I'm a Procrastinator

Procrastination is definitely something that has been made me struggle these past years. It’s been a habit for me to constantly forget a few assignments from time to time and turn them in for late credit. Then there are some days when I forget that there’s a test next class and don’t have much time to study. All of these habits are not going to get me through college. If I continue doing things like this, I will fail my courses and not be eligible to major in sports business let alone graduate from college. I will lose my scholarships and end up taking out student loans and I know I don’t want to graduate from college with a lot of debt to pay off.

With the help of my mom, I have some techniques that will help keep me on task with my school work and stay organized. That way, I finish my work first and then play later. I’ve upload some procrastination apps on my phone since I’m always on it. I’ll also remember to write things down in my planner and constantly check to see if any assignments are due. College is not as easy as high school and since I won’t have my parents with me, I need to start taking some responsibility for myself. If I’m struggling, then I need to get some help as soon as possible instead of waiting until the last minute. I have faith in myself that I can do better than what I’ve done in high school. 

School is almost over

We have three more weeks of school and next week is AP testing. I am one of the very few people in my class taking this test. The only reason I’m taking this test is because my mom is making me take it. She doesn’t want me to miss an opportunity of earning college credit. I understand that, but I am not the best test taker. I’ve taken AP tests since my sophomore year and I never passed them. I’m pretty sure this one will not be any different, especially since it’s English.

I have to admit though; this class was not as bad as I thought it was going to be. I mean, I didn’t love it, but there were some times that I enjoyed being in the class. I think I improved a lot while taking this class, especially when it comes to writing essays. When I started this class, my essays were absolutely horrible. I’m not saying that my essays are perfect now, but I will say that they have definitely improved. I still have to work on my test taking though. My vocabulary tests helped me maintain a B in this class. These skills are very crucial in order for me to do well in school this fall. 

Music and Poetry (Blog 13 late)

I love poetry for several reasons. One of those reasons is that poetry can from any type of inspiration  from a first crush to getting ready for college. They tell stories that you really have to think about because sometimes they can be hidden. I've written a few poems a couple years ago. The things that inspired me during that time were volleyball, heartbreak and being proud of the skin I’m in. Those were probably the most important things in my life at the time. I could write poems about those things forever. But as I grew older, my interest in writing faded away.

Another reason I like poetry is that most poems can actually be songs (and vice versa). Now I know that most of the songs we here on the radio would probably not be considered poetry because they talking straight nonsense, but those songs that actually have a message behind them are definitely considered poetry. Most people say that songs are music with lyrics attached and that is somewhat true. I also believe that songs are poetry spoken with music. It sounds a lot better to me. I am absolutely obsessed with music, so I can understand why I like poetry so much. 

Poetry/AP Exam

Well, after we present our poetry projects, we will finally be finished with our poetry section. I think this was probably the easiest units for me. I mean, I still had a difficulty understanding things from time to time, but I think I’ve learned enough to receive a decent grade on my poetry exam. It didn’t seem as hard as I thought it would be (except for the last ten questions). I do plan on trying to make a sestina poem for extra credit because I really need the points, especially if it will increase my test grade percentage.

What I’m really worried about is the AP exam in May. I take it every year but I never pass it. I think it’s because I am not the best test taker. It’s obvious by my test scores in class. I need to work on my study skills a lot because that is going to be very useful when I go off to college in the fall. Of course, English has never really been my best subject. I’ve struggled with it throughout my high school career, but I’m going to continue to work on it in order to be able to graduate.

A Dream Deffered (Late)

Out of all the poems we read in this unit, my favorite on would have to be A Dream Deferred by Langston Hughes. It’s a simple poem but still has a powerful meaning. It makes think about what happens when a dream is not reached and we’re not just talking about the dreams you have while sleeping, but also dreams that are described as goals. Everyone has some kind of goal that they want to accomplish in life. Sometimes it doesn’t go the way they want it.

So if a dream is not achieved does not go your way, what happens to it? The poem continuously asks it will eat you inside or if it will just rot in your head. You might hold it in for so long that you’ll eventually burst out something at the wrong time. It’s not good to hold anything in, especially goals that you wanted to accomplish but never had the ability to. I have goals that I plan to achieve. Some of them did not go my way but I’m not going to let them affect the rest of my life. If one goal goes wrong, the think of another one and you might be able to achieve. Anything is possible

Poetry

This poetry unit is pretty good. Seriously, I am really enjoying it. Some of the poems that we have to read for class really mess with my head, but the other one really catch my interest. One of my favorite poems of all time is actually not in the book. It’s Phenomenal Woman by Maya Angelou. Every time I read that poem, I just think about how blessed I am to be able to accomplish so many things. I try not to settle for less and I want to make something out of myself. Basically, I just want to be successful.

I think my favorite part about this poetry unit is doing the poetry responses. At first, I was regretting them because I thought I was going to be a lot of unnecessary work, but then I realized that it will be much easier for me to complete the assignment if I did on poems that I actually. Right now, I like all of the poems that I chose from the packet. A lot of the poems relate to me in some kind of way.

Now all I need to do is try and make sure that I fully understand the poems because just reading them will not help me very much.

Family Over Everything

After reading this article, there was an old saying that came to mind: “The family that prays together stays together.” Families that don’t take the time to actually talk and bond with each other tend to drift apart. Not only that, but it’s more difficult to gain respect from your family members. One thing that stood out to me in this article was when Feiler said that the military has trendsetting programs that help teams function better. I agree with this because my mother was an army veteran and all the techniques she learned from there, she brought back home to build a stronger relationship with our family. Unlike most parents, my mom makes sure that my sister and I are always on our best behavior. We want to make good impressions on anyone who happens to come and visit us. We never text or goof around at the table if we are in public because it’s rude. This is where the saying, “Mama didn't raise no fool,” comes in. My family enjoys each other company because we know that we will not be together our entire lives. I know a lot about my parents: where and how they met, why they aren't together now, and much more. My parents only want the best for me and that’s why there always in my business.