Angel Yang, 3/10/2021, PD8, Day C

Angel Yang
Period 8
3/10/20
Day C


Modern Mythology 2021


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?)



Currently, my main goal is to avoid senioritis. As a second semester senior, I can see the light at the end of the tunnel, and I’m exhausted. School has been a constant in my life for the past twelve years, and it feels natural to want to let loose and celebrate a little. Now take into consideration the pandemic and the fact that I don’t have anything fun to look forward to. This past year hasn’t been necessarily rough on me, which I’m incredibly grateful for, just demoralizing and heartbreaking. Because of this, I can feel my motivation slipping as I get closer and closer to graduation. However, I know that I shouldn’t end off my education on a bad note because I didn’t work this hard for nothing.

In order to build resilience against this senioritis mentality, I’m trying to stop thinking about reaching the end of my senior year in order to focus more on what’s directly in front of me. I’m trying even harder to stay on top of my schoolwork and studying by starting the annual AP test study grind now. Whenever I have free time, I distract myself with my AP textbooks to feel productive. I’m also reminding myself that I didn’t keep up my grades these past four years just to have them stained by my last semester. I studied countless hours, poured my heart and soul into my college essays, and dedicated myself to my education for far too long. Plus, colleges receive final semester transcripts and may rescind students if their grades drop significantly. That threat alone scares me but keeps me in line.

With major college decision release days looming, avoiding senioritis is getting more and more challenging. Luckily, my friends are generally not succumbing to senioritis and mostly maintaining their past level of effort. This inspires me to do the same, and I feel very fortunate to be surrounded by such hardworking, persevering people. When I finally graduate high school in a few short months, I hope I can look back on my last four years with the utmost pride. If I can complete college applications and my senior year during a pandemic, I’m confident that I can achieve anything.

Jeffrey Wu, 3/10/21, Period 8, Day C

Jeffrey Wu Period 8 3/10/2021 

Day C

Blog #2 

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

A problem that has been bothering me lately are my car driving lessons. I have lessons on Friday at 3pm, a little later after school ends. I was surprised by how quickly the instructor progressed with the lessons. I expected the first lesson to be about the seat-belt policy and how to start up your car, however, in a little over 30 minutes, I was learning how to make a right turn. On the second lesson, the problem occurred. The exhilaration and excitement that I felt from the previous lesson was replaced with anxiety and nervousness. I was especially drained from school that day, so I wasn’t able to learn or perform properly in driving. I was further crushed when I accidentally sped up a little and almost drove into a trash can. The mistakes that I make stick with me for a long time and I take a while to reflect on them and find a solution. I even considered quitting the driving lessons because I didn’t want to make another mistake. However, I also didn’t want to waste the time I spent waiting for the DMV to give me my learner’s permit and the little time I have left before I go to college. My goal is to prepare myself better for future lessons, this way I can learn how to drive quickly and move on. 

How do you demonstrate resilience towards achieving this goal? 

I demonstrate resilience towards achieving this goal by sleeping earlier the day before my driving lesson. This way I don’t feel as tired after I finish my school work and I don’t feel as nervous as I enter the driver’s seat. I also need to realize and understand that making mistakes is why I am taking lessons and learning so this way I don’t get too hung up over whatever happens. I further strive towards achieving this goal by watching videos about tips on how to turn or brake better.  

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

The world around me affects my perception of this goal because when I compare my anxiety and problems to other people in this world, I realize that their problems are a lot greater than mine and that they have to work a lot harder. This motivates me to work harder on my goal to become more focused and to prepare myself better for my driving lessons. Furthermore, I noticed that some of my friends already know how to drive and have passed their driving test already, so I am more inclined to try harder so I don’t get left behind. It would also be great to learn how to drive quickly, so that when I get to college, I can have an option to drive when there are no other modes of transportation available. 

Ramim Tarafdar, Period 8, 3/8/21, Day A

 What are your thoughts and feelings about issues of inequity, oppression, and/or power?

2020 and 2021 have been two extremely tumultuous years, so say the very least. With constant issues being brought into the light for every aspect of inequality, oppression, and power, I'm sure everyone has begun to find themselves thrust into these conversations. It's unavoidable and in fact, absolutely necessary to speak on these issues now, as we begin to enter adulthood and our veil of childhood innocence about the world begins to lift. Among all of the issues that we see in the media currently, one that truly irks me is the blending of human rights and politics. Morality is a concept that we, as kids hold dear to us unknowingly. We are constantly sorting actions and ideas into the umbrella terms of good and bad until we realize that the world only exists in a dull grey, known as politics. Human rights are used as bargaining chips and played with for the shift of power of those that are above us. A perfect example would be how the entire BLM movement was turned into essential a marketing campaign for companies who never aligned with any of these beliefs prior. The topic that I really want to discuss is what has been happening in Texas lately. In the event of the Texan winter storms, it shocked me to see how cruel people can be against people whose beliefs differed from their own. A state's political alignment should never serve as justification for the suffering for millions of innocent lives, yet people were quick to run to Twitter to shun Texans for their desperate attempts at survival. Apparently, in their eyes, Texans deserved to suffer for being red. Even as Ted Cruz abandoned his state for a trip to Cancun, rather than berating the corrupt politician, I saw tweets of people criticizing the state for electing him and thus forced to suffer the consequences. I feel like at this point in time, so many people are more worried about fending for themselves to the point where they simply don't feel any empathy for others. Continuing this mentality is only going to be more detrimental when trying to create any real change. I firmly believe that unless we can come to mutual understanding of each other's pains and sufferings, there is absolutely no way to start to fix any of these issues.

How do you reflect critically on your own beliefs, assumptions, values, and experiences, and how these can influence your perception of self and others?

I reflect on all of my actions on a day to day basis. Honestly speaking, growing up I have been more close minded to many things in terms of inequality and oppression. Living in an immigrant household, racism is commonplace and challenging the views and beliefs of elders as a child is only ridiculed. However, as I experienced new ideas and engaged with people of varying beliefs, I took it upon myself to understand their point of view without any prejudice, even if I disagreed. This is a skill I utilize in every aspect of my life as I  believe that mindless arguments without first hearing out the opposing side solves nothing. I take this personal advice into my relationships, work, and any interaction I have. Although there are obviously exceptions to this, I always find the need to find common ground between myself and the opposition or at least come to a mutual understanding of each other's thoughts so that we're able to proceed in a positive direction.

Autumn Swartz, Period 2, 3/8/21, Day A

Autumn Swartz

Modern Mythology 2021

Period 2

03/08/2021

What are your thoughts and feelings about issues of inequity, oppression, and/or power?

2020 and 2021 brought many issues surrounding oppression and inequity to the forefront of mainstream media. From Black Lives Matter to the rise in Asian hate crimes due to COVID-19, the general public has had a strong mix of reactions covering a vast array of issues. Currently the trial of George Floyd’s murder is preparing to begin, with jury members being chosen. Hopefully there will be justice in that case, but that one case is not enough. What Black Lives Matter fights for (equal treatment by law enforcement and overall against systemic racism) runs much deeper than the case of one man, but it will be a step in the right direction if the police officer is convicted. What has caused so much hope towards the country’s future and has been captivating to see is how so many people and communities can come together and fight for justice. With Black Lives Matter hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of people came together to support the cause over the summer and people still continue to do the work and spread awareness today. Their efforts got new laws passed to make law enforcement safer for the public, which shows how being united under a cause is strong and effective. Furthermore, the rise in Asian hate crimes also shows how deep racism unfortunately runs in this country and how easily people turn to hate and violence when in fear. However, like with Black Lives Matter many people have come together to fight this hate. When someone’s Asian mother was violently attacked by a man, the public came together and figured out who the perpetrator was so justice could be achieved. There are so many issues regarding inequity, oppression, and power as they have always been a struggle in human history, and while that shows a weakness in people, the repeated events of communities working together to fight that weakness shows not only that humans can be strong, but that they’re stronger together. 

How do you reflect critically on your own beliefs, assumptions, values, and experiences, and how these can influence your perception of self and others?

I constantly reevaluate my beliefs based around new knowledge and new experiences. My beliefs are constantly changing and evolving as I discover more about the world and who I am as a person. During this journey of my viewpoint evolving I sometimes also discover an assumption of mine that I must change and I learn what values are most important to me. This allows me to grow and try to become a better person, which I believe is an important thing to do in life. Things constantly change and people must be adaptable to those changes. If you become stagnant you may get lost in how things used to be instead of keeping up with how things are. As I learn more about myself and grow I also evaluate what kind of people I want to be associated with and surrounded by. If I feel that someone is mistreating me and it can’t be fixed due to a vast difference in values, then I will most likely distance myself from that person. Something I’ve had to come to terms with and learn is that even when you care deeply about someone they still might not be good for you. Whoever you surround yourself should ultimately come down to more how they make you feel about yourself and less how you feel about them. You could love someone deeply even if they make you feel horrible about yourself. 

Adrian Seucan, PD5, 3/9/2021, Day B

Literacy & Learning

Write about your thoughts regarding any of the fiction or non-fiction covered in class.

After watching the movie Beowulf, I was pleasently surprised to see a different take on the original story. The poem is filled with action and describes all of Beowulf's heroic qualities, but it is so one sided in favor of the hero, that its maddening to read! On the other hand, the movie gives Grendel and his mother a larger role in the plot, and its interesting to see Grendel actually have a reason for his massacres at Herot. One point of interest in the movie that I'd like to bring up, is the role of Grendel's mom. Of the three "monsters" that Beowulf has to face, she scares me the most. In the movie, Grendel's mom is a humanoid woman with a dragon tail, and although that is weird, that's not what makes her truly frightening. Its the ease in which she defeats Beowulf that is unsettling. Whereas he would fight tooth and nail to kill both Grendel and the dragon, he succumbs to the false promises of Grendel's mother way too easily. She is depicted as a monster, but in reality she is just the physical incarnation of human lust and temptation. This encounter demonstrates one of humanity's biggest weaknesses; the fact that we easily give in to temptation. Even a so-called hero like Beowulf fails to control his desires when they are directly presented to him. 

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

Recently, our class had a discussion on which is the worst sin. Many believed that it was either cowardice or wrath, but after seeing Beowulf, I believe that the worst sin is lust. Lust shows the most weakness in a person because they can easily be manipulated, as shown in Beowulf, but also because it is driven by the evil desires of humanity. The main thing I've learned in English class, is to always ask questions, to challenge the status quo. English class has taught me to look at a situation from different perspectives, as I did when responding to the discussion above. Another hallmark of this class is the challenge for students to delve deeper when discussing or reading a literary piece. When I was younger, I just read for fun. All the subtle patterns and subplots of a novel were lost on me. I didn't pick up on the bigger picture of a story. After being part of this class for several months, I've learned to go past this shallow perception and look to see what's really going on. The first time I read Greek myths, I was focused on the characters and the storyline, but now I also pay attention to the societal connections and critical theories within the plot (feminist theory, etc.). 

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

Even as a young child I liked to question things, but English class helps bring a higher level of focus and understanding to my view on different topics. I learned that not everything is black or white, something that is useful when interacting with people and trying to understand their motivations. For instance, many people would frown if they saw someone steal food or clothes from a store. But if they learned that they were homeless, then maybe they'd feel some sympathy and understanding towards the person. Obviously I'm not advocating for people to get away with theft, but instead for people to broaden their horizons and to dig deeper. Whether its during interactions with others, or watching the news, I want to continue to challenge myself to understand better. 

Christian Sheherlis, 3/9/21, PD5, Day B

 What are your thoughts and feelings about issues of inequity, oppression, and/or power?

    As someone who grew up in America, I was always told about this idea of "freedom," the ability to express oneself however they feel without having to live in fear. As I've grown up it has become apparent to me that these ideals are not what America is founded on, rather being something that it needs to fight towards. In our modern society, the amount of discrimination present became painfully obvious, showing up all around us. With major events like the death of George Floyd sparking mass Black Lives Matters protests in the summer of 2020, the flaws in the system become more and more difficult to ignore. This issue moves beyond issues purely relating to race, extending to gender, gender identity, and sexual orientation. As of writing this, recently Arizona state senators have banned hormone therapy and transgender surgery in transgender youth. Legislature like this infuriates me beyond belief. Oftentimes, those who are transgender suffer through a lot, most notably through body dysphoria which can lead to overwhelming anxiety and depression. Those legislators who passed this bill have not considered how actual trans youth would be affected by this ban, putting their physical well being to the side in order to pass a bill filled with their own beliefs. Many of these legislators align themselves with conservative beliefs, not adapting themselves to a time where the science has proven that there's no issue with being transgender. This isn't to say that these beliefs are just held by one party, in the two party system it is just more apparent in the republican party. These antiquated ideas lead to people having to live in fear of having their rights stripped away because of things they can't control like their gender identity, sexual orientation, and race. The future needs to see widespread acceptance for all people if the American idea of "freedom" will ever come to be.

How do you reflect critically on your own beliefs, assumptions, values, and experiences, and how these can influence your perception of self and others?

    I grew up in a family of immigrants, carrying ideas that reflect more conservative values. While never particularly extreme, I was surrounded by a fair bit of silent discrimination, never in public, always behind closed doors. For a while that was all I knew, however, actually getting out into the world I began to form beliefs separate of  my family. I don't share the same silent discrimination they practice, rather denouncing it as completely and utterly wrong. This became much stronger when I realized I was bisexual. I've heard my parents talking about "being gay" before, but I never fully understood it from their point of view. Once I was able to learn from others and see new perspectives, I was finally able to look into myself and find out the truth. In all honesty, this is happening again with my gender identity. The global pandemic we've been locked in has given me a lot of time to look into myself and sort out the thoughts in my head. I'm not at the point of being completely sure about anything, but I'm on my way to understand more about myself. I like to believe that I have become a much more accepting person than my parents before me, seeing people not just by one aspect of themselves, instead taking the time to learn more about them as I learn more about myself.

 

Alabama Legislature Article:  https://thehill.com/homenews/state-watch/541472-alabama-senators-approve-ban-on-hormone-therapy-surgery-for-transgender

Elsie Wong, 3/5/2021, PD8, Day C

Elsie Wong
3/5/2021
Period 8
Day C
Modern Mythology


Goal Setting & Growth

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

Growing up, I have learned to sacrifice anything and everything for the sake of academics, especially my personal health. My parents only played into this, instilling in me the belief that education precedes all, especially my personal enjoyment when they barred me from joining the badminton team. I let this poisonous mindset fester within me. I let it push me to the edge of my limit, my abilities, and my sanity. But just like how adrenaline only numbs the pain for so long, all the consequences started to catch up to me. My body started breaking down, mentally and physically. It only got worse when the pandemic happened. Away from my source of support, my health continued to decline. I couldn’t take it anymore and I sought help, and through them I learned that I needed to prioritize myself over all else. Currently, I still haven’t gotten the whole gist of this yet, so it’s still an ongoing goal. I want to learn to do things for myself from now on, especially for my own enjoyment. I want to set time apart for the sake of doing things that I enjoy and not feel guilty for taking that time out of my work. I wish to pick up all the hobbies I dropped in favor of studying for tests. I miss sewing plushies, making music and just hanging out with friends in general. I want to feel ok about the fact that I’m doing unproductive things simply for the sake of fun.

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

I’ve been working on this goal for a while. Enough that everybody around me is pulling out their hair in frustration at how relentless I am in pursuing work. I still remember making the goal to take breaks during Winter Break. The disappointment on my friends’ face when I told them I only ended up taking a break for 2 days out of the entire time was immeasurable. But I’m learning little by little. I have people who are there to help me. It’s taking me time but I’m slowly easing out of my mold. Whether it’s through small decisions like putting off the homework for another day so I don’t sleep at 3 in the morning or major decisions like setting certain days where I do not work. My anxiety factors into my will to work too, so I’ve been learning how to fight against my anxiety. Truthfully, it’s quite difficult to shake off the constant feeling of anxiousness and my mind isn’t helpful either. But I understand now that stress is different from anxiety, and that stress is good, anxiety is not. It’s a struggle to shake off my past habits but I’m working towards it.

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


The world around me is a mixed bag as of now. I have supportive influences, but sometimes things just don’t work out. Like I mentioned before, my parents played into this whole mindset in the first place. Their mindset influenced mine, making me originally believe that this goal was irrelevant. And sometimes, I still think that. But I’m moving away from that thought process. My constant feelings of burnout regarding school has started to make everything feel lackluster. This only makes me want to grasp this goal as soon as possible. Only by feeling well rested can I shed my feelings of tiredness. My friends help motivate me towards this goal as well. They provide encouragement and some of them are even models of what I want to achieve. I see the world around me and there are so many happy people (even in times like this) and I want to feel the same as them again.