Final Blog

I think now that we only have one week and three days left is so exciting! We all worked so hard to get here and accomplished so much. This was my first college semester and it has been quite a ride. I got to figure out how much work is actually put in and how much you should be putting in to be passing or to understand the material. I had no clue how this would have went so I learned a lot about college courses. When I decided to go Post Secondary, I didn't know how I was going to handle it all, and I certainly didn't know what to expect from the teachers, other students, and the homework. I wanted to go Post Secondary mostly because I wanted to get away from high school. Lately, high school has just not been my thing. I am so glad I got this opprotunity and got to experience a little of the college life before I go off and be a complete college kid with a high school diploma.

Now that this semester is almost over, I got to register for next semester's classes. I like these Post Secondary classes so much I decided I'm going to do it once more before I graduate. Next fall I'll be taking three classes with RCTC. I've been trying to take the classes that will be basic credits to get out of the way once I go onto get my Associate's Degree. I change my mind all the time about what I want to do once I get to college, and recently I changed it again. I hope to have my own photography business. I've been taking pictures and editing them on my own time for years, and I get positive feedback from friends and family. I've also won a few photography contests.

I've been to a few college visits, and one that stood out to me was the Dakota County Technical College, and if I were to go there I would go for my Associate's in Photography. I've also been to Ridgewater College, but at the moment I have my mind set on DCTC. They were all so kind when I was there for the visit and showed us everything that I would be seeing as a student there in that particular program. I'm scared yet terrified for my future. I wonder how I will survive once I move out and start my life without Mom and Dad, but hopefully they will always be there to help me when I need them.

The Choice of College

I don't like to consider myself a college student just yet since I am only Post Secondary. I see how full time college student struggle and have a harder time than I do. Choosing to go to college is a big decision to make. I know people who have tried college, and failed, but are okay with that since they can still find good work for themselves. I don't think it's something everyone has to do, as long as they have an idea of what they plan on doing later on in their future.

Choosing to go Post Secondary was easy for me. A few of my classmates have been going, and they said how much better it is than high school. The first part of my Junior year was not that great. High school is overwhelming with unnecesary drama. It can get annoying to those who don't want to get involved, and thought Post Secondary would be my way out of it.

I applied at RCTC after all the paperwork at the high school was done, and was excepted. I found out that I was going to go PSEO and was so happy. When I went through all of the paperwork and the STAR session, I got to register for my first ever college classes. It was so exciting. I feel this is my way out of the high school drama and being with people who are less mature than they should be.

Body Tattoos and Piercings

I decided to do my research essay on body tattoos and piercings. It seems most people are quite afraid of people who have tattoos on harmful places or one too many piercings. I think there's a lot of judgement when it comes to this, so I am trying to find out what it is about tattoos and piercings that make people scared of them. I know when I see someone with big gauges in their nose, I get a little creeped out, but that's about it. I think if people have tattoos covering their arms and some on their neck, it seems painful, but it doesn't give us the right to judge their lives and who they are as a person.

I can be a judgemental person at times, but yet I hate when people judge someone by how they look. If someone has a crazy looking tattoo or a gauge in their nose, it doesn't mean that they've had a hard life, or that they are rebellious and are depressed people who are crying out for help. I think people who have tattoos and piercings, get them for a reason. In my community, people will get tattoos when someone they love passes away in memory of them. So when I see someone with a lot of tattoos, I just think they have some stories they have had in their life to tell, and not for us to just look at and judge them.

For my writing process with this essay, I'm focusing more on articles that people write about how they are judged on how people see them. I would like to read a lot more articles written by people with tattoos and piercings to understand their point of view. I hope to find more results on how people react with strangers who have piercings and tattoos, and how many people get tattoos or piercings. It seems they are more popular now-a-days so it's hard to think people judge people who have them even though many people get them.

Logical Fallacies

The biggest Logical Fallacies to me are the infomercials and television advertisements. I think the commercials for shampoos, make up products, and other beauty products are over exaggerated. When you see a commercial for shampoo and you see a woman very happy having the time of her life using that shampoo, you want to buy it because you think that'll be you in her place if you get it. Well, once I get it and use it, I'm not feeling like a supermodel having a great day, it feels like I'm taking a shower. Along with shampoo, make up commercials use celebritites a lot, so people want to look or be like that celebrity so they buy the make up, but they can't put it on like they do. I know when I go shopping for make up, I get the best stuff that celebirites advertise, but when I get home I don't have a make up artist to look like the celebrities do. So here I am with this top of the market brand make up, but am took scared to try and use it because I don't know how to apply it as well as the make up artists do in Hollywood that make the celebrities the way they do.

Another one that gets me worked up are the diet pills. They say at the end that you're probably not going to get the results you expected, and they say that you have to diet and exercise while taking the pills. I think if people are smart enough to see that, they won't waste their money, because they can lose weight without them if they dieted and exercised alone. They get skinny people to say how wonderful it is and show off their bodies and say they lost over 100 pounds with it, but they also had to exercise and diet along with taking the pills.

Medical Testing on inmates

While searching for topics, I found one that stood out a little more than the rest. I think medical testing on inmates who are on death row is absurd. It said it'd be better than doing the testing on animals. I don't think animals should be medically tested on in the first place, unless it has potential to help the animal. I think that the inmates that are on death row, are all ready waiting for their death and that they've been through enough and their day will come to pay for what they did. The prisons and jails have changed so much between today and in the past. They used to torture and would treat the inmates like animals because of what they did. I think it's a good thing that they are in prison and paying the price for their crime, but it doesn't give the right to torture the inmates and treat them like they're not human.

A big reason on how I feel this way about it is because I'm the kind of person who feels strongly about forgiving and forgetting. If someone makes any type of mistake, whether big or small, and they admit to it, apologize and realize what they've done was wrong, they should be forgiven. So even though these inmates have done so much wrong in their life that they are on death row, they should be forgiven if they feel they've done wrong. They shouldn't be treated like they are not even human beings. Even though they've made horrible mistakes, we're still equal and we're all human and shouldn't have these thoughts that they deserve to be tortured.

"The Glass Castle"

The Glass Castle was an amazing book. I don't think it matters what kind of books you're into, this is a great book to read. It keeps you thinking and something is always happening so you want to keep on reading. I couldn't put the book down at times when it would get so good. It deals with topics that interest everyone. It gets very emotional when it brings out the sadder moments in her life. When she talks about the hard times of her life, it makes me want to keep on reading to see how it'll end up. I love how at the end she tells how the children grew up. I was dying to know if the kids would grow up like their parents and their horrible lifestyles or if they would learn from their mistakes and do what they think is right. I was happy to find out that they all turned out more than all right. It surprised me when the parents would come to them asking to stay with them or for money for their wants and wouldn't accept anything else than the money for booze or food. I thought it was very nice how the children turned out to be and trying to help their parents at times, and gave them some tough love like they were treated when they were kids. I consider this a very good book and I would recommend it to anyone who likes to read.

Distracted Driving

Driving us to Distraction, was interesting to read. I was unaware of the new technology of what might be to help prevent calling/texting while driving. It's a serious problem with today's teenagers especially. Social networking is a very big part in the lives of teenagers, as well as texting and talking on the phone. I, personally, know too many teens that have been in accidents and some not surviving because of distracted driving.

About a year ago, the number of teenagers dying on the roads was outrageous. At my high school, we had lyceums, presentations, and guest speakers come to talk to us about this deadly effect on teens. They showed us horrifying videos and shocking statistics of teens getting involved with distracted driving, thinking that nothing will happen to them because they know what they're doing since they've done it a thousand times before.

I think it's sad how addicted this generation is to texting, talking on the phone, Facebook and other social networking sites. It's part of their daily lives, but I am also a Facebook addict. I go on Facebook everyday when I wake up and before I go to sleep. I don't text as much as my friends. I have a select few who I text constantly and that's about it. To teenagers, Facebook is like the morning paper. You see what you missed out on the weekend or the night before.

I would never attempt to go on Facebook and drive at the same time. If I need to text or look at a text, I pull over. I've only done that two or three times though. I either turn my phone on silent when I get in the car, or put it in the passenger seat so I wouldn't even know if someone called or if I get a text. I think it's a great idea to have laws for this. It can easily be avoided, and it's a foolish way to get in an accident, get hurt, die, or get someone else hurt.

It'd be a terrible thing to live with if you were the driver and had killed someone or hurt your passenger. Driving is such a huge responsibility, especially when you have other people in your car. When I have passengers in my car, my eyes are glued to the road, because I am the one responsible for their lives when I'm behind the wheel.

Families

I think all families are different. I think there's always a bit of dysfunction in each family though. Some families have little problems, can keep up with the bills, and take care of their family perfectly, but there's families out there that live paycheck-to-paycheck, and have a stressful family. Each family is different on how they function, but when you make things work out of what you got and enjoy it, then I think it's a functional family.

In in the Glass Castle, I think they're family is functional so far. They're not the perfect family, living the good life, but they make it work with what they have. They try to have fun with every opprotunity they get. They love eachother from what I can tell so far. They do have some problems with money, but they don't let that stop them. I think it's great that the dad is always teaching the kids something and have fun with them at the same time.

There's all types of different families out there today. More and more people get divorced and remarried, and sometimes there's kids involved. I don't think that should disrupt the family life though. When it's not the perfect family with the mom, dad, brother, and sister, I think it's just fine. I don't think you need that "perfect family" to have a true happy family.

I think when you can talk to a 3rd or 4th cousin or a great-aunt or uncle about anything, that it shows how close the family is. When you can get together with 20 people and know every single one of them and know exactly how you're related to them, and you've hung out with them, or you've done stuff together, then I think that's considered a good family. Although, some families don't have many people, so when you get together and you can talk about anything with eachother, and get along, that's also a good family. There's all kinds of different ways you can tell if a family is functional or dysfunctional, but I think every single family out there has some kind of dysfunctional stuff in it. I don't think there's one absolutely "perfect" family out there that hasn't had problems or has had a dysfunctional situation happen within their family.

Prepping for Prom

Late into winter, early spring is the time for prom. Before the day arrives, how long does it really take to get ready? How far back do the girls start buying dresses, flowers, and getting their dates? Prom is too much. I think it's a great time, but it's a bit much on some. Do you remember your prom? How long did it take until you or your date started to freak out about getting ready?

It is now February, and the majority of girls have their dresses, or they are ordered. Prom isn't until May. Along with prom is a lot of drama. Trying to find a date can be hard when you are in a small school, and you know everyone too well and you don't already have a boyfriend/girlfriend. There's a lot of talk that goes around about who's going with whom and what everyone thinks is always heard, even if it's not very nice. There's also a lot of tanning, whether it's spray on, the lotion, or the bed, there is always tanning starting from winter until the day before prom.

One of the biggest things is the dress. If you're a girl that's been to prom, or is going, you know that you want to start shopping soon, so there's no last minute dresses left for you. Most girls today, are buying their dresses online if they can not find one they like in stores. I don't blame them, because that's what I did. If there's not a lot of choices out there in stores near you, you're still going to want an amazing dress, but where to find one? It's a very nervous time when you buy something online that's expensive and not knowing if it'll fit you perfectly. Also knowing that there's sometimes no returns, and you're stuck with it is very scary. I haven't gotten my dress yet, but it'll be coming through UPS no later than two weeks from now.

I think the other bigger thing is finding a date. When people ask others to prom that they really like, they do it in very cute ways. The guy would write in the snow, write on their cars, use flowers to spell out "prom?". I think that's a big part on how you look at prom. If you don't get asked, then you start to get nervous, and try to find someone. Prom isn't as fun if you don't have the everything. If you don't have the perfect dress, your perfect date, then it won't be as fun. If you just settle with an all right dress, and someone you don't really enjoy being around, then it's not going to be a fun time.

I think prom is a little overrated. It's not all what it's made up to be. For some people, it's one of those nights that they'll never forget in their high school career, but there are some who don't really care for it. I think it's also crazy how people prepare for it. They tan until they look brown, and they spend way too much money on a dress they'll wear for a couple hours, and other things they really don't need. Although I think like that, those things are what make it fun. I don't blame them, because that's what makes them happy and that's what makes prom so much fun for them, and I think whatever makes them happy is what they should do.

Facebook

I think Facebook and any other social networking sites, have two sides to it. There are many problems with Facebook because of all the fakes and the drama seekers. Yet there are people out there who are involved for the right reasons. They want to be social with their friends and family, and not use it as a diary to tell every person that has a Facebook account what's wrong with their lives. For teens, it seems like all the want to do is add, add, add people and post as many innapropriate things about their problems that are unnecesary to tell strangers on the internet. I'm not saying every teenager does that, because I know plenty who don't, but I know quite a few that I know and don't know that have this problem. They get as many other teens as they can, knowing them or not. I think the majority of who's using Facebook for the wrong reasons are teens and the younger people. I get friend requests from sixth graders, and I think that if they do have a Facebook, that their parents should be watching the account as well.

For the "further study", my mom has added me as a friend before. I told her why I wouldn't add her. I taught her all about Facebook, and how to run it. Then she decided to add her daughters. I told her straight up that I am a teen, I have teen friends, and I'm not responsible for what my friends say, tag, or post on my wall, because not all of it is true, and some is sarcasm that some may not get. Sometimes I dislike very much what some friends get me involved in, when I don't want to be. So, if my mom or other family members saw things some friends say, they would think badly of me, so I prefer not to have them on Facebook, so they won't get the wrong idea about who I am.

High School/ PSEO/ Life/ Friends

As some of you know, I am only a junior in high school. Now think back to your high school days... Did you have the time of your life being a teenager, being with all your friends, and in high school? Was there drama? Did you get caught up in it?

The reason why I am post secondary, is because of high school. I'm mature beyond my years, and dealing with, "What if Johnny takes Jess to prom, even though he's dating Deb, but she secretly wants to go with Andy?" I hear that, and a lot more everyday. I am the kind of person who just likes to relax and go with the flow with life. I don't want to ruin my life with trying to catch up in drama and possibly get in the middle of something.

Now that I'm part-time post secondary, I am at the school only half the time and I love it! I hear some things, but it's not as overwhelming as it used to be. It's sad being a seventeen year old and hating the high school life. I look forward to college and hoping for less drama and more accepting people.

I have one amazing best friend, and if it wasn't for her, I'd be trying my hardest being full-time PSEO. We are almost identical, it's creepy! I love her to death. We've been best friends since the 7th grade, and I hope we are for a long time. Lately, we will sit just talking and dreaming of our future. We daydream of a better place, and how college is going to go for us. We can't wait until we graduate and move on with our lives, without dealing with so much drama, and people with no self-respect. It's hard finding who your true friends are, but when you find them, it's an amazing feeling knowing that someone's there for you whenever you need them.

Great-Grandma Franklin

When I think of my great-grandma Franklin, I think of love, family, and just a wonderful woman. She is a young 90 years old. She's experienced so much in her life, and has been all over the place. She's lived in California, Missouri, and Minnesota. She met my great-grandpa when they were young teenagers. He was in WWII, and sadly passed away around Christmas in 1986 from heart problems. She lives in western Missouri now. I only get to see her once, maybe twice a year. When you walk into her house, you automatically feel welcomed. She welcomes everyone into her house with a warm hug, and of course food. You smell her perfume, that can take you back in time, mixed with food. Anytime you are at her house, there will be peanut brittle. She always has some kind of card game going on, along with the tv on for the guys to watch their football.

Inspirational Song

One of my favorite bands is Nickelback, so when I heard the song, "When We Stand Together", it was no surprise that I loved it. The song itself is amazing to me, but when you listen to the lyrics, it's a totally different song. I think it's an inspirational song, because it's pretty much saying we could do so much more when we have the help of others, and when we stand together, we can help other people and we shouldn't ignore bad things. I think it's saying that we should confront what's happening and not just shrug out shoulders to all our of problems.

Writing, College, and Education

Writing can be my best friend or my worst enemy. It really depends on what I'm writing about. If it's about a topic I really enjoy talking about, or if I know a lot about, then I love writing. On the other hand, if there's a topic I have to write about that I know nothing about and have a hard time finding out information on it, then I hate writing.

For me, choosing to go to college is a very big decision. I think that if you know what you want to do for a career, you should absolutely go for it. Graduating from high school is a big accomplishment, too. With a high school diploma, you can do so much more with your life. If you get a degree in college, you're going to be more successful and probably have a great job that pays better then if you don't.

Education opens so many doors for everyone in so many ways. It has a huge effect on your life and your future. In my case, I'm just a Junior in high school, so I thought it'd be best if I started on my college credits now, so I can get my degree sooner then expected. I think PSEO is a great thing. It gives high school students such a great opprotunity. Even though I'm only part-time PSEO, it's a great experience. It gives me an early start on college. I get a little taste of what it's going to be like once I'm an actual college student. Education is such a wonderful thing. I don't think anyone should hold back, and get as much education as they want to better themselves.