After a tragic event, people often hold loved ones close, and hug them a little bit tighter, and appreciate them a little more. After seeing my big brother commit suicide, I did the exact same thing. September 23, 2009. I was on my way home from school like any other day. I saw a police … Read more
When I examine myself dealing with my identity and culturel am reminded that the values are concrete points that are significant influences to me that guides me and it then becomes a process of my decision-making. By using my own story to explore my life experiences and roles in society and the historical and cultural … Read more
“Oh, how great! ” I said, sarcastically. “So how do we tell the girls? I don’t want them to be scared, should we just make something up? ” “No, I think we should just tell them the truth. ” Me, with it being my first night taking on the role of a cit was super … Read more
the very beginning The wind caresses my hair around my face as I look down from the top of the swaying bridge over the Yuba River, ready to leap and never look back. I close my eye and feel a single hot tear slide down my goosebumped face. Everything seems to stop for just a … Read more
I want a hippopotamus for Christmas Ever since I was a little girl I always wanted a hippo. I asked my mom every Christmas if she could get one. She always said ” If I had a million dollars, and if it was legal. ” Then I would just sigh and move on. But for … Read more
I changed my mind about running the day my father made me run my first race. It was a hot summer day, and I was inside watching television with my siblings when my dad asked us if we all wanted to run a race with him. At first, I wasn’t too sure about it even … Read more
The clock above my head ticks slowly, the sound ever increasing as the minutes pass by; tick, tick, tick. I normally do not notice the time while I work, usually I am the energizer bunny of workers, in early, out late, always working or willing to, but that day was different; I had a date; … Read more
Once Pluto was out of tears to cry with, he knew it was time to tell her. “My darling Proserpina I think it’s time for you to return to your mother. ” “No, why would you say such a thing!? I will not return to that overbearing woman! Especially not after watching you just now! … Read more
Have you ever suffered? Did you get better or never quite recover? Did you find your lover laying with another? I did. No one tells you how cruel the world can be, or how to cope with tragedy and pain. I had been out of town for months away in the Army, and had come … Read more
Summers in Cape May As I sat in my elementary classroom that first day of school after summer break, the teacher asked us to raise our hands if we went away during the summer. I quickly raised my hand and smiled feeling gitty. When it was my turn to say where I went that summer, … Read more
During the year of 2010, the summer before eighth grade year. I got the chance to participate in a five day youth mission trip in Galveston Texas with my church that went by the name of Oakwood Baptist Church. During the mission trip there would be many different activities that our church group would get … Read more
It was a scorching summer day in Las Vegas and my dad and I were meandering around the city in awe of the size of everything. We were acutely aware that we had overdressed for the weather, having just left a chilly Illinois. It was the hottest place to which I had ever been. The … Read more
Life can have so many challenges a person will have to endure. Some will be making it to the NBA playoffs and others will be perfecting the cheesecake. For me, it would be the most, terrified thing a young person would ever have, the SAT. Know for its extremely dull black and white pages and … Read more
It all began with a simple phone call one night after dinner. “Joe,” my father hollered up the stairs, “it’s for you. It’s Jackie, and she sounds upset. ” As I came downstairs to pick up the phone, I was not happy. I was tired and had looked forward to a nice and quiet evening … Read more
I would like to say I know Spanish, after four years of studying in high school and multiple trips to South and Central America, yet it seems every time I leave the States, I find myself in a frantic struggle to process the words I know and figure out the meanings of the ones I … Read more
College move-in day is right around the corner, and I’ve been reflecting on educators that touched me in a special way. I never had a favorite principal until….. In the eighth grade, my Middle School got a new principal. I didn’t know too much about her, other than most of my friends had her as … Read more
Taking into consideration my Libyan heritage, one might say | was able to experience the best of both worlds as a first generation Libyan-American. They wouldn’t be wrong, growing up, I was influenced by the cultural aspect of a Libyan as an American citizen. I partook in many common Libyan traditions, for instance, I would … Read more
Horse showing is not an easy task. It is hours upon hours of going in circles and patterns around the arena. You have to know all the right patters and ques as well as having everything spot on and perfect. It is perfect chaos. I smiled to myself at how perfect this show was going. … Read more
“You can quit when you are finished. ” My dad has been saying this my entire life. Everytime he said that I took it to heart because, it is a powerful saying if you really and truly follow it. I had followed that saying my whole life relatively easily, until my freshman year of wrestling. … Read more
Mid evening on that October night. It was a chilly night, low forties maybe, and a little breezy. My dad and I set off for my grandfather’s property in Marshall at three in the afternoon. We were getting ready to hunt. My grandpa’s property is around 135 acres of land around his house. This is … Read more
Growing up, I was always viewed as a person that didn’t like any type of socialization. I was portrayed as a quiet, nerdy, reserved individual that had very limited conversations with those around me. Unfortunately, the people that said this about me were wrong. In reality, if I were to describe myself to someone that … Read more
Tabsolutely had to use a photo of Princess Diana because I was a huge fan of hers. I remember watching her wedding on television when I was a young child, and I cried like a baby when she met her untimely demise. I don’t recall every crying like that when a celebrity died, but she … Read more
It’s Monday, December 9th. Today just seems unusual, like something big is going to happen! I wonder what it will be for a split second, then go back to studying for the Latin America quiz we have tomorrow. Mr. Fielder announces what questions we should highlight on our worksheets. I watch him go back to … Read more
“I should’ve done better,” I thought to myself as the teacher returned another bad grade. Maintaining good grades must be everyone’s motive in school, but in 8th grade year that almost didn’t happen for me. I walked into Davis Middle School on a bright and early morning. I took a seat in my first period. … Read more
Zombies, walkers. The dead. Whatever you call them. They’re everywhere. No joke. I guess you could say it’s the Zombie Apocalypse. It started out normal. I came home from school and made some food, I heard a knock at my door, I thought to myself, Okay, answer the door. I asked myself why I was … Read more
Sailing is one of the only things that I have done since I was little. Ballet, I did that for a while, and then skipped that. My obsession with fashion designing, however, definitely grew out of it. Dora the Explorer, well, it would be weird if I still liked that. We still sail, and I … Read more
I cannot say that my family has a vast American history of a 100+ years, but what I can say is that my family has grown a lot in the past 30+ years. We would not have migrated to the USA if it weren’t for my aunt’s marriage. It was 1984 when the first member … Read more
My sister’s friend Cody Spiker called and said, “You’re having a bonfire and didn’t invite me? ” Little did we know, our shop was on fire. It was Memorial Day 2014, my whole family was home for the first time in a long time. My family and I were all up at our shop welding … Read more
“Life is a marathon and you’re still at the store buying your running shoes. ” I was sitting in class in ninth grade zoning out when my global history teacher approached and told me that. Those words hit me hard, and for the first time I felt shame. I was never the brightest student in … Read more
It was a fiercely cold Christmas Eve night, somewhere around twenty degrees and from watching the weather it was likely to only get colder as the night progressed. Looking out the front window, the ground was covered in powdery white snow, sparkling, like it had glitter in it. I took in the brilliant sight right … Read more
Enclosed within a 27’ X 78’ tennis court it was the final point of the match. As I shuffled and pivoted to the right with both my arms gripping my racket at shoulder height; I took a deep breath as I approached the tennis ball and made my move. I pondered how my nerves synapsed … Read more
As I got out of my car and started walking to the front door, all | could do was admire this beautiful building that resembled a ranch-style home. When I walked through the front door, the smell of mashed potatoes, baked chicken breast, and wheat rolls filled my nose; it was as if I was … Read more
I turn on my welder and sparks begin to fly, what will I put together or what will I take apart, it all just depends on the job. The career that I have chosen is a welder. A welder works with metal material, connecting pieces to make a project. Welders can also make repairs on … Read more
At a normal summer camp, a few dozen fifteen-year-old girls wouldn’t be told to spend a night alone in the woods. Camp Cheerio isn’t a normal summer camp. I’ve been going to Camp Cheerio every summer since I was eight years old, and I’ve loved every second of being there. The summer before sophomore year … Read more
My Thanksgiving vacation could have been more enjoyable. I did a lot of working over break. Starting from the beginning, on Tuesday after we got let out of school, I drove all the way down to Des Moines because I had to work. I work at the Des Moines Buccaneers Hockey Arena, it’s a USHL … Read more
In my early childhood, my parents moved numerous times back and forth between the Untied States and Iran. Eventually, my family ended up settling in North Houston, where my father bought a traditional two-story home in a typical gated community. Throughout the years, the house preserved many struggles, and witnessed many successes between my family … Read more
Personal Narrative The day right after Halloween, of the year of 2014, was the day of my Uncle’s, Pollo’s funeral. It has been 2 weeks since he died in a hospital. Here is an excerpt from a daily action news, “A Red Bluff man who was beaten unconscious last week has died from his injuries … Read more
Only two more hours left and then I get to go home and sit in the air conditioning” I thought to myself as sweat was dripping down my face. It was in the muggy day in the middle of July and I was stuck outside watching a bunch of bratty kids run around in the … Read more
It never fails around this time of morning. This happens every single time we come to New Orleans. Either a float tried to squeeze into traffic, or someone wasn’t paying attention. Either way I felt like I would miss out on the main thing on my mind and that was barbequed ribs. My alarm went … Read more
From the beginning of when I can remember everything has been shared. Birthday parties, celebrations, pictures, graduation day and even small things like a room when I was younger. But I never minded it. Sharing with my twin brother seemed natural and it was almost strange that everyone else didn’t share like we did. But … Read more
The Dr. Jerry Carter Jr. comes from Columbus Ohio. He is the fourteenth pastor of the Calvary Baptist Church in Morristown, New Jersey. On Tuesday, August 25th, Dr. Carter took his scripture from Jonah 3:1 (KJV), that scripture read, “and the word of the Lord came unto Jonah the second time. ” He entitled his … Read more
The journey begins in Maracaibo, my hometown, where my friends and I were planning to go to Aruba. We were thinking about partying in Aruba to celebrate that we graduated from high school. As soon as we all agreed, we started looking for the hotel, clubs, and beaches. The day before our trip, my friends … Read more
Did you know that in 2008, 135,813 children were adopted in the United States of America? When I was sixteen my adoption changed my life. It was one of the most exhilarating and terrifying days of my life because I didn’t know what to expect. My adoption was emotional for me and all my family … Read more
It was December 2010 and my family and I were planning to go on a trip to Mexico in December for Christmas break because me and my siblings were out of school. We were packed our clothes and ready to leave. We were waiting for my uncle to come to our house so we could … Read more
Mustafa Hafezzada A Renewed Drive (Historical Site Report #2) The Getty Villa, located in Pacific Palisades, is by far the museum that resonates with me the most. From the artwork to the building itself, I’m in love. I went with a childhood friend of mine because I had an extra ticket and I coerced him … Read more
When at the age of five, my parents began to experiment with and place me in many different activities. The first activity was gymnastics, which was a complete failure. The gym instructor would lift my body to the high bars so I can get a feel for it and in that moment I knew it … Read more
Are all neat people lazy, wasteful, insensitive, and less moral than sloppy people? Are all men more interested in sports while women focus their time on housework and cleaning? The answer to both of these questions is no. These questions bring up generalizations that are dealt with in both of the short essays which are … Read more
Describe an accomplishment or event, formal or informal, that marked your transition from childhood to adulthood within your culture, community, or family. (650) I just stepped off the school bus. The ground was muddy. The sky was gray. Rain was pouring down on my head like I was standing under a waterfall. I had only … Read more
I felt the stock of my bow while I was sitting in the blind. Frost had already began to form where I rubbed it off seconds ago. I looked through the small window at the everlasting snow. “Wait, was that a deer moving along those trees? ” I asked myself. It looked more like a … Read more
After the band perfmorance, my lips were dry and burned bright red; the skin was flaky, peeling horribly, and blood drizzled from the tired cracks. My tired eyes, worn from the continous reading of fast-paced rhythms, ached from the bright lights and dehydration gnawed at every part of me. On the car ride home, I … Read more
Having grown up in Chandler Oklahoma I assumed that I knew all about small towns. How they operated, what the people were like, how quickly news spreads and so on; however, Siloam Springs has pleasantly surprised me. Rather than feeling uncomfortably small and suffocating like I was expecting, I have found that over all it … Read more
Carrie rushes to class as she hears the minute bell ring. Its her first day attending Willow Canyon High School. Her first class is ceramics, she loves hands on projects so she believes that this class will be her favorite. On her schedule it says all 7 classes: Period 2- English, Period 3- Algebra 1-2, … Read more
I’m going to tell you about my life from the end of 7th grade to the end of 8th grade. At the end of seventh grade I had went to both my brothers C-tec and Watkins graduation. After both graduations we had a graduation party and I got to see family members I haven’t seen … Read more
Alice is now 85, staring out a gloomy window reminiscing about her life, her long loving life. She kept a journal under her floorboard with her favorite photographic memory with her mother and father, it contained of places to be, things to do, and people to see all before her soul left the Earth. She … Read more
Going to Southern California, no one would think of packing an umbrella. Why would they? California is in the middle of a drought. When someone thinks of California, they think of baby blue skies and palm trees along the streets. But, of course, the weekend my family decided to visit Disneyland, Universal Studios, and SeaWorld … Read more
Many people believe that life goes by fast, often times, too fast. Throughout the average seventy years of life, one wonders over and over what their purpose is on the Earth and how they could make the planet better. Mitch Albom portrays Eddie in the same way through his book, The Five People You Meet … Read more
Growing up my parents would have been proud of me graduating high school alone. Since I knew that’s all they really cared about at the moment, I never gave myself a true thought on what I wanted to do or become because I was just focused on graduating and nothing else. My second year of … Read more
I’m in someone’s room, in someone’s bed, and I don’t know how I got her. Then I remember and it all comes crashing down in a thousand jagged pieces. I jerked the covers back, relieved that all my clothes are still on. The clock on the nightstand says seven a. m. The bus leaves in … Read more
I had kept the cottage on the hill in sight all night and can sense there are two humans in the dwelling. The sun started to rise and the darkness faded, an older human female leaves the dwelling. She gets into a small car and drives down the road towards town. This was the time … Read more
Slice “I have all my fingers the knife goes chop, chop, chop if I miss the spaces my fingers will come off” Ethan sang knife clanged against the cool tile in between his pale bony fingers. “And if I hit my fingers the blood will soon come out. All the same I play this game … Read more
“I don’t know what to do. I have a husband and my family here, but the Nazis are taking power. I don’t know if I can stay here any longer. I have heard about good things happening in America, so maybe I will go there,” I explained to my family before I decided to leave … Read more
It was a beautiful summer day. Not a cloud in the sky and the sun beating down on anyone under it. It was a perfect day to call over my friends and have an adventure or play ultimate Frisbee like we did almost any day. Today, my neighbor and I, Paul, decided to change things … Read more
Epilepsy was something my Aunt Claire had. “Claire’s in a seizure! ” was something I heard on a daily basis. So much so that I had lost the fear of seeing her writhing around the floor. It was commonplace, a part of our lives. However, that Wednesday morning, I didn’t realise that at four o’clock … Read more
On Saturday, December 12th, 2015, when arriving home around ten o’clock from a long wrestling meet that lasted till around nine o’clock, I got home, then ate dinner, and then went on the couch to relax. My mom complained “You’re always so tired after wrestling and you come home so late. ” After a little … Read more
My eyes move from page to page scrutinizing each word like Susie Salmon watching her family live life. I have finished The Lovely Bones By Alice Sebold. As the time keeps moving forward, the search of Susie Salmon’s murder continues. The police have found evidence that Mr. Harvey is the murder and now trying to … Read more
My daughter’s cleft palate surgery The most memorable time in my life was my daughter’s cleft palate surgery. It was January 4th when my daughter and I had to leave El Paso, TX to take a trip to Austin, TX. It was a long drive for a little baby like her at the time she … Read more
Salt is what the brine shrimp need to hatch. Without salt the brine shrimp won’t be able to hatch or stay alive long. My question ‘Which water will the brine shrimp thrive the best in with with the different amounts of salinity? ‘ These next paragraphs are some of the information on brine shrimp. For … Read more
How Breeanna Wade Became a Black Belt in Karate Stepping into a dojo that is also used as a rec room, the smell of sweat instantly hits you like a slap in the face. The front entrance is blocked with shoes that were owned by little kids to older adults. You have to tip toe … Read more
On January 26th, I made a huge error in my basketball game against West Central. To anybody else, that game might have seemed unimportant- insignificant really. They were not a conference rival or a sectional team. To me however, this game was very significant because I used to attend that school. At that game, I … Read more
This past summer I traveled up north to Leelanau, Michigan, with my best friend, Mary, and her family. Mary’s family is basically a second family to me because we have known each other since Kindergarten. Her family goes up every year for a family vacation, but this was my first time going up with them … Read more
Maria Housden shares: “The truest measure of a life is not in length, but the fullness in which it is lived” (6). This quote goes along perfectly with the heartwarming and heartbreaking story of young Hannah Martell as she handles her illness with positivity while teaching those around her valuable life lessons along her journey. … Read more
I’m in the Rat Army now. The commander is Rose. Not Bonzo. I’m done with following Bonzo’s stupid directions, and his desperate need for authority that seems to contribute to the making of his stupid actions. He punched me right after he told me that he persuaded the Rat Army to trade me for one … Read more
Man in the Mine A life in the ghetto is no life at all. Especially in Molesville, Pennsylvania, a town left in the dust by modern society. Ever since I can remember my mother has been sick, this terrible place is the cause. With little sanitation the streets are rat infested and the poor die … Read more
Petersburg, West Virginia is a small town in the eastern panhandle with one stoplight and where everybody has some type of connection or recognition to everybody. I travel to this area at least three times annually for Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter, and Independence Day. Petersburg is not a vacation spot my parents, sister, and I go … Read more
During the end of my freshman year I had received an email asking if I could attend a tryout to see if I would make the team that would be heading over to Europe to play soccer. When my mom told me that I had to go to soccer I asked her why, she said … Read more
When you’re a kid you would never think of almost dying at sesame place, but that’s exactly what happened to me. As my family and I entered the park, my eyes grew with amazement as I looked around me. There were zooming roller coasters, families laughing, toddlers running around with a sugar high from all … Read more
The first goal that currently overarches all of my other goals in the present is the goal of completing and obtaining my Associate in Engineering Degree during two years at Schoolcraft College. To achieve this goal, I hopefully plan to overcome the extreme case of procrastination that I have for the time being and stop … Read more
The idea of a perfect society might sound appealing, but would a perfect society include Sameness? In the novel, The Giver by Lois Lowery, Jonas, the main character, lives in a society where everyone portrays Sameness. Sameness is where everything is equal. For example, every family has four people: a mother and a father, one … Read more
A good experience with my friends came on my sixteenth birthday. Earlier in the week, I had decided that I would rent a limousine and go into Boston with some of my friends. The day which we would go was my birthday. The day had finally come and we were all anxious to go. Before … Read more
In that I was born a rat, there is no tragedy. “In each creature there is a breathing of Gods”. So my teacher spoke. Much worse that I was born a clever rat. And that is legible of outlined life, which one is conducted by me. People, for me there is nothing interesting and unpredictable. … Read more
A small bit of historical information is in order to set the tone for this presentation. I was raised, as most young boys are, learning to read, write, and the other necessary evils of elementary education. My father was finally discharged from the U. S. Army Air Corp. and World War II, where he had … Read more
The most important day of my life had just happened recently. It all started out when some friends and I were bored. We wanted to do something that was fun and cool which also happened to be very bad. We decided we were going to make a big firecracker. The first thing we did was … Read more
The Big Lie I have been going to church since I was three years old. I also attended Sunday school since I was three. Since then I have been confirmed as a member of the church and have actively participated in the senior high youth program at my church. All of these years I figured … Read more
Sitting here on this corner I find my self-wondering is this what has become of our great nation. Days go by, and all we think about is if there will be any food waiting on us at home or at the soup kitchens and bread lines. We think to our selves is our government not … Read more
There are times when having a brother with twenty more years of age, experience, and wisdom, can adversely effect your credibility. This is especially true at nine years old. I found this to be the case one Christmas day many years ago when my brother Tom came home for the holidays. It appeared to be … Read more
Behind my house, barely noticeable, is a trail leading through the woods to a waterfall. The trail is narrow but well worn. Any shrubbery that would have grown has been trampled down and all that is left is a very narrow path, overhung with branches from the trees that mark its sides. As I start … Read more
Sometimes in life there are events that take place and impact your life greatly. A friend of mine, Marc Finch, was in a life threatning motorcycle accident. When I found out what happened to Marc I didn’t think he was going to make it and that in its self was the worst news I have … Read more
It was over six years ago and all four sons were still living at home. Being a stay-at- home mother, I was home schooling a special needs child. My husband has just started back to his job after being laid off and the mortgage company foreclosed on our home. The financial situation was very tight … Read more
When in the course of human events it becomes necessary for one person to go to college, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that she make a difference. Even if not all of the words are mine, they mean something to me. As a matter of fact, some of the words should … Read more
As I approached the party I could hear the blasting music all the way from the street. When I reached the back of the house to enter I could distinguish the song that was playing; it was Its good to be King by Tom Petty. After waiting in a line to enter I was finally … Read more
I sat across the table from my dad while he stared at me with a disbelieving look on his face. My mom sat to the right of me with tears in her eyes. She could see my pain as well as my dads, and she knew the war that was about to start between my … Read more
“So, sweetheart, what would you like for Christmas,” my dad asked while I was sitting down flipping through some catalogs one December afternoon. As I put the last of the catalogs down, I went into my room and thought about what I wanted. I never truly desired anything until that year. I was eleven. Within … Read more
The intellectual achievement that I feel is my most prominent academic experience is participating, for the second consecutive year, in the Prince of Wales Robotics Team. This was an opportunity to gain valuble insights into designing and manufacturing electrical robots with fellow teammates and professional engineers. Firstly, in connection with my involvement in the Robotics … Read more
A creek is no place for shoes. I think it’s unreasonable to ask such children to keep their shoes on in such a place. My bare feet were always covered with calluses from walking down the rough pavement of Pine Street and around the corner, past the tall oaks, but not as far as the … Read more
I am often sorry that my parents did not take it upon themselves to enroll me in any recreational activities in my preadolescent years. I believe that sports are an integral part of growing up. They provide an opportunity to meet and interact with peers. Numerous occasions I can recall feeling excluded from the group … Read more
Whats the matter a girl asked a ragged boy. Nothing the brown red-eyed boy answered. Wheres your good behaviour? its not very polite to lie, Im sure Santa heard that. Now do you want my help, or not? the girl tryed again. I do the boy said. My name is Lucinda Wellington Jones, whats yours? … Read more
My great-grandmother passed away last month. She was an unbelievable woman who carried a special place in my heart. It was hard to handle the anguish I felt when I first heard about her death. Her passing left me with an empty feeling inside. The sad, empty, and painful feeling I sensed was my suffering. … Read more
As a student at Southern Methodist University, I have acquired knowledge from requisite classes to not only better myself, but also for the betterment of my community. I feel, as apart of the human race, that we should continue to strive for an enhanced community by gaining information from other humans. However, in order for … Read more