Reflection On 1st Semester

Okay, so I think I did pretty okay last semester. Though I missed some homework and didn't always get good grades, I still tried pretty hard and did my best. I really learned a lot this semester too and I think I learned to manage my time just a little bit better. I can now somewhat control myself and restrain myself from being lured in my many movies and tv series that are just soooo addictive. I also managed to turn most of my homework in on time as well, which I'm pretty proud of, because I am just so bad at turning in homework and monitoring and keeping track of what homework is due and all that. My grades were pretty decent last semester as well, which is pretty, well, yeah, absolutely awesome. I've always liked English classes, since there's usually no right or wrong answers and you can argue for your answers, unlike other classes like math and science where there's only 1 right answer and that's all. I also really appreciate the extra credit opportunities available to us, because we can actually learn from them and also boost our grades a little. Mr. Dahl should definitely keep that. I think last year's rules and system was just fine and pretty effective as well. Everyone learned a lot and it was a pretty enjoyable semester :). I really like this class but I hope I can still do well next semester since Mr. Dahl said we'd have to work extra hard just to get a good grade and also it'd be super hard to get into honors or something like that. Scary..

How Do Expectations Affect Performance?

Think of a time when someone in a position of authority set a high goal for you. Perhaps a coach expected you to be the team's top scorer, or a parent expected you to get straight A's. How did you respond to these expectations? were you motivated to work harder?

Discuss why might parents have higher expectations of their children?

Well, both examples the book gave me (coach and parent) has happened to me before, except my coach expected me to get the most medals (since it's swimming not some sports where you score). I really, really hate high expectations. I believe that the higher the expectations are, the worse the result will be. It's always been like that for me. Whenever there are high standards set for me, the worse I do. I think I get way to nervous because I really want to rise up to the challenge and prove to that person that I can do whatever he/she expects of me. However, that just results in me trying too hard and screwing up some way or another. In that swimming competition, I only remembered to swim as fast as I can, but my strokes and coordination was all wrong. I really hate it, so whenever something like that happens, I just tell myself to do my best and hope for the best. That works much more effectively for me compared to high expectations. I also believe that threats and punishments work better than expectations, because fear is a much more effective motivation for humans. I think parents often have higher expectations of their children because they believe their children are special (that what all parents think apparently) and that they can do anything and they're superior to all other kids. They also want their children to be the best and shine, I suppose. But that is a lot of pressure for their kids to take, so I would suggest the parents to not set standards that are unreachable rather than motivational and feasible.

Where Do You Go To Get Away From It All?

What does nature do for you? Whether it's staring at a fishbowl or hiking in the mountains, many people look to nature for beauty, serenity, and relaxation. The poems that follow reflect on the nature world. List types of nature you enjoy and the reasons why.

I guess nature sometimes calms me down and makes me realize that there's a whole world out there and I may not be the unluckiest one. Nature also makes me feel free because of how big it is, and makes me believe that there is a greater force, a higher power out there, wherever it may be. And I don't have to worry about anything at all because everything will turn out just fine. I really enjoy the ocean, because, well I really love swimming and I think the sea is just such a magical place. The fish swimming around freely and the beautiful plants and the vast ocean just makes me feel like I can do anything I want and I can go anywhere I want to go. I suppose that's also why my favorite Disney movie was Little Mermaid when I was a kid. I also like mountains, a lot. I love climbing them and the satisfaction you get when you get to the top. I love the clean smell of air and the quiet harmony of the chirping of the birds and the sound of the wind caressing the grass and trees. I also like little things like rainbows and raindrops because they're so perfect and pretty, the sunset and sunrise because they're beautiful, and there's just so much more but now I can only think of these. Nature is really beautiful and I'm glad I can enjoy it.

Why Do We Hurt The Ones We Love?

Well, I suppose that's just the way our brains and hearts work. They don't work together! Our hearts tell us they love that person, but our brains tell us that the person is really driving you crazy (in a not romantic and not good way). I get mad at people I love a lot. My friends, my family, myself for example. I think it's totally normal to get mad at them (and me). But the thing is, when you get really over-the-top mad, you might hurt that person, but not necessarily physically. You may call them names and shout insulting things you swore to never say to them and you'll totally regret after you calm down. Sometimes you also throw things at them or push them which may accidentally hurt them. Sometimes, if you're mentally ill and need to see a psychologist or something, you might really seriously hurt them on purpose. We're human. We can't just have the same emotion throughout our lives. We also have our own opinions which often times cause tension and a lot of fighting. It's normal! However, just control your anger and learn to accept each others' differences. After all, you love those people, right?