I think I have finally caught it....spring fever that is. I am officially to the point where I am in desperate need of some really nice warm weather. It has been pretty nice outside lately, reaching the upper 30s. I know that doesn't sound very nice but it is just enough for me to be longing for April and May to arrive.
There is something about spring that is just exciting and happy. The sun is shining (except on those occasional rainy days) and birds are chirping and the flowers are blooming. I love being able to feel comfortable outside and not having to dress in layers up to my eyeballs. It is such a hassle having to wear a winter coat, jeans, sweaters and boots all of the time. Its bulky and can be quite uncomfortable.
In the spring you never have to worry about scraping your car or having two hour delays because of ice. Its typically beautiful outside and its not a problem to be walking into the grocery store or walking out of school. The warmth of the sun is enough to make anyone happy. You can drive without the heat one and you can open your windows and enjoy the fresh air. I love being able to wear capris, t-shirts and flip-flops compared to jeans and sweaters. I love how its chilly in the morning so a jacket is necessary and by the time the afternoon rolls around you can ditch the jacket and be perfectly comfortable.
There are many other reasons I love spring time. Maybe its because I can see summer right around the corner. Thats always exciting! The end of the year is near and I can fantasize about having free time and not homework. Swimming is also over once spring gets here and I undergo a lot less stress. Being able to enjoy the sunshine and walk outside and not get frostbitten is also very high on my list.
As I am writing this blog post, looking out my window at what looks to be a beautiful day (I'm not complaining with 37 degrees I just want 67 degrees), I seriously hope that spring gets here quickly so I can be officially cured of my spring fever.
Saturday, February 18, 2012
Potlucker's Paradise
Dictionary.com defines a potluck as a meal, especially for a large group, to which participants bring various foods to be shared. In my own words I would define potluck as "about as close as you can get to heaven."
Last night I had swim team banquet that just happened to be a potluck style celebration. This is why this wonderful kind of gathering is on my mind. I get so excited about these kind of things its kind of ridiculous. Potlucks are perfect for swim teams because we all know that we eat A TON. I am convinced that swimmers have to work to get full.
The huge assortment and variety of foods at your fingertips at potlucks is just mouth watering, literally. Most of the time there is a main dish or course that the host provides and then everyone else is required to bring drinks, salads, sides, and of course desserts.
-Drinks: This is probably the easiest component of a potluck dinner. Whatever part of the alphabet that gets assigned this one kind of lucks out. You cant go wrong with a jug of juice or an assortment of 2 liter bottles of soda like Mountain Dew, Sprite or Pepsi.
-Salads: This is a big one. You will never go to a potluck without 50 kinds of potato or fruit salad. There will literally be 10 different pots and pans of the exact same things in front of you. Which one do you pick? The one that is half gone of course, you know it must be good! Sometimes I wonder why people dont get creative, how fun is it bringing the exact same thing as everyone else? How about some Jello salad for once.
-Sides: In my opinion, salads and sides are classified differently. Sides consist of bread, veggies and dip, cheesy potatoes, chips or my favorite green bean casserole. You can get pretty creative in the side category yet most of the time people bring the same types of things. But then again I am not complaining because its all so delicious.
-Desserts: By far the best part of a potluck. An entire table full of desserts. I will admit that I am spoiled and am used to a homemade style of cooking. I always go for the homemade brownies, cookies, scotcharoos, Rice Krispy treats or cupcakes. Yes, my list is long don't judge me.
There is no way you will ever leave a potluck feeling hungry. I am convinced it is not possible. With so much good food, family, friends and teammates your bound to be in paradise!
Last night I had swim team banquet that just happened to be a potluck style celebration. This is why this wonderful kind of gathering is on my mind. I get so excited about these kind of things its kind of ridiculous. Potlucks are perfect for swim teams because we all know that we eat A TON. I am convinced that swimmers have to work to get full.
The huge assortment and variety of foods at your fingertips at potlucks is just mouth watering, literally. Most of the time there is a main dish or course that the host provides and then everyone else is required to bring drinks, salads, sides, and of course desserts.
-Drinks: This is probably the easiest component of a potluck dinner. Whatever part of the alphabet that gets assigned this one kind of lucks out. You cant go wrong with a jug of juice or an assortment of 2 liter bottles of soda like Mountain Dew, Sprite or Pepsi.
-Salads: This is a big one. You will never go to a potluck without 50 kinds of potato or fruit salad. There will literally be 10 different pots and pans of the exact same things in front of you. Which one do you pick? The one that is half gone of course, you know it must be good! Sometimes I wonder why people dont get creative, how fun is it bringing the exact same thing as everyone else? How about some Jello salad for once.
-Sides: In my opinion, salads and sides are classified differently. Sides consist of bread, veggies and dip, cheesy potatoes, chips or my favorite green bean casserole. You can get pretty creative in the side category yet most of the time people bring the same types of things. But then again I am not complaining because its all so delicious.
-Desserts: By far the best part of a potluck. An entire table full of desserts. I will admit that I am spoiled and am used to a homemade style of cooking. I always go for the homemade brownies, cookies, scotcharoos, Rice Krispy treats or cupcakes. Yes, my list is long don't judge me.
There is no way you will ever leave a potluck feeling hungry. I am convinced it is not possible. With so much good food, family, friends and teammates your bound to be in paradise!
Thursday, February 16, 2012
Swim Bag Breakdown
A swim bag is a like a swimmers home away from home. I mean swimmers are never home, they are always at the pool, gym or weight room. Every swimmer has a swim bag that is unique to themselves. I always seem to be carrying my bag around with me and I am frequently asked, "What does that key chain mean?" or "Why would you need a bag so big?" Well let me tell ya, a swim bag is kind of like a letterman's jacket only for swimming, its important to show off and make it unique. And on top of that you can put in all your necessary equipment and such inside so its with you wherever you go.
For this blog post I will specifically reference my own swim bag which happens to be my favorite color, lime green. "A. Jacobsen" is embroidered on the top in black block letters. It is typical to have your name on your bag because most bags are the same except for the color. When you get to practice and meets with 50 other bags laying around, you need a quick way to identify it.
On the small side compartment is where I keep my state tags. I have received one of these each year that I have qualified for the high school state swim meet. They happen to be orange, green and pink so it adds a splash of color to the lime green bag. In addition to my state bag tags I have an assortment of what I like to call "Livestrong bracelets." I have a ton of these and switch them out periodically, always going for the brightest colors. My bag also has my breaststroker pin and my shark key chain. This key chain was attached to the first pair of goggles I ever bought. I also can't forget to mention the key chains I bought while I was on vacation in the Cayman Islands and Jamaica. Perhaps my favorite thing on my bag is my goggle key chain. It's so cute! Just like a pair of royal blue goggles only miniature size, perfect for a swim bag.
Now for what goes inside these ever so popular swim bags. Im telling ya, its much more than you would think people. On a normal day of practice there are a lot of things that have to be remembered, which is why most swimmers just keep it all in their bag. These things consist of swim suits, towels, swim caps, goggles (always have at least 1 extra pair), a pull buoy, fins, shampoo, a water bottle, flip flops, and a pair of tennis shoes and shorts in case of dryland. I bet that was more than you thought! This is why a swim bag must be a fairly decent size.
I'd say I am pretty proud of the swim bag I have developed. It definitely has "me" written all over it.
For this blog post I will specifically reference my own swim bag which happens to be my favorite color, lime green. "A. Jacobsen" is embroidered on the top in black block letters. It is typical to have your name on your bag because most bags are the same except for the color. When you get to practice and meets with 50 other bags laying around, you need a quick way to identify it.
On the small side compartment is where I keep my state tags. I have received one of these each year that I have qualified for the high school state swim meet. They happen to be orange, green and pink so it adds a splash of color to the lime green bag. In addition to my state bag tags I have an assortment of what I like to call "Livestrong bracelets." I have a ton of these and switch them out periodically, always going for the brightest colors. My bag also has my breaststroker pin and my shark key chain. This key chain was attached to the first pair of goggles I ever bought. I also can't forget to mention the key chains I bought while I was on vacation in the Cayman Islands and Jamaica. Perhaps my favorite thing on my bag is my goggle key chain. It's so cute! Just like a pair of royal blue goggles only miniature size, perfect for a swim bag.
Now for what goes inside these ever so popular swim bags. Im telling ya, its much more than you would think people. On a normal day of practice there are a lot of things that have to be remembered, which is why most swimmers just keep it all in their bag. These things consist of swim suits, towels, swim caps, goggles (always have at least 1 extra pair), a pull buoy, fins, shampoo, a water bottle, flip flops, and a pair of tennis shoes and shorts in case of dryland. I bet that was more than you thought! This is why a swim bag must be a fairly decent size.
I'd say I am pretty proud of the swim bag I have developed. It definitely has "me" written all over it.
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
Tremendous T-Shirts
Have you ever thought about how many t-shirts the average person must have? You probably haven't because that would be kind of weird, but I just did. I promise I didn't just think of this at the top of my head but rather as I was sitting on my bed I saw a stack of t-shirts on my bedroom floor. I might as well blog about it.
T-shirts are given away at so many events and on top of that are sold at even more events. You can barely hold a fundraiser, attend a fundraiser or go anywhere for that matter and not run into a t-shirt sale. Obviously the apparel is being sold because no place or event even attempts to go without selling a t-shirt.
Im assuming, and only because this is my habit, that people buy t-shirts to show off where they have been or what they have been a part of. Nothing wrong with that! Its when the numerous tops start to collect in the dresser drawers or in the bottom of the closet that it gets ridiculous. I will admit that I like wearing the t-shirt I bought at the last swim meet or my new team shirt with my name on the back. After a few wears though it normally ends up in the "extra t-shirt pile." This then leaves room for the new shirts I will soon be attaining in the near future.
My "extra t-shirt pile" consists of every t-shirt I own except for about the 5 coolest ones or the newer ones that are just starting to cycle through. These shirts are used for a number of things. I tend to wear them to workout in or to go to bed in (aka pajamas). I may also wear them to work or just under a sweatshirt for the day. Basically my point is, there are so many uses for t-shirts! This is good because I bet the average teenager has about 50. All I have to say is, if you have any that you know you'll never ever wear again dont keep it there is no use, throw it away or donate it to someone in need!
T-shirts are given away at so many events and on top of that are sold at even more events. You can barely hold a fundraiser, attend a fundraiser or go anywhere for that matter and not run into a t-shirt sale. Obviously the apparel is being sold because no place or event even attempts to go without selling a t-shirt.
Im assuming, and only because this is my habit, that people buy t-shirts to show off where they have been or what they have been a part of. Nothing wrong with that! Its when the numerous tops start to collect in the dresser drawers or in the bottom of the closet that it gets ridiculous. I will admit that I like wearing the t-shirt I bought at the last swim meet or my new team shirt with my name on the back. After a few wears though it normally ends up in the "extra t-shirt pile." This then leaves room for the new shirts I will soon be attaining in the near future.
My "extra t-shirt pile" consists of every t-shirt I own except for about the 5 coolest ones or the newer ones that are just starting to cycle through. These shirts are used for a number of things. I tend to wear them to workout in or to go to bed in (aka pajamas). I may also wear them to work or just under a sweatshirt for the day. Basically my point is, there are so many uses for t-shirts! This is good because I bet the average teenager has about 50. All I have to say is, if you have any that you know you'll never ever wear again dont keep it there is no use, throw it away or donate it to someone in need!
The Stress is Upon Us
It's that time of year again, time for stressed out students trying to do everything they can in order to get ready for finals. This happens three times a school year and it is never a fun experience. Your getting bogged down with papers, assignments, tests and study sessions. You just have no idea where to start!
I would consider myself a good student, my cumulative GPA of 4.3 is proof of this. But this doesn't mean that finals and this time of year doesn't stress me out. Yes, I feel as if I am on top of all my classes, I'm not behind, but there is still a lot of work to be done. For example, in my Spanish class I have three different finals to prepare for. An oral, writing and multiple choice test all happen to be on three different days, three different weeks actually. I never feel like I am completely done with my homework at night knowing that I have all of this I could be preparing for. This just adds to the stress level everyday.
In other classes, its just a matter of finding the time to review over terms and concepts that I have learned over the past term. Some classes provide in class work time which I try to take advantage of. Even though the units were easy, its difficult to go back and review everything and then remember it for the final along with everything else for five other classes.
In AP Lang in which I am writing this blog, I have so much work to do over the next few weeks I could consider myself to be stressed out just because of this class. I have more blogs to type, a book to read, annotated bibliographies, two drafts of an essay, discussions, quizzes and a portfolio to build. I get stressed out just thinking about it and I know every other student in the class is the same way. At times like these I begin to wonder if teachers really consider the lives of their students (read my post "Heavy Homework Load").
As the stress us upon all of us here at Kennedy High School, I say good luck and try just bear through it.
I would consider myself a good student, my cumulative GPA of 4.3 is proof of this. But this doesn't mean that finals and this time of year doesn't stress me out. Yes, I feel as if I am on top of all my classes, I'm not behind, but there is still a lot of work to be done. For example, in my Spanish class I have three different finals to prepare for. An oral, writing and multiple choice test all happen to be on three different days, three different weeks actually. I never feel like I am completely done with my homework at night knowing that I have all of this I could be preparing for. This just adds to the stress level everyday.
In other classes, its just a matter of finding the time to review over terms and concepts that I have learned over the past term. Some classes provide in class work time which I try to take advantage of. Even though the units were easy, its difficult to go back and review everything and then remember it for the final along with everything else for five other classes.
In AP Lang in which I am writing this blog, I have so much work to do over the next few weeks I could consider myself to be stressed out just because of this class. I have more blogs to type, a book to read, annotated bibliographies, two drafts of an essay, discussions, quizzes and a portfolio to build. I get stressed out just thinking about it and I know every other student in the class is the same way. At times like these I begin to wonder if teachers really consider the lives of their students (read my post "Heavy Homework Load").
As the stress us upon all of us here at Kennedy High School, I say good luck and try just bear through it.
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
Breakfast of Champions
Eating breakfast is something I would never consider skipping. It is well known that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, yet many people decide to ignore their first meal. Whether this is because they don't like breakfast food, don't have time or simply just don't feel like it there isn't a good enough excuse for skipping breakfast.
According to the University of Health Sciences/Chicago Medical School, "Breakfast can establish the tone for the next 16 hours of each day after eating it." That's basically the entire time that you are up! I am probably considered an exception because many mornings I work out so I am naturally building up an appetite before breakfast time. Even the mornings in which I eat my typical two pieces of peanut butter toast about an hour before school starts, I am starving by lunch time. I couldn't imagine the lower focus level in school that I would have if I was hungrier even earlier than I already am.
It is also well known that students who eat a healthier breakfast perform better in school, pay more attention, are more creative, think better, and score higher on tests. This are all things it takes to be successful in school and life. Children who eat breakfast are also less likely to be overweight. With as many childhood obesity issues as there are I think this should be taken into consideration.
Many of you might be saying, "I don't have time" or "I don't like any breakfast foods." Well your wrong. It would be so easy to get up five or ten minutes earlier in order to eat a bowl of cereal or piece of toast. There are many on-the-go type items that would be sufficient for a good breakfast. This would be like go-gurts, granola bars, protein bars, smoothies, muffins and many more. There are sooooo many kinds of foods you can eat for breakfast that you are bound to find something you life. And its not like there are any rules saying you have to stick with the traditional breakfast foods. Cereal, toast, muffins, eggs, pancakes, waffles, bacon, fruit and sausages are all great suggestions.
There is such a variety of foods that I can eat for breakfast that I never get bored with planning what I should eat the next day. The extra 10 minutes is completely worth it because its delicious and I know its helping my body and my mind.
According to the University of Health Sciences/Chicago Medical School, "Breakfast can establish the tone for the next 16 hours of each day after eating it." That's basically the entire time that you are up! I am probably considered an exception because many mornings I work out so I am naturally building up an appetite before breakfast time. Even the mornings in which I eat my typical two pieces of peanut butter toast about an hour before school starts, I am starving by lunch time. I couldn't imagine the lower focus level in school that I would have if I was hungrier even earlier than I already am.
It is also well known that students who eat a healthier breakfast perform better in school, pay more attention, are more creative, think better, and score higher on tests. This are all things it takes to be successful in school and life. Children who eat breakfast are also less likely to be overweight. With as many childhood obesity issues as there are I think this should be taken into consideration.
Many of you might be saying, "I don't have time" or "I don't like any breakfast foods." Well your wrong. It would be so easy to get up five or ten minutes earlier in order to eat a bowl of cereal or piece of toast. There are many on-the-go type items that would be sufficient for a good breakfast. This would be like go-gurts, granola bars, protein bars, smoothies, muffins and many more. There are sooooo many kinds of foods you can eat for breakfast that you are bound to find something you life. And its not like there are any rules saying you have to stick with the traditional breakfast foods. Cereal, toast, muffins, eggs, pancakes, waffles, bacon, fruit and sausages are all great suggestions.
There is such a variety of foods that I can eat for breakfast that I never get bored with planning what I should eat the next day. The extra 10 minutes is completely worth it because its delicious and I know its helping my body and my mind.
It's Valentine's Day!
February 14, or otherwise known as Valentine's Day is a day that many people can hardly wait for and many people want to get through as quick as possible. It's a special day in my house because it also happens to be my mom's birthday. I don't have any strong feelings for the holiday I just think there are a lot of fun but so many ridiculous things that go along with it.
As I have been walking around the school today and sitting at lunch seeing kids with their flowers and cookies I have been enjoying remembering the awesome Valentine's Day parties we used to have in school. This was the best part about Valentine's Day. I loved being able to be creative and make my valentine "mailbox" out of an old shoe box or paper bag. I took pride in the finished project.
But that was only the beginning of the fun. In my opinion I always came to school with the best valentines to give out to all of my classmates. They were always homemade and personalized with everyone's names on them and everything. This took a lot of time but my sister and I had a blast putting together our little art projects with a piece of chocolate or a yummy sucker taped on the back.
Valentine's Day parties basically equalled a sugar rush. We would all eat so much candy and treats that I would go home so hyper and excited, I'm sure my mom didn't know what to do with me. My sister and I would always arrive at home and dump out all of our extra candy (that we hadn't eaten by that point) on the living room floor. Then we would swap and switch our chocolate and candy hearts until we got a variety we were satisfied with. Now these are the moments that I think are the most fun about Valentine's Day.
When you get older all everyone seems to care about is whether or not they have a boyfriend or girlfriend on Valentine's Day. If they do, the issue comes down to "I have no idea what to get them!" If they dont the issue is that people get all depressed and whatnot. What happened to being excited over getting a cute piece of paper and candy? Come on people! Just have fun. I think its a blast just making some fun Scooby-Doo valentines and passing them out to friends. Its a day where you have an excuse to eat lots of chocolate....embrace it!
As I have been walking around the school today and sitting at lunch seeing kids with their flowers and cookies I have been enjoying remembering the awesome Valentine's Day parties we used to have in school. This was the best part about Valentine's Day. I loved being able to be creative and make my valentine "mailbox" out of an old shoe box or paper bag. I took pride in the finished project.
But that was only the beginning of the fun. In my opinion I always came to school with the best valentines to give out to all of my classmates. They were always homemade and personalized with everyone's names on them and everything. This took a lot of time but my sister and I had a blast putting together our little art projects with a piece of chocolate or a yummy sucker taped on the back.
Valentine's Day parties basically equalled a sugar rush. We would all eat so much candy and treats that I would go home so hyper and excited, I'm sure my mom didn't know what to do with me. My sister and I would always arrive at home and dump out all of our extra candy (that we hadn't eaten by that point) on the living room floor. Then we would swap and switch our chocolate and candy hearts until we got a variety we were satisfied with. Now these are the moments that I think are the most fun about Valentine's Day.
When you get older all everyone seems to care about is whether or not they have a boyfriend or girlfriend on Valentine's Day. If they do, the issue comes down to "I have no idea what to get them!" If they dont the issue is that people get all depressed and whatnot. What happened to being excited over getting a cute piece of paper and candy? Come on people! Just have fun. I think its a blast just making some fun Scooby-Doo valentines and passing them out to friends. Its a day where you have an excuse to eat lots of chocolate....embrace it!
Friday, February 10, 2012
Super Bowl Showdown
My plan of briefly blogging about the then upcoming Super Bowl, quickly went down the drain as I found many other interesting things to waste my time doing last Sunday. So in case you have lived under a rock for the last week, the New York Giants defeated the New England Patriots 21-17.
There is something about Super Bowl Sunday that just gets me excited. As I have previously blogged about, I happen to be a huge NFL fan. I have been for a long time and plan on being one forever. Although my two teams didn't make it this year, I guess thats what you get for having one in each of the past two Super Bowls, I found myself really looking forward to this game.
Because my family tends to be such crazy fans, we normally don't go to parties our host any ourselves. We have made a tradition of chips, dip, pizza and pop for the night of the Super Bowl. When were fortunate enough to have our teams in the big games, a cake is in order. Anyway the food was just as delicious as ever this year.
For anyone who truly knows me, they would know that I definitely wanted to see the Patriots get crushed. I despise the whole franchise and especially their coach. It seemed weird cheering for the team who took my Packers out of contention but it was completely worth it. I thought the game was a good one. After all the right team did win and it had an exciting ending thats all I could have asked for! I would consider myself to be an Eli Manning fan so it was nice seeing him have some success, especially against Tom Brady.
It wouldn't be Super Bowl Sunday without the discussion of the commercials and entertainment. There weren't too many commercials that I thought were that great. To me it just seems like the hype is what makes these car, movie and Budweiser advertisements superior. I did think Kelly Clarkson's rendition of the National Anthem was great, I applaud her on her performance. Halftime was neither here nor there, I think it was better than the past few years combined though.
I think that covers it all, now I just have to wait for next season and hope my team can make it in 2013!
There is something about Super Bowl Sunday that just gets me excited. As I have previously blogged about, I happen to be a huge NFL fan. I have been for a long time and plan on being one forever. Although my two teams didn't make it this year, I guess thats what you get for having one in each of the past two Super Bowls, I found myself really looking forward to this game.
Because my family tends to be such crazy fans, we normally don't go to parties our host any ourselves. We have made a tradition of chips, dip, pizza and pop for the night of the Super Bowl. When were fortunate enough to have our teams in the big games, a cake is in order. Anyway the food was just as delicious as ever this year.
For anyone who truly knows me, they would know that I definitely wanted to see the Patriots get crushed. I despise the whole franchise and especially their coach. It seemed weird cheering for the team who took my Packers out of contention but it was completely worth it. I thought the game was a good one. After all the right team did win and it had an exciting ending thats all I could have asked for! I would consider myself to be an Eli Manning fan so it was nice seeing him have some success, especially against Tom Brady.
It wouldn't be Super Bowl Sunday without the discussion of the commercials and entertainment. There weren't too many commercials that I thought were that great. To me it just seems like the hype is what makes these car, movie and Budweiser advertisements superior. I did think Kelly Clarkson's rendition of the National Anthem was great, I applaud her on her performance. Halftime was neither here nor there, I think it was better than the past few years combined though.
I think that covers it all, now I just have to wait for next season and hope my team can make it in 2013!
Heavy Homework Load
Sometimes I think that there should be a legal maximum amount of homework a student can have per night. This past week I have been extremely bogged down with an array of projects, papers, quizes and tests. Is it necessary??
When entering high school a few years ago I recall that the most important thing I was told was to "get involved." Whether this was sports, drama, journalism or any other type of activity it was highly reccommended. I keep myself extremely busy with 3 AP classes, lifeguarding, teaching swim lessons, swimming and school. Its when the homework load gets extremely heavy when its very hard to manage.
I often wonder if teachers ever think about the fact that on average all of their students have another 5 classes in addition to their own. This means five other classes to get homework in. Is it necessary to assign so much work out of class? I really dont think so. When kids are supposed to be involved and keep up in multiple classes it makes it nearly impossible to complete assignments for every class every night!
For example, this week I have had to write an essay analysis, write two papers, read and take notes for multiple classes, study for a chem and U.S. History test, study for a math quiz, do math problems, study for spanish and many other things. This is on top of going to work, swimming and working out. I have averaged between 5-6 hours of sleep each night. For many high schoolers this is probably normal but according to the National Sleep Foundation, "Teens need an average of at least 8 1/2 hours of sleep per night." There is no way I will be getting that anytime soon.
So which is it? Am I supposed to keep my grades up and excel in school or am I supposed to get involved and experience life outside of a textbook?? I just wish there could be a happy medium of living life and still performing well in school....including getting an acceptable amount of shut eye.
When entering high school a few years ago I recall that the most important thing I was told was to "get involved." Whether this was sports, drama, journalism or any other type of activity it was highly reccommended. I keep myself extremely busy with 3 AP classes, lifeguarding, teaching swim lessons, swimming and school. Its when the homework load gets extremely heavy when its very hard to manage.
I often wonder if teachers ever think about the fact that on average all of their students have another 5 classes in addition to their own. This means five other classes to get homework in. Is it necessary to assign so much work out of class? I really dont think so. When kids are supposed to be involved and keep up in multiple classes it makes it nearly impossible to complete assignments for every class every night!
For example, this week I have had to write an essay analysis, write two papers, read and take notes for multiple classes, study for a chem and U.S. History test, study for a math quiz, do math problems, study for spanish and many other things. This is on top of going to work, swimming and working out. I have averaged between 5-6 hours of sleep each night. For many high schoolers this is probably normal but according to the National Sleep Foundation, "Teens need an average of at least 8 1/2 hours of sleep per night." There is no way I will be getting that anytime soon.
So which is it? Am I supposed to keep my grades up and excel in school or am I supposed to get involved and experience life outside of a textbook?? I just wish there could be a happy medium of living life and still performing well in school....including getting an acceptable amount of shut eye.
Sunday, February 5, 2012
Description: Cozumel, Mexico, Paradise Beach
As I have previously blogged about, over Christmas break I had the wonderful opportunity to go on a family vacation. We boarded a Cruise ship in New Orleans and eventually made our way to Cozumel, Mexico, The Caymen Islands and Jamaica. I will never forget this trip because there were so many new sights, sounds, tastes and experiences that I could never have imagined before this trip. For the purpose of this post I am going to focus on our first port of call: Cozumel, Mexico.
-Sight: Due to our early arrival at Paradise Beach, everything around us looked crisp, clean and ready to go. The chairs were aligned perfectly and the white sand wasn't touched and had minimal footprints. The water was so blue it looked like it should be something from a postcard. The palm trees were unreal standing tall with their green leaves and coconuts. As the day went on more umbrellas were laid out, people began swimming, parasailing and building sand castles. I never knew there could be so many fun things to do in one place!
-Taste: I have always been aware that large bodies of water consist of salt water, but i happened to put that piece of knowledge to the back of my mind until this day. The very first time my sister and I went under the blue waters of the Gulf of Mexico and happened to get a taste, I almost spit the water out of my mouth. It was sooo salty! Eventually I got used to this taste, but it was very strong and hard to get out of your mouth. One of the best tastes from the whole vacation came at Paradise Beach. It was the middle of the afternoon and my sister and I were getting hungry. We thought it would be pretty cool to eat some nachos and quesadillas IN MEXICO. I think it made the delicious cheese, tortilla and salsa combination even better.
-Sound: The sound at Paradise Beach also changed throughout the day. At first the only thing I could hear was my family talking quietly around me and the tides washing ashore every few minutes. As more and more people arrived the variety of languages that people around me communicated with was very cool. I heard many sayings such as "Gracias," "Hola," "Adios," "Mis Amigos" and so on . There were French speaking people and families with British accents. In the distance you could hear the engine of jet skis taking off or little kids screaming as someone splashed them with the cold water.
-Smell: From what I recall, there wasn't any particular smell in Cozumel, Mexico. The tacos, sandwiches, nachos, quesadillas and wraps definitely smelled great as the waiters briskly walked by delivering the food to the people who ordered. The smell of the Gulf water was a hard one to get rid of. Even after I showered I was convinced that I still smelled of salt water.
-Touch/Feel: The warm and soft white sand of Paradise Beach is something I will never forget. I could walk around in that stuff for hours! Its just so soothing and relaxing, makes you feel like you really are in paradise! The Gulf of Mexico water was cold but it didn't take long to get used to the temperature. It made it even easier when the sun would provide its warmth. I hate the feeling of plants and seaweed floating around my legs, that is something I could have dealt without. Soaking up the warm sun while laying out was also an incredible opportunity to have at the end of December.
-Sight: Due to our early arrival at Paradise Beach, everything around us looked crisp, clean and ready to go. The chairs were aligned perfectly and the white sand wasn't touched and had minimal footprints. The water was so blue it looked like it should be something from a postcard. The palm trees were unreal standing tall with their green leaves and coconuts. As the day went on more umbrellas were laid out, people began swimming, parasailing and building sand castles. I never knew there could be so many fun things to do in one place!
-Taste: I have always been aware that large bodies of water consist of salt water, but i happened to put that piece of knowledge to the back of my mind until this day. The very first time my sister and I went under the blue waters of the Gulf of Mexico and happened to get a taste, I almost spit the water out of my mouth. It was sooo salty! Eventually I got used to this taste, but it was very strong and hard to get out of your mouth. One of the best tastes from the whole vacation came at Paradise Beach. It was the middle of the afternoon and my sister and I were getting hungry. We thought it would be pretty cool to eat some nachos and quesadillas IN MEXICO. I think it made the delicious cheese, tortilla and salsa combination even better.
-Sound: The sound at Paradise Beach also changed throughout the day. At first the only thing I could hear was my family talking quietly around me and the tides washing ashore every few minutes. As more and more people arrived the variety of languages that people around me communicated with was very cool. I heard many sayings such as "Gracias," "Hola," "Adios," "Mis Amigos" and so on . There were French speaking people and families with British accents. In the distance you could hear the engine of jet skis taking off or little kids screaming as someone splashed them with the cold water.
-Smell: From what I recall, there wasn't any particular smell in Cozumel, Mexico. The tacos, sandwiches, nachos, quesadillas and wraps definitely smelled great as the waiters briskly walked by delivering the food to the people who ordered. The smell of the Gulf water was a hard one to get rid of. Even after I showered I was convinced that I still smelled of salt water.
-Touch/Feel: The warm and soft white sand of Paradise Beach is something I will never forget. I could walk around in that stuff for hours! Its just so soothing and relaxing, makes you feel like you really are in paradise! The Gulf of Mexico water was cold but it didn't take long to get used to the temperature. It made it even easier when the sun would provide its warmth. I hate the feeling of plants and seaweed floating around my legs, that is something I could have dealt without. Soaking up the warm sun while laying out was also an incredible opportunity to have at the end of December.
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