Kayla's Corner

I just don’t understand. From the very beginning we were always taught to write essays a certain way. The standard five paragraphs : intro, 3 body paragraphs, and conclusion with absolutely no I’s and you’s. First person was always forbidden. I spent a solid 4 years of my life trying to conform to the ”only acceptable way of writing”. So many late nights were spent revising essays. Normally, I was frustrated and on the verge of tears because I just wanted to go to bed as my mom tried to explain to me for the 100th time that I was not allowed to use I’s and you’s. I think it took me all the way until freshman year to finally not use first person in my essays. I swear teachers told us that the essays we were being taught to write would be the same all the way through college. But lo and behold, this week we were told to write an essay that not not only didn’t need five paragraphs but also could be written in, yep you’ve guessed it, FIRST person.   Why would  teachers be so ...

     Picture this. You are laying in your bed, the blankets tucked right up under your chin. You are warm and cozy, as you dream of fields of flowers. Suddenly, music begins to play. You turn over to see where the music is coming from, and instead of seeing the beautiful roses, its your alarm clock, flashing 6:30 am. You reach over to turn off the song that you use to love but now despise because every time you hear it, you remember the worst part of your day: waking up for school.       Everyday is the same: wake up at an unhealthy time, go to school for seven hours, go home, and repeat. I have to admit school is not terrible. The worst part is getting up at the crack of dawn. I don't think anyone likes to get up that early. So why don't we change it? Why cant we start school an hour later?       Fellow students, we need to band together to bring upon change. The only way to show how we truly feel is by taking action. Thoreau states, "I sa...

    As a student, I have never been one to listen intently for the whole class period. My mind is either wandering or I am doodling on something I probably shouldn't be. I spend most of my time trying to listen, but to no avail I end up thinking about other things. I have always thought that it was impossible to make myself pay attention and think about what is being taught at the moment. While reading This Is Water, the author, David Wallace, explained that "its extremely difficult to stay alert and attentive instead of getting hypnotized by the constant monologue inside your own head"(Wallace 234). It is very hard for me to concentrate, but the author did say that you can teach yourself how to think. Although it is very difficult to do because getting lost inside your own head is automatic, it is possible.       Prior to reading this, I did not realize one could train them self to think about what was necessary, and I feel others may not either. As so many p...

       Over the past few months, I have been reading and watching the Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon. It is historical fiction so the major events that take place occurred in real life. The series is set in Scotland around the time of the Jacobite uprising. The book and show depict the events of the battle between the Scots and the British in a battle called Culloden. Today, there is a memorial called The Graves of the Clans.The memorial commemorates the men who fought in the the battle. This memorial is shown in the show and discussed in the novel.The main character visits the memorial, and as she walks upon the field of Culloden, she is able to picture the men fighting and the battle taking place. The placement of the memorial allows visitors to walk in the exact location the battle took place and even imagine the events that occurred.             When selecting a location for a memorial, it is very important that the location is...