The Holidays

Thanksgiving break has been very helpful for me. I was able to complete my application for the University of Delaware, work on my Aquinas project with my partner, finish schoolwork, and I even found time to relax in the company of my family. Unfortunately, I was unable to watch the parade on Thanksgiving this year, but I did go to the movies with my father and sisters to see Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows part one! It was awesome! I cannot wait for part two! After the movies, I went home to help my mother prepare for dinner with many family members. It was nice to see everyone again, even though I had seen many family members Wednesday morning at Cannon's Bakery. I had helped my uncle that very chilly and breezy morning because WSTW was in the parking lot outside the bakery for their annual Turk Wii drop. I was one of the lucky ones to stay outside for six hours helping advertise for Cannon's Bakery by working the cupcake table where kids could decorate a free cupcake. It was fun, but I ended up catching a cold most likely with the help of the cold weather affecting my sinuses. I am happy I assisted that day, mainly because my uncle paid me to do so, but also because I was able to spend some time with my family.

The holidays are times for people to spend with the ones they love and care for. I was able to share laughs and good times with my family, but also with my friends on Black Friday because it was the night of another Saint Mark's vs. Salesianum game! It was exciting to watch our team rise to the top once again and I hope all goes well this coming weekend in Dover for the Division 1 State Championship! I am very excited for our football team and I will be supporting them in the stands down in Dover. After Friday, I saw many family members for the third time over the break at a birthday party for my cousin who has just turned 7 years old. I had a good time eating creepy-looking foods that went with the monster theme of the party, and I enjoyed watching the fireworks my cousin set off. It was especially entertaining to watch him run away after he lit them because I do not see him run very often. It was an enjoyable night, especially eating the elaborate monster cake my cousin made for his son's birthday. I really enjoyed my break, even though Sunday was a working day for me in order to work on my Aquinas project and my application. Overall, my break was very nice, but seemed too short. The holidays never seem to last long enough. Once you start to relax, you have to get back up and ready for school or work once again. I hope that everyone else had an enjoyable Thanksgiving break. Soon it will be Christmas break! The days just keep flying by!

Stressful Days

As Thanksgiving nears, my work load grows larger.  I have aquired a lot of work as the days until break dwindle.  I have had many tests, quizzes, and assignments to complete.  I have been stressed out trying to make sure I turn in all my assignments, make time to study, and get enough sleep to function.  I have even more school stress to look forward to on Monday.  The magazine drive has not helped either because the teachers keep nagging the students to sell magazines.  I already sold six magazines, so I have completed my contribution to the sales for school.  Hopefully we are able to reach our goal so we may have the Monday after Thanksgiving off from school.  There is just too much happening at the moment that I hardly have time to myself.  This weekend I have soccer tournaments, studying, and the Blue/Gold Thanksgiving dinner.  I have also recently started tutoring a student, which gives me hours for NHS while I assist her.  On top of everything I have already stated, I have college applications to finish.  I cannot believe how quickly the days are passing.  Hopefully things will settle down enough after break for me to breathe a little easier.  However, I do have an aquinas project to present after break, so I may not have much time to relax.  Eventually I will have the time to relax, but until then I shall continue working hard while trying to keep my stress levels down.

Victory

Victory is always very exciting whether you are victorious in school, such as obtaining an A on a difficult test, or victorious in sports, such as football. Today is a day of victory for Saint Mark's and myself. I feel I was victorious in school after completing my theology test and my child psychology quiz. I felt I prepared myself enough to perform well on my examinations. After school hours, however, the entire Saint Mark's community was able to celebrate a very special victory together as a whole. The momentous rivalry between Saint Mark's and Salesianum resulted in an outstanding win for the Saint Mark's Spartans today in football. This victory brings all the members of Saint Mark's together in celebration of the hard work and tremendous performance displayed by the members of the football team. They truly went "all out" for this game, which allowed the Saint Mark's community to rejoice in the victory and show wonderful school spirit. All the energy and excitement during the game, especially in the last couple minutes, reminded me of how great it is to be a Saint Mark's Spartan. I am proud to be a member of the Saint Mark's community and look forward to future victories for our sports teams and in my academic performances. GO SAINT MARK'S!!!

My Contributions to the Blind Melon World Literature Class

Each person in the class has something to offer that enhances everyone's learning experience. I believe what I have to offer is attentiveness, and a positive attitude. I listen to what others have to say and offer to each discussion we have in class, making sure I do not interrupt. I absorb the differing opinions I hear, which allows me to understand the topics better after listening to each person's input. By staying attentive, I am able to remain focused on the topic at hand and know when to add my own opinions at the appropriate times in discussions when necessary. In addition, my positive attitude allows me to stay open to what others have to say and not let it bring me down if it happens to be constructive criticism. A positive attitude can lighten the mood in the room and bring smiles to others' faces. I believe my contributions, though more subtle than other students' contributions, assist in the learning process in some way for my fellow classmates as well as myself.