One thing I have noticed since starting high school is that the high school expectations and realities depicted in movies and tv shows are almost never accurate. Starting out with peer pressure, the way its portrayed in movies is way more dramatic than what I’ve experienced and I think the views on it have switched up a lot. Never have I been anywhere where I’ve experienced someone forcefully being pressured to drink or do drugs which is almost always what we see in movies. On the other hand I feel like peer pressure is a lot more subtle in things like not trying in school or things like being rude to your parents to be funny.

Another thing we see in movies and tv shows is the carefree lives the kids live in. Most shows have a restaurant or hangout place the kids all go to and never seem like they have any homework. I wish that was a reality but I don’t think any highschool student casually has enough time to do things like that. One thing I do like about the altered reality of high school movies and shows are the moments when I can say “I feel like I’m in a movie right now”. I love the way life has certain moments like that that we’ll probably remember forever.

Over the course of the year I think we have learned a lot in our class and skills that will help us as we continue through high school. One thing I think I can do now that I couldn’t at the beginning of the year is making connections  with symbolism in writing. I think we progressively practiced this skill more and more as we moved through the year. During our poetry unit was when I think it really clicked for me and analyzing writing felt so natural. I was never able to pickup the message the author was trying to get across through analyzing and depicting symbols.

Another thing I’ve learned this year is my discussion skills. When we would analyze topics with our independent books, I became a lot better at making better connections and thinking on my feet. Learning to work with the information I know has helped in discussions as well. At the beginning of the year I think most people held back their ideas but at least for me, I feel like I have a lot more ideas that I can contribute. I think both of these skills will be very useful in my future classes.

Growing up in Louisiana my whole life, I sometimes step back and realize the things I’ve taken for granted and how magical it has been to grow up here. Unlike any other state really, Louisiana has its own style food and the most unique dishes you won’t find anywhere else. I never think about the fact that other kids didn’t grow up on crawfish boils and king-cake. One of my favorite comfort foods is my dads gumbo and my moms crawfish étouffée. Eating beignets in New Orleans was a staple of my childhood and I’m always there to shuck raw oysters for my dad. Thinking about it is add though, the fact that we have grown up with such a rich culture surrounding us and it just normal.

Another thing living so close to New Orleans and having things like Mardi Gras to celebrate that almost no other state does. I remember always being over the moon with excitement when my parents would tell us we were going to New Orleans for the day, night, or weekend.  Honestly I still get excited, but growing up even though it’s so close, going to New Orleans always felt like such and adventure. For me the most magical times in New Orleans are Christmas and Mardi Gras. I have the best memories of me and my sister shopping for “sister gifts” and stopping at our favorite bakery then having the best sleep in the hotel we were staying at. As for Mardi Gras, its always been so comforting. everyone is so carefree and joyous. Growing up on the Mississippi always made me feel at home and even Baton Rouge as Ive learned recently has it’s own unique and fun culture that most people overlook. I think that growing up in Louisiana has really shaped my personality and my experiences in life.

 

As I’ve read the book, “Run Rebel” I have noticed a lot about the thoughts and emotions the book has expressed. Run Rebel explores the thoughts and feelings of the main character Amber and how she faces troubles in her life. Amber puts on a strong face to her friends and classmates and pretends she is always content but in reality we know she is secretly living a terrible life. With her two friends, David and Tara, Amber doesn’t show much of her true emotions and we can see that when she thinks to herself how she wishes she could tell them whats going on at home but she thinks that she has to act like everything is okay. At home, Amber is a lot more timid and angry at the same time, through dealing with her strung out abusive father and the knowing her sister left. She wants to escape but she doesn’t know how, she is too scared to fight back.

We are able to see the true emotions of Amber while she conceals her feelings to her friends. She is her mothers companion and together they become more powerful throughout the book and eventually Amber’s mother learns to read and write a little English. Through everything, Amber proves time and time again that she is strong and she will make it through. She uses her running as an outlet and when she does run, she feels free and like she can do anything. One of the biggest struggles she faces is her dad not allowing her to compete in the track meets. He holds her back in everything she does in life and the one thing that helps her escape and feel free is also being taken away from her.