Ahhhh the joy of AP classes. The lovely reading, writing, studying and of course the final exam in May. Do the benefits outway the drawbacks? Sometimes I think that taking AP classes is too hyped up and not very realistic.
The benefits of taking AP classes is extensive. Students learn material in new or more sophisticated ways, gain confidence in college-level work and learn new study habits. The self-assurance once you reach college is also a plus and helps get you through your first college classes. Students also have the potential to be "excused" from beginner classes in college if AP credit is taken. Taking AP classes also gives a student a higher chance to be accepted to the school of their choice.
In, my opinion every student should take at least one or two AP classes throughout their four years of high school. This gives them the opportunity to take a rigorous class in preparation for college. The final exam is also great practice in conclusion of the course. The question is how many is too many?
I know of many examples of people who take anywhere from 5-6 AP classes a year. That is a full schedule! I don't see how people do it. If you are one of those people, tell me how you do it! I understand the benefit of a GPA boost but is it worth it? I know people who would say yes and others who would say no. Currently, I am in three AP classes and have taken two in the past. It has been difficult, but they have taught me how to manage my time (along with swimming and having a job). If I had three more to handle I think I would seriously breakdown. It's not healthy (read my other post about sleep)!
High school is supposed to be a world of school AND involvement and friends. Doing hours of homework and projects isn't living life to the fullest! When AP classes are pushed so much I feel like people are being pressured into taking them sometimes. I know I have felt that way. Just this last year, I couldn't decide what classes to take, but I felt pressured into taking as many AP classes as I could. It shouldn't be like this. Everyone should get the opportunity and once you have completed a few successfully isn't that enough?!
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
Monday, September 26, 2011
Zzzzzzzzzzzzzz's
As I am writing this, I might fall asleep so we will see how this goes. According to webmd.com the average teenager, ages 12-18, needs 8-9 hours of sleep per day. Sleep is vital to our health and growth for the future. For many students in middle school and high school it is very difficult to get their needed amount of sleep. This in turn probably causes a decline in grades, lack of attendance at school and a better chance of getting the yearly flu. I know its hard to stay awake in class sometimes but what can be done about it?
One problem that is hard to fix is the amount of activities that teenagers are in these days. I know that myself for example get so rundown during the swim season that I can harldy function somedays. Getting up at 5 am to swim and then go to school and come right home to do homework until 11:00 is exhausting. In addition, the physical fatigue is difficult to cope with too. I have found myself numerous times doing the "headbob" trying to force myself to stay awake.
Its not just sports that cause for a lack of sleep. Jobs are very time demanding in a teenager's life as well. I know people who work until 10 at night and then have to get up and go to school the next day. This kind of lifestyle is just not healthy for teenagers. Can't these employers find adults to work those shifts?
Homework is another problem that puts a damper on everyone's life at some point. I COMPLETELY understand the point and benefits of doing homework, I just think that sometimes it gets a little excessive. I mean, we have lives and jobs and sports that are sometimes just as big of a priority as schoolwork. There isn't much of a worse feeling than staying up until midnight and even later to finish some stupid homework assignment. The result of this is additional stress and once again, lack of sleep.
So to all of the teenagers out there-I don't know what to tell you to find a new way to find some sleep but if you come up with something, let me know ASAP!
P.S. I made it through this post without falling asleep!
One problem that is hard to fix is the amount of activities that teenagers are in these days. I know that myself for example get so rundown during the swim season that I can harldy function somedays. Getting up at 5 am to swim and then go to school and come right home to do homework until 11:00 is exhausting. In addition, the physical fatigue is difficult to cope with too. I have found myself numerous times doing the "headbob" trying to force myself to stay awake.
Its not just sports that cause for a lack of sleep. Jobs are very time demanding in a teenager's life as well. I know people who work until 10 at night and then have to get up and go to school the next day. This kind of lifestyle is just not healthy for teenagers. Can't these employers find adults to work those shifts?
Homework is another problem that puts a damper on everyone's life at some point. I COMPLETELY understand the point and benefits of doing homework, I just think that sometimes it gets a little excessive. I mean, we have lives and jobs and sports that are sometimes just as big of a priority as schoolwork. There isn't much of a worse feeling than staying up until midnight and even later to finish some stupid homework assignment. The result of this is additional stress and once again, lack of sleep.
So to all of the teenagers out there-I don't know what to tell you to find a new way to find some sleep but if you come up with something, let me know ASAP!
P.S. I made it through this post without falling asleep!
Sunday, September 25, 2011
The Amazing Amazing Race
As I'm gearing up for tonight's season premiere of Amazing Race Season 19, I began thinking about what makes a tv show good? I am a sucker for Amazing Race, maybe its nerdy but I love the different aspects of this show.
First of all, I relish the thought of adventure. I haven't had the opportunity to travel a lot, but I hope I will be able to in the future. The idea of racing around the world and seeing so many awesome sites and cultural events is so intriguing. Second, I am competitive. As any one of my swim coaches or teammates would say I am "cut-throat-competitive." I pick a team within the first few episodes and support them all the way through the race. Then I start to hate the rest of the teams and hope they make dumb mistakes:) This is also why I think I would make a really good competitor on this show. I hope it continues on the air so once I am old enough I can apply. Sometimes I think about who I would want my partner to be. My dad? No we would get too frustrated with each other. My sister? We would fight too much? A best friend? Heck I don't know, I guess I have time to decide.
Another reason I am a fan of Amazing Race is that it is one of the only shows that seems real to me. There are so many reality tv shows that are just ridiculous in my opinion. Full of preventable drama, drugs, sex and fake relationships. You really have to be pretty smart to be successful on The Amazing Race. There is a great combination of physical tasks, mental tasks, a little bit of drama and competitiveness. These are the qualities I think make this such a great show. Don't get my wrong there are other good shows out there, I just like the uniqueness of this one.
This season is definitely going to be fun. With a pair of snowboarders, showgirls, dating couples and a former NFL player its definitely going to be an amazing race!
First of all, I relish the thought of adventure. I haven't had the opportunity to travel a lot, but I hope I will be able to in the future. The idea of racing around the world and seeing so many awesome sites and cultural events is so intriguing. Second, I am competitive. As any one of my swim coaches or teammates would say I am "cut-throat-competitive." I pick a team within the first few episodes and support them all the way through the race. Then I start to hate the rest of the teams and hope they make dumb mistakes:) This is also why I think I would make a really good competitor on this show. I hope it continues on the air so once I am old enough I can apply. Sometimes I think about who I would want my partner to be. My dad? No we would get too frustrated with each other. My sister? We would fight too much? A best friend? Heck I don't know, I guess I have time to decide.
Another reason I am a fan of Amazing Race is that it is one of the only shows that seems real to me. There are so many reality tv shows that are just ridiculous in my opinion. Full of preventable drama, drugs, sex and fake relationships. You really have to be pretty smart to be successful on The Amazing Race. There is a great combination of physical tasks, mental tasks, a little bit of drama and competitiveness. These are the qualities I think make this such a great show. Don't get my wrong there are other good shows out there, I just like the uniqueness of this one.
This season is definitely going to be fun. With a pair of snowboarders, showgirls, dating couples and a former NFL player its definitely going to be an amazing race!
Film Fees
Going to a movie theatre to see a movie is a really fun thing to do, but is it worth it? According to wherenberg.com/index an adult movie ticket (for a night time showing) is $9.25! The other theatre in town (Carmike Cinemas) charges $9.50 for an adult ticket on a Friday or Saturday night (carmike.com/showtimes).
I am not denying it, I love seeing a movie on a hot, cold or gloomy day but it has become such a rip off. In addition to the ticket, we all need a drink, popcorn and sometimes candy. THIS is where the theatre makes their money. I don't know for sure and the prices weren't on the theatre websites (I wonder why), but paying five bucks for a medium drink and seven dollars for a popcorn is insane. This can be done because people are willing to pay. I mean who really wants to watch a movie without popcorn?!?I will admit, I have begun to bring my own drink into the movie sometimes. It's soooooo much cheaper and you know that it won't hurt the theatre any.
But what about the movies that are meant for families to see together? Just for a family of four it could range anywhere from $50-60 for two and a half hours of entertainment. This is ridiculus and I don't see how many families can afford it. I'm not trying to support some anti-movie theatre thing its just something to think about!
Honestly, I don't even remember the last movie I went too. Now, I don't have a lot of free time and I'm much less likely to see a movie in the summer, but still. It has gotten to the point where unless my friends and I really really really want to see it, were not about to spend the money until its four bucks at the cheap theatre, or two bucks at Blockbuster.
Sometimes, it's just as fun having a stay-at-home night with your friends. You can pick up a movie or order one from mediacom or directv. Pop a few bags of popcorn, munch on some candy bars, sip from cans of soda and your set. Plus you can wear your pajamas and grab some blankets and pillows and all of a sudden you have a MUCH cheaper movie party!
I am not denying it, I love seeing a movie on a hot, cold or gloomy day but it has become such a rip off. In addition to the ticket, we all need a drink, popcorn and sometimes candy. THIS is where the theatre makes their money. I don't know for sure and the prices weren't on the theatre websites (I wonder why), but paying five bucks for a medium drink and seven dollars for a popcorn is insane. This can be done because people are willing to pay. I mean who really wants to watch a movie without popcorn?!?I will admit, I have begun to bring my own drink into the movie sometimes. It's soooooo much cheaper and you know that it won't hurt the theatre any.
But what about the movies that are meant for families to see together? Just for a family of four it could range anywhere from $50-60 for two and a half hours of entertainment. This is ridiculus and I don't see how many families can afford it. I'm not trying to support some anti-movie theatre thing its just something to think about!
Honestly, I don't even remember the last movie I went too. Now, I don't have a lot of free time and I'm much less likely to see a movie in the summer, but still. It has gotten to the point where unless my friends and I really really really want to see it, were not about to spend the money until its four bucks at the cheap theatre, or two bucks at Blockbuster.
Sometimes, it's just as fun having a stay-at-home night with your friends. You can pick up a movie or order one from mediacom or directv. Pop a few bags of popcorn, munch on some candy bars, sip from cans of soda and your set. Plus you can wear your pajamas and grab some blankets and pillows and all of a sudden you have a MUCH cheaper movie party!
Friday, September 23, 2011
Seniority
Seniority is a sketchy topic that a lot of people have different opinions about. The most prominent example at Kennedy High School is when it comes to the football games.
In a perfect world, seniors would sit up front with the juniors behind them, followed by sophomores and then freshman. But we all know that nothing is perfect in the world that we live in. In my opinion it should just be expected that the seniors sit in front and so on, but there are always exceptions which just cause a lot of problems. Last night at the homecoming football game, "seniority" did not exist. Being a junior I feel that the past two years of being pushed around earned me the right to sit closer to the front. Yes, I could have gotten there a little bit earlier than I did, but thats beside the point. Every year the new senior class takes over because they FINALLY have the chance to do whatever they want-I know that I will do the same thing. All the underclassmen should just suck it up and understand that in two or three years, the turn will be theirs.
Every Friday on the announcements the "student section leaders" as I like to call them come on the announcements and remind everyone of how the students should sit by grade level. For once can we just do it like that? I'm not being that picky here, if you have one friend or two in a different grade than that's fine but whole groups of people gets a little annoying. Most of the time, students don't even watch the game so why do they care if they have to move back? In the end, just deal with it underclassmen, we had too.
Another prime example of seniority is when it comes to certain tasks on the swim team. None of these are that big of a deal, but they come to my mind when thinking about this topic. About once a week or so we have to take the lane lines out at night and put them back in the morning (so the pool can be vacuumed). This is a job that is SUPPOSED to be done by the freshman and sophomores. Now like I said, it's not a huge problem but the past two years I did it. The other day at practice, two of the four people putting the lines in were upperclassmen. Why do you think you can just sit there and watch us?
Overall, seniority is going to be something you hate as a freshman and sophomore, but love once you become the big kids on campus. Just remember if you don't want problems to ensue-respect your elders!
In a perfect world, seniors would sit up front with the juniors behind them, followed by sophomores and then freshman. But we all know that nothing is perfect in the world that we live in. In my opinion it should just be expected that the seniors sit in front and so on, but there are always exceptions which just cause a lot of problems. Last night at the homecoming football game, "seniority" did not exist. Being a junior I feel that the past two years of being pushed around earned me the right to sit closer to the front. Yes, I could have gotten there a little bit earlier than I did, but thats beside the point. Every year the new senior class takes over because they FINALLY have the chance to do whatever they want-I know that I will do the same thing. All the underclassmen should just suck it up and understand that in two or three years, the turn will be theirs.
Every Friday on the announcements the "student section leaders" as I like to call them come on the announcements and remind everyone of how the students should sit by grade level. For once can we just do it like that? I'm not being that picky here, if you have one friend or two in a different grade than that's fine but whole groups of people gets a little annoying. Most of the time, students don't even watch the game so why do they care if they have to move back? In the end, just deal with it underclassmen, we had too.
Another prime example of seniority is when it comes to certain tasks on the swim team. None of these are that big of a deal, but they come to my mind when thinking about this topic. About once a week or so we have to take the lane lines out at night and put them back in the morning (so the pool can be vacuumed). This is a job that is SUPPOSED to be done by the freshman and sophomores. Now like I said, it's not a huge problem but the past two years I did it. The other day at practice, two of the four people putting the lines in were upperclassmen. Why do you think you can just sit there and watch us?
Overall, seniority is going to be something you hate as a freshman and sophomore, but love once you become the big kids on campus. Just remember if you don't want problems to ensue-respect your elders!
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
Why I am a Swimmer
Why? This is one word that can become such a hard question to answer sometimes. "Why this?" and "Why that?" are typical questions we hear everyday. Humans are curious creatures, we ask questions. I think the hardest thing to do is to ask yourself "why?"
I remember my first day of swim team practice. It was the last day of fourth grade and summer had just begun. I was nervous and excited and from that moment I had know idea what I was getting myself into. Haha. I continued to practice, compete and take stroke clinics. I began to believe that this could be the sport for me. That winter I qualified for my first state and regional competitions which was so exciting. I think at this time is when my mom and dad figured out that we were in it for the long haul.
I have been swimming ever since, on a total of four different swim teams. To this day, it is so hard to answer the question "Why do you swim?" It is a combination of things, most definitely, that make this sport such a huge part of my life. A part of me believes that only other swimmers can truly understand the answer to "why."
Waking up at 5 am and jumping in a pool, riding on long car trips and enduring hours of training everyday would not be in the top reasons of why I swim. Swimming is such a mental and physical sport and it takes a lot of determination and drive to succeed. I absolutely love the feeling of finishing a race and touching out my oponent, qualifying for competitions, making new friendships, continuing lasting friendships and knowing that all of my hard work is paying off. THESE are the reasons why I swim.
Over the years I have won races, earned awards, been named to the All-Star team, and made it to State along with many other accomplishments. These achievements make all of the hard work worth it. I also know that the drive I have built up for swimming helps me in other aspects of my life. I have to be dedicated and motivated to get my school work done, swim and to have a job- I believe I first got these qualities because of swimming.
All in all, to answer the question "Why do you swim?" I would have to say that the feeling of triumph when I swim well, the friendships and relationships I have gained, and the drive to succeed are some of the most important things I will ever experience.
I remember my first day of swim team practice. It was the last day of fourth grade and summer had just begun. I was nervous and excited and from that moment I had know idea what I was getting myself into. Haha. I continued to practice, compete and take stroke clinics. I began to believe that this could be the sport for me. That winter I qualified for my first state and regional competitions which was so exciting. I think at this time is when my mom and dad figured out that we were in it for the long haul.
I have been swimming ever since, on a total of four different swim teams. To this day, it is so hard to answer the question "Why do you swim?" It is a combination of things, most definitely, that make this sport such a huge part of my life. A part of me believes that only other swimmers can truly understand the answer to "why."
Waking up at 5 am and jumping in a pool, riding on long car trips and enduring hours of training everyday would not be in the top reasons of why I swim. Swimming is such a mental and physical sport and it takes a lot of determination and drive to succeed. I absolutely love the feeling of finishing a race and touching out my oponent, qualifying for competitions, making new friendships, continuing lasting friendships and knowing that all of my hard work is paying off. THESE are the reasons why I swim.
Over the years I have won races, earned awards, been named to the All-Star team, and made it to State along with many other accomplishments. These achievements make all of the hard work worth it. I also know that the drive I have built up for swimming helps me in other aspects of my life. I have to be dedicated and motivated to get my school work done, swim and to have a job- I believe I first got these qualities because of swimming.
All in all, to answer the question "Why do you swim?" I would have to say that the feeling of triumph when I swim well, the friendships and relationships I have gained, and the drive to succeed are some of the most important things I will ever experience.
Monday, September 19, 2011
What does it take to be a leader?
Leadership is a word that can be interpreted in a lot of different ways. Dictionary.com defines leadership as a person who guides or leads a group. What does that mean? How do you do that?
Being a leader is thought of being such a nerdy or weird thing that only people who want college scholarships think about. I don't think that is the case at all. There are lots of different kinds of leadership out there. Someone could be the typical captain of the football team, but there are ways that show leadership that people don't normally consider.
I think that something as simple as raising your hand in class or studying and getting a good score on a test can show leadership. These actions are actions that people will look up too and want to follow even though they don't admit it. Silence and observation are almost just as important as verbally motivating. I have been known on all of my different swim teams as one of the hardeset workers. I am typically quiet during practice yet I have been told numerous times by my coach that my working habits are just a way of silence leadership. This is important because I think that every person out there can in some way be a leader!
This past summer I attended a leadership seminar called HOBY, the idea being to strengthen leadership skills and to learn new ways to be a leader. I will admit it that being the "counselor's pet" I was somewhat forced into applying and did it just because it would look good on a college application. It was the first weekend of summer and the weekend of my birthday, to be perfectly honest I was dreading it.
The first thing I did when I arrived to Central College in Pella, Iowa was through a tunnel of 10 screaming guys. A little intimidating right? The "Jufas" (junior facilitators) as they were called did something crazy to everyone, just to get us out of our comfort zone. So here are 200 sophomores from across Iowa completely freaked out of our minds. Throughout the weekend we participated in small group activities, large group activities, seminars, speakers, dinners and dances. I ended up having an amazing time.
Overall, from observations and personal experiences I think that our community (especially our generation) can use more leadership. Were always so concerned with what other people think and just waiting around for someone else to step up. Thats the most important thing I learned at HOBY, just be yourself and do what's right!
Being a leader is thought of being such a nerdy or weird thing that only people who want college scholarships think about. I don't think that is the case at all. There are lots of different kinds of leadership out there. Someone could be the typical captain of the football team, but there are ways that show leadership that people don't normally consider.
I think that something as simple as raising your hand in class or studying and getting a good score on a test can show leadership. These actions are actions that people will look up too and want to follow even though they don't admit it. Silence and observation are almost just as important as verbally motivating. I have been known on all of my different swim teams as one of the hardeset workers. I am typically quiet during practice yet I have been told numerous times by my coach that my working habits are just a way of silence leadership. This is important because I think that every person out there can in some way be a leader!
This past summer I attended a leadership seminar called HOBY, the idea being to strengthen leadership skills and to learn new ways to be a leader. I will admit it that being the "counselor's pet" I was somewhat forced into applying and did it just because it would look good on a college application. It was the first weekend of summer and the weekend of my birthday, to be perfectly honest I was dreading it.
The first thing I did when I arrived to Central College in Pella, Iowa was through a tunnel of 10 screaming guys. A little intimidating right? The "Jufas" (junior facilitators) as they were called did something crazy to everyone, just to get us out of our comfort zone. So here are 200 sophomores from across Iowa completely freaked out of our minds. Throughout the weekend we participated in small group activities, large group activities, seminars, speakers, dinners and dances. I ended up having an amazing time.
Overall, from observations and personal experiences I think that our community (especially our generation) can use more leadership. Were always so concerned with what other people think and just waiting around for someone else to step up. Thats the most important thing I learned at HOBY, just be yourself and do what's right!
Friday, September 16, 2011
Teen Jobs
Ahhhhhh the feeling you get when your parents tell you its time to get a job. "You've got to be kidding me!" "No way!" "I don't want too!" It probably happens to most teens at some time or another. Your getting older and therefore your responsibilities become larger. The world of workforce is a scary thing. Its the fear of the unknown and the idea that you will have a boss and have to be responsible. Then the task becomes where your going to apply, having to interview and actually get the job.
For me, deciding where to work wasn't a big problem. I had been swimming for years and knew the aquatics director at the YMCA. It was the spring of my eighth grade year and I knew I would want to be working there once I turned fourteen (that was before the law basically required workers to be 16). I shadowed swimming lesson instructors so I would be framiliar with how that process works. Then the first weekend of my summer (and my birthday) I took and completed the lifeguard class. After that I was hired and officially had my first job!
Making minimum wage isn't the greatest but its really nice to feel like you have some extra spending money. My parents require me to pay 15 dollars a month for a portion of the cell phone bill and since I have turned 16 I pay for insurance on my car. Besides that I don't spend a lot of money, I like the idea of saving it. In my opinion I think every teenager should have a job and have to pay for something. This creates great experience for when you have to make money somehow and then pay your bills.
There are some pretty cool part time jobs out there. I have had friends that have had difficulties finding jobs but I think you just have to look in the right places. When you go to restaurants, stores or businesses just ask if they are applying and take an application! You don't HAVE to take the job, but then you have options. I know of lots of lifeguards who make sooooo much money and have a great tan by the end of the summer. I know people who are hosts at restaurants, referee for soccer games, make pizza at Happy Joes, and sell concessions at the movie theatre. There is something fun for everyone!
The downside of teen part time jobs come when your working too much. How many hours a week are too much? How late is too late to be out on a school night working? I know that before I was sixteen I wasn't allowed to work past 7 p.m. Now on Fridays and Saturdays that seems ridiculous but during the week its not. I have friends who are working till 10 or 11 at night on a school night! This is when you have to tell yourself that school comes first and your job shouldn't take priority.
Overall, I think teen part time jobs are great. The experience is totally valuable for your future plus its a great way to meet new people and have managers that can write you reccomendations later on. I just think that as a teenager you also need to focus on school and being involved in other activities as well! If you don't have a job----get hunting!
For me, deciding where to work wasn't a big problem. I had been swimming for years and knew the aquatics director at the YMCA. It was the spring of my eighth grade year and I knew I would want to be working there once I turned fourteen (that was before the law basically required workers to be 16). I shadowed swimming lesson instructors so I would be framiliar with how that process works. Then the first weekend of my summer (and my birthday) I took and completed the lifeguard class. After that I was hired and officially had my first job!
Making minimum wage isn't the greatest but its really nice to feel like you have some extra spending money. My parents require me to pay 15 dollars a month for a portion of the cell phone bill and since I have turned 16 I pay for insurance on my car. Besides that I don't spend a lot of money, I like the idea of saving it. In my opinion I think every teenager should have a job and have to pay for something. This creates great experience for when you have to make money somehow and then pay your bills.
There are some pretty cool part time jobs out there. I have had friends that have had difficulties finding jobs but I think you just have to look in the right places. When you go to restaurants, stores or businesses just ask if they are applying and take an application! You don't HAVE to take the job, but then you have options. I know of lots of lifeguards who make sooooo much money and have a great tan by the end of the summer. I know people who are hosts at restaurants, referee for soccer games, make pizza at Happy Joes, and sell concessions at the movie theatre. There is something fun for everyone!
The downside of teen part time jobs come when your working too much. How many hours a week are too much? How late is too late to be out on a school night working? I know that before I was sixteen I wasn't allowed to work past 7 p.m. Now on Fridays and Saturdays that seems ridiculous but during the week its not. I have friends who are working till 10 or 11 at night on a school night! This is when you have to tell yourself that school comes first and your job shouldn't take priority.
Overall, I think teen part time jobs are great. The experience is totally valuable for your future plus its a great way to meet new people and have managers that can write you reccomendations later on. I just think that as a teenager you also need to focus on school and being involved in other activities as well! If you don't have a job----get hunting!
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
Rivalry.....its Soooooo Worth it
Rivalry. According to dictionary.com it is the action, position, or relation of a rival, rivals or competition. Now that is such a "textbook" definition. What does rivalry mean to you? Is rivalry a good thing? Everyone has experienced the feeling of rivalry in some aspect of their life. Whether it be in sports, speech, mock trial, jobs, acting or even just between friends. I know for me, rivalry comes with sports. I am an EXTREMELY competitive person and rivalries just bring that out in me.
Being an NFL fan, definitely allows my inner competitive self to come out AT LEAST a couple times of year. I feel like I know what a rivalry is. Packers vs. Bears?!? Colts vs. Patriots? These are the two that mean the most to me. The feeling of anxiousness, nervousness, and excitement before a game is so strong and you feel like you would just do anything for your team to sack Tom Brady or Jay Cutler:)
When the wrong team looses lets face it, it sucks. But does that make the next time, when they win, better? Then you want the win even more than the time before.
On another personal level, and being a swimmer I definitely have some more rivalries. Lets just say the Cougar swim team does everything they possibly can to beat the red and black team and the blue and red team. For those who didn't follow that, Linn-Mar and Washington are the two biggest rivals we've got. The practice, the stretching, the pep talk, the cheering and the swimming are all a "step-up" when we swim these teams. (By the way we did beat the Warriors last night). This is the case for any sport, especially across-town rivals in high school athletics. You just want to beat the crap out of them and NOT GIVE IN. The feeling of accomplishment, pride and excitement is so overwhelming when you beat a rival, that the hours of pain and practice is sooooooo worth it.
Being an NFL fan, definitely allows my inner competitive self to come out AT LEAST a couple times of year. I feel like I know what a rivalry is. Packers vs. Bears?!? Colts vs. Patriots? These are the two that mean the most to me. The feeling of anxiousness, nervousness, and excitement before a game is so strong and you feel like you would just do anything for your team to sack Tom Brady or Jay Cutler:)
When the wrong team looses lets face it, it sucks. But does that make the next time, when they win, better? Then you want the win even more than the time before.
On another personal level, and being a swimmer I definitely have some more rivalries. Lets just say the Cougar swim team does everything they possibly can to beat the red and black team and the blue and red team. For those who didn't follow that, Linn-Mar and Washington are the two biggest rivals we've got. The practice, the stretching, the pep talk, the cheering and the swimming are all a "step-up" when we swim these teams. (By the way we did beat the Warriors last night). This is the case for any sport, especially across-town rivals in high school athletics. You just want to beat the crap out of them and NOT GIVE IN. The feeling of accomplishment, pride and excitement is so overwhelming when you beat a rival, that the hours of pain and practice is sooooooo worth it.
Saturday, September 10, 2011
How Hard Can This Be?
Well here it goes, my very first AP Lang blog. When told that we are required to blog at least 30 times per term and that you can write about pretty much anything, it sounds really overwhelming! I am feeling a little bit anxious and curious about how this whole experience of blogging will end up. So as I have been told repeatedly, "Just give it a shot!"
As were coming up on the anniversary of the September 11 terrorist attacks there are television specials, news reports and most of all remembrance. Most people can remember September 11 like it was yesterday. The horrific videos, pictures, and personal accounts are enough to make someone tear up in an instant. Some remember more than others, and for some its impossibly hard to think about that one day.
Being a first grader at the time of the attacks makes it hard for me to remember a lot of detail about that day. It was a typical Tuesday morning in a first grade classroom when my teacher said she had an announcement. I didn't completely understand what was going on, but by the tone in my teacher's voice I could tell it was serious. The rest of the day continued to unfold with kids being pulled out of school (I had to stay the whole day!) and just a lot of confusion. My most distinct memory was singing "God Bless America" as a class, which I thought was very unusual to be doing in class. Today I think of it as something really simple that a bunch of first graders did but I think it was neat that we were able to that for everyone in our country.
There are many ways in which people will commemorate the tenth anniversary of this tragic event.
I urge everyone to take a moment and remember those who have died for our country, whether its a small patriotic act or being part of a large celebration, be proud to be an American!
American flag display during the singing of the National Anthem at the Green Bay Packer Game, Thursday, September 8, 2011. (http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/upshot/packers-crowd-gets-patriotic-huge-american-flag-display-174019710.html)
As were coming up on the anniversary of the September 11 terrorist attacks there are television specials, news reports and most of all remembrance. Most people can remember September 11 like it was yesterday. The horrific videos, pictures, and personal accounts are enough to make someone tear up in an instant. Some remember more than others, and for some its impossibly hard to think about that one day.
Being a first grader at the time of the attacks makes it hard for me to remember a lot of detail about that day. It was a typical Tuesday morning in a first grade classroom when my teacher said she had an announcement. I didn't completely understand what was going on, but by the tone in my teacher's voice I could tell it was serious. The rest of the day continued to unfold with kids being pulled out of school (I had to stay the whole day!) and just a lot of confusion. My most distinct memory was singing "God Bless America" as a class, which I thought was very unusual to be doing in class. Today I think of it as something really simple that a bunch of first graders did but I think it was neat that we were able to that for everyone in our country.
There are many ways in which people will commemorate the tenth anniversary of this tragic event.
I urge everyone to take a moment and remember those who have died for our country, whether its a small patriotic act or being part of a large celebration, be proud to be an American!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)