~CrAzY~™
Community Admin
The Karate Kid
What?.. Nosy Jerk..
Posts: 3,129
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Post by ~CrAzY~™ on Jun 18, 2008 4:14:54 GMT -5
Yes, it is two am. What does that mean? It means I can tap into my apparently good linguistic skills for some reason. I don't know why, but I have a weird ability to write good when it's late and I'm tired.
For example: We have to write a portfolio assignment each semester summing up exactly what we improved and failed to improved upon the past few months in school. It is worth a major chunk of the grade in English class, equivalent to 10-15%. Usually I leave myself some time to work on it for a few days, however this last time I tried something different. I waited until 11:10 pm the night before it was due to start, and I finished at 2am.
And what happened? I got a 4 out of 4 (pretty dang hard to get, and my first 4 on a portfolio assignment) with NO suggestions on anything to improve (even harder to get, since the graders are told to always check something to be improved). I was actually aiming to just get it turned in on time so it wouldn't hurt my grade too much, and hopefully keep an A in the class.
I also noticed the change in the way I type on forums when it gets late. My opinion suddenly matures more and I talk more technically than I usually would.
Is this odd? Does this happen to anybody else by any chance?
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~CrAzY~™
Community Admin
The Karate Kid
What?.. Nosy Jerk..
Posts: 3,129
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Post by ~CrAzY~™ on Jun 18, 2008 4:18:53 GMT -5
While I don't like double-posting, I feel this is long enough to warrant it. Here is the actual essay, with maybe a thing or two edited to preserve my privacy. Preparing for the World Soon I will be leaving this school with a rolled up piece of paper in hand and a funny hat on my head, and who will miss me? I will probably move away to some college after 12th grade, spend all my time in front of a book, sweating over a cycle of never-ending upcoming tests, and ultimately lose touch with anyone and everyone from high school 1. So instead of only learning terms and theories, which I will inevitably learn when I need them anyways, I should devote some time to bettering myself as a whole. That is where these little ESLR essays come into play. They give me a chance to reflect on personal aspects of my life and make judgments about my future. This last semester, I took steps to communicate with my peers better, enhance my understanding of world culture, and find new sources of information and opportunities to learn on my own. Half of intelligence is being able to communicate your ideas. If you can't explain your views on something, does it even matter if you are correct in the first place? In English, we wrote an opinion essay based on a novel we read outside of class. My essay encompassed just how much Pet Sematary by Stephen King influenced me and gave me a home away from home. I took a new approach to writing it and simply went with the natural flow that seemed to exist. It was amazing how it led to a much deeper explanation of my ideas. However, there is one boundary that I have yet to break through, and that the almighty language barrier. Thankfully, I am currently taking a Spanish class, which has made it much easier to comprehend parts of the language. We wrote a particular piece, which involved playing the role of a student explaining his vacation plans to a friend, in the form of a letter entirely in Spanish. It took me a few rough drafts, but I feel that in the end I properly communicated my intentions of taking un vacaciones to my buddy. If not for communication, I would never get my points across to any person, which would just make me look stupid in their eyes. Speaking of stupidity, it would be wrong to assume mainstream American values and customs hold true throughout the rest of the world. In US History, we recently learned of the struggles Chicanos faced in the United States to achieve equal rights. They consistently claimed American nationalism while maintaining their culture and many traditional values. They basically brought a new element into mainstream America that changed it forever. However, they are not the only culture in the world. Being the president of the Martial Arts Club here on campus has taught me worlds about the Asian culture and their customs. They are in no way "hiieee-yaaahh!!" karate kids who do not talk in sync with their mouths, which can be a common ignorant misconception. They are just like everyone else in this country in most ways, except maybe they keep their houses more orderly and clean, which in itself is more of a good thing. Of course America has a culture of its own, but it is so diverse because it mixes bits and pieces of the other cultures, through understanding into a truly unique society. In order to learn about the world, news, technology, or anything else, it is essential that a person seeks out information and learns from it on their own. In Digital Electronics, we based our portfolio assignment on personal research into the field of robotics and nanotechnology. I found that there are projects in progress that will become the servants and helpers of the future. We are also currently building a circuit that, when completed, will perform the function of a toy organ. However, in order to accomplish this, it became necessary for our group to look for additional information about how the circuit will work. I ended up learning so much more than the original assignment even called for, that I could take the chip we were working with and explain each and every pin on it to you, if I had the time and space. This isn't, however, the only means of being a self-directed learner. Simply sitting down and studying for possible upcoming tests stresses how much you are willing to learn on your own. This is the case for me and Algebra 2 Honors, a rather challenging course to take. I knew for a fact that there will be an upcoming test on the trigonometry section, so went to the city library and forced myself to study for hours, learning some things I did not even need. This is all in a day's work for a student who strives to be a self-directed learner in as many ways as possible. I have been preparing myself for the world for the past three years now, and I have improved my qualities in many ways. I value world culture much more now that I have seen actual examples of them. It is very hard to have the right idea about something if you have never experienced or even heard of it before. Taking Spanish and improving communication aids in experiencing another culture outside of mainstream America, and helps my communication abilities as a whole. I also learn really well on my own and am able to sit myself down and study for hours and hours. I do not think I am perfect, but who knows? Maybe this upcoming, and final, year of high school will help me with that a bit. 1 - Name of my highschoolGo ahead and rate/grade it yourself, maybe even learn something from it if you think it's good enough. I still don't know how I'll top it next year.... >.>
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Gamoc
Smiley Abuser & Big Word Abuser..
Defying Gravity!
Posts: 3,935
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Post by Gamoc on Jun 20, 2008 1:33:30 GMT -5
I can't read well at 2:45 in the morning (which it is now for me), and I am very restless, so I'd probably do the exact opposite.
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