BAM (CRR)

Out of all the things that I have done inside of an English class, this probably was the funnest thing I've done. Most of the activities we've done in my past english classes were either interesting, or very annoying. Its always the same every year with a few exceptions: long classes that take all of my focus just to pay attention, whereas by the end of the class I'm mentally drained and can't pay attention in any other class after that. But with this program its different. It actually can keep my eyes open long enough to to get something out of the class. Im not saying that ALL of my english classes were boring, just a majority. With this, I actually don't lose energy like I do with any class, not just english. Now that its almost over, I think I'm going to miss having this for an english class, especially next year when I'm taking college level english classes.

Squash Tournaments (FC)

I've been in multiple squash tournaments in the past six years, and every time I've entered one, it got more and more difficult to win. Out of all of these tournaments. the hardest one to compete in is Individuals, a tournament that we have in June once every year. This up and coming one will be my last one ever, and will be no easier than any of the others that I have entered. Although that is the case, I am still looking forward to playing in it. Its always fun, even though playing in matches are exhausting. We always basket ball, even though we are not there to play ball. We get to use the pool there as well. Because this is my last Individuals, I look forward to playing in actually matches for one last time because I won't be picking squash back up in college.

Kendrick Lamar- Untitled (SSR)

One of my favorite songs by Kendrick is an un-aired song he performed on a T.V. show. Because it doesn't have an official title, peopled named it Untitled. The whole song was supposed to be a conversation that he is having with a girl he was trying to talk to. It goes from him trying to talk to her, to her asking him about how he treats himself, and how he might become a sell out like most rappers if he follows what record labels say and sign every deal they give him. My favorite verse is the last where he says:

A piece of mines, that what the white man wanted when i rhyme,
telling me that he selling me just for 10.99,
i go platinum for rapping, i do the company fine,
what if i compromise, said it don't even matter,
make a million or more, your living better than average,
your losing your core following, but gaining it all,
put a price on my talent i hit the bank and withdraw.

Not a lot of people heard it yet because it is unreleased, but you should go listen to it.

Mr. Washington's class (ID)

Now I know for a fact that I'm not the only one who's tired of wash's sarcasm. I feel like he really doesn't take his job seriously sometimes. Other times we actually do things that are beneficial like have a discussion. I'm not saying that I don't like his class, it definitely is one of my favorite periods, but he just goes over board sometimes. You could be dead serious about something when you talk to him, then he response with "How's that gonna get you out of this school and into college?" He doesn't even need to be in the conversation, but he'll still put his two cents in, while I just sit there like I didn't ask you.

Close Reading (CRR)

I really thought about it, and wondered in all my time having English, why have we never had to read song lyrics more for close reading assignments. We all obviously love music so why not. I can say that i have only had to do that one time, and that was maybe 4 years ago. It really amazes me how we don't do this more. Give the class verses to read and annotate for homework and i guarantee that everyone (well mostly everyone) will do it. I'm not saying that I don't like some of the readings we have, because some of them are actually interesting, and i also understand that we have to be reading more difficult things to get read for college, but that does not mean that we cant get lyrics to a song and try to understand the deeper meaning behind it, like MANY song now a days have. If you don't believe me, search up any song, then go to genius.com and read what the artist meant by it and i bet you'll be surprised.

Applications (FC)

So i finally finished all these applications. Now that I'm finished with them, all I can think is THANK GOD, now I have to worry about actually getting accepted. So the stress isn't exactly gone, but that's definitely a weight off my shoulders. On top of that, I've also already been accepted to Onondaga, so now I really only have to worry about finishing FAFSA and finishing high school. If only it were that easy though. But to think that we all struggled for FOUR YEARS now and its almost over is crazy. Now its just one more challenge before we move on with our lives, and i really excited that its finally almost over. Just one more semester in this school, and then were off to college.

Zolar's Class (ID)

So for what ever reason, I got Mr. Zolar again. He is my first period class. To be honest, I like his class, but its exactly like how is other classes are: random, funny and really hard to follow. Each week he gives us one or two articles to go over in class. We read and discuss them in class, then at the end of the week, we have to write two paragraphs summarizing the article. You would think that its simple, easy 90. Wrong. One, he makes you make drafts for 2 paragraphs. Who makes a draft for 2 paragraphs summarizing an article that's right in front of you? Two, the paragraphs have to follow a certain format. I'm not even sure what the format is. He just gives me an outline paper and says, go right ahead. It kind of reminds me of when he taught us what Cornell notes were, and how to right them, even though I never actually learned how to do them. Actually, I don't anyone in our grade who had him learned, or remembers, how to do Cornell notes. Three, he barely even talks about the article in class. Remember how you would ask him that ONE good question, or make that one good comment, and he just goes of for the rest of the class? Yup, he still does that. Only now it goes on randomly, and doesn't even have anything to do with the question. We can go from asking him about how to save money, to him talking about how his little cousin got arrested the other day. Well, the class is funny so might as well stay in it.

Rappers (SSR)

Hip Hop and rap are by far my favorite types of music. Some people listen to it for the beat alone. I listen for the lyrics. One of my favorite rappers, Nas, wrote a song called One Mic. He wrote this song while he was beefing with another rapper, Jay-Z. He had multiple messages in the song, one was about him living a simple life:" Only if I had one gun, one girl and one crib, one God to show me how to do things his son did," others were more violent: " Jesus died at age 33, thats 33 shot from twin glocks, there's 16 a piece, thats 32, which means, one of my guns was holding 17, 27 hit your crew, 6 went into you." Those 2 lines out of that song are my personal favorite. The whole song has a theme of relying on God, but being ready to protect yourself, and your hood when you have to:"This is my hood, imma rep till the death of it."

TBH (PB)

To be honest... I don't have a real passion for anything. The few things that I actually have a deep passion for, I tend to take very seriously. I have a serious passion for music and sports. But the main thing I have a passion for is video games. I remember when I was younger getting my first system. Now I know for a fact that everyone remembers having a PS2 and playing games like San Andreas for hours on end. I grew up playing video games, it's how I use to play with other people, other than when I went outside to go play football or basketball. It's why I so competitive at sports, and why I am so imaginative. My passion goes as far as me wanting to become a game designer, so I can not only do what I love, but make it too.  

Favorite Lyrics

I was born in the decade of decadence when they worshipped what they have,
Ford was president do the math,
The war was ending when the north vietnamese stormed the city of Saigon,
and we was like like be, we was gone let bygones be bygones,
 Im gone spread love its the Brooklyn way, where they hug you with the fire arm, side arm,
like new school close, Black Star official
Smash when we do a show, its facts no mystery, Im down with the crew like mussolini in Italy,
 I rock with the Roots like the giving tree Powerful, Bigotry i work, me and my people got history,
These rappers dumb it down considerably
We Get it poppin like a hit chorus
the flow is historic, they can't get rid of us
You pick with us, and we lay the law lick Leviticus
 Ten years ago we made history so they missing us

And don't call it a come back in particular
We've been effort blending to affirmer or
Fade into peripheral, of the ministers original
were broadcast clear without diminishing
Clack star so tight, burning soul temperatures and ministers
Alkalines, aminos, minerals essentials
Served over Dilla time signatures
It's miracle, material, remember its's right now foreverness
       
     -Mos Def/ Talib Kweli History