Words of Wisdom

Hey Guys,

Today I have come up with a list of 8 lessons to live by as an 8th grader.

1. HAVE FUN!

I know this may sound obvious, but people can forget to enjoy the time they have over stressing about friends, grades, etc. Junior high is a time where you don't have a ton of responsibilities, and you really get to figure out what you want to do and what you are interested in. Have fun with your friends, and enjoy school projects!

2. DON'T WORRY ABOUT THE LITTLE THINGS!

People can get so anxious about a test grade, or a bad fight with a friend. You can't worry about everything so much, obviously try, but don't beat yourself up. Everything is a learning opportunity to understand what you did wrong, and grow from it.

3. GO TO SLEEP KIDS!

Honestly, this is some of the most important advice I can give you. School can be crazy, and your going to want to stay up watching Netflix or working your Science homework. Well, let me tell you, GO TO SLEEP! You will feel so much better the next day, and can actually get your work done since your awake and motivated.

4. PICK CLASSES YOU WANT TO TAKE!

So many people pick the classes their friends are taking, which to a certain extent is okay. However, when you get to high school and college you are taking classes which interest you, not just so you can sit with your friends. You end up making friends with people in the class, since you all share similar interests.

5. TALK TO NEW PEOPLE!

So many friends you make this year will be people you never expected to be close with. Talk to new people, and be open to new friendships.

6. KEEP YOUR OLD FRIENDS!

Certain friends you will have forever, and make sure to continue to hang out with them as well. Having friends you are comfortable with and have known forever is extremely helpful when going through drama.

7. TAKE RISKS!

Get involved with things outside of school, and don't be afraid to get out of your shell.

8. DON'T CARE WHAT PEOPLE THINK OF YOU!

Obviously be nice, however sometimes you can't control what people think or say about you. As long as you are yourself, people will accept and love you for who you are. Don't worry about gossip you hear, just brush it off and enjoy this year!

Have fun in 8th grade future 8th graders! And, don't forget to smile! You never know who wants to be your friend!

 

Anna T.

Don't Be Your Own Worst Critic

"The Erne From The Coast" T.O. Beachcroft

The story is about a young boy named Harry and his struggle between his fear and his bravery; wanting to please his father. Harry's dad, Mr. Thorburn, is always criticizing Harry saying he is not truly a man. Harry is given the responsibility of watching over sheep, and at first, he fails when a giant bird attacks him and steals a lamb, and his father hits him in front of other people embarrassing and degrading him. The bird comes back, and Harry fights and painstakingly defeats it and saves the sheep, and his father takes him out and is proud of him, subtly making it clear Harry is now a man. 

The main character is transformed at the end of the story since he shows courage and bravery and humility. He fights the bird even though he knows it could kill him, to prove to himself and his father he is mature and reliable. At the beginning of the story, he fears his father and is always putting himself down. At the end of the story he pushes himself to take a risk and defend the sheep, and is proud to tell his father of his accomplishment. He matures throughout the story and realizes people can't always change who they are, but can evolve and grow. This transformation is caused by his father embarrassing him in front of the other farm workers, and Harry finally snaps and needs to prove to himself and his dad that he is reliable. At the beginning Harry is is his own worst critic, and at the end he pushes himself to be strong and has faith in himself. An event that transformed me as a person is when I switched schools. I was nervous about the transition and was upset about leaving my friends. I am a different person from this because I became a more adventurous and easy-going person. I have moved around a bit in my life, and have learned to appreciate everything for what it is, and to understand every situation is temporary so to enjoy and take advantage of the opportunities in front of you. 

Thank You Mom and Dad!

I am very similar to my parents whileI am also very different. 

My mother and I are both similar. She has a go-with-the-flow attitude and is empathetic. We both love to write and be creative, but she also is extremely knowledgeable and loves to learn. She has always been supportive of me, and I thank her so much for that. She is so wise and is always there for me to talk to, which I don't thank her for enough. We are very different since I like to be very on time, I like to schedule things out, and most of all I am a people person. I am not saying I like to be around a crowd all the time, but I like to spend all of my time with my best friends or my family. She likes to spend time with her loved ones but enjoys being by herself and getting to have a chance to relax and do what she wants to do. Our relationship has evolved over the years when I moved because now she works from home we get to spend way more time together and it has bonded us. We bicker all the time, but I usually end up bickering with those I am closest with, and I think it is just human nature. Observing her adult life has taught me how to brush off the little things, and to constantly be there to listen to people's problems. She has also taught me how to fight for what I want. I take for granted how much she does for me. She is a voice of reason, someone to lean on, and someone who inspires me to be who I am.

My father is a big part of my life. He is very organized and is always pushing me to be the best I can be. We are very similar since he is open to new experiences, like traveling the world and trying out different careers. He has been a huge role in me wanting to live life to the fullest and not to let fear or worry stand in my way. We are different since he can be very introverted at times, and get's caught up in his thoughts, so you never know exactly what he's thinking. I am very extroverted, and end up venting to everyone what I am thinking, a lot of the time without a filter. Our relationship has evolved over the years since now that he is a writer and has stopped working as a lawyer, he's been around more, and we have bonded. Observing his life has taught me to value patience and that no matter what happens family is family. In the end, he is supportive of people's decisions and is always giving me self-confidence. I can be a little snappy at those I am close with, and he put's up with that. Again we bicker, but I think it all comes from being a teenager and thinking you know everything. I take for granted how much he works to help me through sports, school, and always saying that he will support me whatever decision I make. I can lean on him to be there for me, and I am very thankful for that.

My parents are a huge support system in my life, which I take for granted. I love them very much and am so happy I ended up with interesting, caring people to guide me through life. 

The Internet-- A Transformation of Society

Hi Guys,

Today I am going to be writing about what the most transformative innovation is. To me, I think the most transformative invention is the internet and how it connects us.

The computer has changed the way the human brain functions. It brings people from all over the world together, and gives the ultimate opportunity for free speech and is the ultimate platform for individualism. You can post anything, a blog, a video, an article. The computer connects us through the internet, and rewires are brain to think differently. Jobs are transformed since they now are completely centered around the internet. People express themselves and interact differently on social media, and learn and educate others through the internet.  Students are educated on the internet and their textbooks and agendas, grading books, and more are all located on the computer. The internet can be accessed on the iPhone, Computer, iPad, Tablet, and more. Everything revolves around the internet, and we wouldn't be where we are in today's society without it.




Tell me if you guys agree, or what you think the most interesting innovation is! See you next time!

Shedding Light on Some Critical Issues- Exposing the Truth

Hi guys, today we will be talking about three important issues in the United States, and why they need to be changed.

One huge issue in the United States is FDA Regulations. In food and over the counter medicine, there are so many unhealthy things that people are completely unaware of. Not only do These foods are made with chemicals, and are abusing animals in cruel ways. Fruit is sprayed with pesticides, animals are injected with hormones which get in meat, and milk, cheese, and other animal products, and high fructose corn syrup seems to be in everything we eat. These huge monopoly businesses provide cheap food which is bad for you, however if one is to get access to healthy food, it ends up being much more expensive and people tend to opt towards the cheaper option.

Another issue in the United States is Education Reform. Teens are constantly under pressure in high school with the extravagant costs of college. Kids know they can't afford college, so they end up giving up in high school. A lot of other issues involving human rights such as racism and sexism stem from misinformation and a lack of education on the subject. If college was to be made free like high school, and one could go based on district, this would give people a chance to educate themselves and get a credential to get a job. One problem the US struggles with is poverty and huge gaps between some people being extremely rich and some people being very poor, this free college would help balance this out and give people incentive to get through high school and college, and to give them a real chance to go out into the world and get a job.

The final big issue in the United States is Womens Rights. People brush off women's rights saying its not that big of a deal, or saying that girls are just being crazy. Well in fact this is not the case since women are performing the same job as men, however they are payed 79 cents for every dollar a man would earn. The poverty rate for working women would be cut in half if the wage gap closed. In school, we hear less and less about this problem, when in reality its a pressing issue. We are living in a world where a girl can grow up and do the exact same job as her husband, yet she will still make less than him based on her gender.

These problems need to be talked about, and brainstormed as a whole on how to come up with a solution. We need to expose these problems and not bury our heads in the sand. Leave a comment below on your opinion, or tell me what you think the main three issues in the US are.

See you guys next week!

A Transformation

Hi Guys,

So today we were given a topic on what we wanted to transform in this world, and why.

One thing in the world I would want to transform is the amount of judgementality. As a kid, your friends aren't usually as critical when you are younger. However, the older you get, the more pressure is put on you to be just like everyone else. That's why little kids have big dreams like being an astronaut, or traveling the world. It's just as you get older, their is more pressure around you to be just like everyone else. The thing is though, the more you try to do that, people label you. Whether that be as jock, or annoying, or airhead, or geek, or whatever they try to call you. Every decision you seem to make people put labels on you. This causes one to feel as if they shouldn't pursue their interests, because they will be judged for it. One of the biggest things I have learned growing up when moving and switching schools is you have to do what makes you happy, whether people like it or not. The funny part is, the people who one usually gravitates towards are the ones who are original and outgoing. People have been made to be afraid of expressing themselves, and thats what I would change. I would change how people are so quick to jump to conclusions, and so eventually we will be able to live in a world without labels and people feeling suppressed. We need to unite together, and embrace people's individuality, not push it away.

"The Fog Horn" by Ray Bradbury

I am the last one of my kind. I do not know where they went, only that they are now gone. I cry out in the depths of the ocean, hearing nothing but the sound of silence. For millions of years I sat on the ocean floor, waiting in this dark murky isolation that someone would come and be with me. Small little fish swim above me as a sleep. I eat them to stay alive, but it is usually not enough. I tried surfacing a couple hundred years ago, however these tiny little creatures that have two legs started rushing and screaming at me. They shot these little pellets that hurt horribly. They came out of a small brass instrument; I am not sure what they were. They also used boxes with lights that came out and flashed them at me. I dove deep down and cried bitterly, knowing that if I ever try to come to safety they will hurt me.

One night, I heard a sound through the currents, a call from my people. I was desperate. I knew the sound was from far away, however, I have extremely enhanced hearing and can hear from long distances. I decided I have to try to find whoever is making this sound, and I set off on a journey. It took many moons for me to arrive. Throughout the trip I felt as if this was my last chance, and I might finally be reunited with my kind. I felt abandoned, and that I needed to finally ask them why they left me. I just wanted to see someone’s face again. I arrive in an isolated bay at nightfall. Looking up, I hear the call. I rise up struggling to see it. My vision is poor, but I see the creature has the same body as me, and a flashing eye. It calls to me, and I call to it. However, it never swims to me. I thrash around the whole night calling at it asking why it has left me in isolation driving me to insanity. It simply repeats the same call, not explaining itself, almost as if it doesn’t understand me. I feel betrayed and hurt. It gave me no answer, and I felt my heart sink.

I swim back to the ocean floor and curl into a ball. In anger I go after some larger fish, one with fins and another with a shell. I then feel awful, I justify eating the small fish by saying it is what keeps me alive, but when I go after the things that are bigger I can see into their eyes. I feel as if I am taking them away from a tribe. I know what that is like. I have been separated from mine now for far too long. I continue to make my pilgrimage to the creature two more times, and I still get no response. It will not come near me, and I am too fearful to come near it. I am distraught. I have been rejected and thrown away yet again; it is toying with my feelings. I sink back to the deep one last time, then as I make my journey back, I decide that I cannot take it anymore. As I rise to the surface and feel the water coming off of my body I stand up fully and stare level with the creature. It just menaces me in the eyes, taunting me. I decide that I am sick of waiting for it to come and be with me, when I know it will not. I cannot take the agony anymore. I just want to destroy it, so it cannot hurt me anymore and play with my heart. My eyes fill with tears and suddenly the creature stops calling to me.

In incontrollable rage, my eyes become fiery and I realize what I have to do. The call comes back, and I throw myself as hard as I can against it. I continue to use my weight as a battering ram, and it finally falls. It sinks in what I have done. The only thing that I had I have now destroyed. I felt my whole world shatter. I called out for the rest of the night, hoping it would wake up and call back to me. I tried to apologize, but it just wouldn’t respond. I swim away, knowing that was the last time I would return. I knew I couldn’t come back, since I had become too attached. For me to continue to survive my life, I now know I cannot love anything too much and be dependent, since I am too vulnerable to be hurt. I now sit in the black darkness, blaming myself for destroying my only friend. I live a life of loneliness, but at least I am strong.