Uniforms Debate

My school is pushing for uniforms for the next school year. That is my graduating year of high school, and it is going to suck that I will have to celebrate my last year of grade school in ill-fitting khakis and heavy polo shirts.

I really want to fight the issue of uniforms because it is not a necessary evil. It is not going to help behavioral issues. It not going change young boys' mindset of women. It is not going to change boys sagging there pants. You are solving nothing.

Improve test scores, you say? Ha, ha no. Tell me how that can be directly proven. More teachers are obligated to check dress code sacrificing valuable instructional time. I have seen more students in detention due to dress code than without it. I have been in detention one time, throughout my whole school career. That one time was due to not wearing my uniform correctly. Honestly, there is way more pressing issues than uniforms. Administration should have concerned with teachers getting cursed out by students. They should have been more focused on an education no matter what you were wearing. Education should be the main focus not the article of clothing on your body.

Increased attendance, you say? Sorry, but you are sadly mistaken. Uniforms may improve readiness time, but there is a lake of motivation to get up in the morning, in the first place. Students will find no reason to get excited for school. Personally, I would get up early to get ready if I was excited about a new dress I got. I had a sense of self-pride. I had a better body positive image of myself. Uniforms can be depressing. I never felt pretty in an uniform. Schools should encourage body positive not conformity.

Prisons strip identity. Should school do this too? I thoughts schools were supposed to promote
individuality. I thought school was supposed to be a safe place to express yourself. 

No bullying, you say? I'm very sorry to say, but bullying is always going to an issue. Bullying may be reduced, but bullying is always going to be present. People have their insecurities, and they lash out on others that are different. There will always be differences between students. Race. Religion. Culture. Gender. There is always judgmental attitudes. Uniforms are not sheltering your kid from the injustice in the world. I'm sorry for being straight forward. I'm just very passionate with the no uniforms movement.

She went from this...

To this

Helps people in poverty, you say? Parents may not feel obligated to pay for the latest fad in fashion, but what about the latest fad in technology? You have to have the new phone, right? What about name brand shoes? The Nikes? The Jordans? What about the best hair? What about the new makeup fad? There will always be that social competition.




If the administration doesn't change there mind, I'm going to have to spark some creativity into my uniform. Remember that episode of It's so Raven where she decked out her uniform to protest. Technically, she did not break any rules and she still looked fabulous. That's what I'm going to do.






Uniforms provide no benefit. Period. Honestly, I believe they are more of a hassle. My opinion is very basis, I agree. If you would like to comment your personal opinion, I encourage it. I would love to hear your opinion of the debate about uniforms.

I'm fed up with the public education system. Common core to uniforms. Foul play across the board.

One of those days

It hasn't even been a good few days since I started my writing goal. I'm already drawing a blank.

I have ideas but I'm still drawing a blank. I have many drafts but none of them are "right". They are not wrapped in a nice package and ready for reading. They are in their raw state of writing. They look extremely rough.

A sentence here. A fragment there. Gibberish everywhere.

It's one of those days where nothing seems good. I'm still writing though. I'm keeping my promise, and I'm talking through my frustration through my writing.

Writing is very therapeutic for me. It is all very tranquil. This is one of reasons why I started writing again. I wanted to encourage myself to reflect on my life.

Blogging is very hard. I have to sit myself down and encourage myself to write my thoughts on virtual paper. Sometimes I just don't want to. However, I know it's for the best. You have to look at the big picture.

Farwell, I might have a better post for you guys tomorrow. Alright bye.

College Search: The Drama

Is it really time to start thinking about college?

This is a debatable topic that many struggle over. And I know I want to go to college but I don't why. I know I'm supposed to. I know the outcome. I know it matters but why does it manner?

Sometimes college looks like a happy place to explore. Other times college looks like another hoop to jump through.

I feel conflicted.

I do, I do want to go to college. I just wish I never if I was ready or not when the opportunity comes in the near future. I hope I'm ready. I wish I didn't doubt myself--not my ability but my commit.

I don't want to waste my time getting a degree that I don't want nor wish to prosper in.

I think my main concern is fear. Fear that I won't enjoy what I do. Fear that I will not like my field.  Fear that something better is out there and I didn't find it.

I know that college is pretty cool but I just want to know if I'm there for the right reasons.

I have been taking various tests determining possible college majors. Most of them end of with engineering and mathematical careers. I looked into engineering as you may know but now I'm second-guessing everything. EVERYTHING.

I am conflicted.

I dunno.

Don't listen to me.

I'm just thinking out loud.

I'll be back with a fun post soon.

Computer Class

Normally when I go to my first class we do tons busy work which doesn't really have any real meaning behind it.


 I guess you can't wish for much when it comes to a computer class that doesn't have up to date computers. It is such a cliche; I find it strangely funny.

I had this brilliant opportunity in computer class a few weeks ago to write about anything I wanted. We could write a short story, poem, or song.

I took this as my chance to truly write what I wanted.  I toggled over ideas that would be labeled as typical: your idol, your high school experience so far, things you like, and even your favorite thing about yourself. Nothing seemed to spark my interest.

I then googled types of poems. I was sure I was going to write a poem. I saw familar poems and some layouts that I tried before. I stumbled upon a poem that uses mostly questions. It was a format that I heard of but never attempted.

Now, I had a layout plan. Then, I thought about things that I questioned.

Finally, I had my poem.  I printed and turned my paper in. I think was awesome and spot on. Simple and sweet. What do you think?

Here's my poem:

Questions

Why am I writing this?

A project?

An assigned paper?

Maybe I actually found a piece of inspiration,

Hidden among the loads of busy work?

Maybe I found a reason to actually try?

Maybe I looked at a goal, and really tried to succeed?

Perhaps I was so tired of the same repetitive nonsense

That I jumped on a chance to be creative?

To write my true thoughts?

To explain my point of view?

Maybe because this is simply what I was told to do?

An assigned paper?

A project?

Why am I writing this?

I wonder what my teacher thought. I should have asked him.

See you in my next post.

Bye.

PSAT

Hey, everyone

Recently I took the PSAT test which standing for the Preliminary Scholastic Assessment Test. It is test made by a the college board. A lot of high school students take each year and some middle school students too. My school campus only allows high school students to take the PSAT though.

 Anyway, the test was such a drag at the beginning because the teacher had to read this endless list of notes about how to fill in the answer sheet which was pretty self-explanatory: your name, ethnicity, and date of birth. The guidance counselors spent a whole hour checking everyone in and explaining the redundant answering sheet.  

I found it very interesting that we had to write and sign a sentence that stated that we weren't in no way going to distribute the test in any form. 

After handling all the pretest obligations we got started right way. Every time I neared the the end of the section I had about five minutes left and then I reviewed my test. Once I was satisfied I closed my booklet and then waited. I didn't want to second guess myself too much so I won't go back a second time and review my test. 

After three long hours since the start we were done. Done. 



I seemed exhausted for no logical reason. I taken many tests before but this test was just so boring. And most tests aren't a problem for me with the boredom issue. I usually am very calm waiting. This time I was just ready to get out there. 

The rest of the day was very relaxing though. It was was an easy day afterwards which was nice. I think the teacher half way wanted to give us a break or didn't want to make a lesson plan for the day. Whatever.

See ya in the next post.

More information on the PSAT if you want to know more about. (it can help you get scholarships)

http://www.collegeboard.com/student/testing/psat/about.html

Professionalism

It is something about the word professional that I use to loom towards. I use to be extremely attracted to the word. I associated professionalism with being a grow-up for a long time.  I learned over the years that professionalism slowly lost a lot of meaning for me.

Let me explain: I use to associate professionalism with poise, calmness, control, and 'the proper way to act'. The truth is when I stepped back from a blog that was very corporate I realized something. 

My professional visualization was BORING!!!

Professionalism seemed so dull and plain. I wanted nothing to do with the clean white background of the blog. It instantly seemed to disgust me. A professional sense doesn't have to be bare.

Sure, professional means respectful and put-together. But where's the fun? Where the hint of humor? The real personality? Why so mean? Why does your respect have to be so closely associated with anger and yelling? Why so rude?

I get it but I don't get it.

I get that in certain situations the element of a corporate environment doesn't allow less than professionalism but people need to loosen up.

They need to quit the act and start living life without being such a stuck-up. Have some fun. Add LIFE to your LIFE.

Disappointed

I'm disappointed. i really wanted to volunteer at the library for my volunteering hours for the National Honors Society but my schedule can't fit with their hours. They basically said they couldn't find an opportunity to match my needs. I have to say I was kind of upset.

That was my number one choice, but sadly it is not meant to be. This is where I would enter the 'everything happens for a reason' cliche. 

I searched and searched this local site for volunteer opportunities. i feel like i'm being too picky with this volunteer stuff. Yes, I should do something where I feel as though I am happy to serve, but I read something earlier about familiarity. 

"You have to be comfortable being uncomfortable."-Jillian Micheals?

Jump into new opportunities and experiences. And that's what I'm going to do with this volunteering thing. 

I might learn something incredible about myself or even learn something incredible about someone else. 

“Familiarity can provide the misguided illusion of understanding. Assume nothing.” -Truth Devour 

I just love my quotes! 

So we'll see what I'll end up doing. And I'll blog all about it. See you soon ladies and gentlemen. 

Communication skills

On Friday, I was staying after school for tutoring. well, I wouldn't call it tutoring. I would call it extra help for this big test coming up about our "Summer reading" book, The Stealth of Nations. You could learn more about my frustrations with this book here and here. I use the term "summer reading" loosely because my teacher's communication skills aren't the best and failed to contact people about the book. In return, he said he would push the test back. This is good thing because I get extra days to study and prep fro the test. He even decided to have studying and tutoring sessions. I didn't  go to the first two thinking that I get the  gist of those chapters. I finally decided to buckle myself down and go to the chapter 9&10 session. I knew for sure that my teacher was going to drop hints and basically give us the answers on the test so I was ready to take notes and everything.

My friend and I  decided to go with me to the tutoring so we both went to the class after the last bell rang. We stalled a little bit but decided to go. We sat down and three other people were in there. We put down our stuff. I pulled out my book all ready to learn. The teacher started talking and said he was tired and didn't want to do the tutoring today. He gave us a fake yawn and everything. We laughed and sat down. He went back to clicking away on his computer.

A few minutes later the three of them left. The teacher was still clicking around on his computer. I pointed to my watch and then to the teacher. My friend shrugged. I asked my teacher if he was serious earlier about no tutoring today. He said yeah, I was serious. Bye.

I stood there shocked out of mind. What does he mean, tutoring is cancelled? I thought he was being sarcastic earlier. He's always sarcastic!You can tell how sarcastic he is because I italicized, underlined, and made "always" bold.


I told him I had my thinking cap on and was ready to learn. All he said in return without looking up from his computer was sorry. He let us sit there for twenty minutes.

The crazy man. He gets on my absolute nerves.

Both our rides weren't going to be there until an hour later so we went to my sister's practice which was boring as usual. I rather not go into detail about that. It's not important to the story.

When practice ended, my friend's ride was there. Our dad still was no where to be found. I called him and he said he was still at work and he would be there in 25 minutes. I didn't really care to hear that. He was supposed to be here already. I reminded him. My sister reminded him. My mom reminded him. By the way, he got there in 28 minutes.

All I did while I waited was roll my eyes and become angrier by the second. I was so mad. Nothing was going as planned.

I guess you could tell everyone's communication skills were just not working that day.

So annoying

I just got picked up from school and my grandfather zoomed off to the hospital. It wasn't an emergency, no. Just a check up for m grandmother. I don't want to get into that though. Anyway, we zoomed off to sit across frm the hospital to wait in the car. Just to wait until my grandmother comes out from her appointment. It is so annoying I can't seem to grasp the idea of why we have to sit in the steamng hot car just get the call that's she is done.

Now we done this a million times before. Where my grandfather drops her off and sits in the parking garage, some random spot, or drives in endless circles. I just don't get wh he can't drop her off and go back to house and wait until she calls and says she is done or even almost done if she doesn't want to wait for about fifteen minutes. Better yet she could drive herself. She is perfectly capable if doing that. I even questioned them of their methods 'dropping off people' and they never really answer my question.

And I been taught not to question adults too much. My teacher begs to differ. He says asking why is the greatest things to do and society has ruined it by answering with because I said so.

 

Now I'm really mad because not only is hot out here but apparently a mosquito got in here and chewed up my arm I got bite three times on my left arm while I was typing away on he first paragraph. That sucks. I get chewed up so easily. the main reasons why I dislike outside: insects and the weather. 

Moving back on topic, we are still waiting for
my wonderful grandmother to show up and put herself in the passenger seat so we can go over to their house. Today out lucky spot is behind the hospital by a construction zone. My grandfather and brother must look like spectors to the amazing sport of people watching. They pulled out chairs and everything.


Yup, that's not awkward at all.

 We are parked pretty close to the sign that says hard hat zone. And right beside that sign is a port-a-potty: I hate the smell and constant reminder that I have to pee. Nobody even told me that I was getting dragged along to this; I they had I would have been prepared. I quests I'll stop ranting because my granddaddy just said she'll be done in five minutes.