As a high school senior, I knew this year would be a busy time in my life. However, I did not believe it would be as busy as it has played out to be so far. With school work alone, I have been swamped with AP English reading, Honors World Cultures papers, and a boggled mind when it comes to the unknown world of Physics. These three classes have given me almost the amount of stress in two months equal to the stress I had for over half of my junior year. Thinking I could maybe catch a break over Thanksgiving weekend turned out to be just one big joke. Given a history reading assignment the day before break, I was on the verge of breaking myself. I already had played out in my head what needed to be complete over the next few days with built in time to relax. It was Thanksgiving, my favorite holiday, slowing being destroyed by school work. I was a mess, to say the least. I had no time to waste, so I began right away. That afternoon I came home around 12:00 from school, sat down at my kitchen table, and opened up my first novel. I had a check list in my head and I was ready to begin going down the line. I knew I had an appointment at 2:00 so in the mean time; I waited for my sleeping college sister to wake up and my mom to come home from work by reading for history. By 9:00 that night, I felt accomplished. I had read 50pgs out of the 62 I had to read for History. The next beast I had to wrestle was the 150pgs I had to complete reading with annotations for English. But I saved that for later and began enjoying the time with my sister and my friends who were home from college.
School work alone is a huge load I have on my shoulders. I have taken a break from worrying about college, because I know the letters will come as they please. After all, I've already been granted 2 acceptances! The next obstacle I am faced with is the Track season that is starting up today. I know that after today, my life is pretty much booked until June. Track is almost like a full time job. I will go to school at 7:30 in the morning and I will not be home until 6:00 that night. But those are just practice days. Throw in a meet on a Wednesday night and I won't be walking through my doors until 10:30pm if I am lucky. But I have given my heart to this sport and, most of all; I have given my heart to my team. After a brutal cross country season, most girls will be taking this season off and not returning until the spring track season. While I give those girls my full respect, I am broken hearted left with the feeling that my team has been taken away from me. A coach once taught us to have PMA (positive mental attitude). I reminded myself to have PMA every time I went out to workout for pre-season. I have not been happy with my performances since sophomore year so it is important that I continue to keep my head up and keep fighting for what I want. As a senior, I want to be there for my girls and teach them the things I didn't know when I was first starting out. I want to be there for the team when we feel like we are in a rut and we can't find our way out. I know that the season holds much potential; we just have to build our way there first.
Monday, November 28, 2011
Monday, November 14, 2011
Penn State
First of all, this whole situation is a mess and a heart break. To see what students of the school have to go through because of the uncovering of this horrible crime, is unbearable. The riots that the students broke out in on Wednesday night expressed their anger. I understand their acts, but also, I agree with what one reporter asked a student, "Is this what Joe would have wanted?"
Firing Joe Paterno immediately was, in my eyes, a mistake. At least give him one final bit of respect and let him coach his last game. When the crime was committed, Joe Paterno should have told someone who would have settled the issue. Unfortunately, he told someone who did not take as much action as what was required. But what reporters and news reports are forgetting that he did in fact tell someone. He went to the athletic director and explained the horrific event. So why are all fingers being pointed at Joe? Or why is everyone blaming the other teammate who saw it happen? That kid was just in college, he was probably afraid to speak up for fear something as horrible might happen to him in return for his confession. Where are all the fingers that need to be pointed towards Sandusky, the man who committed these crimes! Why is all the focus in the wrong places?
Maybe it is News Bias that has taken over the focus of this incident. But I feel as though Penn State has a check list and they are going down the line of who needs to be taken out of the picture first. Once they handle that, they move on to the next element that needs to be handled.
What comforted me the most was seeing the players of both teams (Penn State and Nebraska) on Saturday take a knee in the middle of the field before the kick off of the football game to honor those who have been abused. That focus was dimmed as well: the children who have been caught in the cross fire of Sandusky's horrific choices and illness. As spectators, we need to take a step back from all the drama and the arguments of who is getting fired. What the real issue here are the victims of this crime, or should I say crimes. This man needs to be stopped once and for all, and the ones who have been hurt deserve our prayers and attention.
Firing Joe Paterno immediately was, in my eyes, a mistake. At least give him one final bit of respect and let him coach his last game. When the crime was committed, Joe Paterno should have told someone who would have settled the issue. Unfortunately, he told someone who did not take as much action as what was required. But what reporters and news reports are forgetting that he did in fact tell someone. He went to the athletic director and explained the horrific event. So why are all fingers being pointed at Joe? Or why is everyone blaming the other teammate who saw it happen? That kid was just in college, he was probably afraid to speak up for fear something as horrible might happen to him in return for his confession. Where are all the fingers that need to be pointed towards Sandusky, the man who committed these crimes! Why is all the focus in the wrong places?
Maybe it is News Bias that has taken over the focus of this incident. But I feel as though Penn State has a check list and they are going down the line of who needs to be taken out of the picture first. Once they handle that, they move on to the next element that needs to be handled.
What comforted me the most was seeing the players of both teams (Penn State and Nebraska) on Saturday take a knee in the middle of the field before the kick off of the football game to honor those who have been abused. That focus was dimmed as well: the children who have been caught in the cross fire of Sandusky's horrific choices and illness. As spectators, we need to take a step back from all the drama and the arguments of who is getting fired. What the real issue here are the victims of this crime, or should I say crimes. This man needs to be stopped once and for all, and the ones who have been hurt deserve our prayers and attention.
Monday, November 7, 2011
Can I take a breath yet?
Coming off of what felt like the busiest weekend of my life, I finally have time to ask the question, "Can I take a breath yet?” As an 18 year old high school senior, I never knew how much I could have on my plate. I have numerous families that I am a babysitter for, community service I participate in, and never ending projects from my demanding senior classes. The babysitting is fun for the most part. I enjoy kids' laughter and the smiles they get on their faces when you simply hand them their favorite toys. Or when they bump their heads and all you have to do is give them a hug and everything is better. However, watching over the kids requires your full attention. So when it is Sunday night and you have spent all weekend running errands, fulfilling your commitment to community service, and touching on school work, you can get a little overwhelmed. Even if you start your day hours before you normally would, what good does it do? Yesterday, I felt as though it just made me tired. However, I was thankful when I looked at the clock and it only said it was 5:30 when I felt as though it was already 8:00pm. Back to back nights of fun and games with kids under two years old is what my job requires. But then it brings me to Monday mornings where I am left to ask myself, where was the time for you? Was it when you finally got time to sit down and write that research paper? The answer would be that my time was every moment of the busiest weekend I just had. Like I said, I was able to put smiles on kids' faces. I allowed parents to have the break that they very much well deserved. And the community service is being with a friend, it just happens to be in an environment that needed some help. So here is my deep breath. I helped others this weekend, and in return I helped myself. I see now that there is a bigger picture to all of this. It is not just me missing out on a relaxing weekend or me drowning in research papers. There is so much more to the busy lifestyle I have. And it is the one I chose.
Fox news
To me, news is not perfect. Can we even trust what is being relayed to us as viewers? Once the information is put into the hands of those who work at CNN, FOX, or even ABC, it is out of control and can be put into a bias view. The producers and writers for such stations have the freedom of writing whatever they want.
However, my view news is not as negative as it may seem. Without news, our nation would not know what is going on over seas, much less two towns away from them. News is the window to a world of information. We have to form a bond of trust with the stations we choose to watch in order to obtain the information that is being relayed.
I wake up every morning to the sound of televisions coming from downstairs or down the hall. Before the national broadcast of Good Morning America airs, my household can be seen watching local ABC Action news. On this station, we are given many stories, not just political ones that can be found on stations such as FOX. We learn about the issues and events that are taking place in our local area in order to segue into the national broadcast that is to follow.
I see two different views on news, however, I respect every station. After all, I am hoping in ten or so years, you will turn on your local news station and see my face giving you all the information you are looking for.
However, my view news is not as negative as it may seem. Without news, our nation would not know what is going on over seas, much less two towns away from them. News is the window to a world of information. We have to form a bond of trust with the stations we choose to watch in order to obtain the information that is being relayed.
I wake up every morning to the sound of televisions coming from downstairs or down the hall. Before the national broadcast of Good Morning America airs, my household can be seen watching local ABC Action news. On this station, we are given many stories, not just political ones that can be found on stations such as FOX. We learn about the issues and events that are taking place in our local area in order to segue into the national broadcast that is to follow.
I see two different views on news, however, I respect every station. After all, I am hoping in ten or so years, you will turn on your local news station and see my face giving you all the information you are looking for.
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