Alicia-15

Children have such short attention spans. A girl I babysit, Olivia, is sweet, vibrant, and organized, but she can't focus on one thing for more than a couple of minutes. I've experienced this with other young children too. They'll get bored halfway through and game or a show or dinner. I have to assume part of it normal for their developmental stage, but if it is partly caused by the constant stimulus provided by kids toys and shows, then that concerns me. Not that I think children shouldn't have access to computers and the internet, but the negative side effects are apparent, and not just in children. These are problems that will have to be addressed and worked through.

Alicia-14

Like Willy said, anyone can be tired. Even if you don't work 80 hours a week or take care or your younger siblings by yourself. Even if you aren't an only parent struggling financially, you can still be tired. I'm tired already, and I'm only 16. Preparing for the SATs and looking at colleges is stressful, and I feel guilty for my frustration because it seems so trivial in comparison to what other people have to deal with. My frustration is real, though. All emotions and feeling are relative, and all I have to go on is my own experiences. I've read countless books about World War II and poverty, but, as close as it comes, the words can't make those experiences real to me. It's not the same when I'm reading those books on my futon, never having to worry about my safety or having food to eat.

Alicia-13

For a biology project, I'm researching Zmapp, which is a drug that was created to fight Ebola. It annoys me that the two Americans that contracted Ebola were given the experimental treatment but not the thousands of people in West Africa begging for it. The whole concept of changing an organism's genome, which allowed for this drug to be created, is still a relatively new and expensive process that is done in labs with high tech equipment, but it freaks me out. It creates so many amazing yet terrifying possibilities, and thinking that it might evolve to become more common and even a way to cure disease-while amazing-absolutely petrifies me!

Alicia-12

My dog has a love hate relationship with the vet. One on hand, they're scary and give her shots, but she also gets treats when she goes. I was thinking that taking a dog to the vet must be similar to taking a young child to the doctor's. The child will most likely be scared and try to hide behind you (Cleo, my dog, did that to me). The child will also be given treats (like lollipops or stickers) to help them calm down, like how Cleo was given dog treats. All you want to do is comfort the child, but it's hard to make them understand why the shots are necessary, especially with really young children who haven't learned how to talk. This is similar to how you have no way of explaining to a dog what is happening and why they're getting hurt/looked at. It's just one of those things you have to do for their own good, even if they don't like it.

Julia-Week 12

My sister and I got our Christmas shopping done this weekend and I had a lot of fun spending time with her. Despite our busy schedules, I’m happy that we got the chance to hang out and forget about our stress from school for a little while.

Jennifer - Week 12

We've been learning about the 1920s in history class, and it made me think about how much cheaper everything was back then. If we went back in time now and took all the money we had, we'd be rich. Even if it's not rich by today's standards, in the 1920s we could probably buy anything. It would be cool to write about someone who could go back in time just to buy a bunch of stuff for really low prices. I don't know where the story would go from there, but I think the idea is interesting.

Audrey Week 11

I love snow, even if I have to shovel it. When it was snowing, I realized I can only really see the snow falling when it was in front of the dark trees. As an artist that contrast was very cool, but as a writing student I thought it might be symbolic. Something more interesting than that “you need darkness to see the light” crap, though.

Skye- Week 12

I'm so stressed about hearing back from colleges. Apparently they are supposed to come any day now but I haven't gotten any emails back. HELP!!!!

Elaina - 11

I was at the mall today and I saw a life sized Sfen from Frozen. I loved it so much so I picked him up and carried him around the store with me, ready to buy him. I then realized he was $100, so I decided to put him down and say goodbye. Now, ever since I left him there I have gone to target and he is EVERYWHERE I turn. I will walk down an isle and he will be in the middle of the isle. Or ill turn into an empty isle then turn around and he will be there. A haunted Sfen is after me.

Skye- Week 11

Yesterday I felt very productive. I slept in late and then I went to the gym. After I went to mall and got a fun pair of jeans.

Bri- week 12

I went to the Holiday Bazaar this Saturday and I sang carols with others in my choir. I have always known how much I love to sing and bring joy to others, but there was a little girl that was watching in a stroller when I first got there, that really brought warmth to my heart. She was looking at the little group of us choir kids, on the stairs, and had a cute little smile on her face during every song. And, without fail, at the end of each song, she would clap her little hands and looked happy. I really loved seeing that look on her face and it’s one of the reasons I love to make music.

Grace - Week 12

I am so incredibly stressed by all of the little things I have to do and have yet to get done. I am trying so hard not to wish this part of my life away and I know people keep warning me of that but I really can’t help it.

Claire Shea – Week 12

There's a line I have to cross in order to tell my story, but I might be too attached to my character to do it. I think I care too much to put him through this, but the implications are so clear, so natural, and so painful that I don't see any other option. Sometimes, I'll need to make the sacrifice.

Grace - Week 11

I really need to stop wishing away every day, every block, every minute of the school day. Soon I’m going to be wanting just one more day, one more block, one more minute in this school. I don’t really know how to change my mindset though. Maybe I’ll forever have this continued dread for the rest of my life and measure this life in time. The thought just depresses me.

Ryan week 12:

It becomes so much more difficult to get work done when you recognize it doesn't have any real implications anymore. I wonder what it would be like to be in a situation where it is always like that.

Claire Shea – Week 11

Everything gets washed out, bleached with time. I think the hardest step is to stop trying to prolong the color. But it seems impossible to move on and forget, especially when the moment is so vivid now.

Elaina - 12

I got into college over the weekend!! It's so exciting hearing back from schools because this whole process has been so long and stressful and getting acceptances is so validating.

Nolan 12

I want to write a poem about a guy who always does things to help others and never thinks about himself.

Week 12-Shawn

I do quite want to write a poem or story that insults the reader for looking into it too much

Annika- Week 12

Gym class is such an interesting concept. It works in theory, every child gets the amount of exercise they should be getting. But why do they try to make it be like a normal class. They make us do slideshows about our activities and that’s not what gym class is about, it’s about getting exercise. And a weeks ago in gym we had to walk up three flights of stairs with a plastic straw in our mouths to get our hearts racing and if you’re such a bad a gym teacher that you have to make kids put straws in their mouths to lose their breath then there’s a problem.

Week 10 and 11

Week 10
Thanksgiving is so good except for the part that you have to eat turkey for some reason I don’t like turkey but I do like chicken. I just like the idea of thanksgiving and fall time and apple pie an pumpkin spice.

Week 11
Every year my family has an elf themed Christmas party where everyone where’s there Christmas pajamas and we watch elf with all our family and friends and it is so much fun and it’s what makes me in the Christmas spirit

Julia-Week 11

The fact that we only have 2 more weeks until Christmas break is crazy to me. I feel like the school year is going by really fast and midterms are going to be coming up before we know it. Between midterms and SATs everything is starting to get really stressful.

Teagan 11

A million moments make up an entire life.  One, miniscule, insignificant second is a fraction of our lives, which amount to something great.  By this logic, our lives consist of unimportant moments, and equal something important. How is this possible?  How can a life so long and fulfilling be made of such negligible things? It doesn’t really make sense to me, this logic, and I don’t know who can explain it to me. 

Paige Week 11

I work at the front desk of a hair salon, and i'm the youngest employee at my work by a fair amount. All the other women I work with are in their 40's or 50's, and It's awesome. The stories I have heard from customers talking while getting their hair done is incredible. A good example would be Kip, one of the stylists. For context she is married to a man named Jerome (who's hilarious). For more context she has a thick asian accent. One time I offered her some chocolate to which she replied "Oh no thank you sweetie the only chocolate I like Is my Jerome". I almost choked on the chocolate it was 3:30 in the afternoon and I was not ready for that comedic gold. Another Stylist, Holly (also has a thick asian accent), always calls everyone "Honey" and loves to talk about fashion and deals at stores or online. A quote from her while talking about hair/ eyelash extensions is "[People] can say that [the hair/ eyelashes/nails] are not mine, but they mine cause I bought them". Such wisdom. Anyways I love the people I work with and feel like thats very important in a workplace. (Sorry bout the paragraph)

Jennifer - Week 11

Children seem to have their own language. They talk to each other one way and to anyone older another. They don't talk completely differently to me, probably because I'm not an adult, but the way they talk shifts a little bit. Sometimes it makes me feel a little out of the loop. I speak differently to my friends than to people older than me, but I realized I can't connect to little kids quite the same way they connect with each other or the way I connect with my friends.

Bella Week 11

You know, I love the smell of trees. Okay, I realize that sounds a little weird but I promise I’m not crazy. There’s just something about the smell of an Evergreen- for example’s sake- that is calming. If I close my eyes, I feel like I’m in a forest, the dirt beneath me, little grass blades poking up at my ankles. And suddenly, it’s as though my surroundings disappear, the birds in my backyard turn into chirping beauties, their songs simply another part of the wonder that is nature and I’m transported to a place not too far and yet far at the same time. That’s part of the reason why I love the holidays because when I’m alone at home and I walk past the Christmas tree, it’s like I’m no longer alone.

Annika- Week 11

Mary Poppins is a really long movie. I wonder how much Disney added and/or took away from P.L. Travers’ original novel. If I ever write something iconic enough to become a movie I don’t think I would appreciate them taking away my ideas. Especially if a scene they added became an iconic scene in that film or what the movie became known for.

Reddington Week 10

OKAY, so basically I'm gonna sue Market Basket here's the situa. I was cashiering when, this wrinkly old bald, california raisin lookin manager came up to me and said hey listen your hair is too long you need to get it cut, haven't I told you to get it cut already. Which um no I had never seen this means before what is this total dried prune of a man in my life, so I basically laughed him off. Then again a week later he comes up and calls me a disrespectful punk. So I'm like bro listen I was hired with my hair this long why do I need to get it cut it. I am not gonna get a haircut for a minimum wage teenage job no way. Even my managers my work dads Edwin, and Tim love my hair they don't give a poop that it goes past my collar. But this old hairless cat looking man can come on over and say you need to get it cut. That ain't happenin. I'm balding anyway so it shouldn't take much longer. That's my rant, and why I will be suing Market Basket.

Reddington Week 9

Okay so its been a week and as I expected all I have been doing is playing pokemon which tbh its the life. Its been a week and I've sunk in 50 hours. And it has all been spent trying to 100% complete the game, sadly I know I will give up before I actually can. I've only ever beat one game 100% and that was Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening, I had a weekend at my family beach house y'all already know that I ain't about to be at the beach. I can be at the beach in the game so it's basically the same. I have sunk probably one third of my life into gamin (very sad don't need to tell me), which considering we spend another third sleeping... As one may imagine my grades might suffer because of this life style but ya know what. Well okay I don't know what. BUT I could probably beat anyone in the whole school at Pokemon so ya know what if that ain't worth it I don't know what is.

Week X

Time isn’t tangible, that’s why we put it in a clock

Bri- week 8

Throughout my childhood, I always loved fall the most. Not only is my birthday during the season, but Halloween and Thanksgiving too. I have always loved the crisp weather and just the tradition of apple picking with family. I don’t think I’ll ever hate fall. How can anyone? You get to dress warm in sweaters and sweatshirts and drink hot cider and have pumpkin pie.

Journal 8

I would love to write a play about Waitress’ gossiping

Journal 9

The Largest ship will sink because of the smallest hole

Shawn 8 9 and 10

A world where you are able to say whatever you want to a customer in a customer service job

A poem about the grim reaper in the shape of a sythe. He's not that bad a guy :(

What did mike Tyson say to the drug addict who punched him in the face You methed up

Reddington 8

Pokemon Sword and Shield released today, you know what that means time to drop my entire life so I can grind out this game. I think I may have a problem with all that as whenever something new comes out I basically devote my life to it for the foreseeable future, not the play tbh. But nonetheless It's pretty sick tbh. I've gotten into competitive gaming (I know I'm cool). I was masters in overwatch, not cool anymore but believe me back in 2016 that was a huge flex. I've dabbled in other games siege is a game I wish I was good at as I actually enjoy it which is not a normal thing in gaming, at least with me I play a game and despise it for the rest of my time playing it but as they say, It's a grind out here.

Paige Week 10

I love the first snow of the season. There's a certain serenity in how the soft white blankets the world outside. Before it's stepped on and everything is just smooth it looks so peaceful. A little bit barren/ eerie, but mostly peaceful. I saw a few flurries tonight at work and it spoke to a childlike excitement. I hope the first snow of the season comes soon. Or at least before Christmas.

Paige Week 9

Iv'e had the worst writers block lately. I'll have a potential idea, but as i'm writing it the structure of the story will begin to crumble. It's so incredibly frustrating because I can imagine scenes in my head, but lately I just can't put it into words. Idk if i'm sidetracked with college admissions or work or what the case is. I just want to be able to write again hopefully soon.

Ryan- week 11

What happens when you’re stuck in a job you no longer have any passion for. Does it always eventually end it quitting or termination? If not, why would you continue with it?

Audrey - Week 10

I hate feeling regret. Regret that I didn’t have enough fun these past three years of high school, regret that I didn’t use every school break as wisely as possible, regret that I spent 10 hours on Netflix last weekend. The only way to fix that feeling of regret is to make sure you don’t keep doing what you regret.

Bri- week 10

I have always loved musicals, but recently my love for them has only grown. I listen to the soundtracks from them all the time and, even though I’m not good at acting, I remember the feeling of wanting to be in a musical. It feels nice to remember that dream.

Ryan- week 10

If you could learn everything you came across would you be the most knowledgable or would you never really retain anything?

Audrey S - Week 9

I got henna done from a friend, and it made me think about how culture plays into characters. We focused our APLit class for a while on the culture of authors and how that influences the culture of characters. Developing characters of different backgrounds would be a great opportunity to learn about other cultures, and to think about how they interact.

Bri- week 9

Recently I noticed that every time someone mentions graduation or leaving, I begin to tear up because I really don’t like goodbyes and I’m gonna miss everyone that I have grown close to. I know growing up is a part of life, but I wish I could do so and stay with my friends forever.

Paige Week 8

I want to write a story following a ballerina. It would be challenging to describe the movements at times, but I would wanna use the dancing to help set the tone. I would want the characters' life to begin to mirror the life of her part she is playing as she becomes more immersed in the role. I just think it could be a really cool project.

Ryan- week 9

Do those who excel earliest always eventually fade out and back into the field because it seems as though all people at the top weren’t always there.

Ryan- week 8

I seem to have an extra gear that can only be accessed when I know it is needed. I wonder what I could accomplish if I could stay in this gear.

Elaina - 8

My parents sometimes treat me as if I'm much younger than a senior in high school. it motivates me to prove myself in ways I wouldn't have thought of doing.