Is It Weird That I Kind of Enjoy AP World History?

I've been dreading it all summer, and now that it's here, well, it's not that bad... to be honest.

Sure, it can get boring at times ( agriculture, blah blah blah...) but it's actually quite interesting.

I think it's fascinating reading about how other people lived long ago. History has always enticed me, and learning about how people lived thousands of years in the past, all around the world, is going to be rigorous- don't get me wrong- but, I think it's going to be a somewhat enjoyable experience.

I absolutely love my teacher, and we all know that having a great teacher helps us understand the topics more.

All in all, I think this year will be a successful one. I'm pretty pumped for this class (however, I am dreading having to write three five (!) paragraph essays in two hours).

Let's hope my sophomore year goes great!   

 

College Visit Tips

After visiting quite a few college campuses this summer, I’ve put together a list of tips to help you on your own college visits! 1) Ask questions. Here’s a list of some good questions to ask in case they’re not covered on the tour: -Ask about interviews. Does this college conduct interviews? If so, are they conducted locally or on campus? Are they recommended? -Ask about testing scores. Do they take the ACT or the SAT? Do they look at all three parts of the SAT, or just math and reading? What are the college’s median SAT scores? -Ask about recommendation letters. How many recommendation letters are they looking for? TIP: colleges usually don’t want any more than three recommendation letters. They don’t really like sifting through a ton of paper and a bunch of recommendation letters can actually take away from your individuality as a student. On my Notre Dame tour over Spring Break, the admissions officer said that they once received an application from a girl with eighty recommendation letters! She was rejected. -Ask about housing. Does the college provide housing for all four years? Do most students stay on campus for all four years? -Ask about internships. Do students typically participate in internships off campus? Does the college have a program to help students find internships? -Ask about study abroad. Does the college offer study abroad programs? If so, are they required? How much do the programs cost? 2) Dress comfortably. Wear comfortable shoes. If you’re doing a campus tour, you’re probably going to be walking a lot and the last thing you want is sore feet as you’re struggling to keep up with the group. 3) Stay at the front of the tour! On a campus tour, you might end up with a quiet talker or fast walker as your guide. By staying at the front of the line, you won’t miss anything and you can even chat with the guide. Ask him/her why they chose this school. You’ll have a chance to have a one-on-one conversation with an actual student. Ask them if they have any tips about the application process. 4) Bring a notebook and a pen. Take notes during the information session. Usually, the speaker will tell you about the application process, financial aid and college life that you might want to jot down. 5) Ask for the card of the admissions officer in your region. Admissions officers are assigned to certain regions of the country. If you’re having trouble with a part of the application, or you just want tips, call up your admissions officer. I’m not saying that you should call constantly, but it will help them remember your name if the two of you have actually had a conversation. Plus, it’s less intimidating to know that there’s going to be a real person reading your application. 6) Look for the “lightning bolt”. The lightning bolt hits you when you’re touring the campus or listening to the information speech. All of a sudden, you can picture yourself at this school. The campus seems familiar and you know at once that this is the place for you. If you’re not feeling the bolt at a certain college, then maybe it’s not a good fit. It’s all about what school is right for you and where, at the end of the day, you’re going to be happy

It's That Time of the Year Again!

As all the public school students rush into their respective campuses to pick up their schedules this week, they are met with mixed feelings on the impending end of their summer vacation. Each year, as August comes to its close, students are preparing to enter their new grades. The education received in school is what provides the building blocks of a future career, and whatever success that may lead to. New Year's resolutions are well known, but New Grade resolutions are less common. Starting off a new grade with a set of goals can be beneficial in many ways, from making you improve in school, to just making the school year more bearable. Here are some possible goals for the start of the school year:

• Studying harder: This may be an obvious one, but several student tell themselves they will study harder, and end up procrastinating just weeks into the school year. Keeping up with your school work can only benefit you.
• Being more social: It's never too late to make new friends, and starting off a new grade is the perfect time to do so. 
• Join a new club: Schools nowadays offer so many clubs to students that the options can seem endless.  Joining a new club can introduce you to a hobby you may not have known you'd enjoy.
• Take up a sport: Similar to clubs, sports are excellent ways to discover hidden talents, and they also keep you fit! It's also a great way to meet new people.
• Volunteer: Volunteering at your school or in a community organization is an excellent way to give back, as well as accumulate service hours. 

Bath & Body Works Products = Liptastic!

I had read about Bath & Body Works Liplicious and C.O. Bigelow lip gloss lines in magazines, but until today I'd never tried them - in the past, I had only admired the glossy (and expensive) tubes of shimmering color as I stood in line to check out. Today, I decided to splurge, and to my surprise found out that B&B was having a buy 2 get the third 1 free sale. I tried out a few colors and scents before making my final decision and dancing excitedly out of the store, ready to try my new purchases out.

The Liplicious products come in a variety of fun flavors and scents, including Dazzling Daiquiri, Sparkling White Grape, Fruit Punch, Watermelon Sorbet, and many more. The glosses do genuinely smell like their titles and have a sweet, instead of a plastic-y, taste. They aren't as thick as other glosses I've tried. It was so hard to choose between all of the adorable flavors!

The C.O. Bigelow products also come in a variety of flavors and scents, and most are infused with mint to keep your breath fresh. I'm currently wearing Lemon Lip Cream by C.O. Bigelow, which smells like  fresh lemon meringue pie.

I love both of these product lines because there's a variety of cute flavors and scents to choose from, and my flyaway hairs don't get stuck in my lipgloss. Try some out before the sale ends! :)

Maccabia Games

    I am leaving tomorrow morning for a week of athletic competition with athletes from all over the country. I will be competing in the  JCC Maccabia Games for soccer. I am very excited to represent our county as one of the 93 delegates in over 30 different sports, including basketball, tennis, baseball, swimming, and lacrosse. I will be staying with a host family in Memphis, Tennessee where the games will be played. 

     I know I love the game of soccer, but this gives me an opportunity to compete against players from all over the United States. The timing is very exciting because it is at the same time as the Olympics in London. I am really look forward to meeting many new people and hopefully bringing home the Gold!

 

     One of the challenges I will face is having to live with a family who is not mine and people who I do not know. I have talked to my host mom on the phone, while she sounds very nice, it won't be the same without my mom there. There is always that nervous feeling before you go. "What if she doesn't like me? "What kind of food will she give me?" "Where will I sleep?" These are questions that I have thought about for these last couple days. I feel comfortable in knowing that I will be staying with another girl from my team and from what I have heard, my host family sounds super welcoming and nice. 

     If you have any fears or anxiety about trying something new, I encourage you to go in with an open mind and an attitude that it will be a great experience. At first I was so nervous with the thought of staying with strange people I didn't know and playing in a state that I'd never been to, but after speaking with my host family and talking to some friends, I am confident that this will be a once in a lifetime experience that I will never forget.