Before I begin this final blog prompt, I must say that it has been an absolute pleasure reading your entries each week. I've been able to learn so much about each of you through this process, and I have a great amount of respect for the openness that many of you approached this assignment with every time. I saved this particular topic for last because I feel it's an appropriate question to ask anyone about to embark on a new journey. So, without further ado, here is your final blog topic:
Some things are important to us from a very early age and stay important all our lives. Other things are important to us for a while, then their importance fades.
What’s important to you at this time in your life? What has meaning in your life?
Something as complex as family relationships might be important; making and keeping friends might be important; activities at school or elsewhere might be important; how you’re doing in school and planning for your future might occupy you now—or, perhaps, a more eccentric and lovely thing like reading every word of a favorite book.
Why do you think these things are important—either to you or generally?
And for the final time, write about it.
Before I start to write my last blog for my 'Period 1 - Gina Cuiffo' section on Blogger, I have to say that this year's homeroom was the most fun homeroom I have had throughout my high school career. Although I walked in late borderline every day, with a coffee in hand and sleepys in my eyes, I was always happy to be greeted by a smiling face that always seemed to make me laugh and enjoy my mornings. This is the kind of thing that indirectly is the answer to my blog.
There are many things in life that can be considered important, but that is such a vague statement; what are the things that are truly important? These are the things that have serious meaning and value in life.
I think that one of the most important things right now in my life is finding people that can surround me with positive energy and good karma. When I spend an excess amount of time with people I am not that close with, I start realizing how truly special my closer friends are. I don’t always understand or approve of other people’s actions, so when I have to be around them it makes me feel out of my element. When I am with my best and closest friends, however, I am in my comfort zone and I know that my friends all like to do the same types of things as me.
One example of this feeling was this weekend. I spent Friday night and Saturday night in Wildwood, New Jersey. The whole time I was there, so was the rest of the Class of 2012, and of course some graduates and undergraduates. We all spent so much time together and had a lot of fun, but I did not always feel like I was in my comfort zone. Of course I know that certain people can have separate opinions and they will usually do what they want to do, but I just could not agree with the way some people presented themselves. It was important for me to try to be nice to everyone, but I did not hold back when people started to physically put me and my friends in danger. I know that my friends and I agree on what were the right actions to display this weekend, but putting people’s health in the way so that you can have fun is something that I do not agree with.
All in all, while I did have a fun time this weekend, I realized that my close friends are the people that I really want around me and in my life. I had the most fun when I was with only a few people just hanging out, instead of those moments when the whole class was together. I value people’s honesty, trust, and respect, and those are the qualities that I find to be necessary in a friendship. I learned a deeper lesson, that being that close, best friends are the ones that will pick you up when you fall and wipe your tears, so you should always keep them around long enough so that you have time to have some fun with them and make lifetime memories.
Monday, May 21, 2012
Monday, May 7, 2012
Blog 32 -What is Courage?
What is courage? Courage, by dictionary definition, is "the quality of mind or spirit that enables a person to face difficulty, danger, pain, etc., without fear; bravery." To have courage, you do not need to chase down a bank robber until he is caught; you do not need to shoot down an enemy place from a hideout on a mountaintop; you do not need to be an adult; you do not need to have a certain definition to be considered courageous. Courage can be holding the door open for a stranger. Courage can be a physically challenged person making their way down the street in a wheelchair. Courage can be going through a long day of work to provide for your family.
One huge example of courage to me is the firefighters that go into burning buildings. They go into those buildings completely selfless and with the intentions of saving innocent civilians, and they almost always come out having achieved their goals. Not only do they put their own wants and needs aside, but they risk their lives for strangers that they do not even know.
Another courageous field of work is police work. Every day they have the chance of getting shot at. They go out of their way to put their lives on the line, once again, for strangers.
However courageous these jobs are, you do not have to be a firefighter or a policeman to define courage. A lot of people in the spiraling economy have dead end jobs and are getting paid minimum wage. I can only imagine how hard it is to support a family with a low paycheck. The majority is suffering, and I think that all of them that can get through the days, cut down, and still maintain stability, and frankly, those people deserve some recognition.
Someone that I know personally that is courageous is my brother. My brother recently went through a tough break up with his girlfriend of six years. They had been through so much together, and as many times as he thought it could have been over, it was really over now. My brother and his then-girlfriend moved to Maryland about a year ago for my brothers job. Not only is it hard for him to keep up with the bills but he has to be away from his family, and he is making it by a thread. My parents try to help my brother out as much as they can, but my brother really doesn't like to take their help because he has enough pride to know that he can make it on his own. Now that they have broken up and she moved back with her family in New Jersey, my brother is completely alone and struggling. I am his little sister, and if it was up to me I would say that he should come home and live with us again. However, my brother's pride and courage are the two driving factors that tell him that he can make it and eventually he will be more than stable. He is courageous to me because he is in such a hard situation and he has gone through it gracefully and he never complains or tries to make anyone pity him. He is truly courageous to me.
One huge example of courage to me is the firefighters that go into burning buildings. They go into those buildings completely selfless and with the intentions of saving innocent civilians, and they almost always come out having achieved their goals. Not only do they put their own wants and needs aside, but they risk their lives for strangers that they do not even know.
Another courageous field of work is police work. Every day they have the chance of getting shot at. They go out of their way to put their lives on the line, once again, for strangers.
However courageous these jobs are, you do not have to be a firefighter or a policeman to define courage. A lot of people in the spiraling economy have dead end jobs and are getting paid minimum wage. I can only imagine how hard it is to support a family with a low paycheck. The majority is suffering, and I think that all of them that can get through the days, cut down, and still maintain stability, and frankly, those people deserve some recognition.
Someone that I know personally that is courageous is my brother. My brother recently went through a tough break up with his girlfriend of six years. They had been through so much together, and as many times as he thought it could have been over, it was really over now. My brother and his then-girlfriend moved to Maryland about a year ago for my brothers job. Not only is it hard for him to keep up with the bills but he has to be away from his family, and he is making it by a thread. My parents try to help my brother out as much as they can, but my brother really doesn't like to take their help because he has enough pride to know that he can make it on his own. Now that they have broken up and she moved back with her family in New Jersey, my brother is completely alone and struggling. I am his little sister, and if it was up to me I would say that he should come home and live with us again. However, my brother's pride and courage are the two driving factors that tell him that he can make it and eventually he will be more than stable. He is courageous to me because he is in such a hard situation and he has gone through it gracefully and he never complains or tries to make anyone pity him. He is truly courageous to me.
Tuesday, May 1, 2012
Blog 31 - Bad Kid (Wild Card)
Lately, I’ve been a bad kid. Not according to me, but according to my parents. Not only is it frustrating that they think this way, but it starts a lot of fights between my mother and I. If my parents looked at the big picture, they would realize that they have a daughter who is involved with National Honor Society, sports, clubs and extracurricular activities, honors classes, and more. I have two jobs. I spend my weekends with my friends. I have never been arrested or even suspended, and I had a lunch detention one time in eighth grade.
If you compare me with half my class, you’d see a good kid. But to my parents, I am a ‘troublemaker.’ I hate these types of accusations. I don’t do anything extremely bad that would ever make my parents disappointed. Sometimes I do go out and have fun, but I am always safe and I always let them know what I am doing at all times. It insults me that my parents ask me if I was drinking when I come home late, because I was just hanging out and all of a sudden it turns into me going to a party and getting wasted. My parents did not give me an answer about going to Wildwood after prom for the longest time, mainly because they thought I would be drunk the whole time I’m there. That is not the type of person that I am. I can go out with my class and have a good time without having a drink.
I can’t stand it when people think that the only way to have a good time is to go drinking alcohol, making fools out of themselves, and tweeting about the rest of the weekend. People that do that kind of stuff are going to get a rude awakening in college (I am predicting that they will go to college, get wasted the first few weeks straight, start failing, and then realize that they need to cut down on the bull and hit the books.).
If only there was some way that I could let my parents know that my future is filled with big plans, I would let them know that I don’t plan on ruining that. Life is more than just high school, and my parents need to realize that I am getting by just fine. I have a good balance over school work and play time. If my homework isn’t finished, I am not allowed out. That is a rule that I actually enjoy. I know that if I procrastinate my work won’t get done.
I keep up with most of my work, so if I want to take off a day of school to sleep, my parents should reward me for being so awesome every other day of school! It is hard to relay this type of message to them, so instead I’ll continue to hear the lectures about being a good student and I will keep it in the back of my head that they will (hopefully) realize soon that I am a good kid.
If you compare me with half my class, you’d see a good kid. But to my parents, I am a ‘troublemaker.’ I hate these types of accusations. I don’t do anything extremely bad that would ever make my parents disappointed. Sometimes I do go out and have fun, but I am always safe and I always let them know what I am doing at all times. It insults me that my parents ask me if I was drinking when I come home late, because I was just hanging out and all of a sudden it turns into me going to a party and getting wasted. My parents did not give me an answer about going to Wildwood after prom for the longest time, mainly because they thought I would be drunk the whole time I’m there. That is not the type of person that I am. I can go out with my class and have a good time without having a drink.
I can’t stand it when people think that the only way to have a good time is to go drinking alcohol, making fools out of themselves, and tweeting about the rest of the weekend. People that do that kind of stuff are going to get a rude awakening in college (I am predicting that they will go to college, get wasted the first few weeks straight, start failing, and then realize that they need to cut down on the bull and hit the books.).
If only there was some way that I could let my parents know that my future is filled with big plans, I would let them know that I don’t plan on ruining that. Life is more than just high school, and my parents need to realize that I am getting by just fine. I have a good balance over school work and play time. If my homework isn’t finished, I am not allowed out. That is a rule that I actually enjoy. I know that if I procrastinate my work won’t get done.
I keep up with most of my work, so if I want to take off a day of school to sleep, my parents should reward me for being so awesome every other day of school! It is hard to relay this type of message to them, so instead I’ll continue to hear the lectures about being a good student and I will keep it in the back of my head that they will (hopefully) realize soon that I am a good kid.
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