The final portion (math) of the HSAP is tomorrow and I'm really tired because I've been staying up later and later to do these blogs and re watch my favorite scenes in Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog. So I'm going to bed now to get some much needed sleep.
'Til tomorrow,
--A
P.S. this is so counting as my blog for today.
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
Carrier Pigeons (More Valuable Than You Would Have Guessed)
Today was day one of HSAP testing. The topic of today was English, more specifically, writing (reading comprehension is tomorrow). Our topic for our essay was something along the lines of 'what do you think is the most valuable form of communication in today's society'. Luckily for me, I had just written an essay about the wonderful thing that is the Internet and how it is the best way of communication. What a crazy random happenstance. (And no, I didn't write it for fun, though that does seem like something I would do. I wrote it for my Governor's School application.)
I re-wrote my essay as best I could manage on the scratch paper provided (I had to keep asking for more paper and after the third piece, the teacher just brought me a whole stack), and my finished product was four pages long (double spaced; had to leave room to edit).
So, do you remember how in yesterday's blog I complained about the people that take four eternities to finish their tests? Well... let's just say I was one of them today (but not to get out of class, I just truly wanted my essay to be decent, and I knew that when I got done I'd just have to sit there for a couple hours, so why not, right?). I didn't finish last in the room I was in, but pretty close. I think that (in my room), there were about two or three people that finished after me. But, hey, we still got out in time to go to third period, and I got to read Lennox's lines in Act 5 Macbeth (there are only about six literal lines of text. Not six times of talking, just the amount of dialogue that takes up six lines.).
Anyway, the entire time I was writing the essay, I wanted so bad to just scratch out what I had and write an essay on carrier pigeons. These tests are a joke, anyway, so why not add my wonderful sarcasm, right? (I ended up sticking with the Internet because I kind of really want to graduate).
'Til tomorrow,
--A
P.S. that was an abrupt ending. Oh well. (Also, there are a lot of parenthesis in this entry...)
I re-wrote my essay as best I could manage on the scratch paper provided (I had to keep asking for more paper and after the third piece, the teacher just brought me a whole stack), and my finished product was four pages long (double spaced; had to leave room to edit).
So, do you remember how in yesterday's blog I complained about the people that take four eternities to finish their tests? Well... let's just say I was one of them today (but not to get out of class, I just truly wanted my essay to be decent, and I knew that when I got done I'd just have to sit there for a couple hours, so why not, right?). I didn't finish last in the room I was in, but pretty close. I think that (in my room), there were about two or three people that finished after me. But, hey, we still got out in time to go to third period, and I got to read Lennox's lines in Act 5 Macbeth (there are only about six literal lines of text. Not six times of talking, just the amount of dialogue that takes up six lines.).
Anyway, the entire time I was writing the essay, I wanted so bad to just scratch out what I had and write an essay on carrier pigeons. These tests are a joke, anyway, so why not add my wonderful sarcasm, right? (I ended up sticking with the Internet because I kind of really want to graduate).
'Til tomorrow,
--A
P.S. that was an abrupt ending. Oh well. (Also, there are a lot of parenthesis in this entry...)
Monday, April 11, 2011
HSAP
So, rather than discuss something deep or heavy or anything like that, I'm just going to complain about standardized testing. While I understand that HSAP scores are (maybe?) important, I think that it's pretty ridiculous that they take up so much time.
At my school, we run on an A/B schedule with four classes each day (not including lunch and Enrichment, and don't even get me started on Enrichment. That's a rant for another day entirely...). Anyway, we also have the privilege to take classes at the college down the hill if we pass something known as 'Compass Testing', have good grades, and a teacher recommendation, and the college classes are taken extremely seriously (by me, anyway. I can't speak for the other people at my school.)
For those of you who don't know, HSAP is a standardized test that takes place over the course of three days and determines if you get your diploma or not. From what I've heard, it's incredibly easy, and I really have absolutely no worry about it at all. I have also heard that it SHOULD take around ten minutes to complete each part (and this from a person that I wouldn't exactly label as a "genius"...) but the wonderful people at my school who are oh so smart think 'I'll just take a long time so that I don't have to go back to class'. (Wonderful). What they fail to realize, or fail to care about, is that no one can leave until EVERYONE gets done. This is bad for people like me who are taking junior and college level classes and are missing important lecture time.
Because of the thoughtful tenth graders at my wonderful school, I am missing my Spanish 102 class which we just so happen to have an exam in that day. Thankfully, my Spanish professor was willing to work with me and scheduled me to take the exam on Friday. Fortunately, I'll get to take the test instead of receiving an automatic zero. On the downside, I have classes on Friday.
Frustration ensues.
Don't you just love teenagers, especially when combined with standardized tests?
'Til tomorrow,
--A
At my school, we run on an A/B schedule with four classes each day (not including lunch and Enrichment, and don't even get me started on Enrichment. That's a rant for another day entirely...). Anyway, we also have the privilege to take classes at the college down the hill if we pass something known as 'Compass Testing', have good grades, and a teacher recommendation, and the college classes are taken extremely seriously (by me, anyway. I can't speak for the other people at my school.)
For those of you who don't know, HSAP is a standardized test that takes place over the course of three days and determines if you get your diploma or not. From what I've heard, it's incredibly easy, and I really have absolutely no worry about it at all. I have also heard that it SHOULD take around ten minutes to complete each part (and this from a person that I wouldn't exactly label as a "genius"...) but the wonderful people at my school who are oh so smart think 'I'll just take a long time so that I don't have to go back to class'. (Wonderful). What they fail to realize, or fail to care about, is that no one can leave until EVERYONE gets done. This is bad for people like me who are taking junior and college level classes and are missing important lecture time.
Because of the thoughtful tenth graders at my wonderful school, I am missing my Spanish 102 class which we just so happen to have an exam in that day. Thankfully, my Spanish professor was willing to work with me and scheduled me to take the exam on Friday. Fortunately, I'll get to take the test instead of receiving an automatic zero. On the downside, I have classes on Friday.
Frustration ensues.
Don't you just love teenagers, especially when combined with standardized tests?
'Til tomorrow,
--A
Sunday, April 10, 2011
Just Dance
There are a few video games out there that when you hear about them, you just think 'in what universe is this a good idea?' When I heard about a Wii game named 'Just Dance', this was my exact reaction. The premise of the game is that there is a person on the screen who dances and the players have to mirror the dancer and earn points. The player with the most points at the end of the song wins.
A couple weeks ago at my school, we had what the administration called a 'Community Day' in which we did a bunch of pointless and quite frankly stupid tasks that was supposed to strengthen the bonds and family-feel among the students. (Yeah, right.) Anyway, one of the stations was a 'Just Dance' station where they had two Wiis set up and had Just Dance on one and Just Dance 2 on the other. The point of the station was so that the students would begin to feel more comfortable with being themselves around their peers. (Here again, yeah, right.) It was quite humorous from the sidelines, and part of me wanted to get up there and dance, but there was no way I was going to do it in front of these people. They would have teared me apart.
The week following, my friend, Jonathon, had a birthday party and one of my other friends brought Just Dance 2. This time, I did dance. These were my friends and I knew that rather than laughing at me like my school mates would have, they would be laughing with me.
Let me tell you: it was hard. No matter how easy it may appear when you're just watching it, do not be fooled. It is a HARD game. Not to mention, it really gives you a work out. The first song or two aren't that bad, but then you get to about the sixth consecutive dance and you are sweating bullets and ready to drop. Two days after playing, my arms were still unbelievably sore (though admittedly, I'm not exactly what one would call 'in shape', but I digress.)
This is why I think that Just Dance is an awesome thing for America, and the world really, but particularly the U.S. You are always hearing about how everyone in America is fat and has no physical activity, but that is due largely to the fact that a lot of Americans are stationary during the day while at work, and there really isn't a fast, fun, and convenient way to get exercise, until Just Dance. If everyone would just do thirty minutes of Just Dance a day, America would be a much healthier place. Just Dance is fast, it really works you out, and most importantly, it's genuinely fun.
Just Dance. Go play it.
'Til tomorrow,
--A
P.S. I'm really sorry, but the whole 'two blogs' thing just isn't happening. Some things came up and my whole day kind of got scrambled up, so...
A couple weeks ago at my school, we had what the administration called a 'Community Day' in which we did a bunch of pointless and quite frankly stupid tasks that was supposed to strengthen the bonds and family-feel among the students. (Yeah, right.) Anyway, one of the stations was a 'Just Dance' station where they had two Wiis set up and had Just Dance on one and Just Dance 2 on the other. The point of the station was so that the students would begin to feel more comfortable with being themselves around their peers. (Here again, yeah, right.) It was quite humorous from the sidelines, and part of me wanted to get up there and dance, but there was no way I was going to do it in front of these people. They would have teared me apart.
The week following, my friend, Jonathon, had a birthday party and one of my other friends brought Just Dance 2. This time, I did dance. These were my friends and I knew that rather than laughing at me like my school mates would have, they would be laughing with me.
Let me tell you: it was hard. No matter how easy it may appear when you're just watching it, do not be fooled. It is a HARD game. Not to mention, it really gives you a work out. The first song or two aren't that bad, but then you get to about the sixth consecutive dance and you are sweating bullets and ready to drop. Two days after playing, my arms were still unbelievably sore (though admittedly, I'm not exactly what one would call 'in shape', but I digress.)
This is why I think that Just Dance is an awesome thing for America, and the world really, but particularly the U.S. You are always hearing about how everyone in America is fat and has no physical activity, but that is due largely to the fact that a lot of Americans are stationary during the day while at work, and there really isn't a fast, fun, and convenient way to get exercise, until Just Dance. If everyone would just do thirty minutes of Just Dance a day, America would be a much healthier place. Just Dance is fast, it really works you out, and most importantly, it's genuinely fun.
Just Dance. Go play it.
'Til tomorrow,
--A
P.S. I'm really sorry, but the whole 'two blogs' thing just isn't happening. Some things came up and my whole day kind of got scrambled up, so...
Saturday, April 9, 2011
*sigh*
For the third time now I'm going to have to disappoint you with a sorry excuse for a blog. I wasn't exactly planning on being out so late and I anticipated having more time to write this blog.
As it stands, my vision is so blurred that I cannot count the number of fingers I am holding up when my hand is right in front of my face.
To make up for this (and the other) pathetic excuses for blogs, I am going to write two blogs tomorrow to make up for my slackness.
'Til tomorrow,
--A
As it stands, my vision is so blurred that I cannot count the number of fingers I am holding up when my hand is right in front of my face.
To make up for this (and the other) pathetic excuses for blogs, I am going to write two blogs tomorrow to make up for my slackness.
'Til tomorrow,
--A
Friday, April 8, 2011
Sweat and Tiredness
I'm really sorry to be doing this again, but I find myself in the same situation as the other day when I wrote the crappy cop-out blog about how it was late and I was tired. I went to the birthday party of a good friend of mine and now it's late and my eyes are closing at odd intervals and I just want to sleep.
While I hate to write a blog this short and crappy (especially multiple times) I just don't think I can keep myself awake enough to form coherent sentences much longer.
I promise to regale you with fascinating tales of the party tomorrow when I'm not as tired and can think clearer. I will also talk about the wonders that Just Dance could do for America.
'Til tomorrow,
--A
While I hate to write a blog this short and crappy (especially multiple times) I just don't think I can keep myself awake enough to form coherent sentences much longer.
I promise to regale you with fascinating tales of the party tomorrow when I'm not as tired and can think clearer. I will also talk about the wonders that Just Dance could do for America.
'Til tomorrow,
--A
Thursday, April 7, 2011
Dedication
A lot of the time, people will often change their minds multiple times about what they want to do with their lives. In fact, the majority of the people that I go to school with don't even have the slightest idea of the field that they even want to go in to. These are sixteen, seventeen, and eighteen-year-olds we're talking about, here. I personally find it sad when someone who is that close to having to make a decision that big about their lives just has no idea what they want to do, or even some vague ideas.
I think that a major problem with a lot of the youth today is they don't see or worry at all about the future. It's something that's just that: the future. Not the present. They think that high school will be it for them. Sure, the future is coming, and they're going to have to make a decision, but that is a thing to contemplate and worry about later when the time comes.
Well, I've got a message for all of the people just biding their time with absolutely no idea about what they want to go into: the time to decide and start planning is now. Not tomorrow, or next week, or next month, or just later; it's NOW. It truly hurts my heart to see those kids who just wander aimlessly and put off their homework or studying to go party. Now don't get me wrong, I think it's important to have a social life, but you CAN have both a social life AND good grades.
One day, when those people are working hard at multiple jobs just to support themselves and their families, they are going to look back and think 'man, what was I thinking? I should have just buckled down and done my homework.' And that's why it hurts my heart. Because while they may be the people I don't much care for or want to spend my time with now, one day they are going to be sad and have lots of regrets, and right now they don't even realize/care.
I'm sorry if I'm sounding like an after school special or something here, but I'm typing because it's the truth, folks. Alright, I'll just wrap up and be done venting now.
'Til tomorrow,
--A
I think that a major problem with a lot of the youth today is they don't see or worry at all about the future. It's something that's just that: the future. Not the present. They think that high school will be it for them. Sure, the future is coming, and they're going to have to make a decision, but that is a thing to contemplate and worry about later when the time comes.
Well, I've got a message for all of the people just biding their time with absolutely no idea about what they want to go into: the time to decide and start planning is now. Not tomorrow, or next week, or next month, or just later; it's NOW. It truly hurts my heart to see those kids who just wander aimlessly and put off their homework or studying to go party. Now don't get me wrong, I think it's important to have a social life, but you CAN have both a social life AND good grades.
One day, when those people are working hard at multiple jobs just to support themselves and their families, they are going to look back and think 'man, what was I thinking? I should have just buckled down and done my homework.' And that's why it hurts my heart. Because while they may be the people I don't much care for or want to spend my time with now, one day they are going to be sad and have lots of regrets, and right now they don't even realize/care.
I'm sorry if I'm sounding like an after school special or something here, but I'm typing because it's the truth, folks. Alright, I'll just wrap up and be done venting now.
'Til tomorrow,
--A
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