"Alone" by Rochelle-Leah N

Walking down a sidewalk alone, you may hear the rustle of the wind and the leaves behind you. Leaving you thinking that someone, or something might be following you. Imagine that scene being played repeatedly. Whether I was alone or with my family, I heard footsteps following behind. I'd always turn around to find no one ever there. I thought it could've been my young imagination, because of the constant scary movies I'd watch with my mother. Even so, through all my thoughts leading to that conclusion, the feeling of being monitored never went away. I couldn't sleep for months, and two hours of sleep became a nightly routine. I started to hear a constant voice, whispering in my ears, "Don't be afraid, I'm with you." What did that mean? Who hell was with me?  

I dealt with this paranoia for fourteen years. It took fourteen years for me to tell my mother. At first, she was confused as she tried to comprehend that her fourteen-year-old daughter was pleading insane. The solution was to send me to therapy twice a week. I've been going to therapy for two years now, and slowly the footsteps have died down and the voice disappeared.  

Now, I'm half way through a therapy session, a day before school starts. The creaks of the wooden floor repeat as my therapist, Mr. Heckler, rocks back and forth in his chair. His nose was deep in his cheap 3-subject notebook. I'm sitting on a therapeutic chair with my knees close to my chest. Mr. Heckler, would always take note of it, but I'd never put much effort to sit properly. 

 "Willow, ready for junior year?" Mr. Heckler asked scribbling away in his notebook. 

I answered with a simple shrug. School was never something I was enthusiastic about. I lost all my friends during freshmen year. 

"Anything you want to accomplish this year?" I took a moment to think thoroughly. 

"Gain friends," I replied with another note taken. 

"Have heard your whispers?" He asked nonchalantly.

"No, there hasn't been any," I replied monotoned hugging my knees closer. 

"That's good, that's all today," he snapped his notebook closed. I nodded and got off the chair. 

 Before he let me out he said, "I'm proud of your progress Willow," 

"Thanks Mr. H," I rubbed my left shoulder wanting to leave for home.  Mr. Heckler patted my back and I swiftly walked out of his office. I walked down the back of the hallway that seemed endless. My surroundings felt like I was in a mental hospital as I exited to an ally way.  

After sessions, I walk alone through a long narrow ally to reach my backyard. This was a normal routine my mom didn't care for.  My hands find their way to the pockets of my fitted jeans. Today, there was more trash on the pavement and new spray paintings were up on the Art Wall. Bold statements between every piece of graffiti from murals, small cartoons, and words.   

Once I reached my backyard fence, the smell of fresh paint became strongly pungent and I covered my nose. I looked up staring at the new art. The painting appeared to be a little girl made of puzzle pieces, but pieces were missing. She was sitting down crying; singular and isolated. I look closely to see the missing pieces of her, shattered. I had this gut feeling that we were connected. I was shocked that no initials were left behind to claim this masterpiece. Could it have been self-created? 

"Willow, come inside or you'll get jumped by those filthy hooligans," my mother nagged.

"Again mom, they aren't hooligans," I rolled my eyes as I flipped up the wooden board.  

"What do you call vandals ruining city property?" she started raising her voice. 

"Artists, the city lets them paint, it's not illegal," I squeeze in through the fence to the backyard.  

"I don't have time for this, go to your room," she sighed. 

I shrugged walking into the house. I entered my room locking the door and sat on the bay window, staring outside. Children were playing on their front lawns, and cars passed by. Complete silence drives me insane sometimes. I open my window to listen to the sound of life. Outside the birds are chirping, and the children across the street are laughing. Two years I've been the modern Rapunzel.   

Suddenly lighting struck catching my attention. A figure of a boy appeared in the middle of the street. No one saw him standing there. I couldn't tell if he was my imagination or if he was real. Then the door unlocked. Mother.  

"What's the point of locking a door for privacy, when you have a key?" I groaned.  

"What were you staring at?" she asked looking outside shutting the window.  

"Nothing," I say moving to my bed.  

"Where's your phone?" She began scrimmaging through my closet.  

"Don't you trust me?" I grabbed my cellphone from my pocket.  

"No, I don't think I can" she said grabbing my phone, then leaving. 

I locked the door once again placing a chair underneath the handle. Curiosity killed the cat, leading me back to my window. The sun had fallen and the figure I saw mere minutes ago, vanished. Now this left me time to think deeply. Wired to illusions of plain abnormality changing imagination. That the mind is just set up a different way for people like me. Spiders crawling inside, eating away parts of your brain on who you could've been. I'm sick with illness that can pull me away into a shallow pit of black. There's no cure, only drugs to seduce the crazy person inside. 

"I'm not insane, just scared," I repeat this to myself laying on my bed.  

The lies I continually proceed to tell myself every night. The lamp shade still on but starts to fade as my eyes close. Slowly but surely, I'm drifting to a world that I can control; my nightmares.   

"Can You See Me?" by Nysiah L

I run through the field with her. We both laugh and play. Stacey wants to play hide and seek. Before anyone can say a word I'm gone. The wind flowing through my hair and legs charging through the tall yellow flowers. I look for my special spot.

“Stay away from that place.” She says.

My small tiered legs carry my body through the tall weeds, around the old abandoned car, to my special spot…..

With eyes as black as the night, intentions as evil as the devil…. He lurks. His blood stained, heavy boots help him through a road often traveled. A plan clear as day replays over and over and over an-

Finally! My special spot! They will never find me here. I reach my hand out to the rust covered handle and open the door. It looks the same, just as I've left it! My favorite things in one spot, a special one. The small, broken down, wooden table showcases the objects I love most. A small yellow ribbon catches my eye first. As always, I take it between my fingers and feel the smooth silk brush against my skin.

“Feels the same.”

I bring the fabric up the my face and inhale the familiar cinnamon smell.

I sigh, “Smells the same…”

Huffing and puffing He breathes. His heart beats a million miles a millisecond just at the thought of it. It's been a few weeks since the last time and He already misses it. His tools are at bay, ready to be used once again. Ready for their usual blood thirsty job. They still have reminders of the last. A little dent here and a stain there, all just small trophies to represent the real victory.

My eyes shift and a yellow photo album sits tall with a thin layer of dust. My lips pierce as I blow air to brush the dust off. My fingers slowly open the book full of pictures. Pictures of the most beautiful woman in the world. Her hair long and flowing. Her dress as golden as the sun and then the ribbon that wrapped proudly around her narrow neck.                                      

“I miss you.” I say. “I'm going to be just as beautiful as you one day.”

My lips curl into a smile. My eyes begin to water.

“I miss you… mommy” I whisper.

His eyes widen as He nears the old abandoned house.

 “Here it goes.” He thinks. His hands began to sweat, just a little nervous moisture. His footsteps are light. Wouldn't want our pray to hear us coming would we? His old wrinkled hands curl around the ledge under the window. Slowly his head rises as his eyes peek through the window and He sees it.

The yellow dress.

The yellow hair.

In between her fingers a yellow book.

His breathing hitches as she begins to speak.

“I miss you…. mommy.” She says.

He grasps his first tool of “fun”.... Maybe He can reunite them.

I hear footsteps.

“She found me! How? Not in my special spot!” My feet hurriedly carry me into a small closet. She'll never find me here.

The steps get louder and now she's here. Inside my special spot! She'll never find me! My heart begins to pound as I can hear her walking throughout the room. I laugh quietly to myself. I taunt her in my head. “Can you see me, can you see me, can you see me?” A small giggle escapes. “No-” 

The door swings open wide with a slam. There's a man. He's not Stacey.

We stare at each other.

“Who are you?” I ask the tall dark man in front of me. He doesn't answer. “Is this your special spot too?” Again silence. “Are you too hiding?”  He holds up a hook. I think. It's big and scary with some kind of mystery stain on it that isn't really a mystery at all. He walks forward and holds the hook up to my neck.

“Pretty girl with a pretty dress and pretty necklace.” His breath smells and his voice is dark.

“A girl as pretty as her mother deserves the same fate as she, yes?” His crusty lips smile. “A slice here” The hook brakes skin. “A slice there” He glides it across my tummy and I can see the thick red gushing from it. “Maybe even a twist..” The hook, it curls and the pain is too much for my mind to handle.

Over and over it's jabbed into me. My screams and cries of pain are loud, but never reach his ears. I cry and all I want is my mommy. Why isn't she here to protect me? Why does she have to be in heaven? Can she see me now? Does she see what's happening to me?

I try to fight, but my weak arms are no match for his. He holds me down and my vision is blurred. Once again the hook is held to my neck. “This finale shall be grand. It will end with a reunion. If she can't see you now, she will see you then.”

Those words will be the last I hear.

With my last thought I think, “Mommy, can you see me? I hope to see you.”

“At last another victory.” He thinks. Her necklace, He keeps. Her hand he counsels in his own. “Maybe I will wrap you in a yellow blanket and decorate you a yellow box.” 

“They can't see you now, but soon they'll see you all.”

"Her" by Jaiden H

            The bell rang. She scurried along past the tiara-wearing sissies and the smelly boys towards Her favorite part of each and every day. She stood at the edge of the playground. To the left, the girls merciless pounded an innocent yellow ball into a concrete wall.  To Her right, the boys engaged in a game of four-square with an endless queue of children following. The rest lay scattered all around the place that she called “school”. Despite all of the activity, she continued peering past the little girl complaining that Her shirt is not pink enough and the little boys and girls betting about who could stick their finger farthest up their nose. The treasure she sought sat in the corner of the yard under the biggest ash tree. The only spot in the whole yard where the soft light could only touch the tips of his brown head and would shield him from the hot kisses of the sun. Dashing past the long line of ash trees towards the biggest and best tree. She heard the leaves of each of the trees start its light hum as they slowly began their organized dance. Seeing him in his favorite Ninja Turtle Shirt, with all four of his favorite green mutant guys, and his light-up sketchers was Her favorite sight of the day. With a little twig in hand, he drew into the dirt changing the ground into a platform of imagination. He looked up and his big smile snuck its way all into the corner of Her heart and seeped through every part of Her. He is Her best friend. Some days, when the sun decided to share its warm rays, they would play as pirates, ninja turtles, or  bankrobbers. Other days the two of them would go to the playground, littered with tiny booger-nosed children, and chase the screaming pink shirts with the iridescent critters that loved the bright summer sun. She enjoyed the days when they would sneak past the stuffy nosed proctor to the end of the big green field. There they could see the sheep that lived beyond the gated fence and even beckon them over to eat the few pieces of grass and vegetation that they plucked from the ground.

Today was one of those days. He sat on his knees offering the wary sheep the greens that he found to it. It approached slowly, examining his hand and the delicious treats the hand held intently before each step. The sheep drew close enough to eat out of his hand and munched quietly amongst the silence of the two. When the sheep finally saw the little pink hand of the boy, he ran off and the two sat. The little boy leaned back hoping that he could let the sun cover him, but the sun thought the opposite. The sun hid behind the giant dark cloak and everything turned pale and cold.

The grass was no longer green, the little brat’s shirt was no longer pink, and the innocent ball was no longer yellow. Everything and everyone was a pale shade of gray. The little boy tugged at Her arm gesturing to something on the other side of the gated fence; a little blonde haired boy wearing an overcoat staring at them with beady eyes. The little boy muttered something, looked to his right, and a woman appeared next to him. The woman held a hand out, smiled at the little boy, and listened to his low words. The little boy lifted one nubby finger at the two at the other side of the fence; the woman’s shining eyes followed his little finger and the woman’s smile faded like morning dew when the woman’s two eyes met their four. The woman’s hushed and hurried words did not alarm the fascinated little boy. The little boy looked at the pair in awe, spoke something again, and looked up to the woman for an answer. The day grew even darker and colder. The boy in the ninja-turtle shirt and the light-up sketchers began to disappear, along with the sheep, the grass, the playground, and the school. The only light shone on the little boy and the woman at the other end of the gated fence. The woman looked to the right and spoke hurried words. The woman’s arms flailed and eyebrows creased and the woman motioned to Her. A man came and stood beside the woman. The cold became icy and burning.

The woman’s voice became audible as she whispered, “What have you done?”

“Yes, Dad. Why is that lady in the room like that?” The little boy questioned.

“Ah… yes… You see, son, only God can fix everything that is messed up with people. Until the day comes when he decides to come and take care of us, we must do whatever we can, whenever we can to ensure that people’s lives are saved. My dear son, sometimes, we must use whoever we can.”

The little boy nodded intently, seemingly understanding what the man had told him; but the man’s eyes remained fixated on Her. A buzzing sound replaced the man’s voice and the dim cackling light replaced the warm sun.

“Yes. Sometimes that whoever is a crazy lady, but it’s all in the name of science. Right?” He said with a sweet smile. “Goodnight, my dear.”

Once again, the light faded, the woman’s scared face faded, the little boy who smiled as his father faded, and her world twisted and turned and plunged into darkness, from which she’d never awake.

“Hopeless Romantic” by Janncarlo F

And there we were. You standing in front of me, and I in front of you. I couldn't see you all that clearly, but I knew you were there, beckoning me to come over. For some reason, my instincts told me not to: it could be dangerous, it could hurt me, it could drive me insane. But nevertheless my feet, my mind, and my heart all pushed me to go. They drove me forward with a spring in my step. As I neared, I found that I couldn't see you clearly, but I knew that I desperately wanted and needed to have you. I extended my arms out, but when I reached for you, you vanished from my vision.

I fell forward and found myself seated in a restaurant, across from you. We were dressed very nicely and plates of food and cups of drink lay before us. However, we didn't eat much as we were too busy in conversation. We talked about life, school, interests, etc. I laughed at you and you at me and we just had a great time. I took a sip of my drink as you began to say something. I can't recall what it was, but it I threw my head back in laughter and almost choked on my drink.

When I returned, I found myself walking on the beach hand in hand with you. Neither of us said a word as we walked together. The waves crashed onto the shore. Behind them was the sun projecting its red haze through the sky. We sat on the warm sand and I laid my head on your shoulder. After a moment, you got up and pulled me to the water and began to splash me. I tried to get up, but I slipped on the wet sand, and fell face first into the ocean as a wave blanketed me.

When it receded, I found myself lying there in the park on the grass next to you. We looked up at the myriad of stars  that glittered in the night sky. We talked as we lay there, about our hopes, our dreams, our fears, about anything and everything. In that moment, I finally felt complete. I looked around, and saw the brightest star in the sky and made my wish and hoped for it to come true.

We grew bored and began to run. I didn't know where, but we simply just ran. As I turned a street corner, I saw the sun begin to rise from the horizon. I grew tired, and you managed to get a small lead on me. You ran into a nearby building, and I quickly followed. When I entered, I found myself in a church. For a moment, I stood there paralyzed, not knowing what to do. The church was elaborately decorated: rose petals were strewn down the aisle, white linens lined the pews, the altar was decorated with ornate ornaments, and plethoras of flowers were everywhere. Music from pianists and violinists and flutists danced in my ears. Guests filled every pew. As I walked in, they turned and smiled. I looked down, and saw that I was dressed in a sharp, well-fitted suit. I was deathly nervous, and began to shake. I took a deep breath to calm myself, and started to walk. The people smiled as I passed. I reached the front of the church, and turned around. I looked towards the back doors, and as they opened, a blinding light rushed in and filled the room; I shyed away. The light dimmed after a moment and there you were, standing there, as amazing as ever. The Canon in D Major began to play as you neared. My heart began to pound harder and faster, and it felt as though it would fly right out of my chest. You reached the altar and I turned to you. At that moment, everything was perfect.

The music stopped, and for a moment, it was just you and I staring into each other's eyes. The pastor began to speak, but I was so transfixed by you before me that I didn't even hear anything he said. Then, you began to speak, and your words flowed like honey from your mouth through the church and into my ears. This was the perfect day.

Then, the ground beneath my feet began to shake. I didn't think much of a slight tremor, but they only continued and intensified. Ornaments rolled off the altar and shattered into a million pieces. Candles fell over and set flowers and decorations ablaze. As all this happened, a sharp pain began to radiate in my chest, and my mind began to throb as though it were about to explode. The tremors grew so strong that I lost my balance and fell over. I lied there for a moment pondering what happened, what I did wrong, what I did to deserve this. I looked to the crowd: some pointed and laughed; others shook their heads; others simply stared in contempt. The pain in my chest became unbearable and I screamed in anguish. Ghastly demons began to emanate from my chest, circling around me and screaming with a deafening Banshee’s wail. I tried to swat them away, but they wouldn't leave me alone.

Then, you came over and looked down at me. You shook your head with scorn and said something imperceptible. The tremors grew so strong that the ground beneath me cracked and crumbled. It could no longer support my weight, and I fell through into the dark abyss. The screams and pain continued as I fell. Above me, you remained, still shaking your head. I fell for what seemed like eternity while the darkness consumed me.

I don’t know what happened. It was like a dream turned into a nightmare. Perfection into darkness. A hope crumbling down...

And then, I woke up…

"Untitled" by Yanez S

Thanks for clicking on my article; you are probably wondering what a BROOKIE is.  Before I tell you what it is, I want to tell you a little about myself.  I truly love bake goodies.  I also like to cook but I have a passion for baking. My family and friends can always count on me if they are craving some kind of desert or even if they have a sweet tooth.  However, let us get back to this BROOKIE shall we, this is a mixture of brownie and cookie!  This is a tasty treat if you like a sweet and well chocolate.

Ingredients for Cookie Dough

·      Pre heat oven 350 degrees

·      2 ¼ cups of flour

·      1 teaspoon of baking soda

·      1 teaspoon of salt

·      2 sticks of butter (soften)

·      ¾ cup of sugar

·      ¾ cup of brown sugar

·      1 teaspoon of vanilla extract

·      2 eggs

·      2 cups of chocolate chips

Ingredients for Brownies

-       Any Brownie Box

As you follow the box instructions, pour the bonnie mix into the selective pan you have chosen and with a spoon scoop the cookie dough and spread evenly among the mix.

v This should take about 20-25 minutes in the oven

v Check with a toothpick at 20min

v Once it’s all done let it cool

And there is your BROOKIE!  Cut into squares and add a scoop of vanilla ice cream if you like, or a cold glass of milk.  Both taste amazing, it balances out the sweetness of this dessert.

I hope you enjoyed this How to Do and let me know if this satisfied your sweet tooth!

"

"The Little Things" by Chelsea M

It’s the little things I remember about you that make me miss you the most. It’s the little things, like how tears would fill your eyes when you laughed at my horrible jokes, that cause me to feel numb. I can stare at a wall for hours when I remember the little things, like how you would speak a bit faster when you were mad. It’s your microscopic mannerisms, like how you would always close your eyes and tap your foot to “Unforgettable” by Nat King Cole, that make me wonder if you can hear me call out your name. You would always walk on the side closest to the street in order to protect me from passing cars. You would always give me extra cash when I bought the groceries just so I could keep the change for myself. You would tell me “Drive safe. Call me when you’re home.” and ask “Did you eat yet?” rather than say “I love you so much.” I wonder if you’re happy without me when I think about the little things, like how your footsteps would always be heard because you were too lazy to lift your legs up, and how you would think you’re secretly watching me play the piano even though I know you’re right behind me. I remember the little things, like how you would willingly wear an atrocious fuchsia rather than a subtle black or white. A simple egg roll can make me remember you and how you would bring them to every single pot luck. All of the sudden, we’re back in the kitchen and you’re forcing me to help you cook. It’s the little things that I remember, like how you would always cross your legs when you watched TV, that make me wish you weren’t so far away. I remember how you would force me to bring a jacket everywhere I went no matter the weather. I remember your old, beat up, blue bag that you carried ever since I was a baby. I miss how you would always mispronounce my name because of your heavy accent. I shut down for weeks when I remember that you could never finish a whole slice of cake no matter how hard you tried. Maybe it’s how you would tell the same baby stories of me and my brothers because it made you feel normal again even if it was just for a brief moment; or maybe it’s how you would hide in your room when the chemotherapy became too much just so no one would see you in pain that causes me to listen to your old voicemails. It’s the minor components, like when I wear the shirt I wore when I last saw you, that can make me shake in pure anger as I ask “Why you?”. My body drowns in guilt and regret when I think about the little things that I took for granted. It’s these minuscule details I remember that cause me to feel everything all over again. It’s these diminutive pieces that bring me back into the ER where you looked me in the eye for one last time. It’s these little things that can make me call your phone in hopes that maybe one day you’ll pick up. It’s these little things that I continue to hold onto. Because Ma, it’s the little things I remember about you that must suffice until I see you again.

"Untitled" by Ravreet K

I woke up around 4 AM and dragged myself out of bed. Pouring myself some cereal, I sat down on the table and started to eat. Suddenly, my phone started ringing and pierced through the morning’s peace. Why would Jeff call me at this time?

“Hello,” I said.

“Mark get over here, there’s something you need to see!” he exclaimed.

“Yeah I’ll be over there in a bit.” I hung up.

 I looked over at the time, 4:30. What could Jeff possibly need at this time? After deciding I look decent enough I got into my car. “Hmmm, that’s weird all the lights are out,” I thought. Must be a power outage. A few minutes later I pulled into Jeff’s driveway. All of a sudden, 5 police cars come barreling down the road.

One pulled over and the officer yelled, “Get inside! It’s not safe!”

Confused I got out of the car and headed to Jeff’s door. Before I could knock, the door was yanked open and Jeff yelled for me to get in.

“What’s happening, why is everyone freaking out?”

“Not sure, one minute I was watching TV, next I heard an explosion down the street. A cop came by and told us all to go back inside. We asked him what was going on but he said he wasn’t sure eit-” Jeff was cut off by a knock on the door.

“Who could that be?” Jeff said while opening the door.

“You two. With me. Now.” it was the cop from earlier.

I wondered where he was taking us as I glanced at Jeff. Jeff had a pained look on his face and I noticed a gash on his arm.

“What happened to your arm?” I questioned.

“Both of you, quiet.” the officer yelled.

I sat back in my seat and looked around. The sun had started to come up. Suddenly, the cop slammed on the brakes.

“RUN!” the officer yelled while exiting the car.

I looked up and saw about 10 people with guns running towards us. Jeff and I glanced at each other and started sprinting away.

            “Stop or we'll shoot!” someone cried behind us.

I kept running, that was my mistake. I heard a pop and felt searing pain and everything started to fade away.

I woke up shivering. I opened my eyes and was blinded by white lights.

            “Welcome back,” said a doctor.

            “The simulation finished?” I asked.

            “Yes, it was a success. We will just need you to relax for a few minutes while we finish transferring your memories.” the doctor said.

"How to Crochet a Scarf" by Anais M

Well fellow classmates, it’s November in Southern California and we all know what that means… it’s still warm outside! Nevertheless, we must power through and prepare for the chilly weather that may or may not arrive! So in this article I will be explaining to you all how to crochet a scarf. Now this may seem a little weird but bear with me, this scarf is not only incredibly stylish and a perfect accessory for the gruelling harshness of winter, but it also makes a perfect gift! Mothers, Grandmothers, Tias, Boyfriends, Girlfriends, Cousins, Uncles, Dogs, Kids, Teachers and so many more will rejoice to open their gift on Christmas morning and find a beautifully woven bundle of yarn, that will protect their necks from the frosty air! In all seriousness though, crocheting is one of my most favorite activities to do, especially in the winter time because it keeps my habitually cold hands warm. So I hope my article is easy to understand and that you are rewarded with a beautiful scarf that you can either keep for yourself or gift in the upcoming holiday season. Then hopefully once you are finished, you continue the hobby! So let us begin!

DISCLAIMER: I WOULD HIGHLY RECOMMEND WATCHING A SHORT VIDEO ON YOUTUBE ABOUT THE BASICS OF CROCHETING OR ELSE SOME THINGS MAY GET LOST IN TRANSLATION. IT’S MUCH BETTER VISUALLY SEEING HOW THE STITCHES ARE DONE THEN JUST READING THEM

Estimated time:

Five to six hours (I am now able to complete the square in three hours, but the first time took awhile)

Materials:

+      Yarn- 4 skeins (bundles) of 9mm of soft and bulky, in your choice of color (I personally use LionBrand and that can be purchased at JoAnns, Michaels or Walmart)

+      Crochet Hook- size L, 8mm (both metal or plastic work the exact same, you can buy them individually or if you plan keep doing projects, I would then recommend you buy a pack of multi hooks)

+      Scissors

Step one:

So now that you have all the necessary materials, you need to start by making a “chain”. A chain is the foundation of all crochet projects and it is done the exact same way every time. So you are going to make what is essentially a knot or in crochet terms a “slip knot”. Make a little loop with your hands, then like the diagram, pull yarn through the loop to create the know and another loop on top of it. (illustration 9)

Then keeping your hook in the loop you are going to use the slip stitch to create a chain of roughly 100 slip stitches (the amount of stitches your chain has all depend on how long you want your scarf, so wrap the chain around your neck when you want to check if the length is good). To create the slip stitch, you are going to put your hook through the loop grab the yarn and pull it through the loop again. (illustration  12)

Step two

Once you finish your chain, you are going to do a half double crochet stitch back into the work you did. Now that sounds complicated, but it's really not. Essentially you are adding width to your scarf, so it makes sense to work off of what you already did. (Illustration 27 shows what going back into your work is) So a half double crochet is inserting your hook, wrapping yarn around it, going into the first loop, pulling through, then pulling through the three loops on your hook. Keep doing that until you get to the end.

Step three:

Once you get to the end (or rather where you first started) you are going to chain two of the slip stitches you used to create your chain, and then flip your work. Flipping your work is just grabbing what you already did and flipping it so that the other side is showing, and then do your half double crochets back what you already did.

 

Step four:

Keep repeating step three until you get your desired width.

Step five:

Pull the yarn all the way through your last loop and you are done.

I know this may seem complicated but give it a shot. Doing just a little bit more research on the stitches makes these projects so much easier. I just really want people to know that making something by hand may seem terrifying and unnecessary (especially because you can just buy it from the store) but it is something to really be proud off. Also don't be discouraged if something doesn't turn out, even the master starts out as the apprentice.

"How to be Successful" by Kessler Edwards

Success I believe is the ultimate goal of life itself and is the accomplishment of life. Once you achieve success, you have passed life. Desire for success is the ultimate reason why we go to school, get jobs, play sports, and use many of our God-given skills. It is very fortunate for you that you are able to read this and learn from a seventeen year old high schooler who still lives under the roof of his parents house the cheat code to life itself.

First you will need a couple of things:

1)    Your whole being

            Now that you are ready to be successful, here are the steps you will need to follow.

Step 1. Define what success is to you - Everybody’s meanings of success are different. In order to achieve something you must first have a vision for it. So, if your version of success is making it to your senior year of high school then congratulations.

Step 2. Believe and achieve - In order to be successful it is imperative that you believe you can be. After that it will be very easy to reach your goal. It is important that you take this process day by day. Do not worry about the past or what happened yesterday and how that will affect the future. Also do not worry about the future or what will happen tomorrow before the current day has even ended. If you devote yourself to waking up each morning and doing the best at everything that the day consists of failure is not an option. Just because you do not have one million dollars does not mean you are not successful. Just because you are homeless doesn’t mean you are not successful. Before leaving I would like to remind you that success is available to any and everybody.

“How To Gain Self-Love” by Kristine C

Self-love. If there is anything to be thankful for, it’s yourself. More specifically November is dedicated to giving thanks, so what better way to be appreciative for who you are. This Thanksgiving, if you celebrate it or not, take the time to give yourself a break and appreciate yourself, so these are the following steps you must take.

Tools: All you will need is time and you.

STEPS:

1. AWARENESS. There are a lot of traumatic events that occur in our lives. Whether it’s big or small, it definitely changes our perspective on ourselves. Creating this domino effect for future events. These are where our insecurities or our deepest secrets are generated. So the first step is AWARENESS. Get to know yourself. Know what movie/tv show you love to binge watch to what your favorite food is. You will need to find your strengths and weaknesses. For example, I know having positive vibes around me, constantly, is a strength of mine and a weakness is seldomly having insecurities about not excelling in school. I want you to analyze how you cope with your weaknesses (insecurities). If you shut everyone out or you are able to openly talking about it. Seeing how you react, can show how you can handle things. No one knows you better than you do. AWARENESS. I know this doesn’t come within a day, there is a lot of patience. So be patient and give you more YOU time.

2. ACTION. Now being aware about what you hate or love about yourself you must take ACTION. Start facing your insecurities. Learn to know you are unique, you are an original and only copy of *insert your name*, and that there isn’t a lot of time to be hating on yourself when you can be lifting yourself up. Start understanding why you go through unfortunate events, why things happen for a reason; such as parents divorcing, losing a loved one, or breakups. Being able to know you are vulnerable will enable you to see what is toxic or what shouldn’t be in your life. Therefore, you will need to cut out friends who don’t lift you up when you feel ugly or catch you when you lose all hope. Which eventually leads you to surrounding yourself with great people who want nothing, but the best for you. You will need to start doing more things that makes you genuinely happy or starting something new to dictate if that’s a you thing. ACTION. You know what’s best for you, so do whatever it takes to achieve that. SO go get ice cream or hangout with your bestfriend and have a great time, you deserve it.

3. EMBRACEMENT. You are now slowly changing into a better you. Putting yourself first, knowing what you love to do, and having your favorite people around you is a step closer to self-love. You know more about yourself than ever. Your friends and family love you for you. Slowly you should/will be opening up to a goofier, serious, confident, smarter, or sarcastic you. Thus bringing out what you could’ve been hiding all along. Maybe if you are insecure about your skin, so you do treatments or put on makeup to make you feel more confident; bringing out a more glowing and stunning individual. Whatever you did to change your view on yourself, you slowly, but surely embraced something to feel confident in that field. EMBRACEMENT. You will find yourself grateful for the people around you and you will be happier within yourself. It will feel like adrenaline of unicorns and rainbows running through your body. You will start to not care for what other people think because your thoughts are the only thing that matters. EMBRACEMENT.

4. REPETITION. Self-love does not come easy. It is hard to achieve. It takes a lot patience within yourself. There will be a lot of tears, but as well as a lot more smiles to come. I know this because I promised myself a while back that I will be her. By her I mean, I will be a Kristine where I will love all the features I have and be happy with the family and friends I surround myself with. I also realized life is too short to be drowning in tears because you have doubt in yourself. Every minute, second, and millisecond counts because you can never get that back. I ended up learning that whatever happens in your life it’s for a reason and I should just embrace for what it is and move on. Such as, if I didn’t get Jack in the Box or any type of food, I shouldn’t be complaining and wasting my time on that when I could be laughing and have fun with my friends. Sometimes I could be sitting and dazing off and just find myself sort of sad. That kept happening and I was tired of it, so I decided to change. REPETITION. I am on this step because one can never stop finding stuff to love about themselves. I am still growing as a person and still trying to gain this love within myself. I believe you should treat yourself out this November/Thanksgiving and be happy for who you are. At the end of the day, it will just be you and yourself, as an individual, tackling on this world. Might as well become a team and love that team. Don’t give up on yourself. REPETITION.

SELF-LOVE.