College Prompt Essay (FINAL DRAFT)

Stanford University

What is the hardest part of being a teenager now? What's the best part? What advice would you give a younger sibling or friend (assuming they would listen to you)?

     Care to hear a joke? My math scores! Why didn't the doctor visit the teacher? Her students gave her an apple every day! What do you get when you combine a teen's nightmares? Acne-demics! Okay those were terrible. But that's what I do sometimes, so get ready for more.

     Adolescence is hard to get through if it includes being aware of your social surroundings, status, to-do lists and becoming independent to take on the world. You think you can do things which in reality you can or cannot do. Homework piles on and procrastinating requires more resistance. Fun and games seem to stop, and you're faced with confusion and seriousness, because the path to life in the real world has opened.  Keep your head in the clouds, and you're upset from being wet. Or rather, keep delaying work in favor of fun, and you're upset because you're busy. However, everyone says the hardest part about things is starting them, and that's exactly what being a teenager is now: the hardest part is the beginning. You don't know what's happening to you and everyone around you, your mindset becomes more complicated with how you look and how people see you, and it's like everything is against you.
     School used to be my favorite time of day, because of how fun working was and talking to friends. Growing up from middle school to now however, homework took longer and got harder, not to mention the expectations were higher for a better grade. Finding friends and a social identity for people to notice was becoming more difficult upon learning my social status, and became an importance for the sake of attention. When I became invested into my own hobbies and took up extracurricular activities, I realized I put myself into a busier schedule as time passed. Every day felt like I was spinning plates holding parts of my agenda for the day, and if I dropped one I had to pick up the pieces, reconstruct it to fit into my schedule, and do it again the next day until it's finished. Even now, I'm still spinning those plates until I finish everything I need to do, then prepare for the next set of things to do. So many choices to avoid the stress of keeping myself intact were considered when my patience frayed like a rope, but I knew that any choice I picked wouldn't work if I left my responsibilities lingering around.

     Now the best part of being a teenager? Adults say being a teenager is one of the best times of your life, and there's no wrong in that. They're the final years of youth - when times are still carefree and joking around is still possible while still young. When those years pass and are left without fun, you lose that chance of freedom and are forced to become responsible in order to take on the world. The years of adolescence turn out empty, and nothing is worth remembering from that time of life. Simply live it, and all those years will be recalled as the most fun one has ever had. I still deal with my problems as a student and as a kid, but regardless I try to have fun: being with my friends, listening to music, and making a joke or two that someone might find funny. It lifts that solid stone piece of stress in my heart so I end up feeling like I wasn't stressed in the first place.
     So the advice I would give? Smile, work through it, and find humor where you can. Light hearted emotions give that feeling of determination and hope, and make it seem like life isn't as hard as it really is. Working through tasks and responsibilities is a lot brighter when you're feeling fine, like picking oranges to prepare a rewarding glass of orange juice. When you finish the task, there's something fun to look forward to. Humor is a sort of relief from stress, since people say that laughter is the best medicine. It really helps look on the bright side of things and see an easier task of life ahead. Jokes would be my sort of comedy relief, even if some of them turn out terrible or aren't as funny as I thought they would be. What do mathematicians call the sun? A ray of sunshine. What happened to the scissors who didn't get a role? He couldn't make the cut. Whatever makes you smile, it helps feel a lot better about situations and makes progressing less stressful than it normally is. Whenever I'm not doing so well dealing with my working agenda, I take a breather and humor myself by chatting with friends or thinking of jokes. With a balance of looking and eventually feeling like I can take on my challenges as a teen, I can still go through the annoying responsibilities of homework and making sure my life is still in control.

College Choices and Reasons

1. California Institute of Arts (CalArts)
     The school offers a range of majors that encourage forms of art. Majors include creative writing, animation, graphics, and drawing. They also offer programs for music and voice acting. Many of the alumni have their own hit shows or are directors of well-known films, people such as Alex Hirsch of Gravity Falls and Daron Nefcy of Star vs the Forces of Evil.

2. University of Hawaii in Manoa
     The school is close to home but far enough to stay away from it. It offers a majors list of performing arts, branches of science, and studies in humanity. Language classes are available for studying to become bilingual/multilingual, and business classes are there for entrepreneurs. It may be interesting to study finance while close to home to experiment money handling before going out into the world.

3. Harvard University
     The school is well-known, so it's obvious where the first reason goes. The school has a "joint concentration," or integration of two areas of study. That may become helpful for taking two classes I plan to major on. The school is strong in discipline, which I would take a challenge on to see how far I will go on it.

4. Stanford University
     Graduates of the school were noted to look into jobs surrounding politics, environment, and urban life, so the majors might be good to look into. The school is also strong in discipline, as they take their work seriously and make sure students take it seriously as well. Programs are heavily centered around science, history/language, and the arts. Considering the outcome of students and the variety of majors, it's conclusive that the programs teach very well for students with huge ambitions.

5. Phoenix University
     The school goes by the motto of people who rise and work for what they want. Based on this, the students are hard-working to achieve, therefore placing a productive and supportive atmosphere around the school. They have online courses, which is very helpful in case I may not be able to attend classes in person. They also have flexible class times for people, which can help if I have trouble keeping up with work.

Prompts of Colleges

1. Stanford University

• Tell a story from your life, describing an experience that either demonstrates your character or helped to shape it.
• Describe a time when you made a meaningful contribution to others in which the greater good was your focus. Discuss the challenges and rewards of making your contribution.
• Has there been a time when you've had a long-cherished or accepted belief challenged? How did you respond? How did the challenge affect your beliefs?
• What is the hardest part of being a teenager now? What's the best part? What advice would you give a younger sibling or friend (assuming they would listen to you)?
• Submit an essay on a topic of your choice.

• Some students have a background, identity, interest or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story.
• The lessons we take from failure can be fundamental to later success. Recount an incident or time when you have experienced failure. How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience?
• Reflect on a time when you challenged a belief or idea. What prompted you to act? Would you make the same decision again?
• Describe a problem you’ve solved or a problem you’d like to solve. It can be an intellectual challenge, a research query, an ethical dilemma—anything that is of personal importance, no matter the scale. Explain its significance to you and what steps you took or could be taken to identify a solution.
• Discuss an accomplishment or event, formal or informal, that marked your transition from childhood to adulthood within your culture, community, or family.

2. Harvard University
     Unlike the rest of your application, which primarily consists of filling in boxes, the personal essay gives you the freedom to essentially write about whatever you want. No rules! Show who you are! Which sounds pretty cool, until you’re sitting there looking at a blank...

Creative Writing Partner Work

Partner: Javon Monico

     I don't know how much longer this battle against a foreign army is yet to last. My people is trying their hardest, guns blazing night and day and explosions ringing our ears. Our skies have penetrated by jets whizzing by like bullets at the speed of sound, the deafening roar hurting my brain. War has hurt us, and here I stand as someone who might risk their life displaying our strength to the opponents. I voluntarily walk out in plain sight, nothing but a fire burning next to me, smoke rising high enough a plane could see it from far away. I hold out the flag of my country, a bright blue and white beacon that begs for peace. No more do I wish to see death and sadness. Never more should there be a battle we must avoid to survive. I want peace. That is all I need. Hoping those who see this flag will understand, and that wish will come true.


     It is done, we have finally won. We won against the Ravens and earned our victory for the Super Bowl. Our fans cheer ecstatically, screaming chorused together until it's a single roar of congratulations. Purple and yellow dot every corner of the stadium, and I feel so victorious and happy, like a child who managed to get their mother to buy them a game they've waited months to get. Pumped with newfound adrenaline after a hard play, I look up at the sky with both arms out, trophy in had. This day was glorious, and I could feel tears almost streaming down my tired face.

Abstract and Concrete Word Practice

 
     The mine cart trailed against the rickety rails, a terrible creaking noise screeching into the ears of every passenger. Shivers ran down the people's spines as they continued down the dark tunnel, a blue glow lighting their only path. Fear could be seen on everyone's face, eyes squinting toward the endless void, hands reaching out to whatever help would come, and mouths opening to emit high-pitched screams. The ride was completely terrifying from the looks of everyone's eyes as tears streamed down their faces, and it has yet to end.

     Grandma stared at the weapon in her hands. A gun made out of metal that looks as if it has been manufactured and polished to a shine recently. A single bullet loaded, giving her one shot for one decision. Time ticked away on the clock, every passing second meaning she had less time to choose what to hit. Her husband sat next to her, both arms stretched out on the recliner, his eyes staring at the  deadly contraption in her hands. Grandma inhaled and closed her eyes for a moment, then laughed. She lifted the gun eye level, pointed away from her face. The last thing she said was goodbye, and she pulled the trigger.



     I had just returned from my station in California. I felt tired all over, bags under my eyes, my arms numb from carrying my bags, and my legs wobbly from so much walking. I was glad to be home, a smile forming on my wrinkled face. At the window was my daughter, face pressed against the cold glass as she suddenly pulled away from it and opened her mouth widely, saying what I assumed was that I was home. At once the whole family barged out the door, both of my children running in a blur while my wife walked out with tears streaming down her face. Everyone's eyes glinted with a shine, feeling so happy that I have returned. I was glad too, feeling the same liquid form on my eyes. I bent one knee down and spread out my arms, one of my kids leaping into my chest. My other kid hopped on my back, and I held her with one arm while I held my other kid with the other. My wife stood over me, smiling ear to ear. They were as happy as I was that I was home, arms embraced in a family hug.

Coming of Age (FINAL DRAFT)

     School used to be one of the loneliest places I've been to, always feeling like the lowest student in existence. Whether that feeling was true or not, I was an introvert from the start, and barely reached out to any more than several people. Reaching out to people was like trying to touch a cactus, and I  always receded. By seventh grade, my range of friends was no more than a small group I spent little time with. At that point, I was willing to call myself a forgotten loner. All the friends I had were in other groups, and I only talked to them during those short moments available. My parents would constantly ask me about how many friends I had and tell me to make more friends, which made me exclude myself from the other people I happen to be around. From there, I constantly told myself I couldn't be friends with other people because they would never noticed me or have ever cared about me. I tested a couple experiments by writing on the board to see if people would read it and therefore notice me. Some people did, but that was the minority of the target group.
     I spent a lot of time secluding myself from groups and straying away from anyone but the friends I trusted and try to see everyday at school. I constantly put thoughts in my head of suddenly disappearing and no one giving a thought about me. When they would realize that I wasn't there, I'd imagine guilt and sadness in everyone's heart because of how I was ignored. Imagining that was one of the few things that somehow kept me going. Looking back, it's ironic of my actions and why I claimed no one noticed me, considering I didn't reach out to people when I should have if I wanted people to know I'm there. However, knowing how introverted I was, it was no wonder I thought that way.
     In eighth grade, nothing much changed. I had the same people I interacted with, the same people I stayed away from, and the same mindset that kept me going. A few months into that school year, our class had a retreat, which was supposed to help us grow closer together and continue our growth as leaders and preparation for life. I had little hopes for whatever would change between me and the people around me, so I expected little outcomes of the retreat. However, the retreat surprised me.
     At first, I was still being the excluded person by my own choice. We were put in different groups for different activities, talking and working and laughing together, which I joined in. Regardless, I mentioned loudly how I was constantly ignored several times. Saying that was my pride, getting the attention I thought I never got as a person. That ended up firing back at me hours later.
     Later that night, one of the retreat leaders reminded me how I said I wanted people to notice me, and said everyone already does, whether I see it or not. He said I was never invisible, and instead I turned away from people. I was simply putting myself away from everyone myself. After that talk, the whole class crowded into a group for singing. One of my classmates motioned for me to come together with them, which surprised me. He said I was always a friend to them, never invisible, and everyone knew I was there. I felt like crying and smiling at the same time, and my heart hurt like someone was pressing it into the ground. I was wrong the whole time about being visible. I can't remember how long I smiled or cried.
     The sad thing was that it was eighth grade, the year I was going to say goodbye to everyone. Had I learned that lesson earlier, I would have had a more positive attitude. I would have been happier and smiled more because every day would have looked bright with so many friends. Instead I spent those years crawling into a corner and watching as everyone passed by. Regardless, that lesson was kept in my mind, and I wouldn't forget it. Going into my later school years, I was still shy around people, but when I got used to my surroundings I was able to make a few friends by being more outgoing and talking more to others.

Angry Letter

Dear Disney Channel Staff Writers,
Like million of others, I have been a fan of your shows for years and appreciate the entertainment you've provided. Your shows have a diverse number of characters with unique and lovable personalities and humorous episodes with deep messages that people have enjoyed.

However, in recent years your shows have taken a turn that doesn't cope with your purpose as not only entertainment but also some education and rating. In your show, "Jessie," you've introduced a more diverse cast which leads to teaching about different cultures. The show takes on a family with four children, three who were adopted from around the world. Although the characters are lovable, they also act stereotypical based on character background or appearance stereotype. For some characters, the way they act doesn't correlate to their progression or their character history. In a review from a Web2Cars Seniors Writer, it states how the youngest, Zuri, "is the adopted daughter from Uganda, now raised by an upper-class white family. She's a sassy eight-year-old with a major attitude problem, whose catchphrases include 'mmmhmmmm' and 'oh no you didn't' - both delivered in a stereotypical black manner, despite the fact that she has little expose to black culture," (Prossnitz). Characters Emma and Luke, the two oldest children of the four, are portrayed as the "standard blonde" and "American boy," being into fashion and less intelligent and a flirt respectively. Ravi, despite having an interest in American culture, doesn't portray this well in the show until very late and in his later role in "Bunk'd." He's garbed in his cultural clothing and speaks of peace and order rather than his character engaging more on studying the American culture he has noted being so fond of.
Speaking of "Bunk'd," the show still retains a stereotypical atmosphere as well as a more adult sort of humor that doesn't cope with kids. The show is basically a summer camp with a variety of children and counselors who form bonds and enjoy the summer as best as possible. The character, Tiffany, is a young Asian girl with a strict mother who wants her to strive for the best and only the best, or she receives unknown consequences. This is based on the Asian stereotype of parents with high expectations. The show also contains humor that is reserved more for a teenagers, which in the channel itself seems to be the direction it's going for. Written by several people on a review several people have stated "some of the jokes were just immature (farting jokes)... they joked about making out... there was also a scene where a girl was acting VERY seductive and asked this, 'I made some hot wings. Wanna bite?' The boy she was talking to then said, 'I don't think she means the hot wings,'" (Common Sense Media). I'd probably suggest to put "Bunk'd" on Disney XD, as that channel is for shows that aim toward pre-teens and teenagers, which the show clearly displays in humor and character behaviors.

These shows are pretty good in humor and story, the characters being witty and clever occasionally that brings a laugh. I do congratulate that, and hope for the better decisions in characters for the children's viewing.


Sincerely,

Chaysen Agcaoili

Social Media Depression (FINAL DRAFT)

    A regular time-passer adolescents of this generation tend to do is log on to social media sites. The sites allow communication from long distances, showing each other what they’ve been doing, and catching up since last time people say each other. However, social media can be a threatening place that leaves most users vulnerable to negative effects: anxiety, stress, jealously, loneliness, and pressure. If any of these negative affect become too hard to handle, it can lead to what's known as "social media depression." Social media depression can be resulted from neglect, misinterpretation, or negative confrontation. However, depression does have its benefits, such as better thinking skills and dealing with certain life events. If someone had a recent break up, depression helps them deal with the event until they feel better. Social media can benefit those for certain situations, but leads to depression as it will worsen a person’s well-being through emotional confrontation, misinterpreting images by others, and a feeling of neglect due to no notifications addressing them.

    Social media does cause depression, but that feeling is a benefit that can help with complicated tasks, deal with certain life events, and better understanding. “Depression can be an adaptive way of dealing with certain problems in life, such as relationship breakdown and illness,” (PsyBlog). If a  person had a terrible break up or is dealing with an illness that brings down the positive outlook on the situation, depression can ease the process. It can help cope with it so it doesn’t seem as bad as it is. “Depressed people process information more deeply, are more accurate at complex tasks, make better judgement on detail-oriented information, and make more accurate cost-benefit analyses,” (PsyBlog). A down feeling increases thinking skills in the event where it’s normally difficult to process. Problems will be solved faster and more correctly with better focus. Social media depression provides advantages in life that make it a bit better to have.

    However, social media holds its major downside. A common one that leads to depression can be as simple as misinterpretation. While on social media, you could end up seeing your friends having fun somewhere you weren’t aware of, and that could lead to thinking that you weren’t invited on purpose, although the photo may be something else. “You friends might be smiling for the camera at a church or sporting event you normally wouldn’t attend. Before you have a chance to obtain a reasonable explanation, your day is already ruined,” (Your Life Your Voice). The photo isn’t always what it seems, leading to a misinterpretation of what’s going on. Explanations for misjudgement isn’t always made on time, so depression takes place first frequently. Judging a picture on what it looks like can make someone depressed to know they weren’t there to have fun.

    Social media is a massive online interaction site, but due to so many users, there’s not many staff members to control it all. That leaves some people vulnerable to cyberbullying. “Bullies can amass mobs of other social media users to swarm you with slander, and there’s often no responsible adult monitoring any of it,” (Your Life Your Voice). Bullies can gather many followers based on what they said about the victim to create slander. It can’t be stopped by staff until they’re notified and actually take the case under their hands. “According to the American College of Pediatricians, 'over half of adolescents state they have been bullied online and over 25 percent of adolescents state they have been bullied repeatedly through internet or on cell phones. However only 1 in 10 teens will tell a parent about the bullying,'” (Liu). People express themselves on social media. If they’re cyber-bullied, that can change how they look at themselves and develop depression, not telling their parents due to it being a personal issue. Bullying is bad enough offline, so people who are hurt in real life never get a break on social medias.

    A majority of people use social media to check their notifications, checking what’s happened and see if their friends have addressed them recently. Should nothing pop up, they’d keep checking in a frequent manner and an feeling of neglect that would increase the more nothing shows. “It may be that people who already are depressed are turning to social media to fill a void,” (Psyblog). Social media fills the awkward offline time, some times having nothing to do. This can lead to frequently checking notifications many times a day, noted as “Social Media OCD.” “People with Social Media OCD feel the urge to constantly check their social media for updates,” (Your Life Your Voice). If nothing pops up for them, they feel neglected as if no one is around to talk to or people are simply ignoring them, even if that isn't the case. “You wake up and check Social Media, and no one’s responded to your hilarious blogs or updates,” (Your Life Your Voice). With no one responding to any humor you put up, it feels like no one read it, since someone should have commented to what’s funny. Thinking no one’s around feels like you’ve been neglected.

    Social media may have its benefits, from enhanced focus to better judgements, but it will have a negative view to those vulnerable to its effects, introducing Social Media depression. Anything can happen on the Internet that would trigger an emotion, whether it be the feeling of neglect, cyberbullying, or mistaking a photo for something that is "purposely making you feel left out." This negative result of Social Media proves its dangers to users, and has to be controlled. Social media is beneficial in certain ways, but the downside affects of it can potentially ruin a person's well-being. This has been an issue since the rise of technology and connecting to other people through screens. Anyone on the Internet can become a victim of depression in so many ways that outnumber its positive effects.

Social Media Depression

    A regular time-passer adolescents of this generation tend to do is log on to social media sites. The sites allow communication from long distances, showing each other what they’ve been doing, and catching up since last time people say each other. However, social media can be a threatening place that leaves most users vulnerable to negative effects: a common one being depression. Social media depression can be resulted from neglect, misinterpretation, or negative confrontation. However, depression does have its benefits, such as better thinking skills and dealing with certain life events. Social media can benefit those for certain situations, but leads to depression as it will worsen a person’s well-being through emotional confrontation, misinterpreting images by others, and a feeling of neglect due to no notifications addressing them.

    Social media does cause depression, but that feeling is a benefit that can help with complicated tasks, deal with certain life events, and better understanding. “Depression can be an adaptive way of dealing with certain problems in life, such as relationship breakdown and illness,” (4 Surprising Advantages of Being Depressed). Depression helps people deal with issues in life that would be harder to cope with. It can ease the situation so it doesn’t seem as bad as it is. “Depressed people process information more deeply, are more accurate at complex tasks, make better judgement on detail-oriented information, and make more accurate cost-benefit analyses,” (4 Surprising Advantages of Being Depressed). A down feeling increases thinking skills in the event where it’s normally difficult to process. This is helpful for many occasions. Social media depression provides advantages in life that make it a bit better to have.

    However, social media holds its major downside. A common one that leads to depression can be as simple as misinterpretation. While on social media, you could end up seeing your friends having fun somewhere you weren’t aware of, and that could lead to thinking that you weren’t invited on purpose, although the photo may be something else. “You friends might be smiling for the camera at a church or sporting event you normally wouldn’t attend. Before you have a chance to obtain a reasonable explanation, your day is already ruined,” (Tip: Social Media Depression). The photo isn’t always what it seems, leading to a misinterpretation of what’s going on. Explanations for misjudgement isn’t always made on time, so depression takes place first frequently. Judging a picture on what it looks like can make someone depressed to know they weren’t there to have fun.

    Social media is a massive online interaction site, but due to so many users, there’s not many staff members to control it all. That leaves some people vulnerable to cyberbullying. “Bullies can amass mobs of other social media users to swarm you with slander, and there’s often no responsible adult monitoring any of it,” (Tip: Social Media Depression). Bullies can gather many followers based on what they said about the victim to create slander. It can’t be stopped by staff until they’re notified and actually take the case under their hands. “Depression is developed by basing identity on what people say about you,” (Social Media and Depression). People express themselves on social media. If they’re cyberbullied, that can change how they look at themselves and develop depression. Bullying is bad enough offline, so people who are hurt in real life never get a break on social medias.

    A majority of people use social media to check their notifications, checking what’s happened and see if their friends have addressed them recently. Should nothing pop up, they’d keep checking in a frequent manner and an feeling of neglect that would increase the more nothing shows. “It may be that people who already are depressed are turning to social media to fill a void,” (Psyblog). Social media fills the awkward offline time, some times having nothing to do. This can lead to frequently checking notifications many times a day, noted as “Social Media OCD.” “People with Social Media OCD feel the urge to constantly check their social media for updates,” (Tip: Social Media Depression). If nothing pops up for them, they feel neglected as if no one is around to talk to. “You wake up and check Social Media, and no one’s responded to your hilarious blogs or updates,” (Tip: Social Media Depression). With no one responding to any humor you put up, it feels like no one read it, since someone should have commented to what’s funny. Thinking no one’s around feels like you’ve been neglected.

    Social media may have its benefits, but it will have a negative view to those vulnerable to its effects, introducing Social Media depression. This negative result of Social Media proves its dangers to users, and has to be controlled.

English Portfolio

http://chaysenagcaoili.wix.com/portfolio

Nation Collab Project

UNITED PROVINCES OF SOL

10 Ultimate Laws

• Income is taxed monthly and cannot be avoided.  
• The minimum wage is determined by the nation’s overall revenue.
• People may choose to live in any region in which they choose called provinces. Each province is under the federal power, but are allowed to create their own laws.
• Taxes are directly based on an individual’s salary.
• Each province cannot deny an individual their right to vote for their provinces representative.
• College, universities, and school tuition are all free.
• Every single purchase is to be recorded and submitted to the government. One’s credit score is based on these purchases.
• Credit scores allow one to, for example, purchase a house. A lower range reduces one’s chance of acquiring said house. The same applies with all large purchases.
• Upon reaching the age of 5, individuals must register to get a barcode branded onto their wrist.
• Individuals can only work at the age of 16 and above.
• All income is to be transferred into the same database that records their barcode. Here, income, purchases, etc. are recorded and backed up every hour. No physical currency exists.

5 Things Allowed

• Individuals have complete freedom in selecting their jobs, spouse, location of living, etc.
• Individuals have complete freedom in expressing their appearance or culture, so long as they do not violate laws concerning discrimination or endangerment of one's life.
• Drugs, alcohol, and any other substances are allowed. Provinces are allowed make laws to restrict this if desired.
• Individuals can choose how they want their taxes to be split. However, there is a minimum percentage that one must have for each category.
• The protesting, petitioning, etc. of a law, politician, etc. is allowed.

5 Things Not Allowed

• Discrimination on ethnic, racial, gender, sexual orientation, religion, etc. in any form is strictly prohibited.
• Murder, theft, vandalization, rape, harassment, and any action that may harm an individual or endanger their life and privacy is prohibited.
• People are allowed to have a maximum or 3 children. Any excess children will be taken and cared for by the local government’s “orphanage”.
• Individuals are not allowed to travel to other countries’ if they have not posted tax in advance. If individuals do not post this tax or claims absence for a longer duration than listed, they will exiled and will not be considered a citizen of the country.
• People with disabilities will not be given aid if the disability was due to recklessness or purposefully partaking in activities that harm oneself (such as drugs).

How/Where they will live, wear, ranking (if any), etc.

• Each province is allowed a specific number of representatives based on their population size.
• Representatives from each province gather every year to discuss the state of their nation and elect the country's’ representative who will deal with foreign relations.
• Each region is allowed a certain amount of people. Starting with the lowest class, individuals must leave to another province if the region has reached max population. Max population is based on the country's total population
• People who choose a certain job may choose to go to a region with an environment that suits their vocation (farming - rural region, business man - urban region, historian - varies on degree of studies)
• Although each province does have freedoms in the direction that they want to go, they will be preset to cater to certain categories of jobs.

Partner: Coby Shimabukuro

Literary Analysis: Merchant of Venice Theme (FINAL DRAFT)

     People tend to view and judge things by how they see them. However, appearances can be deceiving, and lead one to misfortune by their own mistake. Someone could find a cool and popular person, and think they're really nice. But the person is actually really mean and doesn't want to associate with them. In the book, Merchant of Venice, suitors were given a lottery of three caskets, and had to choose the right one in order to marry a girl. Two have promising appearances and one didn't look very valuable at all, but when opened their contents are the opposite of their appearance. In The Merchant of Venice by Shakespeare, it explains that the appearance of something is simply a lie to deceive others.

    When the Prince of Morocco visits the rich young lady Portia to choose the correct casket and have her hand in marriage, he chooses what he finds most suitable for the lady by appearance, but ends up being wrong. "In England they have a gold coin called an Angel, with the image of an angel stamped on it. It's only engraved. But inside here an angel lies upon a golden bed," (2.7.55-59). The Prince of Morocco chose the gold casket because of a gold coin that had the engraving of an angel, which, in relation to the caskets, the gold one had the picture of Portia, an "angel.". However, he only looked at the appearance with no thought that it could be a trick. "what have we here? A rotting skull, and in its empty eye socket there's a rolled-up manuscript. I'll read the writing on it: All that glitters is not gold; Often have you heard that told. Many a man his life has sold Just my outside to behold," (2.7.62-68). Despite the casket looking valuable, its contents were the complete opposite. The outside of the gold casket was a lie to deceive him, holding a rotten skull instead of Portia's picture. The Prince of Morocco made a foolish decision because he determined what was right and wrong through appearance.

     Bassanio, another man who wanted to win marriage to Portia, made his choice with something that didn't look promising but held more that what it seemed. "Ornament is the treacherous shore of a very dangerous sea, the beautiful scarf veiling an uncertain beauty; in short, it is a mock-truth that on swindling occasions can deceive the cleverest of men. Therefore, gaudy gold, food for Midas, I want none of you. nor of you, silver, the stuff of common currency. But you, worthless lead, which threatens rather than promises, your plain speaking appeals more than the eloquence of your rivals. This is my choice," (3.2.97-107). Bassanio made it clear that appearances are lies, and knocks away the valuable gold and silver caskets in favor of the worthless lead. He ignores the dull lead's appearance, knowing that its contents don't match its display. "What do I find here? Fair Portia's portrait! How close to the divine this is!... Just as my praises undervalue the portrait, the portrait falls short of the reality. Here's the scroll, on which my fortune's summarized: You who choose not by the view Take fair chance, and choose quite true," (3.2.114-116,127-132). Bassanio, in choosing the casket that had no promising appearance, found Portia's picture and won her marriage. He knew that appearances are lies. Bassanio made a wise decision because he determined what was right and wrong through thought.

     When the suitors chose the caskets, they made decisions based on what they thought of the three metals that lied before them. The Prince of Morocco, choosing appearance to determine what was correct, chose the precious gold and ended up being wrong. When Bassanio chose the worthless lead, he ended up being right. In The Merchant of Venice by Shakespeare, it notes that one can't determine someone or something's value just by their appearance. Anything can look deceiving, so it's never easy to tell what's right or wrong. A person could be given a present in fine wrapping paper and a carefully detailed ribbon, but will find that the gift held a worthless object. The present looked promising, but the object was the opposite. People need to stop judging things by appearance, or they could get opposing results.

Merchant of Venice Q/A

1.     What is the setting of the story? What are the people like, the culture etc.?
The story takes place in Italy 1600's. The culture had a mix of of English and Italian, with polite and trusting people. 

2.     We meet Antonio in the first scene, who exactly is he and what is his worries that he faces early on?
Antonio  is an Italian merchant in Venice who is depressed and doesn't know why. He's worried about his investments.

3.     We also meet Bassanio a friend of Antonio, what does he ask of Antonio? Explain.
He asked Antonio for a loan so that he can bug something for Portia.

4.     Portia worries about finding a husband, so what does she decide to do that she thinks will be best solution to her problem? Explain.
She decides to give a test to the suitors by making them choose out of three caskets to find one with gold. The one who gets the gold will be her husband.

Act I Scene III Questions


Revisiting the Portia situation, why is the choosing of a man suitable for her out of her hands?
Her father had decided the casket test, which she had no say in.

Who is Shylock? What is his importance in the story thus far?
Shylock is a Jewish man who confirmed a loan with Bassanio and made a deal with Antonio to pay back the loan in three months. 

What is the agreement Shylock and Antonio come to terms with?
Shylock will cancel interest on Antonio, but if he fails to make his pay in time, Shylock can take a pound of flesh from him from any part of the body he chooses.

Why is Shylock so hesistant of this agreement with Antonio? While answering this question you should also explain their history and relationship between each other.
Shylock is hesitant to agree due to his reputation for having usury and making a deal with a Christian, whom he hates. 

Would you trust Antonio? Why or why not.
No, because the deal he made was quickly thought with no second thought, so he may have made promises he'd regret to keep.

Reflection question: Many times people say friends don't make good business partners, or you should never live with your best friends. Why do you think this is so? Is it smart that Antonio and Shylock are doing business together?
People probably say that because when they made business choices, they would either fight over which decision should be made, or they would willingly choose the option their friend decides regardless of how they feel of it. 
It probably isn't a good idea for Antonio and Shylock to work together due to their history, how they perceive each other, and their ideas on what is better. 

Statement Judgement Anticipation Guide Answers

• Don’t rely on outward appearances when making judgments. 

Agree

     A person can't be fully described by their outward appearance. People hold appearances physically, mentally, and emotionally. A book character could have the appearance of a menacing bully, but really is just insecure deep down.

• Justice is always blind.

Agree

     Justice is perceptive, and there's always a wrong on it when a person tries to "make justice" on someone. Social Justice Warriors (SJW's) on Tumblr have a history of flaming people and nearly driving them to insanity because they don't approve of said people. The people hold opinions they don't like, draw characters "wrong," and their ideas sometimes end up being interpreted negatively   by SJW's, which leads to flaming and cyber bullying until the victim ends up suiciding, which they call "justice."

• A brotherly love between two friends can be just as strong as an intimate love between a man and a woman.

Agree

     Two people can hold a strong relationship that can relate to any other type of relationship. There isn't a divider between any type of relationship. I was really close friends with one of my cousins when I was younger.

• You can break a promise as long as you have a good excuse

Disagree

     A promise, in definition, is a statement that expresses assurance to someone. That assurance gives trust, so it cannot be broken, good excuse or not. I promised a friend that I was going to finish a small comic book within a few days, and he gave me his trust. I did finish that comic book.

• Love is blind.

Disagree

     Love could be instantly found and be right immediately, or it could be through trying to find love. People could "love" someone and see if that really is love for them. I don't know love at all.

• Stereotypes are often right.

Disagree

     Stereotyping people doesn't give a good judgement of someone, whether it be a past experience, rumors, or others. Learning more about a person gives more information to make a better judgement. In Zootopia (SPOILERS), Judy, a rabbit, had a bullying encounter with a fox, the natural predator, but when she meets a fox later in her life, she learns more about the fox and realizes that all foxes aren't going to hurt her.

• An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth is a good motto to live by.

Agree

     A fair trade with something of equal value is a good way of bartering. To both people, it would mean a trade of something they want for something that feels like it has an equal value of what they're trading. Art trades between artists give art for art in an equal value.

Of Mice and Men Research Connection and Character Analysis

Research Connection: The Great Depression

Many of the characters in the book face a lot of prices to pay, some of those prices having a high cost that workers with little money need to work months before being able to pay. "'We don't never go there. Clara gets three bucks a crack and thirty-five cents a shot," (Of Mice and Men, pg. 53). The tone of the person saying this while mentioning the prices and deciding never to go to that spot shows how just three dollars or thirty-five cents are too expensive for someone to pay at the time. The Great Depression had prices go up and wages go down, which is clear in the quote. "Candy went on excitedly, 'How much they want for a place like that?' George watched him suspiciously. "Well - I could get it for six hundred bucks,'" (Of Mice and Men, pg. 59). The place mentioned is being sold for six hundred dollars. The cost is high and the character who was going to buy it would need to work many months at his job. The prices were really high while the wages were low, making it hard for someone to buy something at the time. 

Character Analysis: Lennie

Lennie was described throughout the book with his actions, thoughts, and speech. He displays his personality as a pacifist and a hard worker, and never gets angry at anyone, even his partner. He's nowhere quite the smart nor independent one, but his kindred spirit makes up for it. "'I turns to Lennie and says, 'Jump in.' An' he jumps. Couldn't swim a stroke...near drowned before we could get him...nice to me for pullin' him out. Clean forgot I told him to jump in. Well, I ain't done nothing like that no more,'" (Of Mice and Men pg. 40). Lennie forgets the trouble George put on him, and is still nice to the latter despite the earlier actions. "'I didn't wanta,' Lennie cried. 'I didn't wanta hurt him,'" (Of Mice and Men, pg. 64). Lennie is really soft and is revealed to be a pacifist, as he didn't inflict much pain. Lennie isn't too bright, but is kind and has no intention of hurting anyone.

Lennie also displays a character of obedience to whatever he's told to do, but if he's told to do or say something he was previously told not to by another person, he can get confused and shy (26). "George gestured with his spoon. 'What you gonna say tomorrow when the boss asks you questions?' Lennie stopped chewing and swallowed. His face was concentrated. 'I...I ain't gonna...say a word," (Of Mice and Men, pg. 15). Lennie shows his obedience to George with remembering what the latter told him without question. By his concentration, it also shows what is his intelligence and how hard it was to remember. "'He can talk if he wants to tell you anything.' He nodded slightly to Lennie. 'We jus' com in,' said Lennie softly," (Of Mice and Men, pgs. 25-26). Lennie was previously told not to talk, which in this case he had to. He was confused with what he memorized and what he just heard, therefore he talked softly and shyly. Lennie is an obedient partner who does what he's told, but will get confused if he's told two opposite things.

The Great Depression Chunky Paragraph

The great depression was the longest, and strongest economic depression in America. In the first paragraph, the article talks about early effects of the stock market crash, "In the United States, the Great Depression began soon after the stock market crash of October 1929, which sent Wall Street into a panic and wiped out millions of investors. " The economic crash affected many who were unsuspecting of the economic crash. Many lost their jobs, others are in deep debt, not many couldn't even recover of the terrible effects of the depression. After affects of the stock market crash, many companies were affected as well, "Over the next several years, consumer spending and investment dropped, causing steep declines in industrial output and rising levels of unemployment as failing companies laid off workers." Even if some companies were still there, they too were affected by the effects of the depression, forcing companies to fire workers, which a lot of them were left to become unemployed. Even banks started going for the worst, regarding the fact that america's economy went downhill as well.

During the 10 years of suffering in the United States, President Herbert Hoover tried his hardest to keep the nation in check and return everything to its proper state up to the end when President Franklin Roosevelt rose up. "Since the crash, Hoover had worked ceaselessly trying to fix the economy. He founded government agencies, encouraged labor harmony, supported local aid for public work,s, fostered cooperation between government and business in order to stabilize prices, and struggled to balance the budget," (Herbert Hoover on the Great Depression and New Deal, pg. 1). Hoover was working incredibly hard to keep the country from falling in the depression with the rest of the world. With his work, the United States may have risen up a bit and restored some of its businesses until Hoover lost to Franklin Roosevelt. "Roosevelt promised Americans a 'New Deal' when he took office, and during his first 'Hundred Days' as president, he signed a number of groundbreaking news laws," (Herbert Hoover on the Great Depression and New Deal, pg. 2). Franklin Roosevelt's news laws changed the U.S., as he was still president when the Great Depression ended. With the end of he 10 long years, 6 million drafted soldiers and 6 million defense workers recruited to fight in World War II and  the federal government imposed to rationing.

Of Mice and Men Vocabulary

Words: Mollify and Graybacks


Quotes: 

Mollify: "Damn right he don't," Said George, slightly mollified, "not if he wants to stay workin' long." But he was reassured by the swamper's defense."


Graybacks: "Then how come he got graybacks?" George was working up a slow anger. Lennie put his bundle on the neighboring bunk and sat down. He watched George open his mouth."


Self definitions: 

Mollify: To calm down someoene's anger, or anxiety


Graybacks: Graybacks was a term used to describe bedbugs, bugs that tends to suck blood from someone while they're asleep.


Sentences: 

Mollify: If I didn't mollify the two friends, they would have still been bickering.


Graybacks: Be careful when going to sleep tonight, heard Graybacks been biting people in their sleep recently.