Giorgia Musselwhite, PD 8, 10/26/2020, Day C

Giorgia Musselwhite
Period 8
10/26/20
Day C
Modern Mythology 2021


At this current point in time, what specific goal(s) do you have for yourself? Why?


This is a very stressful time in my senior year. Like many seniors, I am completing my early action college applications, as the deadline is right around the corner. In the next few days, I have to finalize my Common App personal statement, look over my applications one last time, and submit to my EA schools. After submitting my EA applications, I will have to complete the supplements for the rest of my regular decision applications over the next two months. Additionally, I am planning to publish a website that I have been co-developing for a civic engagement organization called New York Youth Civics Initiative in the next few weeks. I have been designing this website for a couple of months, and my team is currently in the process of transferring our designs onto Wix, our website builder, so it will be fully functional. I have completed the bulk of the work, but I still have to make some last-minute edits and add some additional content before we go public. My final goal is to focus on my mental health. With the presidential election so close, the atmosphere in my house has been very tense—everyone in my family is very passionate about politics, and we frequently have discussions over dinner. The stress of the election, as well as the struggles of remote learning and college applications, has caused my mental health to deteriorate. To alleviate some of my stress, I am trying to dedicate a couple of hours each day to relaxing, going outside, and exercising. I am also making an effort to talk with family and friends about more lighthearted topics, so that I do not become burnt-out.



How do you demonstrate resilience towards achieving this goal? (or these goals?)


I have found that the most helpful tool for completing goals is organization and time management. Throughout the college application process, the most daunting challenge has been my personal statement—I usually find it difficult to write about myself, and the essay’s extreme importance this year has made it even more intimidating. I hoped to avoid procrastination and began brainstorming ideas early, and I ended up drafting many different essays before I chose my final topic. Now, my essay is mostly complete, but I am still scrambling to proofread and make final edits. I need to hold myself accountable and complete the applications by devoting a few hours to completing the application each day. Over the next few months, I will have to do the same thing to complete the supplemental essays for my regular decision applications. I demonstrate resilience towards the goal of publishing my website by trying to work consistently and communicate with my team, even when other obligations such as homework and college applications get in the way. I do this by blocking out time to work on the website with my team and holding myself accountable by sharing my work at weekly team meetings. Sometimes I feel unmotivated to do my part, but I push through by reminding myself of the final product I am working towards, which is a functional and aesthetically pleasing website. I similarly ensure I take time out of my day to de-stress by carving out at least one hour each day for relaxation, usually after I finish my daily classes or after I complete my homework. I have also been trying to do breathing exercises during the day when I get stressed or anxious. I know that school is very important, but it is also very important to take care of myself.



How does the world around you affect your perception of this goal? (or these goals?)


To begin, college applications seem extremely confusing this year because of remote learning and the COVID-19 pandemic. Students have to make more of an effort to ask for help in the process, such as having to email our college counselors if we have a question rather than quickly stopping by their office. Additionally, many students, myself included, have had their junior and senior year plans disrupted because of COVID-19. As a result, grades and extracurricular activities that would be self-explanatory in a normal year now require some more context and explanations. I joined New York Youth Civics Initiative over the summer, so I have always participated in this organization remotely, and it has had less of an impact on my goal of publishing the website. However, the limits of technology have still made it difficult to communicate with my team and have collaborative discussions. I have to make a conscious effort to express my ideas clearly. Finally, the social isolation and lack of in-person interactions has negatively affected my mental health. I usually de-stress by going out with friends or playing outdoor sports, but it has been harder to do these things because of the risk of COVID-19. It is also more difficult now that my house doubles as my workspace and school, because I don’t really have an escape after I am finished with work. As I previously mentioned, the current political atmosphere has also made it challenging to relax because our country’s future seems to ride on this year’s presidential election. However, I know that there is not much more I can do other than staying informed and encouraging others to vote, and that it is not healthy to stress over things I cannot control.

Ashley Luo, Period 2, 10/27, Day A

 Ashley Luo 

10/27/20

Period 2

Modern Mythology 2021

Reading & Learning

Write your thoughts regarding the most current reading

  In class, we talked about Hercules, one of the most famous heroes in Greek mythology. He is freakishly strong and very noble, but unlike other heroes like Odysseus, he is also very slow-witted. He doesn't think things through and he is very impulsive leaving him to have to repent after doing something so he can fix his errors. He is very emotional and sensitive. For example, he threatened to shoot the sun with an arrow because he was too hot. He doesn't think before he does something so he makes a lot of mistakes. However, you can't seem to hate his character because he has the honor and is willing to fix his mistakes, and goes to extreme lengths to fix what he has caused. When he killed his family, which was Hera's fault and not necessarily his, he goes and imposes the 12 tasks on himself as a way to rid his own guilt and wrongdoing. In class, we related his story to a commercial in which a dog owner leaves his pet by itself throughout the entire night. We talked about how from the perspective of a dog, they worship their owners as if they could do nothing wrong. The owner makes the mistake of leaving the dog by itself throughout the night and in the morning comes back and tries to make it up to the dog. The dog gladly accepts its owner and is happy again which relates to how we would feel with Hercules. We can see his mistakes but he can as well which makes him one of the greatest heroes in Greek Mythology. His willingness to fix his mistakes and his morality is what makes him a hero rather than his brute strength. 

Reflect on any new information you have learned in English class by considering how that learning influences your critical perception

    We discussed the story of Cupid and Psyche in class today. Psyche is a mortal who is beautiful and her beauty rivals that of Venus which causes the Goddess of Love to become jealous and vengeful. She sends her son, Cupid, to force Psyche to fall in love with the vilest creature on Earth. However, upon seeing Psyche, Cupid falls in love with her and wants to marry her. He carries her away to her own castle on an island where he marries her. The only catch - she must not see her husband's face and can only hear his voice next to her at night. Regardless she falls in love with Cupid and his gentle, loving nature. She lives happily while her sisters begin to plot out of jealousy. They convince Psyche that her husband is a vile serpent and will kill her in her sleep eventually. They convince her to look at him while he sleeps and kill him. Although she can't bring herself to kill him out of her love for him, she does, however, take a look at him, breaking the trust he has towards her. He leaves and in an effort to win him back, Psyche goes to Venus who gives her very hard, nearly impossible tasks. She perseveres through each task however and in the end becomes a goddess and lives happily ever after with Cupid. 

    This tale is one where true love conquers all. Once Cupid leaves Psyche due to their broken trust, Psyche does anything and everything in order to win him back. She goes to Venus who is still jealous and angry with her in an effort to apologize to the Goddess as well as gain Cupid back as her husband. She is put up to tasks like traveling to the underworld to retrieve something for Venus. These tasks are impossible for a mortal to accomplish alone but Psyche doesn't give up. Instead of turning the other way and fleeing, she braces herself against each of the tasks, earning help from others. In the end, Psyche succeeds and Cupid once again marries her. There was an interesting point we learned in class today about Psyche and Cupid. It was an equation. Psyche + Hardship = Cupid. Psyche means the human spirit, the soul while Cupid stands for eternal love and happiness. So, Psyche + Hardship = Cupid would translate into The Human Spirit + Hardship = Eternal Love and Happiness. It's to show that without hardship there cannot be a relationship and there cannot be true love. You would need to experience hardship to know what losing your other half would mean to you. Hardship brings people together and brings them closer to each other rather than apart. 

    Although Cupid and Psyche is a story of true love, looking at the story through a feminist lens it goes to show the patriarchal society that the Greeks had. To us, it would be completely normal for Psyche to want to know what her husband looked like. It makes more sense to us, in 2020, to trust the sisters as a family rather than a man you've never even seen before. However, even though Psyche listens to her family, she loses her lover due to her unfaithfulness and has to work to earn him back. It goes to show that the lesson the Greeks really wanted to highlight, that once a woman is married off, she is no longer her family's, but rather her husband's. Psyche should no longer listen to her family once she is married to Cupid, she needed to listen to Cupid who told her that under no circumstances must she see his face. By, disobeying him, she is deemed unfaithful and ends up having to endure the wrath of Venus.  

How is what you're learning applied to any other classes/world around you? 

    We discussed the importance of trust in a relationship and how it is needed in order for a relationship to fully function. You see this in the case of Cupid and Psyche in which his trust in Psyche is broken and thus he has to leave her. Similarly, in a real-life relationship, without trust, the relationship would simply fall apart without trust. In Cupid and Psyche's case, it would've been much easier if they had talked to each other about their doubts. Psyche should've asked Cupid why she couldn't see his face and he should've explained it to her. This way she wouldn't have been swayed by her sisters and betray Cupid's trust. Similarly, a relationship is about communication and coming to a consensus together. Trust and communication are two of the most important things in a successful relationship so whether if it's a mythology story or not, that theme will remain consistent. 

    We also talked about the reason why fairytales and mythology transcend throughout time. Those stories get passed down throughout time in different versions and altered versions. It applies to our world since people still read these stories. These stories aren't written for entertainment but rather a lesson. The Greeks wrote their mythology not only to explain the world around them but to teach lessons to the people that read them. Although their stories can be deemed as sexist and double standard now in 2020, it doesn't change the fact that they were written for the purpose of educating people. Similar to the fairytales that kids will read growing up. They read fairytales and learn lessons from them without realizing it, making it a big reason why these stories transcend throughout time and will continue to transcend throughout time. 

Kelly Li, PD 5, 10/23/20, Day B

Kelly Li
10/23/2020

Period 5
Modern Mythology 2021

Goal Setting & Growth

1. At this current point in time, what specific goal(s) do you have for yourself? Why?

At this moment, I have both a mental and physical checklist of tasks to complete. Obviously, keeping up with classes and its online assignments are one of the main priorities written in my planner. In addition, finalizing my common app essay and college supplements are definitely really important during this time since it is heavily emphasized that college admissions are going to mainly focus on the quality and fit of our essay. However, the feeling of worry and stress for my future college and career has kept me up throughout the day and night, hurting my chances of a healthier sleep schedule. Throughout the summer, I thought that staying up past 3AM every day was only going to be temporary for the season. However, these bad habits have been dragged into the school year, so I have been trying to adjust this by looking for ways to tire myself out during the day. Whether it a short run around my neighborhood or a ten-minute ab session, I have felt more excited to sleep. Another specific goal of mine is trying to stop procrastinating, as this could also be another reason for my maladjusted sleep schedule. The random urge to be productive at midnight has fueled the procrastination, but I have been trying to fix this habit by removing the distractions on my desk and deleting necessary apps on my iPad.


2. How do you demonstrate resilience towards achieving this goal? (or these goals?)

Staying on task has been quite difficult when the school environment is not what it used to be. Before remote learning, I depended on in-person conversations and the adrenaline rush throughout the school day to keep me studious and running. However, because of the changed circumstances, I had to find new ways to keep me motivated for the school year. At first, I made a planned schedule for how my day should go. Although following a schedule can be great, I disliked the boring ongoing cycle that repeats every day, so I learned to embrace unexpected spontaneous activities in order to feel excited to wake up the next day, like learning new hobbies, walking to the park, checking up on a friend, or even changing up my work setting. I have also accepted that there can be bad days where I just have to step back and practice some self-care, whether it be a yoga or nap session. Taking self-care breaks has been detrimental for staying positive and encouraged in completing assignments and essays. Inevitably, times can get tough, but keeping a determined and strong mindset in hopes of making my younger self proud has reminded me to always try my best and not let the challenges that COVID-19 brought limit my potential. My traits of being curious and hard-working have been ingrained into me since I was little so I always remember to keep working hard, even when there is not as much to look forward to.


3. How does the world around you affect your perception of this goal? (or these goals?)

As a high school senior in changing times due to COVID-19, it is unfortunate and upsetting to be stripped of our last year of high school. This mindset has set me back in many ways, feeling like I am missing out on the prime time of my life. However, the tragedy of quarantine and loneliness has taught me many lessons. Although it is tragic how it feels like NYC is somehow sleeping, it gave everyone a needed time for self-reflection. I learned so many things about myself, such as my love for my hobbies, my personality type (INFP-T), and my fascination for astrology. This self-discovery has been greatly helpful for completing my college apps, as I expand the awareness of personal passions and preferences. I am also understanding more things about the people and environment around me by developing stronger relationships with friends and family and being open to new experiences. The people I have in my life motivate me to be the best version of myself and stay on task. Though the pandemic opened my senses to self-gratitude and appreciation for others, it has tremendously challenged the mission to fix my night owl syndrome and procrastination. Since there has been a lack of physical presence and genuine in-person conversations in my life, I feel less of a need to sleep early and less pressure to meet set deadlines. However, a small voice in the back of my head constantly reminds me that the future is determined by the present, encouraging me to break out of these habits before college when time management becomes even more crucial.

Winona Liu, Period 2, 10/22/20, Day A

Winona Liu
Period 2
10/22/20
Day A

Reading & Learning 

Write about your thoughts regarding the most current reading.

    The current readings were interesting because they brought out a side to the Greek characters other than their legacy. In the Odyssey, Polyphemus is known as a monster who did not adhere to Greek hospitality and killed innocent men. The current reading portrays a much softer character, one who falls in love with sea nymph Galatea but cannot end up with her. Similarly, Medea is remembered for killing her two sons. The Quest of the Golden Fleece story instead depicts her as a character that should be pitied. Jason convinced her to leave her family to be with him, but ends up betraying her. He uses Medea’s magic to get the golden fleece and then marries another woman.

    Furthermore, a new historicism reading of the Quest of the Golden Fleece reveals how the hero evolved. We can start with Jason, a Greek hero: he is the king’s son and completes all of these impossible tasks to get the golden fleece. The first shift in the definition of a hero occurred during the Medieval Times. Due to class struggles between the rich and poor, a hero could be from any social status as long as he was loyal to the kingdom. He did not have to be the king’s son or a demigod, inspiring hope but also restoring faith in the kingdom. The next change occurred with the romantic hero, who came about when there were controversies between science and religion. The lower classes did not want to live by the rules of the elite, and thus the romantic hero is dark and self-centered. The stage after is the contemporary hero. At first, he is perfect and is used as propaganda to encourage people to join World War II, just years after the first world war. Soon, however, the anti-hero emerges. Events like the Vietnam War caused a distrust in the government so the anti-hero interprets the law on his or her own. The anti-hero has an ambiguous moral compass, doing what he or she believes is right but perhaps crossing another moral line to do it. Dexter, for instance, kills other criminals but is a serial killer himself. Overall, this in-depth interpretation forced me to reflect on how context shapes heroes and why the hero is the way he or she is today. The modern-day hero does not have to overcome a physical challenge or accomplish impossible tasks like Jason. The people just need to be able to relate to the hero even if he or she is vulnerable.

Reflect on any new information you have learned in English class by considering how that learning influences your critical perception.

    Growing up with Percy Jackson, I had always viewed Greek myths as something I would read for entertainment. Our lessons emphasize that the stories were not myths to the Greeks; the plots actually demonstrate Greek values and themes. For instance, female inferiority has been a reoccurring theme. In the Odyssey, Odysseus is with many women (Ex. Calypso, Circe), yet his wife is at home fighting off suitors. After nearly 10 years, she is unable to move on. Likewise, the stories of Io and Europa indicate Zeus’s infidelity: Zeus constantly falls in love with other maidens and the maidens are punished for it. From a modern perspective, Zeus is immoral for cheating, but for the Greeks, Hera is to blame. It is her personality and constant jealousy that drives Zeus to cheat. These stories helped me better understand the origins of prejudice against women, an issue that is still relevant today. Women still continue to make less than men for the same job, and they tend to have fewer leadership positions. This is all because the Greeks and other ancient cultures wanted to assure that a father passed down land to his own child. The only way to maintain that paternal lineage was to control women: to make them the ones responsible for preserving their marriage.

How is what you’re learning applied to any other classes/the world around you?

    All of the mythology lessons have real world applications, but I find that the Greek creation stories and flower myths in particular are most relevant to society today. According to the Greek creation stories, love originated from darkness and death. This makes sense because without this balance, love would not be passionate. Likewise, in flower myths, a beautiful flower blooms after something tragic happens: hyacinths came about because Apollo killed Hyacinthus, and a crimson flower emerges when a boar kills Adonis. This concept of something positive arising from something negative is so significant in a world turned upside down by the COVID-19 pandemic. Personally, having my last year of high school spent remotely has been very disappointing. The Greek way of thinking reminds me that enduring hardship is part of life and that I should remain optimistic. Even though quarantine is frustrating at times, it has shaped my character in a positive way. It made me realize how many things I took for granted, from being able to step outside my house without a mask to seeing my friends in the hallway. My friends and I can’t physically see other, but I feel that COVID-19 has actually made our bond stronger. We know that no matter how dire a situation is, we always have each other to rely on, even if it is through iMessage or Facetime. I have grown to become so much more appreciative; I am fortunate that I am safe and healthy and I hope for the day where I can finally go out and see my friends.

Theresa Luo, PD2, 10/26/2020, Day A

 Goal Setting & Growth

1. At this current point in time, what specific goal(s) do you have for yourself? Why?

        Due to the unfortunate and unexpected pandemic, I finally had time to slow down and take a moment's breath. I spent a lot of time reflecting on myself and the perception I have of myself. Throughout my entire life, I had always questioned if I was good enough. Was I a good friend, a good student, a good daughter, a good person? I had created an image of perfection that I could've never achieved. No matter what I did and what I achieved, I wasn't good enough. With such a realization, I decided to set a goal for myself. I decided I needed to be more forgiving and needed to stop obsessing over every little mistake I made. I realized during the stressful time of college applications, this forgiveness was crucial in maintaining my peace with myself. Although, this is easier said than done as a mindset founded on understanding and tolerance doesn't develop overnight. At times, I still beat myself up over little mistakes, but I quickly realize, how this attitude benefits no one. As the college applications continue, as my senior year continues, as my life continues, I will continuously work hard to be happy with every part of myself. 

2. How do you demonstrate resilience towards achieving this goal? (or these goals?)

         Achieving a goal so abstract appeared extremely difficult for me to achieve. However, spending my time doing activities that genuinely made me happy allowed me to focus my energy on something positive. Sprinkled throughout my day, I had what I called, "moments of peace"- a time where I can enjoy myself without guilt. After hours of work, I would give myself time to explore and develop new hobbies such as baking, knitting, and playing video games. This has lowered my anxiety and stress tremendously and turned days of nothingness into days of joyous memories. Usually, on days full of hateful emotion, I document my feelings in a journal. From the highs and lows, the funny, the sad, I write it all down. Having a journal to pour my feelings into opens up a portal for a beautiful escape; a place of true vulnerability and transparency. On days where the chaotic turbulence eats me up, I never can be objective or forgiving to myself. So, the next day, I'd read what I wrote to better understand how my strong emotions can shift my perception of myself. Throughout this strenuous and difficult journey, I constantly try to better understand and love myself.

3. How does the world around you affect your perception of this goal? (or these goals?)

        In such a competitive environment dominated by a hustle culture, I foolishly believed this was the only way to success and happiness. However, upon further inspection, I realized this vicious culture had engulfed many people's smiles and laughter. Everyone is so focused on keeping up with everybody else, they lose sight of how this cycle has dramatically impacted both their physical and mental health. I think everyone needs to be aware of how awful this system is and how detrimental it is to what many people call, "the best times of our lives". Hopping off that hustle train to stand by and observe has been pivotal in shaping my goal. Finally comprehending the roots of my poisonous mindset, encourages me to work harder towards my goal.

Iram Liu, Period 5, 10/23/20, Day B

Iram Liu
10/23/20
Period 5
Modern Mythology 2021

Goal Setting & Growth

At this current point in time, what specific goal(s) do you have for yourself? Why?

After joining the cross country team my freshman year, goal setting has become a major driving force in my life. Whether it be specific times I want to run for track or grades that I want to receive in school, goal setting has prevented me from becoming complacent and pushed me to be the best version of myself. During these unprecedented times, I have set new goals for myself in every aspect of my life. 

Coming from an immigrant family, education is of utmost importance to me so one of the biggest goals that I have set for myself is to finish my Early Action college applications. While this goal falls under the broader goal of college applications, I recognize the importance to take things one step at a time and break down large goals into smaller ones to make them more attainable. 

During the summer, the possibility of a fall cross country season was remote but, as a team, we wanted to still train and keep ourselves in shape so we would be ready if races opened up. Fast forward to October, I am glad to have been able to run outside (socially distanced of course) and get myself into really good shape. Since youth sports opened up, that meant that I could compete. Now, my goal is to maintain my fitness by running every day, and more importantly, take care of my body by stretching and rolling every day so that come race day, I will be ready. 

Lastly, I have made it a big goal to spend more quality time with my family members, especially my younger brother. Under usual circumstances, I spend a lot of time at school, at practice, or at meets. Most days, I will leave my house at 6:30 in the morning to get to school and come home after practice around 7:00 in the evening. Then, I have to get all my homework done leaving very little time for me to actually spend time with my family. While remote learning is definitely weird, it has provided me with the gift of time and I have made it a goal to spend at least an hour a day interacting with my family. 

How do you demonstrate resilience towards achieving this goal? (or these goals?)
While remote learning has given me a lot more time, it was challenging to stay on top of everything and find the right balance. I would procrastinate and just keep putting off my college applications. To deal with this, I created a schedule for myself so that I would stay on task and not get distracted. In addition, I made a Discord with some friends so we could keep each other accountable which helped to ensure that we were all working on our college apps. While I did not have much trouble with my other two goals, the schedule still helped with balancing all the things I wanted and needed to do in a day.

How does the world around you affect your perception of this goal? (or these goals?)
The events around the world have taught me the importance of being flexible with my goals. Prior to COVID-19 and the shutdowns, I had set goals to run fast during the outdoor season but, due to COVID-19, the outdoor season was canceled. This forced me to reset my goals and while I was initially devastated, this taught me to be patient and to trust the process. Life is not always going to be perfect and easy so I need to be adaptive. Therefore, when I set these three goals, I kept in mind that I might need to adjust them depending on the future. In addition, everything that has happened this year has made me appreciate the fact that I’m able to focus on the goals that I have set for myself. COVID-19, wildfires, the protests against police brutality have greatly affected many people's lives preventing them from pursuing their wants since they are always focused on their needs. However, I have been able to work towards my goals without worrying as much as other people in the country and around the world. Ultimately, while my goals have for the most part stayed the same, I’ve learned to be open to change and be ready to adapt.

Tiffany Lo, Period 2, 10/22/20, Day A

 

• Goal Setting & Growth

• At this current point in time, what specific goal(s) do you have for yourself? Why

• How do you demonstrate resilience towards achieving this goal? (or these goals?)

• How does the world around you affect your perception of this goal? (or these goals?)

At this current point in time, what specific goal(s) do you have for yourself? Why

It is near the end of October and a few goals that I have are mostly college applications related or career related. Like every other senior, I am focusing on working on college applications, applying for financial aid and scholarships, and keeping my grades intact. This may be senior year, but this does not mean it is time to slack yet. College applications and grades are my current focus at the moment. I am also exploring business careers to see what I really want to do in the future. Though it may change in the future, this is what I am currently thinking of doing. However, I do not only have goals that focus on grades and school. I also want to focus on my physical and mental wellbeing. It is important to take care of ourselves. In the long run, I want to focus on keeping myself together to avoid the feeling of futility. 

How do you demonstrate resilience towards achieving this goal? (or these goals?)

Though it may be overwhelming at times knowing that I have a lot of work to do, I break it down. Everything becomes less chaotic when I organize myself and write down the things I have to do. Next to each assignment, I put either pink, orange, or green dots. Pink means that I have to get it done as soon as possible. Orange means that I have some time to do it… but if I procrastinate it… it turns pink. And green means that I am done. At first I see pink and orange dots, but I want green dots. This method has been helpful at helping me get things done. I feel more accomplished seeing these green dots, knowing I have less on my hands. When I feel accomplished, I feel motivated; it keeps me on track. Additionally, I have been resilient in my goals that focus on my physical and mental wellbeing. I have been keeping myself on schedule with being physically active at home. Since quarantine started, I have been home all day… I have not been allowed to go out so I have not been getting a lot of physical exercise. I am not athletic but I do like to workout sometimes so I have been doing yoga and cardio. Lately I have not been working out as much as the beginning of quarantine but I will be getting back into it again. 

How does the world around you affect your perception of this goal? (or these goals?)

The world around us affects my perception of these goals. While I may think it can sometimes be hard to reach my goals… There are also other people out there who have a tougher time than I do. We are in the middle of a pandemic and there are a lot of people out there who may be struggling with family loss or staying alive. Their priorities may be a lot more important than mines. Therefore, it reinforces my resilience to pursue my goals which are not as difficult to achieve than those of others who are less fortunate than I am. One thing that I keep in mind is that things will get better while acknowledging that it may take time. It helps to stay optimistic during dark times. Though things may not go as planned, it should not prevent us from giving up on them. 

Rieko Luo, PD8, 10/21/2020, Day C

Rieko Luo

Modern Mythology

PD8

10/21/2020

Day C

At this current point in time, what specific goal(s) do you have for yourself? Why?

This week is the last week of October, which happens to be full of college deadlines and scholarship submissions for me. Therefore, my goals, at this current point in time, are to submit my applications and essays confidently. I have spent nearly months perfecting my essays, trying to show my best self in 650-word essays and 250-word prompts. All that time has been dedicated to my future career and the place I will spend my next 4 years at, so I wish to close that chapter with a smile on my face and relief in my body. Though this relief will only be temporarily (as I have to repeat this process for Regular Decision in December), I believe that my body has earned the break and should take some time to recuperate, which leads me to my second goal: I aim to spend more time focusing on myself and my family. I have been holed up in my room for the past few weeks stressing and drowning in school work and college submissions. The only times I have seen my family are during meals, and even then I am too lost in thoughts to properly talk about how my day is going. I miss dinner time; I miss joking around with my siblings and keeping updated on my relatives in China. After confidently submitting my applications, I aim to spend the next few days recuperating with my family.




How do you demonstrate resilience towards achieving this goal? (or these goals?)

By splitting my day into blocks of time that I can control and move around, I have built a motivation for myself to complete a portion of work everyday. I also wake up earlier to increase more time in my day so I can complete more work in the morning before class. However, I must confess, I have had a few breakdowns as college deadlines approach closer, but nonetheless, I spend a few spare minutes doing deep-breath exercises before continuing my work. Furthermore, I am pushing myself to complete these submissions because I am so close to the finish line, I can almost taste freedom and relief. Therefore, in a way, I am using the end reward as a sort of last-resort motivation to keep me going.




How does the world around you affect your perception of this goal? (or these goals?)

Still to this day, I cannot believe that we are still in a global pandemic. I have hardly left the house, and all habits within the house have stayed the same (except for the few stray masks that lie around). As I am fighting college deadlines and school work, I understand that there are other people, victims and front-liners, in the world that are battling a virus. In this context, my goals of trying to finish writing essays and meeting deadlines seem shallow and inconsiderate of others. These goals are made to tackle the problems that I deem most relevant to me right now, but I know and wholeheartedly understand that there are bigger problems in the world right now. Therefore, perhaps my goal of spending time with my family should take priority, as that is a privilege that many do not have right now. Some families are thousands of miles apart due to travel restrictions and some families have even lost loved ones. I should be thankful that I still see my family every day, and I should make more of an effort to do more than just “see” them.

Merna Moustafa, PD8, 10/21/2020, Day C

Merna Moustafa
Period 8
10/26/20
Cycle C

At this current point in time, what specific goal(s) do you have for yourself? Why?

As of right now my current goal is to be able to manage my time, while not stressing myself out
too much this year. I am currently a senior, which means that like my peers, I need to have my
college applications done soon. Last year around the beginning of March I had made a plan with
all the timed steps necessary to stay on track. However, due to the CoronaVirus, this plan
ultimately did not work out as I had multiple test cancellations and I had to have a change in
work lifestyle because of the change to online school. I would like to finish all my college
applications at least four days before the deadline, in order to make sure I have enough time to
add any extra touches in case any detail does not go as planned. I am applying to multiple
schools early, which means I need to be able to split my time wisely between all the supplements and my personal essay. Along with the start of the college application process, school has started. This has added on extra stress, especially now that I am a fully remote student. As a result of this another goal of mine has become to wake up early in the morning to work on all college related stuff and then after my classes I would only work on school related tasks. I want to keep this goal as an effort to reduce procrastination, that will eventually cause me a more stressful time in the future. The last goal I set for myself was to start living a healthier lifestyle, which includes both mentally and physically. This would be an attempt to help me balance out my thoughts and keep me more focused on the long run.


How do you demonstrate resilience towards achieving this goal? (or these goals?)

I have demonstrated great resilience towards achieving my goals. Due to the pandemic my original plan/ schedule did not workout like the majority of students. I have had a total of six
SAT exams canceled from March through October. Each time I got the cancellation email, I felt
very discouraged and it made me feel like I would not be able to get into the college I want. At
one point I even stopped studying completely for a few months. When I realized the school year
was starting up again, I felt like it was time to get back on track so I self studied this time and
self taught myself all the topics I needed to know and master for my exam based off of a
schedule I created for myself. It has been very difficult of course to start school again along with
college applications. The situation creates a stressful environment for me as a student. My main
priority has been my applications, but this also poses a problem because I need to make sure I do not slack off on any of my work and end up behind my class and confused. For this reason I have separated my tasks according to the time of the day. Being a remote student takes away from a part of the physical activity I would have gotten at school normally. So I have tried to make up for that by making sure I do at least one activity, whether that be a walk or a workout, for five days of the week. And to make sure that I am balanced overall, I have tried to free at least one or two days a week to do no work and take time off stress.

How does the world around you affect your perception of this goal? (or these goals?)

When I look at the world around me it makes me feel comfortable knowing that other people are
also in a similar situation as me. This makes me know I can have people to turn to when I want
advice on how to deal with my current stress and to make sure that my goals can help me do the
same. However, the world around me does make me concerned towards my goals at the same
time as I feel like I may not be doing enough to manage my tasks and as if I should take on the
job of more tasks. Overall, I want to use both of these perceptions as a motivation to turn to help
when I need it and to do as best as I can, without overly stressing myself out.

Angel Lee, PD5, 10/22/20, Day B

• Write about your thoughts regarding the most current reading.

• Reflect on any new information you have learned in English class by considering how that learning influences your critical perception.

• How is what you’re learning applied to any other classes/the world around you?

The most current reading were flower myths that related a death to the birth of a flower. In each of the stories, flaws of humanity were highlighted and served as a warning to Greeks. For instance, Narcissus killed himself after seeing his own reflection in a pool of water because he was entranced by his face, and he didn’t think he would find someone that would fulfill his expectations. This illustrated the Greeks’ attitude towards hubris and how it is the fatal flaw. Despite his death, a flower was created in remembrance to him and it reminded me how there is always a positive way to view a situation. This is especially true in our difficult times, away from friends and loved ones. Another way we can view the birth of a flower to remember a person is that life and death is a cycle. No one knows exactly what happens after death, but it is our beliefs that help us accept our mortality and allow us to live life to the fullest. I didn’t think that Echo deserved her punishment because she was simply professing her love to Narcissus. In the story of Hyacinth, his death was an accident and I found it ironic how it was his friend that caused his death. These events question the idea of fate and whether it can be controlled. I’ve always thought that one dictates his/her own future, but it is inevitable that some events are due to chance. Perhaps this shows that fate does exist, but in the time that the myth was created, Hyacinth and Echo’s demise was most likely a reminder that the gods hold superior power. 

We learned that human sacrifice was first introduced as a way to appease the earth when the weather was not desirable for agriculture. Human blood was viewed as a method of returning resources back to the earth. This idea of a cycle connects significantly to the creation of a flower as a way of honoring the dead. We didn’t realize how much the idea of death being honorable is still prevalent in our society. When soldiers die on duty, they are given an honorable funeral service and their families are given a folded flag as a memory of how he/she gave his/her life for the country. Ms. Fusaro brought up the example of an Incan girl that sacrificed and was found nearly perfectly preserved on the top of a mountain. Similarly, she and her family were also gifted and praised for her sacrifice. It was found that her diet changed approximately two years before her passing, demonstrating how her community was promoting her to a higher status as a way to thank her for her sacrifice. She most likely believed that her death would bring greater good to her loved ones and decided that it was an honorable thing to do. In both instances, the dead have left a legacy on Earth and their perception of death depended on their beliefs of what life and death means. 

The idea of death and rebirth can be applied to many instances in our lives. Many cultures believe that there is possibility after death, and this is evident in the flower myths. After reading the myths, the concept that resonated with me the most is the idea of life being a cycle and that with every death comes a birth. In the flower myths, even though the deaths were tragic, something beautiful was born as a result. At our young age and inexperienced mindset, we are bound to make many mistakes and constantly discover new sides to ourselves. Despite all the failures we will continue to face, more opportunities will arise and success will happen. I also thought the flower myths could be related to the idea of balance. In the Chinese culture, harmony and cycles play a significant role in our belief systems. Thus, people believe in the yin and yang because it is a balance in our universe, similarly to how life and death balance each other out. Overall, death is inevitable, but it is what we choose to do before that and how our memories live on that dictates who we are. 

Daniel Langer, PD5, 10/20/20, Day B

 At this current point in time, what specific goal(s) do you have for yourself? Why?

My current goal is to equally balance and distribute my time between school, college applications, home life, and personal time. Because of school changing, as well as this being the most stressful time for seniors because of college applications, I have much more on my plate than I usually would, and it is a challenge to balance it all. I have more schoolwork than last year, and because of the way school is set up, I have to do the school work almost completely digitally, which is different than I am used to. This month is also when most college applications need to be done, so that is a lot more that needs to get done and is especially stressful. If I am able to get all of the work I need to get done this month and balance my time without overwhelming myself, I will consider that a win. 

How do you demonstrate resilience towards achieving this goal? (or these goals?)

Even though there is a lot to do and it is easy to get discouraged and distracted, I try to keep myself on task and get a little bit done each day. As long as I do 30-40 mins a day of college applications and supplements and common app and college essays, I should be able to get done on time and not overwhelm myself in the last few days when everything ends up being due. 

How does the world around you affect your perception of this goal? (or these goals?)

The majority of the people I know are facing these same challenges at the same exact time, and as I see how they are managing it, it gives me insight into how to better manage my own time. Also, as others are able to manage their time, it shows that it is not impossible to do and that if I try, I can also succeed.

Amy Li, PD2, 10/20/20, Day A

At this current point in time, what specific goal(s) do you have for yourself? Why?

    The goals that I have for myself currently are to focus on my schoolwork and to stop spreading myself thin. Focusing on schoolwork is one of my current goals because nowadays, schooling is conducted online. This has posed to be a great problem for me because online school simply does not feel like school. For me, school means walking from class to class, meeting and talking with your friends, and physically participating in a class lesson. All of this is not captured in a typical online school lesson as I stay seated facing a computer screen, clicking another class's Zoom link after a class ends, seeing my friends through small rectangles on my screen, and clicking the unmute button in order to speak. As a result, I often feel myself getting distracted and not engaging in learning. But since this situation is not likely to change anytime soon, I made it my goal to put more focus on my schoolwork and adapt to school as it is now.

    A bad habit of mine that has always reared its head when I overload myself with work is spreading myself thin across the work. When many things need my attention, such as college applications and homework, I try to take both tasks on at the same time. Often times, this leads to me switching between the two tasks frequently within a short period of time. As a result, I get nothing done because my focus is divided on two different things. So, I have made it my goal to stop spreading myself thin and instead focus on one thing at a time.

    

How do you demonstrate resilience towards achieving this goal? (or these goals?)

    For my first goal, I have started to mentally prepare myself to focus before the class starts. I also try to get rid of any distractions that may be near me. So far, this has worked well. I find myself understanding more of the lesson material and more engaged in schoolwork. As for my second goal, when I notice myself focusing on many things at once, I leave the computer chair and take a break. I clear my mind by doing some exercise and yoga. When I come back, I decide on the most urgent task and only focus on that.

How does the world around you affect your perception of this goal? (or these goals?)

    The world around me has affected my perception of my goals by motivating me and offering me solutions. Whenever I feel like I can't ever get myself to focus on school, I think of my friends and my brother. My friends are also enduring the same situation, yet they are learning and doing well. During my brother's online classes, I see him actively taking notes and trying to understand the lesson material. This motivates me to do the same and work hard to achieve my goal. When my head feels like it is about to explode, I recall the relaxation and calmness I felt during yoga in online gym class and aim to recreate that. The world around me has made me think my goals are achievable and that all I need to do is work hard.

Amanda Lee, PD 2, 10/20/20, Day A

 Amanda Lee

10/20/20

Period 2

Modern Mythology

At this current point in time, what specific goal(s) do you have for yourself? Why?

Similarly to many of my peers, one of my biggest goals right now is to finish my college application process in hopes of getting into a preferred school.  But many people have began to forget what it means to feel. By feel, I mean that people are living their lives through a screen, especially given the situation at hand. A lack of feelings and communication with real people has made me realize how much we take for granted. While it is important for seniors, including myself, to force our way through the heavy college application process, my main goal right now is to find happiness and serenity off of the screen. Online school has been extremely rough on me - I have developed chronic migraines from sitting in front of a screen for hours a day. Whether it be going on 30 minute walks in between school and my online job, or taking a bath at the end of the day, I am trying to incorporate more ways to disconnect from the online world. Even if you are being overloaded and slammed with schoolwork, a job, or any other online activity, it is important find a balance between your own mental health and productivity.

How do you demonstrate resilience towards achieving this goal?

I am the type of person to overload myself with an extreme amount of work that I often cannot handle. The "big" things cloud my head, so in turn, I have started with the small things towards reaching a healthy mental state and overall better lifestyle. One of the small things I do to disconnect from my device is painting my nails. I replaced my old habit of biting my nails by painting them every other week. I find it extremely relaxing, painting layer by layer. While it does take a large chunk out of the day - about 2 hours - the relaxing mood it puts me in is worth it. It is somewhat ironic, because while I am disconnecting from work and schoolwork, I think that having painted nails makes me feel more productive. Hearing my nails clickety-clack on the MacBook keyboard as I type my essays makes me feel rewarded, like I am more productive in a sense. Overall, it is in the small things that I find ways to feel like I am actually alive during these strange times. As for college applications, I make big strides every time I work on them instead of making small steps with them everyday. In my opinion, this is more productive and better in hopes of achieving a more positive mental health.

How does the world around you affect your perception of these goals?

The world is 100% a strange place right now. Something that hurts my mental state is the world's positive attitude towards becoming remote. School is remote, work is remote, and life in general is becoming more remote. It is so hard to maintain a healthy state of mind when people are places are constantly relying on technology, and I pray that things change after a vaccine is found. Living in a world where we are like robots scares me, because I believe there is no point in living if we do not get to connect with the people around us (not through a screen). 

Being at one of the top high schools in the nation, the students here are very competitive and oftentimes rude when it comes to academics and more specifically, college applications. For instance, after receiving a 1350 on my first SAT last year, I was happy with the score as a base score, until students mocked me and told me I did poorly on the exam. I was upset to see the attitude of our student population, because they tend to push others down just for the sake of making themselves superior. This community negatively affects my perception of these goals, because many students try to make me feel inadequate compared to them. Luckily, as a person who is not afraid to stand up for herself, I do not let others push me down. Letting things get to your head, however, is a different story. Hearing and seeing people rush past me makes me feel like I am not doing enough, which cripples my mental state, In reality, I am doing more than enough to ensure I get into a good college, it is just the disgusting attitude of my peers that makes me feel pressured and overwhelmed. 

In the end, however, the world and our local community may try to harm our goals and stop us from achieving them, but it is up to ourselves to pursue our goals. Hatred fueled by the competitive school I go to fuels me to work harder, and the remote agenda that the world is pushing has only led me to realize that I need to stop taking real life for granted. By taking small strides to pursue our goals and better our lifestyle, we will be able to become the best version of ourselves. 

Ryan Hourican, Period 5, 10/15/20, Day B

At this current point in time, what specific goal(s) do you have for yourself? Why?

The major goal for many at this time is to get accepted into a good college. This year could determine how I end up in the future. I could get into a fantastic school and do great or I could settle for a safety school and hope I do just as well as I would have in the better school. College has been on my mind for years and the goal has always been to go to the best one. My opinion on which is the best might have changed but the goal is still to get in because my future depends on it. I have many more goals for my future but the thing that can help me achieve all of those is the college I go to. Like many I want to be successful and happy and the college I go to could either help me get there or leave it as the difficult task it is. The major goal is success but the minor goal that can help me achieve success is college.

How do you demonstrate resilience towards achieving this goal? (or these goals?)

Throughout the years, I've been working hard to set myself up to go to a good college. I've worked hard in the classroom, done community service and have done my best to be the greatest version of myself that I can be but becoming a good football player is something I've done that I would have never guessed would help me achieve this goal. Of course the grades have to be good which is why I've worked hard to keep the grades high my entire school career but during this time I have been working hard on the field and have caught the eyes of a few college coaches. From what I've been told, they can give me a better chance at getting into their college purely based on the fact that they want me to play for them. I haven't gotten into college yet so I'm still working hard to be the best I can be.

How does the world around you affect your perception of this goal? (or these goals?)

This day in age college is almost mandatory if you want to do well and find a good paying job.  This, of course, makes me want to get into the best one. The biggest thing that affects my perception of this goal is my parents and my sister. My sister is already at college and she has been a big influence on who I am. Because she's the older sibling, I've always been chasing her, trying to be as smart as her. This pushed me to get where I am and have all these opportunities but she also has been helping me in deciding where I might want to end up by telling me the ups and downs of each so I don't have any clouded judgement on any school I look at. My parents also have talked to me a lot about college and have been big supporters. They are helping me currently with college work but most importantly they have brought me to each college I might want to go to. The campus is a big part about choosing for me and driving me to each one is helping me decide which college is the favorite. They each helped me in forming my goals for the future and all thats left to happen is to wait and see who accepts me and who doesn't.

Mitchell Hayutt, Period 5, 10/15/20, Day B

 At this point in current time, what specific goals do you have for yourself? Why?

     At this point in my life, my main goal is to get into one of the colleges of my dreams and succeed in the world of finance. This is a huge goal for me because I know that the world of finance relies on connections and communication. These factors are the main reason that I strive to get into a school like UPenn or NYU. These schools offer not only a top tier education, but also a vast amount of connections that will help me secure an incredible job right after college. If I can achieve this, my next goal is to just work hard and succeed throughout college. I want to be a standout student in terms of my grades and my social participation in events and clubs. In other words, I hope that my college experience is a perfect balance between academic success and a generally great time with new friends. 

How do you demonstrate resilience towards achieving this goal? 

   I have been demonstrating resilience towards achieving this goal all throughout high school. Ever since freshman year, I knew that I would have to get the best grades possible in every class if I wanted to get into a top tier college. Thus, I’ve been consistently opting to take the most rigorous AP classes, and making sure that I worked hard and did well in all of these classes. In addition, I spent a lot of my time volunteering and participating in clubs because I knew that this would also help me in my college applications process. Over these past four years, I’ve taken upon a lot of difficult challenges, including some of the toughest classes that the school offers. No matter how complex the challenge, I always found a way to adapt and overcome, because I know that resilience and cooperation are vital qualities that will help me in my future. 

How does the world around you affect your perception of this goal? 

    As I get closer and closer to achieving my goal, I start to feel like I could have done so much more than I have done. This is because the world is always adapting and improving in countless ways, and it is impossible for us to keep up with the constant change. It seems as if every year, it gets harder and harder to achieve your dreams, and only the strongest and most determine actually succeed. Although it may seem difficult, I still pride myself in finding inspiration from people around me who have succeeded in the past. I choose to surround myself with other positive people who want to work hard and succeed in life. I also choose my role models and other people that I choose to idolize very selectively. The best idols are those that have succeeded due to their own hard work, and are able to inspire young and motivated students, such as myself, to achieve their dreams. 

Jolie Huang, Period 2, 10/19/20, Day A

Jolie Huang
Modern Mythology
10/19/20
Period 2


At this current point in time, what specific goal(s) do you have for yourself? Why?

Just like every other senior in the school, my goal is also to get through such a different college process than what we all know of! With this goal of getting through my college applications though, I think my main goal is to stop being a procrastinator. Embarrassingly, procrastination has been something I’ve been dealing with the 5th grade; It all started when I pulled my first all-nighter because I had to read 10 chapters of “My Brother Sam Is Dead” at once. I think the main thing that’s keeping me from fixing my procrastination is my mindset of being able to pull things off last minute. It happens with my tests and projects where I do it last minute and everything turns out fine for me… but what about my college apps? Surely, it won’t be the same: how could I do something in a week whereas some people do them over months? My problem has gotten to a point where it’s almost the end of October and I haven’t started my common app essay or my art portfolio yet. Every time I tell myself to do something, the little voice in the back of my head always tells me, “What you’re doing right now is so much more fun and relaxing!” Then, 5 hours pass. Then, I get frustrated with myself because I know I wouldn’t be feeling like this if I had just done what I had to do earlier. Then, I tell myself, “It’s ok, I shouldn’t worry about this too much because I’ll pull this off in the end.” Repeat. It’s an endlessly toxic cycle that I’ve constantly looped around. My main goal is to break this cycle and the most effective way to solve this is to stay focused on my end goal and take things day by day.

How do you demonstrate resilience towards achieving this goal? (or these goals?)

One thing that’s been helping me out is making a to-do list of all of my tasks. Since middle school, I’ve been in the habit of having a planner of some sort to keep my assignments and deadlines noted at all times. Organization is definitely a key part in trying to curb procrastination because there’s more structure in your routine that you’d want to stick to. Something I learned recently is that procrastination is the result of you wanting to avoid the negative feelings of anxiety and discomfort that come with approaching a daunting task. So to overcome this, you need to figure out the reason why you need to finish said task, what bigger goal you would achieve after finishing, and (most importantly) what would happen if you just didn’t do the task at all. Writing down these reasons next to the bullets on my to-do list have been really helping me out. If I see something along the lines of “Jolie, you’re going to fail the SAT if you don’t put in the effort of finishing a chapter of the workbook”, then I’ll have the motivation to get started. Lastly, I’ve been into keeping motivational statements in my mind a lot to keep myself focused and not get bogged down by feelings of negativity. They could be things like “doing a little is better than doing nothing” or “if you do it now, you won’t have to do it later”. I think this goes hand in hand with my belief that structure keeps you from straying away from your goal. If I have a mindset of taking things one step at a time instead of multiple steps all at once, I’ll become less stressed/overwhelmed and finish my tasks efficiently.

How does the world around you affect your perception of this goal? (or these goals?)

The pandemic has given me an invaluable opportunity, which is more time and less schoolwork. It’s unfortunate that our progress in the school year has been going slower than normal, but I could flip this around and see it as something positive. Ending school everyday at either 11AM or 2PM both give me hours in the afternoon to get things done. I could only see this as a chance given by the universe to finally solve my procrastination problem. Another way the world affected my perception of this goal is that everyone is also taking advantage of having more free time because of the pandemic. If everyone else is also doing it, then it’s a sign for me to also act upon myself and improve my work ethic. We don’t know what other time we’ll be able to experience something like this (hopefully never again), but if we see it as something positive, then something equally as positive will come out of it.

Brice Joseph, Period 2, 10/19/20, Day A

Brice Joseph  
Modern Mythology
10/18/20
Period 2

At this current point in time, what specific goal(s) do you have for yourself? Why?

The current point in time is definitely a new experience for everyone. I would have never expected that our high school journey would be interrupted by a global pandemic which would change the way we live our lives quite possibly forever. However, throughout these times, I still have a few goals I wish to reach and work towards. My main goal currently is to finish college applications. There is still a lot for me to do such as writing essays and finding a major that I am comfortable and enjoy pursuing. College is a big step in life and preparing for it is definitely a goal I am working towards. Finding a being accepted into a college that I have interest in a goal that I hope to reach once I finish college applications. Another goal I have at this point in time is maintaining a healthy balance between everything in my life. From schoolwork to college applications, it is not the easiest thing to find a balance especially with the unique school schedule. Remote learning is something that I need to learn to adjust to and setting aside time for specific things like college apps and school work. Staying on top of my work and college application are the main goals I have at the current point in time

How do you demonstrate resilience towards achieving this goal? (or these goals?)

Staying on top of my goals has not been the easiest thing to do. There has been many setbacks like time management, remote learning, test cancellations, etc. that have prolonged me reaching my goals. Although these circumstances, I have found ways to continue to work towards my goals despite the setbacks. As the workload gets heavier and heavier, I found creating a schedule of what I have to do has greatly helped me become more productive and organized. This has helped me in my schoolwork and staying on top of my work and not letting myself fall behind. With everything going on, applying to college is also a daunting task. However, I have set aside time to do college research as well as career research in order to find a college and career I wish to pursue. I think I have done a pretty good job as I am getting closer to actually reaching this goal. I have started writing college essays and applying to scholarships which is a good start towards my goals.

How does the world around you affect your perception of this goal? (or these goals?)

Although there is a lot going around in the world with the global pandemic, the world around me does not really change my perception of these goals. With these changing and uncertain times, my goals stay set in stone. Yes, the current situation does make it more and more difficult but I can't just sit around and waste time. These goals require work to be done and I have to put everything into working towards these goals not just for me, but for my future. This type of mindset has motivated me to keep on working despite everything life throws at me.

Jade Lombardo, 10/16/2020, PD8, Day C

Jade Lombardo
Modern Mythology
10/16/2020
PD8

At this current point in time, what specific goal(s) do you have for yourself? Why?

Currently, my goals are to finish my many college essays while also keeping up with schoolwork. Like many people, I am struggling with writing and editing my common application essay. I feel like my words aren’t flowing that much, and that what I’m trying to convey isn't coming out the way I want it to. The application deadline of November 1st is also in two weeks, making me even more stressed to try and finish it on time. I’m also aiming to do well on schoolwork, which takes up a lot of time even though I’m doing remote learning. I feel that learning remotely isn't as great as it would be if I was in school, so my goal is to keep up with the homework and lessons and to not fall behind.

How do you demonstrate resilience towards achieving this goal? (or these goals?)

I demonstrate resilience towards this task by trying to work on college applications at least once a day. This helps me split up my work efficiently and not get overwhelmed if I do a lot of it in one day. I also ask for outside opinions on whether or not my essay makes sense and if it is conveying what I’m trying to convey. I demonstrate resilience towards keeping up with schoolwork by watching extra videos of people explaining topics to me. This is especially the case for AP physics and AP calculus, because I usually don't get the concepts the first time the teacher explains it. By doing this extra work, I usually start to understand the lesson better, and it also helps me complete the homework.

How does the world around you affect your perception of this goal? (or these goals?)


The world around me affects my perception of these goals as normal. Many of my friends are also applying early decision or action to schools, and are trying to edit their essays on time. This makes me feel less alone in my own struggle, knowing that almost everyone in my grade is going through the same thing as me. My parents are also encouraging me to finish the essay before the deadline of November first, which encourages me to keep going. I also know that many people are struggling with online school, and that they aren’t learning as much as they could be if it was in person. I understand this struggle, and it also makes me feel less alone.

Celina Lin, PD 8, 10/16/20, Day C

Celina Lin
Modern Mythology
Ms. Fusaro
10/16/2020

At this current point in time, what specific goal(s) do you have for yourself? Why?

A specific goal that I have for myself currently is being able to maintain a balanced lifestyle between school workload and work. Because being a senior this year means having to apply to colleges and spending time on college applications. I want to be able to maintain a good grade for each class and definitely take every single thing seriously because I feel like by committing more time and effort into doing each assignment would just be better for the sake of myself. I know that sometimes I would go the shortcut to achieve something but sometimes that might not be the best choice. Especially when approaching school assignments, I think that I have shifted my mindset in how to do them. Sometimes, things aren’t as easy as you expect. I feel like back when I was younger, the easier the assignments, the happier I was. That was because I didn’t have to utilize my brain at all, I could go the easy way and easily get a 100. But entering high school, I wasn’t satisfied with this method at all. I thought to myself instead of going the easy way, why not try and work my brain harder. I want to be able to understand each aspect of the lesson the teacher is teaching or if I didn’t understand something or got a question wrong, I needed to get an explanation for it. I thought that if I approach things that way, I would see improvement. I was tired of doing things without putting in all my effort, so I decided to change and try and improve on the areas I am lacking. Also, I personally think that balancing school workload and work is not an easy thing but I think that if I manage my time appropriately, I would be able to handle it. A lot of the time I would feel overwhelmed with the school workload because I wouldn’t have any time to work school assignments on the weekends. In order to work on achieving my current goal, I have to utilize time management and be able to handle the workload coming from both school and work.

How do you demonstrate resilience towards achieving this goal? (or these goals?)

I think I’ve been trying to give myself a break whenever I can because incorporating school work and work itself together is a lot more tougher than I expected. A lot of the time, I have negative thoughts floating in my head because I would always concern myself with “Did I not work hard enough?” or “What have I done wrong?” I am constantly worried about the areas that I am lacking in because I would want to improve on those areas. Resilience to me is being able to refrain from having such negative thoughts and approach things in a more positive way. After all, there are just too many things in life for us to appreciate and be grateful for. I want to push the negative thoughts out of my mind and be able to generate motivation for myself to do things voluntarily. I want to be able to do things at my own decision and my own pace instead of being forced by others. I think through that way, I would be able to improve as a person.

How does the world around you affect your perception of this goal? (or these goals?)

After being in quarantine for a few months, I realized that I can actually accomplish a lot of things. I got motivated by seeing how other people utilized quarantine and looked at it from a positive viewpoint. I thought quarantine would be dreadful because that meant I couldn’t be with friends or go outside as frequent. But, seeing videos online of how people were properly utilizing the fact that they had more time at home, I wanted to do the same for myself as well. I started taking online lessons and I became more active as well. I also thought to myself that if people can make huge progress during the few months of quarantine, why can’t I also do the same and utilize my own time and do something productive. So, I am pretty grateful for quarantine because it gave me time to reflect on what areas I need to work on and allowed me to consider what exactly I want to pursue in the future

Svetlana Doronkina, PD 5, 10/01/20, Day B

Svetlana Doronkina 

Modern Mythology 2021

10/01/20

Period 5

At this current point in time, what specific goal(s) do you have for yourself? Why?

    At this current point in time, my goal is to survive the senior year with my mind intact. COVID-19 and remote learning have completely uprooted the traditional setting and way of learning I’m accustomed to - everyone is doing their absolute best to make the adjustment, but it’s simply not the same. College applications and supplementals are difficult to balance with the workload of classes - making my end goal doing well in both categories and retaining my sanity. 

How do you demonstrate resilience towards achieving this goal? (or these goals?)

    I demonstrate resilience towards achieving these goals because, despite the challenges I’ve met along the way, I haven’t given up. Balancing work, school, and social life has been incredibly difficult but working on time management has truly helped me persevere. I’ve learned that keeping a calendar of all perspective due dates are beyond useful and plan to use more organizational tactics to keep this and all possible objectives flowing smoothly.  

How does the world around you affect your perception of this goal? (or these goals?)

    The world around me has been frankly, a mess - it’s shown me nothing but despair and darkness as of late. It’s disheartening to watch all these stories of brutality and discrimination being told, knowing this pain extends to an endless number of people. It’s made me realize that my problems aren’t as large as they feel and that there are more important things going on; people deal with much more pressing issues every day - if they can do that, I can make it through the college application process.