Crime is Pride

Think: all men make mistake

But a good man yields when he

Knows his course is wrong,

And repairs the evil: The only

Crime is pride.

In this quote by Teiresias in Antigone, she shares her belief on wrong doings. She states that all men make mistakes but a good man knows to own up to his mistake and that the only evil is pride. I agree with statement by Teiresias because I believe all men are good except those who believe they are above others.

In modern society we are faced with a wide range of crimes and punishments. In the ghettos of major cities children are taught at a young age the violence is the answer. Gangs run the streets by placing fear in the neighborhoods. In the quote, “all men make mistake but a good man yields when he knows is course is wrong” Teiresias shares her belief, which I also agree with. Crime is done through desperation or not knowing any better. Young boys join gangs because they give them food and clothes. People steel because they don't have any other way to feed themselves. I believe that all men are good, even the ones the commit minor crimes.

One the other end of the social ladder are those that believe they are better than others because of achievements, money, family status, etc. They have too much pride. “The only Crime is pride” speaks to the core of America's upper class. While this isn't true for all, some believe they rule the world because they are of a higher status. I agree with what Teiresias said that the only crime is pride. Being pride-filled is just as bad as committing a crime except the difference is inside the man. A man with too much pride chooses to believe he is better.

Teiresias's wise words can be applied to modern society. Overall, I agree with the statement and that a good man is measured by who they own up to their mistakes. The only crime a man can make is to believe he is better than others. (415)

Movies

We all love movies. Young, old, skinny or fat. The great thing about this day in age there are so many different options and genres to pick from. There are the main categories like romance, action or comedy but also more specific genres like children's, sports and scary movies. Everyone has different taste and its always hard to pick a favorite. But there are also certain movies in which almost everyone enjoys and can relate with. There are the timeless classics, the ones that our parents watch, we watch and our children will watch. For example, Forest Gump is just one of those movies that everyone has to see before they die. So I'm creating my own genre here called, “Must Sees.” Here the a few examples of the movies in my category.

The Harry Potter Series- Wizards, witches, magic and more. This series is based off books written by JK Rowling and follows a young wizard that grows up without knowing about his magical gifts. He goes to a boarding school, Hogwarts, and meets some amazing friends. They spend seven years at school while fighting many mystical creatures and their main fight is the Dark Lord, or Lord Voldemort. The series is split into eight movies, the last book was made into two movies. They are great because everyone kind of person will enjoy it. Considering some of the movies are a little scary for younger kids, they will still fall in love with the story and the characters. Harry Potter is must, must see!

The Titanic- It was sad, oh it was sad, it was sad when that great ship went down to the bottom the... Everyone knows the story. A ship called the Titanic set sail and was known as the ship that would never sink but it did. Tragically, a thousand people were killed when it sank. This movie depicts the events leading to the sinking of that great ship. It follows the story of a young women and her secret relationship with another man on the ship. This movie was one of the highest grossing movies in history. What makes this movie so great is that its not only a great love story, it tells the story of a major event in history. To this day, its still considered one of the greatest movies made.

Elf- This movie is one of those cheesy, yet hilarious, Christmas movies. Its one of those that you watch Christmas day and that everyone enjoys. It is about an elf from the North Pole and he goes to New York City to find is biological Dad. The twist is he actually isn't an elf. He is a full grown man, raised by elves. In the movie, its his first time in the real world. Its hilarious, totally hilarious. All ages will love this movie. I watched it with my 80 year old grandparents and I have never seen them laugh so hard. Watch Elf, you won't be disappointed. (407)

Fifty Shades of Grey

Fifty Shades of Grey is a very odd novel. It follows a girl named Anastasia as she meets a new, mysterious man. She finds this man, Christian, attractive and for some reason she just can't stay away from him. Once their relationship progresses, she finds out that there is a very dark side to Christian. He believes in BDSM which stands for bandage, discipline, sadism, and masochism. She is torn between her love for him and his dark sexual practices

This novel is definitely something that people don't read everyday. It is very out of the box. In the beginning, Anastasia seems like a relatable girl but once the she meet Christian all I wanted to do is to yell at her to run in the other direction. This feeling a reader gets is what makes a book hard to put down, and that is exactly what happened. The novel was easy to read and the diction was mostly colloquial. It wasn't written as well as other books and some of the scenes were pretty inhumane.

I would only recommend Fifty Shades of Grey to mature teenagers and above. Parts of the book are disturbing and which is why this book should be read with caution. Overall, I would not recommend this book because it really isn't written well. There are much better books out there. (380)

The Best Part of Summer

I am a strong believer in the benefits summer camp. It is one of the best decisions a parent can make for their kids and I can't thank my parents enough for sending me away to camp because I wouldn't be the person I am today if it wasn't for it. Over the years, camp transforms from a just an average place to the place I call home. It is the place that teaches self-confidence, love, and friendship. It is an environment where people accept everyone and laugh uncontrollably. It gives children the chance to try new things while having the time of their lives'.

Because I feel in love with camp, I kept going back. I did the leadership in training program then counselor in training program. Over the years, I have spent closed to 14 weeks at camp. Those 14 weeks taught me more than all of my years in school and in sports. Now that I am to old to be a camper, I hope to be a counselor this coming summer. Being a camp counselor is more than a job, its who we are. Everyone has similar reasons to be a counselor. I want to be a role model and help kids grow and learn.

This past summer while I was in the counselor in training program, we were given a paper titled “What is a Counselor?”. It is an essay that speaks right to the meaning of camp:

“A camp counselor is a rare combination of doctor, lawyer, Indian and chief. They are an excellent child psychologist with sophomore textbooks as proof. They are an underpaid baby-sitter with neither a television nor a refrigerator.”

“You wonder if they really know how much they are worth and you realize that you can never pay them enough. Yet when they leave, they wave good-bye and say, “See ya next year!””

So its hard to put into words what camp means to those that love it but this quote pretty much sums it up:

“For a moment you will be reminded of your summer here. You will think of a child with whom an interaction deeply affected you. It will be the child you helped learn to swim, or the child who so desperately needed a friend to take care of them. And you will not be able to figure out if the true gift was the one you gave to them of yourself, or if the gift was, in fact, given to you.”

(405)

Grey's

As I was watching my favorite show, Grey's Anatomy, I remembered a tragic event. On this episode of Grey's, a shooter comes to the hospital and commits a mass murder. The shooter is upset because he believes that one of the doctors killed his wife. What really happened was that his wife was brain dead and she wasn't going to wake back up. The man files a lawsuit but loses because of medical evidence. Overcome with grief, this man sets out to the hospital to kill the doctor that “killed” his wife.

This episode aired in May of 2010, years before the tragic event in Newtown, Connecticut. While watching, Newtown was all I could think about. I usually don't cry during movies or TV shows but this episode seemed to hit close to home. It was almost unbearable to watch. Watching the terror on the character's faces and the evil in the shooter's eyes was horrible. I pictured the overwhelming fear the kids, teachers, police officers, parents, and the whole community must have felt during that horrible Friday. I can't even imagine what they went through, and are still dealing with. My heart aches for everyone who lost a loved one, or had to experience the shooting.

In Grey's Anatomy, the characters experienced post-traumatic stress disorder and survivors guilt. Some of the doctors couldn't even go back into the operating room or couldn't sleep and had night terrors. The kids at Newtown probably still feel fear when going to school, I think even the strongest person would after what they experienced. The horrible thing is that school should be a place where everyone feels safe. A place where we grow and learn, not a place filled with horrible memories. As the kids grow older, they will start to overcome the event but will probably never fully recover.

Its horrible that the country to experience the loss of children to figure out that something needs to be done. This should never happen again. The event also, in a way, opened our eyes to whats important in life. Family and community. I know my parents tell me they love me more than the used to. The country, and world, will never forget Newtown and they will always be in our prays.  (380)

Words of Love

Dear Lord, Thank you for Nicholas Sparks. Nicholas Sparks knows who to write to the heart. His books are those books that once you start, you're screwed. And by that I mean you won't be able to put the book the down until it's finished. He is the master mind behind The Notebook, Dear John, and The Last Song. His books are for the “hopeless-romantic” type. Which, lets be honest, everyone is a romantic at heart. Almost every one of his books have been made into movies and have been very successful.

Perhaps the most famous of this books is The Notebook. This is a story of two teenagers that feel in love. Then girl moved away and the boy never recovered. Of course, they meet again years later and rekindled their love for each other. TWIST, she is engaged! Many events happen but they end up spending the rest of their live's together and have children. Happily ever after! In the movie, Ryan Gosling plays the man, Noah. Ryan Gosling, I love you. So does the rest of the female population. The best line of the whole movie is when they confess their love for each other:

               "So it's not gonna be easy. It's gonna be really hard. We're gonna have to work at this every day, but I want to do that because I want you. I want all of you, forever, you and me, everyday. Will you do something for me, please? Just picture your life for me? 30 years from now, 40 years from now? What's it look like? If it's with him, go. Go! I lost you once, I think I can do it again. If I thought that's what you really wanted. But don't you take the easy way out."
So romantic!

Another great novel by Nicholas Sparks is The Last Song. This is the story of a rebellious girl who is forced to live with her Dad all summer. She meets a rich, hot guy and they fall in love. Much more happens but I don't want to spoil it!

Overall, Nicholas Sparks books are great reads for anyone. Well maybe not anyone, but if you're a guy go for it. I promise, you won't be disappointed. Warning: don't start reading unless you have all day to finish! Happy reading.  (409)

Hockey>Tennis

The best athletes are those that play multiple sports but most have one they are most passionate about. I get the joy of spending the spring playing tennis and I'm going to be honest; I hate it. I keep playing every year because I don't want to be a one sport athlete.

There are many reasons I like hockey more than tennis. First off, tennis is so boring. Really, really, really, boring. At times it will be exciting but you just hit the ball back and fourth for an hour straight. That's not much fun! Hockey on the other hand is fast-paced, exciting, and action packed. Tennis is more fun to watch, especially if the match is close. I almost enjoy not playing varsity singles because I get the chance to watch the other girls play.

Another reason I like hockey more is because it is a team sport. Yes, I know you compete on a tennis “team” but let's be honest it really isn't a team sport. Doubles is somewhat team-like but only with one other person. Hockey on the other hand is 15 girls competing together as one. We have each others' back as we go into battle. In hockey there is six players on the ice together. In tennis there is one person. You are on your own.

Also, hockey is played indoors so there isn't the weather aspect. This year has been unusually cold so we've had many meets in 40 degree weather which is not enjoyable. What is even worst is when it starts to rain in the middle of a meet and then you slip and slide all of the court.

I wish I enjoyed playing tennis, I really do but its just not who I am. I am a hockey player and always will be. It's in my blood, I was born to do it. I am competitive, passionate, and I always give 110%. I'm going to be so happy when the season is over and I can go back to playing what I love most: hockey. (393)

It Will Say

1 Forrest once said:

2 “Life is like a box of chocolates,

3 You never know what you're gunna get.”

4 But you do know what you're going to get

5 If you take the time to glimpse at the heart-shaped box and

6 Read the fine print.

7 The answers are all there.

8 It will say if a piece is bitter.

9 It will say if a piece is sweet.

10 It will say if a piece is crunchy.

11 It will say it all there.

12 So take a moment to read before you make a decision.

13 And you will discover that

14 All of Life's secrets are printed in view.

15 Life doesn't have to be big mystery.

16 It is simple.

17 Simple as a row of perfectly assorted chocolates.

Lines 1-18 is an analogy. An analogy is an extended metaphor which describes the whole meaning of my poem. I am comparing two unlike things: a box chocolates and life. The box of chocolates represents various life events and that you can't predict what will happen. I argue if you are patient and read what is right in front of you then life won't be a surprise.

Lines 1-3 is an allusion. The quote chose was said by Forrest Gump in the movie Forrest Gump. This movie is an all time classic and is based off an award winning book. I refereed to Forrest because I felt it made a strong statement in my poem. His quote is so simple yet has a great meaning which is challenged in my poem.

Line 10 is an onomatopoeia. I use the adjective “crunchy” to describe chocolate. I feel this brings the example in my poem to life because it adds one of the senses.

Line 2 is a simile. “Life is like a box of chocolates” compares life and chocolates using “like”. This simile is the main theme to my poem and has a strong message based of the comparison.

Line 8-11 is an anaphora. “It will say” is repeated at the beginning of each line (clause). This adds rhythm to my poem and emphases the different kinds of chocolate in a box.

Line 17 is imagery. “A row of perfectly assorted chocolates” creates a mental picture of a typical box of fancy chocolates. I end my poem with this because it ties into the beginning quote and wraps up the idea of life being fairly simple.

Lines 1-18 is symbolism. My whole poem uses symbolism because the events of life are like different chocolates in a box. Line 8-11 symbolize different life events. For example, life events can be sweet (happy) or bitter (upsetting).

Bitter Sweet

This is the move from hell. Straight from hell. We are selling our house that we have lived in for 12 years. 12 years of ware and tare on a very large house. This means many Sundays spent cleaning, boxing up belongings, and many trips to the dump and storage unit. I have a family of five which means crap on crap on crap. We have so much crap. We could practically open a library with the number of children books we own. We could also give a stuff animal to every child on the face of the earth and still have some left over.

The process of selling a house is long and stressful. We had to get new carpet, repaint, and redo our hard-wood floors. And there is the lingering thought of “What if the house doesn't sell”. Honestly, that would be the worst. We have many things to our advantage when selling my current house. The neighborhood is the best around and the schools are great. Its a nice size and built well. Also we are pricing to sell which means the price isn't ridiculously high.

Leaving the house you grow up in one of the hardest things to do. The memories and laughter that filled the house is hard to part with. In my family's case, moving is for the better. Both of my older siblings are moved out and I'm going to boarding school next year. There is no need for my parents to have the space we have now. My parents also plan on moving back to the West Coast in a couple years so getting this house sold will make that move easier.

Preparing the house for the market has been an emotional roller coaster. We are hopefully nearing the end soon. The house officially goes up for sale tomorrow and two families are already interested. Our fingers are crossed that it sells quickly!

To the new family: Enjoy this house and all it offers. Enjoy the wonderful neighborhood and quite street. Enjoy the openness and green backyard. Laugh a lot and make amazing memories. There are going the be hard times but this house will always be the best place to call home. Bring in love and good karma, just as my family did. Raise a family. Let the kids play in the woods down the road, even if they might get ticks. Spend summer nights outside and walk the surrounding trails. You will love this house. I promise. (410)

Love in the Form of TV

Netflix might be the best invention ever. Not joking. Its like a gift from the heavens. Well maybe I'm being a little over dramatic but let's be honest here, everyone loves Netflix. Normally we would have drive all the way to a movie store, walk around aimlessly while trying to find that one movie. After adventuring through the screaming children and mushy couples, you finally find the movie you wanted. But wait... PSYCH its ready been checked out! Then all you want to do its hit down the racks of lame movies with bad acting. After gaining composer, you pick another movie and wait in line for 10 minutes will the person in front of you argues with the clerk about fees for their movie that they apparently didn't return on time. We have all have had these experiences. That is why Netflix is amazing.

Netflix is an online movie and tv show provider. Its like having a movie store in your house. Its around $10 a month for unlimited access to all of their instant movies and shows. Netflix's movie choices aren't that great but they have great shows. My favorite show on Netflix is Grey's Anatomy and the best part is they have all 8 seasons. They have all of the updated seasons for their tv shows.

Netflix has choices for everyone. Romance, action, comedy and family are just a few. You will always find something to watch. They also have great documentaries. Don't lie to yourself, you love a good documentary. We are all nerds on the inside!

Another great thing about using Netflix is you don't have to remember to return a movie. There are no fines or annoying phone calls from people who hate their job. You can stop or start anytime you want on Netflix.

So if you don't already have it, get it. It is worth the money, I promise. You can watch it on the computer or connect it to your tv through a gaming system. The only thing you need is wifi. If think your life is complete now, its not. Get Netflix and it will be. Just be careful, it does get addicting. But warning you now you will spend hours and hours watching it. If you are watching a tv show you can't just watch one episode.

Now go online and subscribe. You won't be disappointed! You can thank me later. 

AP: Advanced Procrastination

AP classes are pushed on us like crazy. All we hear is, “Take AP” “It will help you in college” “You can get college credit!” Ah yeah if you get a 5 on the exam which is hard as hell. So is it really worth it to take AP? In my opinion it is because AP classes teach great study habits, increase reading skills, and challenge the average student. Most colleges won't accept AP credit unless it is a very high score, and some won't accept any at all. So there is much more to taking these challenging classes than college credit.

AP classes are great to take because they truly force students to create strong study skills. The textbooks are longer, and harder, thus making the test more difficult. AP students have to study effectively and often to succeed in the classes. Also the material cannot be forgotten because most students take the AP Exam in May. So these classes are cumulative, which adds extra studying time. AP students have to know when the need to really sit down and learn the material. These important study skills are required to do well in college. AP classes help build a strong foundation for success.

Another pro of taking AP classes is that they increase reading skills. AP textbooks are college level and are go into much great detail than regular level textbooks. AP classes also require more reading weekly because all of the material has to be covered by April, in time for the exam. These reading skills will help not only in Aps but also outside of school and on standardized tests. A strong reader will succeed in any class, no matter the subject.

Lastly, AP classes expect more out of the students than regular level. AP students are considered the higher level. Aps raise the academic bar for student expectations. Teachers, and principals, look at AP classes as college classes and then they expect college level work out of their students.

Overall, AP classes should be taken by all students. They teach study habits, increase reading skills, and challenge students. Don't take Aps for college credit because you mostly likely won't get that much. Take AP classes to become a better, and more well-rounded, student.  (405)

The Joys of Being a Junior

I think we can all agree that junior year is not that exciting. It actually sucks most of the time. It seems that junior year is the year to take the hardest classes and there is the most pressure to have good grades because it's the year colleges look at the most. It is also the time to start the amazing college search process! Sarcasm.

In some ways junior year rocks. We aren't at the bottom of the food chain anymore and we are one year closer to being a senior. This thought last for about three minutes until the reality of multiple AP classes and homework brings you back down to earth. Homework on homework on homework. Projects on projects. Tests on tests on tests.

One thing that junior year hasn't failed on is hell weeks. Hell week is that one week about once a month that there is a test in every single class. It's like the teachers come together and all decide to have tests at the same time. It's usually spread out over a couple days and those days are the worst of the year. At one point I had five test in ONE day. It's like finals all over again!

Another aspect of junior year is the fact that we can't go to prom. I'm just being bitter because I don't get to go this year but really every other school in the world has a junior-senior prom, except Cedar Rapids. In some ways a senior prom makes it more special but at the same time it sucks for the underclassmen. Prom is so fun! It makes homecoming seem very lame.

The end of junior year comes with the sense of almost being a senior. Almost. We still have a month and a half left. Well for the other 346 kennedy high school students. I get to experience the joy of redoing junior year. So when this year ends and everyone else is celebrating finally being a senior, I will be reminiscing the fact that I still have two years left of high school. But while all you seniors are stressing out about college applications, I will be enjoying not having to worry about where the hell my life is going.

So heres to junior year and all it's ups and down. We are almost to the end. Thank you for teaching us how to handle hell weeks and stressing over grades. For most its a goodbye but for me it's a “see ya next year!” (422)

An Athlete

Sports have been around since humans started to socialize, we are competitive. They are a large part of who we are. Whether you are an olympian or a you have never picked up a soccer ball, sports are still interesting. Everyone gathers around the TV for the Super Bowl, the Olympics, and other major sporting events. Sports are apart of us. Perhaps, what is more special than the bond that humans have with athletics is being the athlete playing the game. That bond that athletes have with their sport is what makes athletes who they are. Sports teach us lessons that we can't learn anywhere else. It's hard to narrow down the most important lessons taught by playing a sport because they are endless. Hard work, determination, respect, maturity, and perseverance, just to name a few.

Being an athlete myself, I know first hand the dedication it takes to a student-athlete. Its definitely not easy! It actually really sucks sometimes. We have all heard the research that playing sports can increase kids GPAs. The reason behind this is that athletes don't have time to lay around during the week, or on the weekend, because we are busy practicing and playing games. So when we do have time to do homework, it is limited. Its now or never. Either you work hard to finish assignments now, or get a zero. Like right now, I am writing this post in between my hockey games because I know I won't have time to do it tomorrow. If I was just at home now I wouldn't have the motivation to do it.

Sports are a big part of growing up and maturing. They teach social skills and also how to speak your mind. Playing hockey definitely teaches how to stand up for yourself but also how to let things go. There is a lot of shit-talking in sports. Athletes get called names by other players, yelled at by coaches, and criticized by parents but we learn just to let it go. I have learned over the years to channel my anger into something productive. Anger can cause many bad things to happen that you will later regret so it's important to know when to just chillax.

At the end of that day, I am glad to be a student-athlete. I so thankful to have something to be passionate about. Juggling school and sports have allowed me to grow as a person and I know many athletes would agree with me.  (424)

The Off Season

As the summer approaches, and the end of the school year, the off season still lingers. Hockey is a year long sport. It really never ends. The season starts in August and ends at the end of March, no other sport has a season this long. Once you fall in love with hockey it's a part of who you are, your identity. You eat, sleep, and dream hockey.

Since its the off season, I'm having major hockey withdraws. The season is so long that once it's over all I can think is, “What the hell am I suppose to do now?” I'm just not used to having this much free time.

Usually hockey players are multi-sport athletes because if you can master hockey than you can master almost any other sport. So in someways we never really have an off season. For me I spend my off season playing tennis which I honestly don't enjoy that much. It's fun for a solid week then after that I just want to skate and shoot some pucks, not a tennis ball. It is nice to be outside and work on my tank-top tan. Other than that, hitting a ball back and fourth for an hour straight doesn't even come close to playing a hockey game.

The off season is also very important for hockey players, and all athletes. It's a time to step away from the ice, courts, or field and just relax. Playing other sports is the best way to refresh for the up coming season. Since the hockey season is so long, by the end you get pretty burnt out. But once the new season starts you feel fresh and ready to play.

The hardest part of the off season is trying to stay in shape. You just have to accept the fact that you won't be in game shape until the season starts again. This is hard for all athletes because we want to be at our best all the time. Like many other hockey players, I spend my off season at the gym with little time on the ice. A great man once said, “Champions are made in the off season”. The off season is the time to put on muscle weight and to work on agility.

Soon the hockey season will come again and I will be rested and excited to play again. Until then I will hit a fury ball back and fourth while dreaming of a puck and some ice.  (417)

Spring Fever

Summer is coming! Well we are getting close. Today it reached close to 75 degrees. Yeah, you read that right. Spring is the best season of the year because its a fresh start. The grass goes from dead and brown to alive and green. The trees start to bud and the birds chirp all through the day. The gray winter is starting to pass and this year spring seems even more exciting. This winter was cold, snowy, and long. Springtime brings the end of an era of short days and long nights. We are almost there! Almost to summer!

Not only does spring feel like a fresh start, it also changes the way school feels. In the winter you wake up and its still dark outside, not to mention FREEZING. Now, the sun is shinning and the birds are singing every morning. This makes getting up at an ungodly hour somewhat manageable. One of the best parts is not having to scrape of ice the windshield while standing in three feet of snow. Now, I can be comfortable in a light jacket and can ride with the windows down. This is what life is about. Life is not being freezing cold all day and not watching the snow fall. Don't get me wrong I love the snow, but for a month or two. Not all winter long.

As spring develops so does the summer fever. We currently have 39 days left of school! Hollar. Spring trimester brings prom (for some), graduation parties, and graduation itself. It's an especially exciting time for seniors because they are on their home stretch of high school. For underclassmen, the excitement of finishing this years classes and the teachers that come with. Spring is the chance to renew the bad habits created by winter.

Summer inches closer and closer which means late nights, parties, lots of sun, and relaxation. Well not for me as I will be spending my summer as a camp counselor, which I couldn't be more excited about. Instead of partying every night and sleeping in till noon, I will be spending my summer days with 200 screaming children as I try to be a friend, babysitter, and leader. Best job ever! Who needs air conditioning when you can have the great outdoors?

So bring on the bonfires, s'mores, and sun tanning. Spring, I love you but it's time to go. Summer I can't wait for another great year together! (408)

More About Exeter

I am going to continue my previous post about Exeter, because there is so much to talk about! This is probably the first time all year that I've had a clear subject to blog about. There is so much to share about Exeter. It's going to be an amazing experience. I've had it bundled up inside me since September and now I can finally talk about it openly!

I'm started my Exeter discussion on the topic of classes and teaching methods. Perhaps the most interesting aspect of Exeter is their method of teaching called “The Harkness Method”. At Exeter, students don't sit in rows of desks while the teacher lectures them, they sit around an oval table. Every single classroom, for all subjects, has a Harkness Table. The table seats one teacher and twelve students. The belief behind the Harkness Table is that if you can explain and discuss a subject than you understand it. This is going to be a major change coming from a public school where there are 30 kids in a class. At Exeter I will have the opportunity to be the driver of my education.

Another amazing aspect of Phillips Exeter is their courses. I recently received the Courses of Instruction packet. It's 70 pages long! The classes they offer are unreal. Next year I am planning on taking classes like Human Physiology, Biochemistry and Human Nutrition, Genetics, Modern India, Pre-Colonial Africa, and Anthropology, just to name a few. Kennedy doesn't offer courses even close to Exeter's range. At Exeter you don't take AP classes either. They not believe in teaching to a standardized test. They tell their students that if you want to take the AP test on this subject you have to study and prepare on your own.

At Exeter I will also have the chance to play hockey for my school. Right now I play in St. Louis but at Exeter I can have both school and hockey in the same place. I have never, ever had this before. I will practice six days a week and play two games a week. We play other prep schools in the area. The competition will still be high and I can't wait to wear the big red letters E-X-E-T-E-R across the front of my jersey.

This is the end of my rant about prep school. I am both excited and nervous, mostly excited though! GO BIG RED!!!! EXETER LIONS WOHOOO!!  (407)

From a Cougar to a Big Red

   After close to seven months, plus years of hard work, I have reached the top of this mountain. I'm going to Phillips Exeter Academy! I still can't believe its real. Every time I remember that I actually made it, a rush of excitement, relief, and fear comes over me. I beat the odds. I made a leap and landed on the other side.

   Phillips Exeter Academy is the Ivy League of prep schools. It's considered the 6^th best high school in the nation. They never let you forget that! Anyway, I'm an on cloud nine that I get to attend this wonderful school. After I was accepted I kept thinking “Why me?” “Why do I deserve this?”. More time has passed and I know that I was picked for a reason. The admission committee knows what they are talking about. They look for students that are more than just grades, they look for students that are mature, passionate, and hard-working. I am not the smartest kid at Kennedy but I work hard for every grade I get while being a competitive athlete.

   As I was on my on-campus interview at Exeter I felt that feeling. The feeling of “This is the place for me” and I was meant to go to this school. It's destiny! I am made to move away and go to prep school. I was born to do it. Moving away doesn't scare me. I love meeting to new people and experiencing things I would never get the chance to experience if I stayed in Iowa. Iowa is a great place to grow up but I'm ready to move on. The one thing that has always bugged me about Iowa is that most people just don't ever leave. It is something I will NEVER understand. Only about 30 kids of a graduating class at Kennedy will go to an out-of-state college. This is just sad. I'm sorry but there is so much more of the country, and the world, to see. Challenge yourself and don't do what everyone else does. Don't follow that boring path of going to a state school and than just settling down here.

   The fact that everyone just stays here is why I have to get out. I need to get out fast before I get sucked into the flow of the common Kennedy Grad. Everyday I become more grateful that I get to go to Phillips Exeter and I am truly blessed to have the chance to leave. John Green once said, “It is so hard to leave – until you leave. And then it is the easiest goddamn thing in the world.” I will always be an Iowan and a cougar at heart but it's time to start a new chapter in my life.

   Soon I will be sitting on a plane as I get my last glimpse of the rows of corn. At that moment, I'm not sure how I will be feeling but I know I will be flying away towards a new life, a new chapter.  (512)

Facebook and Relationships

                Social media has taken over the internet and what seems like the whole world.  According to Facebook, they have over 500 million users. That means that 1 in every 13 people have a Facebook. This number is both impressive and astounding. A little bit scary too. This means that 499,999,999 other people can look you up and find information about where you live; go to school, and who you are in a relationship with.  Before Facebook only your friends and family knew your relationship status but now close to 500 million other people can too. Social media, especially Facebook, has made relationships more public.

                “John Bob is now in a relationship with Mary Jane”

                This is what pops up on the news feeds of both Mary and John’s friends. According to Facebook, an average user has at least 200 friends. This means that once a relationship is posted, 400 people instantly know about it. Most of those people don’t interact on a daily basis with John or Mary but yet they still know who they are dating. This is what Facebook as done to our society. We know so much about people’s lives. Before the days of Facebook, relationships were more private and were only known by those who talked about it. It used to be “Hey, did you hear Mary and John were dating” but now it’s “Hey, I saw on Facebook that Mary and John were dating”. This has changed how we look at our own relationships and those of others.

                Now that 7% of the world’s population is on Facebook, many couples have the “Should we make it Facebook official” discussion. This should be changed to: “Want to tell hundreds of other people we are dating?”. This shouldn’t be how love works. Love and relationships should be more confidential than the pictures of your latest vacation. While some people have their settings on private, or don’t put their relationship status up at all, others flaunt their status to their hundreds of friends.

                This raises the question: Has Facebook changed love? It has, and it hasn’t. It has changed the way we look at relationships. They are now more public. Facebook hasn’t changed relationships themselves. People will always like each other, even without Facebook. But information about a couple’s status whether is “married”, “complicated”, or “engaged” is a public advertisement of their life.  So next time you consider changing your relationship status, think twice about how many people you want to know about your love-life.  (416)

Boy Meets World

Boy Meets World is one of the best TV series out there. Its one of those shows thats just straight hilarious and entertaining. Most of us have seen this show because even though the last episode was made in 2000, they still show re-runs. So its been 13 years since it ended and they still play it! Now thats impressive.

Boy Meets World starts when the main character, Cory Matthews, is in the fifth grade. The story follows Cory and his best friend Shawn through the hardships of growing up. Cory's older brother Eric is just a doorknob. And by that I mean he is straight dumb. Eric is one of the funniest characters on the show because of his dumb comments and decisions. Cory also has a little sister, Morgan. Morgan is a cutie. Cory's parents are Allen and Amy, are easy going but also add a lot to the show.

Mr. Feany is the loved teacher and neighbor. He taught all of the kids for many years and always has words fo advice for everyone. Mr. Feany lives next door to Matthews and is always there to make sure the kids, and parents, learn lessons from their actions.

As the series goes on, a girl named Topanga becomes a main character. Cory and Topanga are the ultimate couple. They were dating since they were born, literally. In the last couple seasons the main conflicts of the show were between the relationship of Cory and Topanga. Spolier Alert! They get married in season 7.

The series ends when Cory and Topanga move away to New York. Topanga gets an internship there and they start a new life. Boy Meets World is one of the best shows made, in my opinion. Its humor that everyone can enjoy. (379)

Big Move

My parents probably picked the best house and best neighborhood possible in the whole area of Cedar Crapids. I live on a nice little cul de sac that is surrounded by woods. I live about half way down the street and its great. The reason why I am writing such an odd blog describing how much I love my neighborhood is because we are moving. Yes, moving :( I mean not like moving moving, we are still staying on the NE side, but we are still getting a new house. Its crazy to think that someone else is going to live in my house. I have grown up on my little street since I was five years old. This is the only neighborhood I remember.

The greatest thing about my neighborhood is the people that live in it. I live in the fourth house down the street and in the three houses before me also have girls my age. We have grown up together and they are my very best friends. During the summer I was never alone. We would hang out with each day after day. I probably spent more nights at their houses than I did at mine during the summer. They also had older brothers and sisters who were the same age as my siblings. It just worked out really well because the kids were all friends and so were the adults. We would go on camping trips together and have barbecues.

Now, 12 years later, we still hang out all the time and so do our siblings. Not a lot has changed. This is why moving is going to be so hard. I am not only leaving behind a great home where I grew up, I am also leaving a wonderful neighborhood. Its going to be very hard to say goodbye but I guess that is just a part of life....

The packing has begun and so has the remodeling. Our house is filled cardboard boxes and the the sound of packing tape ripping to enclose the various things in my house. Everyday it seems less and less like home. It think its a good thing because I will slowly ease away from the home I grew up in.  (421)

Staycation 2013

Oh Spring Break, gotta love it. This break in the middle of the trimester really decreases the stress level. For seniors, it’s the chance to go to Mexico, or anywhere else, and get CRAZY. But for the rest of us we get to stay in the beautiful Cedar Rapids and enjoy the wonderful, warm weather as we soak up the dirty snow. As much as I would love to go on a wonderful vacation, its nice to stay home and relax. I'd rather be relaxing on a beach in paradise but what can ya do? It seems like almost everyone went on some form of vacation. Lots of beach pictures. Too many beach pictures. So instead of laying in the beach like the rest of the American population, I laid in my warm bed and watch movies. 

I spent much of my spring break doing nothing, literally nothing. I would wake up at noon and just lay in bed for the whole afternoon. I never get the chance to do that, never. Being a competitive hockey player, I rarely have a weekend off so spring break was my chance to relax. I caught up on one of my favorite TV shows: Boy Meets World. I think I watched at least three seasons. I started to read A Prayer For Owen Meany (thanks Ms. A). I didn't socialized much but I needed to get away from everyone. So I basically went on vacation... to my bed.

One great thing about staying home on spring break is house sitting those who went on vacations. I've been house sitting my neighbors house for a week and a half now and I'm making BANK. Its easy money and you get to hang out at someone else's house and eat their food! What's better than that? 

So, we are at the end of spring break and I'm ready to conquer the next two months of school. Who ever invented this break is a smart person. Its much needed for everyone. Today is another Sunday of homework that I procrastinated majorly on. Its time to get back into the swing of things. Peace out Staycation 2013, see ya next year. (403)

Smile Every Day

Many people don't think about it, but there is one trait that we all share. We all want the same thing in life, and that is to be happy. I don't know anybody, and I hope there isn't anybody, who does not want true happiness. We need happiness in our lives because that is what keeps us going, keeps us looking for tomorrow. It is a natural human quality. What is happiness? My definition of happiness is to be enjoying every second of being alive.

You can control your own happiness, because only you can control your reactions to whatever life throughs at you. The first key to finding happiness is knowing how to react. No matter how bad an even is there are no set rules on how to react. Your response is the greatest thing in your life that you have control over. Either you can break down and say “I'm done,” or you can suck it up and deal with it. Either way, life goes on. How your life goes on and how happy you are is in your control.

On the other hand, a person cannot be happy all the time. I'm not saying that we should be happy 24/7. There are incidences that will make us question everything; for example, a death in the family or of a close friend. There is just no honest way to be happy about that. At first, you shouldn't be happy about it. A time of mourning essential. But, mourning should not last a life time. To accept what happened and to move on is the cure to heartache. This is where true happiness comes.

I hope you don't think that you can only be happy when your life is what you imagine as perfect, because most likely, you will not reach that point. So, either you can change your ideas of perfection, or accept the fact that true happiness can be felt without perfection.  (395)  

Spring in our Step

Spring time is almost here and in my opinion, it is the best time of the year! In Iowa we have dreadful winter, absolutely dreadful. This year has been especially bad. It seems we have had snowstorm, followed by record low temperatures. Yeah, global warming? I don’t think so. When it’s -30 degrees F outside, your car won’t start, and you can’t feel any of your limbs, it’s not a time that I support the environmental crisis. This week, just when thought we were done with snow for the year, BAM another storm brings six inches. March is not the time for snow! This is just too much. I snow day in March? I ain't about that life. 

Well HOPEFULLY spring will arrive soon. I can already hear the birds chirping. I think that's a good sign. Spring is the best season for so many reasons. After our long winters, the warm (warmer) weather is like a gift. Even 50 degrees feels warm! The snow starts the melt and you can finally see the beautiful, dead grass. Once the snow melts and its gradually getting warmer, the plants start to grow back. Things don't look so dead anymore. 

During early spring, its just so much more pleasing to go outside. The sun rises earlier and sets later. This makes it easier to get up in the morning because it isn't so dark and cold. The sun seems to shine a litte brighter and the animals seem a little happier.  Everything is better. Then as spring goes on the grass is soon very green and the weather is beautiful. In Iowa, our summers are super humid but the spring is so nice. When May roles around, its hot but not too humid yet. 

Spring couldn't come fast enough. This winter has drug onnn and ooooooon. I can't wait to walk outside and not freeze to death. I can't wait to wake up to sunshine and birds chirping. Until then we will just have to suck it up. (410)

I'm a Surviver

We did it fellow students, we survived finals. The worst week and a half of the term is OVER. It feels good, oh so good! I am both relieved and proud that I made it through the endless hours of studying and stressing over final grades. There is no better feeling than hearing the bell ring at 12:05pm, Thursday afternoon. For me, I didn’t feel relaxed until the next day. I woke up Friday and realized that I didn’t have anything to do, nothing at all. There weren’t any concepts to study, math problems to complete, or papers to write. I could just lie in bed and watch movies. It took time to fully relax because I was so wound up from the week but before I knew it I was in heaven. I didn’t care about my grades anymore because I did my best and there wasn’t anything I could change now. What’s done is done.

Looking back at the days following up to finals I was just a big ball of stress. It’s weird how during finals you actually want to study and you want to have more time to do it. This is definitely not the case during any other time of the year. I was so motivated to do well on my tests and projects that I felt like  superwoman; running on little sleep while shoving three months of information into my brain. The motivation to succeed is crucial to survive during finals because it’s the only way you will get everything done.

Finals definitely take days off my life, especially because we have them three times a year. Even though having to go through the hell of it, I’m somewhat glad we have more practice. Compared to schools that go by semesters, we will take four more sets of final exams. This is like having two extra years of practice. In college, finals are the majority of your grade and if you don’t know how to study for them then you will not get the grade you wanted. Practice makes perfect. Well, perfect practice makes perfect.

Many other students would agree with me that it’s so relieving to be done with finals but now another term starts and so does the worrying. We are right back at where we started. To here’s to 3^rd term; may it be all we ever dreamed of. Well maybe that’s stretching it. (403)

Standardization

The ACT, SAT, PSAT and SSAT are just a few of the many standardized test that are available to take. Many colleges require you to take at least the ACT or SAT and they base their admissions off of test scores. If you don't a certain score on these tests, you won't be admitted into the school.

Most of the standardized tests test our skills in the main areas. These include math, science, reading and comprehension. Also there is an essay section. The different parts of the test can tell you, and college admissions, what your strong points are. Many students will do better in certain categories. Usually categories like math and science seem easier. The hardest parts are probably reading, comprehension and vocabulary. I just recently took the SSAT and the vocabulary section was unbelievably hard. Some of the words I have never seen in my life.

While taking the test I got to thinking... Does this really reflect my true academic talents? Does knowing what words like axiom or nebulae mean really show how much I know? I think the answer is no. I really do not think that standardized test reflect the academic talent of a student in the right way. Many kids are bad test takers or are slower workers. This can be a problem especially when we are given limited time. I do believe that standardized tests are important to take but I think that they shouldn't be the deciding factor on whether you get into a school or not.

I know many talented people that don't do well on standardized test simply because they are bad test takers. This is a skill that can be practiced but it takes time. We usually only have a couple chances to take a test even though it has such an impact on where we go to school.

Overall, I think the test just need to be tweaked a little bit. I don't think there should be as much vocabulary but there should be more math and science. We live in a world that is constantly changing and being strong in math and science will help us keep up with a growing demand. I also think that they should keep an essay portion too. Hopefully these test will change by the time our children take them.  

Car Rides

Long car rides are just unenjoyable. There is barely any leg room, its always either too hot or too cold and the car rides seem like they will never end. The worst is when you start feeling car sick and there isn't anything to do about it. I have been on my fair share of car rides. Practically every weekend I am driving somewhere for hockey. Right now I am writing this as I'm on a 10 hour car ride to Ohio, on Homecoming weekend and I am here to share my advice from years of experience.

First, always bring a pillow and blanket. Its never a bad time for a nice nap. A pillow can always serve as a makeshift desk for school work and a blanket its the ultimate cuddly buddy. Also dress in layers. A car never seems to be the right temperature.

Depending on how long the drive is going to be, always bring things to do. A good book, homework, or playing cards. It is actually really easy to get homework done in the car because there isn't anything else to do. If you get car sick easily try not to read or do homework, it will make it worse! It is also good to bring a book light if you have one, then you can read on those late night car rides. Bring food and drinks, and also gum.

The one thing that is a must have for long car rides is an ipod/mp3 player. They are life savors! If your little sibs are getting annoying or your mom just won't stop talking, you can just put in the head phones and zone everything out. Before leaving for long trips it is also helpful to get some new songs to listen too. It spices up your normal playlists. Also bring a laptop or a DVD player so you can watch movies!

Number one tip: when in doubt, sleep. Sleeping is the best way to pass the time and who couldn't use an extra couple hours of beauty rest? If you can't sleep take some Nyquil and you'll be out in no time. Who knows, you might sleep all the way there!

These are just some of my tips for car rides. Long drives are always going to be frustrating but you just gotta make it through. Its all about staying entertained and trying not to think about how long you have left. I hope my words of wisdom helped! Happy car ride.  

Musical Therapy

Listening to music can really have a big impact. It can change your mood or even bring you to remember things that happened when you heard that song. I don't know about you but I like to listen to music basically any time I can. I listen to music the most when I am doing homework or just hanging out. I am in love with my mac book, its a amazing and I would totally recommend it to anyone. Well anyways, while I am doing homework on my wonderful lap top I get very bored. This is when I know I need to spice up my study experience with some music.

I usually don't like to listen to my itunes on my computer because I listen to it enough on my ipod. There are many websites that have online playlists for different genres or they can even play music to match your mood. Here are some examples of these websites:

8tracks:

www.8tracks.com/

8tracks is a really cool website that has different playlists. These playlists are categorized in many ways like by words like love, summer, or chill. Once you create an account you can like a playlist and then listen to it anytime. They have thousands and thousands of playlists and my favorite part is that these playlists are made by other users on the website.

Songza:

songza.com/

Songza is a lot like 8tracks except the playlists are made for your mood. When you first enter the website it will ask what you are doing like studying, having a dance party, or cooking. After choosing one it then asks you which genre you want like soft pop or rock. In the end you get a playlists that matches the mood and activity you are doing.

Pandora:

www.pandora.com/

Pandora is a classic. On pandora you create stations for different artist or songs. You can create as many stations as you want and if there is a song that you don't like you can dislike it and the song will never play again on your Pandora.

Well I hope these enhance your studying or hanging out experience. They become especially useful once finals come around. Happy studying!

Summer Camp

I am a strong believer in the benefits summer camp. It is one of the best decisions a parent can make for their kids and I can't thank my parents enough for sending me away to camp because I wouldn't be the person I am today if it wasn't for it. Over the years, camp transforms from a just an average place to the place I call home. It is the place that teaches self-confidence, love, and friendship. It is an environment where people accept everyone and laugh uncontrollably. It gives children the chance to try new things while having the time of their lives'.

Because I feel in love with camp, I kept going back. I did the leadership in training program then counselor in training program. Over the years, I have spent closed to 14 weeks at camp. Those 14 weeks taught me more than all of my years in school and in sports. Now that I am to old to be a camper, I hope to be a counselor this coming summer. Being a camp counselor is more than a job, its who we are. Everyone has similar reasons to be a counselor. I want to be a role model and help kids grow and learn.

This past summer while I was in the counselor in training program, we were given a paper titled “What is a Counselor?”. It is an essay that speaks right to the meaning of camp:

“A camp counselor is a rare combination of doctor, lawyer, Indian and chief. They are an excellent child psychologist with sophomore textbooks as proof. They are an underpaid baby-sitter with neither a television nor a refrigerator.”

“You wonder if they really know how much they are worth and you realize that you can never pay them enough. Yet when they leave, they wave good-bye and say, “See ya next year!””

So its hard to put into words what camp means to those that love it but this quote pretty much sums it up:

“For a moment you will be reminded of your summer here. You will think of a child with whom an interaction deeply affected you. It will be the child you helped learn to swim, or the child who so desperately needed a friend to take care of them. And you will not be able to figure out if the true gift was the one you gave to them of yourself, or if the gift was, in fact, given to you.”

(405)

Forever in Our Hearts

As I was watching my favorite show, Grey's Anatomy, I remembered a tragic event. On this episode of Grey's, a shooter comes to the hospital and commits a mass murder. The shooter is upset because he believes that one of the doctors killed his wife. What really happened was that his wife was brain dead and she wasn't going to wake back up. The man files a lawsuit but loses because of medical evidence. Overcome with grief, this man sets out to the hospital to kill the doctor that “killed” his wife.

This episode aired in May of 2010, years before the tragic event in Newtown, Connecticut. While watching, Newtown was all I could think about. I usually don't cry during movies or TV shows but this episode seemed to hit close to home. It was almost unbearable to watch. Watching the terror on the character's faces and the evil in the shooter's eyes was horrible. I pictured the overwhelming fear the kids, teachers, police officers, parents, and the whole community must have felt during that horrible Friday. I can't even imagine what they went through, and are still dealing with. My heart aches for everyone who lost a loved one, or had to experience the shooting.

In Grey's Anatomy, the characters experienced post-traumatic stress disorder and survivors guilt. Some of the doctors couldn't even go back into the operating room or couldn't sleep and had night terrors. The kids at Newtown probably still feel fear when going to school, I think even the strongest person would after what they experienced. The horrible thing is that school should be a place where everyone feels safe. A place where we grow and learn, not a place filled with horrible memories. As the kids grow older, they will start to overcome the event but will probably never fully recover.

Its horrible that the country to experience the loss of children to figure out that something needs to be done. This should never happen again. The event also, in a way, opened our eyes to whats important in life. Family and community. I know my parents tell me they love me more than the used to. The country, and world, will never forget Newtown and they will always be in our prays.  (380)

Women in Politlics ~ Miss Representation

In our society, men lead politics. In the documentary Miss Representation, this issue is discussed in relation to men being superior to women.  Women are looked at as incapable of holding a higher office position, especially in politics. Why are there more men in politics than women? Is there a sense of power, or leadership, that men feel women don’t possess?  Are women looked at as having too many feminine qualities to lead a country? Will there ever be a women president of the United States? So many questions can be derived from this issue but the hardest one to answer is why can’t women be leaders?

According to the WCF Foundation, this is the first time since 1987 that the United States hasn’t made growth in the number of women in congress. In Miss Representation, the quote “You can’t be what you can’t see” is a possible reason for why our number of women in politics hasn’t increased.  Young girls don’t have many powerful women to look up to. Positive role models are important in the development of girls’ self-confidence. Perhaps our society feels that men are the only ones capable of running a society. This ideology then sinks into women’s brains and they start to feel that they truly are less than men.

The women that are in politics are constantly being criticized for various things:  their appearance, family life, and education.  In Miss Representation, they stated that there are more women in politics in countries like Afghanistan than there are in the United States. Is this because women here are so criticitzed for their looks? Apart from politics, some woman new anchers wear low-cut shirts and a lot of make-up because they are expected to look a certain way. Why don't men have these expectations?  

ESPN recently came out with a dress-code for women covering MLB games. This was done to make reporting more "gender-neutral". These rules prevent the stereotypical image of female news casters.  In politics, there isn't a dress-code but women are still critizied even if they are dressed appropriately.

If women can't be taken seriously because of their looks then how will they gain respect? It seems that no matter how smart a woman is she is still a woman, not a man. Hopefully, this unfemanist view will fade away with time. Its important to have women in leadership because they bring another view point to topics. With the state of our country today, we need all the women in politics we can get. (419)

Winter Fever

This time of the year seems to drag oooooon and oooooon. We are in the dead of winter with wind that takes the breath right out of our mouths' and long, cold nights. Even though we aren't having a harsh winter, it still seems endless. The fact that there isn't much snow this year makes the winter seem worse. Snow is beautiful and is a reward for the cold days. Without snow, the trees and grass look dead and droopy. This winter we are also having some very warm days which causes the snow to melt into dirty slush. This slush is not beautiful, at all. Summer, when will you be here? We are in great need for warm and sunny days. We need some quality vitamin D. There is currently about a month and a half until spring will come, and it couldn't come any slower.

During the winter, statistics show that suicide rates increase. Our surroundings effect our mood greatly and when winter rolls around, there isn't a lot to look at. In the summer, flowers bloom and the grass is green. Every thing seems more beautiful. Personally, when I look outside in the morning during the summer I feel happier. I feel more motivated to go out and do things. On the other hand, during the winter I look outside when its gray and cold, I just want to lay in bed all day. The cold weather obviously causes us to spend more time inside and as humans we need fresh air. Being outside brightens our mood, well for most people. All of these reasons cause depression and suicide rates.

There are some great ways to get out of that wintertime depression. Exercise more. Working out causes a release in endorphins which actually make a person feel better. Endorphins are what cause “runners high”. Another way is to add more light. Brighter rooms increase our mood, for the better. Yoga can be helpful and also getting a massage.

So get past the mid-winter depression but remember that spring and summer will be here before we know it. We can do this. A month and half. Its not that long. Well maybe it is but you know what they say, what doesn't kill you makes you stronger! (380)

The Benefits of Playing a Sport

Sports have been around since humans started to socialize, we are competitive. They are a large part of who we are. Whether you are an olympian or a you have never picked up a soccer ball, sports are still interesting. Everyone gathers around the TV for the Super Bowl, the Olympics, and other major sporting events. Sports are apart of us. Perhaps, what is more special than the bond that humans have with athletics is being the athlete playing the game. That bond that athletes have with their sport is what makes athletes who they are. Sports teach us lessons that we can't learn anywhere else. It's hard to narrow down the most important lessons taught by playing a sport because they are endless. Hard work, determination, respect, maturity, and perseverance, just to name a few.

Being an athlete myself, I know first hand the dedication it takes to a student-athlete. Its definitely not easy! It actually really sucks sometimes. We have all heard the research that playing sports can increase kids GPAs. The reason behind this is that athletes don't have time to lay around during the week, or on the weekend, because we are busy practicing and playing games. So when we do have time to do homework, it is limited. Its now or never. Either you work hard to finish assignments now, or get a zero. Like right now, I am writing this post in between my hockey games because I know I won't have time to do it tomorrow. If I was just at home now I wouldn't have the motivation to do it.

Sports are a big part of growing up and maturing. They teach social skills and also how to speak your mind. Playing hockey definitely teaches how to stand up for yourself but also how to let things go. There is a lot of shit-talking in sports. Athletes get called names by other players, yelled at by coaches, and criticized by parents but we learn just to let it go. I have learned over the years to channel my anger into something productive. Anger can cause many bad things to happen that you will later regret so it's important to know when to just chillax.

At the end of that day, I am glad to be a student-athlete. I so thankful to have something to be passionate about. Juggling school and sports have allowed me to grow as a person and I know many athletes would agree with me.  (424)

Acceptable

Body image is a daily battle for almost all women. No matter who are you. Fat or skinny, black or white, Christian or Atheist, every woman wants to look, and feel, acceptable. This raises the question to the term “acceptable”. An acceptable body image is what pushes women to extreme measures to feel beautiful.  Even though some women undergo plastic surgery or develop eat disorders, most just have confidence issues. Adolescence is the time of major social and physical development, and this is the time when girls start to feel the most pressure to look acceptable. This pressure comes from many different sources, not just one. Yes, the media does play a role in body image but the internal battle of women has been going on long before Brittany Spears and other pop icons.

Women have been trying to improve their natural beauty for centuries. In 1770 BC, the corset started being used to shape women into a certain body type. This was far before low rise skirts and belly-button rings but it is the same concept. Hundreds of years ago, corsets were the modern push-up bras.  Even though at this time there wasn’t reality TV and pop singers, there was still the pressure to match the social idea of beauty.  So is the media really to blame here?

As a girl, I know what it’s like to grow up in a society where looks are almost everything.   Young girls hear from their parents and superiors, “You look just like a princess” or “That dress makes you look beautiful”.  So right from the start girls feel the drive to look acceptable for their peers.  They see princesses as skinny, beautiful women with perfect hair and skin so they start to feel the pressure to look like them. They wear clothes not for themselves, but more to impress the people around them. Women feel that how they look and what clothes they wear will help them fit in. This is just natural of women over the years, just the styles have changed. In some ways, the media emphasizes the drive to fit-in but it isn't the only reason women feel this way. Its just how humas are wired.

In conclusions, the media is not the only reason for body image issues in women. Girls have always felt pressure from parents, family, friends, and boys, to look beautiful. It will always be this way. The media definitely made "beautiful" harder to achieve because the women that girls see are not how they seem. There isn't one way to solve this problem. Once girls reach a certain age, they mature and become more comfortable with how they are and how they look. Until they reach that point, parents and friends have to be supportive and encourage girls that they are great in every way. (405)

Big City Dreams

Well, I really didn't want to blog about this but I honestly have nothing else to talk about. So secrets out; I'm trying to go to prep school next year. I wasn't planning on telling anyone, not even my friends, but it is such a huge decision that it's hard to keep it myself. Prep school is just another term for boarding school. Obviously, that means that students live on campus, just like in college.

I want to go to prep school for many reasons. The main reason is for hockey. Right now I play for a team in St. Louis, which is four hours away. I don't even play for a team in our own state. This is hard because I miss a lot of school and I don't get to practice with my team everyday. Another reason is for school. Don't get me wrong I love Kennedy, but being one of 25 kids in a class isn't ideal. At prep school class sizes are, on average, 12 students. The students get more attention from teachers and are also held to higher standards. At prep school, all the students WANT to be there and they WANT to learn. This is definitely not the case at public schools.

Another reason to go to prep school is for college. The prep school that I am most interested in, 30% of their student body goes to Ivy League schools. If graduate from a high ranked prep school you can get into any college you want. Also college scouts look for girls from prep schools and if I go I will get looked at a lot more.

I recently got back from my visit to the East Coast. I had interviews at the schools that I applied to and it was definitely a great experience. I had to chance to stay the night in the dorms and go to classes. It was unreal. The best thing was that for once I didn't feel different. I felt like I fit in, especially with the girls on the hockey team. They all want to play college hockey and they also take school very seriously. At prep school, I won't be the only girl that plays hockey. I will be one of many. So in March I will know if I got accepted, or not. It couldn't come fast enough. The fact that I might move away next year doesn't make me sad, I am beyond excited to have a fresh start. This will be a life-changing opportunity and I can't wait to see whats in store.