the Christmas Season

Preparing for the holiday season which leads up to my favorite day of the year Christmas is the best time of the year and all occur during that winter season. The day right after Thanksgiving is when I got up and into the "holiday spirit." I woke up at 6:30A.M, which compared to most people who were up at 2:00A.M. is late. I went to two different malls, and roughly 10 other stores. Also on this day, known as 'Black Friday', Christmas music began to play on radio stations.

Exactly one week before Christmas, there was no snow on the ground. However, I could care less about the snow because I absolutely hate the winter weather, and prefer warm, sunny days over a cold, snowy winter one. Next, our Christmas tree went up. I love when our house "transforms" in which the tall, glowing Christmas tree goes up and our stairs going upstairs are decorated. Finally, it’s the Christmas countdown. These were the few days when all of the malls were absolutely insane. People are buying those last minute gifts for Christmas. This is the time where finding a parking spot at a mall such as Twelve Oaks the weekend before Christmas can take up to a half hour. Lines inside stores wrapped all the way around the sales racks and Christmas was coming before I knew it, but for some reason, it just didn’t seem right.

Before I knew it, it was Christmas Eve and the next five evenings would be spent at family Christmas parties and dinners. After 5:00P.M. Christmas Eve mass, we hosted the first family party with my cousins, aunt, uncle, and grandparents. That was the first gift exchange of Christmas. The next morning when I woke up, it was Christmas Day. My mom made a delicious breakfast, and next I opened my stocking and all my presents. A few gifts were surprises which I didn’t know about, but most of them, I had picked out.

Later that day, I went to my aunt and uncle’s house on my dad’s side for dinner and presents and had a good time with family. The next day, that afternoon was shopping time with my aunt. This was the day to spend all those gift cards I had received. The mall was packed with people making returns so we only shopped for a couple hours. After we left the mall, we were trying to get our nails done, but every nail salon seemed to be closed. Once we drove around for about an hour and tried about five different ones, we finally found a good one.

That evening, I was going to my mom’s cousins house with about 40 other relatives who I barely know. I see them all about once a year. Luckily, my cousins on my mom’s side were there who I frequently see so I had someone to talk to. The following day I knew it would be my last “family get-together” which was a dinner for 20 at Bucca di Beppo which is an amazing Italian Restraunt. The Christmas weekend was just about over and I was exhausted. My grandparents left that Monday after we went to P.F. Changs for dinner together. The Christmas parties and dinners were over and now it was time to relax.

Rwandan Genocide

I felt the debate was successful and I actually enjoyed it. The way the debate was organized helped the debate to run slowly because only one person talked at a time. When groups had to “yield” the floor to others, it helped the debate not to get out of hand. Most of the groups had an opportunity to talk, except some more than others. Everybody did a good job bringing all of the groups into the conversation. All of the groups seemed to be well prepared with their questions for the other groups, as well as their introductions. I felt each group did a good job defending themselves. Out of all the introductions, the most interesting one had to be Romeo Dailare.

Before this project, I had no idea about the Genocide and this big issue in Rwanda. I learned about Rwanda's culture, the Hutus, and the Tutsis. Before I could understand my role, I had to do some research. I had to understand what the Rwandan Genocide was overall. Once I did this, I found out my assigned person, which was Paul Kagame’s role in the genocide. Paul Kagame led the Tutsi group called the Rwandan Patriotic Front, otherwise known as the RPF.

I believe that most of the blaming went to the Interhamwe, a Hutu powered group, and Juvenal Habayrmana. They deserved the blame because they were the ones who went around and killed innocent Tutsi's. A radio station was created by Juvenal, which influenced the people to do the killing and 'brain-washed" them. Whenever someone questioned the Interhamwe, they kept repeating that it was Juevenal's fault. While Juvenal was president of Rwanda from 1973 until 1994, he favored his ethnic group, the Hutus.

Many groups questioned the United States as to why they didn't step in and help. However, if they didn't want to be involved in the genocide, than that is their decision. If anyone was to be accused of not stepping in and helping, it should be Romeo Dailare. At one point, one group blamed the Red Cross, which I did not see a point to it. The Red Cross did nothing to be blamed for the start of the Rwandan Genocide. The role of the Red Cross in our debate was to “question and blame” other groups, which they did. Overall, I think the debate came out positive, and it was a great learning experience.

The American Scholar

Emerson's argument in the "American Scholar" about man still holds true today.

One reason Emerson's argument still holds true today is people become their "type of label." Emerson describes a person as their type of job. He wrote, "The planter who is Man sent out into the field to gather food, is seldom cheered by an idea of the true dignity of his ministry. He sees his bushel and his cart, and nothing beyond, and sinks into the farmer, instead of the man on the farm." This means that man is becoming his job or label of the farmer, and the same is happening in today's society.

Another reason is that one type of "typical man," in which Emerson talks about, is capable of more than one thing. Like I described before, man is capable of more than one label. Everyone must perform together for a functioning society. Emerson's argument still holds true today because people rely on others, especially in the work industry. If everyone performs their type of job, they can accomplish many tasks. However, people are capable of more, and this is what Emerson describes.

Halloween

When you hear the word Halloween, what do you think of? Candy corn, pumpkins, costumes, and ultimately, trick-or-treating...

About a week ago, my mom picked out two large, orange pumpkins from the grocery store. We are a little behind this year because tomorrow is Halloween and we haven't even emptied out all of the seeds and gross stuff inside the pumpkins! Then, it will be time to carve the pumpkins. In my family, no one is very artistic so we rely on the pumpkin carving books and the designs labeled "easy." Chances are, my mom will end up carving them just hours before trick-or-treaters start to arrive.

Every year, I love going to Haunted Houses. I remember when I was younger; my mom would always take me to the one at Wilson Barn. I didn't get the opportunity to go this year and I really wish I would have. Another thing I love about Halloween is the candy. Weeks before Halloween, as you walk through the store, there are aisles filled with Halloween candy. My mom tends to buy candy early, and then my family finds it. Days before Halloween, she usually realizes she might not have enough and better buy more. Candy corn is just about one of my favorites, and the "Fall Mix" they have where theres all different types of it. Besides, candy corn, I absolutely love Resees Peanut Butter Cups. I've never missed a year trick-or-treating. Now, what will I be doing this year?

Saturday night, I'm going over to Sam's house with some other friends from school and people from our Homecoming group. Halloween is tomorrow and I haven't even decided what I'm going to dress up as. I'm running out of time, so I better act quickly! When I think back to each year, I can almost remember what I dressed up as every time. There are so many pictures from my first couple Halloween's. Once the night is over, and all of the houses shut their doors and turned off their lights, it's time to go back home.

The day after Halloween, that's when everybody starts focusing on one of my favorite Holidays. Christmas! You can pretty much turn the radio onto any station, and you will start to hear Christmas music. The next few days they begin to clear out all the Halloween decorations out of stores, and prepare for the next holiday, Christmas.

Traveling

Traveling is just about one of my favorite things to do. Whether it’s traveling to another state to visit a relative, or traveling across the world to a new continent, it’s an exciting thing to me and something I love doing. Packing for a trip is the hardest to me because you never know what you might need and what you will not. I tend to over pack and come pretty close to the suit case weight limit at the airport. I prefer flying rather than driving, but I’ve done both so many times. Someday, I hope to visit all of the continents, and would love to go to Australia next.

When I was about five years old, I went to London, England. Looking back at pictures now, I see all the exciting places I went to. We visited Big Ben, Buckingham Palace, and Wimbledon, just to name a few. I remember the guards outside of Buckingham Palace, dressed in red and acting so serious. One memory I have was the plane ride there. Yes, out of the whole trip one of the things I remember to this day was the plane. We had ice cream, pizza, and all other kinds of food. Looking back on airlines today, you’re lucky if you even receive complementary pretzels. I don’t have many memories of going to London because I was so young, but I would love to go back.

The summer after 6^th grade, I went to China and Tokyo. Weeks before, I couldn’t wait. I had heard so much about China because my dad travels there for two weeks at a time multiple times a year, but finally, I was going to be able to come with him. Seventeen hours on a plane is a long time to occupy yourself for. Eventually, you get bored of listening to an i-pod or watching movies and you’re desperate to sleep. However, when you’re sitting up in an airplane seat and there’s noise all around you, falling asleep is impossible.

When we finally arrived in Tokyo, it was time to switch airlines and board the one to Hong Kong. Another four hours passed, and we arrived. I absolutely enjoyed being in China. There’s so much to see there and it’s like one big city. Seeing a girl with blonde hair, blue eyes, and fair skin isn’t too common there, so I did get a few stares once in a while. I saw the Victoria’s Peak, a Buddhist Temple, went shopping, and did so much more while there. On our way home, we stopped in Tokyo and went to Disney World there. I’ll never forget this two week vacation.

Besides traveling to other countries, I’ve been many places inside the U.S. I can’t think of all of them, but I’ve been to Florida, Ohio, New York, Indiana, Kentucky, North & South Carolina, Georgia, and Chicago, just to name a few. I think I’ve been to Florida about eight times, and went for the first time when I was about two years old. This was also my first plane ride, and I’ve heard many stories because occupying a two year old on a plane for two hours isn’t easy. I would love to go on a cruise because I’ve never had the opportunity. Traveling and visiting a new place or culture is an important and enjoyable thing to me, and I can’t wait to see other parts of the world.

Swine Flu

Currently, in the news the H1NI influenza A virus, otherwise known as "Swine Flu" has been a major deal. The virus was given the name "Swine Flu" because laboratory tests showed the genes in the virus are like the virus that occurs in pigs called swine. In April of 2009, the virus was identified in Mexico, and the "epidemic" began. The H1N1 virus has many noticeable symptoms including a fever, sore throat, and headaches which can last up to a week. Those affected worst by the virus are people who suffer from asthma, diabetes, obesity, heart disease, and pregnant women.

The sad thing about the H1N1 virus is that many deaths have been linked to it. A total of 4,747 deaths worldwide have been confirmed from the virus to this date. To this date, there have been cases of the H1N1 virus in a total of thirty-seven states, and more are expected. It is believed that half of the U.S. population will have the virus, causing 30,000 to 90,000 deaths.

So the question is, what can we do to prevent this? A vaccine has been recently created and available currently. There is flu shot form of the H1N1 vaccine and also a nasal spray. The flu shot form comes as a double dosage with four weeks in between each shot. On October 6th, an estimated 600,000 nasal sprays were delivered. This nasal spray is currently in high demand, but it's expected that anyone who wants to be vaccinated will have the opportunity. A total of 250 million doses of the vaccine have been purchased by the US federal government.
In the state of New York, it is now mandatory that all health care workers who come in contact with patients be vaccinated for the regular flu and the H1N1 virus, or could potentially lose their job. I think this should become mandatory in all states, along with teachers being vaccinated because they come in close contact with students.

I feel that kids and adults should be vaccinated to prevent the H1N1 virus. As a parent, having your child vaccinated is the responsible thing to do. Receiving a double dose shot or a single nasal spray is much better than having the virus. Some people may think that they will not get the virus this flu season, but it's best to be vaccinated just in case. Some parents have began hosting "swine flu parties" in order to expose their kids to the virus. They do this in hopes their child will become immune to the H1N1 in the upcoming flu season. So when it comes down to it, I think that with the way the H1N1 is spreading, the smart choice is to become vaccinated and take precautions to avoid the virus.

Running

Running to most people seems like a dreaded thing when you just think about it. However, to me running is a sport, a hobby, and something that I truly enjoy doing. Running takes a lot of discipline and you have to be dedicated to the sport. When it comes down to it, running isn’t the right sport for everyone. You have to be willing to handle the pain and injuries, and most of the time, run through them. Running is one of the hardest sports physically on your body, and is truly a mental sport. It’s about telling yourself to keep going and to not give up, no matter what your body tells you.

I’ve been running for about seven years total. In third grade, I ran my first cross country race which was 1.2 miles, and joined track in fifth grade. Some people have asked, “Why do you like running?” I simply respond, “I just love the sport”. I’ve given up playing travel soccer to focus on running track and cross country, and especially during the winter off-season between the two sports. Once you begin running, it’s something you just can’t give up, and can't live without.

After a long day of school, coming to cross country practice and running is something good to end the day with. I can put aside my entire day and just let me feet run. When you finish a run, you feel such a sense of accomplishment. Whether you just finished a three-mile pre-race day run, or an eight-mile road run, you get a feeling that is hard to describe. In your mind, you tell yourself, “I did it.” The training involved in running can be a difficult and hard thing. During a hard workout, you may feel like you want to quit, but it’s all about pushing yourself because the pain you feel is what makes you better in the end.

Once a week of hard practice is said and done, its time for races. Races are what really matter, and when all of your hard work pays off. This is the time where the effort you put into those mile repeats you did earlier this week all become worth it. When the gun goes off, it’s like an adrenalin rush throughout your body, and immediately you tell yourself, “it’s time to race.” You forget about all of your worries and your mind is focused on now, this race. It’s about running your hardest and giving this race everything you have, so when you cross the finishing line you have no regrets. A Boston Marathon Runner named Tom Fleming said, “Somewhere in the world, someone is training when you are not. When you race him, he will win.”

First Day

“Beep, beep, beep,” were the loud buzzing noises that awoke me at 5:45A.M. I opened my eyes slowly and thought, “It’s all over, and summer is done.” But I knew today would be a new beginning, a brand new school, and new people. While lying there awake in my bed, I kept thinking about how many hundreds more students would be in my freshman class, and how many thousand in the hallways. It was a fresh start and my home for the next four years. As I got myself out of bed and dressed for school, I told myself, “You won’t be the only freshmen who gets lost or comes to class late.” That thought kept rushing through my mind as I ate breakfast. I ate my waffle slowly, bite by bite. I knew it was time to leave when my sister yelled, “Let’s leave now.” As we drove to school, the nerves built up, but so did the excitement. When I walked in, over 2,000 students stood in a hallway that seemed just like a crowd at a busy concert or sports game, the people just kept coming. The hall was full of excitement and smiling faces as everyone greeted each other and right away, I knew I would like the school. Moments later, the echoing of the bell sounded the hallway. Lucky for me, I could stand round at my locker and talk to my friends because my first hour class was nearly twenty steps away. We were all so excited to see each other finally after a long relaxing summer, but then the second bell rung and we knew we had to be on our way to class. I walked up to Spanish, D19, and double checked my schedule just to make sure I was in the right place. Sure enough, it was right. I walked toward the seating chart in the front row and found my seat. I walked to the seat in the front row and just so happend to be a few seats down from a friend of mine from Elementary and Middle School. I was unaware what supplies we needed for the class, so I came prepared with a spiral and folder. We all anxiously sat in our seats, ready to begin our frist High School class as a Stevenson Spartan.
The room became silent as our teacher, Ms Dyer walked in. Ms. Dyer welcomed us all to Stevenson and began the class with the "typical kind of class" on the first day. We heard all about the classroom rules and procedures. It felt just as if the hands on the clock were moving in slow motion. We were given our first assignment, a syllabus. "Easy enough," I thought. The second portion of the class consisted of some basic Spanish words and phrases. A majority of them sounded familiar from last years Spanish curriculum.

Alphabet

A- I am athletic because I enjoy playing sports like cross country during the fall, indoor track during the winter, and track during the spring. Running is an important activity to me, and something I've been competing in since third grade.

B- I have blonde hair, blue eyes, and I'm a pretty brave person.


C- I went to Catholic School for kindergarten thru eighth grade at St. Michael School. Christmas is one of my favorite holidays.


D- I am determined when it comes to sports especially, for example setting goals to push myself to achieve certain times.

E- Electronics like my phone, i-pods, and laptop are important to me.

F- Friends mean a lot to me, and some I have known since I was little. I've made many new friends at Stevenson, and I want to keep some of the good ones I had in elementary and middle school.

G- Geometry is my least favorite class because I don't like math.

H- Hollister is one of my favorite stores and I really like shopping there.

I- Ice cream is one of my favorite foods, and my favorite ice cream place is Cold stone Creamery. When I was younger, I did ice skating for about four years. Italian food is my favorite type of food.

J- January is the month of my birthday. I was born on January 20th, 1995, on the same day as my Grandpa was born.

K- I am knowledgeable because for the most part, I get pretty good grades.

L- When I was about five years old, I went to London. I would love to go back because I don't really remember much from when I went there.

M- When it comes to music, I like all types, and I like Taylor Swift especially.

N- New York is my favorite city, and I visited it this past summer. Shopping there and being in the city was my favorite part.

O- Olive garden is my favorite restaurant. I would consider myself a pretty organized person when it comes to school.

P- Pink is my favorite color, and I don't have any pets, but I've always wanted a dog. I'm a really picky eater, and don't like to try new foods.

Q- I am quick because running is one of my favorite sports, and I love racing in track.

R- I really enjoy roller coasters , and my favorite one is Dragster at Cedar Point in Sandusky.

S- Shopping is one of my favorite things to do. I have one sister named I like to swim during the summer. I played soccer for 7 years when I was younger, and I've never had seafood before.

T- I enjoy traveling and have been many places like London, Tokyo, China, and someday would like to travel to Australia or Italy.

U- I am an understanding person and listen to people.

V- One of my most valuable experiences was traveling to China because I could see how other people in other parts of the world live.

W- Winter is my favorite season because once I get used to the cold, I love the weather. I like the holidays in the winter also.

X- XC or cross country is the sport I play during the fall season.

Y- Yellow is another one of my favorite colors.

Z- Zebra is my favorite animal print.

Freshmen Year

My impression of Stevenson after almost a full two weeks is positive. I've met so many new people through all of my classes and people I already knew. There are so many activities and events to attend like the football games. Although it's so different than when I went to Catholic School through Middle School, I like it alot better. Compared to Catholic School, Stevenson has barely any rules. When it comes to homework, The difference between Catholic School and Public School involving homework is that if you forgot your homework at Catholic School, you would get no credit, but at Stevenson, the rules are so much more relaxed.

Waking up in the morning is difficult, and getting to school in time can be hard. By the time I wake up and decide what to wear in the morning, I barely have any time to eat breakfast. Waking up at 6:00A.M and not getting home till usually 5:00P.M seems like such a long day because of practices after school. Once I get home and eat, it's time to start homework already.

When I think back to the first day, I remember walking into school being afraid that I would get lost. I was so nervous about being late for class. I learned that it's not as hard as you think to get around because all of the halls connect to one center cirlce all. Passing time is intimidating at first because you think seven minutes isn't enough time to get from class to class, but I've learned that it really is. I have alot of friends in my lunch that I sit with but if you dont hurry from fourth hour, you might not find a table to sit at. I've come to enjoy Stevenson, my classes, and the people.