Yes, the video 2 Million Minutes was biased; I agree with that. It made Americans look like all we do is focus on social lives and fun, which is not completely true. Maybe we don't sacrifice all of our time to school and studying, but so what? We have opportunities that other kids are not fortunate enough to have. I distribute my time between school, an average amount of homework, working 15 hours a week, dance practice for another 15 hours, spanish club, student council, and a social life. No I don't have a 4.0 GPA, and that's all right with me. Instead of working myself to the bone spending endless nights awake doing schoolwork, I, as well as most of my peers, have many other activities we are involved in. Maybe the U.S. doesn't score the highest in math or science, but I believe that this will create well-rounded people with a range of skills and capabilities.
I noticed that I rarely saw the Chinese students crack a smile, yet the Americans seemed more upbeat during their interviews. This could be because the US scored highest in "self-confidence", but still, when you stretch yourself so thin, how could you be truly happy with life?
I felt like though the movie was biased, it spoke some truth. Only 40% of American students are taking science courses more advanced that general biology- this is concerning. We don't need to completely copy the curriculum of India or China, but it might be a good idea to re-vamp our own in order to make it more challenging and efficient.
Monday, November 15, 2010
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
Friendship!
(Description) It was an unusually warm summer day, with the sun shining bright and not a breeze in the humid air. Herds of people occupied the small water fountain hoping to catch a break from the sun's beaming rays, but two little girls sitting under an oak tree were playing quietly alone. One of the girls had brought a small satchel filled with snacks, the other came empty-handed. The one with the pack opened it up, revealing a single chilled juice box and fresh cookie. Retrieving it from its bag, the girl gazed at it with a puzzled expression. One cookie and two girls; she was in quite the predicament. With a heavy sigh, she handed the delicious cookie over to her friend who jumped up with enthusiasm at the sight of it. She was a little disappointed that she couldn't eat the cookie herself, but knew that her friend would be delighted for the gift. After their brief snack, the girls skipped off into the depths of the jungle gym.
(process analysis) Making friends is not an instantaneous action. It involves many steps, as well as time to blossom. First of all, you must meet this future friend of yours. After, you talk with them about things you have in common. This can help creat a sort of bond between the two. The next step is spending your free time with this person; maybe it is inviting them to a movie, or simply hanging out at home. After spending time with this person and getting to know them on a more personal level, some friendships may have the potential to go farther, whether it is moving on to best friends or something romantic, such as a boyfriend or girlfriend. Whatever the case may be, becoming friends takes time to grow and develop into something great.
(classification) When most people think of friends, they think of going to the mall and shooting hoops together. It is much more than just this. Being friends with someone is a closeness that cannot be correctly described, only experienced. You want to shoot hoops and go to the mall with them, yes, but there are no awkward silences between you two. The conversation flows, never comes to a halt, and feels like you never run out of things to say to them. One cannot exactly describe or witness friendship, because it is best when felt.
(argument/persuasion) This is extremely cliché, but take a moment to walk in someone else’s shoes. I know this is easier said than it is done, but it helps. This gives you the opportunity to view life through someone else’s eyes and see what they see, feel what they feel. It can make you aware of things going on around you that you had no idea about. Doing this helps you see the things your friend goes through, giving you the opportunity to empathize with them or help them if they need. Visualizing life through a different set of eyes (not literally) can widen your views to situations that had never crossed your mind before.
(definition) According to TheFreeDictionary, a friend is: “a person whom someone knows, or an acquaintance.” In my opinion, this is an awful description. There are people that I know who I do not consider to be my friend, so I believe the first description is false. For the second one, I do not think an acquaintance is a friend. Yes, it is one of the beginning stages of friendship, but an acquaintance is someone who you would wave to if you saw them at the grocery store. A friend is more than that. They are the people who you wish to spend most of your free time with and share your secrets with, not just wave to at the store. There is no one correct description for a friend, but this online dictionary is certainly not even close.
(cause and effect) Friendship is the body and mind connecting with another human. It is caused by a multitude of experiences and time spent together. You first meet someone, but don’t instantly know they will be your friend one day. After getting to know one another and finding joy in each other’s presence, only then you will realize that you have a new friend. It is the result of chemicals being released in the brain, subconsciously telling you that since you like this person, keep them around!
(narration) I still remember the day I met my best friend. It all began six years ago at The Bookcase in Wayzata for a Harry Potter party. Yes, a Harry Potter party; complete with Hogwarts games and Bertie Botts Every Flavor Beans. I remember seeing Sophie for the first time in the arts section, where we were making our own wands. Maybe it was the gold glittered wand she was crafting, or maybe it was her fiery red hair that stood out to me. Either way, we bonded over our love for Harry Potter and cats. Since we went to different elementary schools, our frienship only lasted throughout the night. However, on the first day of school a year later, I walked into my homeroom to see her smiling face once again. Thinking she had long since forgotten me, I did not approach her during class, but as luck would have it, we were paired together for an activity. It was inevitable; I could not get around this one, she I nonchalantly asked: "So... ever been to a Harry Potter party?" She replied: "Yeah, I have. And so have you." Sophie remembered me. Victory! Since that day, our friendship has grown and I always remember that you can find a friend anywhere, even in the most unexpected places; such as a party for book nerds like me.
(example) Friends are always there for you. They are there to be your shoulder to cry on after a breakup, or listen to you vent about a frustrating event, or congratulate you on a job well done after winning a game. They will never judge you when you do something completely ridiculous, and always hold you up when you are weak. "Friends are the most important ingredient in the recipe of life", and without them, who knows where we would be.
(compare/contrast) Deciphering between friend and enemy is simple. Though you may be neither, you can never be both. A friend is someone who you want to spend time with, go on vacation with, and share your secrets with. You find satisfaction in their victories as well as your own, and feel their pain along with them. On the other hand, an enemy is someone you can hardly be in the same room with without getting frustrated. Sometimes, even making pretend-friendly conversation can be a laborious task if talking to an enemy. An enemy is someone that you are forced to work and deal with, and a friend is someone who you can vent to about your enemies.
(process analysis) Making friends is not an instantaneous action. It involves many steps, as well as time to blossom. First of all, you must meet this future friend of yours. After, you talk with them about things you have in common. This can help creat a sort of bond between the two. The next step is spending your free time with this person; maybe it is inviting them to a movie, or simply hanging out at home. After spending time with this person and getting to know them on a more personal level, some friendships may have the potential to go farther, whether it is moving on to best friends or something romantic, such as a boyfriend or girlfriend. Whatever the case may be, becoming friends takes time to grow and develop into something great.
(classification) When most people think of friends, they think of going to the mall and shooting hoops together. It is much more than just this. Being friends with someone is a closeness that cannot be correctly described, only experienced. You want to shoot hoops and go to the mall with them, yes, but there are no awkward silences between you two. The conversation flows, never comes to a halt, and feels like you never run out of things to say to them. One cannot exactly describe or witness friendship, because it is best when felt.
(argument/persuasion) This is extremely cliché, but take a moment to walk in someone else’s shoes. I know this is easier said than it is done, but it helps. This gives you the opportunity to view life through someone else’s eyes and see what they see, feel what they feel. It can make you aware of things going on around you that you had no idea about. Doing this helps you see the things your friend goes through, giving you the opportunity to empathize with them or help them if they need. Visualizing life through a different set of eyes (not literally) can widen your views to situations that had never crossed your mind before.
(definition) According to TheFreeDictionary, a friend is: “a person whom someone knows, or an acquaintance.” In my opinion, this is an awful description. There are people that I know who I do not consider to be my friend, so I believe the first description is false. For the second one, I do not think an acquaintance is a friend. Yes, it is one of the beginning stages of friendship, but an acquaintance is someone who you would wave to if you saw them at the grocery store. A friend is more than that. They are the people who you wish to spend most of your free time with and share your secrets with, not just wave to at the store. There is no one correct description for a friend, but this online dictionary is certainly not even close.
(cause and effect) Friendship is the body and mind connecting with another human. It is caused by a multitude of experiences and time spent together. You first meet someone, but don’t instantly know they will be your friend one day. After getting to know one another and finding joy in each other’s presence, only then you will realize that you have a new friend. It is the result of chemicals being released in the brain, subconsciously telling you that since you like this person, keep them around!
(narration) I still remember the day I met my best friend. It all began six years ago at The Bookcase in Wayzata for a Harry Potter party. Yes, a Harry Potter party; complete with Hogwarts games and Bertie Botts Every Flavor Beans. I remember seeing Sophie for the first time in the arts section, where we were making our own wands. Maybe it was the gold glittered wand she was crafting, or maybe it was her fiery red hair that stood out to me. Either way, we bonded over our love for Harry Potter and cats. Since we went to different elementary schools, our frienship only lasted throughout the night. However, on the first day of school a year later, I walked into my homeroom to see her smiling face once again. Thinking she had long since forgotten me, I did not approach her during class, but as luck would have it, we were paired together for an activity. It was inevitable; I could not get around this one, she I nonchalantly asked: "So... ever been to a Harry Potter party?" She replied: "Yeah, I have. And so have you." Sophie remembered me. Victory! Since that day, our friendship has grown and I always remember that you can find a friend anywhere, even in the most unexpected places; such as a party for book nerds like me.
(process of analysis) Friendship can become complicated if you make it that way. It can be full of unnecessary drama or fights about irrelevant things. This usually only occurs when the two people are not prepared for the “journey of friendship”. It could be because one or the other is emotionally unstable or has difficulty opening up, therefore making it hard to share thoughts, feelings, and interests with someone. If one cannot trust another, how can one expect someone to trust them? On the other hand, friendship doesn’t always have to be difficult. In fact, many times it can be very simple. Person #1 meets person #2, they spend time together and enjoy each other’s presence, and they can trust and be open with one another. Don’t make it hard on yourself, friendship shouldn’t be difficult.
(example) Friends are always there for you. They are there to be your shoulder to cry on after a breakup, or listen to you vent about a frustrating event, or congratulate you on a job well done after winning a game. They will never judge you when you do something completely ridiculous, and always hold you up when you are weak. "Friends are the most important ingredient in the recipe of life", and without them, who knows where we would be.
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