A fresh crop of writers are here!

Remember to read all of the selections for this month --   comments are for this latest group only (no earlier months/submissions, or last year's submissions)

Remember:
All Students:  Be sure to read the entries for this group  (April).  Everyone is required to comment on at least three different pieces of writing.  You must post the comment here on the blog (below the post is the "comments" link to click) AND cut and paste your comments, complete with dates and times, on to a Word document and turn it in to me by April 25.  You must do both to get credit for comments this month.

Remember, comments must be positive, supportive, constructive, and SPECIFIC.  No "Good Job!" comments, unless you follow that with specific things you thought were done well in the piece.  Show them you actually took the time to read and enjoy their work!

" Buhay" by Frances B

August 5, 1998
(Wednesday)
Dear Diary,
Today was my first full day in a whole new country. Call me Jasmine because it
truly is “A Whole New World.” Besides the fact that everyone here in California has
perfect American accents, everyone here is also a bit more, what’s the word?
Straightforward? Basically what I’m trying to say is that they’re pretty rude... Back in
Philippines, I knew about everyone in our province since they were all my “Titos and
Titas.” The moment I stepped off of my 16 hour, ear popping filled, okay airplane food
flight, I knew it was finally time for me to start a new beginning. To be quite honest, I’m a
little nervous.. Okay maybe a lot nervous but who wouldn't be? I’m most excited to see
how different getting an education here is compared to back in Philippines.


August 6, 1998
(Thursday)
Dear Diary,
Guess what?!? I met a friend today! His name is Sebastián. And
no, he’s not Filipino, he’s actually from Spain and he’s also a new student here who
moved to California exactly a month ago from yesterday. He says it’s also very different
compared to where he’s from. He doesn’t know this because I don’t want to tell him yet
but he’s my very first non-Filipino friend. Oh right, my day! Well I’m still trying to get
used to walking to my classes and the whole schedule which may I add is pretty busy.
My very first class is English Comp. and it’s perfect because I get to start off my day
thinking and forcing my brain to wake up by reading and writing. After English, I found
out that Sebastián’s class is right next to mine and we walk to our next class together,
catching up on how sleep was last night, me asking him if he’s definitely sure he’s just
Spaniard and doesn’t have any Filipino descent. He assured me both his parents are
from Spain and he was also born in Spain though I am not fully convinced he isn’t
somewhat Filipino because that whole thing with Spain conquering Philippines and
yadayada. Anywho, I’m writing this in a restaurant that Sebastián says his favorite has
been since he’s been here, I think it’s called Inside Out, Up & Down, something like that.
(P.S. They have really really good fries and burgers, so thanks to Sebastián for
introducing me to Inside Out).

August 12, 1998
(Wednesday)
Dear Diary,
It’s getting easier and easier to go through my schedule each and everyday.
Sebastián and I also have been getting closer and I consider him one of my best
friends. It’s truly interesting knowing how his life was back home, he told me about this
one time he “ran away from home,” packing some clothes in his little kid backpack and
walking to his neighbor’s house and eventually moving back home because he missed
his family too much. I giggled and I told him the time I went to a mall and threw the
longest tantrum because my mom wouldn’t get be the toy I wanted so she picked me up
and I pulled this old lady’s hair and my mom hadn’t noticed until the old lady yelped in
pain. Sebastián just laughed and told me what a handful I was as a kid. Then we said
goodnight and he walked me to my dorm making sure I got there safely.

August 12, 2000
(Saturday)
Dear Diary,
It’s been a while since the last time I wrote… I feel guilty but I’d like to think that
you already know everything that’s going on since you are me and well I am you.
Basically to recap on the last two years, Sebastián and I started talking and exactly a
year ago, he asked me to be his girlfriend. He asked me in our favourite restaurant,
Inside Out, with flowers and tons of french fries. Personally the fries did it for me, I
would’ve married the boy already if he asked with fries. Even though we’ve only been
officially dating for a year, it feels like we’ve known each other for years. Two years later
and I still consider him my best friend. Yes, I’ve made many other friends who I consider
my best friends but Sebastián’s been here with me since the beginning.
I decided to write one this particular day because recently, I’ve been stressing
out about school and everything just seems to all be crashing down on me. Many times,
I am discouraged and convince myself maybe school here in the States isn’t for me.
Sebastián helps a lot when I have these doubts, he’s sat alone with me talking
everything through, like my personal therapist minus all the questions because he
usually knows what to say. I’ve come to the conclusion that I truly do love him and he
has helped me with so many of my problems and I try to be with him whenever he
needs me because that’s what we do for the people we love. And after hours and hours
of talking, comforting hugs, we decided to take a nap and just enjoy each other’s
company.

August 5, 2017
Dear Diary,
It’s been 13 years since I spoke to Sebastián. Since I moved back to Philippines,
we tried our best to keep in touch, though time and distance has been an obstacle we
are unable to overcome. Sebastián came and visited the Philippines because of some
work he had to attend to a couple years ago but we refused to see each other knowing
there was no point in catching up. I’m content with my life, my children are my bundles
of sunshines and my husband, who I am even after years of being married feel like we
fall in love with each other more and more everyday. Though there isn’t a day that goes
by where I don’t wonder how Sebastián is and he lives his life.

"The Art Of Letting Go (Summer of 1923)" by Lydia N

     This morning I find it extremely difficult to get out of bed. Pain is wrapped around my
body like a thick blanket. My chest feels like it was hit with a ton of bricks and my stomach feels
like someone squeezed the life out of it. I cry from the pain but each breath gets shorter than the
last. However, this isn’t the first time this episode has occurred. For some peculiar reason, every
July 15th for the past thirteen years, I’ve been experiencing the same level of pain I’m currently
facing.
     For the next, what feels like an hour, I suffer in silence until I hear my door creak open.
My housekeeper/caregiver, Carol, pokes her head in my room and greets me, then she asks if
there’s any work she needs to do. I mumble an inaudible,“No,” and she starts to realize the state
I'm in. “Miss are you alright?,” she asks. Tears start to burst from my eyes and all I can say is,
“Jeremy.” “Jeremy, who is Jeremy?,”asks Carol. “My-my husband, he still hasn’t come back. He
promised, he promised!,”I cry out. “Oh that’s right,”Carol begins to remember who he is. “Miss,
remember you told me that your husband passed away many years ago in an automobile
accident? Do you remember what day he passed away?,”she asks.“I know it was some time
during the summer. We were on a road trip and we lost track of the date,”I say. Then I start to
piece everything together. “Oh my goodness, I-I think it's today. Maybe-maybe,” I can’t seem to
finish my sentence. “That’s why you're in pain? You’re still heartbroken from his passing.
Forgive me, but I think it’s time to let him go,”she says. That last comment sets me off, “HOW
IN THE WORLD, DO YOU EXPECT ME TO DO THAT! You don’t know how beautiful of a
person he was”, I cry out. Just the thought of letting him go wounds me. “I’m so sorry Miss, I
didn’t mean to say that. I kno-”, I didn’t let her finish. “Just leave. Now!,” I shout.
     For the next few minutes Carol’s suggestion keeps running through my mind nonstop.
How could I let go of the man who was my first love, who was willing to risk his reputation to
love someone like me? Now that the pain is starting to ease off, I slowly roll off the bed and
search for a pen and paper. I enjoy writing poems and songs because it helps calm me down
especially during moments like now. As soon as I find them in the drawer, I climb to my bed and
begin to reminisce about the time I met Jeremy. The paper with the help of my pen starts to
capture the ups and downs of our marvelous relationship. However, instead of recapping our
relationship through a poem or a song, I wrote it as a monologue:
     Summer of 1923 was the time we first laid eyes on each other. I was serenading the audience
with jazz in front of a group of people with judgemental looks on their face because obviously, I
was different. The more I sang the more I felt uncomfortable until I saw your reassuring brown
eyes, I felt equal. That day I realized that we felt the same way about each other but we lived in a
world that was black and white and the rules of society made it impossible for the colors to
intermingle. We didn’t care, no, it was going to be us against the world! Yeah, we faced
discrimination among others including our own families, but as long as we had each other we
didn't need anyone else. But in the end, the world won and you were the casualty. In my eyes
you are not a casualty. You are still the same man I laid eyes on twenty years ago and I hope that
one day people can learn from our story. Love is more powerful than all the evils of this world.
Just like that I begin to realize that even though it’s tough, I have to let him go. I can’t
continue to let this tragedy consume my well being. I know he not only would’ve wanted what’s
best for my health but also he would’ve wanted me to share the love we had for each other with
others someday. Eventhough he’s gone, I will always have this monologue to remember him. I
have to admit that it's going to take some time, but in the end everything will be okay.

“A Night To Remember” by Madeline J

     One of the most commonly used phrases from the twenty first century among many
teenagers is, “A Night To Remember”. .Before August 21 of 2016, I thought this phrase was
really just an exaggeration and I couldn’t possibly think that I would ever remember a specific
night for the rest of my life. But here I am almost a year later, and I still remember that night as if
it were yesterday, and all of the memories from that night still give me excitement and butterflies
in my stomach.
     It all started years ago when my loving friend introduced me to Coldplay, and played
their famous song, “Viva La Vida.” At the time, I liked Coldplay because I thought their music
was cool, and mainly because I admired the amount of joy my friend got from listening to
Coldplay. I listened to Coldplay occasionally, but not as a routine. It was until years later, during
my junior year of high school, when my appreciation and love for Coldplay suddenly grew. I
started really loving Coldplay because I listened to the lyrics of the song “Yellow,” and they
touched my heart because I am a romantic and I want a love like the one in the song. I then
started listening to their other popular song, “A Sky Full of Stars” and that song really was so
catchy to me, and once again, the lyrics touched my heart. I listened to more of their songs from
newer and older albums, and I really developed a true appreciation for the band and what they
stood for. The singer, Chris Martin is a huge activist for spreading love and loving each other.
So by the end of my junior year, I really loved Coldplay and listening to them became a routine. I
always played their music when my friends were around, and I would listen to them around my
family, so people knew that I held Coldplay near to my heart.
     One day, I was on twitter, and came across Coldplay’s twitter account, and saw that they
posted dates for their new tour, “A Head Full of Dreams.” So I sent the dates to my twin, Lauren,
and we both decided that we would bring up the dates to my mother. My mother seemed very
interested, but we did not continuously bring up the tour. Along came Valentines Day, and my
parents gave us our gift., and there they were: tickets for the Coldplay concert at the Rose Bowl
in Los Angeles, in August. I remember feeling so excited, overwhelmed, and grateful because
one of my short term goals at the time were to go to their concert, and my parents were making
my dream come true. I had a long time to wait since it was only February and the concert was in
August, but the time flew by so fast since I was so excited to go. Time flew by, and the day
finally arrived.
     Six months later the day finally arrived, and my expectations grew because my love for
Coldplay blossomed, and I had very high hopes for how the concert would be. I hoped Chris
Martin would sound beautiful live, and it was my first concert ever, so I did not know what to
expect, but I expected a wonderful time. We were finally on our way to the Rose Bowl, and we
were listening to Coldplay songs since it was only right for the occasion. I went to the concert
with my twin, brother, and mother, who are also fans of the band. The drive to the venue felt
very long and I remember feeling nervous and my stomach started hurting due to excitement
and nerves. We finally arrived to the location, and the the opening bands were great, but I could
not concentrate because I was mentally preparing myself to see my favorite band in the entire
world. The concert was finally starting and we were given wristbands that were in sync with the
rhythm of the music and that would light up during songs. The lights were turned off and all of a
sudden I heard people screaming, and my heart started beating so fast. I then heard the song
“A Head Full of Dreams”, and I saw Chris Martin running down the aisle among the huge crowd,
and I became overwhelmed with so many emotions. For the longest time, I could not believe my
eyes, and I could not fathom that I was at the same place as the band, at the same exact time. I
felt so speechless, and I was not even able to sing because I had a huge knot in my throat. I
then heard a loud sound and looked up in the sky, and there were fireworks that kept exploding.
Chris Martin had so much energy that everyone there couldn’t help but stand up, dance, and
sing. I tried recording a good amount so that I can look back at the videos, but I decided that I
should live in the moment and not try to document everything. Then it got dark again. And I
remembered thinking that this was going to be an amazing night because i felt to ecstatic after
only one song. Now the next thing that happened is something I will never forget. The stadium
turned yellow, and my mom said, “oh my gosh, the song yellow is coming up”, and I remember
looking at Lauren, and the look we both gave each other was one of excitement. The song
“Yellow” started playing and Chris Martin said, :One, two, three, yellow!” and at that moment, I
looked at my sister, and we both started crying intensely. They really were tears of joy. The
concert went on, and i kept crying because I was so happy to be there, and be alive. I was with
my favorite people in the entire world, watching my favorite band that makes me feel the
happiest. I remember not singing because I really wanted to listen and take in Chris Martin’s
lovely voice. I can sing any other day and listen to myself, but on this night, my ears were
blessed. The concert was perfect, and it ended, since all good things eventually come to an
end. I remember sitting in my seat and feeling completely in shock and overwhelmed with what I
just experienced. On the ride back home, I remember thinking to myself, that it was all “A Night
to Remember,” and that this night will always live through my memories in my head. People
need to find what makes them happy and always do it. Coldplay, for me, is one of the many
things that make me feel happy, and happy to be alive. So, when you find something, someone,
or a place that make you feel many different emotions, do it, be with that person, or go there,
because life's too short to not make more, “nights to remember.”

"Numb as Summer" by Carly B

Depression affects more than 15 million American adults, or about 6.7 percent of the U.S. population age 18 and older in a given year (Anxiety and Depression Association in America) and Despite its high treatment success rate, nearly two out of three people suffering with depression do not actively seek nor receive proper treatment. (DBSA, 1996). What is so menacing that people can’t get the courage to openly express themselves?

This isn’t a narrative of myself but awareness. It’s not a cry for help or a beg for attention, just an explanation. More often than not people are affected by this disorder and refuse to ever talk about it or seek help. It’s complicated and emotional. Not everyone has the same experience but here’s a sense of definement:

I became numb as these summer nights slowly closing in. It's kind of strange to think that school is out but the sun stays hidden behind the clouds almost threatened to come out. My anger has festered, boiled, simmered but now lays still. Nothing arouses me anymore. It’s always a lack: A lack of care, a lack of enjoyment, a lack of infinite hopefulness. My sadness washes over, submerges every thought, and drowns the remaining pieces. It streams to forget the good that has come by as well. My happiness, she lives through the cracks of the morning, until I’ve had the chance to widely wake into the cycled nightmare. Sometimes though, she takes the courage to slip within dreams and creep into my memories of ice cream dates, fits of laughter over absurdity, and passionate moments of triumph but again she remains hidden behind the threatening clouds not daring to come out and confront the kiss of our new truth. I don’t have to tell them anything because it’s become easier to avoid anyone. Maybe they think I’m sick or just tired. They wouldn’t know either way. Home is always alone. The hole buried within stretches endlessly, everyday digging deeper feeling the familiarity of emptiness and still the last shred of hope carries my weakened body from bed to the shower, shower to my room, from my room to the kitchen, never actually stepping away from the comforting black abyss of my mind. Still I'm as numb as the summer nights drifting away. School fast steps and approaches demanding answers so ignorance is the solution to this depression.

This can be taken in many ways, maybe relatable even realistic or just a bunch of bs to cover for a last minute idea on a blog post. Either way it was worth the time. Talking about it, learning about, and experiencing in other’s shoes what it’s like for them. Depression is a unique flaw in humanism but still it makes us complex and compassionate towards each other. It’s no longer an idea expressed in words when someone can live through ultimate lows and surpass. It purposes for us to come closer to some kind of understanding or definite realization that pain and suffering are very much normal but we need to be conscious of how to deal with it.

"Always Thinking" by Guillermo C

            It’s a warm, March Friday, as my friends Nate, Ryan, Ezra and I are all walking towards the parking lot, talking about computers. However, seeing as I am not as interested in this conversation topic, I stay quiet and start zoning off. Occasionally I would hear “blah blah blah video card blah blah blah monitor”, then I hear Ezra ask me, “Hey when are you going to get your own custom PC?” Not really knowing what to say I just quickly respond with, “I don’t know, I don’t want to spend too much money so I don’t think I’ll get one soon.” They all give me dirty looks as if I had just offended them with something they absolutely did not want to hear, and then continue on with their conversation. As we get closer and closer to Ezra’s truck, they start breathing their sighs of relief as we get a week off for Spring Break. I nearly forgot it was going to be Spring Break, because I was trying to think of what we were doing at school on Monday. I get in Ezra’s truck, and soon enough Ezra gets in and we start making our way out of the parking lot. Immediately I start to zone off again and think of what I was having for dinner that night. We are nearly at my house when Ezra asks, “Hey, why are you always staring off into space, are you alright or just dead?” I say, “Well whenever I start to think, I just sort of zone off. I don’t know why, it’s just something I do.” He shrugs and starts to turn now that the light has turned green, and I go back to my blank state. When I get home, I go straight to my room, and instead of getting on my phone or computer, I lie on my bed and continue thinking. I have no memory of what I was thinking at this point, but I now wonder, why am I constantly thinking? I can randomly just start to zone off anywhere at any time, zoning off about anything that pops into my head. Sometimes, I would stare at anything or anyone, the wall, my friends or even just at my ceiling. I don’t think it’s something wrong with me, it’s just something I do and it’s become a habit. Suddenly, my dad calls me down for dinner. I start eating, and I notice the typical political news channel is on. Apparently something big has happened, and my parents start to get very emotional in their response. As I sit there and eat as quietly and quickly as possible, until my dad notices and asks, “You mean you’re not reacting to this? What are you even doing?” All I answer is, “I don’t know dad, I’m just...always thinking.”

"Year of Remembrance" by Santiago B

                  With the mindset of improving every year, you forget the past and all of its existence. From working hard, sweating tears and bleeding from doing what you love, but still forget how you felt before. This year we knew what we wanted, but how we approached it was a completely different story.

            The year of my Junior year was going to be different than all the rest. The show was revealed, uniformed were shown, props were being created and I felt as if I wanted revenge. My sophomore year, we received fourth place, as a group we felt like we didn't deserve that, because of this our next show revolved around the placement we received our previous year.

            As the season goes by we work hard, day after day getting tasks accomplished and as every other activity we had our ups and our downs. After every rehearsal, we would always have a chat with our instructor and talk about either the good or the bad, mainly the bad. As a result of this, they would always bring up how we felt our previous years as how we felt robbed, how we felt like we didn't deserved what we deserve. It most definitely brought us down a little but only to build us back up with a new day with the positive attitude and the correct mind set. Going into January we start getting into competitions and one after another we kept getting first place for each competition we went to. This felt like the world to us as if we were really achieving what we wanted the entire season and it was a splendid feeling but then we started getting over-confident and arrogant like we didn't have to practice as hard anymore because we believed we had this in the bag. As we continue to practice day after day we begin to lack and it wasn't a good feeling by the time we came to a certain competition that we wanted to keep our reputation in.

            I knew from the moment I woke up that morning on March 19, 2016 that this was going to be one of the longest days of my life. The sun was up and I was ready to drive to school so we could start heading to California State University of San Bernardino where we compete. As soon as we arrives we started setting up for the first group that performed, Concert Open. After Concert Open performed it was our Winter Percussion to start setting up and getting ready to warm up. A lot of people were rushing back and forth getting changed and getting their equipment set up as others were already heading off to our lot to warm-up. As it started getting into the afternoon, everyone started to sweat, getting tired and that we needed a break but we didn't let that feeling overcome us from what we came for. As other schools come in and out of the Coussoulis Arena it was our time to perform our show, the crowd was full and music was playing in the background as we started to rush in to set up before the time ran out so we wouldn't get penalized for not following the rules. As the crowd dies down, my palms begin to sweat and the adrenaline begins to build up then the announcer says "Presenting their program, Past Reflections, WGI Sport of the Arts is proud to present, Etiwanda High School". As there is a moment of silence, in my mind I start to go over my music and choreography and think about how much of a great performance we are going to perform.

"Amazement" by Makayla L

"The finest thing we can experience is the mysterious.  It is the fundamental emotion which stands at the cradle of true art and true science.  He who does not know it and can no longer wonder, no longer feel amazement, is as good as dead, a snuffed-out candle."

-  Albert Einstein

Amazement: a feeling of great surprise and wonder. Sure it seems simple enough literally yet how can one speak of an emotion so literal. The awe, the wonder, the curiosity, the enchantment, surprise, mystery, brilliance, disbelief, shock, etc., whatever you wish to call it, this world never ceases to amaze. To me amazement is waking up every morning. It’s seeing these dormant California wild flowers bloom after a wonderful season of rain, or even amazement in the rain that falls somehow carried by gas formations we call clouds. Amazed that baking cookies is all chemistry and that mathematicians equated such things. Amazement is the feeling of laughter shared with family. It’s found in how comforting a bed can be when one’s alarm sounds on a weekday. Amazement comes from observing the actions or thoughts of a friend that allow you to learn that much more about them, gain access that much deeper into their being. From acknowledging the countless life species who share this planet with us, from follicle mites living on your eyelashes to capybaras and sloths and down to the ocean where we still have no idea who’s living in the dark. It’s exploring a new town, state, even country and realizing what a melting pot we are blessed to grow up in. Amazement is the hundreds of languages, thousands of religions, millions of cultures that we may rarely open our eyes to. Forever amazed to think that the Moon, a simple rock stuck in our grasp, can create such energy to keep our feet grounded and give motion to the oceans. Amazed that sometimes randomly, our planet’s core spews out molten rock to give us a little evidence as to what’s within; simply absorbed by amazement of nature, the trees, flowers, oceans, valleys and mountains.  I find amazement in the hieroglyphics of those before; furthermore, how we even came to be today. Amazement is the wonders of humanity, yet simultaneous amazement in our complete stupidity as well. Amazed and mesmerized by the Great Coral Reef and Amazon rainforest yet wonderstruck, which we pollute and sell off these treasures for our own lives that aren’t even a decimal on the time scale of Earth. I am still amazed when others show manners or gratitude because they are becoming lost values. It’s the kindness of strangers or cruelness of friends. Amazement in how intense emotions can be and the power of our mind that we surely take for granted. It’s the little things that so easily influence ones day.

 To me, amazement is maintaining the optimism, the innocence, to be amazed by life.

"Alone" by Kyle M

     Why is that in the presence of death I smile but when in an environment filled with life I frown?
Why is it that when I'm alone I feel like I fit in more than I do surrounded by people? Ever since
I was little I have always enjoyed being in dangerous situations in which I can get hurt, I get this
thrill and it feels amazing, it feels as if I am invincible to all that can cause harm but when I am
in a calm environment I feel like I am vulnerable to everything as if I am a mere mouse
surrounded by bloodthirsty cats waiting to be pounced upon. When surrounded by my friends I
feel lonely, I know I don't fit in with this crowd, I don't have the same interests or intentions as
them but when alone, I feel like I am myself because no one is there to judge me. I consider
myself to be a unique shape and I never want to fit into the same hole called society that
everyone else wants to fall into, but it is very difficult. No matter what group I fall into I don’t
feel right, I feel lost and I just want to run away from all that is real but I can’t. When I sleep it’s
just a creation of recalled memories just put together in an obscure pattern, when I daydream I
only think of the hypothetical and I imagine the impossible. I get my hopes up about the future to
just be reminded in the next minute or so that, I will be lonely. So why is it? Why is it that I am
happy and surrounded by people that care for me and yet I feel like I am alone I haven’t really
had anyone to connect with but I have people to experience life with. This is what I thought until
I met someone that I can talk to, someone who gave me hope, and someone who actually gave
me their time and proved to me that they cared, not about their social status, not about the person
who is talking behind their back but about the people in their life that mattered. I live a very
blessed life and I am happy that I was born into this life, into this house, and into this
environment but I can finally say I am no longer alone.

"Visit #1" by Derek A

     Today I visited a shrink. I mean my parents think I've been acting strange for some weird reason. I mean I am kind of odd so I don't blame them. I wasn't going to come but then I remembered I had nothing better to do. Crazy right? Anyways this shrink or should I call him therapist, the great, spectacular Dr. Alfred welcomed me into his office. He looked quite boring, one of those cliché therapists dudes you see in a movie. I introduced myself, stating my name, Dallas Mitchell with a nice firm handshake. I took a seat and then the first thing he asked me was my age.  Honestly, I don't understand these type of questions, just read the file, move on, and start picking at my brain ,so I can tell you the troubles and the deep thoughts I have stuck inside waiting to let out. I mean isn't that the whole reason why I'm here? Lets skip the boring part and straight into what I told him. I mean I told him everything. The late sleepless nights, the rumors, the insecurities, the emptiness. All of it. Being open with my parents is not an option. He then asked me about my "love life". Then, I went on to tell him on about my high school crush. You know the scoop about how we started liking each other this year, I mean I'm pretty sure she likes me back. I went on to describe her appearance, I didn't explain deep details about her but more of the little things I like. The way her hair looks, her eyes when she looks at me, and her soft skin I feel when I get all flirty and touch her hand. Also the way she makes me laugh and the way she smiles, it makes me happy and forget all the nonsense going on in my head. I mean I don't love the girl, but yea she's pretty cool. I had to get out of my feelings so I told him about the really crazy time I broke both of my arms and ankle at the same time. It was pretty crazy I jumped off the balcony trying to reach my pool but missed horribly. I was in the hospital for what felt like 5 years. I was the popular kid right after though, It happened in the 4th grade so you know all the 4th graders and even the cute 5th graders signed my cast.  I had all the color sharpies with me. I also told him about the time I ran away because I got into a fight with my dad. Yea it was pretty bad, I was dumb though, like I ran away to Target and came back and slept on my roof so my parents would be worried sick looking for me all night. It backfired of course, they didn't even notice I left. Who doesn't notice that their son hasn't been home all night? I knew then and there they didn't care for me. I started crying and told Dr. Alfred that my parents don't love me and only want me here because I've been acting up. We wrapped it up after and he told me to come back next week. I mean, I thought it was pretty fun lying to him and lying to you about what's happened and what's going on in my life. I mean some of the things I said are true but I guess the shrink or whoever reading this won't know. But, look on the bright side visit number two is next week and I'm looking forward to it. I guess I am pretty crazy.

“Champurrado” by Amy V

     As a little girl I remember waking up early Christmas morning excited to help my
grandma prepare one of my favorite drinks. I particularly like making this drink because I
feel as if it has been a way for my grandma and I to build and strengthen our
relationship as I have grown older. It is a way for both of us to spend quality time
together and have fun while making a beverage that the whole family can enjoy.
Even though Champurrado is not hard to make, many have this misconception
about it. It is often mistaken for hot chocolate and although it may have an intense
chocolate flavor, there are a few extra ingredients that make it different yet super
delicious from the average cup of hot chocolate.
      I put together a recipe to guide you through the process of making this enjoyable
drink so let's get started!

The ingredients include:
● Five cups of milk
● Two cinnamon sticks
● Two cups of water
● One tablet of Abuelita hot chocolate
● A dash of piloncillo
● One cup of pinole(may be grounded at home or store bought)

Since you want to be able to drink your champurrado while it is still hot, you are
going put your water to boil as well as your milk in two separate pots. Both pots can be
put over medium to high heat. In the pot with water, you must place your two cinnamon
sticks and allow the water to come to a boil or until it becomes a dark red color. In the
pot that contains the milk, you must continuously stir the milk with a wooden or metal
spoon so it does not become stuck to the bottom of the pot. If you leave the milk under
high heat for too long, the bottom layer of milk will become burned and will not be very
tasty.

While you are mixing the milk, you may add the chocolate and pinole until they
are both completely dissolved in the milk. When your milk comes to a boil, pour the
cinnamon water(that has been drained of any leftover pieces of the cinnamon sticks)
and add a dash of piloncillo. Continue stirring the mixture until all the ingredients are
completely dissolved. A successful champurrado should be somewhat thick in texture
and and a light brown color.
mexicancuisinerecipes.com

I personally enjoy this beverage during the winter, or by the fire on a cold, breezy
night but you can drink it wherever you’d like. It also taste delicious when it is
accompanied by bread or tamales. I hope you found this recipe resourceful and find the
time to try it out so you too can enjoy this delightful beverage.

"Where did your other eyebrow go?" by Bailey R

“Where did your other eyebrow go? Never mind, I don’t want to know.”

Adelaide climbed in through the window shaking her head.  She zipped up her jacket and rushed out the words, “hurry up, we gotta go. Now.”

Rowan looked up in disbelief. “Seriously? First off, you know you don’t have to break into our house. It’s literally our house. Second, why would you crawl through my window? Your bedroom is right next-door!”

“blah blah blah… okay I hear ya lets go” She says completely ignoring her brother.

“Who What When Where and why?” He asks quickly, still unsure of what is going on.

“It doesn’t matter I just need you to drive. Come on lets go.” Adelaide begins pushing Rowan from behind closer towards the window. The keys are spotted on the nightstand and she grabs them shoving them into her pockets.

“Ade is 11:09, on a school night an-”

“And nothing. Ill explain once were on the road. Trust me it will all be worth it ”

They both climb out the window. Rowan stands arms folded and his face utterly unamused.  The window is shut and the screen lie on the floor.  He slowly looks at the screen and then back up to his sister nudging his head as if to say “fix it”.

“No… Rowan”, she whines “pleaseeeeeee you know I can’t put those things back on. It’ll take me an hour and we don’t have the time”

“Oh no that’s not how it works. You dragged me out of my room only after first breaking into it. You removed the screen. And you know that if dad sees this not on the window where it belongs he’ll freak. This is your responsibility”

She starts to fiddle with the screen visibly struggling.  Rowan has been looking down at his watch counting how long this whole ordeal would take her.  He starts tapping his foot at one minute, forty-seven seconds and by three minutes and eight seconds he’s ripping the screen out of her hands and placing it back into its proper spot in under nine seconds.

“Awe well thanks kid. I knew you’d save the day, or should I say night because technically its 11:16”

“Shut up Ade, just get in the car”

She presses the unlock button on the car remote and then tosses him the keys. They climb in, Rowan turns on the headlights and Adelaide the radio, and they are off. She doesn’t tell him where they are going, only where to turn. He goes along with it because he knows better than to ask.

“You know you wouldn’t need me to drive you if you didn’t ditch class thirteen times too many. You’d still have your driving privileges.”

She hums in response rolling down the windows and takes in the night. 

“Oh left and… stop!”

Rowan knew exactly where they were. “Winifred’s waffle house?”

Ade grabbed his hand and all that could be heard was the gravel under their feet as they reached the door.

She grabs his wrist, looks at his watch and counts down “Three, two… oh wait um so yea see I having a bit of a time gap here so I’m gonna just talk for a while until you notice or something like that.”

“Ade what are you on abou-”

“Shut up! Three. Two. One.” Adelaide excitedly opens the front door to an empty Winifred’s and drags Rowan in with her. Journey’s Don’t Stop Believing is blasting through the restaurants speakers. They sit in their favorite booth and are greeted with giant waffles covered in whipped cream and topped with rainbow sprinkles.

12:00 am.

“It’s our birthday!” She exclaims. “Happy 18^th loser. I love you more than every thing in this world.” There is a smile on Rowans face and he opens his mouth to speak and before words can come out he hears “except from these waffles ‘cause you know I’m a sucker for rainbow sprinkles”

Rowan slightly giggles saying “I know you do kiddo. Happy 18^th”

He looks up at her about to say “I love you Ade”, but stops once he sees her face.

           

“Wait. So what did happen to your eyebrow?”

"Instant" by Humberto C

I’ll never forget the day I lost all feeling in my leg…

     Everything happened so quickly I had no time to come to my senses and realize what had just happened. I was on the ground gripping my left thigh… but why??? I felt nothing. I looked over my shoulder and saw my Coach running over to me. Out of nowhere my Father appeared and was asking me all sorts of questions, “Are you okay?”, “How bad is it?”, “Don’t worry you’ll be fine.” I was still utterly confused. I must have hit my head on the way down. Regardless, my Father and Coach lifted me up and were going to carry me off the field but I told them “I’m fine, I think I can walk.”

I had not rested my foot on the ground for one second when I felt the worst pain of my life. A searing pain shot up through my leg and I let out what my Mother later described as a “piercing scream, the type that makes the hair stand up on the back of your neck.” I knew from that moment that I was screwed. My parents rushed me to the hospital not knowing what kind of damage I had taken to my thigh. Besides the agonizing pain I was feeling on the way to the Emergency Room, I found out how I had injured myself. My parents told me I had taken a powerful shot and the goalkeeper could not keep the ball in his hands. I sprinted for the ball and tapped the soccer ball in under the keeper and then I jumped over the keeper who was on the ground and managed to collide with the goal post with my inner thigh. So now I knew what I had done, but hey at least I scored a goal right? Was it worth it? Probably not.

      It felt like a lifetime but we finally got to the ER. The one thing I can’t forget about my time at the ER was when they asked me how much pain I was feeling on a scale of 1 through 10, 10 being the absolute worse. My mouth dropped. I said “Are you kidding me?” That was all the doctor had to hear. It also didn't help that my leg was spazzing out, but you know, I think he got the message. I was taken into x-rays to see if I had broken anything. Fortunately, I found out soon after, that was not the case. My femur had remained intact, no damage at all, well maybe a little. It was a miracle, given I had hit the goal post at a full sprint. However, I was told I had torn one of my inner thigh muscles, the adductor magnus, broken a piece of my femur, the lesser trochanter, and had most likely damaged a nerve, the obturator nerve. Just what I wanted to hear. I was devastated. The doctor told me I would be on crutches for 6 weeks and could not play again until I had rested for 8 weeks. I reluctantly did so and as soon as I had finished the 8 weeks of rest I got back to work on strengthening my leg. Day by day I slowly regained feeling in my leg as my nerve repaired itself. I made a quick recovery and finished the season with my team. I knew there was always the risk of injuring myself again, but that didn’t stop me from playing the sport I love.

I learned from that day in my life that nothing can get in the way of my goals. Yes,  I mean that literally, not even a goalpost.

"Appreciating Moments" by Jessica E

     My freshman year I made friends with a group of, at the time, juniors. They were all
some of the best people I’ve ever surrounded myself with to this day. Every one of them had
their own personality and they all came together as one big group of friends. However, there was
one individual I met that year that I appreciated in more ways than one. Normally, I wouldn’t
want people knowing who the person in my story is, but this person is too special and important
to hide, so his name is Nate. Don’t get me wrong, I appreciated every other friend I had, but Nate
played an important role in my first two years of high school. There is one night that I can think
of that he was there for me when no one else was. It was my sophomore year now, and Nate’s
senior year. Nate, my best friend Kameryn, and I decided to go to the Friday night football game.
Since I couldn’t drive at the time and Etiwanda’s home games were held at Colony, Nate drove
us to the game. Once we got to the game we were all cheering in the stands with a few other of
our friends. Nate asked me during halftime if I would go with him too get a drink from the snack
bar, so of course I joined him. With it being a football game, it was chaotic and noisy. We
walked down from the cheering stands to the bottom. We made our way down to the snack bar.
He ordered a blue gatorade and sour punch straws. Once he got his drink and snack, he didn’t
want to go back to our seats just yet, so we just sat on the railing on the ramp. We started off
casually talking, then he started asking me questions about myself and my recent behavior. At
the time I was struggling with some things and wasn’t acting like myself. He told me some
things that I’ve always kept to myself and always will, just because it makes it that much more
meaningful to me knowing that his words will always be between just the two of us. We were
both too far into our topic to stop and go back to the game, so our conversation pretty much
lasted the rest of the game. This entire conversation is what made me realize how much he meant
to me. The way he would talk to me and wouldn’t stop until he knew I was feeling better made
me feel worth his time and made me feel important and appreciated to him. He always knew
what to say and had a way with words that could comfort me at any time. The advice he gave me
that night helped me become a better me. Nate was that person for me that made me want to
become a better person. After he helped me feel better, he would tell me about himself and
would trust me with everything he told me. Not only that night did he help me, but before and
after that, he was always there to lift me up and I would try to do the same for him if he ever
needed me in return. This night showed me to appreciate the people I love in my life and cherish
every moment I have with them. Just knowing that I had that type of support from him was
enough because I knew I could always count on him. At the time, not a lot of people around me
wanted to hear about my problems or have to deal with them. I never understood why Nate
wanted to even be friends with me, especially since he was a senior at the time while I was only
a sophomore, but that was just another reason I appreciated him. Unfortunately, now I haven’t
seen Nate in over a year because he is in the military in Japan. I’m proud of him and miss him
dearly, but I know he’s doing well and I hope to see him as soon as possible. Overall, Nate didn’t
care what others thought or how others looked, he was friends with people because he connected
with them and genuinely liked the person. This was one of the many reasons I look up to him and
hope to be as empathetic and a genuinely good person like him. Nate taught me a lot about being
the best person you can be and being there for others when they need you, and for that I am
grateful to have met him and gotten the chance to become close with him.

"How to become a Naturalista" by Chari D

     A naturalista is someone who proudly wears their hair in its natural state without the use of any chemicals. This can range from anyone with the hair texture of wavy, curly, or kinky. Naturalistas aren't defined ethnicity but rather as any female with the desire to ultimately embrace their natural beauty.

Step 1: Be committed. Before going natural you need to determine your level of commitment. Transitioning is something that takes dedication and devotedness to your new hair journey. It takes time to learn your hair type, find what products work best for you, and be comfortable with your natural hair.

Step 2: Knowing your hair type: After thinking about committing to your new hair regimen, now it is time to figure out which hair porosity is yours. Hair porosity refers to how much your hair is able to absorb and retain moisture. There are three different hair porosity types. They are low, normal, and high. Low porosity hair makes absorbing moisture less attainable and is more likely to cause excess build up with products. This then causes your hair to feel stiff and very dry. To avoid this from happening or having to repair a disaster then use heat in moderation. Heat is okay to use although people usually say to withstand excess heat. This is true but for low porosity hair using some heat opens up the cuticle and allows moisture to sink in. Normal porosity hair is usually the easiest hair type just because it allows the right amount of moisture and holds styles better. Deep conditioning treatments help to maintain this hair type. High porosity hair allows too much moisture which leads to lots of frizz and tangling. However high porosity hair can also lose too much moisture. For an equal balance leave in conditioners and hair butters can protect your hair from becoming damaged. To test your hair porosity you can take a strand of your hair and place it in a glass of water for 2-4 minutes. When the time is up you can see how far your hair has sunk in the water.

Step 3: Invest in quality products. Your hair deserves the appropriate care and maintenance in order to achieve a healthier grade of hair. If you are unfamiliar with what products work best for you then you can go to your local beauty supply/hair stylist to see what are the most reputable products for the best results.

Step 4: Protective Styling. Protective styling plays a key role in hair growth. It is also less maintenance if you don't necessarily have the time to focus on your hair everyday but still want to be a naturalista. These styles keep you from further damaging your hair from things like coloring, flat ironing, blow drying, chemicals, and any other thing that manipulates the hair from its natural state. Some protective hairstyles are updos, braids, twists, and weaves or wigs.

Step 5: Have Patience! This is the most important step of all because not everything is going to be exactly the way you want it to look. Hair growth does not just happen overnight. It takes time and dedication. If you are having a hard time and don't see too much growth then there are vitamins to strengthen and lengthen your hair but it against this does take time.

     Remember your natural hair is beautiful no matter what length, texture, or curl pattern.

“Leaving Everything Behind” By Ryan B

            When I first found out that I was accepted to my first choice college, I was overwhelmed with emotion. Most of which was excitement. But there was a problem, it was up in San Jose. To some that may not seem far especially to the ones going out of state for college, but for me that distance was was extreme. When the excitement died down, I was only left with one emotion: sadness. I was sad because I realized that I would have to leave my family and friends and go live in an apartment with 3 strangers. Yes I would be able to see my family every couple months when I come down to visit, but I got even sadder when I realized that I may never see any of my friends again after graduation. Some of those friends I have been friends with for years, and others only for senior year. And those relationships that I created, I wish wouldn’t end so soon but that is how life goes. I realize that some friends will be lost over the years, but friendships are suppose to last a lifetime. I will hopefully see some of my closer friends when I visit but I know it will never be the same between us all. But in life, it is more important to follow your dreams that to sacrifice them for friends.