constantly told that the effects are not that bad.  

This simplistic analysis of whether or not weed is harmful was the extent of our debates, so looking to get an edge up on my opponents, I looked into the impacts of actual legislation that was meant to prevent the use of the substance.  My findings were shocking.  Not only was the use of weed still widely unaffected, but such policies targetted racial minorities, who were both charged with use at a higher rate, and faced much longer sentences than their white counterparts.  Such injustice as a result of systemic racism caused intense cognitive dissonance in me.  Luckily, I was introduced to decriminalization as a solution to my dilemma.  Preventing people of color from disproportionally being impacted by the criminal justice system, and still providing punitive measures to hopefully curb the use of marijuana provided the most comprehensive solution to my problem, although not perfect.  If putting people in jail isn't stopping the use of marijuana, then we may as well combat the systemic racism that is a direct result of the policy

Assignment 3- Jasir Rahman- The Troubles

The summer going into my sophomore year my family went to Ireland and Scotland.  While in Ireland, we witnessed firsthand the literal divisiveness of "the Troubles," a political and religious conflict in Northern Ireland.  On the outskirts of the capital city of Belfast, the remnants of the conflict were still there.  Catholic and Protestant neighborhoods were separated by iron fences and gates, graffiti-covered walls demonstrated literal and political separation.

While I was aghast at this snapshot of such a divisive time in recent history, I thought of our home in the West, which seems to be going down the same path.  Such division is quite evident in our own lives and calls to violence by people of all backgrounds mirrors that of the past.  While the historical precedent set by the generations of Catholics and Protestants divided by their religious choices is not present today, it would seem as though the same fervor and radical actions are being undertaken. 

Perhaps this is a bit of hyperbole on my part, but nobody realizes they are in such a turbulent period of history until the impacts have already been realized.  We ought to learn from our history and come together as a nation of Americans, not divided by class, color, creed, or party.  That is the lesson I learned this summer while in Belfast.

Assignment 8- Davis Mattingly-

Fears: Spiders, secretly having a disease a rare incurable disease no one could possibly discover until it was already too late, being alone, the dark
Annoyance: silence, people who tell me to "just suck it up" when I complain
Accomplishments: plays I've been in
Confusions: why highschoolers think they can act Like That
Sorrows: Organization, time management
Dreams: Travel, profession in marine biology
Idiosyncrasies: I'm usually calm in most situations
Risks: Getting my driver's license. Me behind the wheel is always a risk
Beloved Possessions: A painting made by a penguin from Newport Aquarium
Problems: Writing :)

For my birthday earlier this month, my mom would be out of town for about a week. So, we decided that the weekend before she left, we’d do something to celebrate. Knowing my love for all things marine biology, she found an overnight stay at Newport Aquarium, where we would get to see the usual tour, as well as some behind-the-scenes information about the animals and how they were cared for. It was a dream come true for me, as I’ve always been extremely interested in marine life and how they’re cared for. Even better, after learning about their coral propagation chamber and the species of fish with teeth that can eat frozen vegetables, we got to settle in for the night, in the tunnel where the fish swim above you. When the lights went off for the night, there was still a single, tiny light above the tunnel, just enough to see the shapes of the various fish and cownosed stingrays swimming and dancing above me as I fell asleep. When I woke up, the tour, of course, quickly led us to the gift shop. I decided to actually buy something this time- a picture, painted by a penguin stepping in various paints, then onto the canvas. The penguin’s name was Green Bean. I don’t have a frame for the painting yet, but once I do, I plan to hang it above my bed.

Tahsen Hossain - Assignment 9 - War.

Edit: A word of warning I get very ranty and longwinded in this one so I apologise.

War is bad. Duh.

     Anyone can tell you that wars and violence are gruesome; that there is a lot of ambiguity in war and how it interacts with concepts like honour, justice, liberty, or fairness; and that there seems to be an abundance of unnecessary killing. The loss of human life is tragic, always. But when you look at the big picture, wars are fought to bring about change when there are no more apparent options left, thus it seems pointless to expect wars to end lest there be an end to the hunger for change and all those things that hinder it.

How are you going to stop me?

     To ask the appropriateness of war or the conditions for which nations have to justify themselves for going to war seems impractical because in order for those pieces of information to be relevant, you have to have the means of getting them and the means of acting on them and we really don't have either in any case. Who has the power to hold an entire country accountable for violence without perpetuating or threatening violence? This is the problem faced by the UN and several other global organisations. How does one disincentivise the use of force while also respecting sovereignty? It's practically impossible.

Just give me something to fight for.

     Even if you could somehow hold the country trial, how would you identify a legitimate cause for violence? The causes and effects of war are complex and varied. For instance, while we all know that the Civil War was fought over the right to own slaves, it did not exempt the North from having racist beliefs or harsh and dehumanising conditions in factories (nowhere near as dehumanising as slavery but still). Also, the southern soldiers didn't see themselves as fighting for the ownership of slaves but rather the ability to choose their destiny as an "independent confederation". We may be able to assess the motivations easily in retrospect but it certainly isn't so simple when war is an imminent threat. Another example would be more recent conflicts in Iraq and Afganistan in which an ill-informed public supported a war they were told was against terrorism but had the added bonuses of greatly expanding presidential power with the AUMF (which gives sitting presidents unprecedented control over military affairs) and helping the US defend economic interests in oil in the Middle East.

Mutually Assured Destruction

     Despite my concessions that war is morally complex and ultimately inevitable, I do believe that war needn't be as destructive as it is, especially on the nuclear front. Nuclear weapons are a threat to the entire world, with the country holding them at the most risk of annihilation. All it takes is one small mistake and your own cities could be the ones suffering from radioactive dust in the air and water supply. Why would any country risk that? The level of destruction capable of nuclear weaponry is honestly absurd and has longlasting global effects. Aside from nukes, risking civilian lives with area impacting weaponry like air-strikes, bombings, mortar fire, or at worst chemical/bioweapons is probably the most worrying thing about the current state of warfare.

Hope

     Despite the rather dark climate of international conflicts at the moment, there are occasional flickers of light that crack through those clouds. For instance, conflicts between India and Pakistan are becoming less hostile as the countries began competing with each other through sports, specifically cricket, instead of unofficial armed conflicts. Instead of a war of attrition, they are content to win a war on the socioeconomic battlefield in the hearts and pocketbooks of their citizens. However, there is yet a grey lining to that silver cloud in that entities whether they be countries or companies, can historically cause just as easily ruin someone's life as a war can.

Finally Its Over

     So overall, I don't think there is a point in asking questions about the morality or justification of war, but to some degree, I do think that violence is a part of humanity. Violence as a means of exerting one's power on another has always been a powerful tool for change and is sometimes the only means we have for changing our situation for better or for worse. Countries do need to rethink many of their decisions concerning militancy and I'm sure there are other options but they are so ill explored that the risks they entail are yet undiscovered.

Assignment #6: Metal Straws are as Hollow as... Metal Straws- Kelly Landry

Metal straws. A new trend and a pathetic excuse for “environmental protection.” Recently, people— blinded by the overwhelming desire to be trendy— have started campaigns and made legislature against the use of plastic straws. Coffee shops use paper straws; Starbucks, the largest coffee company in the world, has even redesigned their cups’ lids to not require a straw, however, the new lids require more plastic than the older version of lids and straws combined. Yes, it is crucial to protect the earth’s resources and ensure that the environments we inhabit are not only clean, but sustainably managed. However, this mission will not be accomplished by VSCO girls (girls with scrunchies on their wrists who sip kombucha out of their hydroflasks) and adult sippy cups. This goal will be accomplished by continuous action, frugality and conscientiousness. This starts with bringing back the recycling of paper right here in Kentucky. This starts with making the effort to actively use less resources, reduce the craze of consumerism.

Davis Mattingly- Assignment 7- I want to swim with the fishes

My ideal college path is actually two colleges; For the first 2 years of my college career, I want to get my undergrad in Marine Biology at Xavier University (or any college in that area- I’m not exactly loyal to one particular university), for two main reasons. First, it being in Ohio means I would have a safety net, due to most of my family living there. Any college near the coastline would be several hours away from any family member, but Ohio is right in the middle of all of them. Most importantly, however, is the fact that it would allow me to intern, or possibly even properly work at Newport Aquarium, for proper experience in the field to put on my resume. After those 2 years getting used to living on my own, I’d apply for the University of South Carolina to finish out my doctorate, and hopefully the coastal university would allow for lots of hands-on experience in the field.

Assignment 8- Hannah Whaley - zombies are gonna end the world

Fears- failure of any kind, zombies, cancer, paralysis, deadly insects, my family being harmed, dying alone, and being socially isolated.
Annoyances- people who are rude for no reason, when people leave me on read or open/being ignored, being taken advantage of, when my dog Skip barks, and anything my sister says or does.
Accomplishments- healthy mentally/physically/socially, doing well enough in school, not ruining my life yet
Confusions- do we all perceive stimuli the same way...?
Sorrows- being an underachiever, not having as much time to read, not being as close to my family
Dreams- being successful financially with a happy marriage. I just want to be happy.
Idiosyncrasies- nerd who has some athletic skill
Risks- going for national merit, eating more calories than I could lose
Beloved possessions- my friends, family, pets, pantry, and closet
Problems- not worrying about everything, caring too much what other think, always going out of my way to help others


My fears are all modern, sensible ones. It makes sense to fear the sickeningly disheartening feeling of failure. It makes sense to fear one infected cell taking over your body, killing you slowly. It makes sense to fear insects or any kind of loneliness. But the one overpowering, spirit-crushing fear that I harbor deep within me... is of ZOMBIES. The flaps of decayed skin hanging from an emaciated corpse as it creeps slowly towards me, bones hanging together by threads of ligaments and eyes glowing with hunger - this image terrifies me like no other. I can imagine the scenarios that could birth a generation of zombies. A simple medical mistake that destroys the brain, a virus that overtakes the body like that one fungus control ants, or a random genetic mutation could all be what start the end of the world. The reason I fear zombies the most is because, not only are they disgustingly evil, but your own family and friends could become what you hate most. Death for a loved one is much preferable to seeing them as a brain-devouring, soulless corpse. Tell me there’s something worse than having to look into the dead, hungry eyes of your family member as you shoot them in the head.

Assignment 8 - Cat Lucier - Give and Take

Fears: Losing people I love
Annoyances: Uninformed People, Apathetic People
Accomplishments: ACT Score, GSA,
Confusions: Taxes, how the founding fathers intended to prevent the tyranny of the majority
Sorrows: there is so much hate for minorities in this country
Dreams: to be a person who people feel like they can always come to and to have a home where everyone is always welcome whether they are stopping by for a cup of coffee or need a place to crash while they get back on their feet
Idiosyncracies: I love sleeping in a super cold room
Risks: Addiction
Beloved Possessions, Now and Then: piano (both), books (both),
Problems: I take more than I give

Sometimes I like to fantasize about how I'm going to run my home when I move out and have a stable job and such. I imagine a cozy little apartment with a futon or two in the living room, and various houseplants around (of course). I'll have a closet full of sheets and blankets and pillows, and my fridge will always be stocked. I'll have an entire cabinet of teas, and bookshelves full of every genre you can think of. There'll be a fluffy rug on the floor, and art pieces on the walls. I'll have extra toothbrushes and soap and other essential toiletries in the bathroom. I'll accept whatever you can give as payment.
The point of all this is to be a refuge home. You had a huge fight with your significant other and you need a place to stay the night? I gotchu. You're between jobs and don't have anywhere else to sleep, and happen to have an affinity for organizing? My futon is yours; please organize the bookshelves. You don't even have to need a place to stay the night. You're on a road trip, driving through, and need a bathroom break and some coffee? I'll be glad to provide. You've been feeling really down lately, and just need some compassion? Stop by - I'm happy to spare the time. Got writer's block? We can bounce ideas off each other.
I think about someting all the time - it's sort of like karma. I want to give more than I take. I've taken a lot in the past, and I want to repay my debts. I believe that you need to make a conscious effort to give more just to break even. Anyway, there are so many people who just take and take, and never even think about giving back; people affected by that greed deserve extra love. It's like health insurance (as I understand it, which is admittedly shakey). You pay every month and some of that money goes toward paying for other peoples' various appointments and procedures. Then, when your time comes for needing an expensive treatment, some of the other people's money goes toward paying for yours so that you don't have to. In the same way, some other people take more than they give, so I try to give more as an attempt to make up for the dearth from other people. I am unsure if I communicated that analogy clearly, but the takeaway from this brain-dump is to give more than you take. Very philosophical.

Assignment 9- Penelope Pierson- I want to UNO reverse this

I dislike serious topics. I'm a naturally lighthearted person, and I don't get serious super often, but this topic scares me. Talking about war is scary. You've put me in quite the moral problem. On one hand, there is never a point for war because there is never a need to hurt people just like you when there will always, ALWAYS be a way to solve it another way. Yet, what if I'm wrong? Is there a reason for war? If only people didn't have wrong intentions, but maybe because of my perspective, I see them as a wrong, but from their point of view, they're trying to do what's best. So, I'm stuck. Is there a correct answer to this question? I'm not sure. It's uncomfortable answering this. Is it, who every started it is wrong? For example, 9/11. These terrorists attacks were aimed at the United States, so it's ok to go to war, right? Is it not right?

Honestly, I'm not sure, so I'm going to answer your question Mr. Logsdon, with this: 

Your move.

Assignment 6- Penelope Pierson- Friendships and Hong Kong

I constantly have something on my mind. Usually unimportant things, but sometimes, just sometimes, you will find an important thought. Currently, whats been in my mind that is serious is two things: Hong Kong protests and the give and take of friendship. Though these two are completely irrelevant to each other, I take both incredibly seriously and will not hesitate to get in a heated argument about each subject.

To start, Hong Kong has been under protest every weekend since the start of the summer. I'm worried. Not only for my family who lives there but also for the protesters who are being beat and injured, hoping for independence. If I'm an American, the base root of the U.S. started from revolution and the need for independence, so I should wish the same thing for Hong Kong. China has already overstepped the boundaries that were laid out when Britain handed Hong Kong over to the Chinese in the late 1990's yet now, the police brutality that is being used on the citizens is revolting. To make it even worse, some high powers who may agree with the Hong Kongers may not be able to say anything or their business will fall due to the economic relations with China. I hate seeing how hard Hong Kongers are working for there to not be much change except for more injuries and deaths and corruption.

Secondly, friendship, a completely different topic, is also incredibly important to me. When I was in elementary school, I was an introvert. Thankfully, as I've gotten older, I'm a lot bolder, but also with more friends, I have more responsibility to maintain the friendships. Personally, I feel I work incredibly hard to maintain these relations, but I'm not always sure If I'm getting to the same treatment back. I may constantly think of my friends, give them surprise gifts, support them in whatever they do, but sometimes I never get the same treatment back. Even something as simple as a birthday text that I was eagerly awaiting because I stayed up late to make sure I was my friends very first birthday text, or hoping for someone to surprise me as I did for them. I think this is why I have the amount of friends that I do. I would by no means consider myself popular, but I do think I have a heathy amount of friendships, but I feel used, as I don't think they are actively trying to maintain these relationships as much as I am, or don't put in the same amount of effort, and I'm the only holding glue to make this work.

Phew, that was a lot. Let's get off serious topics, it's not my style. :)

Assignment 4- Penelope Pierson- Girls menstruate. Get over it.

I am almost always comfortable with myself and my body. Of course, there was a time where that wasn't true, but I can proudly say now that I am perfectly happy with what I look like, though not having acne would be nice. But, one thing that makes my blood boil is when people refrain from talking about menstruating. To be brief, it's annoying. Even more annoying than the U.S. not having colored money. If half of the population menstruates, why should it be "uncomfortable" to talk about? I remember in middle school I needed a pad, and my friend escorted me to her locker and quickly stuffed the pad into my pocket. For some reason that memory has stuck. But now, I really don't understand why some males and females get surprised when I bring up the topic. Once a month for a week I'm suffering and sometimes you got to let people know why I might at a little bit more... aggravating than usual. But, around a week ago, I found myself falling back into the old routine of asking for a pad more hushed than what was necessary. I should be loud and confident that yes, in fact, I am bleeding. And it hurts. Last year when I was in Seminar I did do my project on menstruation but while many girls thought the idea was interesting and cool, they weren't confident enough to want to talk about the subject with me, so it was to say difficult to find my partners to work with me. That was annoying. You agree with my message but you don't want to stand with me to talk about it? Interesting.

To wrap it up, yes I have a period once a month. Yes, I will talk about it. I hope at some point, if you're uneasy on the subject, that you will honestly get over it and just open your eyes that someone you know is probably on their period right now.

Welcome to reality.

Assignment 3- Penelope Pierson- Wow, Penelope is talking about Japan again, what a surprise.

Japan. You can talk to me for 0.2 seconds and you would already know how much I love Japan. I was originally born in Illinois, the complete opposite, but somehow I've grown to appreciate the smallest of things coming from Asia. I have always enjoyed learning about other people's cultures, it's just nice to know the opposite of what I've grown up with. Though, with my mothers side of the family being from Hong Kong, I guess I did have some past experience with what Asia was offering to me. I had the opportunity to visit Japan, not just have a layover in the Narita airport, and it was life-changing. It took MONTHS of persuasion to get my mom to let me go, but one fateful day, a WEEK before applications were due, my mom finally said yes while waiting to be seated at Olive Garden. From then on, my poor friends were bothered every day on me counting down when I'll be able to go to Japan. on July 19th, I left for Louisville -though I was set back when I had to head back home because I lost my debit card only to find it at the top of the trash- but once we got to Louisville, my mom and my brothers enjoyed themselves exploring caves while I was on a plane headed to LAX, and eventually Japan. To skip all the overly boring stuff and to get to the main point of this blog post, Japan was incredible. I had a feeling it may not be as good as I had always imagined it, and that I'd be disappointed, but thankfully I was incorrect. The culture, sytle, mannerisms, literally to the way I interacted with everyone I met, it exceeded my expectations. Needless to say, the moment I got home and my dad greeted me at the door, I went into a heavy depression being back home rather than my hosts family floor watching TV. The experience made me realize how much America sucked. So many people are impolite here, including myself, but also customer service is revolting in the States. I was treated with so much patience and respect in Japan as a 16 year old, while I can't go to my local Walmart's self-checkout without someone thinking I'm going to steal something.


To sum this all up because it would be a lot longer if I don't, Japan = God Tier Service. I want to go back, and I'm working on it at the moment, but also I see that America really needs to step up their service if they want me to stick around.

Assignment #7 Juliann Hyatt yeah plz don't hit me

For some reason I have yet to find out, I am terrified that I’ll upset someone and they’ll take it out on me violently. I have absolutely no clue why it scares me or where this fear came from. From what I can piece together it started after one of my concussions. It honestly doesn’t affect other people as much as it does me, because I don’t jump to defend myself or flinch very hard. I just jump at loud noises and tense up if someone bigger than me comes at me quickly. I’m fine afterwards and most of the time I just laugh it off, but even though I know that they’re my friends and that they won’t hurt me but every time, every single time I jump out of my skin. Then I have to explain myself and then I get scared that they’ll get upset because they think I don’t trust them and then it's just a spiral.

Assignment #7 Juliann Hyatt im going to UK

My ideal college is the University of Kentucky because (hopefully) I can go there for free. If I wanted to be a doctor or a lawyer or a quantum physicists or a rocket scientist then maybe I could convince myself to spring the money to go to an ivy league school, but seeing as I just want to be a cybersecurity expert I don’t see the point of being in debt for the rest of my life for an overkill degree. Plus if I got to go to UK I could possibly take an art class or something; I can hardly allow myself to get soda instead of water,  if I end up having to pay for college I couldn’t bring myself to take a class that wasn’t directly for a degree. So hopefully I can get my full ride to an instate school and maybe enjoy my education and by extension my professional life.

Assignment 2- Jasir Rahman- Evolution of My Literary Taste, for Better or Worse

Here is a list of what I can remember, although there are definitely a few others:

1.  Little Princes: One Man's Promise to Bring Home the Lost Children of Nepal by Conor Grennan

2.  Astrophysics for People in a Hurry by Neil Degrasse Tyson

3.  The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini

4.  The Shortest Way Home by Pete Buttigieg

5.  The Great Debate: A Handbook for Policy Debate and Public Forum Debate by Jonathan A. Wolfson

6.  Competitive Debate:  The Official Guide by Richard Earl Edwards

7.  How to Be a High School Superstar: A Revolutionary Plan to Get Into College by Standing Out (Without Burning Out) by Cal Newport

8.  The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas

9.  Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds

10.  Web Design- Start Here: A No-Nonsense, Jargon Free Guide to the Fundamentals of Web Design by Stefan Mischook

I also attempted to read, but just couldn't stand to do so, the classic (so they tell me), A Tree Grows in Brooklyn.  I just couldn't make it through the extensive use of adjectives and descriptions.  Perhaps I did not have enough resilience to make it through, and I may give reading it another shot.  

Upon reflection further reflection, this list demonstrates the evolution of my literary taste.  I remember the days of old when I would almost exclusively read nonfiction, fantasy, or sci-fi, as exploring those stories that exceed the bounds of our reality was what most entertained me.  I find that today I am intrigued by much more practical knowledge and the expansion of my horizons.  I will not shy away from a good story, however, and I feel this list demonstrates a mix between reading selections that are meant to aid me in my endeavors, as well as good stories grounded in reality.  I suppose I have lost my imagination.

Assignment 9: What is it good for?

Genocide in Sudan

North Korea testing nuclear weapons

Iran creating nuclear weapons

Egypt

Syria

Terrorism

Injustices and threats surround so many lives in this world. When injustices or threats progress to dangerous and harmful levels though, it seems logical for war to come into play as a way to combat the situation. . .or is it?  The conservative Christian group known as the Mennonites believes that war (violence) is never appropriate.

Is there a time for war?

If there is a time, is it morally right and just or is is it the lesser of two evils?

If there isn't a time, why not?

Are there certain times when countries have a responsibility to go to war?

Are there any alternatives? Could they be more effective or less effective?

Due Sunday, October 27 at 11:59 pm

December 8 is the last day to make up blogs 9-15

Assignment 8 - Elizabeth Moore - The one where I accidentally rambled on about my deepest insecurities :)

Annoyances- condescension (grhhhh I can’t STAND this one), shallowness, people who talk over the teacher to explain something to me when I haven’t asked for help, gossip (even though I’m guilty of it sometimes)

Accomplishments- MUN co-president, planning for Dance Blue is going really well, watching all of friends 4 times through (yes, yes very impressive and also sad), really great relationship with my parents

Confusions- teenagers (AKA I was born a 30 year old and don’t understand my generation), how to make a graph of f and f ’ and f ’’

Sorrows- forgetting to enjoy high school until literally this Friday (joined Ultimate Frisbee), horrible at interaction with other people (or at least I feel like I’m horrible at it), being really awful to my little brother for so many years when we were younger

Dreams- stacked-stone house in a field of wildflowers on a farm (like in the Holiday), big family, a cozy little attic with natural light for painting

Idiosyncrasies- I use a t-shirt folder so they’re all the same size, everything can be intentionally messy but not unintentionally messy, can’t feel comfortable in anything but a baggy sweatshirt and leggings, have to put the tips of my fingers under the ridges of the keys on my computer and the edges of my phone case (I guess it’s a mild OCD thing?)

Risks- precipice trail at Acadia, GSP app. (scared because I didn’t get into GSA and GSP has been part of the plan since I was in the 4^th grade), bungee jumping (want to do), hike entire Appalachian trail (want to do)

Beloved Possessions, Now and Then- Lion King (then), Eno, paints, sweatshirts (now)

Problems- stress, being too serious and responsible for my age (AKA I’m boring)

I live in constant fear of social rejection. If I’m hanging out with a friend or even just talking during some downtime in class and they don’t seem like they’re having fun, I die a little bit inside and feel like a boring, square person with nothing to offer in our friendship. And if I’m feeling tired or if I'm otherwise not up to giving 100% of my energy to a conversation, I feel awful about myself too. Ultimately, I think this is an issue of self-esteem but all I know in the moment - and even retrospectively – is I’m a boring person. I’m all work and no play. I’m not relatable. I’m not funny. I’m too responsible. I guess that’s why so many of my favorite people are above the age of 60. They’re not interested in any of the shallow crap that high schoolers like. They want to talk about real things, life experiences, philosophy, religion; AND they actually listen when I say something, also unlike a lot of high schoolers. Here’s the issue: I don’t want to end up an old maid. I’m terrified that I’m never going to meet someone my age that I really connect with and who will put up with me. What if I coast through life a sad, lonely human being.? I guess I’ll have to wait and see. Gosh I hate not knowing.

Assignment 7 - Elizabeth Moore - Writing this post convinced me that William and Mary is the perfect school

William and Mary is the Goldilocks of colleges. With a population of 6,377 undergraduate students, William and Mary is a relatively small and personal school and yet, there are a multitude of clubs and organizations. I’ve spent several weeks on the William and Mary campus for Model United Nations conferences over the past few years, and the ambience is the embodiment of my perception of a home. The campus, full of trees, – perfect for afternoon study sessions in my hammock – is my utopia. Furthermore, the college is located in Colonial Williamsburg, one of my favorite places in the world.

Beyond the campus, the college itself is quintessential! I plan to double-major in History and Art Studio, and in speaking with current students at William and Mary, I learned that many undergraduate students double-major and that most majors are designed to be paired with another. William and Mary’s history major in particular is well-renowned, allows students to complete original historical research, and comes with many opportunities to study abroad. History majors at William and Mary are frequently accepted to excellent law schools and become successful lawyers. As I hope to go into criminal law, this point excites me.

Outside of the classroom, William and Mary hosts hundreds of clubs with a focus on community service. Among the community service clubs the college offers, Habitat for Humanity and Campus Kitchen were particularly appealing to me. I’m also interested in the Agape Christian Fellowship, Ballroom Dance, Cycling Club, Debate Society, Hammock club, and above all, International Relations Club. I am currently preparing to attend my third William and Mary High School Model United Nations (WMHSMUN) conference, this time as the co-president of the Henry Clay High School Delegation. Model United Nations is an extremely significant part of my life and I want to continue it throughout college, hopefully as one of the college students that organizes the William and Mary high school conferences. I hope to be a committee chair and ultimately the Secretary General of WMHSMUN.

William and Mary will not only feel like a home and allow me to fulfill my career dreams, but also allow me to serve the community through charities and Model United Nations. I’ve convinced myself; it’s the perfect school!

Tahsen Hossain - Assignment 8 - Writing Territories

Writing Territories

Fears - Being helpless/useless, public or social interactions, dying

Annoyances - People expecting subtlety in conversation; blatant wastes of time

Accomplishments - My RECREATIONAL soccer team is second seed out of the THREE teams in our region; so yeah, we're kind of a BIG DEAL.
But seriously, so far I'm just glad I've survived this far into high school and I hope that I might have been some small help to a few people making it this far as well.

Confusions - Education reform; wealth distribution, democracy in general; the whole hype-culture trend; "badfilm" as a concept of cinematography; but most of all, human communication. I have so much trouble reading a room, you'd think I was illiterate.

Sorrows - In 8th grade, I had a mental breakdown and hurt one of my friends. He's ok now. We're still friends. (I've been working on it. I haven't had another since I started boxing two years ago); I regret not spending enough time with my grandmother before she died. I can't control the world so there's no point in dwelling on any pain it might bring but I can control myself.

Dreams - I don't really have any specific hopes or dreams in the long term. I just want to be able to be content with wherever life takes me. That feeling is my dream.

Idiosyncrasies - TV/film lover/critic (matter of perspective, I guess); table-top games like D&D.

Risks - Want: Skydiving. Maybe, write a novel.
Did: Went cliff diving in Florida, California, and Bangladesh; had a blast. Tried Taco Bell food; barely survived.

Beloved Possessions, Now and Then - Then: An old collection of (probably pirated) movies my uncle and dad bought in Dhaka; probably the reason why movies mean so much to me now; they were lost when we moved out of Florida.
Now: My grandmother's jewellery box; and a necklace in an M&Ms case that I received from two of my best friends for Christmas

Problems - Condescending (though I don't mean to be), pretentious, overthinking, often lacking in motivation (there are more but I don't feel like continuing the list).


It's likely that nobody to whom this applies will read this, but I would like to apologise for at times seeming as though I am condescending to anyone. It is not my intention to seem as though I am better than anyone, nor do I want to make anyone feel intellectually inferior. I would, in fact, be the first to admit that 90% of the time I am utterly oblivious to the full extent of the situation and probably wrong. However, it is my belief that being right and having not used the opportunity to act is infinitely worse than having asserted oneself on a fallacious claim, especially when one is a high school student and the claims being made don't have as high stakes as an adult when people are truly listening.

And honestly, a confident tone is a versatile tool. If one can say something with absolute confidence, the statement is granted an air of credibility on its own. It's as Aladin says, "When you got nothin', you have to act like you own everything." I think it becomes excessive when I use it as a defense mechanism. Both in and outside the academy, I am surrounded by smart people doing smart things; it's easy to subconsciously think that I am falling behind and so it becomes even easier to get defensive; all the more reason to act smart. But now I've been trying to catch myself in the act, to remind myself that it's ok for me to be wherever I am. 

So once again, to anyone that I have condescended to, I am sorry. It wasn't intentional, much less personal. Sorry.

Assignment 2- Penelope Pierson- I Didn't Like "The Teenage Brain

To be completely honest, the last book I read this year was The Teenage Brain. Though I finished the book because it was an assignment, I wouldn't say it was the most interesting. Most of the topics focused on content I had already learned form AP Psych last year, yet the rest of the filler in the book was the writer adding statistics on statistics of pointless information that reinforced the main idea of the chapter. While this may be seen as beneficial to those looking to get statistical proof as to why their teenager acts as they do, for someone like me, this information was nothing but repetitive, and the writing style bored me as I read this waiting for my brother to get out of his swim practice. Sometimes, I was even more interested in watching my brother flop into the water than stare at a book I needed to get done before my official summer started.

So, to conclude, this book was, to say the least, uninteresting, and I would not have even touched it if it wasn't an assignment.

Assignment 8- Sarah Clark- writing territories

Fears: dying, losing people I love, losing in general

Annoyances: loud people, people who copy their personalities from the internet/their friends, people who don’t know how to take a hint

Accomplishments: going undefeated all of high school tennis season, winning state in the summer league in 2018, getting 5s on my AP exams last year Confusions: how some people can be so not self-aware, why guys who are in lower math classes than you talk to you like you’re stupid

Sorrows: bullying a girl 2 years ago

Dreams: go to college and play tennis, have a positive impact on the people I know

Idiosyncrasies: I like history a lot

Risks: spent 3 weeks (my longest time away from home) in France (even though I was nowhere near fluent and had never been out of the US) with a family I hadn’t met

Beloved Possessions: Then: Legos, Now: tennis racket

Problems: being too competitive, being unnecessarily rude when I’m having a bad day, being insensitive. 

My biggest pet peeve is being talked down to. This is a pretty fresh wound, because I actually experienced it today. In Physics, we were all working in groups on whiteboards, and I was solving the problem using some basic Pre-Calculus skills. Then, a boy from my group (who shall remain nameless) all of a sudden started asking what I was doing, and why I would possibly do it. He began talking to me like I was a toddler badly in need of reprimanding, acting extremely condescending, and explaining to me the supposedly right way to solve the problem. Finally, I asked him what math class he was in, and when he replied with Pre-Calculus, I reminded him that I was in Calculus. This obviously did little to change his mind, and he still thought I was wrong (later when Mrs. Gill checked our work it turned out I was right. Surprise, surprise). 

This may all sound petty, but it's not the first time I’ve experienced this type of patronizing. Although today was particularly worse than others, one similarity stands out: every time I’ve been talked down to, it’s been from a guy. And honestly, guys like that do not deserve respect and will never get any if that’s the way they treat others.

Assignment 5- Penelope Pierson- I don't have cable.

I personally do not watch much TV because mainly I don't have cable at home. The TV is used to play the Xbox and watch DVD's on, rather than watch sports or the newest episode of the Bachelorette. But, I'm not disappointed. There are many other steaming sites such as Hulu, Netflix, and even YouTube to entertain me, so I have no reason to miss cable. On these platforms, I have a few shows I quite enjoy. The Good Place has been one of my favorites, as it focuses on the dynamic of friends going through hardships, while my all time favorite show/ franchise Boys over Flowers has maintained a place in my heart throughout the many years of new shows. This is a classic in mainly East Asian communities, going my many different names, where they have been countless remakes, all of which I have watched and enjoyed (expect for the american remake Boys before Friends which was straight garbage).  The show has been watched my me, my mom, and her mom and a numerous amount of my other east Asian friends family and is constantly referenced in many east Asian shows, showing its popularity.

To conclude, I have no cable at my house and my favorite show/ franchise is Boys over Flowers.

Assignment 7- Penelope Pierson- College is wack

I find this blog post assignment comical as college is the incorrect choice. I am not sure if I will be submitting a college application on October 15, 2020. I have no ideals except to hit the word count for this blog post. College seems to me like a complete waste of money, yet is seen now as a requirement to even get a basic, low-paying job though you will drown in student debt for the rest of your life. Unless you are pursuing a high career, some jobs simply don't need the 4-year experience that college brings to educate you. For example, religious workers have no need for a college degree when they can simply apprentice and gain the experience they need to properly work for their religious cause. Also, if you start your own business, there are plenty of books talking about how to successfully start one without having to pay 20K a year for four years just to get the same information. 

While college isn't far away, I would like to have time to think about the fun things rather than the amount of money the government can hold over my head. 

Assignment 8- Penelope Pierson- U.S. Money

Fears-small spiders

Annoyances- When I can't remember things, when the U.S. doesn't have different colored money 

Accomplishments- Going to Japan

Confusions- Why the U.S. doesn't have colored money

Colored money. If the U.S. is supposed to be one of the world largest economic powers, how come we don't have different colored money? Look at Canada: money is stylin'. Their money is not only holographic but is also multi-colored, making it simple and easy to sort and exchange money without having to think much about the singular number on the bill, but rather focusing simply on the color of the currency. Many other countries such as the U.K. and Mexico also take part in the colored money lifestyle, yet the neighboring country of the United States can't seem to get the point. Having all the bills be green, with only slight differences makes it hard to efficiently deliver money to its respective place. Also, if you were to drop a bill on the floor, you can't immediately recognize when you're dropping a $1 or a $100. Overall, the U.S. needs to get their head on straight and see the future of currency in a new colored light. 

Sorrows- That Ellen DeGeneres doesn't like her job

Dreams- Move to Japan, Host The Ellen Show

Idiosyncrasies- Loud

Risks- Going into the student faculty game for FREE illegally 

Beloved Possessions, Now and Then- Wallet, permit

Problems- My parents don't listen to me 

Assignment #4: Human Trafficking Near You- Kelly Landry

Something that challenged my beliefs is that I recently discovered that human trafficking is still a large industry in our world, our country even, today. At present, there are around 40.3 million victims of human trafficking in the world, and about 300,000 are United States citizens under the ago of 18. This was shocking for me to find out because this is an issue I think of as primarily occurring in third world countries and rarely. However, I also became aware of an organization called the International Justice Mission, a non-governmental organization with the goal of continuously decreasing the presence of human trafficking, child labor, and similar circumstances. There are several other organizations with similar ideals. Because of of this realization I am hoping to be apart of one of these organizations, with the goal of positively impact not only my own personal community, but also global culture.