May 13 2014

My 7th Grade Year— Plus, Moving Away! 😭

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My 7th grade year at West Ridge Middle School has been a year full of excitement, drama, unexpected events, awesome classes, amazing teachers, and best of all…IPADS! I could go on and on, paragraph by paragraph, book by book about the different things I’ve learned from West Ridge Middle School.
First off, iPads are a very convenient, handy, and crucial element to a 7th grade WRMS student. I have to say that the iPad privileges have improved so much since 6th grade. Not only do we mischievous students get to text-away, take photo-booth pictures and play Flappy Golf behind our teacher’s backs (just kidding I would never do that!), but we also get the chance to actually use them in class activities! Because of the countless Keynote presentations, Skyward learning checks and quizzes, and endless Kahoot competitions (shoutout to Mr. Bailey!), I’ve learned to appreciate the beneficial use of our school iPads!
Now don’t get me wrong, but even though West Ridge has thousands of great things to offer, it still has its dilemmas. My first year at WRMS was basically a year of coasting through my classes with slick ease, homework was very subtle and was usually checked as completion. But in 7th grade— oh no no no! Boatloads of homework, copious amounts of projects, and the all time favorite…the stay-up-til-midnight-to-study-for tests! Seriously, the homework change from 6-7th grade definitely caught me off guard. Some days were better than others, but some days were simply days filled with last-minute studying, procrastination of projects, and trying to figure out the last problem on my math homework. But the most important thing I would tell an upcoming 7th grader is to MANAGE YOUR TIME WISELY!!!! I could not possibly tell you how many times I have waited until the last possible second to finish my homework—more than the number of grains of sand on earth…😕
This year at West Ridge Middle School has been so exciting with various twists and turns around every corner. I’ve learned hundreds of different things from learning how to simplify a radical expression to becoming a more responsible student, I couldn’t have asked for a better year at WRMS. But alas—I’m afraid that my years at WRMS has come to an end. I cannot believe that out of my 13 years of living in Austin (2 of which going to the best middle school ever) that I’d say this but…I’m moving! 😭😭 In dedication of me moving away from my friends, my home, and WRMS, I’ve decided to create a poem down below.

I walked out the door
And I didn’t look back
It was time for me to go
Nothing left in my tracks
As I looked out of the car window, driving further away
I asked myself a question, “Why couldn’t I have stayed?”
My friends, home, and school will be missed
“Mom I don’t want to leave!” I plead and insist
But I realize that it is after all for a good cause
I will carry all my memories, my mistakes and my flaws
But let me just say before I part
That I will always keep my experiences in my throbbing heart
And I can not bare to see my friends go
If I had a choice, my opinion would be no
“California here I come!” I finally sigh
I realized now that this was goodbye.

May 2 2014

Inner Beauty

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  What is beauty? Is beauty the darkness or length of your mascara?  Is it the way your new colored contacts shine in the moonlight? Is it the fake hair extensions that accentuate your real hair? Or is it the heavy amounts of powdered foundation that masks someone’s inner beauty? Well think about it like this, even though what looks on the outside may be attractive to the eye, the looks on the inside are what captivates the heart.

  Who cares about the blemishes or boils on the surface of your face? Or the dry/discolored patches on your skin? Ok no more questions…But what I’m trying to say is that you shouldn’t try to conceal your imperfections. I’m not saying that girls should ban makeup from their everyday life, but its the personality and the heart that really excites.

  Take me for example. Being the imperfect girl that I am, I’ve been blessed with a mouth full of braces, incredibly dry hair, and the best of all—eczema. Eczema is a very common skin disease that creates and spreads a canvas of bumps, cracks, dry patches, and rashes across my whole body—how fun! However, over the years, I’ve learned to deal with my flaws and realize that they mold me into the person that I am today. No matter what, I will always have awesome friends that love me for who I am, not for what I look like. 

Have you ever heard the saying don’t judge a book by its cover? Well that’s exactly what real beauty is. Just because someone has attraction on the outside, doesn’t necessarily mean they have attraction on the inside.

  To conclude, beauty can come in a variety of forms. It can resemble large doses of makeup that supersedes someone’s natural beauty. Or it can be the lightness in someone’s heart that really shines through. Once in while it’s good to accessorize with a little lipstick or mascara, but take some time to unplug, and let the world see your inner beauty come to life.

 

Apr 24 2014

“What If…”

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“Last night, while I lay thinking here,
some Whatifs crawled inside my ear
and pranced and partied all night long
and sang their same old Whatif song:
Whatif I’m dumb in school?
Whatif they’ve closed the swimming pool?
Whatif I get beat up?
Whatif there’s poison in my cup?
Whatif I start to cry?
Whatif I get sick and die?
Whatif I flunk that test?
Whatif green hair grows on my chest?
Whatif nobody likes me?
Whatif a bolt of lightning strikes me?
Whatif I don’t grow taller?
Whatif my head starts getting smaller?
Whatif the fish won’t bite?
Whatif the wind tears up my kite?
Whatif they start a war?
Whatif my parents get divorced?
Whatif the bus is late?
Whatif my teeth don’t grow in straight?
Whatif I tear my pants?
Whatif I never learn to dance?
Everything seems well, and then
the nighttime Whatifs strike again!”

The poem above is a little blurb from Shel Silverstein’s book A Light in the Attic. Shel Silverstein is one of my favorite poets in the whole world because his word choice in his sentence structure on his poems are absolutely phenomenal—each and every sentence flowed like butter on a skillet. I also love the figurative language in his poems, “Some Whatifs crawled inside my ear and pranced and partied all night long and sang their same old Whatif song…”. Not only was this such a fun poem to read, but it could also relate to so many people. The world is full of curiosity that can’t be tamed; day after day questions float and fly about the atmosphere. Especially everyone’s favorite…”What if?”.

Apr 11 2014

Tamagotchi: The Virtual Reality Pet!

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Oh how I wish I could own a pet, one that I can feed, bathe, play with, take care of. But alas, no matter how many times I pleaded, begged, dropped down to my knees for, I still couldn’t convince my parents to get me one. Yet miraculously, there was a solution to my ever-lasting desire. I still remember the day I saw it. My 7 year old eyes blankly stared at the television screen (I think I was watching SpongeBob Square Pants) until the commercial above popped up. “Tamagotchi! The virtual reality pet!” said the narrator of the commercial. W-W-What!?!?!??! A virtual pet!?!?!?!? My second-grade mind was blown–literally.

I specifically remember spending every penny on that 7.99$ Tamagotchi–even though I probably had bought at least 10 of them. I owned a cat, a dog, a parrot, a duck (I think), a fish, and even a mouse. I cared for each and every one of them as if they lived a regular pet life. As the Tamagotchi industry progressed, more complex programs started to develop. Soon enough I was customizing my own pet house, as well as taking my dogs to the park to play “ball toss”.

After about 2 weeks of feeding, bathing, exercising, and playing with my “pets”, they eventually started to evolve. Since the commercial above did state, “More care determines the pets you get!” I was in over-protective-mommy-mode everyday at school. I fed my Tamagotchis exactly every 5 hours, along with taking it to the bathroom whenever it needed to…However, this did result kind of negatively. During free-time in between my classes, everyone was either playing Pokémon, My Little Pony, Barbie Dolls, or even Polly Pockets. But I was the outlier who played with a bazillion Tamagotchis hooked up to the zippers on her backpack. But no matter what other people thought, I new I had one priority–to take care of my Tamagotchis.

As the years flowed by, I started feeling more apathetic about my love for these Tamagotchis. Eventually all of the pets passed away :(. Yes I was sad but I knew that it had to happen one way or another. They’re all probably stored in a plastic bin, waiting for me to change their batteries. However, no matter what I will always cherish the happy memories I’ve had with my “virtual pets”!

 

 

 

 

Feb 13 2014

Singing

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It can be as relaxing as a vacation to the Bahamas (unless you’ve read my drowning experience post), or as frustrating as having slow internet connection. It is as simple as blinking–yet as difficult as saying “toy boat” 5 times in a row as fast as you can without messing up. Go on, take 5-10 seconds to try and figure out what the heck I’m talking about; this might not be your guess but I’m talking about singing! Their are no few words, nor paragraphs to describe how wonderful, useful, soothing, or spectacular singing can be. It is just plain……..awesome.

One of the best things about singing is how stress-relieving it can be. I come home from an exhausting day at school, slamming my 2-ton backpack on the tile floor–probably breaking everything inside it (including my iPad). “UGHHHHHHHHAAAA!” My screeching voice echoing throughout my empty house. “I have 3 tests tomorow and a TON of homework!” I yell as I realize I’m not talking to anyone. “Ugh!” I annoyingly say as I take out my phone. I scroll around, looking for some fun games to play and then I see the iTunes Radio icon. Mmmmm I wonder what good is out right now, I think to myself. I sluggishly walk to my room and crash on my plush bed. My ears stream through the variety of songs, 5 minutes later I find myself singing along to Demi Lovato’s newest album. My tensions fade away as the harmonious melodies fly from my mouth. Ahhhh, I sigh in remedy, I couldn’t even remember why I was so angry when I came home from school 20 minutes ago. So whenever you feel angry or stressed, a little singing can’t hurt.

Another one of the millions of reasons why singing is awesome is for personal enjoyment and to express all of your inside emotions. As one of my favorite singers of all time, Demi Lovato, went through some tragic struggles throughout her childhood life. However, she used singing as an escape from all of her worriers. She went from a very emotional, depressed person to one of the most upbeat superstars of our time. If it weren’t for her enjoyment of singing, the music community could be totally different than what it is now.

All in all, if you’re bored and have nothing to do, or if you have boatloads of homework that just keep stacking on top of each other, singing can be the perfect remedy for even more “school-iosis” (plus a little more chocolate!). Whenever you feel mad, sad, stressed, confused, or frustrated, sing for a bit and just let it go. 😄

Feb 6 2014

Expository Writing: Why Chocolate Is Sooooooo Enjoyable

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I was having a horrible day until I popped that little square piece of heaven in my mouth-the silky smooth candy resurrected me. Oh chocolate is truly amazing!

For instance, there are endless types to satisfy your taste buds. Milk chocolate, white chocolate, dark chocolate, mint chocolate— you’ll never get bored when each new flavor is even better than the last. My mouth waters just thinking about it! No matter who you are, there’s bound to be a chocolate that’s right for you.

In addition to the countless varieties, the way chocolate makes you feel can turn any frown upside down. After a stressful day at school, with boatloads of homework, or maybe after an exhausting sports practice. Chocolate is a great was to unwind. For me, it’s a perfect remedy for too much “school-iosis”. It can also leave some people just plain giddy; I think Willy Wonka from the well known classic, Charlie and the Chocolate Factroy, is Exhibit A. You might be mad or sad but no matter what mood you’re in, chocolate will always leave you with a smile on your face.

I could eat chocolate for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, but of course too much of a good thing can be a bad thing. As I always say, a piece of chocolate a day keeps the bad thoughts away. So anyways, chocolate can be…ugh, you know what I’m gonna grab some chocolate right now.

Made by: Allyson and Catherine

Feb 1 2014

One Victory, 5 Seconds-Concrete Language

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There I was, standing 30 feet away from victory.

I glanced at the score board- 24 to 23. This was it.

Thousands of eyes stared me down- watching my every move.

No mistakes now…I thought as I drew my trembling arm back.

I toss the ball slightly to the right lining it up perfectly with my right arm. I hit the ball.

The sound of silence filled the air.

The ball barely grazed over the top of the net-a stream of panic surged through my body.

Time stood still.

The ball slowly rolled over the net… onto the other side.

It hits the ground. ACE!!!!! The sound of the crowd vibrated through my head.

A smile spread from cheek to cheek.

We had done it! We had won!

Made by: Allyson, Gracen, and Hannah.

Jan 25 2014

Summer- Concrete Language

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     I pant and pant as my feet hop from foot to foot on the scorching pavement, longing for the refreshing taste of ice cold lemonade. I’m nearly blinded when beads of sweat slip into the corners of my eyes–stinging me endlessly. My dry throat moans as the blazing sun strikes my skin, creating craters of red spots and rashes. I hear the sound of  college beach parties, along with the radio’s music vibrating through my ear-drums. The waves crash against the boardwalk, taunting me to get sucked in to its soothing waters. My mouth waters when the aroma of sizzling burgers and barbecue hit my nose–luring me like a rope being pulled around my waist.

 The invisible jellyfish around me sting my whole body, frying my skin–literally.

    My burning legs ache as I walk through the last steps of the wildfire, seeing the corner of a lemonade stand. It looked as if everything was spinning around me in circles, or was that just the sweat blurring up my vision? I couldn’t take the heat engulfed around me, I was trapped. The fire traveled through the foam of my shoes, up my hunched spine, and poured through every inch of me. I was about to collapse until I slipped on a pool of melted ice cream. “Uhhh, reality check! Stop overreacting like this, it’s just a little sun.” I hear a small voice say in the back of my head. I groan annoyingly as I stumble to get up. I slowly walk to the lemonade stand, grabbing a cup of lemonade and throwing a drenched 10 dollar bill on the counter (when it was really 10 cents). I’m speechless for a moment, looking so closely to the lemonade cup that I can see my horrid reflection–EGH! I looked hideous… I almost felt like pouring it on top of me but instead I drank it in one gulp. The sour yet sweet taste tickled down my throat, extinguishing all of the heat. It felt even better than drinking a glass of milk after eating something really spicy. “Ahh!”I sigh in relief. “Well, only 100 days more of summer to go!”

Dec 16 2013

Go Outside!

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Let’s go Outside! The video in this link is about how going outside more often than sitting down can improve your health. This video also has some relation to what I’ve been learning in my science class, you can visit the class website here. It turns out that the Vitamin D from the sun can increase bone growth and strength, while sitting down can cause various diseases. So stand up, go outside, and live a little (well a little longer than you would).

Dec 15 2013

You Have to Read This Series!

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For this week’s book thoughts I decided to review the series I Am Number Four. I re-read this book a few weeks ago and realized that it’s so good!  Pittacus Lore takes the reader through an action-filled adventure as well as tell a dramatic story between the characters. There are some really big surprises near the end of this book, some sad, some good, and some weird. If you are someone who enjoys action, science fiction, and surprises then I guarantee that you will fall in love with this book series!

This book is about a high-school senior, John Smith, who has just moved to a city in Ohio with his dad Henri. As time passes he realizes that he is really from the planet Lorien. When John was a baby, he and eight other Lorien babies escaped Lorien because the planet was attacked by monsters known as Mogadorians. All nine of them develop powers when they grow older called legacies. All nine of them ended up on Earth, but in different locations. Now, the Mogadorians are out to kill the nine Loriens in numerical order, John being number four. “In the beginning we were a group of nine. Three are gone, dead. There are six of us left. They are hunting us, and they won’t stop until they’ve killed us all. I am Number Four. I know that I am next.” Such a good lead right? Anyway, John has to learn and train his new powers, leading to an epic battle between him and the Mogs. He also finds friends to help him along the way.

Well sadly that’s all I can tell you so hopefully you can start reading it as soon as possible! I highly recommend this book to all people who are looking for something exciting to read! There is also a movie that came out after, but nothing compares to the book. Please leave a comment down below saying whether you’ve read the book and what your thoughts are about it. Stay tuned for the next book thoughts and maybe you’ll find your next favorite book!
(Movie cover)

Website credit: http://www.morguefile.com/archive/#/?q=i%20am%20number%20four