Caleb johns 2

After almost two weeks of online learning in the books, I have to say- I’m not a fan. The biggest thing for me is the focus aspect of it. How can I learn with all of the distractions in my home; my dog, my phone, going outside, just to name a few. I have found ways to avoid the distractions, for example turning my living room into a “classroom” to hone my focus into school, but it's not perfect.

 So how do I stay focused for the remaining two months of school, for it's hard to ignore not just what's in front of you but also the stories in the news. Especially because it seems, just the way things are reported in the news, that everyday is the worst day. Everyday we are told that the numbers are at an all time high, that it couldn’t get worse. 

What also distracts me is: what will the world look like when this is all over? Will we be more equipped for something like this in the future? How will it impact schooling as well? Now of course all of these can’t be answered now, but it’s what's on the mind now. 

I chuckle when I watch older videos of people saying that we live in “strange times” because now we are really living in strange times. People have to stay far apart now, but I hope that the best thing that comes out of all of this, is that it brings us closer in the long run.

Nigohosian Schema 2

Category 3

For my schema builder, I decided to watch another TED talk, and I found myself watching a video looking into the mind of a procrastinator. When I watched the video, I was able to relate to it in a few ways because of my usual habits of procrastination, coupled with the fact that I’m left to my own devices at home. While watching the video, I saw how bad procrastination can affect some people, and I’m glad to say that I am able to manage it better than in the past, even with all of the possible distractions going on around me.

While I was watching it, I learned that procrastination isn’t only for tasks that have to be completed. It can be applied to any part in life which made me realize how many people it can really affect and all the different ways that it can happen. Watching this video broadened my horizons in what procrastination can affect. After noticing this, I thought about how useful planning can be with these situations as procrastinating on things later in life can be detrimental in multiple ways whether it’s keeping up with the people around you or continuing to stay motivated for a job or higher education. I’ve realized that learning how to treat procrastination now will not only help with current situations, but it will prevent other issues happening in the future.

Had I not viewed this, I wouldn’t have looked at all of the effects that procrastination can have on a person unless there was a situation where I was affected by it later on. Thinking about other possibilities allows me to plan for the future and prevent procrastination.

Alicia Zhang: Schema 2

Category 2: Shorter Reading

   In looking for a good short story to read, I came across "The Fly," by Katherine Mansfield. The story demands the full attention of the reader, or they could ignore some key details. This was written in 1922, in the aftermath of WWI, and while the war itself is not front and center as a topic, its effects are clearly felt and feed into some central themes of the story. While I was reading, I kept wondering what the point was, and when I got to the end, I still didn't quite understand for a while. I had to go back, and when I did, I finally understood. Readers may see different meanings conveyed by this story, but it was poignant all the same for me.

   In the short story, at one point a fly struggles for dear life while a man cruelly pours dollops of ink on it until it dies in agony. The man does not understand. It was so stubbornly holding on, and it kept getting back up again and again--why did it die after all that struggle? He casually throws it away bundled up in the paper it died upon, and does not seem to have learned anything from this experiment. He has gained a sudden amnesia as well, and forgotten his grief over his deceased soldier son, who may perhaps be likened to the fly in a sense. The same could be said for WWI, as the older generation threw away the lives of the young soldiers who died in the trenches and on foreign grounds for the sake of a dead Austro-Hungarian noble. They, as well, do not learn anything from this experiment in war, and so the cycle repeats itself in WWII.

   Death is inevitable. Regardless of how wealthy or poor one is, whether one does a thousand good deeds or performs a thousand malignant evils, we all end up six feet under. I came away from this story that much more aware of my mortality, and maybe a bit more understanding of religion and why some people hang onto it for dear life. I am not religious, and when I read that there were churches refusing to abide to stay-at-home orders and opening for Easter celebrations, I couldn't help but simply shake my head in wonder and pity. But perhaps, for some, the idea of abandoning the last tenets of ordinary life is a graver threat than the coronavirus, and death is an imaginary specter until it comes knocking at their doors.

   Will I lose the ability to grieve when the time comes that someone dear to me dies, years after the fact like the man in the story? I want to say that my tears will never stop when I reminisce, but perhaps my memories and the grief that comes with it will fade away after all. I don't know how to feel about that possibility. Will that make me less of a person? And I am that much more fearful of my inevitable death. I don't want to die struggling under the thumb of a cruel person like the fly did, and I certainly don't want to die a soldier fighting for a war devised on the chessboards of the older generation. I want to live a meaningful life. I don't want fame or fortune, or even love, though finding a understanding partner could certainly be beneficial. I suppose, what I mean to say, is that I want to be able to die with no regrets, content in my lot in life. I think that if I died now, or even a year later, I wouldn't be able to do so. When I will die is a factor I have no control over, and it hurts just a bit to know that I never will be able to. "The Fly" is a story about mortality in my eyes, and it has opened those eyes to the thinking that I must live life as if I am to die the very next day, for there is no certainty when it comes to death.

Schema 2- Katie Madson

I watched the movie 1917 today, and I will just say this: wow.  I have not seen a lot of movies regarding World War l.  My dad and I have always loved historical movies, fiction or not.  Saving Private Ryan is among my favorites.  1917 was very different from the others.

At first, it started out as all of the others.  Men in a dirty camp, scared for their lives.  Some mission comes up, and people are chosen to complete it.  Only this time, only two men were chosen.  I do not want to spoil it, but one of those men die early on.  This being said, most of the movie is with only one man.

There is nothing but silence and the sound of war for most of the movie.  It shows the struggle of being alone.  It shows the struggle of war.  Most of all, it shows the struggle with the strength of a man's heart.  He risks his lifetime and time again to save the lives of many other men.  It shows the battle most war movies do not portray directly, the battle inside the individual.

This made me think.  I do not remember the movie, but someone said: "Wars are fought with weapons but won by men."  1917 is a direct example of this.  It was not the resources the man had that saved people, it was what was in his mind and heart that did.  The combination of what is in the mind and heart is what will save the world.  People need to remember that.

Gabe Schema 2

Schema #2
Category 7: Take a leisurely solo walk around the neighborhood, while paying attention to the sensory experience in a way you usually don’t

Being cooped up inside with nothing to do all day, walks around my neighborhood have quickly become a new addition to my daily schedule and the highlight of my day. My favorite time to walk is just as the sun is starting to go down. Once it gets to a certain angle, the light hits the trees and the grass just right, and all the colors seem more vibrant. It’s especially beautiful now that it’s spring and all the trees are finally flowering again.

I’ve noticed a weird sort of silence on the road during my walk. It’s very peaceful, almost eerily so. The roads are almost always clear of traffic, save the very occasional person heading to or from the grocery store in an attempt to maintain their sanity. But most of the time, it’s just me and a gentle breeze alone on an empty road. Maybe it’s just my imagination, but the sky seems clearer too. I mean, it would make sense, given that there are less flights and the cement factories are probably closed down.

It’s these moments, when I’m alone on an empty road, and the light is hitting the trees in just the right way, and the sky is exceptionally blue, that I wonder if this is what the world looked like maybe three hundred years ago, before we started pumping pollutants into the atmosphere. Maybe that eerie silence is not eerie, but natural, and I’m just so used to living in a world of cars and factories that it seems alien to me.

It’s so easy to get bogged down in the negatives of our global situation, but I think it’s important to remember that there are positives as well. This may be the cleanest the Earth will be for a while; it’s best to enjoy it while it lasts.

Nathan Schmidt Schema 2

Category 7: Observation & Experience

Nathan Schmidt

I don't consider myself a runner.  I don't run often, and I do not plan to start running often.  I had the sudden urge, though, to go for a run the other day.  I was watching a documentary on BUD/S (Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL Training).  It is basically the prerequisite class to join Navy SEAL training.  I do not plan on joining the military, but I found it extremely interesting, nonetheless.  The documentary followed a group of about 100 guys hoping to make it through the seven-week training course.  Because of the intense training, though, only about 25 percent would graduate.

While watching this documentary, it inspired me to get a little bit more physically active, myself.  These guys were getting four hours of sleep, running into 40-some degree water, and working out to near collapse.  When they could no longer do push-ups, pull-ups, or whatever else they were doing, they would run.  "If they can run four miles after doing all that, I ought to be able to get off this couch and go for a run too," I thought to myself.  I got up, got ready, and off I went.  I felt motivated after watching that documentary, and it helped me to continue moving.  I made it home and felt really good about myself.  I thought it was crazy how I became so motivated to do an activity that I usually dread under any other circumstance.

I credit that documentary for inspiring me to start working out again.  Although I haven't been running a whole lot, I have been doing a lot of other stuff in the workout room in my basement.  This quarantine is definitely not doing me many favors, but at least it is giving me time to work out more.  Many others are in the same situation as I am right now.  We are unable to really go anywhere or meet people.  The best we can do is try to better ourselves in these difficult times.  It is always best to remain optimistic and try new things, whether that be working out, reading, learning, or more.  So until this quarantine is over, that is what I am going to continue to do.

Nathan Schmidt Schema 1

Category 3: Entertainment

Nathan Schmidt

Now that my family is stuck in quarantine together, my parents saw it as a great opportunity to have a family movie night.  I was in no way opposed to this; I was only opposed to the movie options we were being given.  I had been told by a number of friends to watch the movie The Shawshank Redemption.  I had wanted to see it for a while and I thought that now would be a great time to do so.  My parents, however, were only interested in comedies.  "It's too depressing!" my dad, having seen it before, would say.  "We want to watch something lighthearted and funny!" my mom would agree.  After some convincing, though, we would watch The Shawshank Redemption.

This movie is ranked as the number one movie of all time, according to the IMDb (Internet Movie Database) rating scale.  After watching, I completely understand why.  For starters, my dad had completely forgotten the last 30 minutes of the movie, much of which was actually very uplifting and inspirational.  There were certainly depressing and disturbing aspects of the movie, but it ends with an optimistic feel.  It has since become one of my favorites of all time.

This movie follows a man, Andy Dufresne, portrayed by Tim Robbins.  Andy is sentenced to life in prison after being found guilty of murdering his wife and his wife's lover.  While in prison, he meets Ellis Boyd "Red" Redding, portrayed by Morgan Freeman.  The audience learns about the hardships, struggles, abuse, and optimism that Andy faces while at Shawshank Prison.  In doing so, it does not shy away from any disturbing content.  The movie delivers powerful messages about second chances, hope, the prison system, and simple joys of life.  One prisoner, for example, has spent most of his life at Shawshank Prison.  When he is finally released as an old man, he is unable to adapt to living a normal lifestyle.  He hangs himself in his hotel room, believing he will never be able to adapt to the outside world.

I would definitely recommend this movie to anyone who is looking for a powerful, meaningful film.  Both of my parents were left very satisfied with the movie, despite being hesitant to watch it in the beginning.  This is definitely one that I am going to watch some time again.

MaryJo Schema 2

Category 3 - Watch an Academy Award winning movie

Lots of time at home has allowed me to catch up on doing things I like and remember the person with interests and passions that I was before homework, tests, and busy schedules. Apart from discovering what I like to do again, I have also been able to watch shows or movies I wanted to watch for a while but never had the chance to. Among these was Parasite, a South Korean film winning Best Picture as well as 3 other awards at this year’s Oscars. The movie was discussed on social media for months on end through high praise or references that I wished I understood. To my luck, it was recently just put on Hulu, so I could finally take my chance to watch it without having to pay for it.

Parasite is an interesting story following the relationship between an upper and lower-class family tainted by discrimination and entitlement. After the Kim family is able to manipulate the wealthy Park family into hiring every person in their family, the story quickly becomes morbid and violent later on. The fun and comedic part of the movie comes at the beginning as you watch a chain reaction occur within the Kim family as they each claim a job as an English tutor, art therapist, chauffeur, and housekeeper working for the Park family. However, more dark and unsettling themes unveil themselves and what occurs becomes much more gruesome and horrible very quickly. There was a lot of recurring symbolism that highlighted the separation of wealth from poverty as well as the harsh nature of reality, and it was so interesting to think about once the movie was over. I don’t want to spoil too much because I really, really recommend watching this movie if you haven’t already. The message it brings is an important one many people don’t understand, and it may take a while to sink in; hopes for wealth and success are only as realistic and useful as the fantasies they create for those who are systematically unable to attain them.

I always love watching foreign movies, and I think you can learn a lot from taking in media from other cultures and stepping out of the all-American bubble most people force themselves in. I also never got bored throughout the entire movie, which is something that rarely happens because of my short attention span. Again, I highly encourage that everyone watches this movie, and it definitely earned every single Oscar it won.

Schema Builder: Category 7

Over the past few weeks, I’ve noticed that my life has slowed down a lot. I’m sure that I’m not alone in this.

During the school year, every week feels like a rush to be everywhere and get everything done in time. Then, the weekend comes, and we can all breathe for a second before the marathon of tests and activities begins again on Monday. I honestly like being busy in a lot of ways; having a packed schedule keeps me motivated, and I genuinely enjoy the activities that I do.

Still, now that I have had so much extra free time, I am beginning to realize all of the simple things that I’ve been missing out on.

Before the Stay-at-Home orders, my friend and I (while staying far more than 6 feet apart) did sidewalk chalk with her younger sister. We drew pastel flowers and listened to music while reminiscing about all of the summers that we would sit outside and chalk our driveways.

Before I even picked up a piece of chalk, I checked the weather forecast; the day looked sunny and beautiful, but according to weather.com, in a few hours it would rain.  I decided to do chalk despite the fact that it would quickly wash away, and at first, that decision bothered me a little bit. It seemed almost pointless because I knew that I’d be putting in time to something so temporary.

As I began to draw flower after flower, however, I began to realize that it really didn’t matter if it soon washed away. I was outside on a sunny day doing chalk with my friend not for some sort of progress or outcome, but just for momentary fun. And that’s perfectly good.

Muskan Schema 2

Everyone has experienced a moment in their life where it feels like their life is over. Whether it’s a mistake they don’t think they’ll recover from, or a major change in their life. These moments feel like they’re trying to break the person down, trying to convince them that their life will never be the same now. 

In the words of Robert Frost, “In three words I can sum up everything I've learned about life: it goes on.” No matter how hard the situation that you're going through is, life goes on. Life will work itself out in the end. That’s something we all need to remember, especially now. Even though life feels like it’s shutting down, we all need to remember that life goes on, and we will eventually get past this. 

The past, however many days, we’ve been in quarantine (I honestly don’t even remember how many days have past) have been driving everyone crazy to some degree. Lately, the situation doesn’t seem to be getting much better, and more and more weeks are being added to our stay at home order. It almost feels like we’ll never get out again.

Even though 2020 has been the year of absolute bad luck, we all need to remember that life goes on and that eventually, this will end; hopefully, 2021 will be a lot better. In general, being aware that one moment in time does not change one’s life for the worse is essential to living a happy life void of regret. We will all experience numerous occasions where we feel like our worlds are ending, but we all need to keep in mind that bad moments will pass, and life does eventually go on.

Alora Kutzler Schema 2

Throughout this Quarantine I have tried to figure out ways to distract myself, make the days go by faster. So I started cooking and baking. I started out by making a strawberry Cobbler. Which turned out to be a disaster because it was a bad recipe. It called for a very disturbing amount of salt which we came to the conclusion that it was supposed to be sugar. So I decided to try again, it was 10 at night but I was determined. I had a bunch of apples in the fridge that no one was eating so I decided to make homemade apple pie. I never did it before so I was really scared to make the dough but it came out perfectly. It was an absolute hit. So I decided once or twice a week I would try to either make dinner from scratch or dessert.

I would do it more but eggs,butter, etc are a hot commodity with this pandemic. I made homemade pizza for my family and it was so good, I want to do it more often. I then made a two tier chocolate mousse filled cake with chocolate icing. It was a challenge but It wasn't the worst.. Lastly I made chocolate chip cookie sandwiches with vanilla buttercream frosting. Those were my favorite. This quarantine is giving me a lot of time to make new things and try out new recipes.

Caleb Johns Scheme

The other day I was flipping through the endless titles of Netflix when I found this documentary that caught my eye. It had been talked about a lot on social media so I decided to give it a try, and I am glad that I did. First of all, the story is probably the craziest that I had heard of in a long time. It told the rise and fall of an exotic animal zookeeper, Joe Exotic, who became a featured attraction along with the rest of his tigers at his zoo. He was known for his unpredictable behavior and humor, and his long-running feud with Carol Baskin. Carol Baskin was the owner of Big Cat Rescue, a zoo designed for the safety of big cats in America. She made it her mission to shut Joe Exotic’s zoo down and acquire all of his big cats. The two exchanged in death threats, protests and media attacks that were nothing short of entertaining and goofy. But their hatred for each other was evident. Now I’m leaving so much out because of how much is involved in the story, everything from a murder-to-hire-plot to running for president of the United States. 

But at its core, the documentary deals with the morality of animal treatment and how money can corrupt people away from their own values, as it did to Joe Exotic. The documentary shows how Joe Exotic, during the founding of the zoo, wanted the zoo to be a haven and rescue for animals, but it turned into his way of getting rich. 

Anyways, this documentary was a great distraction from the world outside and the boredom and anxiety of the household. I think now more than ever people need an escape, and I think this documentary delivered. 

Nigohosian Schema

Category 3:

Today I decided to watch a TED talk for my schema builder, and it was Bill Gates talking about the dangers of a future outbreak and how we aren’t prepared currently. This video was made in 2015 as he talked about the recent ebola virus outbreak and some of the issues with pandemics and how we weren’t prepared for it. He used this as a lead into how an outbreak would wreak havoc on the world if we continued to disregard creating plans for future pandemics. After watching the video, it was scary how accurate some of the information he presented was. He explained ideal conditions for a virus to spread, and the coronavirus has many of the characteristics that could prove to be dangerous to the world and so far it has been.

It’s ironic how we were given the knowledge to prepare for an outbreak through the experience of dealing with the ebola virus outbreak, and we were even lucky with how little it spread because of the conditions of the virus. In spite of this happening, few precautionary measures were taken when the possibility of a potentially dangerous had broken the news, and its as if history is repeating itself again. I think that Bill Gates has taught some very valuable information that we should heed when dealing with future outbreaks in order to prevent something of this magnitude or even worse from happening again.

Alora Kutzler - Schema 1

Universal Truth:

Throughout this time I have really looked at my faith, this time of isolation and trial has put a damper on everyone's lives. It is a scary time, and we do not know when its going to end. A bible verse that has helped me throughout this time is Isaiah 4:10 ¨So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

 Even though we are in a scary time, my faith in God has helped me and has given me support and strength. When something has wrecked havoc on the world, we always ask ¨Why¨ or we pray for it to stop. So as we go though this Pandemic, and we have all these emotions I urge you to find solace in if not your faith then with your family. This bible verse is something I lean on time and time again not only in the hard times but when things seem to be going good too. I hope everyone is staying safe and healthy!

Alicia Zhang: Schema 1

Category 4: Watch a documentary on a historical time, place, event, or person

   Going into watching the animated film Waltz with Bashir, I really didn't know what to expect. From the summary, it appeared to chronicle the journey of a former soldier rediscovering his lost memories of the 1982 Lebanon War. I had been previously aware of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict that is still ongoing today, but it never really struck me how much blood must have been shed on both sides, and the atrocities that must have occurred because of the conflict. You see, the soldier had been at the Sabra and Shatila massacre, but he did not recall anything of it but a single scene in which he and his comrades are bathing in the sea while flares fall upon the city. By the end, he remembers it all, and comes to understand exactly why his mind has suppressed those memories for 20 years.

   Waltz with Bashir is composed of interviews, flashbacks, and dreams. It feels unreal at times, with its beautiful animation depicting scenes of vivid horror and strangeness alike, like Arabian horses dying while flies pick at them, and singing men on a "Love Boat" that soon bursts into flames and sinks to the bottom of the sea. There is a heavy sense of guilt and uncertainty that plagues both the travelling former soldier and those watching until the very end, when suddenly, the animated film is no longer 2D, but rooted in ugly reality. There is no happy ending, and war is shown in all its cruelty and insanity. Waltz with Bashir provides viewers an unfiltered experience of war, and does not make any compromises or present any false kindnesses.

   I think Waltz with Bashir is well-worth the watch, but it's definitely not for everyone. It deals with uncomfortable themes and moral ambiguities, and there is no hero to root for against a villain cut out of cardboard. It just leaves you hanging with a lot of questions, and no well-defined answers. When the film's credits started rolling, I just sat back thinking, "Is this really it? It can't be, can it?" I knew that war is hell, but this film really hammered in that message for me, and now I just feel bummed out about just how horrible human beings are sometimes. After all, Bashir from the movie's title was a real person. He was the president-elect of Lebanon, but was assassinated before he could take office. In his name, the Sabra and Shatila massacre occurred, and countless innocent Palestinian civilians were killed in front of the eyes of Israeli soldiers. I am going to go to sleep tonight, and my dreams are going to be haunted by this film's scenes. Staying at home unable to go out for anything but shopping trips has been an awkward experience, but I am truly glad to have never experienced war, and I hope I never will in this lifetime.

Conklin Category 5: Observe a Situation

If we weren’t required to go to school anymore, would we miss it? 

On January 6th, after reading “Superman and Me,” which addressed the importance of education within Native American communities, we had a class discussion. We began to debate whether people are born curious or grow to value education as they experience the world. As the discussion progressed, we questioned: if students weren’t required to go to school anymore, would they miss it? 

The class was pretty divided on this issue, and I honestly wasn’t sure of my stance.

On the one hand, school is a stressful environment for many of us, not to mention the fact that it requires us to wake up before the sunrises five days a week. Still, it provides a routine, purpose, and when the immense levels of stress are removed from the equation, perhaps we would even enjoy learning. 

Well, it’s been almost three weeks now, and from the Instagram posts, Snapchats, and text messages, I think that it’s pretty safe to say that we miss it. 

For me, it’s the little things. I miss the way that Mrs. Strouse would always nag us to sign in for study hall. I miss Mr. Novak keeping us 3 minutes after the bell. Every. Single. Class. I miss real-life smiles and frowns. But more than anything, I miss seeing my friends every day. From hearing about one friend’s new Vans to hearing about another friend’s latest sketch assignments and everything in between, I miss it all. 

In a weird sort of twisted way, this is a blessing. We’re juniors. We have one year left here, and that’s it. How lucky is it that we get a sneak peek at exactly what we’ll be leaving behind when we go off to college. With this knowledge, next year, I’ll be able to appreciate all of the little things a little bit more. When my friend’s face lights up as she talks about her new Vans, I’ll hold onto that moment just a little more, and if I’m lucky enough to get updated on next year’s sketch assignments, you can be sure that I’ll be all ears. 

Things are scary right now, but nothing bad can last forever. Stay safe, everyone! :)

MaryJo Schema

Category 7 - Find a new recipe and voluntarily cook a meal for your family

Yesterday I decided that I should do something special for my parents’ birthday since I have no money to buy anything for them. After some consideration, I settled on making them a nice breakfast. I bookmarked a recipe for Japanese souffle pancakes (something I’ve been wanting to try for a very long time and finally had an excuse to make) and set my alarm for 5:50. I knew that my dad normally gets up around 7:00, and I wanted to make sure I had enough time to get everything done that I needed. Usually I wouldn’t think about willingly getting myself out of bed before 9:00 if I didn’t absolutely have to, but I knew it was a sacrifice I needed to make for the sake of my parents.

When the day of reckoning came (this morning), I pulled myself out of the comfort of my bed and made my way downstairs and into my kitchen. The burning sensation in my eyelids quickly lifted as my natural excitement for cooking took control of me. I took out all of the ingredients and utensils I needed and got to work. Slowly leaving a trail of each process that I completed on my counter, I successfully produced a beautiful, fragrant bowl of pancake batter. My favorite part was whisking a bowl of egg whites and folding it into the rest of the mixture, something I’ve seen done countless times on Food Network and finally had the chance to apply what I’ve learned. However, cooking the pancakes was a different story. The particular style of pancakes I attempted required stacking layers of batter in increments and flipping those tall stacks after around 6 minutes. I found that I was too ambitious and tried to fit 3 into my modest pan, which made it hard for me to flip the pancakes and resulted in lopsided, awkward versions of the pancakes pictured on the website (that I ended up eating for myself).

Eventually, I grew used to the process. My end product was two plates of perfectly average pancakes topped with powdered sugar and syrup with cream and banana slices on the side. I had a lot of fun making them, and it gave me time to relax and just enjoy doing something I love. It all especially became worth the work once I saw how happy my parents were with my surprise and watched them enjoy something that I made. Being stuck in the house with my parents has raised a lot of fights and arguments between us, and I figured it was the least I could do to make it up to them. After all, I am really grateful for all that they do for me, especially on a day like their birthday.

Schema 1- Katie Madson

I do not mean to be religious, but in a time like this, I have relied a lot on my faith.  For my universal truth, I am choosing a bible quote I try to live my life by:

"Be strong and courageous.  Do not be afraid, do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go." Joshua 1:9

When I was confirmed, my confirmation mentor gave this quote to me.  It means a lot to me because at the time I was in a bad place.  It reminds me to have faith and that everything will be okay. 

I think that this is extremely important to remember in a time like this.  Even if you do not have faith in God, have faith that everything is going to be okay.  The world, and you, will come out of this pandemic stronger.  People get lost in this craziness, and I can not help but think of the mentally ill.  How are they handling this endeavor?  I am beyond thankful that our doctors and first responders are so brave and working to save our lives.  It all comes back to being strong, courageous, and not afraid.  We will be united in surviving this hardship together.  So it will be okay and I truly believe that.

Gianna Schema 1

Schema 7:

This morning, I decided to try to do some yoga. I have very, very minimal experience with yoga. I did yoga once with Lexie Z. and our teacher in Gifted Seminar earlier this year, and I actually enjoyed it quite a bit. 

I know that at least some forms of yoga are meant to be a mind and body connection. With this ongoing quarantine, it has been a bit difficult to feel grounded. I thought that you might be a good way for me to get some physical activity/stretching in while also doing something that might be useful for my head. 

I found a 15-minute beginner yoga video on youtube. It started fairly easily. I felt as though I kept up well for the first half of the video. It felt surprisingly relaxing doing many of the positions. I felt like my body was stretching it very well. By the second half of the video, the positions got pretty complicated. Some of them were harder than I expected, but I managed. 

By the time I finished, I felt very relaxed. I felt awake, alert, and focused. It was a surprisingly really nice way to start my day. I felt like it cleared my mind and helped me complete my schoolwork. 

I didn't really expect to see myself appreciating it as much as I did. I've never been much of a "mind and body" thinker, but this was something new that I enjoyed trying. Yoga is something that I’m definitely going to consider trying again, and I think that others should give it a try as well!

Muskan - AP Lang Adventure - Quarantine Edition 1

For the past week, I’ve been working on and off on a 1,000 piece puzzle. I started this puzzle because this quarantine has left me bored with nothing to do. Before I began, I asked my sister and my mom if they wanted to help me put it together, and they both agreed. 

Throughout the process of putting the puzzle together, all 3 of us saw the most annoying bits of the others. For instance, my mom easily gets frustrated and gets all negative when she can’t figure something out. My sister, on the other hand, has a short attention span and loses focus or interest in something after about 10 minutes. I’m not any better either, my mom and sister constantly asked me who I was talking to when I started mumbling to myself. I tend to do that a lot and I could see it was annoying my sister and my mom, but I honestly didn’t even realize I was doing it most of the time. 

Even though both of the people helping me were slowly annoying me the same way I was to them, it still felt nice to sit down with them and talk to them since my mom and I both have busy schedules and barely spend time with the three of us all together. The best feeling was finally putting in that last piece and completing the picture. My mom, my sister and I were all happy that we successfully managed to finish the puzzle without losing a single piece. 

While the process was a little annoying since I’m going a little crazy from being stuck in quarantine, the overall time I spent with my family was nice and the result was a pretty completed puzzle.

Gabe Schema 1

Category 4: Watch a fictional movie based on historical events

Badland (2019)

Badland is one of those gems that no one’s ever heard of that randomly pops into your Netflix recommended, and you end up watching it because you’re bored, only to be surprised that it’s actually a pretty decent movie. First and foremost, Badland is a western, inspired by the older Clint Eastwood and John Wayne movies. The movie dips into plenty of spaghetti western cliches throughout its runtime, going so far as to have a climactic duel at the end that involves the camera zooming in on the characters’ narrowed eyes while a slow, ominous maraca rattles in the background. Despite this, the movie manages to follow a coherent, interesting plot with well developed characters that managed to keep me engaged and on the edge of my seat for the whole film. 

I was surprised to find that history played a major role in the story, which is not always the case in westerns. Set about ten years after the Civil War, the movie follows Matthias Breecher (which is an amazing name for a character in a western), who works for the Pinkerton Detective Agency. If you are unfamiliar, the Pinkertons were a real private organization from that time period. They were essentially made up of hired guns who could be paid to do all sorts of jobs. Eventually the Pinkerton Detective Agency would become part of the government and evolve into what is now known as the FBI. In the movie, Breecher has been hired by two African American senators to track down and apprehend a number of high ranking Confederate officers who were convicted of war crimes in the Civil War. I’m not sure if that actually happened in real life, but it is very plausible, which is why it serves as such a great plot for this historical movie.

There are a number of other historical references throughout the film. For example, Breecher’s personal goal is to earn enough money to buy some fertile land on the frontier where he plans to live peacefully as a cattle driver. He is seen carrying around a flyer advertising land for “$1.25 an acre,” which is historically accurate. The US government wanted people to settle out west, so they divided up the territories into acres and sold them at low prices to incentivize people to develop the frontier.

In conclusion, Badland is a pretty decent historically inspired western movie that is worth the watch.

Muskan Week 12 - Stay Positive

With this whole Coronavirus outbreak happening, everything has been shutting down. Schools have already been closed for 2 weeks. All extracurriculars are closed. Many businesses are also shutting down or limiting their hours due to the outbreak. For example, Kohls just limited their hours by only opening the store from 11 am to 7 pm. This has so many people, nationwide, at a loss for what to do. People who are usually always in a rush throughout their day suddenly have free time. I’m one of those people.

I went from staying up late to do all of my homework on time, to suddenly having the entire day free. Before school had shut down, I was scheduled to have rehearsals every day after school and work weekends on top of regular school days. When the state declared all schools closed, tech week got canceled as well. I now have nothing to do for the next 2 weeks from Monday to Friday. I still have work on the weekends, but since I requested off all weekdays for the next 2 weeks, I now have 5 free days in a row.

Although this break was nice for the first 2 days, I am quickly getting sick of staying home. I am, however, trying to look at this as an advantage to boost my mental and physical health regardless of how bored and annoyed I seem to be getting. The full night’s rest I will be getting for the next 2 weeks will certainly boost my immune system, which is perfect for what we’re going through right now. Additionally, this free time now allows me to study more for my SAT’s, which was just canceled due to the coronavirus outbreak. Most importantly, I am now able to spend more free time with my family. Already I have been able to watch a movie with my sister and play cards with my parents. 

Even though this outbreak is a negative aspect of our lives at the moment, it is important to look at the bright side and try to make the most of what we have right now. Use the extra time to do some self-care and relax. We all need it.

What are you doing during your break? Are you enjoying the break? Do you think it’s well needed?

Hayden 12 “Spring better ‘spring’ into action”

Many of you may not know this, but spring is not my most favorite time of year. With allergies and obsessive rain I find myself just wishing for summer, however, I am ready for some spring weather! It has just been so cold and dreary the first few months of this year that I keep finding myself itching for a change, and a destination in the sun!

I don’t want to jump ahead of myself though. I’m not ready to go to the beach just yet. I am ready though to embrace spring and all it has to offer. All the spring flowers are starting to pop up, the trees are turning green, and the sun is staying out for much longer! I am so ready to go all in with spring, and here are my reasons why!

Longer Days. This has actually been one of the reasons in the past why I’m not typically the biggest fan of spring. I love the dark, I’m a night owl, which made me happy when it got dark at 3:30 in the afternoon. Since we had daylight savings though I have felt a bit of a change of heart. I feel much more productive when the sun is out longer! I find myself sitting at my computer until I realize it’s actually 7:30 at night! This can be a blessing and a curse, but right now I’m going with it! 

Warmer Weather. Like I said, in the past I have not been a huge fan of spring. I have just had enough of the cold this year though. It’s been brutal, and I’m ready to wear shorts and t-shirts without shivering. 

New Clothes. A new season for me usually marks the time when I go through my current wardrobe, donate, and buy new things! This is actually one of the few aspects of change that I look forward to. It’s just a great refresher for yourself, and really helps mark the new season. This also helps you feel happier and more confident. You want to make sure that everything you wear truly represents you and makes you feel like the most confident person in the world!

With the winds of winter changing, spring is on its way. Is anyone else excited? If so, why? What is your favorite season? 

MaryJo 12: Netflix Recommendations

With the surprise 2-week break given to us without warning, it is natural that, along with it, most of us are given conflict with what to do with all of the extra time. While 2 weeks is a convenient amount of time to catch up on schoolwork and do extra studying, it’s not realistic that this break will be used for that reason.

Although there’s now plenty of time to improve your social life, it’s not the best idea to go out in public and socialize with a group of friends thanks to what led to our break in the first place. I personally encourage everybody to try their best to stay home as much as you can, since the entire goal of taking a break to school is to prevent any possibility of passing the virus to others, which can, in effect, eventually reach someone who the virus is fatal to. However, staying at home provides valuable time you can take for yourself to relax and release any tensions. It’s easy to become bored when you’re home, but luckily, I have Netflix recommendations that are helping me pass time and may help pass yours.

My first recommendation is definitely one of my favorite shows that I have ever watched: On My Block. I watched it when its first season came out in 2018, and I instantly became obsessed. I quickly watched season 2 when it came out last year, and, after another long year of waiting, I am now on season 3, which just came out last Wednesday. On My Block is about a group of friends living in a gang-ridden, predominantly black and Latino neighborhood in LA. I think one of the reasons I love the show so much is the way it gives me something to relate my Hispanic culture to. Nazareth obviously lacks diversity; I have no Mexican friends, but it’s comforting to see others like me on screen and makes me feel less culturally isolated. Because we live in a safe suburban area, I also think it’s important to see the reality that kids are faced with when living in dangerous areas full of gang violence. The show’s plot is very interesting and never bored me at any point throughout its story line, and it’s full of really good humor and characters that will grow very fond to you. I highly, highly recommend this show and hope I convinced some of you to watch it!

The second show I’ve been constantly watching is The Great British Baking Show. I’ve always loved watching Food Network and bake-offs, so I thought I would give it a try. I am so glad I did, because I don’t know what else I would do with myself if I didn’t have that show to watch. I finished the latest season and am currently working my way back. Besides the interesting challenges they have to complete, the judges and cast are so entertaining. They always make jokes, but somehow the fact that they’re British makes it so much funnier. I don’t know what about their accents is able to relieve all of the problems from my life, but it does. The contestants are always so kind and are constantly looking out for each other, which you don’t usually find with American cooking competitions. I also found myself picking up on weird British slang that I don’t know the meaning behind but use it anyway because I think it’s funny. Overall, it’s a really lighthearted and fun show that I really recommend.

What shows are you currently watching?

Megan - Week 12 - Go Fish

“Meggggan, pwease play Go Fish with us,” Olivia whines.

“While I wish I could, I have to work on this paper. I bet Madison will if you ask nicely,” I reply, knowing full and well that Madison will not.

“But we forget how to play, and we neeeed you. Pleaseee,” Juliet joins in.

I sigh, knowing I’ll be up late working on this paper but also knowing that my little cousins won’t be little forever.

“Okay, I’ll play. Just give me five more minutes, and you can’t get mad if I win,” I tease.

So I found myself playing Go Fish, and I found myself asking the same question that I ask every time that I play a game with my younger cousins: should I let them win?

It’s a real dilemma. On one hand, we all know people who were allowed to win every single game of Candy Land that they ever played as a kid. They often think that they’re the best thing that ever happened to the world, and they’re also super sore losers. When they lose a game of badminton in gym class, they’re ready to snap their racquets in half.

At the same time, kids model behavior. If they can see me lose and not cry or throw a fit over it, I believe that can be valuable too. Monkey see, monkey do. Plus, losing over and over again is no fun, and I don’t want to discourage them from playing games.

So, I decided to let them win once, and then next time, I won. I don’t know if that was the right choice or not, but when I’m not sure, I usually err on the side of balance.

Do you think that we should let kids win every game? Why or why not?

Alora Kutzler 11 “New beginnings”

Recently I made the decision to move in with Dad, his wife, and my half brother. This move was a huge decision when it came to my life. It was a big change and a really messy and hard thing to do, given some circumstances that presented themselves. Especially the reason why I had to move in the first place. 

I hadn't really seen my dad in awhile so making the decision to move in with him gave me a sort of anxiety. But it was the best decision for me, and As I have learned it was the best decision I think I have ever made. My world did a complete 180, but for the better. 

Every night when we have dinner we sit down and eat while playing a board game, for example go fish or Sorry. We have movie nights every Friday night, last Friday we watched King Kong and had pizza. I have never been one to enjoy quality family time, I wasn’t that close with my mother but with my Dad and step mom, it’s easy .. it’s enjoyable. I actually look forward to coming home and just sitting on the couch and talking to them for hours and watching Master Chef. 

With that said, I have taken a look back at myself a year ago vs me now, and I love the person I am now. I am happier, brighter, and love life a lot more. Being able to get out of a toxic and terrible situation changed my mindset, my attitude, and my outlook on life. I will forever be grateful for that. 

I have a tattoo that says, “With pain comes Strength” .. it is something I live by day to day.. and the situation I have just gone through and continue to go through has taught me just that.