Test 1

Prompt Response:  Over the summer, one of my old best friends and I had to set a boundary. I'm still friends with her today, and we've just agreed to keep our distance from one another. Sophomore year, she and I had gotten very close, but then drama struck. She started mixing the pot and making up unnecessary lies that affected my friendship with a girl in my friend group. This made it really hard to continue being friends with her, as she was constantly involved in drama and hurting relationships. At this point, a lot of people distanced themselves from her, but I decided to give her a second chance because she was one of my best friends. Towards the end of the summer, I realized my friendship with her was not worth all the stress and drama it was causing me. I decided to set boundaries with her, which made it clear that I needed space and that I didn't want to be as close, for I just needed time. She respected this, and it was hard for both of us, but it was worth it in t...

Prompt Response:  My brother's baseball might not sound very life-altering, but it is. With my brother being one of the top baseball players in the state in his age range, he's constantly playing and practicing. This causes my mom, dad, and brother to never be home and always be on the road. This was a hard thing to get used to because most of the time I can't come to the games, leaving my home alone. It also makes me sad that they can never make it to my volleyball games because baseball always interferes. I've learned to live with this because I realized it benefits my brother's life a lot more than mine, and it makes him happy, and that's all that matters. The poem "Nothing gold can stay" has a similar theme, that perfection doesn't last, meaning not everything in life will always stay the same. Some things change in life, but in the long run, it's for the better, and if it means my brother will succeed in life by doing what he loves the mos...

Prompt Response:  Whenever I'm bored or stressed, even when I just need to fall asleep, imagination is my escape. I use imagination in many ways, especially in class when overwhelmed or bored, I resort to doodling. It takes my mind off whatever is bothering me in the moment and lets me take a break from constantly thinking. Doodling not only distracts me from stress, but it also calms me and leaves me with a peaceful state of mind, free of thoughts. I also tend to use my imagination to daydream about random things when I'm bored. It keeps me entertained. Daydreaming is also the hack I use when trying to fall asleep, by imagining random scenarios or events in my mind, which eventually just leads to a dream. Summary: We started off class completing a writable assignment. Then, as a class, we annotated and reviewed the Robert Frost poem, "Birch". We ended with the class starting our PowerPoint of the "Birch" poem. Reflection:  I learned the five ways to get awa...

Prompt: A time that I was put into a high-pressure scenario that demanded my complete focus was when I first drove on the highway. I got my license much later than most people my age due to my procrastination, so I started driving much later than most people I know. The first time I practiced driving on the highway was with my mom, who tends to yell when stressed out, and driving is one of those situations. It required all my focus, constantly looking everywhere while still in fear of crashing. What made the drive ten times more stressful was my mom yelling out of panic at my car's every sudden movement. Although it was very stressful, it was a learning experience that everyone experiences to grow as a driver and learn the rules of the road. Summary: In class, we reviewed and annotated the poem, "Out Out," and watched an interview with a man who was trapped in a cave and cut off his own arm to survive. Reflection: I learned that you could lose all your limbs and still be ...

Prompt: I had a hectic fall break; I was constantly doing something. I spent my first two days of break at my friend Leah's mountain house with my friend group right after school let out. The night I got back, I went to Netherworld with my friends, and after I slept over at my best friend Ava's house. I spent the next day studying for my ACT and packing for my camping trip. I then went camping for the next two days with my friends at the Stone Mountain camping grounds. The day we got back from camping, I left for Athens with my friend Alex. In Athens, I attended the Ty Myers concert at the Georgia Theater. I spent the entire next day studying up for my ACT that was on Saturday, and then took a trip to the mall with my mom and got dinner. Then it was ACT day, and it was very hard, but I pray that I did well. I then ended my Saturday with my friends visiting the town where the show Vampire Diaries was filmed. Lastly, on Sunday, I got a car! After that, I went to choir practice fo...

Prompt Response:  To find time in the middle of the day to take time for myself and do things I enjoy, I typically get all my work out of the way, then reward myself by doing things I enjoy. I also take breaks throughout the day from constant work to avoid stressing myself out. To enjoy my day, I go on walks with my dogs to disconnect from my phone. I also watch TV or listen to music while I do my homework to make it easier to get through. Lastly, I always end my night by FaceTime-ing my friend Ava, debriefing our day, and updating each other. These little things might not sound like much, but they all help contribute to making my day a little better, especially with loads of work. Summary: In class today, we finished our writeable, argumentative paragraph. Reflection:  I strengthened my argumentative writing skills.

Prompt Response:  I can't think of a time when I had to step out of my comfort zone, but I am going to soon. I'm going to my friend Walker's homecoming at Chamblee High School, where I don't know many people. I'm not exactly sure how it's going to go, i'm pretty nervous since i'm a stranger to most there. Walker also informed me that the girls said "its's going to be awkward if she's there" which doesn't make me feel any better about going. But I know that I can prove them wrong becuase I am an outgoing, non-awkward person and I can make the best out of this situation even if I don't know many people.  Summary: In class today, we read an article and discussed whether we thought killing someone could ever be considered a "good kill." We then created a claim based on our perspective on the topic. Reflection:  I always thought that there was no such thing as a "good kill," but in class today, my perspective chan...

Prompt Response:  A time when my dream felt very much real was last weekend, when I was half asleep and half awake. Only being a few days after the concert I went to that week, I was having a dream about it. Earlier that week, I attended the Treaty Oak Revival concert, which was one of the best concerts I've been to. I was constantly thinking about it to the point where it was in my dreams. In this dream, I was certain that I accidentally posted on Instagram a bunch of videos of me embarrassingly singing the songs at the concert. It might not sound bad, but I never post, so for me it was a nightmare. That morning, I woke up at 8AM, convinced that I had posted it on Instagram, I started freaking out and was filled with embarrassment. I then grabbed my phone, still half asleep, and instead of going on Instagram, I decided to text my friend Walker. I started spamming him, asking if I posted it on Instagram, remembering that in my dream, he liked the post. I then fell back asleep about...

Prompt Response:  A conversation that changed me and my perspective was one I had with my mom when I was having a hard time with my friends. She explained to me how there will always be mean girls in high school, college, work, everywhere I go, and it´s just a part of life, so I can let them define me. She explained how the key to less drama and more real friends is by keeping your circle small. She also said that it´s impossible to be loved by everyone; you could be a perfect human and still not be everyone's cup of tea, and that ok. From this little conversation, I gained so much more than she knew. I know not to let others' opinions on me define me as a person, and how I just need to be my own person to get the best out of life and find my people. Summary: In class today, we took notes. Reflection:  I strengthened my argumentative writing skills. I learned that I need to adress the counterclaim and not just my original claim.

Prompt Response:  The overall best gift I have ever received was for my 13th birthday. That was the day I got my dog Biscut. He's a light brown golden doodle; he is now 32 years old in dog years. I love him so much. He has been with me through so much, and has much more life to live. My parents surprised me after getting back from my birthday dinner. They handed me a card with a cutout of Biscut on the back and brought Biscut in through the front door.  Summary: In class today, we took notes on writing an argumentative essay, along with formal vs. informal writing. Reflection:  I learned to not use contractions when writing a formal essay.