Pumpkin Spice Latte

We re ally made it. I just want to say thank you to all my teachers, who gave me homework every day and pushed my limits of learning until 2 am. Thank you to all the parents, who didn’t check their students grades in between quarters. And thank you to the students, for all being my friends during my middle school experience and putting up with me. It is such a privilege to get to stand here and express all the memories and emotions for the class of 2018 and share what is in our hearts as we move onto the next chapter of our lives as high schoolers. Middle school was a rough, but fun journey. I remember my first day of 5th grade when I thought I would get trampled in the halls and all the students I used to know would change because of the new chapter of our lives from elementary school to middle school. I was so proud of myself for making it through that year of being the youngest in the school. It was an interesting journey of banning rainbow loom obsessions to kids eating pap...

Saying Goodbye... When you say goodbye to someone that us moving away or is sick and might pass away soon, it is heartbreaking. Saying goodbye to someone moving away is still sad but it's almost like saying goodbye for now, because you will see them later in life or visit them. But, sadly when you say your last goodbye to someone who is dying it is a very depressing moment no matter who it is. some people don't even get to say goodbye to they're loved ones who passed away while they were at work or at home or away on a trip. So saying goodbye to them means a lot because it is the last thing that you will ever say to them and you can't ever see them or visit them the next week.  So saying goodbye is a very painful experience no matter who it is to or what the situation is. Anyway, saying goodbye is better than not saying anything at all or missing an important goodbye.  

Why do tests even exist? Tests are basically a compiled list of very hard questions meant to stump students and create stress. When you hear a teacher announce that there is a test coming  up, you freak out. There is now a whole list of stress leading up to that test. For example, "When is the test? What do I use to study? How do I study? Should I tell my parents about the test? What if I fail? Will I have to retake the grade? What if I don't get into a good college?" and those are only a few of the many stress questions that all the students ask ourselves. The stress that students face when they are taking a test or studying for a test is honestly not healthy. Students can experience anxiety, depression, sleep deprivation, stomach aches, acne and breakouts, migraines, and maybe even drug or alcohol addiction. Tests are a torture device written on paper or  typed on the computer. All of these tests are meant to rank children and sort them based on a single standardized te...

“We must live, and when this is all over, we must work to make the world a better place. And if we die, we will die knowing that it was not our fault, that we did our best, and we can go to our deaths in dignity… I want you both to live…And to remember...You must choose love. Always choose love.”  - (from Daniel’s Story by Carol Matas, page 70) This quote is from Daniel's story, a book about a boy and his story during the holocaust. I believe that love is what keep this world together and prevents it from total destruction. No matter who you are, girl, boy, mom, dad, sister, or brother, love bonds us all together and keeps us all hoping. During the holocaust, people had a will to live because of love and thinking about their future with people they love in it. Hope and love are essential to our wellbeing. We need love in order to maintain relationships, not only romance, but friendships and family too. Without love then this world would end in minutes. imagine a loveless wo...

2/25/18 Dear Diary,      When my friends from my church started talking about this camp they all went to over the summer together I felt left out. I wanted to learn what it actually was and where it was and how long they all went for. I found out from one of my friends that it was a greek camp called, Fanari, And they picked one week to go out of the 4 weeks.        They all said that my church was going the 3rd week so I considered it. When I realized that it was only 1 week until I had to leave I had a checklist to got through that my church had sent me. After I was done going from store to store looking for various items I went home and picked it all in a duffle bag.        Wow, the day I leave is filled with happiness and nerves, I am excited but also nervous because there are people that I don't know all over the camp. when I get there all my friends brought bags of food and junk that they said we would eat and use in o...

 Pain Is Not Worth Beauty     She was 12 when she picked out all her imperfections. She was fat, ugly, a horrible person, or so she thought. She stopped eating lost a few pounds but her mom noticed and stopped her. 5 months later she starts again no one notices! She's thrilled, she becomes thinner and thinner, smaller and smaller, she's losing weight by the minute! She collapses, she wakes up in the hospital with a tube up her nose helping her breath. She weighs 64 pounds, 13 years old, 5"2. She spends 6 weeks in the hospital then gets ready to go home, her friend came with to pick her up with her mom. Her mom is checking in with the doctor in the other room. The friend is in her room, she hugs her. All of a sudden she collapses against the friend, she rushed out screaming. They did all they could but anorexia claimed one more innocent, beautiful,young girl.  This short story I wrote is about Anorexia Nervosa and just one example of what is ha...

We were headed on our yearly trip to Michigan.  We had only gotten my dog, May, about 6 months ago and this was our first time on a long trip with her. Sitting across sideways just to get comfortable and getting up every 3 minutes to get some McDonald's fries from the front. I remember how much fun we had passing the time on that 5 hour car ride to our cousin's house. By the way, thats my twin sister Alexis in the picture. It was my 8th birthday with my twin sister and we came home from school with our birthday hats on and excited for finally turning 8. We had on our best clothes and I even brushed my crazy bangs that day, I know what a tragic hairstyle on me. I never knew I would go from 8 to 14 so quickly . Halloween! Our favorite holiday as kids. we were so excited to go as Daphne and Velma from Scooby Doo. Obviously we have different opinions now as we look back on our poses and faces, but back then it was super stylish.         ...

Airplanes  By: B.o.B. Feat: Hayley Williams   I chose this song because I like to dream and believe in a wish when I'm going through a hard time.  Fireflies  By:Owl City  Music Video   I chose this song because it is a look on the happier and fun believing side of me.  New Rules   By: Dua Lipa  Music Video   I chose this song because I don't like to make my own rules a lot and feel like a girl boss.  Shut Up and Dance  By: Walk the Moon  Music Video   I chose this song because I love to dance like nobody watching and have fun expressing myself. One Call Away   By: Charlie Puth      Music video    I chose this song because I am always there for my friends when they need me and they are always there when I need them. 

       After five years, he finally walked down my street. I peered out the window, thinking about why he left me. Then, a girl appeared, silky blonde hair and a smile that could stop time. I watched as their footsteps aligned like they were one and could never be separated. We had that, 5 years ago, before he found all my lies hidden beneath him and left.        Have you ever thought about the future? or maybe the past? Well, I thought of both, but at the same time. That's how my life changed forever. The secrets I kept, the lies I told to protect me, and the memories I left behind.        It all happened so fast. I never knew that the secrets that are supposed to protect me can hurt me more than they help me.    

   OK, Rant time for December. I'm sure all of you have heard of the dilemma with December birthdays. I have a November birthday not a December birthday, but a lot of my friends have December birthdays and have given me some feedback. Two words: Combo Gift, December birthdays are just like regular birthdays all year round except for the fact that most people hear the words "This is for your birthday AND Christmas"every year at least once. Excuse me..... they are two separate holidays with two separate meanings, so that means two separate presents. Also, when are you supposed to schedule your birthday party with all of the holiday parties going on, and everyone is on vacation anyway. Birthday dinner? Forget it. Everyone already gained their 10 pounds of Christmas cookies. You might be thinking "Yay, my birthday is after Christmas and Hanukah.", well your wrong because now everyone is planning their New Years plans, so don't get too excited. So thanks for list...

Soul Surfer is one of my favorite movies, and if you haven't seen it you really should. Bethany Hamilton was gifted with the talent of surfing and she spent more time in the water than on land. To Bethany, pure joy meant catching the perfect wave and calling her ocean home. This movie was based on a true story, real Bethany Hamilton was attacked by a Tiger shark at the age of 13 and S oul Surfer was meant to tell her story. This movie tells a story of a courageous, brave girl who is fighting to return to her competitive-level surfing. I think even when Bethany questions God's plan for her life she never blames God for her struggles and misfortunes. It is so touching when she was sitting in the hospital bed with joy in her eyes and no self-pity and how she was so grateful to be alive. Here is the actor that played Bethany in the movie(left) next to the real Bethany(right) who was there the whole time to watch her story be told in a movie form. 

       My Christmas wishlist is kind of short compared to other people's lists. I don't NEED any of these things but they are just stuff that if I were to get them I would be really happy and thankful.  My wishlist is just a couple things that would be amazing if I could get them and most of them are pretty expensive anyway. This is just a couple things and why I WANT them, again I do not need any if these things and it would be so incredibly awesome if I did get them. - A Polaroid Camera, I would like a polaroid camera, preferably in white, because they are really popular and trendy and take adorable pictures that print out instantly. - Airpods, I would love Apple AirPods because I don't have any wireless earbuds and they would be really cool just to use everyday and they are small and compact also. - Swell water bottle, these water bottles have been super popular over the past month and is just a really good quality water bottle that is...

Perseverance, How often do you think about perseverance?   Schools teaching about perseverance, Wow, bet you never thought of that. How important is our knowledge of facts and academics if we have no perseverance? I know your probably thinking that school is boring and all academic and a lot of people are lazy about school. Schools teaching perseverance to their students is a fantastic idea, students can grow up and live their dreams, and whatever they want to be they can be. Growing up in an area that doesn't believe in you and your dreams may be an obstacle in your life but it surely isn't stopping it. Only you can stop your dreams and future.  Everyone has control over their own future, so make it what you want to make it.  Have fun with whatever you do, don't forget what perseverance means in your life.  Obstacles never stopped J. K. Rowling, Stephen King, Walt Disney, Madonna, Oprah Winfrey, Elvis, Thomas Edison, Albert Einstein, Isaac Newton, or Babe Ruth. Al...

I was sitting in my backyard watching the leaves fall off the trees and my dog run around the tree stumps, then I realized how thankful I am for so many things and how lucky I am to be here. 1. I am thankful for my family, because they care about me and will always love me. 2. I am thankful for my friends, because they listen to me and will always be there for me. 3. I am thankful for my home, because it is a privilege that some kids might not have. 4. I am thankful for my bed, because I get a good nights sleep in the warmth and comfort of my bed. 5. I am thankful for food, because it keeps me healthy and alive. 6. I am thankful for my school, because it teaches me lessons that guide me through life. 7. I am thankful for my health, because some kids get sick but I am healthy and have privileges that keep me that way. 8. I am thankful for my dog, because she keeps me happy and hopeful. 9. I am thankful for books, because it lets me escape into a different world. 10. I am than...

  I love to binge eat! I love pickles, and when I just want to sit down and have a lazy day I get my computer and a pickle jar. I binge watch Netflix while binge eating pickles. I have recently been binge watching Riverdale and Stranger Things season 2. Sometimes if my computer dies and I'm too lazy to get my charger, I keep eating my pickles and binge listen to Ed Sheeran songs.  I'm pretty weird about pickles, they have to be a certain brand and kind of pickle. The pickles I really love to binge eat are "Vlasic" brand pickles and they are the kosher dill kind. I'm so weird for binge eating pickles, but I love pickles and I can't even count how many times I have said "binge" in this blog post. 😂 

While I was reading "The Outsiders" I noticed how alike I was with Sodapop. Soda is just a very happy and joyful person, he just walks into a room and it starts the party. My friends and family say when I walk into a room and it lights up. I like to think I'm so lit, we are going to have to call the fire department. Soda always makes funny remarks and I always make puns. All of Soda's jokes QUACK me up. Sodapop has two amazing, loving brothers who have a great bond with each other. I have a twin sister and a dog, which I think counts as two sisters, who I also have a very close bond with.  Soda does care a lot about his brothers and would do anything for them and I feel the same way about my sister. So I guess I'm Sodapop now right?

     October is Breast  Cancer Awareness Month , which is an annual campaign to increase  awareness  of the disease.  Brest Cancer Awareness Month  starts Sunday, October 1 and ends Tuesday, October 31.       Breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death among women in the United States.  In 2011, there have already been 39,520 deaths from breast cancer.  Big foundations like Susan G. Komen for the Cure, small college clubs like Bryant Universities CAC, and individuals like Julie Grimm have been making a difference in breast cancer awareness.      Breast cancer is about  100  times less common among men than among women. For men, the lifetime risk of getting breast cancer is about 1 in 1,000. The number of breast cancer cases in men relative to the population has been fairly stable over the last 30 years.    Breast cancer is no longer a rude subject and receive...

        I woke up to nothing. Darkness around me, throughout the cold, windy air. when I stood up I walked, far, far away. I stepped into nothingness. Following my heart and mind to wherever my feet led me. I ended on a ledge, a tall windy ledge. I opened my eyes and light hit me the same time reality did. Once I realized what was happening, I sat. Going slowly down on that cold, windy ledge. I looked far out, out into the danger and sorrow that was now our world. The crashed cars, dead, cold people, and hot flames that lit up the cloudy morning sky. I looked around the city that used to be filled with happy people and exciting adventures waiting behind every corner. But now I see the cold, cloudy, trashed city that has no end to its wretchedness. What happened? Why did our world end so sharply? My deep breathes use to be filled with clean, happy life. Now they consisted of smoke, and deathly sorrow. What happened to reality?         I focused o...

In 10 years this post might be completely wrong but this is what i'm aiming for.... In ten years I will be 23 years old and just be a year out of college. I am an NYU graduate, hopefully, and yes I have boyfriend. When I was 13 I thought I would end up forever alone. I also have two dogs, May and April, I might love them more than my boyfriend. I work at Costco, because why not work for a store that could survive the zombie apocalypse and gives you free pizza.  My boyfriend and I live in New York, we were going to live in California, but its going to fall off the face of the earth soon. The most important thing to me is to live in the moment, If you don't live in the moment then you will miss all the amazing thing that are happening in your present life. My advice for my past self was to always live every day to the fullest and don't focus on the past, focus on the present. I remember when I was 13 and my friend asked me "are you high" and I said one of my sign...

My identity is what makes me who I am, Everyone's identity is unique and different. I am a twin with auburn, medium length hair. I am a Greek orthodox christian that is single and ready to mingle. I'm a female student at Golf Middle School. I like to think I'm the only person who's name is Maria, and has a nickname that is a Starbuck's drink. I think I'm pretty unique, you know when we were all in elementary school and the teachers would say "be yourself", well I was always being myself and I never saw the big deal about trying to be like other kids. I got the fact that fitting in was important, but I am always me and I will always be excepted as myself by my friends and family. I'm a unique, auburn haired, weird, loud, obnoxious, soccer playing, non-reading, greek girl and there is no body else in the world who is just like me.