September Writers 2019

HAPPY FALL!!!!!!!!

 The September Writers have been posted.  There is a batch of 11 writers for the month.

Seniors,

Here is your assignment:

Read ALL eleven submissions.  They have been labeled by type, title and author.  Choose any three and leave feedback/comments.  You can choose your favorites, most interesting/fascinating/intriguing or WOW pieces.  In your comments, explain why you have selected the piece.  Don't just say, "Great job" and/or "I really liked it".  Give your reasons.  This is an online discussion board.  You are graded on completion and content.  Your comments must be submitted by October 21st (11:59 PM).

Remember to be respectful, courteous and informative with your comments.

September Writers,
Here is your assignment:

You are not required to leave comments for this month.  You may, and it is encouraged, that you read your page of comments and respond where needed.  If you have the time,  read your peers' submissions and you may comment on their pieces.  Only if you wish.

All,

Have fun with this assignment.  As you know it is ongoing for the year.  I hope you will enjoy the collection for this month.


All my love:)

Feed your soul,

Mrs. Solano
xo

https://www.google.com/search?q=september+images&sxsrf=ACYBGNTqJNwmEEblEq-Tx_BHhoqATQhdDg:1571169063452&tbm=isch&source=iu&ictx=1&fir=86JuZLb11wP9MM%253A%252CSorauKGIoXyRxM%252C_&vet=1&usg=AI4_-kTbShpWyAdlY5UL6bIN6E7XIDBh_A&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwj1yqLvhJ_lAhV2HjQIHWGFC_wQ9QEwBHoECAcQDA#imgrc=86JuZLb11wP9MM:

For Jayda Gadsby--Joy

I could look at her forever and never find another person who makes me feel the way she does. Or did. It’s long over now but everything in me is still in love with her. It’s as if she’s taken this piece of me, one I can never get back and now I am to move on in life with a hole in my heart. I presume this is the part where I tell you a little bit about myself but I don’t really think that is important because that isn’t the focus of this story, she is. We’ll call her Jayda Gadsby. We were together for what seemed like forever, but in reality it was about nine months. I can’t really explain what caused the break up, but in the end she chose someone else. That day, March 10th, 2018 was the worst day of my life. Reading that text over and over again until the words became a blur and my heart was beating so fast I thought it would burst out of my chest. Who knew four words, seventeen letters, was all it took for my world to come crashing down on top of me. “I want Johnathan now,” the text read. I remember feeling dizzy and light-headed. I guess I didn’t want to believe that it was the end. You may be thinking to yourself, “this is absolutely ridiculous, feeling real love is impossible at such a young age.” To that I challenge you to step out of your shoes and into mine as I tell you how I felt, the parts of me I opened, the walls I allowed her to tear down, and how hard I loved her. The love I have for Jayda is the kind of love that never fades. It’s not the cheap kind that arrives quickly and dissipates before you even know it’s gone, this was not an infatuation. This was the kind that stays in your bones, deep down in the places that nobody sees. It’s the kind that lingers in your dark corners to protect you from the scary things. For months it was nearly impossible to imagine life without her in it, I had no clue where to start. Understand, before she came in my life I was extremely guarded, dealing with adult issues in your childhood has that effect. My parents divorced when I was young, my mom was “emotionally manipulative,” or at least that’s what my dad told me. Was constantly

crying or acting like she was going to kill herself so my dad wouldn’t leave. You can only imagine how traumatizing that was at seven. So, as I grew up all I knew was play the girl so she can’t play you first. Jayda changed that, she was and always will be my first love. I gave her everything in me I had to offer. Spiritually, mentally, physically, emotionally, I was hers and everyone knew. When I fell in love I realized it instantaneously, not in the slow, muddled way you can fall in love with another person, closer to a passing moment, when you look around and realize that, wow, you’re entirely and sublimely happy. When I was with her that’s how I felt. Always lost in the moment. I will always love Jayda because I don’t have a choice, her love consumes me. 

Lately, it should be noted, there is a promising shift. People say you can never really fall out of love, but I feel as though that statement is false. You see, it was never the break up that left me feeling broken. It was the idea that I gave her my all and that somehow still wasn’t enough. It was 3am nights, tears streaming down my face, trying to figure out exactly where I went wrong. These days, suddenly everything is different. The heart stopping way my name rolls off her tongue ceases to bring excitement. The hollowness in my heart seems to be solidifying, leaving me whole once more. I feel peace coursing through my bones. Peace from the “where did I go wrongs.” Peace from the overwhelming memories that never seemed to leave me alone. Peace from every sleepless night filled with overthinking. Peace from the heavy feeling in my heart, as if I were sinking. 

To you, Jayda Gadsby, I’d like to make something known. I fell in love first with your eyes. They wrote me a novel, told me of your stories. Your past, your pain. They told me that you were a fighter and, only if needed that you were a survivor. They told me that you loved me,

that I was made specifically for you. They pulled me in as gravity pulls the waves to the shore. It was as if your eyes were made to look in mine. Nevertheless, I was too young to feel the way I did for you, to breathe in and out for you. I’ve never wanted, or needed, anyone quite as bad as I longed for you. Not sexually, though I could never deny you. I wanted to feel wrapped in your embrace, hearing your heart softly beat in rhythm. Feel the way your arms would gently wrap around my waist. I suppose love doesn't really make sense. I presume I wanted so badly to be in love, so badly for it to be with you, that I gave away too much of myself. Jayda I love you and I adore the hell out of you, but your love no longer consumes me. I pray one day you look back at us and realize that you had someone who genuinely cared about you and genuinely wanted the best for you. You lost someone that genuinely loved you and always put you first. I need you to understand that I was taking so much of my happiness and inputting it into you, all the while trying not to bust at the seams. I chose to fall out of love with you, to save myself. I had no choice.

gone fishin--Diego

“ lock the doors “ she says to me, a phrase that get repeated every night at exactly 11:34 pm as we close the pizza store, finishing up our night of faded orders. a faint rumor of happiness shared between the air of us whenever we stack the stools, clean the floors, or when i unplug the cheap jukebox they bought, abruptly stopping her favorite song as she stands on the table using the broom as a microphone. it’s been 4 months now. since i walked into the store for my interview, and saw the beautiful jewel sitting in a chair, a diamond dropped from the sky to catch my eye and make me ran straight into a wall in hopes of catching it. that frame of life was one of such happiness, it was so hard to believe that within the same five minutes, the frame would be crumbled up and thrown out when i see her boyfriend come and sit down next to her, not taking her hand or kissing her, but simply staring at the wall, finding such beauty in it that his mind doesn’t notice the thousand dollar heart he just put a crack in. what a concept love is. every night, i go home to a broken house, where father doesn’t love anything except his new wife, her 6 months trumping my 17 years with him and makes me feel like maybe he wasn’t lying when he says i was adopted. it’s hard to leave that pizza place everyday, having to say goodbye to her lovely little face and go back to the house, with a single woman who’s definition of love starts with the words “sometimes. “ i walk to her car every night, cracking jokes like they’re baseballs

to a bat and hope that every new one can make her laugh and forget that her boyfriend hasn’t texted back in two days. and everynight when i open that car door for her, she gets in, rolls down the windows, takes my hand and ends off our conversation with “ - and there’s a million fish in the sea. “ i truly hate when you say that to me. but i keep walking her to that car in the hopes that one night, just one night maybe she’ll say something different when she realizes her boyfriend hasn’t ever, ever been there to make sure she gets home safely. any hope that one day all this waiting will have not been for nothing. but it’s august 27th and no progress so far, maybe when september arrives it brings along with it a fresh dose of love & hope, because august has been hiding those two for a while. and when i get home, i look at myself and lay down, the dark ceiling somehow displaying the brightest image of her smile, a thing that is one third of her mom’s old prom dress, one third of her dad’s old love letters, and another third composed of her boyfriend’s goodnight calls, that he sends with his hand in another girls. i want the life i never had, to make my father proud enough to finally put down the bottle and see that his son’s grades are worth more than letters on a piece of paper. that his new wife is the one that keeps making those bottles of vodka reappear in the fridge. and she has that. that’s why her father finally wants to move, to get out of this small town and move to a place where his daughter can be successful. and that’s why my heart shattered when she told me that tonight was her last night, and that table 3’s order will be her last. we close up as usual, but the jukebox isn’t playing her song, the stools seem to already be flipped, and her smile doesn’t bounce off the walls of the restaurant like they used to. we grab our bags as we prepare to walk out for the final time, in mere minutes the last words may be spoken between us ever. i think back to all those lonely, sleepless nights where i hear my dad stumble to the fridge, i hear my stepmom talking to her new boss who” needs to talk

about work” at 10:46 at night, and i think about how i’ve never said anything about it. i’ve sat there doing nothing and watched the quality of my life waste away before me. as we walk to the doors for the final time i decide to do it, to confess my love for her. to tell her her boyfriend doesn’t deserve such an angel as her, that he can’t even go two nights without texting her bestfriend, and that his heart will never be as sincere as mine. as i reach for the door, i begin to say it “ ashley, i have to tell you... i can’t walk to you to your car for the last time without letting you know that-. “ opening the door, i stop, seeing her boyfriend sitting on the hood of her car with a cold stare on my eyes, watching me walk his girlfriend out to him. my heart drops as i begin to understand why she seemed to be in a rush. and the last words i said to her, finishing off that sentence from six months ago, were “ i hate fish. “

I’m Alone but not Lonely--Dominic

Today, we live in a society where we can look left and right in public and see couples
often doing public displays of affection. Now there's nothing criminal about a couple revealing their love for one another, nevertheless; for the people who have not found their significant other, it could often create a sense of "loneliness" or feel alone, but wait, what's the difference between these two? Alone and Loneliness, two similar feelings of which intertwine with each other and are frequently both perceived by the general public of being both terrible. 

Alone: (adj) to be separate, apart, isolated from all others. Loneliness: (adj) to be affected by, characterized by, or causing a depressing feeling of being alone; lonesome. The definitions of the two are both alike and can be understandably mixed up or assumed to be identical. However, the main difference of which sets the two feelings apart would be that one can be a personal choice, while the other isn’t. Being alone can be a choice, and can be a beneficial decision at that. Which unlike loneliness implies a feeling of sadness produced by the absence of affection or attention, having someone to be a "missing piece" in their lives, and because of this, these people who feel lonely are the same people who say they feel "alone." The case of the "lonely epidemic" remains to become a growing problem in today's society as it is a "human health hazard comparable to smoking and obesity" and can even "shorten life spans" according to a Harvard study. Multiple Researches at the University of California, San Diego verify this, as

Ellen Lee characterized their study's findings of moderate to severe loneliness "to be associated with everything bad. It's linked to poor mental health." 

We live in a society where the concept of our happiness derives from a "significant other." Because of this, it's understandable why some people fret at the notion of being alone, the feeling of not receiving of love or the same type of affection which seems to fly so commonly in the air, can be quite frustrating. Take this from someone who tried to force himself into a relationship, believing that somebody could fill the empty void which was inside. The truth to be told is that you can be happy with yourself and not feel lonely. Furthermore, being alone can be a choice, yet, being alone means the feeling of yourself being good enough, that you don't rely on the affection of others to complete yourself. Solitude or the state of being alone can serve as "a positive and constructive state of engagement with oneself." Besides, being solo can often be times of reflecting for one's self, and being able to search for "inner growth or enjoyment" of some kind. Before we can commit to ourselves to a lasting relationship, we should be "alone" for a moment to grow as a person. To conclude, no one but ourselves is responsible for our happiness, and before we commit ourselves to others; we must learn to love ourselves first, for we don't need someone to make ourselves a whole. 

Sources:
Julia, et al. “Loneliness: An Epidemic?” Science in the News, 27 June 2019, http://sitn.hms.harvard.edu/flash/2018/loneliness-an-epidemic/ .

Estrada 2

Estrada 3

Marano, Hara Estroff. “What Is Solitude?” Psychology Today , Sussex Publishers, 1 July 2003, https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/articles/200307/what-is-solitude?collection=62123 .
“Dictionary by Merriam-Webster: America's Most-Trusted Online Dictionary.” Merriam-Webster, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/.

Parenting Takes Time--Dejanae

Parenting is highly underrated, especially in today’s society. There are those without kids
and there are people who actually have kids, but everyone has a different point of view as to what parenting is and what it requires to be one. I’m sure there is no absolute correct answer to what a parent should and shouldn’t do to be considered a good parent. No one could never be perfect all the time and that goes for parenting as well. Many take that responsibility lightly, and others over use the authority that is given to them with that responsibility. There is aching downfalls and monumental ups that comes along with the rollercoaster ride of being a parent. Not everyone will be in a great position when it came or comes time for them to become a parent, but by interviewing my nothing less of perfect mother I learned that parenting requires one huge thing that many don’t possess. Many eventually have to learn it. With that being said that thing is PATIENCE!! 

My mother became a parent in the year of 1996. My mother’s name is Catrina Counts Perry. October 24, 1996 my mom would learn that she would be a mother for the rest of her life. Despite not knowing what would happen being new to this whole concept of parenting she knew she had another life that she brought into this world, which was her blood and a piece of herself

that she would raise to the best of her ability. In total my mom has had eleven kids, but raised eighteen including my seven step brothers and sisters. She became a mom and a role model at a young age. However, she was mature enough and strong enough to never back down from her trials and tribulations. When it came to parenting my mother installed 75% of her own techniques and 25% of her parents. However, through her ongoing years of parenting she caught herself at times portraying something she didn’t want to do that her parents did with her. When a moment like that presented itself that’s when my mother realized that despite these techniques that she thought was right there was that thing patience that she knew she had to master. 

Patience is one hell of a thing to use when it’s tested constantly. It’s also something that you should use when it comes to discipline. That was easy for my mom to realize. When it comes to discipline my mom believes the first person she should discipline is herself. With that being said when her patience is being tested she puts herself on a timeout. She gathers herself and makes sure she is thinking and acting in a clear way. With that being said she also uses that approach when it comes to the heartaches of parenting. My mother managed to stay strong and calm by and I quote, “Belief in positivity and knowing that I can weather the storm.” There have been many storms that mother had to weather and when I was younger I didn’t notice because she was always the same loving, nurturing, funny, best friend, role model that I’ve always known to love and respect. The older I got the more I noticed that my mom’s life wasn’t perfect, but she wouldn’t let anything interfere with her being a parent to her children. That is a quality that I will always be thankful to her for because she never let anything come in between her children .

Through close observations and numerous conversations with my mom I learned that she parents her daughters differently from her sons. Besides the fact that the two are clearly different when it comes to the girl and boy things her main reasoning for teaching them differently in her words is, “I teach and parent differently because women act and make decisions emotionally, but guys act mentally.” With me not wanting to agree with her and completely close-minded I eventually reverted to some of the decisions I’ve made realizing that she was right. That is something that she has come to learn from the years she has been able to parent. With that being said her main objective of all this parenting is that she wants all her kids to be better than herself. Also, she wants her children to go through life with principles, responsibility, integrity, and values. 

Through observation and conversations I’ve learned that parenting is primarily patience along with a few other little pieces too. To me just like others my mother is the best representation of a parent, mother, friend, and person. Not perfect, but she is close to what I would consider perfect. Parenting is a hard task, but it’s one of the most beautiful things that come with life. If I ever come to be a mother and a parent I will turn my shoulder and ask my mother for guidance. She and my father have guided me to where I am in life. . She has installed ways and beliefs that I will carry on with me through life that I will always cherish. Both of my parents have given my siblings and I genuine love and lessons throughout my lifespan and I know that it will continue because the love for each other and love for their kids is endless and unconditional.

The Art of Perfection--Samantha

When I google the word Perfection the Oxford dictionary defines it as, “the condition,
state, or quality of being free or as free as possible from all flaws or defects.” As a human, can this definition of perfection ever be achieved? When people strive towards perfection, what can they ever achieve? Throughout my high school career, I’ve set unrealistic standards on my schoolwork and my appearance to achieve this art of perfection. In this process, I’ve set goals that didn’t match who I am as an individual, only to achieve a lower self esteem and grades. Now, as a senior in high school, I’ve learned that the denotative idea of perfection is neither attainable nor it is any condition that makes us humans flawless; however it is the unrealistic view and standards we put on ourselves and others only to achieve negative outcomes. 

As I started to self-reflect on the effects perfection had on me, I wanted to know how this abstract idea affects others. In a study done by psychologist Thomas Curran at the University of Bath in the UK and Andrew P. Hill from York St John University, forty-thousand American, British, and Canadian students completed the Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale, to determine which degree of perfection the students categorize in self-oriented, socially prescribed, or other oriented perfectionists. According to the CNN article, “The problem with pursuing perfection” Ben Tinker explains the different types of perfection as studied by Curran and Hill.

The self-oriented perfectionists attach irrational expectations for themselves and are critical in their self evaluations. In contrast to perfectionists view of themselves, the socially prescribed feel perceived by society, and thus believe they must portray perfection for acceptance. The other self-oriented holds perfection standards towards those around them, judging those critically. Regardless of the type of perfectionist one is, they create antagonism towards themselves or others, through judging different aspects of their lives, like grades, appearance, and lifestyle. According to the study, from 1989 to 2016 the three types of perfectionism increased particularly in the socially prescribed degree, “which went up to 33%” due to “more individualistic, materialistic, and socially antagonistic” growing number of individuals. (Tinker). This statistic shows that a large part of our society is aiming for a flawless depiction of themselves, only to achieve a hostile environment, fearing judgement from others, and giving judgment in return. Perfectionists also compare themselves through a screen. Through the social media platform, these individuals have easy access to criticize others flaws and compare themselves. Instead of accomplishing the riddance of flaws, social media perfectionists attain detrimental effects on their mental health. According to the CNN article, “Instagram is the worst app for your mental health” by Cara Fox, in a study called #StatusofMind by the Royal Society for Public Health in the UK, 1,500 people aged 14 to 24 were surveyed on how social media affects issues such as depression, anxiety, self-identity and body image. The results found that platforms like Instagram, Snapchat, Facebook, and Twitter perform negative effects on the individual's mental health, with Instagram in the lead. Based on the consensus, Matt Keracher author of the report, states that Instagram lures individuals to "compare themselves against unrealistic, largely curated, filtered and Photoshopped versions of reality.”(Fox). By social media such as Instagram

being an easy access to covering up imperfections, the denotative perfection is still not achieved as it acts as only a mere illusion one is flawless. The #StatusofMind report also shows that while aiming for perfection, negative effects on mental health such as depression and anxiety are ultimately achieved, instead of the condition of being flawless.
Due to the pressures of being seniors in high school, some of us are driven towards fulfilling this abstract idea of perfection by aiming for flawless college applications, grades, and extracurriculars. However, from the #StatusofMind and Multi-Dimensional Perfection scale studies, I’ve learned that the denotative idea of perfection, the condition of being “flawless,” is highly unrealistic and the abstract idea instead of flawlessness, achieves negative outcomes on one’s mental health and atmosphere. Relating the studies to my experience with perfectionism, I’ve set standards for myself that didn’t coincide with who I am as an individual by constantly comparing my schoolwork and appearance to others, only to result in lower grades, self-esteem, and a negative environment. But when I look back on my achievements, I realize I completed none of them flawlessly. I was myself and did my best, leaving me with a feeling of fulfillment, success, and higher self-esteem. While I believe perfection is unrealistic and attains negative effects, I now can see that being my best self is what can be achieved. Because doing my best may be the reality of someone else’s perfection, that is perfectly enough. 

Works Cited
Fox, Cara. “Instagram worst app for young people’s mental health.” CNN Health, C NN, 19 May
2017,
https://www.cnn.com/2017/05/19/health/instagram-worst-social-network-app-young-peo

ple-mental-health/index.html . Date Accessed 21 Sept 2019.

 

“Perfection: Definition of Perfection by Lexico.” Lexico Dictionaries English, L exico
Dictionaries, https://www.lexico.com/en/definition/perfection. Date Accessed 21 Sept. 2019. 

Tinker, Ben. “The problem with pursuing perfection.” CNN Health, CNN, 9 Jan. 2018, https://www.cnn.com/2018/01/09/health/perfection-mental-health-study-intl/index.html. Date Accessed 21 Sept. 2019.

How to Love--Mikael

As the idea of falling in love became more common in younger generations, the practice
and definition of love has been skewed by the portrayal of relationships in society. Falling in love has become an epidemic to our youth, becoming so easy to achieve without the proper mindset and time for a relationship to mature into that level, resulting in relationships that ultimately don’t work out. Despite being such a young individual, I hope the few tips I provide from my experience and observations resonates within your life as you learn to love.
Have a matured mentality
It’s a sad fact that relationship trauma is a reality that many teens have experienced. Whether it be a bad break up or a cheating significant other, past relationship issues could’ve been resolved if people’s mindsets were aligned. A relationship where two people share a common goal and share the same level of maturity creates a solid foundation, where the following tips can be practiced and result in wonderful relationships. Too often, I’ve seen relationships from friends fall apart as a result of this common issue. A couple that works together towards a goal, whatever that goal may be, will result in a closer relationship. Another issue for our youth is entering into a relationship with the wrong mindset, based off of lust or the heat of the moment, making it hard for a relationship to grow. A simple answer to this is to take your time, don’t rush into relationships expecting them to be permanent or perfect from the start. Just like you, love takes time to mature and grow into something beautiful.
Know how to communicate

Despite the various methods of communication today, many relationships fail from the lack of communication going on. Since the power to read minds has not been achieved, it must be understood by everyone that nobody will truly know how you feel unless you SAY it. Not through subtle actions, differences in behavior, or by complaining on social media. Just say what you feel; don’t think that your significant other knows how to read your mind or that you can read theirs. It’s understandable that it is nerve wracking, not knowing how the other person will react or respond to whatever comes out. However, without the ability to communicate and the maturity to understand that feelings must be communicated in order to be understood, problems WILL arise. Another thing to keep in mind is that being consistent is important when you are communicating. Good morning and good night text are a simple way to reassure your significant other everyday. When you’re already in a relationship, keeping the same energy is important because it shows continuous effort, which is always appreciated in a relationship.
Be honest with them and yourself
Being honest with your significant other is easy, just don’t lie. Simple as that. It may sound hypocritical a high school student, who lies about doing homework, grades, and MANY other things, to tell you not to lie, but lying to your significant other, big or small, is the easiest way to hurt the person you care for most. To put it in perspective, how would you feel if your significant other did the same to you? This tip goes hand in hand with communication, if you cannot honestly communicate with your significant other, then the relationship will not mature. Another thing to keep in mind is to be honest with yourself. Don’t be forced to feel happy just because you’re in a relationship or to maintain appearances. Never settle for less and make sure that you receive the love that you deserve.
Don’t waste each other's time

It’s harsh to put it that way, but we live in a world where time is the most valuable thing we have. Don’t think that being in a relationship is a mind game or that you must figure out exactly what your significant other is thinking. Stop wasting precious time assuming and being confused; just be direct and honest with your communication between each other. Instead of wasting time, do something more productive to make the relationship grow closer. For example, if issues arise between the two of you, whatever it may be, address the issue directly and resolve it. Letting a problem sit will only make it bigger, resulting in more problems occurring for no reason. A rule that I live by is that if the situation allows, I won’t let my significant other go to sleep without fully addressing the issue and reassuring that everything is going to be okay. Simple, direct, and genuine communication between each other is all it takes to save yourself from the anxiety and stress you will feel trying to understand each other without talking. Understand that love isn’t perfect
Don’t have expectations that everyday is going to be easy in a relationship. Don’t feel like your significant other has a responsibility to always be there to make you happy. There are days where you won’t be at your best or your significant other won’t be at their best, and that’s okay. There are going to be disagreements. There are going to be fights and arguments. There are going to be days where the communication is lacking or your schedules don’t allow time to spend with each other. But that’s okay, because learning to love is accepting the mistakes and shortcomings between each other and overcoming them together. Don’t let the faults shadow the happiness that arises from the relationship. It’s always good to take a step back once and awhile with your significant other and talk about the memories you shared together, good and bad. It’s a reminder that despite all the bad things that have happened, minor or major, you guys have come a long way together. That’s the most important thing to take away from this tip; you and your significant other will overcome any obstacle as long as you work TOGETHER.

Self-Esteem--Vaneeza

What does it truly mean to have self-esteem nowadays?

According to NBC News, 85% of the population struggles from low self-esteem. However controversially, today's generation is often nitpicked for being one of the most self-obsessed and conceited.
So what is self-esteem? Self-esteem can simply be defined by Merriam-Webster as “1.a confidence and satisfaction in oneself.'' Being defined in a total of six words it is still hard to understand what self-esteem truly is, and why a large percentage of the population struggles from carrying low amounts of it. 

Everyone carries different ideas of success and satisfaction thus everyone's personal definition of self-esteem is different, however, the basic idea is acceptance. As before social-media, the basic idea was more-so one being able to accept themselves, it is now in an age of social media a feeling built on wanting to matter not only to yourself but to the public. Jameela Jamil, an activist, and actress explained in her speech during “we day” that social media has become a marketplace curated to pry on those struggling with low self-esteem and those, in general, to say whatever needs to be said through influencers and celebrities, for a product to be sold. To companies, one’s self-esteem is seen as a tool that can be used for sales and success. 

Social media also helps keep the general public in touch with others. However, the common phenomenon of “FOMO” or feeling of missing out is often felt through these posts as well as comparing ourselves success and position in life to others, both lowering one's self-esteem. “FOMO” makes one feel left out of a situation and thus not accepted by others, leading to them feeling less accepted by themselves. On Instagram and Twitter and other platforms post after post are published displaying a reality that at times may be false but can still cause one to examine their own success. For example pictures of expensive cars, jewelry, and money often are seen and cause one to compare their lifestyle to that of others, oftentimes leaving a negative effect on their self-esteem.

Self-esteem, more so one having low self-esteem may be seen as negative can also have positive effects to a certain extent, as at times it acts as a motivator. As for brands and companies it is used to motivate us to buy products or services but for oneself it can cause us to work harder to achieve certain goals and gain that acceptance thus hiring our self-esteem, however that is to an extent as it may push one to achieve these goals in a toxic manner and be unhappy with themselves. The obsession of social-media can be seen formed basing off this often causing the negative connotation of our generation being vain, however, it is actually quite the opposite as seen in statistics such as the one stated previously from NBC News.
The struggle of low self-esteem has always occurred in human society as it is in our nature to compare however recently with the addition of social media it has become notably more occurrent and caused the opinion, value, and acceptance of others to matter to the same extent of our own. 


Sources :

1. Alton, Larry. “Why Low Self-Esteem May Be Hurting You at Work.” NBCNews.com , NBCUniversal News Group, 13 Apr. 2018, www.nbcnews.com/better/business/why-low-self-esteem-may-be-hurting-your-career-nc na814156.
   
2. Awosika, Loretta Osakwe. “Social Media Hurts Our Mental Health - Here's How To Change It.” Thrive Global , 25 Sept. 2019, thriveglobal.com/stories/social-media-hurts-our-mental-health-heres-how-to-change-it/.
   
3. ConnieBennettFans. “Are You Among the 85 % of People With Low Self-Esteem? It Can Lead to Weight Gain & More.” Connie Bennett, The Rebound-After-Relapse NinjaTM , 20 May 2010, connieb.com/are-you-among-the-85-of-people-with-low-self-esteem-it-can-lead-to-weight -gain-more/.
   
4. “Jameela Jamil on How Social Media Preys on People with Low Self-Esteem.” WFSB , 26 Sept. 2019,
   www.wfsb.com/jameela-jamil-on-how-social-media-preys-on-people-with/video_a9b7e4d
   c-e0b0-5266-8446-3cb856294560.html.
   
5. “Self-Esteem.” Merriam-Webster , Merriam-Webster,
   www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/self-esteem.
   
6. Wallace, Robert. “What Is Self-Esteem?” The Brunswick News , 28 Sept. 2019,
   thebrunswicknews.com/opinion/advice_columns/what-is-self-esteem/article_a81859d9-6 b03-5336-8ea0-297c89d7cc30.html.
   

I Wish I Was a Nobody--Alannah

I used to be a nobody. Someone who could walk down the street and not be noticed or bothered by anyone or anything. Every day I would go to school and go straight home. I never had any drama. I never had any problems. I wish I could say the same now. 

I used to pray to be a somebody. I wanted people to notice me—or at least I thought I did. 

Everywhere I go, people stop and stare. They whisper things to their friends, then their friends turn and look. I can feel their eyes looking me up and down. My ears ring from their whispers. A ringing sensation that never goes away. At first, I enjoyed the attention. Now, I miss my old life more than ever. 

Every day I wake up extra early. I take my time when getting ready because I have an appearance to uphold to. I cannot choose to be lazy because it is not allowed. My every move will be watched, and I must take this into consideration. Occasionally, I will meet somebody who wants to take a picture with me, so I’m not allowed to not look good. I can’t even go to the store without being noticed.

I thought that attention and fame was what I wanted. I did not know that it came at a price. 

It is harder than ever to tell who is really my friend, and who is not. People will lie. People will find any and everything to use against you. People will believe anything they hear just so they can have something to talk about. It’s crazy how people change up when they see you doing good. The same people that used to talk bad about me hit me with “Remember me. I see you doing good. We gotta hang out sometime,” but I know why. Nobody wants to be friends with me, they just want to be friends with my fame. I miss being a nobody. 

I am always in the spotlight. I am expected to be able to do anything and everything perfectly. I work myself harder than I should and push myself past my breaking point. No matter how hard I try, somebody will still be unsatisfied. There will always be that one person who has something negative to say. Even when 1,000 people praise me, the one person that doesn’t is the only one I see. Every day I go through my comments and the only ones I see are the ones that hurt me. Will I ever be good enough? 

Every day I lose a piece of myself. You wouldn’t know because I cover it up. I cannot let them see me down, but deep down inside I am withering away. I am forcing myself to be someone I know I am not. Even though I know it is wrong, I cannot stop. Fame is an addiction and I am an addict. 

Months go by, I do not recognize myself anymore. I lost all of my “friends.” I never have time to be me. My fame has consumed me and transformed me into the face that the media wants me to be. Nobody knows the real me anymore. I don’t even know myself. I lost myself somewhere along the way. I guess I decided that fame, was worth more than who I really was. 

I wish I could go back. Back before the fame, back before the attention. I wish I could go back to little girl with the big dreams. I wish I knew that fame isn’t what I wanted or needed. I wanted people to know who I was but not just because I was a pretty face. I had a beautiful mind and soul. I miss that part of me. There is an unfilled part of me where they used to be. I wish I could find them again. 

I used to pray to be a somebody. Now I pray to be a nobody.

Picture This--Adalynn

Picture this. A man who came home from work tired and unaware of just how terrible things have gotten. He would wake up every day and think about what he could have been able to accomplish in his life. There is nothing inept about him, he is a knowledgeable man, but he didn’t live up to the potential and capability he had. He had regretted that decision, but nevertheless, he still made it. He would tell stories of times when he was a boy, getting in fights and coming to the realization that although his mother and stepfather loved him and provided for him there was something missing. As he grew older and time had passed he never was disciplined enough to try in school, so he didn’t. He made the decision, at eighteen, to join the Navy, but soon after he had a family. At twenty-one, his first daughter was born and that day he knew that another life had depended on him, so he focused on providing for her and her mother. Soon enough two more girls were born. Both innocent. Both beautiful. Now three children had relied on him to be their father, but his wife hadn’t made things any easier. With a three-year-old daughter and newborn twins, he still managed to work. These three girls grew up moving every year or two, from school to school. Then, after five years, another child was on the way, this time it was a baby boy. Now picture being this man and having your wife leave with the children. Month by month goes by and you paid child support time and time again unaware that your “wife” had used a substantial amount of that money, your money, to support her addiction. Instead of using the money to have a roof over your children’s head they just lived in motel after motel, essentially being homeless. On top of that, their mother would leave and while being married to you would cheat repeatedly. This was how the man lived his life, as if the whole world was against him and his happiness.
At this point, he decided to save the most valuable things in his life, his children. He gained full custody, but his toxic ‘love’ with his ex-wife overtook him and they were together once more. This time they moved to Texas, leaving the only place his children had ever lived, California. In Texas, his eldest daughter was in sixth grade, blissfully oblivious of his terrible situation till the following year. Now a year later, with his wife incarcerated, he moved back to California with his children. The man and his children, this time, went to Northern California to live with his mom. His eldest daughter helped her dad with whatever she could, but he had tried

to hide his pain with jokes and laughter, ignorant of the fact that his first daughter could see his agony. Unfortunately, things got worse for him because about seven months after they had moved in with his mom, she passed and he was defeated, unemployed, and lonely. His son, the youngest, at four years old, didn’t know what it felt like to spend time with his ‘nana’ and sadly, couldn’t even remember what his own mother was like. The twin girls, however, had felt the loss as their father did too. Now, fast forward five years later, and this man has maintained a relationship with a brilliant, caring, and strong woman, like him in that way, for about four years. This woman took them all in and supported the family with all she could. Life had never been so good for them. Although he is doing well, he will never be able to change the fact that the promise he had for his life is gone. Now his next goal, since he can’t fulfill his untapped potential, is for his children to fulfill theirs. So, as he grows old he can live vicariously through their lives and understand that he did everything he could.
This strong, intelligent, and hilarious man is my father and although this isn’t a story about a certain event that happened to me, this man raised me. His life has taught me an abundant amount of things: discipline, dedication, hard work, strength, personal growth, and above all providing and protecting the ones you love even when you are breaking inside. These qualities are that of a hero. So, yes, as his eldest daughter his life has inspired me to be the kind of hero he is. I have learned from him every day of my life and I will aspire to be the kind of person he transformed and matured himself to be for as long as I can.

That Summer Girl---Alyssa

Down by the familiar sea, the sand continues to engulf my size 10, 8 in men, women’s sandals. The crunching of leftover shell bits, washed up by the large sea filled my hollow ears, somehow giving me hope for what summer had to offer. Just beyond algae stained dock, stood that familiar girl. Although not slender and simple, her appealing height, piercing blues, and pasty skin that tinted a rosey color always caught my attention. I felt a wave of confidence rise from my chest when speaking to her, despite how I felt. The genuinity in her voice, was more peaceful than lifting that conch shell to your ears to hear the ocean. I felt my legs lift, picking up the already damp sand that stuck to the plantar surface of the feet, running over to her. She had that loud, contagious laugh when I approached her, making the atomspehere around us uplifting and whloesome. I took your hand as we raced into the ocean, splashing our affection for one another before realizing we were drowning in it. The reflecting sun hit my face from under the water, using its light to find you. Your legs became victim of the seaweed monster, as if wrapped around you viciously. I watched the seaweed take the shape of multiple hands, tugging you deeper into the darker part of the sea, my fingers still intertwined with yours. You heard the seaweed call your horrible, opinionated names, using intelligent words to scare your already intelligent brain. Our already tightly gripped hands broke suddenly when you pulled away from me, breaking the contact we once had. The seaweed had already covered most of her body with horrid descriptions of reality and what the public views would be if we became ‘ us ‘. The piercing blue’s were now filled with fear, corrupting her mind from her own emotions. I arose from the sea

without you, the hand that once offered you comfort now stinging with betrayal. I walked back over to the leveld sand, water grazing my toes once again. No longer was the beach view quite as nice, since you became just that summer girl. My sandlas carried me past the dock I saw you near, walking over to the beginning of fall, where your silent lips greeted me. I watched that seaweed grip you tighter, walking past her, hoping she’d follow me into the nest season.

What is an Idea?--Cristian

People come up with ideas every day, but what is an idea? What makes an idea good or
bad? Is any idea actually new? Do we only have an idea of what ideas are? I have no idea.
Ideas can come in several different forms. One kind of idea could be a plan. For example,
your idea can be to do your math homework before your science homework, and vice versa. Or, your idea could more along the lines of a suggestion. You could have the idea that your friend should wear dark blue shoes to match their shirt. A similar idea could be you suggesting, "Let's go to the mall" when you have no plans. Another kind of idea is the main idea or the purpose of a piece of work. This would apply to things like books, movies, and songs, each of which have their own special meaning. These examples of what ideas can be barely scratch the surface of what ideas are .
Now onto something a bit more ambiguous: What constitutes a good or bad idea? Someone could say that they have a really good idea for something, like combining spaghetti with tacos. However, the next person could flat out disagree and think that the pairing won’t work. The cause of these discrepancies in how ideas are perceived must simply come from a difference in opinions, and whether or not the individual believes it is practical. In some situations, it may be more "obvious" to see a good idea when compared to other ideas. The better idea would be the one that is more ideal and/or has a higher potential for better results. For example, studying for a test would be a good idea when compared to not studying, which would be a bad one. But that's just it: Are ideas only good or bad when compared to each other? Do ideas have no value of their own? How are we supposed to judge a single idea?

After all of that, I return to the original question: What is an idea? Since there are so many complicated or unanswered questions, there can't be one simple answer. So, that leads to another question: How many definitions are there for an idea? I suppose the best answer would be infinitely many. Ideas are tied to imagination and creativity, so as long as those things exist, the creation of ideas will never end. Perhaps the biggest form of an idea is something I hadn’t mentioned earlier: a concept. Ideas are what create books we read, the movies we watch, and the music we listen to. Everything we have today was the result of an idea. Someone somewhere decided to create tools essential to the world today, from the phone that lets us communicate around the world, to the streets that let us walk across it. If it weren’t for ideas, where would society be today? Our different ideas are what make us complex beings and are what push humanity to the next level of sophistication and development. So, I end with one final question: What’s your next idea?