12- Khiem D.: A Drawn On Encounter

A Drawn On Encounter

This will be a long post about literally 2 seconds, everything will be overexaggerated for the sake of extension.

Setting the scene, I was walking back to my father’s car, steps carefree on the rigid stone of my driveway. It was a day like any other, having come home from a tiring day of school only to be dragged to an optometrist to diagnose my failing vision. My father’s car, what I believe to be a 2015 Ford Transit, covered in a bright blue livery advertising his livelihood. It always had a guttural hum as the exhaust spewed out noxious flurries of smog. Wraps adorned the back windows of the van proclaiming the address and logo in UPS sans font, each letter a yellow base with white bordering. Despite its unique appearance in the sea of Honda Civics, it was familiar, unassuming, safe, or at least that’s what I thought.

I reached for the door of the van, my father waiting patiently for me to go meet my fate, a simple action. As my fingers gripped the indent of the car handle, the ever familiar give and snap of the door signals for me to apply force to open the door. Literal milliseconds passed as the door gave way, my eyes tracking nothing, in particular, muscles contracting slightly as the weight of the door fought against my pull. I didn’t expect anything to come of it but as nanoseconds passed something emerged from the top of the door. As if waiting for the perfect timing, striking once its prey crept up, it descended like a brown blur, to meet my gaze. It bounced as if it was a bungee jumper, its weight captured by the cord protruding from its abdomen from the potentially deadly fall from the top of the door.  I proceeded to grab the web and toss it. THE END

WordCount: 312

12- Blu M: The Hike That Ruined Me

(It might be funny to look at my picture before reading…)

When I was younger, bugs used to terrify me, and that isn’t an understatement. I’m talking jump on a chair, grab onto mom, scream for help type of terrify. If I was in a cartoon, id the the character that died from being scared and had to grab their soul from flying away. Bugs were my worst enemy! Cockroaches, beetles, worms, practically any bug besides the “pretty” ones which I had a common bias to, all scared me! But there’s one tiny creature that would push my fear over the top.

Spiders.

A fun fact about me, I used to go to summer camp when I was 7 years old. And no it wasn’t for fun, and I wasn’t because I was a bad little kid. It was because I had zero social skills and my mom wanted me to develop some. This camp was held at Peña Adobe and we would hike and fish in a tiny pond and enjoy nature activities in general. And being in nature always has a be consequence, coming in contact with bugs.

We were going on our hike one day. This was definitely one of the longer ones, as the time we would be out was estimated at 1.5-2 hours. (Yes, we didn’t walk fast since so many of us were small, but that’s besides the point!) Everything was going well, the usual scenery around us and conversation overheard between our counselors and kids. Everything was the same. And so, as I’ve become used to this entire camp thing, I just go on, not expecting anything crazy. Well, of course, the moment I drop my guard, little ol’ Blu falls. Great. I’m already panicking enough as I didn’t want to get too dirty or scraped, and the moment I turn my toward the inside of the trail, there she is.

A huge, fat, scary, FAST, spider. I’m talking mammoth sized compared to what we usually see. Its abdomen was practically bulging from its size. Its legs were like eyelashes badly covered in mascara. It nearly glistened in the sun. It was the most hideous, scary, foul, vile, evil thing that 7 year old me could see. Frozen in fear, the only thing I could do was yelp and hyperventilate, not even screaming. I sounded like a very pitchy, untrained opera singer as I layed there so vulnerable on my side. I probably went ghost white from this awful moment. 

This entire event happened in probably a span of 20-30 seconds. I remember seeing some counselors come towards me while another lead the rest of the kids on their hike (they really abandoned me to the behemoth creature huh, cowards). But everything else was silent, as if it was only me and that spider on this trail. The moment I saw that thing creep towards me, I finally let out the scream, as my counselors picked me up to help with any first aid I needed. One guy kicked the pushed near the spider and it immediately retreated back into hiding, and I was just in disbelief. 

10 years later, my fear of bugs has finally subsided. I find many cute, and I even enjoy some spiders now. However, for tiny me, that wasn’t the case and that event has clearly done some damage for a while. After all, I did write about the whole thing today…

Word Count: 564

12 - Grace B. Why Me?

 

I have many fears that haunt me and make me tiptoe around my daily life. I’m afraid of the dark, which some may think is childish, but just because many people don’t have it doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist. I’m afraid of heights so those grand staircases we hope to walk on better have a handrail. What I’ve noticed about most of my fears is that they all have a solution. When darkness hits turn on a light, luckily for me our technological world implemented a flashlight right in our phones, so that was never an issue. When I’m high up somewhere I tend to grab a handrail or the nearest person and hold on, those who are afraid of heights know that all we simply need is support and stability. But what is the solution when there’s a spider in my room?

I am severely terrified of spiders. Any one that is near me makes my skin crawl and my brain is in fight or flight mode. You know those Halloween props and you step on the button and a spider hops out at you? Yeah, I’m not a fan. I can feel all the sensors in my body telling me to run out the room. One day I was home alone and I had come home from school and I was so tired. I was really looking forward to just passing out on my comfy bed, but little did I know that I had a visitor waiting for me when I walked in. 

I greeted my dog giving her lots of love and I walked up to my room. I open the door and immediately my eyes are drawn to the top left corner of the room. My heart begins to race and I can feel my palms working up a sweat and all I could keep thinking was “Why ME?” Why did it have to make its way to MY room? My sister's room is 2 feet away from mine and she’s off at college. No one would’ve been bothered if it went in there, but no. It chose ME. 

So obviously the best choice was for me to close the door on the spider and sit outside my room. I was completely in the mindset that that spider could have my whole room if he wanted to. So I went to my mom's bed and tried to sleep. And as my eyes got droopy and I was falling to sleep, I began to feel my skin crawl, itching me to wake up. I was paranoid. I let that spider take over MY room, what if he made his way to my moms room for a laugh? Then what would I do. So I decided to face my fear head on. That spider was a goner.

I opened the door to my room once again with confidence and determination to remove him, but once my eyes met this little spider on the top left corner of my room, doubt crept in. He was just there chilling, acting like he owned the place. He was challenging me. Suddenly all that fear went away and I just wanted him gone. I wanted to reclaim MY room. So I ran to my closet, grabbed my black chancla and my inner Latina came out. I launched it across the room and it hit the spider perfectly. I ran over to the crime scene and there the spider was. Dead. I won.

I don’t promote violence of any kind. In fact I held a beautiful funeral for this spider in my bathroom toilet, so I think we made some kind of peace. Sometimes you have to face your fears head on. They might not be as bad as you think. 

628

12. Kaiyue L. - Legally Blonde Analysis

The iconic film Legally Blonde highlights many stereotypes that are associated with gender and class, specifically the main character, Elle’s identity as a White, upper-class woman, and the privileges and challenges that come with holding such identities.

At the beginning of the film, Elle lives a lifestyle of ease, luxury, and social approval. She's the president of the UCLA sorority, Delta Nu, and was in a happy relationship with an attractive, aspiring senator Warner Washington. Life seemed perfect until Warner broke up with her before transferring to Harvard. He does not see a future with Elle, telling her that if he wants to be a senator by the time he's 30, he needs to marry a "Jackie, not a Marilyn," implying that he believes Elle is "too blonde." Heartbroken but determined, Elle follows Warner to Harvard Law School, planning to humiliate him with her intelligence. Now living a life that's the complete opposite of her poolside Malibu activities, Elle for once is socially disapproved due to her unsophistication and innocence. Warner, on the other hand, is now in a new relationship with "a Jackie", the brainy, serious classmate, Vivian Kensington. Rejected by the love of her life and flunking out of school, she used her sadness as fuel to study and quickly excelled in her classes. She slowly began to earn the respect of her peer and developed a passion for law. In the end, Elle graduates from Harvard with high honors and is the elected speaker at the ceremony, she not only gets invited to a prestigious law firm but also finds true love.

Elle Woods is an example of a character breaking the traditional stereotypes of feminine women. While she fully embraces a love of pink, having her nails done, shopping, and her small dog, she is not naive or uncaring like the "dumb blonde" people around her assume her to be. She challenges the notion of the “girly girl” with her intelligence, advocacy, and resilience. 

One of the central themes of Legal Blonde that impacted me as a kid is that a girl being into fashion doesn’t make her unintelligent–and those fashion smarts aren’t inherently a “useless” form of knowledge. Elle’s fashion smarts are introduced when a storekeeper tries to take advantage of her alleged stupidity by attempting to trick her into buying a discount dress for full price, but Elle sees through it. Later, Elle’s fashion smarts are crucial to her winning her first legal case. This portrayal is truly groundbreaking. Most characters like Elle are treated as cruel, superficial, stupid, or all of the above. Elle is none of these things—and she doesn’t change herself to succeed.

Wc: 442

12 - Lilly T.: Burnt Alive

 

Staying out in the sun is a big part of my childhood. I would go to the park often, travel to places for vacation, and go to swim practices. Out of all the memories I’ve had, sunscreen is something that will always be associated with the sun for me.

There would always be someone getting sunburnt, whether it was me or someone I knew. If you haven’t gotten one before, sunburns are really annoying to deal with. They don’t hurt badly, but enough to cause you a little pain every time the burn gets touched by something. My family ran out of sunscreen at one point and went to the beach without it. Once we left, my dad took home a sunburn that covered his entire back. It was funny at the time, but sunburns can lead to skin cancer if you’re exposed to the sun without any protection for too long. Sunscreen helps prevent this, but not completely.

The sensation of the spray sunscreens is something I will never forget. Spraying on a layer of sunscreen on a hot, sunny day is refreshing because of how cold the sunscreen is. Easy to apply, and feels great. Who wouldn’t enjoy that? Perhaps this is a way to get people to buy and wear sunscreen more often instead of letting themselves be burnt alive. I would always complain when I was forced to put on the cream sunscreen, but the spray bottles made it a lot more fun and easier to put on. Thanks to that, I don’t have any skin problems.

Anyways, enough with the rambling. Stay safe and wear sunscreen to avoid being cooked.

Word Count: 275

12 - Charlene H: The Mountain in Me

Are You More Like?: the mountains or the beach?

Mountains and beaches are both popular places for vacations. The beauty of these unique landscapes attract many, and the recreational activities that both have are fulfilling.

But I’d rather talk about my personality, which resembles the mountains. Most people know I am quiet and reserved, and if anyone were to talk to me, they would notice I am shy and awkward. In addition to that, I am introverted, meaning I get easily exhausted by social stimulation. That doesn’t mean I don’t like social interaction though. I do. I just need it less than most people do, and not to mention, senior year has made me realize that it is hard for me to make new friends even when I try. My silent and introverted nature is comparable to that of people who go to the mountains, in that they appreciate the calm and quiet of their environment just as I like the peace and quiet of mine. Unlike beaches, mountains don’t have a lot of noise or activity. Mountains are more isolated and secluded places, having low population densities.

When it comes to beaches, I love the waves that crash against the shore, the marine life buried beneath the sand, and the activities that are easily accessible. However, I view a lot of beach people as carefree, cheerful, energetic, adventurous, and thrill-seeking, and I am not that type of person. I have more of a composed exterior that hides my intense mind. I also prefer to observe my surroundings, as if I am a person sitting on a mountain top and appreciating the breathtaking views. Like those in the mountains, I observe more than I talk. Though I am talkative over text, I do not know how to physically express myself in person a lot of the time.

I know people whose personalities are like beaches, but no matter what situation I’m in, my mountain-like characteristics will always stay. My quiet and observant personality will always be a part of me.

Word Count: 331

12- Antonio L: A Downward Spiral In The Wake of Knowledge

 A Downward Spiral In The Wake of Knowledge

“A mind that is stretched by a new experience can never go back to its old dimensions.”

I can get the general gist of this quote. I believe it means that there can be no returning to a normal cycle once introduced to a new way of living. 

It’s like life itself. Some moments of your life are so important that they can shape you forever, one example being growing up.

You learn so much from others as you grow up, and sometimes you wish you didn’t have to or want to know all about what you’re told. You wish to return when you were naive about the real world, not being self-aware of the challenges you’ll have to overcome to reach dreams you had as a child and the risks you’ll have to take.

That’s not possible, that’s just a dream, something that can’t come true, even though it’s very desired amongst people. Desire is just a feeling however, feelings that can’t bring back the state of mind you used to have when you were younger.

I can personally relate to this quote as well. I’ve felt like I've begun my fall into a downward spiral of my own. I look at my older blogs from earlier in the year, and I see change.

Not all of this change is good however. I noticed I’ve begun to get off topic more or don’t connect good topics in relation to my blog. I allowed criticism to shape how I write, but I feel I make more mistakes in my writing now than I did before.

And though I want to write how I used to, it’s just not possible because that same feeling of nostalgia people get from reliving a golden era in their life in the future always leaves that “on edge” feeling, that something’s missing. 

What I’m getting to is that there is always going to be change in life that you’ll have to adapt to, and there’s no getting comfortable for too long. Wanting to forget about the doubts in your mind about the world around you is just a far-fetched dream, because once those thoughts are in your head, they stay there forever. 

A quote I can relate this to is from George Horace Lorimer, and said that “If there’s anything worse than knowing too little, it’s knowing too much.” Knowledge you gain can be both a blessing and a curse. Children can be forgiven because they don’t possess the awareness or knowledge of what kind of world we all have to live in.

Imagine a car without brakes or a steering wheel to help understand this more. You have the gas pedal, representing you moving forward in life, and the road with all of the sights for you to see. These sights are very life-changing for you, in both good and bad ways, but you can’t turn back to see them again, and you can’t stop unless you choose to by releasing your foot off the gas. 

Now imagine you had to drive other people in that car you’re in, waiting to get to that end of the road. Those people represent your own goals in life, telling you to keep driving, to keep going, no matter how bad the sights you drive by become. 

I myself wish I wasn’t as smart as people believe me to be, but I don’t want to remain oblivious either, so that builds conflict. Whatever choice involving this decision can’t benefit you in any way if you think deeply of it. 

Every day that passes is a day you can’t relive anymore, but the new experiences you gain can also help you come to terms with the way life is. Though new information can sometimes be hard to accept at times, or make you feel out of touch, it’s better than not knowing what to expect.

Word Count: 647

12 - Lucas V: This Chicken Fast Food Restaurant Beats The Rest

 

    This fast-food restaurant is pretty top tier amongst Americans nowadays. It is very unique other than your regular Burger King or McDonald’s. This restaurant that I believe is pretty good is Chick-fil-la. The way their chicken sandwiches are cooked is amazing. It literally blows your head off because of how good it tastes. Unlike the school's chicken sandwich, this company makes their chicken taste juicy as well as crunchy. Their house sauce is also another thing that I like. It’s sweet and tangy. Plus it’s so popular that they made 8 fluid ounces of the sauce that you can buy in your local supermarket.

    What is even better is the cups that they use for their drinks. It’s very unique as it’s not the same as other competitors. Other fast food places would use paper cups but Chick-fil-la uses foam which is a better insulator for keeping your drinks cold. The ice that they put into those cups are pretty good quality and are shapes that are not traditional like a cube. I don’t know how they make the ice but its sort of in a circular shape in a smaller form taking less volume in the cup.

    The thing that I kinda hate is that sometimes when I buy food from there, the lines are really long. Plus they aren’t open on Sundays because of religious reasons which I understand. I have some solutions in which they can make sure that the space isn’t as packed as it is at the moment. They can move their location to find a bigger location with more space for the drive-thru and also find better alternatives for traffic control in that subdivision.

Word Count: 280

12 - Alejandro M: Mysterious But Calm

 

The sounds of waves. The calmness a beach can bring. The mystery of what is out there beyond the beach and inside the oceans. Calm and a place that brings happiness. This is the beach. This is the ocean. And if you know me, then you can associate all that with my personality.

My personality is very unique, thankfully. I rarely start a conversation, nor do I ever enter and continue a conversation. I tend to just sit there quietly and listen to what’s going on around me. Most people who don’t know me and see how I act can think that I’m a very mysterious person, and they obviously have a great point. How can a person be that quiet, even in a place that can be very loud and/or festive? How can a person not be interested in anything going on around them? There could be a large dance, there could be a large debate around me. This is what can make me be seen as mysterious.

But to the people who know me well and those who I talk to a lot, they view me as a person who is very calm, and that is needed at times. Sometimes there are times where they just need to remove themselves from the noise outside and just turn to a quieter environment. This is where my personality can bring them some calmness from everything and help them just be with a person that they know won’t be causing too much noise or trouble.

There are waves to my personality. Most of the time there are waves, me being antisocial. But there are few instances where there are no waves at all, times where I can be social to those close to me and bring calmness and happiness to them. I sometimes think to myself on how to become a more social person, but I then remember and tell myself that the way I am now is the reason why people like me. Because of my personality.

Word Count: 338

12-Krishna Clay: Drake

         What current musician do you think will stand the test of time? There are multiple artists that I believe are able to stand the tests of time the same way 2-Pac and Dr. Dre did, but I think there is one glaring answer that many people might not like, and that person is Drake. By no means is Drake my favorite rap artist right now but he creates music that has already stood the test of time.

 

With multiple throwbacks from when he first started his career like Look What You’ve Done, Forever, and Headlines, all songs that are over a decade old and are still relevant. I believe he will only get better and create more timeless songs. His ability to change his style of music between songs has only gotten better. From songs that have rhyme and rhythm similar to poetry like Chicago
Freestyle and Champagne Poetry, to hype songs that you can play before a game like Back to Back and Wants and Needs , he even has made songs that have an early 2000’s flow to them like 4 pm in Calabasas and Energy. 

Drake is not an artist that is amazing at one style or has his own signature style. Instead he is the type of artist that is good at everything. He is also able to adapt with time and create new music throughout any generation, always keeping his name relevant. It is his ability to stay ahead and adapt that makes me believe that he will be timeless. 

WC-253