Progression

Coming into sophomore year, I was a little unprepared for the focus that I needed to put into english. I soon realized I had to dedicate more time and effort to my studies when I saw that my grades were suffering due to lack of preparation. That being said, I think I have made some good progress this year. I am learning how to incorporate the different aspects that are very essential in an essay such as developing a clear-cut thesis statement and textual evidence, supported by analysis to argue a point. Another major growth of mine has been participation in class. In August, I found myself nervous and sometimes doubtful when it came to sharing my opinions. Now, however, I feel much more comfortable due to the positive atmosphere created by the people around me.
Though I feel like I have made some solid progress this year, there are also different things that I can improve on. First, I think I can do a better job of trying to analyze a piece of literature and find the deeper meaning behind the text itself. I also could improve upon creating more detailed thesis statements. I think that my thesis statements have improved a lot from the beginning of the year, but there is still room to improve as far as incorporating all of the components needed. Lastly, I would like to be better prepared for in class essays, as I have struggled a little bit with my past two. My ultimate goal for this semester is to be able to get an A and I think that I can do this by working on paying attention to detail. Overall, this has been a great year and I look forward to improving my writing skills throughout the rest of the school year.

Censorship

While reading Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress,  I noticed that the Communist belief system in China at the time placed a big emphasis on banning certain books that were influenced by Western society. I understand how the motive of this is to get people to cooperate with what is being enforced by only teaching them one thing, however, I do not agree with this ideology. Without reading different perspectives and topics within literature, it is easy to be close-minded. Taking away specific forms of literature in society is an act of stopping people from becoming globally aware. In Balzac, I could relate to the narrator's curiosity about other forms of literature outside of the Communist restrictions. That being said, I was shocked when I saw that the Bible was being challenged as a banned book. People should be able to practice their religion freely and in banning this type of literature, it is an act of discrimination upon a certain group of people within society. I also believe that banning certain types of books creates negative views on the beliefs that the books represent As I touch the coarse cover of a new book, I am overwhelmed with the crave to gain knowledge. I think that everyone should be able to experience this sensation and read whatever they please.

The Deep Ocean Blue

The cold air grazed past my head, forming goosebumps on my skin as I stared into the the surface of the blue depths, watching mounds of water forming like skyscrapers only to crash down. It was an early morning in Half Moon Bay; the sun was just starting to creep up behind the thick clouds. I recall almost being able to taste the bitter salt that was spraying off the ocean. To my left and right I saw brave men preparing for combat with mother nature. With their long surfboards in hand and thick wetsuits that covered them from head to toe, they were ready to ride those skyscrapers of water that I mentioned. From the safe outlook on the cliff, I watched them as they paddled out. Some were skilled enough to be able to ride down the massive faces of water without being consumed; others were a little less fortunate. One thing that every rider shared in common, however, was the passion and energy that these big waves brought to life in them. I was about nine years old at the time and had never seen anything like it.

Growing up as a kid, the ocean was always the epicenter of happiness for me. Whether it be riding waves or watching the lionhearted surfers willing to tackle the monstrous ones, it intrigued me. Throughout my childhood, I spent endless summers at the beach with friends and family, never remembering to put on enough sunblock which may be the reason why I have such a dark shade of tan on my skin.  Anyways, the most memorable part of going to the beach was learning how to surf waves. My dad had began to teach me at the age of six and from that point on it always seemed to be the reason why I returned to the ocean over and over again. There was a sense of thrill and satisfaction involved in it that you will never truly know unless you experience it. The ocean was always there for me as a child, and that is why it is so sentimental to me to this day.

Blog 2

Throughout my life I have surrounded myself with a variety of communities that I have adapted to and grew to know very well. One example of a group that I chose to situate myself with for most of my life was the soccer community. This social circle consisted of not only high competition but also biased politics. Believe me, I live for competition and striving to reach my highest potential, but the team that I was playing for did not solely revolve around who the best player was on the field. There were parents convincing coaches to give their sons more playing time, some players being favored over others just because they were in the organization longer, and many more inequitable elements of competitive soccer that were unavoidable no matter what team I joined. For those reasons, I made the decision to separate myself from that particular community. I believe a critical factor in the pursuit of happiness is change in life. Even though I had been playing for over ten years, I realized that it was no longer making me happy and that I needed to move on.

That brings me to the running community I decided to join. I had always had a passion for running, competing for my school and occasionally entering official meets; so I decided to start training every day and before I knew it I became a dedicated runner. This community suited me best because instead of relying on other people for recognition in soccer, I could rely solely on myself to work and reach my full potential. I noticed that I was happier in life with this decision and it also allowed me to focus more on my school studies due to the fact that I run through Sage Hill athletics.

The main point in this story of my transition in sports is to show that change can be a very good thing. Life is too short to surround yourself in a community in which you aren't enjoying yourself. Therefore I encourage all of you to take into consideration what you are doing in life and make the decision to either keep doing it because you love it, or take a risk and try something new.