Burself Essay

Burself would be an island nation, surrounded by an ocean, and totally isolated. Surviving in such an atmosphere would be difficult enough, and with the added effects of strict regulations and rules, many would say living in such a society would be impossible. In fact, though, the added benefits of having such an eco friendly environment, the presence of rules that are beneficial to the whole community, and the free healthcare and educational systems would attract potential citizens, and allow the society to flourish.

Some people would disagree with the statement that Burself could actually be a functioning civilization; rationalizing it with arguments like: the free healthcare and educational systems are unrealistic, the demerit system would eliminate people too quickly, and people wouldn’t want to live in a society with such strict rules. In fact, the taxes imposed on citizens fund the educational and healthcare systems so they can be totally free. Allowing for donations from private citizens, they could easily function without any cost to a person in need of healthcare or education. The demerit system is designed to remove those not fit for such a small community. The fact that the number is so low, and kicking people out is so final, shows the perfectionism of the society, and was created to keep those who don’t break any rules safe. The strict rules are also actually quite helpful. While breaking them does result in a rather harsh consequence, all of the rules (such as no hunting for sport, no cars, no putting others down, no corruption, and no holding others back) only create positive results and feelings in the society. While there is a convincing argument that Burself could never function as a modern society, most of the flaws can actually be interpreted as positive aspects.

The eco friendly habits of Burself are a major reason that it would be a successful modern civilization. People would flock to the island society solely because of it; the green energy used in basically everything promotes self worth and sets up a healthy future for the kids of Burself. While hard to keep up, the water surrounding the island would be immensely useful. Using hydropower, the island can be powered by water for almost everything. The citizens of Burself would have moved their largely in part to the eco-friendly behavior, and so wouldn’t mind paying heavier taxes in order to keep the tools for making energy running. Energy produced from the eco friendly hydropower plants could be used in a variety of ways helpful to Burself, but a lot of it is used powering hospitals and schools.

The free health care and educational systems are major factors to the success of Burself. The fact that the healthcare is free encourages people to go to their doctor more frequently and keep themselves healthy. New citizens will want to move to the community as well, because the free healthcare and schooling is a great part of Burself.  Free education encourages people to study what they want to. In college, people are more likely to try different classes and find what they want to do. While also pushing up taxes, the citizens will find that it is an acceptable price to pay, and the community’s health and happiness. Because it also encourages people to move and stay in Burself, the free healthcare and educational systems are huge contributors to just how successful Burself would be.

As formerly mentioned, the rules of the society are really what would help Burself survive in a modern climate. While transcendentalist ideas seem to be outdated, the rules reinterpret them in a contemporary way. The rules that outlaw hunting and cars, while controversial, probably are the ones that would protect the society the most. Citizens who could not follow those rules simply wouldn’t move to Burself. They make Burself different enough so that people who agree with their beliefs have somewhere to go, but not so different from normal society that less extreme people would feel out of place. The rules of Burself give the island a purpose, and that purpose is what keeps the island going.

In modern society, Burself would be a flourishing community because of the eco friendly habits, the free healthcare and educational systems, and the strong rules that hold the islands together. While it’s true that there would definitely be some conflicts along the way, Burself truly would be able to survive in a modern climate.

The Dangers of Nonconformity

In the movie, “The Dead Poet’s Society,” the main focus is clearly transcendentalism. Whether to be yourself or to be who people around you want you to be. The movie takes a unique standpoint, though, on the dangers of nonconformity. While most movies and books in recent years have focused on the positive attributions of being yourself, Dead Poet’s Society shows that sometimes it’s best to sit back and not stand out. It shows the stares and the inadequate feelings and the being alone that comes with being yourself. It shows how some people refuse to accept how others choose to live their lives. Neil was put in a position where he felt that he had no choice but to kill himself because he spoke out for what he believed in. In modern society, too many people find themselves in situations similar to Neil.

When people act completely as themselves, separate from all opinions and oppositions of those around them, they are basically set up for ridicule. In highschool in particular, kids are not encouraged to be themselves, and sometimes that might just be the right thing to do. While being themselves could make a person happier at that exact moment, if they’re going to be ridiculed for it, wouldn’t it just be easier to wait for a time when they can be themselves free from judgment? Especially in a town like Grosse Pointe. Anyone who is just a little bit different is forced into becoming another carbon copy of everyone else. While this is obviously a terrible thing that should be changed, I know that I, for one, am not going to be the one who decides to ignore what everyone else says. It would just make life so much harder. Situations like Neil’s are terrifying because I can see myself there in less than two years; I honestly have no idea how being myself around my parents could happen.

Being yourself can be dangerous, as is clearly illustrated by the Dead Poet’s Society. What isn’t clear is if being yourself if more important than safety, or if being ridiculed is worth the freedom that comes with nonconformity.

My t-shirt

The only reason I'm functioning right now is an insane amount of caffeine and the fact that I still have to study for ap us math french and science. so. This is gonna be short and sucky and if that is not enough I can rewrite it this weekend but you can blame Lois.

Basically, I didn't get into any conversations about it, really. People kept not being able to read Whovian. So. That was fun. They were just like "wha-vior? whuvia? whoo....... whovian? what?" So. That was a blast.

This guy in Anne Franke said that I matched this girl in his photo class, aka, Shiv. So. That happened.

Um. People asked what editor meant and I just walked away. Because some things are better left unsaid.

The K fell off of the awkward. So I guess I'm just awward. Sad.

My AP US teacher said that it was good that I got a haircut so you could read the d in potter-head.

Really, no one really asked about it. Anyone who cared, I had already talked about my awesome plan for an acrosticks already, so... Yeah. Yup. YUPP.

THE END

Darren Criss- a modern transcendentalist

Out of all the people in the world, there are some who just make you stop. Make you look at them and wonder what makes them so much braver and more special than you to be so… different. Darren Criss, to me, is one of these people.

I’ve been totally and thoroughly in love with him for about two years now. He wrote a freaking musical about Harry Potter; so basically, I would sell me soul to him in a heartbeat. In a world where people are insisting that stage acting is a dying art, he comes out of NOWHERE with this crazy new musical produced by a small group of college kids and basically takes over the internet! And not only is it a musical, it’s a musical about a highly successful book series that could have easily gone wrong and sent a million fangirls into a rage against him. He didn’t give a crap. Nope. He wrote the music for the entire musical, along with four others.

His individualism actually is a bit of a problem now that he’s kind of famous, as is shown by his behavior at the Deathly Hallows premier (which he was invited to because of his Harry Potter-ness). Darren jumped around in front of some cameras (with his friend Joe Walker, who played Lord Voldemort) and made a bit of a fool of himself. Normally, I’d just think that it’s super cute and walk away, but people were getting PISSED. I remember going on tumblr and there was just huge amounts of hate on there. He hasn’t changed, though, and he’s still the goofiest guy ever.

Another reason why Darren Criss is a modern day Transcendentalist is his support of the Trevor Project. The Trevor Project is a huge organization (the biggest in the US, I think) for support for LGBTs. They have help lines and fundraisers and projects going on all the time. Darren Criss went on a three-show mini-tour in support of them last summer. It doesn’t matter that gay rights may not be a totally supported topic, he really tries to help them out and even performed a couple of weeks ago at a big concert for them. Not only that, he plays a gay guy on Glee, when he is (apparently) a very straight person. He said in an interview something along the lines of that it was just another acting job. On other shows, he might have to kiss girls he’s not interested in, and it’s really no different on Glee. I think that’s the coolest thing ever.

Darren is totally different from every other celebrity I’ve ever seen. He’s a musical genius (he taught himself how to play seven instruments), he’s co-written several musicals, he’s openly supportive of LGBT rights, and he’s just one of the goofiest people on earth. Darren Criss truly is a modern transcendentalist.

Progress can be defined as many different things. From advances in certain technologies to the growth of industrialism, there are always people opposed to it. Henry Thoreau was a great American writer and thinker. He revolutionized theories about keeping the Earth’s environment intact and was an important opponent of progress, at least in the spreading of cities into wildlife. While his statements and many others should be kept in mind while the world continues to expand, progress is a crucial part of society and needs to be expanded upon for society to function.

A prime example of this is the growth of medicine. As time goes on, diseases progress. If medicine did not advance, the new illnesses would have no treatment and cause breakouts of disease, comparable to the plague. While Thoreau never directly states that the progress of medicine should be halted, certain instruments are needed to produce cures. Without progress in technology, this new medicine could not be created. In order for the Earth to survive, progress needs to be continued; if at the very least, in medicine. As well as for medicinal purposes, progress is also important in assistance for those with special needs.

Like it or not, the world is always changing and developing. Those with mental illnesses or physical disabilities deserve all the help and technology possible. With computer programs and special tools, people with disabilities can live close to normal lives. Without innovation and progress, those people would be forced to suffer unnecessarily. If the technology is possible, it is society’s responsibility to provide them with it. While it’s understandable to not want progress in the building of cities and pollution, technology for the disabled is a right they deserve. Another right that everyone shares is the right to opportunities in the educational system.

Progress in educational services is key. The younger generation are the leaders of tomorrow, and as much knowledge and learning should be provided for them. New schools filled with different opportunities should be readily available. The creation of new and innovative schools, even at the expense of a forest or a pond, could be worth it in the long run. Educating the young could eventually lead them to be the new saviors of the environment, so in a cause and effect perspective, sacrificing for the children could actually be more beneficial than halting progress all together.

Progress, whether it is in medicine, technology for the disabled, or education, is very important. Keeping the young educated, the public healthy, and getting technology to those who need it are just a few examples of society’s need for progress.

Student Declaration of Independance

As students of the Grosse Pointe public school districts, we the students have certain rights. These rights have been repeatedly infringed upon, and we have deemed it necessary to form an alliance together to stand up against the oppressors once and for all to declare our independence. This document will ensure that the students and teachers alike can work in harmony to produce a healthy and fun atmosphere for learning. Whether the matter is health conditions or pertaining to the respect of the administrators, all of the items listed below have been deemed as basic rights that every student in the Grosse Pointe districts should hold

Teachers should respect students. This goes the same for students respecting teachers of course, but as long as the students are paying due amount of reverence towards the teacher, he or she should receive the same. Stupid questions do not exist. Teachers should not be able to disregard a question ever, even if has already been asked. Students can’t be expected to be listening 100% of the time. On a related note, students should be allowed to have extra help as needed. Teachers should be willing to give up there lunch hour to assist students, or, at the very least, direct them to another student for help. Another basic right is the right to choose your schedule. Choosing classes is a key right, as this allows students more freedom in choices and helps decide what career path to go down. Having the best technology possible is a clear basic right for students. The school district should be doing everything in their power to provide students with technology that allows them to learn better and faster. A commonly overlooked, but essential, right is the right to have good, clean water. The water fountains at South are completely disgusting and are probably violating some sort of health code. They taste like metal and blood and should be fixed immediately. As well as all of these other examples, the most important one by far is the right to feel safe in the school environment. Whether it be from internal or external forces, no student should have to go to school feeling like they are in danger there. The administration should always be doing everything in their power not only to keep the students safe, but to also make them feel safe.

I. Instead of thirty six minute lunches, South has to provide an hour and fifteen minutes. This is students’ only free time of the day, and thirty-six minutes is barely sufficient to eat. Lunch should be a time to relax, and rushing to finish eating is not exactly relaxing. It is the only break in the long seven hour school day. This time should be spent doing whatever students’ wish, whether it’s walking to Farms Market and getting some fresh air, or just relaxing in the commons and socializing with friends. Whatever kids chose, lunch should be a complete mental break. A full seventy-five minute period would allow students to return to class rejuvenated and ready to focus, which would increase productivity. Grosse Pointe South students demand a longer lunch period.

II. Grosse Pointe South must supply laptops to each student for use in school and at home. In almost every class, note taking is used by teaches. This is a very effective method of teaching, yet can be time consuming. Note taking would be a great deal faster if students had access to laptops, and could type their notes on a Word document. Laptops that students could carry from class to class would also allow internet research to be done in class. This would undoubtedly increase the efficiency of students in class. Also, because most assignments that require computers are completed at home, the access to them in class could reduce the amount of homework. And for those students who don’t always have a computer available to them at their house, because of financial issues or having to share with siblings, the ability to take a laptop home would be greatly beneficial. Students at Grosse Pointe South need to have laptops both in and outside the classroom to increase overall productivity.

III. There needs to be one full hour designated for nap taking. In classes, countless students are always falling asleep because of exhaustion. Research shows that teenagers need 9-11 hours of sleep to be fully rested, but that number is rarely reached because of many factors. A demanding schedule, caused by loads of homework, sports, and other activities, leads to many students getting less than the adequate amount of sleep. Since school contributes to the large quantity of homework that keeps students up late at night, it is only fair they provide an hour to let kids catch up. An extra hour of sleep every day would lead to increased productivity, mood, and energy of the students at Grosse Pointe South. This would make for an improved learning environment.
IV. Thanksgiving is one of the most popular holidays, and for the most part is loved by all. Many families put a lot of time and preparation into its celebration. Thanksgiving is one of the best holidays of the year to have long periods of family time, and some wish that this did not have to last for only one day. Considering this, it is our suggestion that an entire week of school be given off for its celebration.

V. Being as far north as it is, our home state of Michigan can often have very extreme winter weather conditions. The snow can often pile high enough to make even walking on the sidewalk a hassle, and temperatures can easily drop to the point that frostbite is something to worry about. Our district’s reason for having so few snow days is that Grosse Pointe is a walking district, but the majority of South’s students either get a ride from their parents or drive themselves to school. Even the kids that walk often have to deal with extremely low temperatures and very deep snow. Therefore, it is our belief that South should have more days off because of extreme winter weather conditions.

VI. One of the things that South’s students look forward to the most is holidays. They are an excellent time to relax and take a nice break from school. Because of this, one of the most disappointing things is when there is a holiday but students still have to go to school. Sadly, there are a few holidays out of the year that South does not give even one day off school for. We have the opinion that this should be changed, and that for every holiday, no matter how obscure, at least one day of school should be given off for its celebration.

VII. The purpose of a school is to provide a child with the best education possible. Each individual varies from his or her peers. The option of block scheduling can allow for a more personalized schedule focused on each student’s individual needs. It allows students to select classes and times that will better stimulate their learning process. Block scheduling allows for breaks between classes for instance you might have math on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, this allows for breaks which helps students alleviate stress and keeps grades high. This would also to give students assignments spanning over the break, which can help the student’s time management skills. Those who have had block scheduling have remarked that the change in scheduling keeps your days from being boring so you tend to be more alert in class. Block scheduling allows for students to be more alert and have classes and schedules that fit their needs thus improving the Childs educations, which is after all, the main goal of the school system.

VIII. Good grades and an attentive attitude is important to ones high school career. To maintain grades and stay alert it is important that students come to school with their best mindset, which is why it is important to have breaks on holidays. Students should have a half-day on Halloween and the day after off. This will allow students to have a short break to alleviate stress and to enjoy the holiday. Halloween is a national holiday that should be recognized by the Grosse Pointe Public School System with a day and a half off for the students and staff. Many students in all three stages of school are out late on the night of October 31, Halloween, and would not be attentive at school the next day. Giving students a short Halloween break will keep them on track and attentive during school.

IX. High School is a very important segment of ones school career. It is also one of the more stressful and demanding. For this reason High School students should not have homework on weekends. The abolishing of weekend homework will allow for students to rejuvenate over the break and to recharge for the coming school week. Without homework encumbering the student’s weekend, students will have more time to study for test or review materials covered in class. This will raise students grades exponentially, students will be more relaxed, attentive, and better prepared for class which will result in higher test scores and grades; which will drastically improve students resumes come time to apply for collegiate study. Abolishing weekend homework will help Grosse Pointe students drastically.

X. School should be adjusted to 4 days a week; the weekend spanning Saturday, Sunday, and Monday. 2 days for weekends simply does not suffice for the amount of homework and rest students need. The week of a typical high school student is extremely stressful and exhausting. The weekend is needed to recover. Teachers tend to assign more homework on the weekends, though, knowing students will have more time. This leads to the whole weekend being spent completing schoolwork. Weekends are needed to relax and rejuvinate, and doing homework all weekend is neither of those things. The weekends are also a sacred time to be spent with family or friends, seeing as though during the week, students are simply too busy. Three days for a weekend would allow time for schoolwork, as well as friends, family, and rest.

We, the students of Grosse Pointe South High School, hereby declare our independence from the Grosse Pointe Public School System. We only asked that we receive the treatment that we by our rights deserved, the treatment that we were neglected when a part of the Grosse Pointe Public School System. If we don’t receive our independence, there will be severe consequences. We may be peaceful and civil; we may boycott classes or organize a sit out on the lawn. Protest what we believe to be a corrupt establishment. Hold strong to what we want and receive it in a peaceful manner. Or, we may be violent, vandalize the school. Rip doors off their hinges and graffiti the hallways. Break the windows of every educational institution, and yell blood curdling battle cries of freedom that even the bravest soul could not bear to hear. Though we are only students, we will crash board meetings. We will disrupt the very foundation that this educational system is based upon and wreak havoc among the board members, never faltering in doing so until our demands are met. Planting fear in every adult’s heart, because independence is a basic right; all students are naturally born with freedom in their blood. The students’ actions to take control of their independence are unpredictable yet organized, extreme yet understandable. It is best that the students receive independence and no other actions are put in place to stop the progression. By this time, there are no measures that can be taken to reconcile both the students and educational program. In no way can the ties between the two be bonded back together, and form a united assembly once again. Independence has spread to the very heart of the matter and no act can be taken to stop it. Independence will rise, and the Grosse Pointe School System should be prepared to fall.

The Crucible Essay

            In the play, “The Crucible”, by Arthur Miller, the Salem Witch trials are a collective response caused by many people in the town of Salem. It is hard to pinpoint who exactly was responsible, as every member of the town said something, didn’t say something, or acted in a way that helped encourage those in charge. Whether they were locked in a struggle for power, were jealous of another person, or even if they made a simple mistake several months ago, almost everyone in the town were responsible in some way for the trials. That being said, the three most important contributors to the witch trials were Abigail Williams, John Proctor, and Reverend Hale.

            Abigail Williams was by far the largest contributor. She, in fact, was the only reason the girls were ever caught dancing in the woods; they were caught because she was drinking blood to kill Goody Proctor. Even after that occurred, she was the one who called out people’s names and the other girls followed suit. This is exemplified when Mary Warren is accused after trying to tell the judge that the girls were lying, “But god made my face; you cannot want to tear my face. Envy is a deadly sin, Mary…. Oh, Mary this is a black art to change one’s shape. No, I cannot, I cannot stop my mouth; it’s God’s work I do” (Miller 115).  This is key because not only is she calling people witches for no apparent reason, she is blaming one of her friends for the spread of witchcraft, and Mary then blames Proctor. She basically caused the entire event because of her jealousy of Proctor’s wife and her want to be with Proctor. The other girls were not nearly as impassioned with the accusing as Abigail, and it’s doubtful that the trials would have continued, not to mention actually even happened, without her presence.

            John Proctor is another important figure because he inherently is the cause of Abigail’s accusations. Because he had an affair with her, she was drinking blood to kill his wife, and she was caught and had to make up a fanciful lie. It is not a sane reason for her to start accusing people of witchcraft, but it was actually John’s fault when looked at the events from a chronological point of view. This is made apparent when Abigail says, “… I know you, John – you are this moment singing secret hallelujahs that your wife will hang” (152)! Abigail clings to this desperate hope that John will love her to the point that she tries everything in her power to have his wife hung, including continuing pointless accusations of witchcraft. While John had no part in the actual proceedings of the witch trials besides his own, a great deal of the blame for the beginning of them rests on him.

            Reverend Hale is a third major cause of the Salem witch trials. While by the end of the book he realizes that he is wrong, if he had never come to the town in the first place, the girls would have been passed off as being sick because Reverend Parris would have been too afraid of losing power to accuse them of being bewitched. Hale thinks that he knows everything about witchcraft, that he can diagnose being a witch, and that makes him dangerous. He supplied the girls with the information they needed to make convincing accusations. “Tries to fly…. Ah! The stoppage of prayer – that is strange… Perhaps some bird invisible to others comes to you…” (42-43). He feeds them the symptoms that one could find in a victim of witchcraft, and they replicate them to make it seem believable. For instance, when Abigail accuses Mary Warren, she sees an invisible bird in the rafters. This is an exact replica of the sign that Hale asked Betty if she saw when trying to see if she had been bewitched. While Hale redeems himself by the end of the play, he was a major cause of the accusations. Without him poking around, Abigail never would have needed to say that Tituba put spells on them in the first place.

            While the three people above vary in reasons for the cause of the Salem Witch trials, they all had an important hand in creating them. Abigail for wanting John and being jealous. John Proctor for having an affair with Abigail and encouraging her. Hale for coming to the town and providing the kindling for the wildfire of the townspeople’s imaginations. All three were in part responsible, as well as many other people in the town.

Crucible Post 2

"At one point, Proctor tells Hale that he believes in witches even though he does not. Would you be willing to lie and tell people you believed in something you do not in order to protect yourself? Why or why not?"

Honestly, I would totally lie to save myself. It sounds weak (and it is), but I really think that if you’re going to suffer for it, why not avoid the suffering? When it comes to things like religion, and drugs and things that are bad for me, I would OF COURSE not lie. I’d be proud to say I’m Christian or not involved with those things. But I have secrets that I would be crazy mocked for, and it’s really not worth it for everyone to know things about me if they’re going to make fun of me. If someone asked me point blank about something that I was ashamed of, I wouldn’t hesitate to lie to save myself.

If I was accused of being a witch and was about to be hanged, yeah, no, I would lie my butt off to save myself. You may be an outcast from society for the rest of your life, but you wouldn’t be DEAD. It’s honorable to be able to let yourself die for a cause, but that’s not me. I wish it were, but it’s not. If it were about my religion, I honestly don’t know what I would do. I’m hoping I’d be strong enough to die for what I believe in, but I can also see myself folding under the pressure. Being made fun of for it I could handle, but dying? I seriously don’t know. Hopefully I’ll never have to find out.

The Crucible Post 1

In the Crucible, the power in the city of Salem shifts in the first act. In the beginning, all of the power lies in the hands of Parris, the town reverend. He is relatively hated in Salem, though, and has many enemies. This makes him paranoid and he tries at all costs to maintain his grip on the power of the town. His control over the town remains mainly in the fact that he controls their religious life, which, at the time, was basically their whole world. By controlling their religious life, Parris virtually had a realm of control over almost everyone in the town. But, in the end of act 1, that power begins to shift.

At the end of the act, the influence over Salem instead fell to the girls Mercy, Mary, Betty, and Abigail. They gained this by calling witchcraft on Tituba (and eventually many others). By saying that witchcraft was alive in Salem, they took advantage of the townspeople’s fear and piety and gained control through pure lies. The control was like Parris’s in the way that it controlled their religious life too; mainly because the Gospel says that there are witches. The girls gained control through capitalizing on the townsfolk’s superstitions and greatest fears, and basically had power over the entire village.

'Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God' follow up post.

I think that if people were exposed in the same way to “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God” today, the reaction, while being different, might have some of the same characteristics. While it’s obvious that the world is a totally different place from when this sermon was first introduced, many people who are religious still have a substantial fear of not going to heaven and going to hell. God is portrayed more as a kind and loving God, though, so the reaction wouldn’t be as severe, but I think it would probably encourage good behavior and going to church more. A lot of people would dismiss it entirely though, whether they’re an atheist or just think the speech is stupid, mainly because the world is such a different place. Atheism is a very common practice now, and a good majority of people who do participate in religion don’t do so nearly as intensely as it used to be practiced. The sermon re-introduced today would probably cause a small reaction among the religious communities of the world.

"Sinners in the hands of an angry God" Post

In the video, it's stated that the sermon was delivered by John Edwards, July eighth, 1741.

It’s the most famous speech in American history.  New England never forgave Edwards, because his famous sermon started the Great Awakening. The Great Awakening was the colonists’ Christianity becoming less detached and impersonal and more passionate and involved, as well as becoming more aware of the need for salvation.  Edwards was known to be stern and loveless, but he is apparently a warm person and a good friend. He believed in hell, and spent his life trying to convince his people to be awakened to sin and to not take the gospel for granted.  

It seems like the sermon is going to be passionate and intense, and I expect a lot of metaphors. It will probably be about the path to salvation and about everyday sins that people commit, and Edwards saying to avoid them.  From the video, I kind of think that Edwards is going to be pretty dramatic about things and may even be overdramatic. He’s probably going to scare the colonists a lot, because back then their only goal in life was to get to heaven, and he’s there telling them that it’s really hard to get there. Overall, it seems like the sermon is going to be about salvation and the path that Christians can take to get there. It must have been pretty powerful to spark the Great Awakening.

Descriptive Post

This photo is an image of an almost entirely blue rectangular box. There are four visible frosted windows, each with two vertical lines and one horizontal. There's one door that is clearly labeled, "pull to open" on a square piece of beige paper attached to the panel next to the door. There is a small, sky blue square on the very top, with tinted glass, so you can just see the light bulb in there that looks like it would start flashing if you pushed the right button. Below the pointed top of the box, there is a narrow black strip that says in white letters, "police public call box". There are (obviously) four walls to this box, each with six panels, three on each side, below a window. The door to enter this box is on the same side as the sign that says pull to open, and has a golden key slot below a blue handle.

What is expected in an honors English class

When working in an honors class, certain traits are expected, such as: maturity, the ability to retain information and time management.

Maturity is a key part of an honors English student because of the advanced reading material they are expected to comprehend. In many novels that a student is going to read, mature content is presented. The ability to not be phased or distracted by such material is important. A student should not find such contest funny. Another kind of maturity necessary is the ability to respect the teacher and not be talking constantly. This allows work to be done more quickly and efficiently. While kids in lower grades and non-honors classes talk to their neighbors throughout the whole class, honors English students should be able to restrain themselves. In an honors environment, both types of maturity is important.

Another crucial aspect of an honors English student is the ability to complete the work assigned on time and neatly. This goes hand in hand with maturity, as it takes a certain amount of maturity to do so. In other classes, work can have extended deadlines and half-credit opportunities, but in Honors English it is critical to have work in on time. Neatness is another important factor, especially in English, as the writing can’t be graded if it’s illegible. It’s also much easier to communicate the message with neat writing. By the time a student is in 10^th grade honors, they are expected to be able to write neatly. Neatness and on time work are clear indicators of focus and good time management.

Another important concept is the retaining of all the knowledge gained throughout the years of school. An
honors English student should be a culmination of ten years of language. This would include a wide
vocabulary, grammar skills, and reading comprehension. This is needed to understand the material. These
skills are also helpful when writing essays. Generally, all English classes expect you to retain knowledge from
previous years, but especially in an honors class. It is essential to use those previously gained tools.

About Me

Hey, I'm Nicole! I'm 15, I'm in 10th grade, and my BESTEST FRIEND IN THE WHOLE WORLD is Shivangi S... She also has a blog on here. Look her up. Oh, and Allison S. But she's not in our class because she's lame.

I have one sister, Erika, who's 17, super athletic and short and basically the opposite of me. My dog's name is Bailey and she's a white lab who's legitimately cazy. Jazzy is my sister's horse, and she's also nuerotic, but in the bucking off sort of way, not in a terrified of thunder sort of way. My parents' names are Scott and Eileen, and... I mean. They're kind of boring, as parents tend to be. I'm Irish and, as is stereotypically correct, I have a HUGE family. I think I have twenty two cousins and about fifteen aunts and uncles on my mom's side, and about the same on my dad's side.

I'm ridiculously addicted to TV, and get way too emotionally invested in the storylines. Some of my favorites are: Doctor Who (ultimate favorite), Gilmore Girls, How I Met Your Mother (which, by the way, I just read a theory on tumblr about how he never says he's the father of the kids he's talking to... Mind = blown), The Big Bang Theory, Torchwood, Community, The Office, 30 Rock, Parks and Recreation, House, Fringe... Yeah, you get the picture. It's a bit of a problem. I also kind of watch Degrassi, but that's more of a guilty pleasure for me, as I realize it's completely trash. Harry Potter. I like can't even talk about it. I have a super unhealthy obsession with it. I think that's all I can say without getting carried away.

I'm in a ton of clubs this year at South, including: yearbook, the Looking Glass, GSA, Pointe Players, and the choir cult (it doesn't officially count as a club, but it takes up way more time than any club ever would). In Pointe Players, we're doing Anne Franke right now, and I'm Margot. She's basically the perfect sister, and it's super awkward for me to play her, as she's supposed to be a fabulous dancer, ridiculously pretty, and polite. None of which I am. It's a blast. It actually is really fun, though, just because I love to act. The downside is, I get really nervous around the upperclassmen and freeze up and don't talk, and so they all think I'm a part-time mute.

I'm really into technological stuff, and I love anything to do with computers. I think this is derived from my dad's uber techiness, because he runs a computer company and is cray cray good with computers. I especially love to edit (don't ask), and figure out little tricks to do on computers. I spend a ridiculous amount of time on tumblr and youtube, basically procrastinating actually doing anything productive. My blog on tumblr is primarily filled with my dorky obsession with TV shows and movies and such. Also, music. Oooh, next paragraph time.

Music. It's pretty much my life. I play guitar, I sing, and I can kind of play the piano. Mind you, not very well, but the basic skill is there. I listen to a huge variety, from show tunes to hardcore alternative, but my favorite is a kind of light-rock-alternative thing. Basically, Mat Kearney, Train, Straylight Run, Kate Nash, Noah and the Whale... Eh, kind of edging into the indie section, but still. Those are my favorites. Also, Taking Back Sunday, especially their new album. New Again was kind of emo for my taste, but I am in LOVE with Faith (When I Let You Down). It's an unhealthy obsession. Oh god, how could I forget, I've been on a MAJOR OneRepublic kick lately. Not their super popular stuff, but the entire album Waking Up is freaking genius. I can't even contain myself. ALSO (sorry, I kind of get carried away with music) that one 30 Second to Mars song, This is War. I thought I wouldn't like it, and the first bit I don't, but ugh... That bridge. It gets to me. Sorry. I need to wrap this part up.

So, that's basically me... I mean, not much else to tell. I like spaghetti. If that's important. It's my favorite food. Oooh, and orange pop. That's my real weakness.

Yupp. That's pretty much it. Bye!