“Facing Regret” By Breanna C.

Ian Cox Speas states, “No pain is unbearable except that of regret.” What makes regret one of the most unshakable feelings individuals have? How is it so impactful?

            The dictionary definition of regret is a feeling of sorrow or remorse for a fault, act, loss, or disappointment. It is felt around the world, whether it is about education, romantic relationships, finance, health, etc. I strongly believe it stems from the possibilities of the “what if.” Endless scenarios, thoughts, and feelings go through your head when you ponder about how different the outcomes of your life could have been. It is something I have experienced and struggled with a lot more than I anticipated growing up, and I continue to battle these constant “what ifs.”

            Choosing between one thing over another, whether it is work or fun, a stable career or true passion, and a decline or acceptance all have one thing in common. Opportunity. Opportunity provides a variety of possibilities, and with many possibilities comes success and failure. This is where regret comes into play when you choose something over another, and it ends up not being as glorified or expected as it was in the moment. You begin to rethink your choice and how differently things would have turned out. Sometimes regret can come later in life, when you’ve gone through many ups and downs to know what you took for granted or overlooked. Due to the strong emotions connected to failure and disappointment, it is a reason why the feeling of sorrow can linger for longer periods of time, even when the situation has passed.

Although it is strictly seen with a negative connotation, the feeling of regret can be a significant eye-opener and a way to learn from past mistakes. Self-improvement and reflection can be derived from the overbearing sense of guilt one has due to personal decisions. I regret not being a better daughter and friend at some points in my life. I regret not making good educational choices when it came to procrastination and building discipline. I regret not being nicer to myself when I made mistakes or when something did not go as planned. So much regret but little I can do to change the past. With this being said, all that could be done is to stop dwelling on previous circumstances, but rather pinpoint what I could do better from now on so I can avoid feeling even more remorse in the future. It is unfortunately not a nice emotion to feel, especially when you know you could've done better or did more. However, like any other emotion, it won’t consume you if you don’t let it.

Everyone will face situations in their lifetime where they will feel regret, some more than others. Living in the past does not help overcome the guilt, but rather just replays it. Instead of trying to relieve it as a way to degrade yourself, it can be used as a way to self-reflect and move on with your life knowing what you could do for your future. Regret is not always bad, but not learning from it is even worse.

 

 

Work Cited

“REGRET Definition & Meaning.” Dictionary.com, https://www.dictionary.com/browse/regret. Accessed 19 April 2024.

 

"In a Good Way" by Hanry G

 

Love: strong affection for another arising out of kinship or personal ties

 

The word Love can be interpreted as the stereotypical definition; their affection for their significant other. In other words, love can mean they find interest in a particular subject or tend to enjoy the matter to an elevated extent. But in my situation, the definition was expressed differently.

When asked about the term love, I referred to the relationship between me and my family. Of course, at a young age I believed that was the broad meaning of love but as time gradually progressed; the term began to broaden in definition. I realized that the emotion my parents portrayed and released was unconditional, almost artificial. I’m not saying their ways of expressing the emotion were negative. They are the best parents I can ask for in the world. However, it just felt like something was missing and the definition wasn’t completed. I went on with life and experienced new things, trying new food, and hobbies, and meeting new friends. I loved secluding myself in this environment and it felt nice but it still felt incomplete. Fast forward to the beginning of high school, I began to search for an interest and a passion. Experiencing these four years has led to the greatest memories in my life and the realization of the term love.

I encountered a variety of people, ranging from individuals who weren’t fit for my niche or classmates that I befriended because they made the time go by quicker than usual. But my whole perspective changed when I encountered this particular woman, “A”. Now this girl, was a bundle of what love is classified to be. Love finally felt evident and real for the first time. Usually, love is used in sentences but the way I felt was far more than words can describe. It felt ecstatic and surreal, every moment and time feeling so slow, yet so fast. Love felt comfortable and open, not narrow like a tunnel; but free and breathable like an open road. “A” showed me both sides of love, the negative and the positives. Yet, even if it came with the negatives; I still experienced the joy and emotion because it felt realistic. That’s what love is, realistic and unartificial. I finally felt the comfortability with another human being, whom isn’t related to me by blood but by soul. Love was no longer a confusing and misunderstood term, a term that I thought was the correct meaning growing up as a child. It’s interesting knowing the world and even school wasn’t able to teach me something so simple and minimal, yet brought a significant impact to my existence.

Now if someone currently asks me what the definition of the word Love means. I can finally give a precise and accurate definition. I not only would describe the word or saying of the phrase. But I would dissect and dive deep into the individual who gave me the feeling from the beginning. Love: The emotion we humans feel, when we finally receive acceptance and cherishment, despite what enfolds in our past and present.

 

 

Sources:

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

 

 

"Success" by Natalie G

 

Over time I have particularly recognized that my academic accomplishments do not quite bring me a sense of satisfaction when I thought they would since it is what I devote most of my time to. This is not to be taken in a depressing way, just a realistic realization of what brings me closer to defining my idea of “success”. I think this is because as soon as I achieve a certain goal of mine, I am always looking forward to the next without stopping to appreciate my hard work.

 

Now, evidently, success is identified for each individual in a unique way. Some may picture success through wealth, others in an educational form (like obtaining a doctorate), others through fame, and even others by forming a family; these are just some of plenty of other different examples. Essentially, the amazing part is that individuals can support whichever ideology they connect with the most, live with it, and respect others’ perspectives.

 

Oxford Languages defines success as, “The accomplishment of an aim or purpose.” Their definition of success is very generalized opposed to Maya Angelou’s definition upon which I agree with, “Success is liking yourself, liking what you do, and liking how you do it.” I interpreted her definition to convey the idea that success falls within one’s character development in learning more about ourselves and shaping the life we idolize based on our understanding of our wants and needs.

 

A successful person is confident, joyful, and can uplift others; they do not feel like they need someone, they are satisfied with having themselves (this does not mean that they have to be alone, just that their emotional state does not depend on others). Therefore, people can begin to be successful by taking the time to spend quality time with themselves and contemplate different areas of their lives they want to improve or simply question how they feel about it. These can be emotional as to understanding what makes you mad and why that makes you mad. Why don’t you have patience? What has caused you to not have patience? (see, just prompting questions).

 

Self-awareness is key! I find frustration with not knowing what to do. I detest the feeling of being lost and disconnected from myself; it makes me feel as if I have abandoned my shell. Therefore, some practical activities that make me happy are watching sad movies (ironic), spending time with my cousins, creating vision boards, listening to podcasts, cleaning, and learning more about a new topic. These bring me a fondness for inspiration and can make me feel productive after a long day.

 

Nonetheless, if there is anything that this blog should highlight, let it be this: Never stop questioning yourself, it is the way to uncover many more characteristics within you. Take the time and patience to get to know more about yourself by practicing new activities that will bring out new feelings out of you that can hopefully cause you to get closer to being a successful person.

 

Works Cited

Adu-Wusu, Euegene. “The Meaning of Success and How to Define Success in Life.” LinkedIn, 3 February 2016, https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/meaning-success-how-define-life-eugene-adu-wusu/. Accessed 18 April 2024.

Catron, Jenni. “How Self-Awareness Will Make You Successful.” The Grit and Grace Project, https://thegritandgraceproject.org/purpose/how-self-awareness-will-make-you-successful. Accessed 18 April 2024.

Robak, Lucas J. “25 Definitions of Success from Very Accomplished People | by Lucas J. Robak | Thrive Global.” Medium, 3 December 2017, https://medium.com/thrive-global/25-definitions-of-success-from-very-accomplished-people-d3c43955e40e. Accessed 18 April 2024.

 

"Exist As You Are " by Lorenzo R

 

“Hesitation is defeat” - Isshin Ashura

 

            As this is my fourth time restarting my writing, I’ve come to realize the true art of overthinking. At first I bounced around ideas of ambition or consciousness or existence, but I thought too hard about how to portray them in a way that wasn’t generic or lackluster. Now, as I’m sitting here, I find myself 30 minutes from 11:59 with almost nothing. Overthinking is not an activity or an action but I believe it is truly an art form. Merriam-Webster defines overthinking as, “putting too much time into thinking about or analyzing”, but I believe it is beyond this. Overthinking, as simple as it may seem, requires endless loops of creativity. It is like analyzing a chess game trying to find the best move, the detriment in this though is that your clock never stops ticking. Think too little and you’ll make the wrong move, but think too much, and you’ll have no time to make a move at all. This is why I believe overthinking is a fine art form. Like an abstract painting, overthinking throws conventions to the side to make room for splotches that can be interpreted, and reinterpreted and ultimately you are left realizing that it probably never meant anything in the first place.

The art of overthinking requires true sentience and complex thought, it requires human nature at its most nuanced form. It requires the true irrationality we all possess and a disregard for the obvious answer of “who cares”.  The concept of Occam’s Razor, otherwise known as the Law of Parsimony, best encapsulates this, asserting that the explanation or reasoning for something is often the simplest reasoning available. This is what makes overthinking such a uniquely human experience, and such a detrimental one at that. No lion has ever pondered over its next meal, it simply hunts, eats, and sleeps. The time wasted in overthinking is its most damaging factor, and overall time is the one thing we can’t afford to waste.

Another aspect of overthinking I find interesting is the social implications that I believe cause it. People often overthink about their relationships, or how they appear to others and fail to realize their own ego in doing so. The slightly sad truth is that most people don’t truly care as much as you think they do, and if they do, their opinions ultimately hold little weight. Wanting to be liked by others is natural but its important to differentiate when someone’s opinion matters and when it doesn’t. Overthinking takes all variables into consideration but fails to account for the fact that some of these variables don’t even matter in the first place. That is why I believe overthinking is such a profound artistic process because I believe it takes a truly creative person to imagine problems in places they don’t exist, and then find solutions to these nonexistent problems. At the end of the day, the art of overthinking is ultimately a hinderance, the lowest of art forms, and it is important to live in the moment; to exist as you are instead of as you will be. Living in the present allows you to be able to realize when you’re thinking too much and instead of thinking, doing. Instead of hesitating ultimately just go for it, whatever it may be.

 

 

 

 

 

 

"The Journey or the Destination? " by Alondra Z

 

“If you don't know where you’re going, any road can get you there.”

  - Lewis Carroll

I strongly believe that the destination is the most significant part of the journey. Some may argue that it isn't the destination of the journey itself. However, without a destination we would all just be wandering endlessly searching for our purpose. When in reality, we haven't even identified what that is yet. How could you choose the best path to go down when you don't even know where you're going? The answer is simple, you can't. You can't arrive at your final destination without knowing what it is. Unless you have an end goal, any path is as good as the other. In other words, any road will get you where you want to go. The issue is that everyone assumes that you will ultimately arrive at your set destination, therefore it's not really something people think about. However, due to this mindset, many people never end up reaching their true goals in life. First, you need goals. Then, you can achieve them. Sure you learn through the value of experiences, but in the end, reaching your desired destination is what makes you value the journey more.

This applies to us specifically because we are at the point in our lives where we are deciding what colleges we want to attend, what careers we want to pursue, and what person we want to become. However, it's not an easy decision to make. More often than not, the thought overwhelms us and we tend to disregard it and just “go with the flow” to see where the path takes us. But what good is not having any direction in life, not having a goal, not knowing where you’re going? Ultimately, the outcome is the same and you go nowhere. Without direction, you are adrift in the course of life, susceptible to all life's problems, and completely without recourse. On the contrary, with direction, you have a sense of guidance that with every step taken, will bring you closer to fulfilling your purpose.

Despite it seeming like a very overwhelming process, it doesn't necessarily have to be. The first step is to have a solid foundation of core values. Guiding principles that lead your life and guide you towards the path to achieve your goals. This allows you to identify the certain goal that you are chasing. However, that doesn't mean that you can’t deviate or adjust your goals as you continue to learn and grow over time. The whole point is to be chasing something, if there's no drive then there's no reward. In this case, the journey and experiences you make along the way will be the reward for getting to your destination. For example, would you continue playing your sport if all you did was practice? With no games or competitions to show the outcome of the work you put in? Probably not. It's true, the journey is how we arrive at the destination. However, without a destination there would be no journey.  It's like trying to hit a moving target, it's difficult, but what happens when there is no target at all? There's just no purpose.

To get what you want out of life, you can never get there without a destination, without a goal. Ask yourself where you're going. If your response is "anywhere," then you're likely already there.

 

 

“Balance what?” - Zahra G.

Balance: is having the right amount — not too much or too little — of any quality, which leads to harmony or evenness.

           

The word ‘balance’ has many meanings to many different people. Most of the time, the word balance means equal when comparing two things. If you were to ask a young child, they would look at you confusedly and shoot back another question. If you were to ask a young adult, they would respond with not just the definition but also include the balance of their life. Balancing one's life is not something that comes easily to many or the idea of balancing doesn't come in an instant.

If I were to ask my middle school self what balancing your life means, my response then would be “What do you mean?” and say something ridiculous. As I grew and slowly went into high school, balance was being introduced into my life. Not only would I begin to learn the definition of balance but also what it meant for me in my everyday life. Coming fresh from middle school plus isolation from quarantine into a new environment meant for a 14-year-old, the idea of balance was completely out of my mind, and even if I tried to maintain balance, it would not be stabilized at all. Finally being adapted to a new environment, I slowly began to realize how important balance was to have in one’s life. From 10th grade until being senior right now, I only grew to understand what balance meant. Not only the definition from English class but also what it meant to be balanced in life. I learned to balance home and school life, personal and social life, and even family & relationships I have with many people. It was not an overnight skill I learned but it took me years and tons of new experiences. Each event I have gone through, whether it be sad, happy, upsetting, or some type of emotion, I still have managed to gain a new insight on how to balance each thing in my life. Each experience impacted each view I had on the balance and would continue to change. It would change for the better or the worse but nonetheless, each time I  gained a new perspective on learning to balance from these opportunities.

It is not always easy to find balance and some may never be able to experience balance. Most of the time, many people are bombarded with stress from work, depression, or their own problems that get in the way. There are many aspects in life to be balanced but to be able to stabilize those, you must stabilize yourself and the things that are most important to you. I did not only learn from experiences that personally happened to me, but I also learned by seeing others close to me how they were managing balance in their lives through their familiarity and understanding of a steady life. Balance means to have the right amount, balance in life is to strive in each and hopefully every area of your life. 

 

https://www.vocabulary.com/dictionary/balance

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"New Beginnings" by Lola B

 

The Oxford dictionary definition of beginning is “the point of time at which anything begins”. I think of it as an opportunity. The opportunity to start over and expand my horizons. The opportunity to do what I’ve never done before and live life with no regrets. While everything must come to an end someday, that means the start of a new beginning. I know and have personally experienced how new beginnings bring upon personal growth, unique experiences, and room for change.

It can be difficult for one to make room for change in one’s life, which often leads to a fear of the unknown. Many people would rather stick to their accustomed routine than start a new chapter in their life. I could relate to this nearly 4 years ago when I started high school. The thought of starting over as the youngest grade in the school, in a new environment, with so many new faces scared me. However, my perspective completely changed once I started school here at Etiwanda High School. I didn’t think this experience would compare to my good times in middle school, but I was proven wrong once I met new people, experienced new surroundings, and grew to enjoy my time here. Since then, I’ve made so many more connections and have learned so much from this school. My high school experience has been consistently positive and fun, and if I never underwent this new beginning I wouldn’t be the same person I am today. This adventure has proven that facing change head-on is the first step in one’s new beginning.

Once one finally comes to accept the change in their life, they can prepare for the thrill and excitement of embarking on a new beginning. Many of us high school seniors are preparing for our new beginnings after we graduate high school. No matter where we’re going, what we’re doing, or what’s staying the same, a new chapter of our lives will begin after graduation. While saying goodbye to this chapter of our lives won’t be easy, the beginning of this next chapter will urge us to move forward. As we all go on our own paths, we will undergo the beginning of adulthood. For me, this new beginning will be especially hard to accept as I reminisce about my time in grade school and watch this time come to an end. It’s hard to believe that I’m ready to move on into the real world and start this new chapter in my life. With the help of my previous experiences and exposure, I will face yet another new beginning with confidence and excitement.

Throughout one’s life, one will face change, opportunities, experiences, and possibilities. Without these aspects, life wouldn’t be nearly as exciting or worthwhile. Instead of fearing the beginning of something new, face it with the knowledge that your life is about to change for the better. Face it with the knowledge that you have countless more beginnings to embrace and explore. Essentially, a new beginning is a fresh start for one to live life to the fullest.

 

 

 

Work Cited

Oxford Languages. “Oxford English Dictionary.” https://www.oed.com/search/dictionary/?scope=Entries&q=beginning. Accessed 13 March 2024.

 

"True Failure" by Ivan G

 

"The secret of life is to fall seven times and to get up eight times."

— Paulo Coelho

 

There’s no feeling worse than failure. If you’ve ever stayed up all night studying for a test, just to bomb it the next day; if you’ve ever perfectly followed a recipe online and had it come out nothing like the picture; if you’ve ever poured weeks into preparation to try out for a sport, just to not make the cut; if you’ve ever tried, and failed—you understand the feeling of defeat.

Failure is defined as the lack of success. However, this definition does not consider three things. The first of the three is persistence. When you keep getting back up after a loss, no matter how intense, it’s inevitable that you will get better. Oftentimes we take on tasks with the idea that we will be able to get it right on the first try, and while that may be true sometimes, the fact is that the key to success is to fail many times.

The second thing the definition of failure does not consider is patience. You might solemnly shut yourself in your room after not making the team, or give up on a class after failing that test, but the one who failed just as you did and understands the value of patience and persistence, and continues to reach towards his goals, is the one who ultimately reaps the rewards. A common saying by Stephen McCranie reads, “The master has failed more times than the beginner has even tried.”

The third, and arguably most important thing the definition of failure does not consider is humility. Being able to see the bigger picture is a crucial step in motivating yourself to achieve success. And even after you do achieve success through patience and persistence, humility is ultimately the final cog in the wheel that allows us to see past our own abilities. It allows us to understand that there’s no such thing as perfection and to strive to go the extra mile, breaking records and making history, truly achieving success.

The antithesis of failure is humility, patience, and persistence. To get up after an especially nasty fall, knowing that you’ve come back with a new lesson learned, and to keep repeating that process over and over until you’re satisfied with your capabilities. It’s easy to associate repetition with futility. However, it’s abundantly clear that failing over and over is a major step to achieving success. Each failure brings new knowledge that allows you to improve upon every new attempt.

This brings us to the definition of failure. Failure is being unable to see the value in every mistake made along the journey to success, and being okay with mediocrity. Oftentimes, we mistakenly see failure as something permanent. Why try again when your last attempt yielded no results? It’s easier to keep trying something new until you land on something that you’re able to get right. This is a flawed way to go about life, and the value of humility, patience, and persistence when dealing with loss cannot be understated. To truly fail, is to give up.

"The Meaning of Family" by Jonalynn V

 

Family defined by Britannica : a group of persons united by ties of marriage [or] blood.

 

When one thinks of the word family they usually portray a mother, father, and a child living in a happy home together, similarly to the definition above. That’s what we have invariably been taught what a family looks like, that’s how we played family when we were young, that’s what we’ve always known to be a family. However, ‘family’ is not a definitive description of a group of people, it's actually an ambiguous description of the relationships with people that you build throughout your life.

Everyone can have a different company of people that they call family and that might look different compared to those around them. But the important aspects that makes the company around you a family is the love and graciousness that holds everyone together. The foundation of a family isn’t solely built through ancestry, it’s also built through genuine relationships and connections that love glues together. The word family has no boundaries and can be created endlessly within deep connections of genuine people who are alway there for one another.

Within my own experiences, outside of my biological family, I have a family of girls that are always by my side regardless of the circumstances. My soccer team has brought me nothing but the love and graciousness that creates this said family. Within this team there have been nothing but joyous memories, endless laughter, and so many lively people surrounding me with the utmost positivity and bliss. The comfort I found within this team and the connections I was able to make are what make this team more than a team, we created a family that I’ll forever cherish.

Family goes beyond the ties of biological relations as that can be proven through my own experiences. Having the opportunity to have a family outside of my very own is something that I am so grateful for. The memories, lessons, and opportunities I have gained from this group of girls goes beyond my ability to say ‘thank you’. I’ll forever look back at these memories as I spend my very last with them. We have faced many ups and downs but we stuck together and conquered complications with each other, as that is how we are supposed to do both on and off the pitch. As our time together draws near we will face the obstacle of the future together as a family and keep each others’ heads up for the road that we face ahead of us.

I will eternally be appreciative of the second family I was able to be a part of. Furthermore, I am thankful for being able to understand that family is not just those you share a home with, it’s also those who make you feel at home when you’re far away from your own. The importance of family comes from within the hearts and souls of those around you. That is what family means.

Works Cited

Barnard, Alan John. "family". Encyclopedia Britannica, 9 Mar. 2024, https://www.britannica.com/topic/family-kinship. Accessed 12 March 2024.

 

 

“Lovers Love” - Sahadev P

Love. The most sought out thing in the world. Some may say it's even the hardest thing to find in the world. According to Marriam Webster's dictionary “Love” is defined as “strong affection for another arising out of kinship or personal ties”. Although this is the definition that is imprinted in books, love comes in all different forms, shapes, and sizes. I have heard of stories about people finding love in lust yet also people finding love in the little things like presents. I have also heard that you can only love just one person. I even heard of people searching for love all their life and never finding it, but me, I got lucky and found love in the twelfth grade.

 

Although love may be confusing for teenagers and it may be just a word that they throw around, I know what I feel this time. I have gone through many hardships and many different stages of life and dilemmas so that I have matured enough to realize what love is. I have found love in my girlfriend. She is everything I have ever wanted and more. True love. The kind of love where I trust her to do anything and trust and know that she only wants the best for me. Yet I also love her so much that I want nothing but the best for her. She is my girlfriend and best friend. I have both love for her.

 

            This year has taught me so much about myself and the people I surround myself with. For me love comes in different forms. I believe you can love different people but in different ways. I said previously how I have both love for my girlfriend because I have the love for her as my significant other but also the love for her as my best friend. One person I love very dearly in my heart in the best friend way is Ian Moon. We have been through thick and thin together. We first started off as not even being friends and thinking we both hated each other. To becoming closer than ever our senior year. We have told each other our deepest most darkest secrets and have cried to each other about our most hardest hardships. He is my best friend because of the bond we have built over these things, because of what we have been through I would do anything for him and I have a certain kind of love in my heart for him, now and forever.

 

            For love in my life it only stops at 3 forms. My significant other, best friends, and family. I have so much love for my family but it does not compare to the others. Family love to me is very hard. This is because of all the hardships we have been through together and that they have put me through. I don’t feel too comfortable going into depth but my love for my family is hard because of past events and it's hard to love certain family members because of how they have acted or what they have done. Although at the end of the day I still have that love for them because they are still my family.

 

            Though love is so sought out and so desirable no one ever realizes it's there right in front of them. Sometimes all you need to do is take time and stop for a second to think about all that you have and to think about who and what you truly love. The most important part about loving though is that you must love yourself in order to love others. The hardest step in loving is loving yourself, but it is something that anyone can overcome. There is no definition to love so you make your own definition. Love the way you want to love. Love has no label. Love triumphs all

“The Key To Success” by Miah T.

“Success is a personal standard, reaching for the highest that is us, and becoming all that we can be” Zig Ziglar.

 

When someone asks you to envision your most successful self what do you picture? Some people would say that they desire to be rich and to live in a mansion. Others would say to have their dream job. Some might envision a large and happy family. But what is success? And can we truly ever define it?

 

By definition success is the accomplishment of an aim or purpose. In my opinion a better definition of success is staying true to a deeper sense of purpose and achieving a desired vision and set goals.

 

The beauty of success is that everyone’s idea of it is different. There is no right or wrong way to be successful, and success is not linear. There are many factors that go into a person's view on success such as , their upbring, culture. values, and experinces. These are all  major influences on what one might define as success. We all have unique experinces in life that cause us to all have different values and place importance on different things. What you value may differ from what another person values. The things we value motivate us to reach our idea of success.

 

It is common to compare your success to others, and get caught up in this loop of feeling less than or underachieving. It's easy to see others succeeding and feel like we are not achieving anything in comparison. We compare our success all the time, (almost subconsciously). I compare my success to my friends all the time. I have friends who are winning awards for their art. I have other friends who are excelling academically and getting into prestigious universities.  The more and more I see people accomplishing big things the more and more I feel like I’m doing nothing significant in comparison. But the more I dwelled on the topic, I began to realize two  important things. 1.  Just because you are focused on different things doesn't mean you are falling behind. And 2. Success means different things for different people, so comparing your success to another person is pointless.

 

Success is not solely based on accolades, money, or status. It is a combination of hard work and individual beliefs. Success is personal, and it is important to remember every individual is successful in some way shape or form.

 

 

Works Cited

 

Hamilton, Julie. "Discover why your success should look different from everyone else's." Linkedin, 22 Sept. 2023, inkedin.com/pulse/really-success-something-else-discover-why-your-looks-julie-hamilton#:~:text=Remember%2C%20everyone's%20definition%20of%20success,and%20see%20what%20comes%20up. Accessed 16 Feb. 2024.

 

Rose, Steve. "The True Meaning of Success." Steve Rose PHD Counseling, steverosephd.com/the-true-meaning-of-success/. Accessed 16 Feb. 2024.

 

"Success." Dictionary.com, www.dictionary.com/browse/success. Accessed 16 Feb. 2024.

 

"What is a Sikh? " by Sidaq R

 

Sikhism- A believer in a religion of India that was founded about 1500 and that believes in one God and rejects idols and caste

 

I believe in the teachings of Sikhism. Sikhi is the fifth largest religion in the world, it teaches values such as service to humanity, generosity, and compassion. Growing up, I always admired the stories my grandparents would tell me about Sikhi and the influence we have had on the world. As I became influenced by the Western culture, that admiration started to fade away, and the stories became a faint memory. I grew up in a community with the same two religious backgrounds, Christianity and Catholicism. It made it hard for me to create a connection with my religion as I was so familiar with the faiths that surrounded me. It was challenging explaining to a 7-year-old what a Sikh was, and it did not mean feeling “unwell.” Sikh Coalition reports, “There are an estimated 500,000 Sikhs living in the United States.”

 I visited my local Gurdwara (temple) on a Sunday morning when I was twelve. As I was talking to a few kids around my age, I quickly realized they did not speak Punjabi, and they knew less about the Sikhi values than me. I was offended that the future generation of Punjabi and Sikhs could not talk with the language our ancestors fought so hard for and the language our Granth Sahib (sacred scripture of Sikhism) was written. I quickly decided that it was my responsibility and duty to share the word of our Gurus and teach our blessed language. Since that visit, I began frequently volunteering and tutoring seven/eight-year-olds on how to speak and write Punjabi. I created a curriculum emphasizing leading on a legacy millions sacrificed for and the importance of preserving our cultural heritage. Sikhi has taught me three principles: Naam Japna (focus on God), Kirat Karni (honest living), and Vand Shakna (sharing with others). These three values have been instilled in me from a very young age, becoming a guide to my purpose in this world. Now my purpose is to teach these three principles not only to my future children but also the future generations of Sikhi to come.

Preserving languages and religion also preserves heritage. This is extremely crucial as it is an important way to pass on knowledge from past to future generations. My religion, culture, and heritage are unique and for some people `unusual,” but as the future generations, it is our responsibility to ensure we spread those views. Sikhism has played a pivotal role in shaping Indian history, art, and literature. As a first-generation student, it can be difficult to stay in good contact with my heritage. Especially when everyone knows numerous people who follow the same path as them, but the beauty of heritage is originality. In order to look after that originality, I have learned that Sikhism has its own beauty that I have learned to embrace.

 

 

 

 

"The Art of Being Alone" by Savanna D

 

Definition for “Alone” : having no one else present

In such a technology and civilian involved society there’s an assumption that the average person is full of entertainment and thus rarely ever feels unwanted or alone. In a survey conducted by PBS, it was found that around 60% of Americans reported feeling lonely on a daily basis. This statistic applies a very negative connotation in terms of how many civilians nowadays don’t know how to live a happy life unless they are surrounded by other people as constant forms of entertainment. Personally, I believe that being alone can be a very rewarding and relaxing experience, it’s just a matter of if you know what to do with the time you’re given.

Right after junior year had concluded I decided that I was going to spend the summer working on myself and hanging out with the people I love. I began to quickly realize that I had developed a bad habit of relying on other people to bring me happiness in my everyday life. If I wasn’t spending the day with friends or hanging out with my cousins, I often felt very alone. Seeing my reliance on others for entertainment, I worked to find a balance between being around others and being able to have fun when I was by myself. I spent some days out of my week during the summer going shopping by myself or going to run errands that I needed to get done. I feel like what helped the most is reflecting on activities I enjoyed partaking in and just doing it as an individual instead of with other people. This new perspective has helped me grow a lot more as a person, and enjoy life on a much more mentally healthy level. I came to the awareness that if I was able to be my best self when no one was around, when I did hang out with others I would be a more confident person.

The statistic that the age group that feels the most alone is the age group of people “18-22”, the young adult category. This is the age group that us as high school seniors are going to enter in the next few years. We’re all gonna leave the structure of having a high school life and moving onto careers or going off to college. At this point in life it is more important than ever to develop an awareness of our individual self as we’re exposing ourselves to a whole world of new environments surrounded by new people that we may not have close connections with. I can only imagine how lonely it must feel to be in a new city while attending college, far from home, on a campus where there are so many unknowns. It can be essential for a person’s mental health to establish a routine of tasks they enjoy doing alone. In the first few months of being in a new environment you may not know many people, but being able to work on yourself and develop a life without the reliance of others is a great place to start.

Now viewing the word “alone”, it no longer has a negative connotation, but rather an opportunity for personal growth and life advancements. It’s all about perspective and how you choose to tackle a certain situation. With perseverance and a strong drive for self improvement, regardless of what situation you find yourself in in the future, being okay with being alone can set you up for much greater opportunities than many.

Sources:

Yang, John. “Why Americans Are Lonelier and Its Effects on Our Health.” PBS, Public Broadcasting Service, 8 Jan. 2023, www.pbs.org/newshour/show/why-americans-are-lonelier-and-its-effects-on-our-health#:~:text=You%20know%2C%20some%20surveys%20reveal,from%20a%20public%20health%20perspective.  

Elias, Mark. “49 Loneliness Statistics: How Many People Are Lonely?” Discovery ABA: At-Home & Center-Based ABA Therapy (No Wait List), Discovery ABA, 26 Feb. 2023, www.discoveryaba.com/statistics/loneliness#:~:text=Young%20adults%20between%20the%20ages,death%20by%20up%20to%2050%25 .

 

" Parentification" by Hannah R

 

I am a victim of parentification. While that sentence sounds scary, it’s actually transformed me into who I am today. The U.S. Department of Education describes parentification as “the process of role reversal whereby a child or adolescent is obliged to act as a parent to their own parent or sibling.” More simply, parentification occurs when a child takes on parental responsibilities, whether it's doing household chores or giving emotional support. This means that parents rely on their child to fulfill tasks that are beyond their age level. Sometimes, parents directly ask the child to help, or the child volunteers because they want to feel closer to the parent. In other cases, parents unintentionally encourage this behavior by rewarding it with praise or extra attention, or by not giving negative feedback when the child takes on adult roles. In essence, parentification happens when a child steps into the role of a parent within the family. According to the National Alliance for Caregiving, about 1.4 million children and adolescents in the United States experience parentification, so experiences can vary. In my case, I was the oldest daughter of 3 boys, I forced myself to grow up to be there for my brothers when my parents couldn’t. I began making meals for them, helping with homework, bathing them, and teaching them right from wrong. However, as soon as I took on the role of “3rd parent”, more and more things became expected of me and I was held to a higher standard. My parents felt as if I could handle life on my own so they backed off and my responsibility grew. While it was extremely overwhelming, I consider my experience with parentification a blessing. We all need to mature at some point and get ready for the real world, some just prepare a little early. Most times, pressure has a negative connotation, but without it, we would be living life with no growth. By taking on adult responsibilities, kids can learn important life qualities like independence, perseverance, and maturity. Children's ability to make decisions are sharpened as they learn how to handle challenging circumstances and find efficient solutions. Taking on caring responsibilities also helps people develop empathy and compassion because they learn how to recognize and meet the needs of others, which strengthens family bonds. When parents and kids work together to manage responsibilities and solve challenges, parentification can benefit a child in the long run. Their feeling of power and self-efficacy can be developed, strengthening their confidence and sense of identity. Parentification has positively molded me into the person I am today. Being forced to mature faster has pushed my goals and ambitions far beyond what is deemed “appropriate for my age”. As I reflect on my journey, I can't help but wonder: could my childhood have been different? What if I had been allowed to just be a kid, free from the weight of adult responsibilities? While I may never know the answer, I am grateful for the lessons learned and the person I have become as a result.

 

Work Cited:

 

Chase, Nancy D. “Burdened Children: Theory, Research, and Treatment of Parentification.” ERIC, Sage Publications, 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320 (paperback: ISBN-0-7619-0764-5, $24.95; hardcover: ISBN-0-7619-0763-7, $52.95). Tel: 805-499-0721; Fax: 805-499-0871; e-mail: order@sagepub.com; Web site: http://www.sagepub.com., 30 Nov. 1998, eric.ed.gov/?id=ED441561.

Holland, Author:  Maggie. “Parentification: What Is a Parentified Child?” Choosing Therapy, www.choosingtherapy.com/parentification/. Accessed 13 Feb. 2024.

Staff, Newport Academy. “What Is Parentification? Signs of a Parentified Child.” Newport Academy, 11 July 2023, www.newportacademy.com/resources/mental-health/parentification/#:~:text=The%20result%20is%20a%20phenomenon,the%20United%20States%20experience%20parentification.

 

" Maturity" by Sean V

Maturity, by definition, is “the state, fact, or period of being mature,” and although the societal push towards conformity in dated ideals still remains apart of many cultures, the modernization of expressed emotion, the understanding of others and new found care for our mentalites has transformed the book definition of maturity into a what would be a natural state of being. Maturity to me is the purest form of human understanding, because to be mature is to be tolerant, compassionate, wise, and altruistic. It is a state of being that can’t be reversed, once you learn how to be mature, you will retain every characteristic in some form or another. Instead of conforming to the ideas of culture, race, masculinity, femininity and sexuality, the ideals that have been so detrimental to our progress, maturity to me follows none of the laid stereotypes of manning up, being denied affectionate preferences, or being forced into any type of assigned role. In many aspects of our lives we are forced to believe one thing about maturity, each to fit an agenda, a certain tradition or an idea. As a hispanic, the culture’s take on maturity is tied in with suggested gender roles and suppressing emotion, and as many other cultures have assigned the same “requirements” to be mature, the definition of maturity has evolved over time to fit whatever the popular idea is. But, now as we have progressed from the times where those definitions were commonplace, we can see what it is to truly be mature. To have love and compassion for other people is to be mature, and as we grow and learn certain things, go through differing experiences, the same thing remains constant, we mature, not in the ways that we were forced to believe was maturity, but we mature in our understanding of human behavior. We have empathy for others and their situations, and once you can grasp how nice it feels to be genuine with another person, show the people you love and don’t love compassion, see eye to eye with an opinion you didn’t believe, that’s when the state of maturity is irreversible. And even if we grow spiteful as we age or seem ungrateful for the things we have, we still will always retain the actions and memories made when being mature, and even when the memories of being their dated ideal of maturity, to our parents or grandparents, may have caused them harm, the memories that we might have being this definition of mature; patient, understanding and kind, will always remain and forward the need to have the feeling of maturity again. Even without the implications laid upon the word maturity by the many people who used it to a backwards ideal, the word’s definition is much more than just being physically grown, as stated, without the complete understanding of people, their opinions and thoughts, as a society we would have never progressed, it’s in our compassion and willingness to value opinion that we have moved forward. The generations before have never found the perfect word to describe the value of thought or emphasis on sympathy, but in all of our history the word I think best fits our method of progression is maturity, even if by book, by family or by culture the word takes on various different meanings, the true and most honest definition is the one stated.