Reflective Essay

       Throughout the first semester I have written about lots of different things. Some posts that need improvements, and some that show who I really am. Blogging has helped me learn more about myself and others. It’s like a “diary” but I think of it as a way to communicate and get feedback from others. I even gave blogging a name I call it CARL Communicating and Reading Leisurely. I blog when I’m bored, or when something major happens to me. Blogging has really helped me get my ideas out and share the things on my mind.

       I think that reading posts from my classmate’s blogs has really given me a different perspective about everything around me. When I read some ones blog, I treat it as a book. A book in which there are morals to learn. My classmate’s blogs give me a different perspective on various subjects they write about. An example would be a response post to Rokhsor’s post about stealing.

Some people steal because they want to be cool. Stealing is an issue that lots of people face. Some people steal because of financial reasons, some steal to be cool. No matter the reason, stealing is not right and there will be consequences. Its called Karma, it will come back to you in the future.

 In her post she said, “Stealing is the biggest crime in the world”. After reading that, I knew more about how she felt about stealing. When I responded to this, I thought a lot about how other people responded to something bad that happens to them and how differently I would react if I was in their shoes. Every time I read a blog I get a little smarter, and every time I respond to a blog I make a connection to my own life. This was exemplified when I had an epiphany when reading Leon Liang’s blog about coming to ASTI. I made a connection when I read:

If I haven’t applied to ASTI and went to Encinal High School, I think I would still be that lazy procrastinator back in middle school, copying homework from friends or finishing homework during passing period.

I would have done the exact same thing myself. Reading my classmate’s blogs has helped me learn more about myself. Reading and responding to posts have helped me become a better reader, writer, thinker, and listener. It helps me become a better reader and writer because when I read blogs, I get ideas for my own blogs. Then when I’m writing my blog and get writers block I’ll remember something from the blog I just read and instantly get past it. It helps become a better thinker because when I reflect on a classmate’s blog I have to think critically to give them a decent response. I am learning to give better response posts and my thinking is getting stronger too. Responding to blogs has also helped me become a better listener too. When I read a blogs I listen to what the person has to say. I don’t just read through it, I can hear the person speaking as if he/she were talking to me.

Blogging to me is different from writing in class. First of all I get to write about anything I want. An example would be my love toward raspberries. If I wrote that in any other class I would probably get a D. I actually like blogging. I’ve never been good at writing, it’s always the subject that I struggle the most in. Having a blog really helps me practice writing. Blogging has really helped me write better and be more creative when I’m writing. Instead of a teacher handing a prompt to me and telling me to write what he/she wants I get to be my own boss and decide what I want to write. It gives me power, and it feels good. I never planned to write about emotions, but when I sat down and opened blogger I suddenly got an idea to write about emotions and how they affect people differently. Just thinking about blogging will sometimes give me ideas. Even right now I, as I am typing this, I have gotten about seven or eight new ideas from writing this blog. Sometimes, I think of blogging as a way to get away from all the drama and stress that’s infested in every single crack in the world. Blogging has changed the way I think because it gives me something to think about. When I read some ones blog, it stays in my head, I don’t forget about it very quick. It keeps my brain constantly thinking so that I don’t blank out. Blogging has also changed the way I look at things. When I read my classmate’s blogs I get to know what they think or feel about something. This way when I come across a disagreement I can look at it in different ways. I think that blogging has really helped me with the different perspectives of the things around me.

       When I blog I get most of my ideas from out of thin air and from activities that I’ve done or emotions I felt. Most of what I blog about just comes to me when I sit down. On occasion I have to think for about twenty seconds and then an idea will come, but it’s usually spontaneous. I also blog about how I feel and fun things that have happened to me. I blogged about how horrible I felt one day, and how fun movie night was. Things that are exciting and interesting to me inspire me to write. Everything I blog about has some significance. I’m not saying that everything I blog about is perfect and has no holes in it, but most of what I write tells something about me and even may teach a lesson. I also write because I want to help people. I blog so that maybe one day someone that’s really sad will read one of my blogs and cheer up or laugh a little. That is probably the thing that inspires me the most.

      Blogging has really helped me with a lot of things at ASTI so far in the first trimester. It has helped me become a better writer, thinker, and listener. It also has helped me look at things differently and affects my perspectives on things. During the next quarter my goals are to blog about things that will get more response from my classmates. By doing that I will be able to improve my writing skills and write about better subjects. Another goal for me is to not forgetting to add the academic vocabulary words into my blog. 

       

Response to Leon Liang

I found this post on Leon Liang's Blog

At first, everything was easy and the amount of homework was not much, but as the year progresses, each of the teachers taught more and things got harder to understand. The amount of homework also increased; the average homework ASTI underclassmen have to do each night is about five to six hours of homework. If I haven’t applied to ASTI and went to Encinal High School, I think I would still be that lazy procrastinator back in middle school, copying homework from friends or finishing homework during passing period.

      I agree with Leon, ASTI is pretty raw. In middle school, I barely payed attention, I spent about thirty minutes a day doing homework and the other four hours watching tv, hanging out, eating, and playing sports. During tests, it was so easy to cheat. I would never study. I still barely study, I look at the main terms and then I'm done. When I came to ASTI I set a goal for myself. I promised myself that I was going to get a 4.0 at least once. So far ASTI is not so challenging. I get home at around 6:30 and start me homework aroung 7. I usually finish around 9 or 10. I also do some of my homework at the library. If I went to Encinal I would be off task and my friends would be such a distraction. Everyday I would probally hang out with them and not do my homework. At ASTI I feel like I'm achually accomplishing something rather than being forced to do it. I was not forced to come here, I made a choice and this choice is going to change my life because I said so, and everything I say is right.
      My homework load so far is not that bad. I am very organized and manage my time wisely. My concentration level might need to be raised a little, but that is fairly easy to do. My academic knowledge is pretty diverse I still remember what I learned in 6th grade science and history so it is easier for me to take tests in Biology and History. ASTI is the best school I have ever been to. Yay go ASTI. I hope this is at least 350 words cause I am not going to check.

Response to Rockstar's post

   This is a quote from Rokhsor Yusufi's Blog. 

I hate thieves and people who are always in my business. When somebody leaves something around, it means, they lost or forgot it. For starters, no one has a right in hell to go through it or to examine it or whatever else people do. It should be put somewhere out of reach until someone claims it. However, stealing is a way worse situation. Why do people steal and try to hide behind lies? I have recently gone through a stealing incident and it literally put out my blood on fire. I felt myself heat up as if I was on a burning skillet.

      I totally agree with Rokhsor, stealing and lying about who stole whatever it was, is one of the worst things someone could do to you. Stealing is one of the three things I absolutely hate the most. One reason is because the object the the person stole might have sentimental value to you. It could be worth two dollars to someone else, while it's worth a million to you. Another reason is when you don't know someone stole something from you. It wastes a bunch of time because you would think that you'd misplaced it. You would probally spend countless hours searching for something that was stolen.
      Stealing is one of the worst things you could do to someone. I hate people who steal, and I would beat the crap out of the person if I had ever found out who it was. I sometimes will take things from people and ask them where their pen was or something, but I would give it back right away. I only do this to some of my friends just to play around, but if people are stealing for their own benefit, then that is something they should get their ass beat for. Mind your own business, and don't steal, cause I'm going  hunt you down and throw you in a garbage.
       Some people steal because they want to be cool. Stealing is an issue that lots of people face. Some people steal because of financial reasons, some steal to be cool. No matter the reason, stealing is not right and there will be consequences. Its called Karma, it will come back to you in the future. If you really want to steal, go get a job with the federal some thing investigators (FBI) they steal your info, money, and all sorts of other stuff without you knowing. Other than that you shouldn't steal. Ok? :)