Our Last Group of Writers!

All Students:  Be sure to read the entries for this group  (May writers).  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 published comments, complete with dates and time stamps, on to a Word document and turn it in to me by May 14th, on Google Classroom.  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!

"What is Rap? " by Sesha H R

      We all enjoy different forms of music whether it's classical, r&b, or indie. We all  search for something to move us. Rap isn’t any different. If we look at how rappers like Tupac or J Cole are perceived, they were seen as wrong when they first released music. Most older people and some young people put Tupac in a box and lump him in with all the other rappers. They have a misconception that all rap is “vulgar” and “inappropriate” because white america has commercialized rap as a way to make money off of young black men or women. Although in some ways rap can be vulgar, especially commercialized rap, in many instances vulgarity and profanity is needed to spread messages across when a calm demeanor doesn’t get you far. Society can try to deny the genius of Tupac but they will never succeed, he superseded expectations and sought to bring awareness and action into the minds and hearts of american society about police brutality, the war on drugs, and the disproportionate amount of mass incarceration of black men.
      Why Did Tupac try to create a narrative about all the injustices of capitalist America when in many ways he benefited from it? The answer is simple: he cared about the poor and the other, rather than spend all his money and forget his troubled upbringing he chose to give back and fight back. In many of his writings like “ Government Assistance or my Soul” he spoke blatantly that he wasn’t going to allow the government to attempt to silence him or buy him, this sentiment clearly depicted the feelings of the many of the black community. With the advent of the Civil RIghts and Black Panther Era Tupac found strength in the voices of his predecessors who chose to fight against oppression and continue their mission to fight for the black community. He understood that with the War on Drugs it was another attempt of american society to criminalize the black community and back track their success. Songs like “ So many tears” bring reality to the fact that in black neighborhoods children were forced to endure harsh realities such as police weren’t there to protect but to kill, crack would take your loved ones away, and you can either be killed or kill in that you can either speak and expose this society or succumb to what white america has laid out for you.
      “​All eyez on me ... bet you got it twisted, you don't know who to trust So many player-hatin' n***s tryna sound like us Say they ready for the funk, but I don't think they knowin' Straight to the depths of Hell is where those cowards goin. ​ ’” Tupac was right all eyez were on him to be the savior, to be the fuck up, or to be the massive thug everyone wanted him to be. In his later years being signed to Death Row records he became in many ways the man he loathed and rapped about. Perhaps it was the image of Death Row that changed him since they were known for using violence and using their gang affiliation to get their way. Because, as he stayed with them his lyrics were increasingly more violent and that vulnerability that many loved him for became harder to find.

"How to make Monster cookies" By Alyssa O.

Monster Cookies are really fun to make, and very important to me, almost everytime I go to my grandparents house, I make these with my grandma. It is my way of spending time with her, and I hope that this recipe will encourage you to spend time with a loved one, or if you want make them by yourself during this quarantine boredom :) !

Ingredients for the cookies ;

● 3 eggs
● 1 ¼ cup lightly packed brown sugar 
● 1 cup granulated sugar ● ½ teaspoon salt
● ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
 ● 1 12oz jar creamy peanut butter 
● 1 stick of softened butter
● ½ cup multi- colored chocolate candies (m&m’s)
● ½ cup chocolate chips
● ¼ raisins (optional)
● 2 teaspoons baking soda 
● 4 ½ cups quick cooking oatmeal (not instant oatmeal)


Directions ;

● Preheat 350 degrees
● Line cookie sheets with parchment paper 
● In a large mixing bowl , combine eggs & sugars , mix until egg is beaten and the sugar is combined 
● Add salt, vanilla, peanut butter, and butter until combined 
● Stir in M&M’s, Chocolate chips, raisins (if you’d like) oats, and baking soda, it should look something like this when you add everything in

● Form into one inch balls and line them on your cookie sheet

● Bake in the oven for 12-15 minutes ● Remove from oven and place onto a cooling rack ● When cooled, enjoy :)
 

"How to make Pyrohy" by Zoe C

     Growing up, I was the only American in my family because the rest of my family was  either born in Canada or in Ukraine. So because of this, the majority of the things I ate were  Ukrainian/Canadian foods. I was introduced to Pyrohy at a young age and I have been eating  them and participating in making them ever since then. But, if you don’t know what a Pyrohy is,  it's a Ukrainian version of a pierogi (which is a Polish Dumpling filled with mashed potatoes and  cheese/onion). In other parts of Ukraine Pyrohy is called Varenyky. But the dish is also very  popular in Canada( this is mostly because of the mass waves of Eastern European immigration to  Canada after WWII).    First off, I’m going to let you guys know that this process is very messy and long. So you will  definitely need to wash your hands multiple times throughout the process. 

 You will need (for filling): 

● 3 cups of mashed Potatoes  
● 1 teaspoon olive oil  
● 1/2 chopped small onion 
● 4 ounces shredded cheddar cheese 
● 1 tablespoon of melted butter 
● 1 cup of sour cream

  You will need (for the dough):  

 ● 5 cups of flour
 ● 1 teaspoon of salt
● 1 cup of water 
● 2 tablespoons of butter 
● 3 large eggs 
● ½ cup of butter (softened) 
● ½ teaspoon pepper

Directions:    Now that you have all of your ingredients ready, you have to make the dough of the pyrohy first.. 

 1) Mix together the flour and salt. Then add the egg to the flour and combine. The dough  will be a little clumpy at first but it's ok!

2) Now you have to add in the sour cream and butter until the dough becomes nice and soft  and sticky.

 3) Wash your hands and begin to knead and fold the dough. If it's too sticky you can  sprinkle a little
more flour onto the dough. 

4) After the dough has been thoroughly mixed and kneaded, you can then wrap it up in  saran wrap and leave it in the fridge for 5 hours.

 5) Now to make the filling:​ Combine the shredded cheese with the mashed potatoes. Stir  the mashed potatoes until the cheese is melted. You can add salt and pepper at this step  depending on if you want to or not. 

6) Now to actually fill the pyrohy:​ Roll half of the dough to 1/8" thick. Use a cup to cut  out circles of the dough. 

7) Then place 1 1/2 teaspoons of filling on each circle dough. Gently fold the dough over,  forming a pocket around the filling. Pinch the edges of the pyrohy to seal it and then seal  it again with the sharp edges of a fork. 

8) The LAST STEP!! ​Gently drop the pyrohy into a pot of boiling salted water. Only drop  in 10 pyrohy at a time in the pot because it starts to get a little crazy in the pot if it's any  more than 10. Then they will start to float up to the top of the pot and that's when you  know they are ready!

You can also fry up these babies in a buttered pan with bacon and green onions and top it off  with sour cream and they will taste amazing...If you have any leftovers you can put them in a  ziploc bag and put them in the freezer and they’ll last for months.

“Orange Cake Recipe” By Karla S

This orange cake recipe is really easy to follow and the outcome is delicious. It will take roughly one hour to have done but in the end, it is worth it.

Ingredients you are going to need: 3 cups of flour 2 cups of sugar 1 teaspoon of baking powder 1 teaspoon of salt 1 cup of melted butter or 2 sticks of melted butter 1 tablespoon of vanilla ⅓ cup of freshly squeezed orange juice ¾ cup of buttermilk  2 tablespoons of orange zest 5 eggs

A majority of people have all of these ingredients except for probably buttermilk. Do not fret, buttermilk is extremely easy to make. 

Ingredients for Buttermilk: 1 cup of milk 1 tablespoon of freshly squeezed lemon juice

Directions for orange cake;

Before we start anything if you do not already have buttermilk on hand you are going to want to make that first. Mix the two ingredients and let it sit for about 15 minutes.

Step 1: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and butter or oil a pan that will be used for the cake.

Step 2: In a big mixing bowl you are going to want to mix all of the dry ingredients first but make sure to sift them so that you do not get clumps in your cake batter.

Step 3: In a separate bowl you are going to mix the vanilla, orange zest, orange juice, buttermilk, and the melted butter. 

Step 4: Slowly mix the wet ingredients into the mixing bowl as well as the eggs.

Step 5: Pour batter into the buttered pan and place into the oven for 50-59 minutes, or until golden brown.

"Untitled" by Madia W

                                                                                                                             4444,1111, 1234, 7777

     It's not very possible to tell the future but it isn't impossible either. The Cosmos (in some respects) does these things, using the stars and planets positioning combined with ancient stories containing references to the cosmos help tell the story of humanity’s past, present, and future. If this concept is beginning to sound familiar then you have probably heard or are interested in learning about Astrological Identity. Now, before you run away, Astrology is just another interpretation of things around us. Plus! There are many other amazing entries you could be reading BUT you chose this one and there is a reason for that, and even if you don't believe in it, it could be really fun to look at!
What is the history of Astrology? There is far too much information and far too little energy in me to completely break down its origin. However, all it takes is a  simple google search but here I can provide the basic analysis of its purpose. ​“​Astrology, on the other hand, is the belief that the positioning of the stars and planets affect the way events occur on earth. ​Linked with the planets and constellations, these very human divinities make astrology dramatic and exciting.  Evolved originally to help in affairs of state, the art finds its lasting role in casting the fortunes of ordinary men and women.” (American Astronomical Society)

     O.K now, I am sure many of you have seen those media posts about how Scorpios are extremely secretive people, or what about being a Cancer makes you so honest, but why do people think that? All too often people criticize Astrology particularly in Zodiac identity because the characteristics of these different signs are so general and “cookie-cutter”.  However, this whole idea that you see on social media is only a fraction of what your Astrological identity truly is. What you truly want to study, if you are interested, is your BIRTH CHART all you need is your; date, time, and location (or the closest major city) of your birth. It is near impossible to have the same Birth Chart as others.

     Your birth chart tells you where all of the planets were aligned when you were born, that's why each sign is spread across all 10 different planets in our solar system. Astrological Zodiac signs are sectioned in 4 elements; Earth, Fire, Air, and Water. Within each of those elements reside three ruling signs totaling 12 signs ; ​(Earth) Taurus, Virgo, Capricorn​ (Air) ​Gemini, Libra, Aquarius​ ​(Fire)​ Aries, Leo, and Sagitarius ​(Water)​ Cancer, Scorpio, and Pisces. Each of these familiar signs are associated with animals, ancient myths, seasons of the year, and colors adding more depth into the signs' story of its birth into the universe. Zodiac can uncover different habits and tendencies you may have, the more masculine aspects of your personality, and qualities that link you to other Zodiac signs. 

     Learning these things may be confusing or might not make any sense at all, so take them with a grain of salt. It is also important to keep in mind that this may not apply to you perfectly, because not everything is perfect. However, finding some of the meaning behind why you have seven different personas, or why you may never find love, (jk) is all spelled out for you in hopes that knowing more about yourself (on a more cosmic level) may bring some understanding into your life. 

     Thank you for listening! If you have time and would like to read deeper into the study of Astrology check out these links for some help!

     P.s. If the numbers in the top, right- hand corner look familiar and you see them often the universe is trying to send you a message.

Don't know your sign yet? What are you waiting for!? Find out now!

https://astro.cafeastrology.com/
An extra source just in case… ;) http://astro.angeleowyn.eu/
Got any secret talents?? Find out more!  http://moonhoroscope.com/
Lil Uzi Vert is such a Leo smh..Here, you can see some of your fav celebrities Z-Signs; https://astro-charts.com/
Just something to think about! <3 https://www.astro.com/cgi/atxgen.cgi?btyp=cf

"What Is Self Love? " by Tracy H

     Oftentimes, unknowingly, we neglect ourselves because we tend to get too caught up in
our eventful daily lives. Our daily lives are composed of time with family, friends, and most
importantly, time with ourselves. Over the recent eventful weeks that have transcended before
my eyes, I have learned some of the most fascinating lessons that you simply can’t obtain from
reading a book or memorizing an equation. These past few weeks have not only taught me to
cherish every moment life grants me but, to love myself because my last breath could be any
second. Self-love can be expressed in a variety of ways, a few being a dedication to one’s goals,
practicing virtue, or even monetary goals if truly desired. Although society might view you as
narcissistic or even selfish, the decisions that make you content should be the decisions you
ultimately aspire to fulfill. 
     According to ancient Greek Philosopher, Aristotle, he states that “selfishness gives way
to self-love.” In other words, our actions that we carry out may be seen as “selfish”, however,
this selfishness is rather more noble than harmful. We can only give so much to the point
wherein return, we must dedicate a certain portion to ourselves to keep our sanity. If we
constantly are aiming to fulfill our personal goals, we will have a greater sense of passion to help
others in return. By sacrificing for yourself, it not only teaches you that sacrificing for your goals
is necessary but sacrificing to obtain your own goals in return can help others achieve theirs.
Sacrificing on both ends of the spectrum will not only bring you self love, but it will also bring
self-love to people who surround you. 
     Self-love can be quite confusing at times, but once you find out how to balance it and
maintain it, there is no stopping you. In stressful times like these, I dedicate one to two hours
each day to pray in my room for the health of my family and friends. As this might seem like a
selfless act, it brings me great joy because my actions will hopefully result in the prosperity of
others. Additionally, I also practice self-love by logging off to my social media, such as
Instagram and Twitter whenever I feel dispirited by the cruel expectations of our norms. This I
thought was the best way to practice self-love because it prevents me from self-destruction since
there are times that I couldn’t help but compare my life with others on social media. For me,
self-love is about accepting who we are as individuals even with our weaknesses or our
strengths. Hence, self-love is crucial for a happier and more fulfilled life.
     In closing, if we do not give ourselves self-love, it will be almost impossible to give it to
someone else when it truly matters. You must be fully content with yourself and have peace at
mind, to even scratch the surface of another’s. The journey towards self-love can be compared to
the myth of Sisyphus; it may seem like you will never accomplish your goal, but if put yourself
before others, you can have a greater impact than you could have ever imagined. 



Work Cited “From Selfishness to Self-Love According to Aristotle.” ​Exploring Your Mind ​ , 28 Apr. 2017, exploringyourmind.com/selfishness-self-love-according-aristotle/.

"Abnormality- The War of 500 Years " by Annabelle E

      There once was a far off kingdom in a far off land. This kingdom lived in peace and
harmony, every element was balanced and the cycle of the universe was set. The queen of this
kingdom, Endelle Blackpearl, ruled with her twin brother, Malikai. They lead the End with grace
and strategy, for years they worked together, and for years they were calm. 

     However, when a new dimension was born, dubbed Reality, the job of controlling this
was bestowed upon Endelle, and Malikai grew jealous. He had always felt cast aside, forgotten
and neglected. Compared to his sister he was weak. She, with her powerful Soul-Space magic,
her beautiful body and lovely personality, was vastly more admired than he; Malikai was a short
tempered, aggressive, and introverted man who never fully understood or controlled his
Soul-Void magic. 

     And so, the day before the coronation, Malikai snapped. He searched for his sister, who
was often out in the town mingling with their subjects, and dragged her into the streets. She
fought against him, but was eventually overpowered by his chaotic magic. After a long, drawn
out battle, Malikai won and Endelle was killed. With no remorse he laughed and threw her body
into the lake of the nearby forest. However, he knew as well as she did that she wouldn’t be gone
for long, for these particular siblings will never truly die. Their souls were too powerful, and
their roles in the universal order were too important. 

     Malikai built up an army of ghostlike creatures, appropriately named Voidwalkers. These
creatures were at his beck and call, night and day, and did know know any different as their souls
were enslaved to eternal damnation. As Malikai built his army, Endelle dragged herself out of
the lake, and called upon her father, Diaboli Ex Animus, to aid her in taking back the throne.
Diaboli did not need much convincing, as he had always known these events would occur, and
that his son was an ignorant man. As a gift, he created four knights for his daughter. Each knight
a different ability, and each knight a different section of the universe to represent and control. 

     The first knight created was Famine. He had the ability to starve millions, not only of
sustenance, but emotional stability, rendering them defenseless and incompetent. The second
Knight was War, as the name implies he was aggressive. Capable of taking down entire armies
with the single swing of his sword. The third knight was Plague, a meek and sickly fellow.
Although, his demeanor did not do his mind justice. His abilities allowed him to cast entire
populations into psychological despair, and physical sickness as well. Lastly, the most powerful
knight of all was formed, and his name was Death. He could do anything his heart desired. And
from the moment of his creation, his heart’s desire was to protect his Queen. These knights acted
as Endelle’s personal bodyguards, her Reapers, collecting souls for her to sort through and assign
final resting places to. 


     The knights bowed their heads and pledged their eternal servitude to Endelle, who
accepted graciously. She told them all about Malikai’s tyranny and how she was to overthrow
him. They agreed to help and together, they waged a war against the Void Army, for 500 long
years. Gathering support from magic beings of all races and abilities. And eventually, the power
was returned. 

     As Malikai fell to his knees in front of his twin sister, he begged her for death. He
pleaded and pleaded, but she declined the action of killing him. For her love for her brother
exceeded any ill will she may have had towards him. Instead he was banished to a desolate
dimension, the Void. The space between all physical dimensions, the nothingness between
worlds. Malikai, in despair, learned to live in said space, and built his own kingdom, with his
precious void walkers. 

     And thus, the universe was restored. For at least that small bit of time.

Author’s Note: Hello! This piece of writing is something I am planning to turn into a video
game, so any ideas or criticism is welcome! For anyone wondering, yes The End is based on the
dimension in minecraft, i was 10 when i created these characters and have developed and used
them to this day!However I obviously do not own Minecraft.  I hope you enjoyed! 

"G.R.A.D.E.S. " by Zech A

     I want to spark a conversation about something that it seems few people question: the traditional school grading system. We have been receiving G.R.A.D.E.S. in school ever since kindergarten. Every assignment we have received in school since then has been assessed by a grading system, even this (unconventional) essay that I am writing right now will be graded. It will help determine my grade in AP Literature, which will help determine my grade point average, which is a compilation of all of my high school G.R.A.D.E.S. averaged out. The G.R.A.D.E.S. we receive in school aren’t even the only G.R.A.D.E.S. we receive throughout our lives. People are virtually graded by their looks whenever they post a picture on social media, even by themselves much of the time. My generation specifically is filled with people who obsess over how many likes their pictures get or having more followers than everybody else on Instagram or Twitter. The entirety of Earth’s population has grown up in a world where the dominant culture tells them that receiving a “good grade” is essentially equal to happiness and satisfaction. “Good G.R.A.D.E.S.” are a reflection of your success, whereas “bad G.R.A.D.E.S. are a reflection of failure, shame, and misery. 

     It is a widely accepted notion that receiving the “good grade” inspires all people, but especially children to learn, work hard, and become better individuals as a whole. But is this actually true? Do G.R.A.D.E.S. actually help people obtain these honorable traits, or are they actually ineffective, or even counterproductive? Do “good G.R.A.D.E.S.” really bring people a happier life, or do they merely bring temporary satisfaction that causes long term stress? Let’s take a deeper look into what G.R.A.D.E.S. are and how they’re truly affecting our mental state, and ultimately our lives:

G- Gifted students overlooked.  When examining a student’s grade point average or grade in a specific class, many of us believe that we can gather valuable information with this, including but not limited to who is more intelligent or who works harder. However, this attitude that we as a society hold when it comes to G.RA.D.E.S. is completely false; and frankly, it’s prejudiced. When teachers and professors judge students based on their grades rather than their talent and knowledge of the subject they are teaching, they rob the student of opportunities they otherwise could have earned with their pure knowledge and acquired skills.

R- Ruining potential interests.  When educators offer children positive rewards for performing a task, children will begin to enjoy the given task less. Here is an analogy that author Alfie Kohn used to describe this during his appearance on the podcast The Happiness Lab: “If you want to destroy a child’s interest in reading, you should give the kid a prize for reading a book.” Kohn elaborated on this
by explaining that not only is this manipulative, but also programs the child into thinking: “Reading must suck if my teacher has to give me a reward in order to do it.”

A- Avoiding challenges.  When grades are the measure of success, children will often avoid challenges due to the fear of getting a lower grade in the more challenging task or course. This is simply common sense. If the objective of school is to achieve the highest possible GPA, why would a student pick harder subjects to learn or harder tasks to complete? I can speak about this tragic flaw within the education system from personal experience. I can give several examples of myself choosing college prep courses over AP or Honors courses throughout high school because I worried that my grades would suffer from the additional homework and additional challenge, even if the subject was something I genuinely find interesting such as politics or chemistry. But you don't have to take my word for it. A study by child psychologist Susan Harter has confirmed that kids tend to avoid challenges when being graded. Harter gave 6th graders words that were scrambled and asked them to unscramble them. The children were given simple 3 letter words and more difficult 6 letter words. The first group of children would be given these puzzles without any mention of a grade. This group would usually do the more challenging puzzles and appeared to be happy while doing them. Harter then provided the same puzzles to a second group of 6th graders who were told that they would be graded. The second group of children hardly smiled, tended to do only the easier puzzles, and were much more anxious. Unfortunately, the second group of 6th graders reflects the way the system is now, which stunts the growth of children and does not maximize their potential.

D- Destroying learning and independent thinking.  Here is another example that Alfie Kohn used in his appearance on The Happiness Lab: Students are much less likely to ask questions that allow them to gain a deeper understanding of the subject matter they are learning about such as “Why is this true?” or “Doesn’t this contradict what I learned before?” But they are much more likely to ask “Is this going to be on the test?” I think nearly all of you including myself have either witnessed this in real life or have done this yourself or both. This is not an indictment on you or anyone else. It is a perfectly rational reaction to an irrational system that diverts the attention away from the subject of the work to the grading system.

E- External Reward.  G.R.A.D.E.S. are simply an external reward, which is the type of reward that severely punishes all of us in the long run. I want you to think about school pre-pandemic and think about all of the homework you have completed throughout high school. Were you focused on going above and beyond on your homework to maximize your learning on the subject of the homework? Or, did you have the mindset of completing it with the minimal effort needed to get
credit, like I have? Chances are, your mindset was the latter the vast majority of the time. This is what Chana Stein, Arie Kruglanski, and Aviah Riter call “the minimax strategy.” When the sole focus of completing a task is on the external reward, it makes perfect sense to put in the minimal effort or even resort to cheating in order to obtain the only apparent benefit of completing the task.

S-Stupid. The current grading system that is used in nearly every school in the world is stupid. I am calling for a radical change in the way that people are taught in school. Get rid of the traditional grading system. There needs to be an emphasis on learning rather than completion of tasks. Each student needs to take classes that suit their individual passions and how they plan to contribute to society.  The role of teachers needs to be to work with students to help them learn as much as the student can about the subject. They will also help guide each student on what they will need to know and be able to do in order to achieve their career and/or life goals. Ultimately, motivation can only come from within, not from a stupid system of false motivation and manipulation.

Credit to:  -The Happiness Lab with Dr. Laurie Santos -Alfie Kohn -“Ungrading” by Susan D. Blum on Inside Higher Ed

"Happiness" by Karen M

     What is happiness? According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, happiness is defined as “a state of well being and a pleasurable or satisfying experience”. In 2007 a positive psychology researcher named Sonja Lyubomirsky described happiness in her book as the experience of joy and positive emotions along with a meaningful and worthwhile life. These two definitions correlate with positive influences because people seek positivity in their life in order to feel a sense of happiness and joy.      
     The word happiness means completely different things for most people. For some it may involve having money, getting an A+ on that test that they studied hard for or simply having a good day. For others it's more about popularity, a high that they get from drugs or even getting an adrenaline rush from doing something that they shouldn't have done. People will always have a positive and a negative idea of what happiness is which is what makes happiness different for everyone. Although happiness is an overall joyful emotion, it isn’t always what it seems. For example it has its bittersweet moments like when you look back at pictures and reminisce about the memories that you know you won’t be able to relive. People often tend to rely on other people for their own happiness. For instance, when someone is in a relationship whether it be a romantic one or just a group of friends, if one person depends more on the other for this serotonin filled emotion it doesn’t always work. It won’t have the best outcome because you shouldn’t place your happiness in someone else’s hands and leave it to them to care for. Today’s society makes it hard for some people to be happy. Pleasing other people is such a priority for some that in the process of trying to make those people happy they end up losing sight of their own happiness and who they are. As an example, if a student wants to please their parents and make them happy by getting good grades it could cause that student stress and they might lose some of their happiness along the way or if a kid is trying to impress another friend they might do something that they usually wouldn’t and wouldn’t be proud of.  
     For me personally, happiness comes in different forms. To me happiness involves the small things like coming home and seeing that my mom made my favorite dinner, passing a test that I had forgotten about or even getting a small compliment. It’s little things like those that make me happy and grateful. Other memorable experiences are nights out at the mall, going to a restaurant with my family and playing with my baby niece. One unforgettable experience that makes me happy is when I would go to Mexico for Christmas as a child and collect candy that I would later share with my cousins. Spending time with my family and friends will always be my main source of happiness even if it’s just sitting on the couch talking. The reason these things play a huge role in my happiness is because when I’m down and think about those memories it fills me up with joy and happiness and reminds me that there’s always something to look forward to. 





Websites that I used

- https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/happiness