Finally after the three long, cold, slow months of the aftermath of Christmas are over and we are on our way to the warmer months. With that being said we have to push through one more week of school and then we are on our way to spring break! It's also crazy to think that when we come back to school, there are only two months left until graduation! Whatsoever, focusing on the here and now, what are your guys plans for spring break? And if money or travel wasn't a problem, what would be the dream spring break vacation?
Right now my dream vacation is to go somewhere warmer. Yes it is starting to warm up here but I am just ready to leave the cold winter behind. My family is going on a three day cruise and then spending a few days in Florida. And while I'm very grateful to be going, a dream vacation for me would be to either go to Hawaii, Greece, Ireland, or Scotland. I want to experience an adventure out of this country at least one time in my life and if money or time wasn't a problem, that's where I would be.
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Mandatory age limits have integrated themselves into our society for years. It's a factor of life that we've become accustomed to being 13 for social media, 15 or 16 for driving a car and fighting for our country at the young age of 18. However, there's an age limit that's always been confusing to me: the legal age to drink is 21. The question I'm asking is, should the legal drinking age be changed? And if it should, what age should it be changed to?
I personally think the legal age to drink should be changed down to 18. It has never made sense to me that if I wanted to, I could join the military and fight for the USA, grab a gun, and do what I’m told. But I’m not allowed to take a sip of alcohol legally, and that’s just pure ridiculous. I think 18 is a solid age to lock alcohol behind, as we’re adults by law. The age for tobacco in most states is also 18, and it’s shocking that I can ingest one type of poison but not the other. Just overall, I think 18 should be the standard age limit, and alcohol should follow the other liberties we’re given when turning into an adult. Throughout the past couple decades, technology has improved immensely. Because of this, video games have become a very popular hobby for some people. However, not all video games are educating people, nor teaching morals and values. There are so many versions of violent games that people continuously play, and some say that because of the games, people are becoming addicted to violence. Do you think that the availability of horror within video games is transforming some kid’s thoughts and emotions?
Personally, I believe that this is true. There have been many studies done proving that a large amount of people who commit violent crimes have grown up playing harsh and graphic video games. In my opinion, parents should not allow their children to view horror content on phones, games, or any other technological device that provides violence, till they are a developed teenager. Children’s brains are not designed to see or hear information like that at such an early age, and it is changing the way they think and view things in the outside world. I believe bullying has gotten worse because of this as well, because kids are seeing different ways to react to certain situations. What do you think? As many of us know humans are releasing more and more carbon dioxide into the atmosphere daily, so much so that the environment can not keep up. However, it is not the consumers that are creating this problem. Large scale companies are the biggest contributors due to their manufacturing process being made cheaper and cheaper. By finding cost efficient ways to produce goods, it may be that companies are emitting more carbon dioxide into the atmosphere than necessary. As large companies are combusting large quantities of CO2, should they be taxed for their damages?
While it is hard to place a number on the value of the atmosphere and carbon cycle, it is valuable and necessary to live. If there were a tax on companies that release so many toxins into the air, the government could place that money into projects that are fighting these issues. However, the down side to this is that there would be more money given to a system that many people do not trust. It may not be guaranteed that the government would use that money for the environment, but rather other projects. Should we be worried about global warming? If so, should we tax large companies for emitting CO2? For me, I always see things around that make me instantly think, “that reminds me of something”. Symbolic things can be all over for all of us, and I know that I see these all the time. There are many things that can be symbols for something bigger, and it’s different for each and every one of us. What are some things that are symbolic to you?
For me, whenever I see anything about the NFL, it reminds me of how my grandpa would scream at the TV everytime the 49er’s weren’t doing great. When I see Salt Lake Express buses it brings me back memories of being in New York and all the fun I had there. Lastly, whenever I see the color teal, I think about my grandma and how it’s her favorite color and how she’s painted her living room teal, has a teal themed bathroom and bedroom, all because the color brings her joy. These are just a few of the symbolic things in my life! We have celebrated Valentine's Day since the fourteenth century. It's a day to put that extra effort into showing how much one cares for another either in a romantic setting or friendly sense. With that said, stores and companies put on these big sales throughout the month of February for things like chocolate, flowers, cards, and etcetera. While some go all out I know some couples will not celebrate because they think it's a scam and that they shouldn't give all their money to these hunger money companies. That they don't need just one day to go all out when it's better to surprise their significant other and show their appreciation each day. So my question is what do you all think about the holiday?
I enjoy Valentine's Day. Sometimes I will generally go out and get chocolate and cards but mostly I like to do handmade crafts for the special people in my life, family and friends. While I think that one doesn't need one certain day to show love and care, it's a nice reminder and it brings more love into the community just for that day. With only 64 school days left until graduation, I'm sure many of us are tired and ready for life beyond high school. We've waited thirteen years to go off on our own to explore life without the comfort of someone guiding us to where we need to go. But do any of us think we're actually ready for the next step?
Though it might sound crazy, I'm not entirely sure I'm ready to graduate this soon. While I want to be out of school, I'm not ready for the emense amount of responsibility that comes with leaving. And to add on top of everything else, I'm trying to go to a college that's halfway across the country, meaning no family to back me up if I happen to fail. But there's no stopping now, and I'll have to learn how to survive on my own. Within the current school year, we have not had advisory. Although some enjoy this, personally, I do not. Many of the teachers have seen a decline in grades throughout the middle schoolers, and high schoolers. I believe taking away advisory has played a major role in these statistics. Some students do not need the extra time/help, but for those that are slower learners, or miss school for sickness etc., it has been quite difficult. They have no designated time to pursue good grades on their homework. Not only has it been difficult in this aspect, it has also been a struggle for the organizations such as Student Council, NHS, DFY, and class fundraisers, to find a time to discuss what is needing to be done. Currently, Student Council is having to meet in the mornings at 7:15, to be able to plan everything, and this is not something that teenagers who are still developing should have to do. As one of the leaders within this group, I have seen a decline in attendance because students are not willing to wake up early. Do you enjoy not having advisory, or do you think it is a necessity for the students within our school?
Growing up I had always hoped to learn another language, yet it never happened because I did not have the time nor opportunities to do so. However, this would have been a much easier quest for me if it was offered during school. As we all know we need at least one language credit during high school to pass. In our high school this credit can even come from band or choir–which in my opinion should not be considered a language credit. There is only so much one can learn from one semester of spanish (or otherwise). Although this is not a large problem within schools, would it be beneficial and sustainable to require students to take a language class from kindergarten through high school? If so, what language would be the best, or should there be multiple options?
I believe that it would be a good opportunity for schools to require kids to learn a second language, because it broadens incoming adults to have more opportunities when it comes to communicating and interacting with diverse groups of people with new perspectives. A reference for the sustainability of this idea is how Canada teaches students in elementary school both English and French, and this has been their standard for a while now. I think every school would simply need one or two more teachers to make this proposal function, and it would go a long way for students' futures and increase the quality of public education. It could be more challenging to offer more than one language, so that each kid could choose what they desire, because there would have to be more teachers to do so. I think that the best language for this would be Spanish, as it is one of the largest languages. When the new year starts you see people all over posting about their goals for the new year, something they’re leaving in the past, or coming up with a word to live by. I’ve never been one for New Year’s resolutions, but this year one kind of struck me. When it comes to thinking of the year ahead, we’re about to graduate, move out, head to college, or just head to a new place. It’s definitely intimidating, scary, and exciting, but we’re all going to be entering adulthood together.
As this time approaches, I’ve told myself that my goal is to trust my path. Trust that what happens after graduation is what is meant to happen in my life and see where it takes me. To trust that good things are coming ahead no matter how scary it may seem. This is big for me, as I doubt things often, but I hope that this goal helps to take the stress off of life ahead. As well as achieve this goal of trusting my path ahead, I hope to achieve success, no matter how small. My question for you is, do you have any goals for the future? Whether you’re a planner or not, what do you want to accomplish? |
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November 2023
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