Journal Entry 3: From the perspective of the "new kid"

Dear Diary,

When you’re a freshman and you enter a new high school, it’s a big deal. Imagine entering a new high school at least three times a year. I’ve never been to a school dance. I’ve never acted in a play. I’ve never tried out for a sport. I’ve never even had real friends.

We moved last week again. Eight schools in three years.

The first day is always the worst. It gets better though. Unfortunately, as soon as I get comfortable at my new school, we move. Some people like going to a new school, because it allows them to be anyone they want. I just want to fit it.

I spent an hour trying to decide what to wear this morning. At most schools, girls wear cute polo shirts and skirts. At other schools, girls wear pajamas. I decided to put on my favorite jeans and my light blue sweater. I thought I looked pretty and I felt confident in my outfit.

My mother promised this would be the last time we moved. She said that last time. “Good luck, honey. Everything will be fine, just remember to smile.” I always took her advice.

The first day school of school is always the same. You walk into school, people give you blank stares, and then, you attempt to find your first class. Along the way you will get a few smiles, and fifty people will stop and say, “Hi, what’s your name? Are you new here? Where are you from? You’ll love our school so much.” I should wear a sign that says, “Hi, my name is Tiffany, this is my first day here, and my father is in the military, so we move a lot.”

I’ve been to so many schools. I have experienced many different teachers and teaching styles. This school is definitely the most strict I’ve been to in awhile. “Tiffany, don’t think because you’re new, you don’t need a book.” How was I supposed to know that I needed a copy of The Scarlet Letter, my first day?

My day got better though. Math was my best subject, so I looked forward to it. The teacher was impressed with my work. I don’t think she knew that I learned the material two weeks ago at my old school.

I was so excited when a couple of girls invited me to sit with them at lunch. How was I going to remember all their names? The two girls with blonde hair and blue eyes were Kelsey and Lauren. The girl with the glasses was Rachel. Jessica had brown curly hair. Melissa had green eyes, or was her name Nicole?

The girl’s talked about homecoming all lunch. We never had homecoming at my old schools, or if we did I missed it. I think it’s a big football game, but I’m not sure. “I wonder who will be homecoming king and queen. I voted for Katie and Sean. Who did you vote for? My dress will be pink, what color will yours be, Tiffany?" Maybe it’s not a football game.

After school the girl’s told me all about homecoming. I was right, there would be a football game, but there was a dance too. They were on their way to soccer practice. I learned that soccer’s almost over and basketball is starting soon. They told me I should try out. I think I will. I’d never played on an organized team before, but I always play with my older brother.

Being the “new kid” wasn’t so bad this time. I might be going to my first dance, I might play a sport, and finally, I might have my first real friends.

Things were definitely going to be different, but for the first time…I didn’t mind.

Love, Tiffany

Journal Entry 2: From the perspective of a girl with anorexia

Dear Diary,

I’m so hungry! I need to eat more, but I can’t. Food is disgusting. I’ll look obese if I eat any more than I already do.

Today was a typical day, nothing out of the ordinary. I woke up, got dressed, looked in the mirror, and cried. Why can’t I be happy with who I am? My mother and sisters are thin, attractive, and confident. Why not me? After I put on my baggy jeans and sweatshirt, I ran down the stairs and out the door as fast as I could. I did not want to be tempted by the smell of cinnamon rolls baking in the oven.

School was the same as always. The popular kid’s would giggle and stare at me. Everything got better when I saw my friends though. They always gave me a warm greeting, “Oh my goodness, Meghan, you look way too skinny in those jeans.” They are always criticizing their own bodies. It feels nice when they give me a compliment.

I could barely stay awake through AP History. My eyes struggled to stay open. Right before lunch we had a Pre-Calculus test. I don’t think I did well on it. All I could focus on were the weird noises my stomach was making. I was distracting everyone in the class too. It would be silent and then it would happen. The whole class would look at me and laugh. It shouldn’t have been a problem though. Sarah kept on coughing and no one stared at her.

Lunch time. The most dreaded part of the day. Like most days, I told my friends I wanted to get my homework done in the library. They always believed me. I shouldn’t have lied to them, but I don’t want them to think I have an eating disorder.

I was always the fastest member of the cross country team. Not anymore. Now, I can barely keep up. I don’t know what’s wrong with me. I am tired, weak, lazy, and of course, hungry, all the time. I have the energy and strength of a ninety-nine year old man. This shouldn’t be happening.

I always look forward to going home after long days. I’m usually too upset to eat though. Every day, I hear people saying, “She’s lost way too much weight. She used to be cute, but not anymore.” This made me so mad, especially because my freshman year people would always say, “She’s not ugly, but she would be prettier if she lost ten pounds.” I thought maybe if I lost twenty pounds people would like me even more. I guess not.

Celebrities are praised because of the way they look. Models are definitely skinnier than I am. Every girl in a magazine is thin and gorgeous. Why can’t I look like them? One day I will.

I hate it when people stare at me like I’m from another planet. I don’t like the word anorexic either; it makes it sound like anorexia is a terrible disease. I’m not sure if my family and friends know yet. It’s been two years. I should probably get help… but not yet.

Love,
Meghan =)

Journal Entry 1: From the perspective of the worst member of a sports team

Dear Journal,

I’ve never been this frustrated before. I've always loved soccer. I use to be really good at it too. I should be good, I’ve played since I was five. I know our school has over a thousand kids in it, but I should be on the team. Being a senior, I should be the best one on the team. I was wrong, very wrong. I was lucky to be on Varsity.

What’s the point of playing if you’re the worst one on the team? Everyone keeps criticizing me and talking about me behind my back. It’s so annoying. Every time I leave the locker room I hear my teammates say, “Wow, she’s been playing since she was five. I feel so bad for her; she hasn’t gotten any better since then.” Why do some people think its okay to talk about other people behind their backs? Girls can be so mean. They should be supportive of me and encourage me to work harder. If they notice I kick the ball wrong, they should tell me. Then, I can fix it. I feel like they gave up on me, and I’m starting to give up on myself.

I never get to play in the games. Yes, I accidently scored a goal for the other team. That was one time. I promised that would never happen again. Anyways, we still won the game. I get nervous when I play because I don't want to make that mistake again. I’m so sick of sitting on the bench. I can’t take much more of it. Even worse, it’s getting really cold out. The bench feels like ice and there are only so many sweatshirts you can wear before you look ridiculous.

It’s not like I’m not trying. I need to work twice as hard as the other girls in order to prove myself to them. Our team has practiced six days a week since August. I haven’t missed a single practice, except for one because I had to go to the doctors.

Soccer takes up so much time. What about my friends? What about my family? What about school? I don’t think I’ve seen my friends, Brianna and Amanda, in 8 weeks. We used to spend so much time together, but now I have no time for them. I thought playing soccer would allow me to make more friends, but instead I lost the ones I already had. Not only have I been neglecting my friends and family, but I’m starting to neglect my school work. This isn’t like me. I have to get a good education if i want to be successful. Unfortunately, I don’t get home until late and by the time I start doing my homework, I’m exhausted.

I think I should quit. I know everyone can’t be the best, but I hate being the worst. I’m sick and tired of people disrespecting and insulting me. Soccer should be fun, not stressful. I understand the coaches want to win, I want to win too. However, I think when we’re up 7-0, I should be given a chance to play. Maybe things will get better. They can’t get much worse from here.

Good Luck,
XOXOXOX
YTalulah

Notes on being the worst member of a sports team

~Feels like your letting everyone down (teammates, coaches, parents)
~People don’t appreciate you or the effort you put in
~There are other things you could be doing with your time
~You lose confidence and feel like giving up
~You play sports to have fun, but you’re not having fun
~You don’t get to play in the games and you sit on the bench
~Coaches and teammates continue to yell or make fun of you
~People question why you play
~It feels like you are working and trying the hardest
~You practice so much, but it doesn’t matter because everyone is better than you

Letter to your future husband (6)

Dear Future Husband,

Will you always love me? That’s a silly question; I know you will, unconditionally. I haven’t met you yet, maybe tomorrow, maybe ten years, but I know you are out there. I’ve never really thought about you, but when I see you it will be love at first sight. We both won’t be perfect, but we’ll be perfect for each other. I’m going to make mistakes, but I’m going to learn from them. Love. Trust. Respect. Honesty. These values will be the foundation of our marriage, and with them we will last together forever.
It won’t take long for me to fall in love with your smile. My heart will skip a beat when I see the look in your eyes when you say, “I love you.” I’m going to get butterflies every time I’m with you. You’ll make my heart melt when you hold my hand and you whisper in my ear. It will be like the whole world stops when you talk to me. Everything will be better when I am with you. I love everything about you from the way you share your popcorn to the way you always laugh at my bad jokes. You’ll love me and accept me for who I am. You won’t care what I look like or what I have. You’ll know I love you because my eyes will sparkle and my face will light up when I see you.
You will be made for me. I want the best for you, and you want the best for me. We are going to help each other get through difficult times and show each other endless support. You will do whatever it takes to make me smile. We won’t have everything in the world, but we’ll be happy, and that’s all that matters.
Our friends and family will be extremely important to us. I know they will get along and will love each other. Your mom will treat me like I’m her own daughter. They will say we were made for each other and we look adorable together. I know we’re going to have a lot of fun together. You are never going to want to leave my side. We’re going to do so much together, and we’re going to treasure every moment. I hope you like the beach and you like to be active. You’ll be happy with who you are and won’t be afraid of what other people think of you.
We’ll bring out the best in each other. We’ll try new things and have fun sharing what we like. Of course we will love to travel, explore, and spend lots of time with our families. We will save our money and buy a wonderful home. Whether it’s big or small doesn’t matter because it will be our own castle, and yes……we will live happily ever after!

XOXO
Your future wife
Genevieve

Letter from nature to humanity (5)

Dear Humanity

Everyday you are hurting me! Over the past centuries you have made so many advancements. I am thrilled that your lives are easier and you can get things done more efficiently, however, I feel that you are taking advantage of me. At the beginning of time you used to appreciate everything I provided you with. You would thank me and were careful not to waste anything. Now, you take everything for granted and only want to benefit yourself. The population is increasing, due to our advanced technology and medicine. I think that is great, but it is creating larger cities meaning more pollution. Not only have people stopped caring for each other, but they have stopped caring for me.
I am special and unique from all the other planets. I have vast oceans, soaring mountains, deserts, and diverse plants and animals. These, unfortunately, will not last forever. Many humans take what they want from me and cannot put it back or return it to me. Through killing trees and animals you are taking something away and failing to replace. If you cut down a tree, plant a new one. You may be unaware, but every day you are releasing hazardous chemicals which make it harder and harder to breath. I have given you all I can to survive, like water, oxygen, and food. Just remember to take care of my resources, they are not going to last forever. You have been warned before, “Don’t harm the land, the sea, or the trees until we have marked the servants of our God with a seal on their foreheads.” (Revelation 7:3)
Luckily, scientists are not the only ones who are noticing these damages. Ordinary people are starting to see the risks of not taking care of me. More and more people are caring and doing all they can to save me. I appreciate it when people take notice and think about their actions. Simple things like recycling, conserving energy by turning off the lights when you leave the room, unplugging appliances, and turning off the water when you brush your teeth or wash the dishes, will make a big difference to me. It’s important not to waste water. You’d be surprised by how much water you save by limiting yours showers to fewer than five minutes. If you must drive a car, try to carpool, if possible take your bike or walk. You will be saving money, getting exercise, and keeping the air fresh and clean. Take advantage of the technology we have now, use the internet, send e-mails, use less paper and invest in appliances that use less energy.
Not everything can last forever, and that includes me. Please don’t speed up the process. This is just a warning that trouble may be ahead if you don’t change your ways. Only you can solve my problems and I want you to be aware of what you have done and how you can help. I know you do not want to contaminate me, but some people still are. I love how everyday you are putting more thought into conserving my resources. I do appreciate what you have done so far. I cannot prevent you from doing anything, but I want you to consider how you’re actions are affecting me. Next time, think about your great grandchildren. I know you do not want to see them suffer. Don’t you want them to see my natural beauty and experience the same things you have?


Good Luck,
Nature

Letter from a mother to her unborn baby (4)

Dear Baby,

Wherever you go, whatever you do,
I will always be there for you
In just a few weeks you will be due
And our family will be brand new
I’m so excited I can hardly wait
Please be on time and don’t be late
I can’t wait to hold you close to me
Never forget to be the best you can be
Just thinking about you makes me smile
I dreamed of you from the day I walked down the aisle
I start each day singing a song
I think about you all day long
Everything you do fills my heart with joy,
Just know, you will always be my little boy
You will be shown endless care and affection
We want to lead you only in the right direction
Follow your dreams, keep your head up high
Never give up, give everything a try
When I see you, my eyes will have tears of delight
My prayers will be answered every night
I know my life will never be the same
I hope yours is filled with fortune and fame
I will always be there cheering you on
I’ll dream about you from dusk until dawn
You don’t always have to be the best
I will always be impressed
I will show you nothing but love
You are my little angel from up above

Love,
Your new mommy Y

Letter to yourself from yourself ten years ago (3)

Dear Genevieve,

I can’t wait to see myself in ten years!!!!! I bet I look the same. Do I look the same? I hope so. I can’t really spell, so mom’s helping me. How are Juliette and T.J.? Does T.J. play baseball? Is Juliette doing cheerleading? Are you both still doing ballet? We just got home from ballet. I really like it. It’s fun. Are you still friends with Stephanie and Allyson? There really nice. We promised to be best friends forever. Did you ever get a puppy?!?!?! I want one so bad! I know I could take care of it real good. It would be so fun to play with. Mommy and Daddy said we’re moving soon. I don’t want to move though, I like living in Westford. We have a big yard. We’re going to Waltham. I don’t know where that is, but I think it’s really really really far. Me and Juliette are going to a new school. It’s catholic. That means we wear uniforms. I think it’s the same school my friend Kristin goes to. T.J. is going to start preschool soon too. Oh my goodness I almost forgot! Can you drive yet?! That would be soooooo awesome! You could go like anywhere you wanted all by yourself! I don’t know how much has changed in ten years. It seems like a really long time from now. I think you’ll still like some of the same things. I can’t imagine not loving pizza, ice cream, and princess movies.

XOXOXOXOOXOXOXOXO

Love, Me =)

Letter from your pet to you (2)

Dear Gen,
You’re the best owner a dog could ever ask for! You probably wouldn’t expect a letter from me, but I thought it would be a great way to tell you how I feel. This is probably the only time you’ll get a letter from me, so I hope you like it.
I love all you do for me. You give me treats, you take me for long walks, and you give me baths. When I’m crying at my food bowl or at the door and it seems like no one hears me, you always come. I’m sorry when I annoy you though. I don’t mean to. When I bark really loud when you’re sleeping it’s because I want to protect you. When I beg for food at your feet it’s because I’m hungry. How would you like eating the same food for breakfast and dinner? When I cry next to your bed early in the morning it’s because I’m so excited to see you. I can’t wait to start my day with you. I get lonely when you are at school. I miss you, and there is no one to play with.
I love summer because that’s when I get to see you the most. You take me to the beach, even though I’m not allowed. I was scared when we got yelled at, but we just kept on walking. I’m sorry for going into the bushes and giving you poison ivy. That won’t happen ever again. I promise. It’s almost winter. I like winter too. Our house always gets very cold, which means more cuddling. Even though I’m little, I’ll try to keep you nice and warm. I like the white blanket the best because it’s the softest.
I hope you’re having chicken for dinner tonight. It’s my favorite and mom gives me your leftovers. I get so excited! If you have rice though, please don’t drop any. Sometimes it falls on my head and gets stuck in my fur.
I like it when you laugh at me. Do you like it when I prance, when I play with my toys, or when I slide across the hard wood floor? I like seeing you happy, because when you’re happy, I’m happy too. You share everything with me. I’m so good at keeping secretes. I never know what you’re saying, but I like listening to you. I’ll always be there for you and I’ll agree with everything you say. When you come home and it seems like everyone is mad at you, I’ll still be there wagging my tail. I will always love you the same no matter what you do. I wish I could say more, but I think I hear the fridge opening so I have to go.
Love, Brady
P.S.
I love wearing my Tom Brady jersey, but please don’t make me wear boots and the coat with the fur hood this winter.

Letter Thanking a Coach (1)

Dear Mr. Shiner,

You always believed in us. You never gave up on us, even when we could barely win a game. Thank you so much for your hard work and dedication. It takes a lot of patience to put up with twenty teenage girls. We appreciate all the time and effort you put in to make our team better. We would not be successful if you were not there to encourage and motivate us. You continually remind us that the score does not matter, as long as we do our best. When we feel like giving up, you always push us to work harder.

At the time, running an extra lap or doing an extra 20 sit-ups may seem like a challenge, but you never make us do something we are not capable of. We should be thankful we ran to practie and will be rewarded in the end. You do everything with us, and are constantly cheering us on. We may not be the best team, but we are always trying. Even though we make mistakes, we are playing our hearts out. Mistakes are a good thing because we are able to learn and grow from them.

You have taught us to always be determined, and we can do anything we put our minds to. If we want something bad enough, and are willing to work for it, we can achieve it. You have taught us more than just soccer. You have taught us the value of teamwork, how to win and lose graciously, the importance of commitment, and good sportsmanship. We must always play “pretty soccer.” You also taught us to always believe in yourself. Don’t give up if you shoot and miss. There will be plenty more opportunities to succeed.

I always look forward to going to soccer practice because I know it will be fun. We always have a good time, even when we complain. We love and appreciate hearing your songs at community gathering. You always put so much creativity and thought into them. Your crazy promises like wearing a bow if we beat Pope John and getting a tattoo if we make it to states, make me laugh. Our team has come a long way in the past three years. The first day of practice we all had hopes of making the state tournament. With your leadership and guidance, we did it, we’re going to states!

Thanks for everything,
Genevieve

Forgiveness

Dear Gen,

Mom and Dad always taught us that the most important things in life are family and faith. Without these we have nothing. “A sister is an extension of yourself, without, you are not complete.” Sometimes I take you for granted. I know you’ll always be there for me, and I’ll always be there for you.

Once in a while, we both forget this though. I know you don’t mean what you say most of the time, but when you scream at me for pulling your hair too tight, or you yell at me for wearing your skirt, it hurts . If I take a pair of shoes or a skirt that is “yours,” take it as a compliment, because I want to look as good as you. If I pull your hair too tight, it is because I want you to look perfect. It hurts my feelings when you scream at me. I forgive you though, because I know you don’t mean what you say. You always do this when you are frustrated with something else. Right after you yell at me, you apologize, and I will always forgive you.

Sometimes I think we get in fights because we are too much of the same person. We both have our mother’s eyes and our father’s Irish temper. We hate to be wrong and always think we’re right. When you give me dirty looks or you yell at me I find it insulting. I don’t want you to be mad if I ever correct or criticize you. Being the oldest, I know what you and T.J. are capable of. I love watching your games and I love seeing you do well. I want you to work as hard as you can because I know you will be successful.

Do you remember when we were little and we were getting ready to go to swimming lessons? You shut the front door on your toe and screamed at me for it. Gen, I promise, I did not want there to be blood all over the floor and to see you cry. I wasn’t even there; I was waiting for you in the car. Do you remember those times when we would be doing something we knew we weren’t suppose to, like jumping on our beds, and as soon as mom or dad walked in you would immediately point your finger at me and say, “It was all her idea, I swear!” Looking back I laugh at those times, I forgive you. We were always taught that if we make a mistake it is okay, as long as we learn from it. I know you have learned from all the little mistakes you made.

We have so many memories that I’ll treasure forever. Everything from making pancakes early on Saturday mornings to singing and dancing for everyone. We share each other’s joys and sorrows. We laugh, we cry, and we argue together. We’ve driven everyone in the house crazy with our fights, but that won’t happen again. Our arguments always end in laughter. You try so hard to be right, but you always end up saying something that has nothing to do with the argument. A little laughter definitely solves everything.

If you are mad or upset, I want you to tell me why, and I can help you. Don’t immediately accuse me, or say that I don’t care or wouldn’t understand. We always finish each other’s sentences, and I’ve known you for your whole life. What makes you think I wouldn’t understand? “A friend is someone who knows the song in your heart and can sing it back to you when you have forgotten the words.”

I can’t imagine not having a sister. When it seems like the world doesn’t understand, you always do. Two more things mom and dad always taught us were to never go to bed angry and everyday is a new day. One of the things I like best about us, is our ability to forgive each other. We never dwell on the past, we like to move on. I could never be mad at you; I love you and always will. Gen, always remember we are sisters first, but friends forever.

XOXOXO
Love, Juliette

Endings to my Intros

1.) I guess there are some things in life I will never understand.
You learn something new every day. There are a lot of things in life that don’t make sense to me and probably never will. For example, I don’t understand why material goods are so important to people, why people do things that are illegal, or how people can fall in and out of love so easily. One thing that will never make sense to me is why people put others down just to make themselves feel better. Hopefully, people forget and move on when someone insults them. However, this is not always the case.


2.) Things like that don’t usually happen to people like me.
When, I saw my mother’s eyes filled with tears, I knew something was wrong. We lost a classmate when we were only in second grade. It is hard to say goodbye to your friend especially someone your age when you are only eight. He had a brain tumor. At the time I was confused and didn’t really understand what was happening. Not until several years later did it affect me. He used to say, “I can’t wait until tomorrow because it is a new day.” We wore bracelets as a reminder that every day is a gift and life is precious.


3.) Why are some people perfect at everything they do?
I know nobody is perfect, but some people are pretty close. Being the middle child in my family, I have always been compared to my older sister, Juliette, and my younger brother T.J. They are intelligent, sweet, friendly, athletic, and outgoing. I always hear, “Gen, why do you have to be so difficult? It seems like everything just comes easy to them. It can be frustrating, but I have worked so much harder in life because of them.


4.) I can’t believe she just did that! Slamming the door on my face, after all I did for her.
I went to school with her since I was six. We use to be friends. Something changed though. I’m not sure when or what happened, but things were different. I played soccer with her and I helped her with her school work. I even helped her get into the high school she wanted. This didn’t matter anymore. She thought I was a terrible person who didn’t have anything better to do with my time then to insult her. When I attempted to apologize, “I’m so sorry for the misunderstanding, I hope….” I heard a slam, and she never let me finish. I’ve seen her since then, but things will never be the same between us.


5.)“We did it!” No one thought we were good enough. It only took three minutes to prove them wrong.
Many people would argue that cheerleading is easy and anyone can do it. That is not true. Our cheerleading team practiced for four months two hours every night. Our coaches would scream every practice to smile more, jump higher, sharper motions, and cheer louder. We cheered for every football game, but the competitions were what we looked forward to. It was a chance to show everyone what we could do. We have all been kicked in the face, fallen on our heads, and cheered until we were blue in the face. Our hard work paid off, when I heard everyone scream, “We did it!” We were national champions.

Finishing Intros

(1) "Zzzzzzz." My cell phone was vibrating in my pocket. I took it out at once since I was waiting for her message for so long. I was eager and timid to read it, because i did not want to see anything I did not expect to know. However, the screen showed three words which pushed me into the darkness, "I am sorry..." All the rumors were true. I thought she was my best friend. Our friendship used to be based on honesty, loyalty, and trust, but she lied to me. It was as if she went against everything our friendship stood for. Maybe I should forgive her, but I don’t think I can. I know everyone makes mistakes, but is it okay for your best friend to stab you in the back on purpose? I don’t think so.


(2) She lowered her head, the tears dropped silently, no cry, but just lament.
She was the strongest person I knew. She could handle anything. Why was she so sad? She didn't say anything, but I knew what happened. Her eyes told me everything.

(3) Turn off the light, open the window, set the ipod to the largest volume, I sat on the windowsill and was intoxicated in the peaceful and deadly silent night. It doesn't take a lot to make me happy. I had everything I ever wanted. It was one of those days that starts out awful and ends up better than you can imagine. When you think things can’t get any worse, your luck starts to change. I realized I could be anywhere in the world and still be happy. All I need are the people I love. With my favorite song playing, I felt a cool breeze on my face as I counted the stars thinking about my day. I couldn’t ask for anything more.


(4) "Next!" I stood up suddenly, rubed my hand with my pant to get rid of my sweat, pretending also to get rid of my nervousness. I waited for what seemed like an eternity. This was my chance to shine. I looked around and saw nothing but blank stares. I opened my mouth to sing, but nothing came out. Why did I have to be so nervous? I practiced for hours. I then saw my mother’s face smiling at me. Everything was going to be all right.

(5) "Fine, I do not care!" I yelled at him, turned around, walked away and left him at that spot. However, my tears rushed out at the right moment I turned around. He was overwhelmed by the guilt of remorse; “I am sorry…” his voice was so low that I could hardly hear it. I didn't think three little words could make me cry. Was I not good enough for him anymore? We were perfect together, what went wrong? He meant everything to me, but I meant nothing to him. That was the first time my heart was broken. My world crashed and shattered into tiny pieces. Nothing would be the same ever again.

Cliff Hangers

I guess there are some things in life I will never understand.

Things like that don’t usually happen to people like me.

Why are some people perfect at everything they do?

I can’t believe she just did that! Slamming the door on my face, after all I did for her.

“We did it!” No one thought we were good enough. It only took three minutes to prove them wrong.

Unflattering Aspects

My freshman year after soccer was over I was excited to play basketball. I had played before, so I was put on the varsity team. Our coach is very loud and likes to yell. I didn’t think this would bother me so much, because I’ve played several sports before and I had many coaches who yelled. However, being a freshmen and new to the team, his approach was difficult to deal with. Being screamed at for two hours a day, six days a week, lowered my self-esteem and stressed me out.
Immediately after basketball practice my sister, Juliette, and I would rush to dance class for two and a half hours. Basketball practice always ended late and as a result we were always late to dance. Once we got there we would be yelled at, again, for being late. As I jumped into class, I would be way behind everyone else and have no idea what I was doing. We would then get home close to 9:00. Being exhausted and hungry, we would still have to do all our homework. I was so stressed I always took my frustration out on others. Even though I was annoyed, I tried to act like everything was fine. I said so many things I shouldn’t have, but at the time I didn’t care. Juliette had the same responsibilities as I did, and she was able to stay calm and happy.
I was so tired, I had a hard time focusing at practice the next day. I did not want to be there, and it showed through my negative attitude. Being negative, I got yelled at even more and sat on the bench. I wanted to play more, but it didn’t bother me that much because I was only a freshman, I made a lot of mistakes, and I was always confused.
The next year, I figured basketball would be a lot better because I was a sophomore and I knew what to expect. The coach continued to scream and I got just as annoyed as I did the year before. (I have since learned that not all coaches give positive reinforcement and I have to deal with that.) Whenever I got yelled at, I would just give up and act like I didn’t care anymore. I lost all confidence and as a result I never played in the games. I was intimidated by everyone, and I feared that if I did something wrong I would be looked down upon by the coach and my teammates. I would be yelled at if I shot and I would be yelled at if I didn’t shoot. My lack of confidence eventually resulted in not playing at all and getting demoted to the JV team. I had more fun and confidence in the JV games, but I felt like I was not good enough. The coach told me not to think of it as a demotion, but it still felt that way. My lack of confidence made me feel insecure and pessimistic. I complained the whole practice and gave up way too easily. I now understand that criticism is not to be taken personally, but is there to learn from.

Me Talk Pretty One Day

How did Sedaris take a potentially boring experience, auditing a beginner’s language class, and turn it into a humorous essay? An interviewer once wrote that Sedaris’s signature is “deadpan” humor. What is dead pan humor? Identify- and characterize the effectiveness of examples of it in “me Talk pretty one day.”

Sedaris turned a boring experience into something the reader can relate to. Many people have gone through similar experiences in which they have been extremely confused and frustrated. Being in a beginner’s language class, Sedaris should not have been so confused. He was able to turn his frustration into a humorous event. Not only does he point out his flaws, he shares his classmate’s flaws. The reader will often take pleasure in the misfortune of others.
Deadpan humor is when someone says something funny without meaning to be funny. They do not change their tone or expression. They simply tell things straightforwardly and as they are. Deadpan humor is similar to dry humor.
We get a sense of this humor when he repeats what the teacher’s announcements were. Instead of just telling us that he could only understand half of what the teacher says, he uses a quote to show exactly what her voice sounded like, “If you have not meimslsxp or lgpdmurct by this time, then you should not be in this room.” Another example of deadpan humor is when Sedaris justifies himself after making a mistake in class. Many people already know learning a new language can be difficult, but Sedaris provides examples on why it is challenging. He uses humor to get his message across, “Why refer to Lady Crack Pipe or Good Sir Dishrag when these things could never live up to all that their sex implied?”

Describe how Sedaris reveals parts of himself throughout the story. By the end we know a fair amount about the speaker, how do we gain this knowledge?

Sedaris slowly reveals parts of himself throughout the story. He uses events and other’s actions to reveal information about himself. He starts off by giving background information about himself such as his age and the reason for moving to Paris. Being in the same situation as others, Sedaris often compares himself, “As an added discomfort, they were all young, attractive, and well dressed, causing me to feel not unlike Pa Kettle trapped backstage after a fashion show.” Sedaris used the context of the story to show his likes and dislikes. Instead of just stating the questions his teacher asked, he gives his exact response. Sedaris also shares how he felt emotionally in his class, “Call me sensitive, but I couldn’t help but take it personally.” When the speaker concludes with what he learned from the class, we know he is hopefully and gained confidence in his abilities. However, his last sentence, “I know the thing that you speak exact now. Talk me more, you, plus, please, plus.” shows that he is still not perfect and always learning.

Being Impatient

Whenever I get annoyed or irritated my mother always tells me that patience is a virtue. I never understood what this meant until recently. I was always too concerned with my own needs, and I put myself ahead of others. I am always in a rush and I hate to waste time. I am extremely impatient. I never thought this was a bad thing, until I realized that through always being in a rush you miss out on the simple pleasures in life. Good things come to those who wait.

Every summer my family spends the months of July and August at our family’s beach cottage in Gloucester. It is always fun, but sometimes it can be hard living with two dogs and twelve other people (sometimes more.) Everyone will be ready to go to the beach, except for that one person. I never understood why it took them so long to get ready, especially since they woke up two hours before me. I know there are some things you cannot control like when high tide is. It is always frustrating though, when everyone is eager to jump off the rocks, but you can only do so at high tide. Even though it can be annoying, I know that tomorrow is another day and will bring new opportunities. On rainy days our family always plays old board games and watches movies. My cousins and I always get frustrated when we play Scrabble with our grandmother. We can never understand why it takes her twice as long as us to spell a simple word. Even though it was annoying, we were spending precious time with our grandmother.

It is always interesting to watch so many people in one house get ready to go out. For example, whenever we go to church in the morning, you have to wait an hour just to get into the bathroom. When we go out to dinner you have to wait forever just to take a shower. Once you get to the restaurant, the food always takes a long time to get ready, since there are so many of us. All you want is your food and it seems like something small to get upset over.

Summers are filled with the best family memories. I realized that by being impatient with others, I was missing out on the fun things that happened. Even though driving around for two hours looking for a place to park seemed like wasted time, it was time spent with family. If I am irritable and grouchy and always in a rush I can never enjoy myself. It is important not to take for granted what is in front of you. When I rush others, I am annoying them and I am indicating that my needs are more important than theirs. I regret all those times where I made them hurry. Wasting energy through complaining got me nowhere. I know I need to relax, stay calm, and go with the flow. There is no use rushing things, everything will turn out alright. My grandmother always says “this too shall pass,” and the next day is always better.

Shooting an Elephant

1.) How is this a story about two disparate major themes? How are these themes intertwined?

A British police officer in Moulmein in Lower Burma, expresses how easy it is to give into peer pressure and his dislike of imperialism in “Shooting an Elephant.” Through being an officer, he is required to support the oppressive imperial power. This is unfortunate for him because he is strongly against it, “I had already made up my mind that imperialism was an evil thing... I was all for the Burmese and all against their oppressors, the British." In attempt to gain respect from the Burmese he is pressured into doing what they want him to, "I could feel their two thousand wills pressing me forward, irresistibly."
These themes are intertwined when a problem arises. The officer must decide whether or not to kill an elephant. The law required all unruly elephants to be shot; however, this elephant was tamed and actually very calm. The officer knew he should not have shot it, but he felt pressure from the crowd to kill it. Through killing the elephant he was hoping to avoid looking like a fool and meet the people from Burma’s expectations.
By giving into peer pressure, the police officer was unable to make his own choices. Without imperialism the officer would not have been in the position to shoot the elephant. By doing what the people wanted, the officer hoped it would demonstrate his concern for them. Killing the elephant showed the officer’s hatred of imperialism and how bad he wanted respect from the Burmese.

2.) What tactics does Orwell employ when revealing unflattering aspects of himself?

Orwell reveals the unflattering aspects of himself through describing the moral process he went through before making his decisions. He committed several of his actions knowing they were wrong. All he wanted was to be respected and admired for his actions. No one should ever worry about what others think about them, because it will change who you are, “He wears a mask, and his face grows to fit it.” Orwell concludes with stating, “I often wondered whether any of the others grasped that I had done it solely to avoid looking a fool.” Through acknowledging his mistakes and explaing his choices, Orwell was able to reveal the unflattering aspects of himself.

10 Easy Lessons to Being Popular

10 Easy Lessons to Being Popular

1.) Most importantly be yourself! Do not try to be someone you are not just to impress others. Nobody likes a person who is “fake”

2.) Be outgoing and confident in yourself. Do not be afraid to try something new. Always be comfortable with who you are and do whatever makes you happy.

3.) Dress nicely and appropriately, but try to look beautiful without looking like you tried too hard.

4.) Get involved with clubs, sports, and other activities. Work hard and try to excel at them. Once you accomplish this, try to share your talents with others.

5.) Make sure to always smile and have a positive attitude. Be friendly to everyone you meet. Give compliments when they are true and do not be afraid to talk to new people.

6.) Never judge or talk about someone behind their back. Do not act like you are better then someone, because you are not. Always remember if you don't have anything nice to say, don’t say it at all.

7.) Study and work hard in school. You want to get a good education so you can go to college and be successful in the future.

8.) Have a good sense of humor and try to make the people around you feel good. If you like to have fun and you are energetic and enthusiastic people will want to be with you.

9.) Stay close with you true friends. They will always be there to support and encourage you.

10.) Do not try to be popular. If someone does not like you for who you are then they are not worth you time. You do not have to be best friends with everyone, but you have to respect everyone.

School Uniforms

Wouldn’t it be nice to get up in the morning and not have to worry about what you are going to wear that day? Should friendships be based on what brand of clothes people wear, or loyalty, trust, and respect? School uniforms can easily solve the little problems we face every day. The benefits of school uniforms are endless; you simply cannot go wrong with wearing a uniform. Having worn a school uniform my whole life, I believe students should not be given the option to wear whatever they want to school. Uniforms create equality, they save families money, they save students time, and they prepare students for the future.
The greatest benefit of a uniform is its ability to create a sense of unity and impartiality in a community. Through wearing a uniform, students do not have the pressures of wearing designer clothes or items they cannot afford. When all students are dressed the same, they are less likely to be judge or criticized by their classmates and teachers. Uniforms serve as a way to bring people together. Although there will always be cliques in high schools, uniforms do an excellent job of helping to eliminate them. Students are more likely to get to know their classmates better when they wear uniforms.
A popular concern parents have about uniforms is that they are too expensive and they are not able to afford them. This however, is definitely not true. An average girl at Trinity Catholic High School in Newton, Massachusetts will spend approximately $236 on her uniform, whereas the average boy will only spend about $216 on his uniform. From JB Edwards, a uniform skirt only costs $38 and a pair of pants for the boys only costs $30. Both prices are lower than a pair of jeans would cost. According to a recent poll from The Washington Post, the average American will spend $540, on back to school clothes and shoes. Unlike certain pairs of jeans and shirts, uniforms are easy to wash and never go out of style. Uniforms are great for families. Especially, since uniforms rarely change, one sibling can pass their uniform down to the next sibling. This reduces stress in families because it allows them to save money, and put it to better use.
High School can be a demanding time for many people. One thing everyone should not have to worry about is what they are wearing. By spending too much time shopping for new clothes or debating about what to wear in the morning, students are wasting time in which they could be studying or sleeping. Once in school, students will spend their time looking around the classroom to see what each other is wearing, instead of paying attention to the teacher. This causes low self-esteem issues and people feeling pressure to fit in. School is not a fashion show; it is a place to get an education.
The goal of most schools is to give their students an education that will prepare them for the future. Through enforcing a dress code, schools are getting their students ready for the real world. Many professions require workers to wear a uniform. Therefore, schools want students to be aware that they will not always be able to wear what they want. Children who wear school uniforms always look presentable and are well-behaved. Studies show that students in uniforms actually perform better on exams than students without a dress code.
A common complaint about uniforms is that they are uncomfortable and unflattering. However, if a student is wearing the same thing they would wear to bed, they are not going to be able to focus. A student is only expected to wear it for six hours a day, five days a week; they should be able to handle it. Children are more appreciative of getting new clothes when they wear a uniform. When students are dressed up they will often feel the need to perform better. When you wear a uniform you are representing your school. Many people will show you more respect, then they would someone not in a uniform. A dress code is a form of discipline and teaches students obedience and control.
It is argued that students express themselves through what they wear. However, if a student is being judged, they will usually just wear what everyone else is wearing in order to fit in. Children should not need to express themselves through their clothing in school. They can express themselves on the weekends, after school, and in the summer. In many cases, the way students express themselves is distracting towards the other students. What makes a person special and unique is their personality, not their clothing.
Our society has created an environment in which people feel pressured to wear the latest trends. Unfortunately, not everyone can afford these expensive items, and as a result children are teased, insulted, or excluded by their classmates. Not only do school uniforms prevent bullying, but they also save time, which is extremely valuable. Uniforms do not make it hard for people to express themselves; they allow people to show their creativity in different ways. When everyone is dressed the same, the people with the most confidence, poise, and elegance stand out, not the ones with the most money. Others are going to admire and respect them because of the way they present themselves, and not by what they are wearing.

Self-Esteem

Having a good self-esteem is not something you can teach a person. Self-esteem is simply when a person has pride and respect for themselves. People with self-esteem have probably been blessed with many opportunities and chances to succeed. They have been rewarded, admired, and given compliments their whole lives.
Self-esteem is often mistaken for self-confidence. Excessive self-confidence makes a person appear cocky or conceited. Those who have self-esteem will often feel good about themselves and have an easier time dealing with challenges. Those people are often pleased with themselves, and do not let the opinions or commits of others affect them. However, people with low self-esteems are usually intimidated and give up easily. Although Lauren Slater points out that people with low self-esteems do fine in life, “In fact they may do better, because they often try harder” is not always the case. If a person thinks negatively of themselves, they will be unwilling to try something new because they fear rejection or they fear meeting others expectations.
Even if self-esteem is overrated or too few people know how to be humble, self esteem allows people to reach their full potential. People who have respect for themselves will be willing to try new things and be optimistic. Having a high self-esteem is a positive attribute of a person, especially because many people are often put down and told they will never be good enough. Everyone should work towards self-esteem because in the end it will provide us with happiness and a great sense of accomplishment.