Parting Thoughts

          Jeez, I do not remember these being so hard. Metacognitions were the easiest assignment ever two months ago, sometimes even fun. But now, I have taken fifteen minutes just to write that first sentence. I think that it is because it is the final one, so my brain will not let me write anything but my best. A few months ago, I would have this Metacognition done in thirty minutes tops. But now, it take me a couple of hours, if I want it to be great. Now, I check every sentence three times over to make it sounds right. This is one of the many habits that I have adopted through just a year in Fitz’s classroom. 

My Second Home
Recollections of the past and hopes for the future

         June 22 should be the first day of camp at Camp Thoreau. It should be. You see, Camp Thoreau has been my second home during the summer time. I have had so many memories there, as I have been there since I was three years of age; however, this whole coronavirus pandemic could be halting camp for the time being. There have been no emails, no news, no nothing about wether camp will take place or not. God, I really hope that it does. I really do.

           A New Perspective on a Routine Run

The poetry of earth is never dead

~John Keats

      In a society where our lives are spent on the internet and our eyes are glued to screens, we never really find time to embrace the opportunity that a leisurely stroll gives us. There are many things that the great outdoors has to offer, most of which we humans take for granted. While the internet is an amazing outlet for people to do unimaginable things, it does come with some flaws. Everyone knows that staring at screens for a long period of time damages your eyes; however, it also makes us forget about the magnificence of the woods. We forget about the fresh scent of trees. We forget about the colors that the flowers make at full bloom. We forget about the truly beautiful scenery that the spring brings with it. We should not let this pandemic force us to rot our brains by staring at pixels for hours on end; we should get up off of our asses and identify the true beauty of the outdoors.

Adjusting to Circumstances

        I think I am adjusting to this new quarantine lifestyle. For one, I have become very cautious about my health. I have washed my hands every hour or so, and I wear a mask whenever my family and I decide to go on a walk around the neighborhood. I keep a six-foot distance from people and I never touch my face. I have also learned to take this opportunity to spend some quality time with the ones that I love. With my older brother home from college and my parents working from home, we have a great amount of time to ourselves. We often have movie nights, game nights and family basketball games to prevent us from going insane due to social isolation; however, I think that the most important adjustment that I have made is to get fresh air as much as I can.

In Isolation with Mother Nature

How the great outdoors helped me overcome stress

Take a quiet walk with Mother Nature. It will nurture your mind, body, and soul.

 -A.D Williams

       Peace is something that most people struggle to find. It is very hard for me to clear my mind and center myself, considering that I am a constantly stressed scholar. Out on my backyard pond, I feel like I’m connecting not only with myself, but with someone else. Out on my backyard pond, I connect with mother nature. 

A Universal Language

How Music Connects us all 

Where words leave off, music begins.

- Heinrich Heine    

    Music is a universal language that connects generations. My family listens to many artists from several different genres. Wether its playing basketball outside, eating dinner, or simply relaxing in the comfort of our home, we always have music on. 

A Campfire to Remember

             My neighborhood is unlike many. Usually, you have an angry old man who scolds you when you step one foot into his property. Occasionally, you have a family with a dog who barks every minute of every day, waking you up in the middle of the night; however, I have none of that. I really have it good. To the left of my house is a family with two children that my brothers and I have been friends with since we could walk. In front of my house is a family with two daughters, one of which has autism. Her older sister takes care of her. They moved in a couple of years ago and ever since, we have been very close with them. The list goes on and on, but I will stop it there for your sake. My neighborhood has had a profound impact on my childhood. It has been the foundation of many great memories, and memories to come. 

A Simple Hello

        The cold air escapes  into the dining hall as myriads of ravenous boys.  bust through the doors. Anxious men scramble to prepare their stations, for it is go time. The kids navigate through the rows of tables, then pivot and dash to the lunch line. Soon, the line doubles, triples, then quadruples. Some kids foaming at the mouth, some kids indifferent about whatever is on the menu. Teachers looking forward to their well deserved time away from the students; well, sort of. It is lunch time, and while the kids might be excited for the food, there is a feeling of stress inside every one of the chefs behind the counter; however, they mask this anxiety with a smile and a positive attitude. Their personality brightens my mood every time I greet them. When chef Cesar says a simple “hello Oliver,” he never fails to enhance my day. It just goes to show how even the most uncomplicated, effortless gestures of kindness can go a long way. 

A Vivid Memory

     I have a vivid memory of the Thursday before spring break, specifically the third-period student life class.  Mr. Starensier interrupted his methodical lesson to briefly talk about the situation with COVID-19. A few minutes turned into ten minutes which turned into twenty minutes and before we knew it, we had taken almost half of the class talking about the virus. Mr. Starensier then throughout the question “what are you most looking forward to doing on break?” My answer wasn’t immediate in my brain, but when it came to me, it was definite. It was the thing that I was looking forward to the most by far. The question was passed around the room, and the responses were all practically the same. Everyone was looking forward to their trip to Mexico or their Disney cruise, but that was not what I was looking forward to. I wasn’t looking forward to a family trip, I was looking forward to being with my family and doing something that we don’t do quite often: eat out at a restaurant.  My parents, considering that they are both doctors, are constantly working throughout the week. If we ever go out to eat, it is during the weekend, and even then it is never a sit-down meal due to my father’s demanding profession: cardiology. Because of this pandemic that has taken over the world, I cannot do the thing I have most wanted to do since the start of the school year.