All The Other Stuff

Everybody, at some point in their lives is asked the following question. It is a question that is so difficult to answer that it feels like you have just been stepped on by a very large iguana with mountain feet. (Why an iguana? I don't know!)

This terrifying question is, 

"How was school?" (It can also be phrased as, "Do you like school?")

Although it may seem impossible, I have done it. I have achieved the nearly impossible. 

I have thought of an answer to this question. 

Sorry I keep doing one line paragraphs. It contributes to the dramatic and suspenseful effect. :)

The answer is, "I like the learning, but not the stuff that comes with it."

Now, let me explain how I came up with this answer.

I love learning. If that makes me a nerd, I don't care. Learning about how thing work in science class, or stories of the past in social studies, or reading books in English class, or even the thrill of finally solving a really hard quadratic equation! I love it! It builds up my knowledge and gives me a better understanding of the world as a whole. However, I don't like the stuff that comes with it. Some examples of this are the following.

- Other people constantly judging you

- Name calling to your face

- Name calling behind your back

- Stereotypes

- More stereotypes

- The knowledge that, to most people around you, many of your defining characteristics are "bad"

- Not tests themselves, but the constant anxiety and panic that NEVER EVER EVER stops leading up to them

- Not the homework itself, but the knowledge that you go to school every single day and look forward to going home to relax and shake off all the stress, but NO! You just come home to hours and hours of more work to do and you want to watch your favorite TV show, or even read a book that you have to read already in order to go to Mariano's for the reading incentive that you can't miss because you know that all of your friends are going and you can't stand the thought of being all alone in the disgusting lunch room with nobody, not a single person, to talk to and actually feel wanted, but no. You have to go to bed because it is really late and you just finished your homework.

- That one stupid question on that one worksheet that doesn't make any sense to you but for some reason everybody else gets it, and you don't know why, but it ends up bringing down your grade.

- Knowing that most of your grade hates you except for your class, who doesn't hate you, but half of them talk to you in that voice you use when you don't want to talk to somebody.

- Knowing that in many friend groups, whenever your name is mentioned (They may have a code name for you so that they don't get in trouble.), they laugh and make fun of you behind your back.

- Knowing that some of these don't even happen, but you believe them anyway because you have anxiety and trouble in social situations. Oh yeah, and guess where that came from? School!

My friends are pretty cool, but next year, they are gone. Even the ones who are not moving away will still be gone. We don't want to accept it, but it will happen. Nobody keeps the same friends in middle school and in high school. 

This blog post is supposed to be about endings. This whole school, and the learning, and the other stuff will be gone forever. Next year is a clean slate. My goal, and what I recommend your goal be too, is to try to be able to love the learning, and the other stuff. If the other stuff turns out to be bad, don't let it bring you down. So, maybe the answer to the impossible question next year can just simply be, 

"School is good."

(I realize I should probably add a picture in this, so here.)

It's Complicated...

Before I start, I want to share with you all the first thing I thought of when I found out the topic of our blog posts would be, "It's Complicated". 

I had no idea what to write for this blog post. I was actually getting kind of frustrated because I usually think of these kinds of things  right away. So, I started thinking,

"Ugh, I can't think of anything! I would write about (insert  idea here) but I wouldn't want to post that. I also have to think of the response that could result from the topic, and how it would affect the rest of my posts. The topic has to meet or exceed expectations and fit with the overall theme of my blog as a whole. It's so hard to write a blog post. There's so much to think about!"

That's it. Writing a blog is complicated.

Here is what I think about before I write a blog post.

1. Does it match the topic/criteria given with the assignment of this post?
The reason I ask myself this is pretty obvious. I don't want to get a bad grade on the post, so I always follow the directions given to me.

2. Does it display the message intended for it to display?
This is definitely one of the most important parts of writing a blog post. If I want to teach the readers some sort of lesson, or tell them something, I want them to understand that. If the readers don't take something out of my post, then what is the point of even writing it? There is no sense in trying to write anything if it doesn't have a purpose. For example, the purpose of this post is for readers to know how I write my blog posts and possibly even give them ideas for writing their blogs.

3. Does it fit the overall theme of my blog?
This may seem like a weird one, but most people follow this rule without even thinking about it. I want my blog to stay consistent. I'm not going to write one post in old English and the rest in regular English. (Unless, of course, if it has something to do with the topic.) Or for example, I'm not going to change the font for two posts and not the rest.

4. Will it attract the correct response?
I'm not going to explain this one too much, but basically, I want my blogs to generate the kind of response intended for them, without sacrificing the style or content of the writing.

I decided to end this post with links to some other blogs that I found and liked. I just went through the list on Mrs. Joyner's blog and looked at random ones, so don't think I was stalking you or anything. :)

http://kyliesworld16.blogspot.com/
http://theblogofacolor.blogspot.com/
http://itisallaconspiracyfolks.blogspot.com/

The Best Quotes In The Entire World (AGAIN!)

The very first post that ever went up on this blog was full of amazing quotes that I really like. I decided to do another one of those posts with Dear Evan Hansen quotes that I like. I provided the song that they came from so that you can listen to the lines if you are interested. :)

There is a reason I did not provide explanations for these quotes. That reason is following. Each person interprets a quote differently. I want each reader to understand the quote in a way that applies to them. These quotes don't do anything if I tell you how to feel about them.

Enjoy!

"Cause when the villains fall, the kingdoms never weep. No one lights a candle to remember."
-Requiem, Dear Evan Hansen

"Even if you've always been that barely in the background kind of guy, you still matter."
-Disappear, Dear Evan Hansen

"So, where's the map? I need a clue, cause the scary truth is I'm flying blind and I'm making this up as I go."
-Anybody Have A Map, Dear Evan Hansen

"When you're falling in a forest, and there's nobody around, do you ever really crash or even make a sound?"
-Waving Through A Window, Dear Evan Hansen.

"It just takes a little patience, it takes a little time. A little perseverance, and a little uphill climb...the hard way,
but it's the right way..."
-To Break In A Glove, Dear Evan Hansen

"But what do you do when there's this great divide?...And what do you do when the distance is too wide?"
-If I Could Tell Her, Dear Evan Hansen

There are more, but unfortunately I don't have time to type every word of the soundtrack into one post. :)

Why Dear Evan Hansen Is Not A Funeral Show

Today I almost exploded (figuratively).

I was in graduation chorus and we were picking out which song to sing. Two of the songs on the list were from Dear Evan Hansen. When one person listened to them she said,

"This is so sad. It's like a funeral song."

Well let me tell you now, LIFE IS SAD! Life is full of disappointment and sorrow and worry and anxiety and war and conflict and hardship.

That is why people love Dear Evan Hansen so much. They love it because it's real. The actors display real problems faced and conquered by real people in the world.

Would you like to know how I escape these feelings? Through this song! Through this musical! These songs get me up in the morning! Literally! I finally get out of bed the second I hear these songs!

You Will Be Found is a song about how even people who aren't able to pick themselves back up when they are pushed down by society will be lifted up by their peers. If that sounds like a funeral, then there is probably something wrong with one's ears. (Unintentional rhyme!)

Dear Evan Hansen gives me hope. When I am faced with nerves and anxiety, Evan Hansen inspires me to keep going. Even the actor is inspiring. Ben Platt went to the same summer camp that I do. He gives me the hope that one day, I can succeed and get to do what I love as long as I work as hard as I can, and persevere.

So, why don't you listen to the songs again? This time, really listen and maybe you won't think of funerals whenever you hear a song that appeals to your emotions.

Adorable Accuracy!

After a study in Japan, it is now proven that looking at pictures of baby animals helps people focus. More focused work can lead to more accuracy as well.

Here are some articles about it!
Article 1
Article 2

Here are some adorable animal pictures to help you stay focused today.

Stars

I was pondering for a while about how to begin this blog post. After thinking for a bit, I decided to start like this.

Stars. Lights from above that reveal their beauty to life on the ground. They lead us and guide us through life. They inspire us to persevere. Much like memories.

When I was given the assignment to write a tribute to somebody, dead or alive, I immediately thought of one of my most prominent memories, a star, my cousin Ryan Briere.

Ryan was an bundle of energy whose curiosity never stopped. Instead of running inside away from the rain, he ran outside to the rain and admired its wonder. Ryan constantly taught those around him how to optimistically love life and see it as beautiful, not flawed.

This is a picture of Ryan (right) with my cousin Noah (left).



On January 11, 2011, Ryan and his family went to Portillos for dinner. He choked on a hot dog and passed away that night, just a few weeks before his third birthday.

In his memory and to honor his constant curiosity and care for others, the Ryan Briere Foundation was created. The Ryan Briere Foundation helps various organizations, mostly ones pertaining to children.

This is a link to the Ryan Briere Foundation website.