The Black Experience
JaiDyn Johnson 5/19

     In America you have to watch your back, and be careful of what you do because you don’t want to draw too much attention to yourself. In America you can't just sit in your car, or in an empty parking lot for too long because that can be labeled as “suspicious activity.” If a cop sees, you can potentially be shot. You can’t have very dark tinted windows or you will be pulled over. If you give an officer the “wrong” response or “angered tone of voice” you may be asked to step out of your car. If you are in your neighborhood, just standing in front of a store, who knows what can happen?
     Clarence Evans was on his property when a white officer came up to him and told him that someone called in that his dog had been stolen. The officer then proceeded to ask Evans for his ID and he politely told him no. In the State of Texas you’re required to show your ID if you are lawfully arrested. In this case Clarence wasn't under arrest nor did he have a warrant out for his arrest. As you can see, this type of harassment and profiling can occur even at your own home out of nowhere, and being able to speak up for yourself after being accused of something is not always an option.
     Police brutality is not something black people should have to deal with. But in today’s society it’s common to open up the news and see something bad happening to a black person. When will this end? When will black people be able to just without being harassed, hurt, or even killed by officers.
    How many more black people have to be killed by police for white people to understand that what police are doing to us is wrong? When will black people be at peace?

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Mr. Nelken's English 1010 - 500 Word Summaries 

International Students at American Colleges
​Raven Joseph 11/18
     After classroom conversations in ECE 1010 here at Co-op that surrounded the topic of indebted people around the world, I decided to take my personal exploration to the topic of international students within America. As a student myself with an immigrant parent, I wanted to further analyze and understand the connection between students from around the world and secondary education in America. By the end of my research, I wanted to be able to answer the following questions: What is it that attracts students around the world to American schools? What do American colleges and universities gain from allowing international students into their institutions? Do international students have lower admission rates than American born college students? I believe that my essay, titled Foreign in Education, does a great job of thoroughly addressing the answers to these questions.
     Throughout my research, I found that students are often drawn to American institutions because of the reputation that they hold for providing students with an intellectually stimulating experience. America’s schools, specifically the Ivy League’s, have a magnetic attraction that pulls students in from all around the world. In Asia, the goal for most students who are close to graduating is to be accepted into at least one American university. Not only do these students work tirelessly to be eligible for these institutions, but they work tirelessly once they are here in order to keep their positions as students because of the high tuition rates.
     American colleges and universities benefit from the presence of international students because their campuses then encompass the various walks of life that a student will see once they take on the real world. The various racial, cultural, ethnic, and academic backgrounds that students will come across while on campus appeals to the eyes of students who are looking to expand their careers past American territory post secondary education. They are also given the opportunity to develop a better understanding of the perspectives of others and receive the tools to function in a multicultural society.
     I was shocked to learn that the admissions for international students was a trending topic in America at the moment. A pending lawsuit against Harvard University claims that the institution has shown a pattern of decade long discrimination against Asians and/or Asian Americans. The group of Asian American students who have filed this lawsuit believe that Harvard systematically and unconstitutionally discriminates against Asian American applicants by “penalizing their achievements as a group”, showing that international students do in fact have a difficult time being admitted into American institutions.
     American colleges and universities create the perfect avenue for international students furthering their education in America. America only accounts for a mere 5% of the world’s population, it is only right that students from all around the world are welcomed with open arms. 

I'll Be the Reason I Love to Live
Chelsey Jara 11/18

    I think I’ll be selfish in my choices from now on. I’ve considered the consequences and I think I’ll benefit from acting selfishly. I’ve let my surroundings influence my decisions for too long and I need change. I want to be assertive in my personal interests. I don’t want to agonize over the reactions of my peers and family. I’d like to simply act on what I think will make me happy.
     I know it will be difficult to overlook the judgment of others. I know I will continue to be mindful of those I care about. But I also know that until I can tone down the impulse to please others, I’ll live a miserable life. I don’t want to be held down by needless responsibility or the pressures of legacy. I will no longer allow others to live vicariously through me. I want to live for myself. I want to experience for myself. I want to become worldly and broad-minded. I’ve realized that’s not possible if I’m not objective in my decisions.
     I will think of myself when making a choice. I will think of myself when planning ahead. I will consider my present and future before considering others. I’ve sacrificed too much and lost too many advantages due to my consideration of others. Not anymore.
     I will always love and appreciate the advice from my family and friends, but from now on I will lead my life. I won’t walk on eggshells. I will be the one dictating my future. I will be the reason I love to live.  

Experiments with Makayla Chambers

The myth of water: Is more always better?
     “If there is one health myth that will not die, it is this: You should drink eight glasses of water a day. It’s just not true. There is no science behind it.”
     When I first read this line I didn’t believe it. I grew up hearing that I should be drinking eight glasses of water a day. For me, It was a fact of life. It was my equivalent of the sky is blue. You’re not sure when you learn it, it's just something you know. To find out drinking eight glasses of water is a myth was shocking, to say the least. This not only surprised me, but made me wonder where the myth came from.
     The New York Times article that opened with this quote proposed that “the source of this myth was a 1945 Food and Nutrition Board recommendation that said people need about 2.5 liters of water a day. But they ignored the sentence that followed closely behind. It read, “Most of this quantity is contained in prepared foods.” I find it fascinating that because some people skipped one sentence in a health report, almost 73 years later one of the biggest health myths still stands.
     A Healthline article written by Joe Leech (an Australian dietitian with a Master's degree in Nutrition and Dietetics) claims that hydration has a major effect on brain function, maximizing physical performance, and can help with weight loss. In regards to brain function, it has been proven by multiple studies that our brains our influenced by our hydration status. “In a study of young women, fluid loss of 1.36% after exercise impaired both mood and concentration, and increased the frequency of headaches.         
     Another similar study, this time in young men, showed that fluid loss of 1.59% was detrimental to working memory and increased feelings of anxiety and fatigue.” These case studies not only show how water can affect your mental capacity, but how both men and women are affected by it.
     Physical performance is also dependent on staying hydrated. Staying hydrated is especially important for athletes, as water helps lubricate joints and allows them to move more freely. The less fluid available to protect your joints, the more easily you can be injured. While injury is a consequence of being dehydrated, it isn’t the only one. In Leech’s article he says, “it is not uncommon for athletes to lose up to 6-10% of their water weight via sweat. It can lead to altered body temperature control, reduced motivation, increased fatigue and make exercise feel much more difficult, both physically and mentally.” I found this interesting, as not only does drinking water have physical consequences, but can also alter your mindset and make exercising more difficult than it needs to be.
     The last thing I found worth mentioning in Leech’s article was that drinking water could help someone lose weight. “In two studies, drinking half a liter (17 ounces) of water was shown to increase metabolism by 24-30% for up to 1.5 hours” This basically means that drinking roughly one bottle of water a day could help speed up your metabolism (which is responsible for breaking down food and chemicals in your body and converting it into energy) and lose weight more easily. His article also mentioned that “Drinking water a half an hour before meals is the most effective. It can make you feel more full, so that you eat fewer calories. In one study, dieters who drank half a liter of water before meals lost 44% more weight, over a period of 12 weeks.” This trick seems very useful for someone trying to lose weight, and considering the obesity rate in America you’d think more people would be aware of it.
     After reading about weight loss I wanted to know more about how incorporating more water in your diet could help you lose weight. According to Emily Oster (author of an article on FiveThirtyEight) “Given the magnitude of the obesity epidemic in the United States, it would be a huge public health boon if everyone replaced their fruit juice or soda with water.” And she's right. Obesity has become a recent problem in America and something as simple as drinking water might be the solution. The CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) says that “In the United States, nearly 35% of adults are obese. Additionally, 18 percent of children ages 6 to 11 and 21 percent of adolescents ages 12 to 19 are also considered obese.” Replacing high calorie drinks with the healthy alternative that is water could change the recent trend of obesity.
     While replacing our usual high calorie drinks with water could help the obesity rates, it's also important to remember too much of anything can be bad for you. The Mayo Clinic stresses the fact that too much water can have adverse effects on your body. “Although uncommon, it's possible to drink too much water. When your kidneys can't excrete the excess water, the sodium content of your blood is diluted (hyponatremia) — which can be life-threatening. Athletes — especially if they participate in long or intense workouts or endurance events — are at higher risk of hyponatremia.” While hyponatremia is rare, it is important to watch how much water you drink to not disrupt the balance of fluids in your body.
     This week I decided that doing an experiment wasn’t necessary as it has been proven that drinking eight glasses of water a day is myth. So while I did no formal experiment, I did try to incorporate more water into my diet. I started carrying around a 64 oz. water bottle (the equivalent of eight 8 oz. glasses of water) and drank from that whenever I was thirsty as opposed to juice or soda. I found that I spent less money this week because I didn’t need to buy a drink whenever I bought food. It was very convenient having a water bottle on hand. I didn’t notice much of a difference in how I felt.
     After immersing myself in this myth-busting experiment, I’ve concluded that hydration is a crucial element of a healthy lifestyle and that in order to be sufficiently hydrated, people should consider their weight, how much they exercise, the water content of the foods they eat in order to determine how many glasses of water to drink each day.

Sources:
-https://www.nytimes.com/2015/08/25/upshot/no-you-do-not-have-to-drink-8-glasses-of-water-a-day.html
-https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/you-dont-need-8-glasses-of-water-a-day/
-https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/art-20044256
-https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/7-health-benefits-of-water#section1
-https://www.everydayhealth.com/obesity/guide/obesity-in-america/
-https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21736786

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​Mindfulness Experiment
By Makayla Chambers 11/18

     Whether it be the mind palace in Sherlock Holmes, Occlumency in Harry Potter or the general trend of mindfulness, meditation has become a huge part of pop culture. This mindfulness revolution has taken the media by storm and caused many to take up the art of mental awareness.
     The first time I ever heard of the word mindfulness, I was in my eighth grade English class. The guidance counselor and her assistant had come in and led a mindfulness/meditation session with us. I thought it was a waste of time. But being mentally and socially aware has become imperative the older we get and the more diverse the cultural climate around us becomes.
     According to “12 Science-based benefits of meditation” by Matthew Thrope, meditation can help reduce stress, lower blood pressure, control anxiety, lengthen attention span, and much more. The benefit I found the most useful for myself was self-awareness. Self-awareness helps you gain a stronger understanding of yourself, and helps you realize destructive patterns so you can change them into constructive thoughts.
     At the Windham Campbell Panel, Suzan-Lori Parks spoke of how important she thought it was to have a meditation practice. She said that we were influenced by so many external factors, that we needed the time to figure out what we think, and how we feel about it. Until that moment, I hadn’t realized how much my opinions on certain matters had changed over the years. Gaining a stronger understanding of how I felt sounded like the perfect way to reflect on these changes and become a better version of myself.
     First, I looked on YouTube for different meditation sessions. I knew I needed a guided meditation because I had never seriously meditated before. I also looked at the book “A practical guide to Buddhist meditation” by Paramananda. The YouTube videos I found were generally very long and I found it hard to decide what I was looking for. The book was easy to understand, but stopping mid-meditation to read the next section of the book seemed counterproductive. I finally decided on using an app called “Simple Habit.” The app has different mindfulness programs led by certified teachers in meditation. Simple Habit made finding programs easy by filtering them based on duration, situation, and content type.  I wanted to try three different programs throughout the week to see if there were any major differences between teachers.
     For the first three days, I listened to a program by Craig Hase called “Today is a Good Day.” His program had approximately 219,000 listens and the reviews I could find were all positive and recommended his sessions. His programs were generally about 5-10 minutes long and focused on staying positive and being kind. The first day was mostly breathing and staying focused. A common theme between each person's meditation was emphasizing the fact that beginners are often distracted, but the only thing that matters is bringing your focus back every time your mind wanders. This reassurance was helpful, as I wasn't sure what to expect. Craig Hase’s program focused on allowing yourself to have a good day and being positive towards yourself. He often repeated mantras like “May I be Happy,” “May I be Healthy,” and “May I be peaceful and at ease.” He recommended we say these throughout our day to reiterate the point that the only person in control of our happiness was ourselves and only we have the power to let ourselves enjoy our day.
     I found the concept that we limit our own happiness interesting and found an article on Psychology Today by Lisa Firestone about the reasons we don’t let ourselves be happy. She talked about how when we take “Two steps forward and one step back,” we take the step backward as a sign of failure and believe we are incapable of achieving our goals. She also says that it “disrupts our sense of identity.” The blanket of negativity we surround ourselves with (no matter how unwanted) gives us a sense of comfort and safety. Stepping outside our comfort zones often makes us retreat back to what we know and causes us to remain unhappy.
     The notion that we limit our own happiness made me want to immerse myself in Craig Hase’s program and try to make sure I wasn’t making these same mistakes. I set a reminder on my phone to randomly send notifications with his mantras that have us ask ourselves for permission to be happy. Often when I was having a bad morning, I let it affect my whole day. These reminders made me ask myself ‘why should this bad morning be a bad day?’ and change my attitude. I highly recommend Craig Hase’s program to anyone struggling with allowing themselves to be happy and kind towards themselves.
     The second program I listened to was called “Morning Meditation” by Fuyuko Toyota. Her sessions had about 105,000 listens and focus on your senses. Her series was very simple to follow and could easily become a part of my mornings. Focusing on my senses and then evaluating how they make me feel is something I’ve never done before. She recommends that throughout our day we practice recognizing how we feel about the things we hear, see, feel, taste and smell. Practicing certain techniques throughout the day was also something all three teachers had in common. She says that her sessions are about “Building the muscle of attention” and I feel like practicing these new techniques is how we increase our daily mindfulness. Whenever I listened to music, ate anything, or felt a certain material I asked myself how did it make me feel. It was weird at first thinking of everything I came in contact with and made me realize there’s a lot of input we receive on a daily basis and sorting through all that information helped me feel more grounded.
     The last program I listened to was by Oren Jay Sofer called “Improve Focus.” His program was mainly about getting back to the basics and improving your focus the right way. He had about 291,876 plays on his program. As I did all of these meditation sessions in the morning time (around 6:00 am) this program helped me wake up and become the most alert out of the three. He had a pretty soothing voice and once I looked through the comments, I found that most people agreed with me. His comments were varied in the fact that some people thought his program was too basic while others loved the simplicity of his sessions. I think this program would be one I recommend to anyone just starting and trying to learn how to focus your mind.
      While meditating this week was generally a great experience, I did have some trouble sometimes. I chose relatively short sessions, as I am a beginner, but found my mind wandered more than I thought it would. While getting distracted wasn’t something I wanted to happen, I found that when my mind did wander I got some good ideas for pieces of writing I want to do in the future. I also found times where I would fall asleep briefly during the sessions but as the week went by, I found once I woke up, I would stay awake more easily.
     Throughout the week morning meditations have improved my mindset. Usually at the end of a week, I have a whole list of things that went wrong but after meditating for a week, I had a list of things I enjoyed or think I would try again. After doing this week full of morning meditations I think I’m going to continue doing meditation in the morning. It might not be every day but I definitely think mindfulness has its benefits and that my 8th-grade guidance counselor definitely knew what she was talking about.

For more
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/12-benefits-of-meditation
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/compassion-matters/201507/5-reasons-we-dont-let-ourselves-be-happy

Thinking Out Loud
Yesira Delgado 4/19

     I feel unmotivated to write. I don’t know what it is that is causing this dark cloud, but I’m unmotivated. Recently, I have opened my mind up to a very stressful concept, college. I know it’s bad to put off the idea of college my entire junior year, but I haven’t had the strength to even think about my future. I’m sure this is a normal feeling for most juniors and seniors, but the anxiety I get when I think about SATs or college makes me feel like I’m drowning in a pit of quicksand.
     I feel unmotivated to write. I don’t know whether or not this is my fault. I feel like I bring myself down by being interested in topics that require a lot of detail and explanation. I feel like my writing is not at its full potential so I'm not able to write about these things. I feel lazy. Sometimes I don’t want to write about things that involve so much research and constant editing. I feel slow (not sure if that’s the right word, but as I said before I’m unmotivated). I feel slow because I’ve been trying to write something for months now and I feel like I’ve gotten nowhere near close to finishing.
     I feel unmotivated to write. I think I set myself up to fail at the beginning of the year by choosing reporting as my job In Coop Publishing House. I see the wonderful writers around me and how they’re able to follow through with their writing and somehow I feel like I’m doing something different. I’m stubborn. Once I have an idea I try my best to continue working on it even if I see that I’m getting nowhere with the piece. I don’t like to abandon my ideas and that is what makes me unmotivated. I never realize when it’s time to move on. Once I get started I feel like I can’t stop.
     I feel unmotivated to write. Sometimes I wish I could write about anything and everything but again as I mentioned I don’t like to abandon my ideas. Now don’t get me wrong, I like to write about informational topics but sometimes I feel like it would be easier to write about my feelings instead of trying to inform people about problems that they can just easily just research themselves. I see no purpose in my writing. I feel like I sabotage myself. Who would want to read an article written by a teenager in a creative writing class? When they can read an article written by a professional? I understand that maybe someone out there in the world (i.e. Ms. Englart) would enjoy a different perspective and be glad that I’m writing about important issues that most kids my age aren’t discussing. But I don’t see the purpose anymore when it could be done by a professional.
     I feel unmotivated to write. Especially now that my department is in a crisis? The question mark is there because it is unclear what will happen to our Creative Writing department. There is “technically” no talk of the department being cut but we have don’t have a fiction teacher this year! But hey, “technically” that’s not considered anything major to anyone outside of Creative Writing. Why should I be motivated to write when my department isn’t considered an “art” according to the standards of Connecticut. I think that should make feel more motivated so I can prove everyone wrong, but then again here I am writing this.
     I want to be motivated. I want to feel proud of my writing. I’m tired of being lazy. I’m tired of feeling slow (still not sure if that’s the right word). I’m tired of being stressed and scared of my future. I’m tired of feeling like my writing is never good enough. I’m tired of being unmotivated. The only question is: What do I do next? How do I move on and improve myself? Where do I go with my writing? I know that that was more than one question but I don’t know where to start. I’m still clueless as to what I should do, but what I do know is that I’m done being unmotivated.

“The Girlfriend Problem”
Yesira Delgado 11/18

    Throughout the years women have been wrongly incarcerated for the crimes of a spouse, and in the documentary “A family and a 15-year sentence,” we can see this happen to Cindy Shank. Women have been the fastest-growing group in expanding prison populations; Cindy Shank was one of the many women that was sent to prison because of something called “the girlfriend problem.” Shank was sent to prison for conspiracy of knowledge because of her deceased ex-boyfriend’s drug crimes. It should be noted that Shank was not involved in any drug activity that was committed by her ex-boyfriend, but was charged with conspiracy.
     The 15-year mandatory sentence was given because of the quantity of drugs he had and how much he distributed. In  “The Girlfriend Problem: How Sentencing Laws Affect Women & Children,” it states that “the length of a sentence usually depends on the quantity of drugs a person possesses or distributes. Where a person is charged with conspiracy in a drug crime, sentences often reflect the total amount of drugs possessed or sold by everyone in the operation.” Shank was caught in the war on drugs; although she wasn’t involved in any drug trade, and had no prior criminal history, she was sentenced to 15 years.
     Cindy Shank is not the only one who has been affected by the “girlfriend problem.”  Many women find themselves getting caught in the middle of their spouse’s drug crimes. In a Drug Policy Alliance article entitled “Women, LGBTQIA+ People & the Drug War” the writer states that conspiracy laws were designed to target the members that could have been involved in the operation, but instead has led to women being guilty just for living with someone who is involved in drug activity.
     The most important thing to Cindy Shank while she was in prison was to keep a connection with her daughters. The thought of seeing her daughters again was enough to help her get through that tough time. While listening to the podcast Latino USA about Shank, I could hear the grief in her voice when she talked about how her daughters were the only things that kept her going, and if it wasn’t for them she would have given up the first chance she got. She fought every minute she could to make sure her daughters knew that she loved them and that one day she would return home.     
     In the end, she was grateful that her brother, Rudy Valdez, captured so many moments of their lives on video; it was a way to see her daughters grow up. Although she wasn’t there to see every moment, she was still able to see important times in their lives.
     Cindy Shank is just one of the many Latina women that are sent to prison because of “noninvolvement”of drug crimes. Removing a parent, especially the only parent in a household, is destabilizing to a family, and in the long term leads to devastating lives for everyone.  Most people don’t know about “the girlfriend problem.” I hope that by raising awareness, we can do something to help these families.

Social Media and Its Effects
Madison Roman 4/19

     Social media as we know it has not always been easy to access. In fact, according to a study done by Pew Research Center, "75 percent of online news consumers say they get news forwarded through email.” Old media such as newspapers, radios, and television have become a secondhand source in favor of new and improved ways of consuming news worldwide.   
     These more effective ways of accessing the internet have become a problem among teenagers who use social media for more than just education. Social media has increased throughout the years and has paved the way for different digital platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Snapchat. These platforms are now used for popularity and self-promotion among those who are famous and rich. It is now easy to access information and updates on our favorite celebrities and friends at all times of the day and gain millions of followers, which can become addictive. Cell phones have also played into the social media problem and have impacted younger students’ ability to learn in schools.
     To prove my hypothesis, I decided to make two surveys, one for teachers and one for students, which focused on two different perspectives. Both surveys contained solutions to reduce media use among the youth. I included in the teacher survey questions relating to what students do when they are distracted and asked what grade level do they find uses their phone the most. Three questions that I included in the student surveys were questions about the amount of time they spend on social media, what platforms they have or commonly use, and if they would consider themselves obsessed with the internet.
     Most of the teachers that took the survey taught 4 to 5 classes a day and they all recorded that many of their students in all of their classes were very much distracted by social media, which has increased the constant need to remind them to put away their phones. When asked if the students listened to their demands, many responses revealed that they did but they usually found that they had to repeat themselves or those who do listen are the ones that actually complete the assignments. 
     Sophomores and Juniors were said to use their phones the most out of all four grade levels. Many of the teachers said that the main issue with social media is that it is addicting, but according to Mr. Nelken it has also “increased social pressures and hinders individuality.” Mr. Duncan suggests that since an increased amount of “idols has created inappropriate images on the media,” it affects the way children look and act. Mr. Laub’s says this causes a “lack of professionalism.” Mr. Murphy noted that there has been an increase in cyberbullying due to the amount of time teens spend on the internet. Mr. Bella agrees that the media has become dangerous and can spark depression and anxiety in teens who are at risk. Mr. Schwartz would like to prohibit the cell phone usage in schools but this suggestion may be difficult to enforce. Mr. Marchese would like both parents and administrators to take action and “be aggressive with policies that prohibit use.” Mr. Boroski acknowledges the fact that phones will always be a problem in schools. Therefore, he would like to “increase the phone usage with relation to learning.”
     In addition to the teacher’s responses, 7 out of 19 students said that they are constantly on their phones during class and many of them would consider themselves obsessed with social media. The survey revealed that most of the students spend at least 1 to 4 hours on the internet, not including Netflix. When asked why they thought students were distracted during classes, a 10th grader responded with “FOMO” which is the fear of missing out. Many of them had different assumptions. For instance, a 12th grader said, “this generation has grown up during the rapid development of technology and it absorbs them.” Another student believes that “they are so accustomed to taking out their phones and using it, it’s like a norm, a thing we use on a daily basis.” Three students blamed the phone usage on what's being taught in the classrooms, with responses like; “class doesn't seem to interest them” and “they are not interested in the work.” The second question focused on why they spend a lot of time on social media and many students admitted that they do it to “pass the time” and because they are “bored.”
     Those who did admit to spending more than 2 hours on social media said that they are trying to reduce their time spent by deleting apps and participating in their favorite hobbies. Those who didn't want to reduce their time either found that they spend little to no time on the internet or they liked to feel connected to the world and wouldn’t give it up.
     David Denby’s High-School Confidential: Notes on Teen Movies explores the stereotypical high school movie genre that has been portrayed for years. The outcasts see that only one group can rule the school. Therefore, they end up wanting everything the popular kids have. Social media has played a major role for those who are popular because it is very easy to become an icon through common platforms like YouTube and Instagram. The outcasts in these teen movies seek approval and “likes” by those who are favored by their school and will stop at nothing to become popular. Teenagers all over the world use social media every day as a tool to become famous and seek validation from those who are favored.
      I have learned a lot from this experiment and I now set boundaries for myself and try to do more productive things throughout my day to avoid using my phone. Hearing a lot of the students’ responses regarding how they are trying to reduce their time on social media reminded me of recent years where I had spent countless hours on social media and it had become addictive. I hope that in the future, more teens realize their addictions to the internet and take a break to enjoy the world around them.

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​Girly Girls vs. Tomboys
​Lismary Lopez 3/19

     There’s really not a difference between girly girls and tomboys. I think girls act girly because when they're little their parents make them think that girls can only do certain things. For example, when a girl plays outside in dirt or mud it’s wrong or it’s not ladylike. Parents seem to think that girls are supposed to be clean, gentle, and kind. Girly girls tend to be brats and they want everything to be their way. Most of them tend to worry about how they look, or what people say and think about them. They tend to have everything planned out; making sure everything is “right.”
     Tomboys are usually reckless. They care less about stuff, they’re not self centered, and they usually go through a lot in life. Tomboys really don’t care about what goes on with them; they care about others yet they barely show it. Tomboys are less controllable; they just go with their own flow.
     Writing about this is making me think of myself. Am I a girly girl or a tomboy? I don't want to label myself. I believe that I'm a normal person, but what is normal? I don’t think I’m either a tomboy or a girly girl. I tailor myself and my looks to how I feel every day. If it’s nice out and I wake up in an awesome mood, then yes of course I won't wear sweats or a hoodie, but that rarely happens. I also think we don't have a choice in being girly or a tomboy; it’s just something that randomly happens and people label you by what you wear and by the way you act.
    Not acting feminine doesn't make you less of a girl. There are girls out there that believe that because you dress as a guy you are not one of them and that is not true. I personally think that there’s no tomboy or girly girl. I believe we’re all just girls and we have different ways of getting dressed and acting and that's what makes us different from each other.

Don’t Leave Your Kids Alone (Cause They’ll do Something Dumb)
By Tain Gregory 12/18

     There have been many times when I walk into a store and see unattended children there. When I say children, I mean really young kids around the age of 6 or 7. Usually it isn’t a good idea to leave your kids in a store while you are shopping somewhere else unless they are over the age of 11. 
     Around when I was 11, I used to ask my Dad to let me go into Gamestop when he went shopping. When I would go there, it was usually empty. I would just walk around, play the demo games, and occasionally buy some stuff. The cashier who was often working was a really nice guy, and sometimes we would talk about upcoming Nintendo games and stuff like that. To this day, I still do go into stores like Gamestop when my parents are shopping. But recently, I have noticed some really annoying kids who are alone in the store causing trouble for the workers. 
    One time when I was at Gamestop looking at some collectible figures, this little boy around the age of 6 comes in with his mom. His mom tells him she will be back in about 15 minutes, and she tells him to behave. When his mom leaves, he picks up a Pikachu plush and starts waving it around saying “I’m Pikachu! Pew pew pew!” He then throws the Pikachu plush down on the ground and runs over to the wall of video game cases on display. He tries to reach for a game on a high shelf, so I walk over to help him. He jumps up and reaches the game, but he knocks over a bunch of other games on the shelf. He opens the game he took from the shelf, and leaves it open and puts it on the pile of games he made. He runs towards the exit, trips on the Pikachu plush he threw on the ground, and knocks over a display. Then his mom comes in, not looking up from her phone, and tells him it’s time to go. The employee working there looks like Christmas has been canceled. I help him try to reorganize the games on the shelf, but that kid has knocked over so much stuff that it would take too long to put them back in alphabetical order. We clean up about half of the mess when my dad texts me to meet him by Starbucks. The employee thanks me for helping him, and I leave to find my dad.
    Obviously, this kid was not controlling himself and he was acting very dumb. His mom just left him in some random store to do whatever he wanted. And then he and his mom just left the store without even saying anything about the mess he made. I have seen this happen in many stores besides Gamestop, and it is really annoying for the employees. Imagine you are the employee, and an annoying little kid comes into your store and knocks everything over and doesn’t clean anything up. You would have to stay longer to clean up the huge mess they made, and you wouldn’t be paid overtime. 
    In the end, I honestly hope that kid and his mom got banned from that store. That mom should be more careful about where she lets her son out, because this kid destroyed half a store! People should think before they leave their kids alone in stores like it’s their personal day care. It is the nicer thing to do for the employees and the other people in the store.

Disadvantaged Students Vs. The College Process
​Brookelyn Hazelwood

     I listened to a podcast called “Summer Melt” that discusses the issues that students go through that force them not to attend college at all, even if they’ve applied and been accepted. Problems differ, from issues at home to limited financial and mental support to just not having the motivation to get to college.
     The main speaker on the podcast was the Vice President of Georgia State University's Admission Office, Scott Burke. He says that their classroom sizes are decreasing because not all of the students have the support that they need to go through the college enrollment process. Most of these students have parents who did not go to college, so they don’t really know how the whole process works. These students are at a disadvantage because not only do they not have any practical help, but they don’t have anyone who knows how to motivate them through the long, difficult college process.
An article entitled ‘Why Students Do Not Go To College’ on www.scholarships.com says that majority of students do not attend college because of cost or because their parents did not attend either, which is the same for Georgia State University students.
     I, along with many other seniors in high school, am currently going through the college process. I cannot imagine not attending college, which is why I picked this podcast. I was curious to see how others are dealing with stresses of preparing for college and what goes through their heads when they think about college. I feel bad for anyone who does not have the support they need because college is the start of your career and I am sure everyone wants to be successful; they just don’t have anyone to lean on during tough times.
     My friends and I have plenty of support from our families and even from each other. We all plan to go to out-of-state colleges and onto our own successful paths for our future.
     I’ll be sitting in a college classroom in less than a year and I know exactly what I want to do and where I want to go. I’m hoping to attend Spelman College in Atlanta, Georgia next fall and major in Social Work. After that, I want to attend a masters program to get my LCSW (Licensed Clinician in Social Work). Everyone in my family and all of my friends are counting on me to make my hopes and dreams into realities. Fortunately, I have enough support to get there and hopefully make it to the finish line in the future.



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