"How To Get Over a Breakup" by Brianna I

            It’s happened to the best of us. It’s something in life that’s pretty much inevitable. Many of us have or most likely will experience a breakup. Dealing with a breakup is not always easy. However, maybe this step-by-step guide will help you out.
Tools: All you really need is yourself. You must be strong and show him/her that you are capable of being on your own and that you do not need them.
Step 1: Assess the situation. In your head, go through the breakup and bring to light any possible event that could have caused the breakup. Were you guys separated by distance? When did you feel like everything was first starting to go wrong? This step is important because when you think about each piece of the breakup separately, it starts to become clearer as to how or why it happened.
Step 2: Separation. Cut them off completely. Throw all of their gifts, letters, pictures, etc. away. Delete their contact off of your phone. Unfollow them on social media. Do everything possible to make sure you never hear their name again. This step is necessary in order to move on because you force yourself to get rid of the things that will remind you of them.
Step 3: Move on. It’s as simple as that. They do not want to be with you anymore. Their chapter in your story has ended and it’s time to focus on other things. This step is important because in order to get over a breakup, you have to distract yourself.
Step 4: Realization. Realize that this list was up until this point useless. That this list is impractical and that there is no easy way to get over a breakup. Yes, you’re allowed to cry. Cry all you want. Even when people tell you not to, cry until you feel as if you have run out of tears, then cry some more. Eat your favorite tub of ice cream at night alone while watching cheesy romance movies. Hang out with friends who understand you. The ones that will let you cry on their shoulder and that are just there for you even if they say nothing because sometimes that’s all you need. A silent hug from a friend is more effective than a friend who tells you to just move on and forget about them or one that tells you cliché life expressions about life being too short or other fish in the sea. They think they are helping but they aren’t. When they tell you that, you realize that life is too short and that there are 7 billion people in the world, but you don’t want another fish. You want that fish. The only fish that mattered. The fish that knew how to make you smile when you were sad and knew how to laugh with you when you were happy. The fish that swam faster and better than all of the other fish. The one that you’d do anything for even if they broke you.
            So yes, you’re allowed to feel sad. You’re allowed to stay in bed all day, crying. You’re allowed to think about and hate the idea of someone else in their arms, someone else wearing their jacket, someone else staying up late with them talking about their “forever’s” and “I love you’s”. You’re allowed to listen to sad music and read sad poetry. You’re allowed to look at old pictures of them and old text messages from them. You’re allowed to keep their stuffed animals on your bed and their letters and jewelry on your nightstand. You’re allowed to get all of this out of your system because this is the only way to move on. You have to realize that this takes time and it isn’t the same for everyone. This breakup could affect you for weeks, months, years even. Let it. Don’t try to stop the sadness from happening because that will only make things worse. Don’t bottle everything up inside because you’re only hurting yourself more. Like most things in life, it just takes time.
            ​One day, you will wake up and you will feel better. Like something has been lifted off of your chest. You’ll start to realize that there were times that you were happy without them. You’ll realize that you can move on and that with time the right person will come. You’ll realize that you deserve the world and more. But for now, you’ll be content with just living. An unknown author once said, “Everything in life is temporary. So if things are going good, enjoy it because it won’t last forever. And if things are going bad, don’t worry. It can’t last forever either.”
            ​I’ve taken the broken pieces of my heart and built myself a castle out of them. I’ve cried sometimes at 3 in the morning seemingly for no reason, but knowing it was because of him. I was so focused on what I wanted that I didn’t realize what I deserved. Everyone deserves happiness and right now my happiness stems from my friends and family who love and support me. The ones that deserve me at my best because they’ve seen me at my worst. So yes, it seemed like my life was over and it still feels that way. But life is all about change and so far I’m content with my life. I don’t regret anything that’s happened nor would I change it. He’ll always be my favorite what if and I wish him the absolute best. He was an amazing chapter in my story, but we must go our separate ways.

"Identity" by Gavin G

“Most people are other people. Their thoughts are someone else's opinions, their lives a mimicry, their passions a quotation” - Oscar Wilde

“Whoso would be a man, must be a nonconformist. He who would gather immortal palms must not be hindered by the name of goodness, but must explore it if it be goodness. Nothing is at last sacred but the integrity of your own mind. Absolve you to yourself, and you shall have the suffrage of the world.” Ralph Waldo Emerson on Self Reliance

            Recently a friend of mine offered a survey to over 100 individuals asking them “what do you identify as?”, offering a list of options including a fill in response if they identified as anything else. Responses included those from religious affiliation, to gender affiliation, to cultural affiliation. Surprisingly enough, most individuals responded identifying simply as a human. No special characteristics to identify this group, no equal and opposite force of attraction, just simply defined by their existence as a human beings. While this was only reflected by approximately 30% of those surveyed,  it did conclude two things. One, that the definition of the identity has begun to change in society and that in the opposite way many people still identify themselves as part of a select group. You may be wondering why being a human was the most popular selection, as being human has no specific moral code, no select group of people, no qualifying characteristic, except that it unites every person to everyone else in the world. The ability to see oneself as something larger than a qualified group of people gives identity to an individual themselves. This does not mean that I don't also acknowledge that I am in fact a Catholic, male who enjoys my German heritage, but that I can hold my own opinions while being equally acceptive of those of opposite opinions that are also fellow human beings. In saying this I reference Emerson's self reliance in which he declares that being able to see yourself above the adjectives that describe you is a true identity. As such to have an identity is to hold an opinion in your mind that no one else has placed there. Part of the reason that this definition is so difficult to achieve in the 21st century is linked to globalization and as Wilde says “People being other people”. The effect of an increasingly connected society, is increased conformity.How many thousands of likes did that post get? How many reshares? Although our ability to create originality has been greatly enhanced by the spread of globalization the growing herd of those attracted to the originality of others has also increased. On the global scale millions of people everyday define themselves by the music they listen to, the things they watch online, and the ideas they read about from media outlets, yet although most people develop an opinion about these opinions they consume they are not their own. The opinions mostly formed in this way are regurgitated yet again and more and more people become other people rather than themselves. However, the fear of being a nonconformist continues to outway the joy in holding your own opinions. The human mind holds the greatest capacity to formulate opinions and yet is stuck believing those of others. In relation to the aforementioned survey this shows that globally to have an identity independent of the adjectives we have come to know is a scarcity. In this way, the objection to conformity, being a nonconformist, is the greatest passion that can be experienced by a human being and the most fluent way to surpass societal barriers in order to embrace an identity with all other individuals.

"Horchata Recipe " by Sean B

     Thank you for reading my “how to” on how to make Horchata, before we get to learning how to make it I’d like to explain myself a little bit. My name is Sean Bailey and one of my favorite things to do in my free time is too cook. I first started to cook when I was in middle school and I used to watch live streams of this guy online who used to be a professional chef and I started trying to cook some of the recipes he would use. Over the years I’ve slowly gotten better and I enjoy cooking just about anything but my most favorite thing to do is to bake. With how warm it is in California, baking is fairly simple on keeping it warm enough for dough to rise and for it to be the ideal temperature since Baking is all about temperature and time. Besides baking I enjoy BBQing, doing desserts, making hearty meals, you name it I’ll make it. I’ve never been afraid of trying new foods or experiencing different tastes or smells and one day I’d like to do some traveling and visit different countries and experience the different cultures around the world.
One of my favorite things to drink in the Summer, especially nowadays with how hot it has been, is Horchata. For anyone not knowing what Horchata is, it is a sweet rice milk drink with cinnamon that is really tasty and is a good thirst quencher for hot days. On top of how tasty the drink is, it is also incredibly easy to make which is fantastic because during the summer I often have to make it a handful of times because my younger siblings can’t get enough of it when they’re always running around. Without further ado let’s figure out how to make this delicious drink. 

Ingredients
● 1 cup of white rice

• ●  1 1/3 cup sugar (adjust depending on how sweet you want - 2/3 cup of sugar if you want it less sweet).
  
• ●  1/2 cup chopped almonds (optional)
  
• ●  1 cinnamon stick ( 1⁄4 Cup Cinnamon)
  
• ●  1 T vanilla
  
• ●  1 Can (12 ounces) Evaporated milk
  
• ●  1 1/2 cup of milk or almond milk
  
• ●  1 Liter of water
  
• ●  Ice
  Instructions
  

• ●  Start by soaking the rice, cinnamon, and almonds in a bowl of water all night, or at least for 5 hours so that the rice softens slightly.
  
• ●  Strain the water from the cinnamon, rice, and almond mixture that were soaking, disposing of water.
  
• ●  Blend the cinnamon, rice, and almond mixture with evaporated milk until a smoother mix is formed and the grains of rice are completely ground.
  
• ●  Strain the resulting liquid into a pitcher, and add the sugar, vanilla, and milk. Mix well until everything is well combined.Add a liter of water, and serve with ice.
  

Overall this is a very simple drink to make and a favorite for most. I encourage everyone who reads this to give the recipe a try since it requires no hard work, tough skills, or uncommon tools. I chose this recipe because it is very easy for anyone to give it a try. I hope you enjoyed my “How to” and if you try making it I hope you enjoy this delicious drink.

"Conservatism" by Brandon V

To be free is to not be ruled over and ‘A government that is big enough to give you all you want is big enough to take it all away’’.-Barry Goldwater. When people hear the word Conservative, the pistons immediately  fire and anger begins to  linger from their mouths. Many are apologetic to take and believe in, the entire concept of both Social and Economic Conservatism. Conservatism is defined as  a political philosophy based on tradition and social stability, stressing established institutions, and preferring gradual development to abrupt change; specifically :  such a philosophy calling for lower taxes, limited government regulation of business and investing, a strong national defense, and individual financial responsibility for personal needs (such as retirement income or health-care coverage) and is found from the Merriam-Webster Dictionary. This definition I believe sums up the economic forms of conservatism very well in terms of fiscal policy. However the sub section of Conservatism that is not talked about to the same degree is Social Conservatism. Remembering that Conservatism is the belief in tradition and the values that are derived thereof , we can explore Social Conservatism in the same light. The tradition in American Conservatism derive from The Holy Bible and The Torah. The values listed in these Holy books contain the basis for much of the Social Conservatism of today. These values include the belief in a sacred marriage between Man and Woman and only Man and Women, an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth especially regarded important in the criminal cases of murders and serial killers, and directly quoted from the King James Version Bible, “Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you: do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets’’, and this in common day simplified English means treat your neighbor in a manner in which you would also like to be treated. These are a hand picked few of the views of a Social Conservative in my interpretation. To a great degree, the implication of a sound and faithful belief in God do these viewpoints come about. For a long time The United States has maintained and held composure of these traditional ideas but in the Modern day we see a rapid vanishment of these morals to which many believe society is changing for the worse in their actions of allowing immoral behavior and ideas to be spread and accepted. In a study conducted by The American Psychological Association, they concluded that roughly fifty percent of marriages in The United States result in a divorce. Quite an alarming statistic which would only lead one to question why is this occurring. The assertion that is being made here is that as a result of society disregarding respected and tested tradition, severe consequences are a direct result of that cause. This essay is concluded with a quote by Ian Duncan Smith and reads, “The future of Conservatism lies in our beliefs and values, not by throwing them away. We need to shed associations that bind us to past failures, but hold faith with those things that make us Conservatives”.

Our last group of writers has arrived!

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  (May.  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 May 11.  You must do both to get credit for comments this month.  Comment moderation will be on, so plan ahead.

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!

"500 (More Like 4) Years of Fame" by Cody T

     Four years fly by fast when you're having fun. I remember how I thought it was
impossible to march in time and play an instrument at the same time when I was a freshman.
Speaking of freshman year, I met some of the best group of people that year. I played alto
saxophone, so I was a part of the alto sax section of course. We were always on top of things and
got all of our work done. But best of all, we were a family. Many of my good friends that I met
in middle school, including my best friend Stephany, were in the section and there were so many
amazing upperclassmen to look up to. Two of them in particular were some of my biggest
inspirations: my section leader named Andy and a senior, who was junior staff coordinator at the
time, named Araybia. They inspired me to go for junior staff coordinator and even alto sax
section leader. They taught me so much my freshman year and and welcomed me with such open
arms. I'm truly grateful to have been under their direction.
     My sophomore year, I ended up switching to tuba, which was a completely different
instrument from alto sax. So much for going for alto sax section leader. I joined the tubas
alongside Santi, Emon, and Manuel, who had already marched tuba the previous year.
Unfortunately, Emon had to go to the front ensemble due to complications so it was just the three
of us as sophomores. Marching tuba was much more demanding than marching alto sax. The
pain in my left shoulder was unbearable and I would often lose hours of sleep because of the
soreness. But I could not have been more happy with switching sections, oddly enough. The
tubas were another group of people that I called a family, and similar to the alto saxes, we were
always on top of things no matter how difficult the music or drill.
     Junior year kind of just happened. Everything went well, but no new major changes
occurred. But senior year was where plenty of change happened. I went for junior staff
coordinator and I ended up as coordinator and tuba section leader. Mr. Hackworth, our director at
the time, left and a new director named Mrs. Marin came in to fill the void. It was weird after
Hackworth left since he's been my music teacher for the past three years, but Marin has shown
she is just as capable during her first year with Etiwanda. There were a lot of changes this year,
but it went surprisingly well under a new director. We ended up getting third place at champs,
which was a major improvement from the twelfth place we got my freshman year.
     These past four years have been filled with joy, stress, tears, and sweat. Lots and lots of
sweat. And tears. But the experiences I've been through and the friends I've made are my fondest
memories. Music isn't just going "toot toot" and "bang bang" on some instruments. It's a way for
me to express myself and leave behind the overbearing stress of school. It isn't just marching
band to me. It's my life. The alto saxes and tubas aren't just my sections. They're my family. It's
been a blessing to have been able to march these past four years. Practices were hell, but the
feeling of performing made it worth all of the pain. They say that you'll know what it feels like to
truly be in a marching band once you step off the field after champs. They never said anything
about what it's like when you step off for the last time. It was one of the most agonizing feelings
ever, like walking away from a passionate relationship. But hey, at least it was in tempo.