Dawe: Week 8

 Guilt

    This week I really struggled at finding a topic to write about. I ended up having to google different topics and found the topic of writing about something that I feel guilty about. The first thing that popped into my mind was a moment where I miss judged someone. 

    I was volunteering at a food stand, at a carnival, a few years ago with my church and had a customer come up to me towards the end of my shift. I immediately noticed that there was something off about him. He stumbled upon his words and spoke very quietly like he was struggling to speak. Being that it was pretty late into the carnival and there was alcohol available, I immediately assumed he was intoxicated. 

    I changed my whole demeanor. Instead of giving a smile and asking kindly for him to repeat himself, I immediately became nervous and said "what?" in an almost distant tone. I don't remember exactly how the interaction went but I know that I definitely treated him with a slight lack of respect. 

    Once he had gotten his food and walked away, I realized that he wasn't intoxicated. I saw that he was actually working at another stand and noticed how he was talking to others. I figured out that he actually just had a speech impediment or other disability that caused him to struggle with speaking. 

    I felt terrible. I kept thinking about how many times I had seen people treat others with disabilities with little to no respect. The man was probably even used to it which is absolutely terrible. How could I just automatically make assumptions about someone based on a 20-second conversation? Even if the man turned out to be just intoxicated why should I automatically treat him with no respect? 

    Some may think that it was an honest mistake and that he probably forgot about the encounter within a minute. However, I didn't forget. Although it is such a simple, quick, and forgettable moment, I think about it often when meeting new people. It might sound stupid but this small moment just reminds me to never treat someone differently based on a quick judgment. 

Cuevas Week 8

 “Evil-Stepparents” A False Media Trope

        Throughout history, multimedia has portrayed stepparents to be evil. We saw it at an early age with the movie Cinderella, and it is replicated in countless other films and books. Media, for some reason, has consistently cast stepparents as villains- as harmful entities who enter a family and consequently destroy it. After inheriting two stepparents, I can testify that this stereotype is absolutely incorrect. 

          My parents were divorced when I was pretty young, and without diving into too many details, I can say it was hard. I remember not understanding why they couldn’t be together, why they lived so far from one another and why it had to be that way. I soon learned exactly why- they were meant to be with someone else. 

          As I grew up and reached the age where I understood what ‘divorce’ really meant, I eagerly watched both of my parents go through many boyfriends and girlfriends. Those people provided some interesting stories to tell, good and bad, but collectively, each respective parent and I could tell none of them would really stick. Then, my dad met Diana and my mom met Jay. 

          Although I live with my mom, I was able to easily form connections with both Jay and Diana. While they were dating my parents, they started to begin to feel like parents too, and I was happy to see each of them get married. Now, I am extremely grateful to have them around. 

         I live with Jay, and we have such a great relationship. He and my boyfriend are basically best friends, which is very important to me, and Jay cares about me like a real father and treats me like his daughter. I don’t get to see my Dad and Diana very often, but when I do, I always feel grateful to experience the maternal-like bond I have with my stepmom. Both of my parents really fill the role of real parents, and honestly are like friends. 

         I’m incredibly grateful for my stepparents. Maybe I got extremely lucky, but I would say these two people really defy the “evil-stepparent” stereotype. It’s crazy to say I have 4 parents, but it’s true. I’m very lucky to be surrounded by so much love. 

        

This is my sister, me, my mom, and my stepdad, Jay.

Goodricke Week #8

I've been finding myself wishing more than ever to stop time. Time moves so incredibly quickly when you don't want it to. I'm frustrated by that. I find myself sitting in my room about to get ready for work, knowing I have 25 minutes befoe I have to shower, and that times races by. I literally lay down in my bed, roll over, and it's time to get in the shower. Maybe I just need better time management skills, or I have good time management skills, but time is to blame. We see the physical effect time has on people: wrinkles, sunspots, dying, etc. However, the point that I want to bring up is the mental effect that time has on a person, specifically, me. I don't like growing up. I tear up everytime I say that to myself. I see pictures of myself from when I was 9 or 10 and becoming very upset. Obviously, I had a conscious mind, but I cannot tell you the things that I was stressed about or even what made me happy at the time. I know that I've always made it a point to think about the future. What would my life look like in high school? Would I have all of the leads in the musicals, be the president of all of the choirs, have the best grades, or have the cutest boyfriend? I'm sure I wasn't alone in having these thoughts. As I definitely have noticed, I don't have any of those things. Though, I did get the lead in the musical last year, but because of the global pandemic we were hit with, I'm not even counting it and I'm moving on. I really hate getting older. I know I'm just 17 and I have a long life ahead of me (hopefully). However, reflecting back to 10 year old me is devestating. Would I be proud of who I am? I'd like to think so. I have a very strong mind. That doesn't necessarily mean I'm incredibly smart or witty, but I do consider myself wise. If I've learned nothing over the past 7 years is that I know who I am. I am a very caring, loyal, loving, positive, and out-going person. I love being surrounded by people, but I treasure alone time to reflect on everything occuring in my life at the time. When I am dedicated to something, I do not let go until I know I've done everything to be the best it can be. Of course, there are qualities of mine that I know little Allie in her neon pink room in her Princess Ariel chair wouldn't look too kindly on. Truthfully, I don't even know if little Allie would care about anything besides her Zayn Malik poster or her real life crush whom she called at least 8 times a day. Sorry, AL. I have a younger cousin who just turned 10 named Riane. She is my everything. Without her, I don't know what I would do. What hurts to think about is how her memory of her being young will fade away, and all the wonderful memories that we share that I hold so dear will follow. I hope to God she never has to go through what I went through when I was her age. I hope her parents stay together and her brother doesn't ever drift away from her when they both get older. I hope that she never has to feel the pain that I find myself feeling sometimes. That would kill me. I hope that she sees me as an ally that I didn't get to have at her age. I remember how innocent those times were, but also how quickly that innocence faded. I hope she watches out for boys, they truly suck. They'll have to go through me first if they even think of trying to date her when shes a little older. The point is, I wish I could talk to my 10 year old self, and tell her that everything will be okay. Tell her to hug her dog and go out and play with him, because of how painful his loss was to me. Tell her to go play video games with her brother and listen to him talk about his legos. Tell her to call her Grandfather in England and tell him everything about my day, for she'll be wishing she did everyday before he passed. Tell her to let her mom know how much she loves her and thank her for always being there for her. Tell her to go on the painfully long fishing trips with her dad. And most of all, just tell her to be grateful. Live is so precious. I'm grateful to have what I have. Sometimes I just wish it all wouldn't go so fast.

Hunter Week Eight

Friendship When You Least Expect It

    Ever since I could remember, I was a floater in many friend groups with many different types of people. Though I am content with having quite a large number of friends, I would often find myself and my role in each group quite insignificant. I know it seems cheesy, but I never discovered a group of MY people, as most do.
    All of this was true until recently, when my childhood YMCA summer camp best friend, a friend from dance, chorus, and more iconically, homeroom, and I all oddly decided to double-up on science courses. Abby Haffner and Paige Horvath are prominent figures in opposite parts of my life, making my interactions with them in AP Environmental Science and Honors Astronomy even more incredible.
    Initially, I had no clue of the joy simply making a group chat to share a Quizlet would lead. Over a few weeks, labs done over facetime became sleepovers where white cheddar Cheez-It Grooves and memorizing various Just Dance routines are the focal point. Each of us has experienced friendships that were toxic or difficult to maintain, so uncovering the simple, free-spirited nature of our bond was magical. Nothing is challenging with them; our bond is the epitome of a healthy relationship.
    I cannot count the number of times “I Want Crazy,” by Hunter Hayes or virtually any old Taylor Swift song has played while driving with each other. We love to go to target, explore new thrift locations, and most importantly, contribute to capitalism through our undying love of McDonald's Coke and fries.
    Our friendship grows stronger every day. Despite the lingering pandemic and constant uncertainty, the steadfast light Paige and Abby create gives me nothing but a smile. They are my best friends, and I could not be more grateful to be alive at the same time as they are! Abby and Paige consistently remind me of how friendships should be; easy, equally supportive, and fun.
    I hope you too get to experience friendships so extraordinary that you forgot what life was like without them. Until then, stay true to yourself and your values, as the most valuable relationships form when you least expect them!

Fun hats!!

Our favorite snack!

Paige and I <3

Grimm Week #8

 New Directions

WARNING: What you're about to read has nothing to do with "Glee," the TV series, so sorry, especially if your name is Caroline.

    I've gone through so many changes this past year. Everything from major weight loss to improved vocal ability and for the first time knowing real confidence. Don't get me wrong, I'm still that awkward weirdo with little friends and I'm never completely confident in my abilities or 'working progress' talents. I have myself to thank for my successes, but that'll never happen so I'm going to thank my vocal teacher Connie Edinger. 

    Connie's helped me this last year to come out of my shell and finally grasp some form of 'stage presence,' on and off stage. My confidence comes from my "abilities" which includes singing. I remember listening back to my voice and realizing my expression was lacking, internalized under deeply rooted doubt and discomfort, and, well I had no technique so you can imagine. Connie welcomed me into her home, this almost intense confidence radiating off her and I couldn't help but feel the same, I guess. Weeks and then months flew by and before I knew it I had changed. My voice still, today is hardly 'officially' presentable like for performances and auditions, but my personality blossomed with her. Sadly all good things must end and I find myself looking for more, a true professional who might enhance and perfect this underdeveloped voice I have. 

    I want to put college and my career goals before friendship, finally. Similarly to Connie, I've had a piano teacher since the second grade who I've surpassed, I know, I've known for the last five years now. She was also my middle school church choir director, she told stories, and still does, and initiated my love for music by introducing something more than singing 'Mama Mia' over and over again until my family murdered me. She introduced me to firstly to the basic foundations of music, but more importantly to connecting with others and instilling a larger meaning behind everything we did. I'm so grateful for her and it'll be hard, but it's only fair to them and myself to continue on this journey through higher level teachers and hopefully mentors. So goodbye and hello to all the new opportunities that will inevitably overwhelm me as I advance and grow.

(No caption needed)

Brougham week 8

 Grey's Anatomy

    About a year or two ago, I decided to watch Grey's Anatomy while I was on vacation. I was instantly in love with the characters, story line, and acting. My first time through, I watched the first fourteen seasons, until I became annoyed by the departure of two of my favorite characters. Recently, I decided that I wanted to watch the recent seasons, but came to the realization that I did not remember most of the things about where I left off. Twelve seasons later, I am very happy I made the decision to start from the beginning, as this show has officially become one of my top 3 shows of all time.

    Some may say that seventeen seasons of the same show is too many. Although I agree it may seem like a lot for an ordinary show, I would say back to them that this is no ordinary show. The actors play these roles so well that you can not help but fall in love with these characters, making you want to watch them. This show is the definition of addicting, and it feels like seventeen seasons isn't enough. In my opinion, this show has some of the best characters in television history. Most notably, Lexie Grey, played by Chyler Leigh, Callie Torres, played by Sara Ramirez, and Cristina Yang, played by Sandra Oh. Those are my top 3 characters in the series. Honorable mentions go to Meredith Grey played by Ellen Pompeo, April Kepner played by Sarah Drew, Arizona Robbins played by Jessica Capshaw, and Amelia Shepherd played by Caterina Scorscone. All of these actresses make the seventeen seasons worth it.

    The actors also have amazing chemistry with the other actors. Couples like Lexie and Mark, Meredith and Derek, Jackson and April, and Callie and Arizona all had amazing chemistry. I am not going to spoil anything, however the storylines that these couples go through are inspiring, intriguing, and heartbreaking. These couples are the foundation of the show, and without them, it would not be as legendary as it is now.

    What I think Greys Anatomy does best are season finales. Almost all season finales end in a memorable way, whether it be devastating or inspiring. What comes to mind is the end of season 6 and season 8. I am not going to spoil what happens, but any true Grey's Anatomy fans will know what I am referring to. The plots are very well written, and are even acted out better. 

    Overall, this show will forever hold its place in television history. Ellen Pompeo, also known as the main character Meredith Grey, is currently the highest paid actress on television. With a total of 54 awards won, Greys Anatomy will go down as one of the best tv shows ever created.

Regan Week #8

 Shark Tank

    Within the last month or two, I have gained interest in the show Shark Tank. I have seen a couple of episodes before, but I never had the desire to sit down and actually watch it. The terminology used in the show was very confusing to me because I knew nothing about business. It wasn't until I took the time to really understand what all the terms meant that I found a genuine interest in the show. I love that each episode has the same structure, but each individual pitch is so different. The whole premise of the show is great: giving entrepreneurs a chance to pitch their product in hopes of making a deal with one of the potential investors (which are called the "sharks"). Even if the business owner doesn't receive an offer or finalize a deal, it is still a great way to gain publicity for the product. 

    It is so inspiring to see many people from all different backgrounds fulfill their lifelong dreams of becoming successful business owners. Business is very hard to navigate through, but all the "sharks" say many times throughout the show that if they would have known how hard business was, they would have never even started. While business is very difficult, the end can be very rewarding, even if it isn't a large sum of money. The "sharks" say the feeling of accomplishment was all they needed to keep going. As someone who is young and impressionable, seeing and hearing these things push me to want to work harder every day.

    I have always had an interest in business, but this show has definitely gotten me more intrigued. Seeing all the different components that go into making deals and just business, in general, is so fascinating to me. Shark Tank has taught me so much about business and furthered my interest in it. I definitely recommend this show to anyone with even a slight interest in business. You'll be surprised at how much you learn!

Image Source

Buezo Week 8

                                                                 

                                                                            The Perfect Dress 

    I have no idea if we are having prom 100% but I am already stressing myself out planning what would happen if we do have one. I went out and tried on hundreds of dresses last week. I finally found the perfect one. Thankfully I was actually able to try on dresses on in person.  It would definitely be a bummer if something were to happen and it was just a no go for prom this year. Anyways going back about to the part about trying on dresses in person last year I was not able to. I remember last year I was supposed to go to prom and I spent so much money on my dress. Let me tell you, I was more mad that my dress turned out hideous rather than us not having a prom at all. I knew the moment it came in the mail, it was already a red flag. It wasn't even packed in a box, it was tightly wrapped in a bag... Whoever wrapped it, did not care about the beading, or even the wrinkles it would get. It came from a "good boutique" but it looked like an old wedding dress, that was cheaply made. 

    I was so mad and scared at the moment what I would do for prom that year. I only had a month to find the right dress and it was not going well with all the shops closed. Not only that but shipping takes forever and so does alterations. Looking at it now, it was a funny experience.  It was like one of those memes, the "what you expected and what you really got." The material was completely off, and it was a whole different color. It was almost like shop tried to recreate the dress and failed at it. Although I ended up loosing a lot of money because of last years prom fiasco, I was able to find a beautiful dress this year. If prom doesn’t happen, I'd be perfectly fine wearing it my senior year. I can’t even tell you how thankful I am, that malls are open, shops are open, and the world is slowly starting to open. 

Sheka Week 8

 Organ Donation

Last summer, I got my junior driver’s license. It wasn’t something that I was super excited about, because driving is pretty stressful for me, but it was nice to be able to go to work or swim practice on my own. While I was there, they asked me if I wanted to be an organ donor. I said yes, but I didn’t realize how controversial it was.

When we got home, my mom yelled at me, and said that by being an organ donor, doctors wouldn’t try as hard to save me if I were to get into an accident. My mom works in the medical field, so I was kind of surprised and a little alarmed to be hearing this from her. Upon asking my father (who is also a medical professional) and doing some research of my own, I came to the conclusion that her worries were unfounded. But why would she believe that in the first place?

Turns out, the origins of this myth tend to be born out of paranoia and urban legends than anything else. First of all, doctors take the Hippocratic Oath when they get their licenses to practice medicine. Even though it isn’t legally binding, they still take it very seriously. However, you know what is legal? Prosecuting negligent doctors for malpractice. If you can prove that the hospital, doctor or other health care professional caused injury to a patient because of willful negligence, you can take them to court. Fear of lawsuits, if nothing else, has kept the majority of doctors in line. 

I’m not saying that my mother and others like her were wrong to worry; the US medical community has had a checkered history, especially with their treatment of minority groups. But you have nothing to worry about as far as being an organ donor. Thousands of people across America are waiting for an organ transplant, and you would have the opportunity to change their lives for the better if you were a donor. 

Also, while we’re here, I hope you will consider donating blood, if you’re eligible. Blood is always a valuable commodity, and can mean the difference between life and death for a lot of people. I believe that the school is setting up a blood drive in early April, so I hope to see some of you there!

Rodrigues wk 8

 Samuel M. Rodrigues                                  AP Language & Composition                                            16 March 2021

     All About The Money   

    Recently, I finished reading The Total Money Makeover: A Proven Plan for Financial Fitness written by Dave Ramsey. I found several things fascinating in this book including myths on credit, building a strong barrier between you and murphy, taking on mortgages like a boss, and growing your money beyond belief. There is so much great information in this book that I know won't be able to fit in this blog post, but I'll do my best to explain some of the awesome things I learned about money. If you get to the end of this post and are like, "Hey. This book doesn't sound too bad," just let me know. I own a copy so I'll be happy to lend it out. But for now, let's get to it!

    The first thing you should know before you start reading this masterpiece of a novel is Ramey's approach to personal finance: common-sense! By taking a common-sense route, Ramsey is able to create a plan for anyone to get out of debt, pay expenses, and build tremendous wealth. He makes it clear that you don't need to be a genius to be a millionaire. All you need is a set of common-sense principles to live by: [1] avoid credit like the plague, [2] set aside money early on, and [3] invest in mutual funds. There are easily twenty or more principles that he mentions throughout his book surrounding finances, but these three are by far the most important from a wealth-building and financial security standpoint. 

    Next week, I'll expand on the points I mentioned above so stay posted. For now, if you have any questions or thoughts, feel free to let me know. 

Dave Ramsey & The Total Money Makeover

FalzoneM Week 8

    

My Heros

A short while ago it was International Women’s Day which made me realize that I have been really lucky to have grown up around such amazing women. As I saw different posts emerging online I did not feel that I could accurately describe the women in my life with any of the numerous appreciation pictures online. I decided that I would dedicate this blog to the two women who have made me strong, independent, and who I am today. 

     First I want to talk about my mother. Although cliche, my mom, Stephanie, is truly the most amazing woman I know. I have an incredibly close relationship with her and we are not only mother and daughter but best friends. We watch 90210 together, go on walks, and overall share an incredibly close bond. I love her because she is my mother but her many achievements are what help me believe in myself. My mom played Division 1 field hockey at Lafayette College before earning her degree and then pursuing her Masters Degree at Lehigh University. Her drive and talent on the field hockey field are something that I have always admired. I find myself jealous that she was so talented and I can only hope to reach towards the bar she has set so high. She has always pushed me out of my comfort zone in sports and for that, I am so grateful. It is not just the things she did before she had kids that inspire me, but also what she juggles now with 4 children. My mom currently works full-time and afterwork becomes a full-time mother doing laundry, making meals, cleaning the house, driving kids to sports, lessons, and appointments. Recently she has also gone back to school to earn her license to open a private counseling office. She never seems to run out of time or energy and always puts us first. No matter how tired she is or how much work she has left she always has a smile on her face. These are just several reasons why my mom has made me who I am. With such an amazing woman in my life, I have no reason to not strive to just like her and push myself to make her proud. 

     The second woman I would like to recognize is my grandmother, Gigi. Gigi is the most strong and independent woman I know. My grandmother graduated from the University of Pennsylvania back when women were not really being accepted to such prestigious schools. Despite this, she denies talking about her ability to get into such a college and credits her hard work for her success She then went back to school locally to obtain another degree before opening her own business while simultaneously working as a teacher. She is intelligent, tricky, and a true leader. I identify with my grandmother more than anyone else in my family. I too am defiant, bossy, but extremely independent. I like to control things just as much as she likes to boss people around. Together we are either the best team or each other's worst nightmare. Now at the age of 74, she is thinking about closing her business. To me this is heartbreaking but for her, it is just a time to move onto something new. I have no worries because her innovativeness will certainly drive her to do something more creative. 

    These two women are both special to me because of what they have accomplished in a world where women still are hindered from reaching their full potential. They are reminders to me that strength is the key to success.

Gigi with Hailey, my grandfather, and me

My mom with me, my dad, and Hailey

Falzone H Week 8

                                             

                                                                                Covid Crazy

It has officially been one year since we were shoved into lockdown, mask-wearing, and the endless thought in our head about getting infected with Covid. As someone who made it through multiple months before contracting the virus, I am getting really tired of the mandates and constant fear we live in. Now I completely agree with all of the precautions for Covid and wholeheartedly believe that if we had all worn masks and stayed home initially, the virus could have potentially claimed half the lives then it has so far, but I am still finding myself not wanting to wear masks in public or tired of our half a week school cycle. I know what we are doing is protecting those around us, but sometimes I just wish our lives would go back to normal. I am going to share a brief overview of my life since the pandemic and some insight from someone who has survived the virus.

My school was already out for spring break and I had just finished a track practice when my dad announced to my sister and I that we would be out of school for a week. Up until this point, there had been a rumor that our school would extend spring break an extra week, just to be cautious, and my initial reaction was pure joy. I had numerous projects to create and present and felt relief knowing I could have an extra week to practice and nail these presentations. However as the weeks turned into months and into an indefinite amount of time, I found myself longing to be back in school and to feel normal again. My family was very cautious in taking all of the precautions, especially in the heart of lockdown, by washing our groceries off and sanitizing our hands until they were cracking. My parents would not let any of my siblings into a store and it wasn't until the summer months when they finally let me walk through my first store again. These months were full of fear and the unknown but as summer rolled in, life went sort of back to normal. I started playing sports again and spent tons of time outside with my family. As fall began and my journey balancing a new school and an injury started, my life was almost too busy for me to stress about the pandemic, and at times it would slip my mind. However, right when we thought we had made it all this time without getting sick, I got Covid and was forced to stay home. Take it from me, you do not want this illness. It is in every way as bad as the media portrays it and hopefully something I will not have to experience again. Now that I have the immunity that lasts anywhere from 3 months to 8 months to forever( I know so specific) I have been living without the constant fear of getting sick again. I hadn't realized the burden this had taken on my mental and physical health as well. I find myself in a happier mood altogether and more engaged in my activities and school itself. 

The recent shutdown of the middle school, however, has me worried. Cases are starting to spike in other countries and I am scared of the possibility of us being shut down from Covid. As people get the vaccine and start spending time outside, I am hoping the mitigation efforts are enough, but despite the guidance given by our leaders people have been pouring down to Florida for spring break or attending large gatherings without masks on. As a concerned citizen and someone who has had the virus, I am urging everyone to continue to play it safe. All it takes is one person being infected for a whole season or a sports team to get canceled. Covid19 is not only real, but it is also alive and well, and I am fearful that it is hiding in the shadows ready to latch into its next victim.

My sister and I in the car the day we found out we were off for an additional week.

Ricci week 8

                                                                             Glow in the dark sharks 

    Today I was reading an interesting article about the deep-sea shark. Now you may be wondering, what makes this shark so special? Well, it is one the world's largest glowing animals.

    Researchers who were working off the cost of New Zealand have discovered three species of bioluminescent sharks. The largest shark is a kitefin, which grows up to six feet, making it one of the largest bioluminescent vertebrates. 

However, sharks are not the only creatures in the ocean that light up. The much larger giant squid is also bioluminescent. Scientists have estimated that around three quarters of deep-sea creatures have this ability. Being bioluminescent can be very useful. It can be used as a type of camouflage in the deeper waters. Areas that do not get as much light, such as the twilight zone, are ideal for this. They can use counter-illumination, which is when the animal produces the amount of light necessary to match their surroundings. This is used when hiding from predators. 

 Jérôme Mallefet, the researcher who discovered these sharks, believes that about ten percent of the 540 shark species discovered are bioluminescent. However, this is just a guess, there could be many more that are unknown at this time. Mallfet hopes that more research will be done, since the shark's habitat is under threat. 

Overall, I found that this was a very worthwhile read. I learned about a type of shark that I didn’t even know existed. I also discovered that these sharks are at risk, due to losing their natural habitats. I had never heard of anything like this, until I read this article.

https://www.nationalgeographic.com/

Ahearn Week 8

 Saying Goodbye 

Naturally, I have always been the youngest within my friend groups. My friends are usually older by a grade level or two. When they graduate, it is always a hard transition that I am never ready for, even if I think I’m ready. This year might be the hardest goodbye for me yet. 

Courtney Paulson is one of my closest friends and is practically my big sister. We have played basketball together for high school since I was in seventh and she was in eighth grade. We have also traveled over the country for AAU basketball tournaments together. Outside of school and basketball, we also spend a good chunk of our time together. Whenever we have bad days, she picks me up and we drive around and vent to each other about everything on our minds. We go on frequent dinner and dessert runs. We dedicate many of our car rides singing to Taylor Swift throwbacks and country music. There have been so many late-night drives, bonfires, and facetime calls that bring me so much joy. We have so many inside jokes and unforgettable memories that I wouldn’t trade for the world. Courtney has been a big sister to me and has been here through the highest and lowest points in my life. She is truly one of the most kindhearted and understanding people and deserves the absolute best. I am so beyond excited to see how much she achieves in college and in the years to come. I know she won’t be a ten-minute drive down the road, but she is still only just one phone call away. Although this is going to be a very hard goodbye for me, I know she isn’t going anywhere in my life. 

Here is a picture of us from one of our long summer drives! 

Leszcynski: Week #8

The Future

As a high school student, the most frequently asked question is, “What do you want to do after high school?” This question is very difficult for students at our age to answer. We are only 16 or 17 years old and this is a huge decision for such a young individual to make. This decision will impact the rest of our lives and will shape our future. It is hard to choose one career path because there are so many options to choose from that seem to be enjoyable. However, by the time we are 18, we are supposed to know exactly what we want to do, and that to me seems a little scary. 

I think I know what I would like to do when I am older. I would like to be an elementary school teacher. I am not exactly sure what grade that I want to teach, but I love little kids. You may ask, “How do you know that is what you want to do?” Well, a few years ago, one of my basketball coaches runs a training league for kids from Kindergarten through 4th grade. He asked me if I would like to help out and teach these kids how to play basketball. As time went on, I started to enjoy working with kids. I love how fun they are to play with and how they are always up to have a fun time. To this day, I still teach kids how to play basketball in the same league. I think that this league opened up my eyes to realize how much I love working with kids. 

Another way I was around little kids a lot was because of my mom’s profession. My mom is a preschool director at a church in Bethlehem. When I was younger, I attended her preschool and then when I got into elementary school, my mom would sometimes let me skip school to go hang out with some of her classes. The teachers of her preschool would always let me read to their kids and play with them. As years went by, I continued to do this all the way through middle school. I loved playing with the younger kids and the teachers loved having me. 

A teacher. I asked myself, “Is that really what you want to do?” One night I had a long talk with my dad. My dad was a 4th Grade teacher at Bangor Area School District. We talked about the benefits of being a teacher. Benefits include summers off, weekends off, never having to work on holidays, good health benefits, work hours 7-3, and many more. He told me there is no better feeling than students telling him, “You are the best teacher ever.” He knows right then and there that he has made an impact on that child’s life. He told me that right there is the reason I teach. 

I hope one day that I will be a very successful teacher and will be able to make an impact on many children’s lives. Even though deciding your career path is hard, once you figure out what you want to do, a huge weight is lifted off of your shoulders. You can finally focus on your future ahead and start to think about what school you would like to go to. 

Buezo Week 7

                                                                          Why Rochester?

    To be honest with you,  I had no idea where Rochester was or what it even was. For your information it is in Upstate New York and it is FREEZING there in winter. It's located 280 miles away from my house. It was the home to many Italian, German and Irish immigrants when they first came to the United States. It is also known to be an area where history was being made for women's suffrage reform. It's also where Wegmans was founded.  Someone how this place is now even more significant to me than ever. 

    Let me tell you why I decide to write about this, and the significance of this town to me. In the late spring of 2020 me and "some guy" had just met. In no means was I looking for a relationship or did I even have intentions to be in one.  I also was so independent and never wanted to be tied down. I valued my own time so much. I felt accomplished being on my own and creating my own personal success. That's until I met Mr Logan Grom who happened to be going to college in Rochester NY.  I was so hesitant of wanting to get closer with this guy because, one I don't like heartbreak, never has been my cup of tea. Secondly I have always valued having my personal agenda and doing everything for me. That's until I found myself wanting to spend every second with him. Then I started getting excited looking at my phone. I couldn’t believe myself. What was going on with me?! Did I Gabriella Buezo start catching feelings?

The spring flowers had bloomed, and the spring rain was gone. It was now summer, and I found myself with Logan, day to night.  We'd do everything together, we went on random beach trips together, we had picnics in the sand, we kayaked while watching the sun go down, we'd go on long walks and talk about our ambitions in life and our deep secrets, and what made us laugh, or even cry. I have never felt so connected to someone in such a short amount of time. We made it official that we were together. Summer was an absolute dream.

Dreams do come to end, and we did have to face reality, we'll be miles and hours apart. He'll be starting practices in the fall lacrosse and I'll be cheering for football games. We both tackle on crazy schedules, and stressful classes. When I wasn't at cheer or school, I was at work. When he didn't have lifts, practices, or class, he was studying for hours.  It seemed impossible. It seemed absolutely hopeless. But the biggest thing that I took away from this relationship is, if you really love someone the saying "the right person but the wrong time" does not apply for what we have. The few times I go up to visit, our excitement and love is just the same.  I realized that yes being in a relationship I do still have my independence and my individuality, I just now get to share my happiness with someone else. The distance is hard but I think it would be harder knowing I let go of the happiness I feel because I didn’t try hard enough.  I will forever be thankful for this experience.

Kryemadhi: Week #8

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    This weekend, I had my first dance competition of the year, and let me tell you guys, it was quite something. Usually competitions span over an entire weekend ensuring lots of time between dances, but because of COVID, our studio only had 4 and a half hours to fit in all our dances. While that may seem like a lot of time, when you take into consideration changing your hair, costumes, and sometimes even make up, it can be extremely stressful. 

I competed in 4 group numbers, a duet with my little sister, and a solo. Groups went great, and duo was the most in sync it’s ever been. Then came my last number of the night, my solo. I danced to Train Wreck by James Arthur. After my duo, I only had 15 minutes to change my costume, curl my hair, and prepare to go on. By the time I ran back to the stage, I only had one more number till I was up. My friends and sister all gave me a much needed confidence boost assuring me that I would do great. 

The announcer called out, “Number 138, Train Wreck.” It was time. I walked onto the stage as if I owned it. The first minute and 45 seconds of the dance were essentially perfect. I was gliding through my movements and landing all of my tricks. And then it hit me. I completely blanked out. It was like my brain hit pause on a dance that I had run hundreds of times. My heart sank, but I knew I couldn’t just stand there. I have zero recollection of what I did for the next 30 seconds. My sister told me it went something like this. I ran in a circle, did a few leaps and turns, and the most random thing I could’ve done during this emotional piece, a one handed cartwheel with my hand on my hip. Somehow after all that, I remembered the last 10 seconds of the dance, so I was able to end strong.

     I walked off stage as if nothing had ever happened, but as soon as I was out of the judges sight, I collapsed in one of my best friend’s arms balling. I couldn’t believe what had happened. The mixture of me balling and wheezing caused all the girls to surround me. They all told me they didn’t even realize I messed up, but in my head I knew they were just trying to calm me down. That dance was a train wreck. 

    I only had a couple minutes till awards, so my friend walked me back to the dressing room to grab my team jacket. My mom was waiting for me, and I couldn’t hide my disappointment, so again I started balling. Then my best friend walked up to me trying to wipe away the tears, but it was no use. I was just upset with myself. 

    I somehow managed to put myself together for awards. It was hard not to smile when you see your friends dancing to the Macarena on stage. I joined them laughing along as we danced to the Cotton Eyed Joe. In the end, that was definitely a learning experience, and luckily I still have two more competitions to make up for it. I still scored pretty well with my made up choreography. Even though it was completely crazy, I cannot wait to receive the video recording to see what I actually did during my performance. This will be a memory I will surely never forget.

The Art Of Dance Centre Stage Team @ Legacy Dance Championships