Volunteer Service in Yilan Amusement Park

The first day, I accompanied them to Leofoo Village amusement park. I was assigned to take care of a men who was considered about the smartest patient. At the beginning he did not want to hold my hand and walk with me. I was a little bit nervous and frustrated that he was curious about everything and would get lost in anytime. Also he did not want to take any ride we took. However, after spending time with him for the morning. He began to understand that I was there to help him and take care of him. As I got tired and gave up to hold him tightly, he began to follow me and held my hand himself. He would ask if I feel cold. I was touched. Even though these people have intellectual disability and cannot communicate well with people. They are genuine and care about people around them as well.

Volunteer Service in Yilan a Girl

There I meet many friends with intellectual disability. Although I cannot keep in touch with them, they became part of mine. By help helping them, I learned and grew. One day, I went to a room with around ten women. All of them had to use wheelchairs. Although they usually have abnormal looking, they smile when I greet and introduce myself to each of them. One girl who looked like baby raised her hand and held me tightly. She was talking about how her parents brought her to there with sounds that I can barely understand. She had a circular, ten dollar coin-sized tumor on the top of her head and have to wear a hearing-aid device. While the teacher, who worked there to teach and take care of these people, helped others take shower.  She laughed when I mugged with a funny face and sang songs to her. She seemed to know that I did not understand her language very well. She pointed at me and pointed at her right eye. Then she pointed at me again with a concerning face.  She noticed the birthmark on my eye which most people who know me a long time don't even notice. I explained to her that it is a birthmark rather than a bruise. She smiled at me again.

Volunteer Service in Yilan Introduction

This winter break, I joined an volunteering program held by Eden foundation. I went to an institution that takes care of people with intellectual disability in Yilan. There are total of 15 people with 2 leaders joined this program. The first day, I went to Yilan Train Station with some of the team members by bus, took another local bus to the institution. Along trip from Taipei to Yilan, beside sleeping I stared through the window. City, forest, farming field. It was a tranquil place where people live without the city stress. In these seven days, I accompanied them to field trip, and helped them eat, change cloth, walk, and even dance. At night, we have different activities in which each day there're two people responsible for. After activity time, we shared our experiences with each other. Then, two or three people will have turn to share their life story with everyone. Finally, we would walk to seven-eleven, which is the only shop around beside a fried chicken pedlar.

Dinner with a Dog (4)

When I went back to the seat, the dog looked at me with a innocent face. It looked at the food and turned to me again. Salad was on the middle of table covered with some tissue paper and banana on the top, and soy bean milk was at the right edge of the table beside egg. Perfect. I was surprised and glad that the dog kept the promise. Actually, I knew it would. :)
I had a wonder wonderful dinner with it. I shared some egg with it when I was about to leave. It seemed a little bit shy, so I put some yolk beside its month. It carefully licked and eat it. It looks like it had been fed with many other food by other people and students. However, mine should be special because that was a honor from my appreciation. It kept sleeping, and I went back to the library to continue my work. It was a nice day.

Dinner with a Dog (3)

I honestly haven't talked about why the dog and this dinner was so special that I would spend several days talking about it. First, of course, it's the last week of school and there are so many things going on besides my college application. Above all, the really main point was that the dog seemed to understand me. Sitting down, I thought I should have gone to the bathroom before I bought the food because now there's no one to keep a look at my food and stuff. So, I talked to the dog and command it to take care of my food before I went out. was satisfied with my cleverness until I finished when I started to worry that it might eat my egg or drink mymilk, which is my puppy's favorite. I quickly ran back to the spot. What if it spoil and mess up all the food, salad, soy milk, banana, I placed on the table?? That would be horrible and would absolutely embarrass me. Running through the door, I felt a tinge of regret. Still, half of me believed that the dog will keep the promise.

Dinner with a Dog (2)

At the cafeteria in Tsing Hua, I was sitting in front of a sleeping dog. It stirred at me for a moment and kept sleeping. It must be too cold to stay outside. In this special season, December, I heard some college students counting backwards and yelling "Merry Christmas and happy new year!" Interestingly, they repeated that several times. Seeing six people sitting next table and one of the girls who commanded how, the arrangement, they should should sit, I was glad to sit with a lovely and adorable dog, even though it seemed not to notice my existence. Nevertheless, everything is better than staying at that crazy school.

Dinner with a Dog (1)

That winter dance friday, I did not go to the party. Instead, I went to the library at Tsing Hua University. Actually, I did not plan to go the dance, and Ms. Pamela announce of senior exclusion just gave me a perfect excuse to escape from the hazard.  I enjoy almost working on everything in the library. It has the right atmosphere where I can think well and critically. Around six, I went the cafeteria in the university. It was so crowded there that I barely found any seat. Walking out from the 7-11, I saw an empty small sofa with tea table in front and quickly walked there. There lied a dog sleeping winding its body. Oh! what a lovely dog I thought. To use that tea table, I took another small sofa from another area without table and sited with the dog. It was noisy, but the dog was in the tranquil world with me.

Shape Matters More Than Size

I read an article on LiveScience titled, Evolution of Genitals: Shape Matters More Than Size. They use data from scarab beetle to demonstrate that shape of genitals is significant. It is important not only for the parents to produce offspring, it also plays a role in evolution of the species. If a population of species has been isolated from another physically, the two populations might gradually and indecently develop so different shape of genitals that even when they are merged again, they cannot breed with each other. Therefore allopatric speciation occurs. However, the size of genitals does not show such significance in this case.

Macbeth Project

After viewing the document about the Macbeth project, I decided to do the Board Game, which is worth 100 points. I was in library where I found the movie, Macbeth. In order to understand the plot and characters better, I borrowed the movie and plan to watch it before I start on the project. Maybe I can create a special rule, different from the normal rule of board game, for Macbeth. For example, if the you are the character Macbeth, you can kill the people once you move by them, but you have to the last one to dice. And Lady Macbeth can choose to move plus one or minus one step from the half the path to the end point because she is having a dream walk! Hopefully, I will have more ideas and understanding about other characters after watching the movie.

Volunteer Meeting

I had a meeting in Taipei about the volunteer service in Yilan. I met people all over Taiwan. We discuss how are going to do to help people with intellectual disability. I learned that they grouped those people according to the seriousness symptom. Some of them who are mild retarded and can plant are put into farmers group. But most of them who have serious problem even with living are in living group. I was assigned to help the living group which I think would be more challenging than to the other. We discussed activities that we can play with them. Also, we are going to decorate the hall way for New Year for them. I am responsible for the decoration. I just did the planing and sent it to other members. I was glad to meet these kind and generous people.

END?

OMG It's almost the end of the semester but I just felt like learning and reading. There's always not enough time for me to read the textbook and not to mention about all those novels that I have long wanted to read. It's Christmas. Even though I got many homework and projects to do as well as tests to prepare, I have want to give myself some free time to read novel. I should have a better time management. I realized that I have wasted too much spare time to do nothing but frustrating with college application. So at end of British Literature today, I choose a book called the Charlie and  the Chocolate factory. I wish to enjoy reading it during my the next few week. It's not really break because it's just days that I have to work on my own without classes where I can discuss with teachers. Nevertheless, I will have one week to do community service when I can relax a little bit. I wish everyone and myself a nice break. 

Responsibility for public interest

"It seems to me incumbent upon this and other schools' graduates to recognize their responsibility to the public interest... unless the graduates of this college... are willing to put back into our society those talents, the broad sympathy, the understanding, the compassion... then obviously the presuppositions upon which our democracy are based are bound to be fallible."--John F. Kennedy

The reason we learn and go to school is not simply to fulfill our pursue of knowledge or have the skill to live well financially after we graduate. Yet we must get jobs. Our ultimate goal of life is to enjoy living. We should find something, such as jobs, that we enjoy doing because we can present our talents and make contribution that feed back the society. These contributions will add on to our achievement. It is a fair positive feedback loop. When we have achievement, we have more self-confident, respect to ourselves, and therefore respect to others. In turns, we have self-actulization, which is at the top level of Maslow's hierarchy of needs, and that's the state of enjoy living. 

The idea democracy, freedom of people to govern themselves, is based on the presume that people are educated so they have the critical thinking to make the right decision. It therefore is a goal aimed by education. Taking advantage if this, we have the responsibility to take account to the public decisions. However, many of us today don't have this public interest. For example, many well educated people who have the skill and ability to take part the politic society do not want to take the opportunity. Even though most of us do care about public affair, we value more on our personal achievements that we have more control over. In school, the leaders or student counsels are not usually the people with the best ideas or critical thinking, but people with willingness to take the responsibility of leadership. 
Somehow, I agree that we have the responsibility to have public interest. =3=

Dancing Practice

I stay after school for about two and half hours to practice our dancing for christmas performance. I suddenly realized that time went so fast that it's the end of the semester, and I'm going to graduate very soon. Although we just started the last week, we have a very nice series of shows with some drama and dancings. I appreciated the people who handle and arrange this performance and who teach us dancing. It's had been a long time since the last time I danced. I love dancing and the feeling of control my body movements. Sitting on the floor watching their dancing the girl and boy's special part, I felt a tinge of sadness that I did not participate enough in this class. Even though I enjoy being alone. I found that sometimes I cannot just live in my own world. I need to more open to people around me. Maybe I'm thinking to much again….

Library

Library is always my favorite place to go, whether I feel like studying, reading or even sleeping. I enjoy the tranquil atmosphere of library where everyone is so quiet that I can clearly hear the noise of pen moving on paper. People in library are usually hardworking or enjoy reading. Although library is quiet and is usually thought as the best place to study, it's not easy for me to concentrate here. There many latest magazine, new books, and any book or document that I find interesting. I would stop by any shelter and take off any book. I like to 'explore' in this booky forsest but I often find it a waste of time. Still, I remember a quote, "Time you enjoy wasting is not wasted." Isn't it a perfect excuse for amusements and diversion?

Operon Anology

The more I learn, the more I do not know. Operon is a stretch of DNA required for enzyme production. It consist of the operator, the promotor and the genes they control. If the promotor is a door, the regulatory protein is the lock, and operator is the hole for the lock.  There are two kinds of doors. In the first type, called repressible operon, is usually open but sometimes need to be locked. The other type, called inducible operon, is usually close with the lock on. It will only open when the lock is taken away. Repressor can lock the first type of door and Inducer can open the other type.  Only when the door is open do the worker, RNA polymerase, enter and produce enzyme. However, those workers are lazy. They do not really produce anything but they make orders, mRNA, to ribosome factory.

Shakespeare Workshop

That professor from England was amazing. He led the class as a stage. I had fun to do the interesting activity of exchanging papers and coming up with sentences. Also I realized that it's not so easy to act, sing, remember lines, and be "drama" at the same. However, the experience was incredibly special because he brought us to another dimension of learning shakespeare, unlike the usual lecture in class. Later that afternoon, I met him on the hall way and asked him: "Do actors on the stage, performing Shakespeare's plays, pretend that they are the characters, or they find similar experiences or emotions to adopt in the situation, which is what actors should do?" He replied the first one because people normally "don't have the experiences Shakespeare wrote." He said that was a good question, but I was uncertain about his answers because I remembered in drama class I have learned that actors who "pretend to be the characters" may lose their minds if they were to play a truly good show. Well, I guess there're much more things for me to learn about.

Owl

I heard owl screaming when I was sitting near by the library. 6:03 the time was clicking. "You!" the first sound I was innocent. "You!" the second I wondered. "You!" the third sound I looked into the darkness. Fourth and fifth I tried to catch the eyes with my two sights. But that was the last one. I couldn't find any thing nor did I walk close. But I knew there is something. It's far away yet close within myself. It must be an owl I thought, but no one walked by seem to hear the sounds. For only one moment I doubted its existence. Vision can lie but sounds cannot. Soon I would forget how it sounded, and there would be no more. However I do not want to let it go. It is the loudest silence. I was not alone.

Essay

I was shocked by the head of school who was so emotional and angry that she declare that she is going to rewrite our recommendation letters. I wish I have started my application essays earlier and treat them as important as the academic subjects. Realizing I had giving myself too many excuses to procrastinate them, I found so stress out that I feel like I will die by suffocating at any time. All I wish is to finish them as quick as possible. However, the hurrier I am, the more difficult to think critically.
I will probably find myself weird, childish or insane in the future when I look back the journey I will have written. Somehow I think I need to look through the reality but not just live within the moment.

Sport Day

Although I did not have the convivial spirit of sport day, it was well done. I won the third place in long jump. I was surprised when I was called on the stage because I hardly "jumped." Even though our team, Smurf, did not have the powerful cheer up as other teams, I honestly enjoyed singing the happy la la song. It was a nice and sunny day.
My back hurts and sores today because of the tug-of-war. I pulled so hard with my feet shaking and hands burning. I thought we should have won the first place for tug-of-war but we only got third place. After all, I help and comfort a girl who had a heat stroke. I let her lie on my leg and gave her massage. I hope she is feeling much more better right now. Everything was nice until the end when Sherry announced that seniors had a meeting afterward. What is dream? What is reality?

Smurf

I am in blue team for sport day, so I will be a smruf. Preparing for the sport day, I helped make the smurf hats. We folded the paper and sticked the Smurf logo on the them. There are different logo of smurf, so we will have a variety of smurf. However, the hats are all made of paper and are not really big enough to fit a head. Somehow I think during that day, wind will blow our hats, and they will scatter all around the field. "La la la la la. Sing a happy song. La la la la la la. Smurf all day long." We took a part of the them song for our Smurf cheer. Checking the list, I found that I will be running relay and play tug of war. Smurf it up!

Epidemic Diseases

We watched a video about human population and epidemic diseases today. Increase of human population has speed up and intensify the spread of diseases. Most epidemic diseases like HIV and AIDS were once exclusive in wild animals and later became adopted to human bodies. Most disease still stay in the first stage, spreading only within a specie. It would be hard for virus to adopt into a different species, humans, unless we are unaware or ignore this change. The speaker said that if all lives are to be written into a series of books. The first four books will be about virus, bacteria and microbes, while all plants and animals will be in the last book and humans will just going to be a footnote. True. We should investigate more on the fundamental level of diseases' origin rather than forces on the highest and narrowest level of spreading among humans, which is troublesome like a malignant cancer.

Recording Voice

To make a video for the Space Lab project, I had to record my voice to explain idea. However, I found it weird and difficult to record my own voices because I didn't feel conformable to listen to my own sounds. I was so frustrated that I didn't even listen to my presentation until I showed it to the teacher. I jumped around and looked at any stuff on desk when the teacher was watching my video. He said nobody likes their own sounds. Yet, half of it is right. My voice might not be beautiful and euphonious, but I was fine and satisfied with it. I was frustrated to hear my voice when the output of the sounds was not me myself. I'm unique in the world, nothing should have my voice. The reason Edison invented recorder was to keep the memory of his mother, although he succeed after her death. I don't think he had ever thought about this problem.

Space Lab

Space Lab is a contest held by Youtube, NASA and other organization that allow high school students to come up with experiments that to be done in space. For two of my AP classes, the teacher requires us to do this video. For weeks, I had been thinking about how microgravity can have any impact on lives. I learned that otolith organs are among the systems most sensitive to gravity and movements. Such organs are common in vertebrates, so use other animal to model human. After I read several scientific papers, I found that several studies have done experiments with zebrafish. How do otolith organs of zebra fish grow in microgravity environment? My hypothesis is that the growth of otolith organ will be different in microgravity environment in terms of the gene expression and morphology by image. Although I rushed out the last minute to finish my video, I'm very satisfied with my idea and method. Hopefully, after I get comments from teacher, I will reedit it really submit to youtube. 

Astronauts eat dried fish

I was thinking about an biological experiment that will have chance to be carried in spacecraft. I asked my mom, "It's better to use fish or microorganisms, like bacteria or e coli,  for experiment in an outer space?" She replied me, "Of course, fish! If there's something wrong or accident with shuttle and it delays to come back to Earth, then the astronauts can eat the fish." All of sudden, I literally felt like "lol". Silence for couple seconds. We laughed. "Yeah they will tell you 'Sorry your fish has died, so we ate them' but you will help them survive," said my mom. I told her with a serious face "Mom, the factor I'm thinking about is hypo gravity." She then replied, "Then definitely don't use fish because water will float in the air and they will all dry out. Wait. Maybe astronauts would like to have some dried fish since the food they eat in space is generally not tasty." LOL, I thought "Yeah, I will also include some salt in the material list of the experiment."

Heritage

Reflection on my Taiwanese Heritage: In my country – Taiwan,  there are about a total of 28 racial groups including 14 named aborigines and several from the mainland China. There are reserved areas, open museum and communities designed for different groups. People enjoy a lot different culture festivals and folk art. I am lucky that I have been exposed to many and I could speak two local languages and sing aborigines songs. I think I could share all these with people in college. I wish to make college friends to form a beautiful mosaic, with different culture, different beliefs, and different dreams.

Culture Difference

On a wall of my room is a blessed line-drawing picture of a rose with two sentences, “Thank you for being my friend. I’ll miss you.” That card is not only a memory of a friendship but also an experience of culture difference.

It reminded me of that summer I went to a summer camp at Ojai Valley School near Los Angeles. Carmen was my dormmate.  Although we did not join the same program, the time we spent together was very nice. I liked her because she was friendly and amicable, and she liked me for the same reason. However our good relationship didn’t last long since I had never recognized the differences between us.

One afternoon, we were supposed to clean up the dorm. I brought the broom and proposed that I would sweep the floor of the whole room, instead of just my half, and she would do the mopping. However, she sat on the bed and continued working. She seemed to be annoyed by me. “You could do that,” she said. I felt the atmosphere was a little awkward, but since I thought my proposal was a good and efficient cooperation, I ignored my discomfort and started sweeping. When I finished, I gave her the mop. Now it is your turn to mop the floor,” I told her and laid down on my bed. Suddenly, she stood up, saying, “Why should I help you mop the floor?” she stirred at me. Smiling and thinking she was joking, I replied, “Because I helped you sweep your part and now it’s your turn to help mop my part.” Then she got angry and only mopped her part of the floor, declaring “When you help someone, you’re not supposed to expect a return. That’s not the right attitude.” I was shocked and confused. I tried to explain to her, but both us were too furious and emotional to listen to each other.

Activities

When I was working on application, I found that I had not joined many activities after I came to PAS. Most of the activities I joined here were community services. I joined community service club for 3 semester in which I went to St. Joseph Social Welfare every week during club time. I helped people with disabilities make crafts, which they can sell to make a living. I also accompanied them to supermarket and park and played with them. I also went on street to sell toothbrush for Eden foundation. I remembered I help out to separate and categorize trash in Tzu Chi recycle center. 

Winter Community Service

I went to Taichung for a meeting of Eden community service in winter today. It was like a activity which I have go to different sections for the main introduction and introduction of each place, and get a stamp from each section. Since I'm mostly interested in programs in foreign countries, I went to listened to about service in Nepal, India, Cambodia, and a special program for exploring new places to do service. I'm interested to go to Nepal the most because it's not very hot there and I have always want to go the mountain there. I imagine I will meet many cute and frank children and I will teach them English, math and science. Still not everyone registered can join the programs, they choose and schedule people by their list of priority of the programs by chance. Hopefully, I will have a chance to go to Nepal.

Yearbook

I made an outline page of yearbook for elementary school-time pictures today. Though we had had many club time periods, this was actually the first time I had contributed some progress in yearbook club. At the beginning of the year, I tried out several clubs, including chess, spanish clubs, to finally make up my mind to be in yearbook club. However, I didn't take photo nor make any photo edit until today. I was happy and proud of myself because before I began, no one would expect me to finish, even start, it. I can feel that they didn't have any expectation nor hope on me by the way they talked to me and annoyed to answer my questions about the format. They were discussing and deciding how to and what to do with outline when I walked to them and presented my outline. Yet, I knew they're surprised. Though, I was not as good as them on making yearbook outline, I tried and challenged myself only to do it but also facing their attitude on me. Now I have more confident on making the outline, and approach what I want to do whether people around support me.

Parent Expectation

Mr. Dahl did a quick head-down poll today when he asked us whether we thought we could be successful if our parents have put expectation on us or we could be as good without parents' expectations. I didn't raise my hand in either answer, but I could have rose my hand in both answers. My parents expect me to be myself. They never tell me to work hard, behave good at school, nor take care of my sister. Although they always tell me that they just want me to be happy, I know that they expect me to put good "expectation" on myself. Growing up with them I have known them so well that I can tell when they're satisfy with and  proud of me, and when they are disappointed with me, even though they have that mask and the same saying "as long as you're happy" all the time. Yet, you might think that I should've raised my hand for the answer in which parents' expectations have influenced and shaped me today. (continue tomorrow XD)

Mendel

I have always known that Mendel was who discovered the mysterious pattern of genetic inheritance by experiments with peas. When I was reading AP biology textbook this afternoon, I found that Mendel was actually a monk and he lived in a monastery. He did all those scientific experiment in an abbey garden! He and his siblings actually received agricultural training in school. After he finished university, he went back to the monastery, which sounds incredible and impossible for anyone today, at least for me. I also read about that all his monk fellows were fascinating with the breeding of plants. It's an interesting story, and many of the facts surprised me. lol  AP biology is truly more advanced than regular biology.

Eveline

Evelin is woman who was going to leave her home to and have a new life with her husband in another country. Although she had a dutiful life at home and didn't have a pleasant childhood, she was averred whether to go on with her husband or stay at home. She was not able to let go her past while facing her future life. Sitting in her house, she heard the organ from the street. It reminded an anecdote in the past when the family went on a field trip and her father made a joke to made the children laugh. She realized that after all her father was not always mean to her -- he loved her. She saw her husband as a saver from the dutiful life that she had once resolve not to be trapped in that life as her mom did.  After all, whether she went with her husband....><

Rainy Day

It rained heavily but I forgot to bring my umbrella when I went out in the evening. A stranger, a women asked me whether I wanted to share umbrella with her, so I walked with her. She was so nice to me that she would walk with me to where I was going, although she's actually going to the opposite direction. I was lucky because if not her, I would have been all wet. However, I didn't want her to walk with me too far because she would have to walk back, so, saying "thank you" many times, I told her to leave me on the half way. Walking on my own, I regretted but when I looked back, she's gone. I should have let her walk with me to the restaurant and buy her some tea. Next time, I will bring a big umbrella with me and seek if there's anyone without one.

Stressed

Why I have so many things to do? Beside all the homework and tests, which already tie me up stressfully,  Space Lab, science fair and application essay are going to put me into a hot boiling pot. Just looking at my notebook, I cannot even sit still. In the evening, I wondered  around everywhere in school trying to find a place that is quiet where I can calm down and work alone. However, I never find such a place because the problem is within me not the place. One of the reason is that I'm too tired. Before I live in the dorm, I usually went to before 11 and waked up at 5, but now I go to bed so late that I feel every day is the extension of yesterday and there's never a new, fresh day. I put a quotes on the desktop of my computer: "Wisdom is the ability to calm anytime and do whatever is needed to be done."

Poster

How the poster had made me satisfied and happy is how it made me frustrate as if I was pulled down to the bottom of sea and almost suffocate. I was once happy with it because I thought I had done it very well. Although I finished it on the week that is due, I had spent a lot of time researching and linking the two characters. I even made an outline on a separate document summarizing the text from the story and analysis of the characters before I started making the poster. But all that effort was futile as I made a such big mistake and didn't even recognized it right away.  When I was told to talk to the teacher about my poster, I was first shocked and then depressed when I realized what I have done wrong. I should have done it carefully, and notice the part that was not written in my own words. Though it was terrible, I learned not to ever copy anything for my work anymore.

New Stone

Today I went swimming with my father. When we were relaxed in the sauna, I told him that I did not feel easy after taking the SAT test, instead I was more stressed by numerous essays that I have to finish within a month. He replied me, "It's not that bad. At least its a 'new' heavy stone falling down on you." Never having thought dad would answer me in that way, I laughed. "Don't worried, I would not shy away from it." I replied.

Mad

On my mom's shirt shows "We're all mad here!" Yes, everyone is mad everywhere. Stress from anything, unknown of the future, makes us insane, crazy and mad. I found that dad, mom, teachers, principle, head of school...are somehow childish. Indeed, everyone was once a child, and that inner nature of child has always rooted in one's bottom of mind. After seeing the "performance" of the principle and the head of school,  I realized that no one is really matured and we're all humans, species that have emotions. You probably don't agree that every is crazy. But think in this way: If everyone is mad, then no one should be considered ridicule. So it's normal to be mad.

Volunteering Service

Planning for Christmas, I'm thinking about joining a volunteering service in a foreign country. I imagined I am in a undeveloped town on a hill, teaching and playing with children. Though people there are as educated as people in Taiwan, they genuine and kind. I would meet a amicable child who would invite me to her house on the other side of the hill and tell the story that has been told by her great grandfather through her father and to her. I would enjoy the scenery of mountain and the unmeasured vastness of the sky. Although I might encounter some difficulties with language, food, or weather there, I would like to have such special experience to help others.

Penguin Flying

Swimming in the evening as a penguin flying in the space, I enjoy the tranquil of universe .....OH! I was the last one....No wonder, it's so quiet. I found myself the last one in the swimming pool when the staff called on me and told me it's going closed in thirty minutes. I rushed to shower and changed.  I'm so stressed recently that I sometimes forget where I am and what I am doing. I wished to keep my mind simple and concentrate on studying. However, I was either worrying about something or dazed in my own world. Every moment, when I was awake, I felt like dreaming. I hasn't had any dream at night these days. The dreaming part seems to come during the day.

Just One a Day

After drinking cafe each day for a week, I fall a sleep almost the whole Saturday....and Sunday. I promised myself that I'm not going to drink cafe anymore and I should sleep early this week since I'm going to have SAT test this Saturday. However, it's seemly not going to happen because I just found that I have so many tests, midterms, that I have to prepare, also, a poster about that merchant in Canterbury Tale...I should allow myself to have cafe, just one a day.

Coffee Addiction

Things happen in life. Before, this week, I had never drunk really coffee. It was Monday morning I drank two cups of coffee when I found that I had only slept two hours. Never drinking coffee before, I found it so delicious that it tasted somehow like a chocolate. I was very hyper the whole day, even more energetic than I usually was. The next day morning, I  bought three bottles of coffee, thinking that one per day for this week. However, after drinking one, I couldn't help myself to have another one. Eventually, I finished all of three. Today, before I even got of bed, coffee was the first and only thing in my mind. Although, today, I didn't have time to buy one in the morning before school, I went to Starbucks right after school and had a cup Latte. I had this unfortunate feeling that, for now, coffee had joined my life.

Prairie dogs

I've been researching about temperate grassland for a presentation during environmental science class. Temperate grassland is one the of biomes in the world that is usually semiarid, continental climate in the middle latitudes. Veldts of South Africa, Puszta of Hungary, Pampas of Argentina, Steepes of Russia, plains and prairies of North America are all example of temperate grassland. While researching, I found this cute species called prairie dogs. They are sooo cute that look absolutely not like dogs I expected. 

Someone I Admire (4)

Although Marie Curie worked hard and contributed to the society, many people in that time did not respect a woman as a scientist.  She continued to face great opposition from male scientists in France, and she never received financial benefits from her work.  By the late 1920s, her health was becoming worse because her exposure to high-energy radiation to much for research.  She then died in 1934 from leukemia.  Her facing great opposition from male scientists inspired other women to work in science field and made people believe that women can be successful with it.  

The aspiration and contribution Marie Curie made to science are significant.With her help, doctors have been able to treat cancer, manipulate nuclear energy, create atomic bombs, and many other achievements have developed from her work. Her story influenced my insight of value. For me, Marie Curie was the best model of scientist. 

Someone I Admire (3)

Not only work on research, Marie Curie was very willing to help others and the country she lived.  When World War 1 came, she drove herself and her daughter to the front lines.  She created special X-ray vans to help the doctors better located bullets and metal pieces in the injured soldiers, so doctors wouldn’t have to cut off their legs of arms as the usual treatment.  However, it was a difficult job, the International Red Cross then made her head of its radiological service and she held training courses for medical orderlies and doctors in the new techniques. Living such difficult period of time, her action inspired me to think about the relationship between me and the world and what I can contribute by my tiny effort. 

Someone I Admire (2)

Marie’s scientific studies began with the research of a phenomenon that she later called it “radioactivity.”  She worked with her husband and Henri Becquerel, a French scientist and in 1903 they shared the Nobel Prize in Physics for their work with radioactive material and the discovering of its properties. She later discovered another radioactive element, polonium, which was named after her native home of Poland.  She discovered how to isolate these elements so that they can be used for curing cancer.  In addition, she won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1911 for her discovery the method to isolate pure radium.  She also developed a process called Curietherapy to treat malignant tumor which is uncontrolled cancer cells.  Her work on radioactivity contribute to the knowledge in science and provided a hope to cancer patients.

Someone I Admire (1)

Marie Curie has always been someone I admire. Poorly educated, underprivileged, and female, this woman was determined to have an education and be successful in her studies. Her achievement in science and contribution the society have encouraged me to pursuit goals and gave me confidence in a optimistic future. 

Born in Warsaw, Poland, Marie Curie loved reading books and studied.  Her father taught both physics and mathematics in school, which peaked her interest in science.  However, because her family was poor, she became a local schoolteacher before the age of 18 and earn money for her sister’s schooling.  She had always hoped that one day she would attend school as well.  In 1891, she moved to Paris and get her degree and Physics and Mathematical Science by self-taught. Upon reading her story,  I was impressed by her determination for education was encouraged be more proactive in school.

Is It More Valuable for People to Fit in Society ? (3)

In my own experience, I found that when being with others like my friends and classmate is more valuable.  When I knew that there is something called homeschooling, I had always wanted to study at home in stead of go to school because I thought it would be fun and easy.  However, after trying that for several weeks, I found it boring and not workable because it can not replace some of the courses and activities.  Such for science subjects, I can do very few experiments at home and have no classmate to discuss with.  Also, I can hardly join any sport team, club or other activities outside of school.  When I was back to school, I not only can do more activities but also found it important to have classmates.  When I learned with classmates, I was encouraged and challenged  to learn more and faster, and have more friends.

People who fit in society and join others, such as Thomas Edison, are more likely to have more benefits and be successful.  Although, being unique and different sometimes seem attractive, but it can end up bad such as Don Quixote. In other words, it is more valuable for people to fit in with the majority.

Is It More Valuable for People to Fit in Society ? (2)

In the story The Ingenious Hidalgo Don Quixote de la Mancha, the character, Don Quixote proves that it is not good to be unique and different.  He is a mad man who lives in his own world and strongly believes in chivalry.  Eventually, he ends up the butt of cruel practical jokes and becomes a great melancholy.  This example tells us that a person wants to be unique can lose friends and supports.  If he fits with the people who lives around him, he wouldn’t be beat up by others.  His story tell us that being unique and different can lose friends and may end up a saturnine.

Is It More Valuable for People to Fit in Society ? (1)

Would you like to be unique?  Most teenagers wanted, but some of them concern and are afraid of not being accepted by others.  Others may go too far to think that the whole world focus on them and they always try to stick out in a group.  However, it is actually more valuable for people to fit in with the majority because people who fit in would be more sociable, popular, and successful.

Thomas Edison is a good example of a scientist and inventor who try to fit in the society and later became successful.  He invented light bulb, telephone and other devices that are important even till today.  As a boy in school, his mind was often wandered and was very different from other students, so his teacher called him addled and ended up his three official schooling.   Although he found himself very different from other people around him, he studied hard and tried to involve with other scientists.  Finally, he was succeed to invent and develop many devices that contribute the society all over the world.

Chemistry and Environment

Chemistry is importan to the understanding of the environment and developing of the solutions. It helps scientists understand how pesticides cleaners, and other chemicals we used affect the health of people and wildlife, how methane and carbon dioxide aggravates global warming, and how nitrates and phosphate contribute to eutrophication. Chemistry is crucial to solve environmental problems. For example, for Exxon Valdez oil spill, scientists investigated the composition of the oil and decided to use bioremediation to clean up the pollution. Today environmental chemists are trying to advance bioremediation by genetic engineering and also seeking applications of chemistry that may help address environmental problems.

Bioremediation

Bioremediation is the attempt to clean up pollution by enhancing natural process of biodegradation by living organisms. It helps environmental providing a less expensive, less environmentally intrusive, and more effective than conventional methods for cleaning up pollutions. It has been successfully used to clean up the oil spill of Exxon Valdez by bacteria and plants. However, bioremediation does have limitation. For example, cleanup by plants is limited to depths reached by the roots. Also some bacteria used in remediation may alter the ecosystem of the area, and plants used many turn invasive. Furthermore, plants that accumulate metals may harm insects.

Reduce Ecology Footprint

After trying the three changes for one week, I found that it’s not that hard and inconvenient as I thought. However, I don’t think they’re that effective to reduce my ecological footprint. I  followed them throughout the last week, except to keep room temperature higher.  Since I live in dorm this year, I can barely do anything with the room temperature. Though I tried to turn on the air conditioner in dorm later when the air conditioners in hall way were shut down, my roommates would always turn it on right after the school.  Because I really enjoyed having air-con, I gave up after the second day. Since I live in dorm, I have no choice to take shower every day. It didn’t cause my any trouble or inconvenience, actually I got used to it very soon. However, I was not sure whether I use less water when taking shower instead of bath. Nevertheless, I realized that I really like to buy organic products when I found that the shampoo, body wash, facial cleaner and lotion I use are all organic. Lastly, eating less meat was easy for me since I eat almost only fish, shrimp, and other seafood for meat. Last week I did’t eat any meat, but a lot of tofu and beans. I almost couldn’t believe that I can be a vegetarian for one week. However, I don’t think I can keep that diet and I don’t want to be a vegetarian either because I love eating fish, especially sashimi, uncooked fish, so much.  I actually eat more fish and other meat after a week without meat. Overall, I realize it’s easy to do something to reduce ecological footprint in short term, like a week or so, but hard to keep it for long term. Still I think it is worth to try them for one week because if every try to reduce their ecological footprint in short term once a while, it will sure help the current environmental situation. 

Halloween

Recently the art crew has been decorated the school for halloween. The cut out many paper bats, graves, and ghosts. Though most of the decorations are cute, there's one joker face that really scares me. Because I live in the dorm, I see it all the time on hall way. Last night, someone just change the spot of that joker face to the corner in front of the cafeteria. At night, I was shocked and scared to see that joker face when I went to the bathroom and pass by the corner. I guess by the time Halloween, I will have been trained to be afraid of any of them.

Steve Jobs

Mourning for Steve Jobs. Regent Street, London.


This a picture taken in front  of the Apple store in London. There're many flowers, cards, and apple with one bite on the floor to commemorate Steve Jobs. Eating an apple, I saw this picture on Facebook and was surprised to see those apples on the floor. Right, the logo of Apple is a apple with a bite. Though I was not a fan of him, I has heard about his story and his speech of the graduation. I like the part that he said, "have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become." "Stay hungry. Stay foolish," he said to encourage the students to keep learning and be humble. Beside all those iStuff, he'd an influence to the world...

Marie Curie

Marie Curie, born in 1969 and died in 1934, was a scientist who I admire and appreciate. As a young girl, she became a neighborhood school teacher after she finished high school to earn money for her sister's education. She had always wanted to attend college until later she went to University of France. In 1903, she shared the Nobel Prize in physics with her husband for their discovery in radioactive materials and their properties. In 1911, she won another Nobel Prize in chemistry. I like her not only because she was great scientist and pioneer in radioactivity, but also she was generous and brave.  During World War 1, she drove herself to the front lines and help the doctors cure soldiers by her self-invented X-ray van. As a woman, she continued to face great opposition in scientific society, and had never received any financial benefits from her work. Her facing great opposition inspired many other women to work in science and made people believe that women can be successful with it.

College

I have been thinking about which kind of college I want to go. University or liberal arts, west or east, urban or rural, more people or less people, competitive or cooperative, there're so many factors that I'm not sure which is the best to start on.  I first looked the rank for liberal arts college because like to have classes with less people. I think it's less likely to get lost in a small college than in a big university. I found this college, Middlebury College, that I think it's a good for me. It's beautiful and not very far away from city.  It has a good environmental science program. I'm interested in it and would like to research more.

Bioremediation

Bioremediation is the attempt to clean up pollution by enhancing natural process of biodegradation by living organisms. It helps environmental providing a less expensive, less environmentally intrusive, and more effective than conventional methods for cleaning up pollutions. It has been successfully used to clean up the oil spill of Exxon Valdez by bacteria and plants. However, bioremediation does have limitation. For example, cleanup by plants is limited to depths reached by the roots. Also some bacteria used in remediation may alter the ecosystem of the area, and plants used many turn invasive. Furthermore, plants that accumulate metals may harm insects.

Collecting Soil

Today after school, Tiffany and I went to Tsinghua University to collect soil for environmental science lab tomorrow. We first got two shovels from the classroom, one is small like the one you use to plant, the other was huge like one you would use to hide treasure box. On the way, I found it weird but fun to carry a huge shovel waking on street. It seemed like I was going to discover a treasure or hide something nasty like what usually happens in CSI or Criminal Mind. We collected two whole bag of soil, one from nearby a lake, the other from area in front of the library. I hope to discovery some species in those soil in later lab. :)

Artificial leaf

Artificial leaf’ makes fuel from sunlight

Solar cell bonded to recently developed catalyst can harness the sun, splitting water into hydrogen and oxygen.

David L. Chandler, MIT News Office
http://web.mit.edu/newsoffice/2011/artificial-leaf-0930.html

I was surprised to see this news about artificial lear, which my sister and I have thought and imagined for a long time. I'd wondered whether it's possible to build an artificial plant that can transform sunlight into useable energy. It does not any additional wires or control circuits to operate. Besides its appearance, this new invented device fit what I have imagined, converting heat into chemical energy. Though I would like to have artificial leaf, if it's available, I don't agree that it's a good idea and future trend for people to have such artificial plants in their house as the article points out. I still like the "real" plants more than artificial one and somehow will always be. I have so many plants at home that you can see them from anywhere you stand. Plants only clean up the air but also provide comfort and aesthetic feeling are important to their surrounding environment. Above all, representing natural and living, "real" plants should never be replaced. 

The magic of truth and lies

I was surprised to see amazing magic show. I like the magician using iPod to perform. It is true that magics are lies but I like them because they make people amazed and happy. Though I can see some a flow when the man makes the butterfly disappear when he sticks the butterfly with an iPod, his performance is fantastic. I like the part that he shows that  men are more likely to lie assuming that women didn't lie when doing the survey. I wondered how he turns the small face into sad face. I don't like to be lied except watching a magic show because a honest magician promise to deceive me!

3k Marathon

Today I woke up early in the morning and went out at 5:30 to join the marathon together with my parents and sister. It was my sister who got this information from her school and registered for us. Though we're late and started running around a half hour latter, we finished the path. We joined the "leisure program" which did not involve any competition. We actually ran on the road parallel to Guangfu Rd. where I always pass by on the to school. It was a special experiment, and I will feel differently when I, siting on a car, pass by that road again.

Blind Spot

For a long time, she had tried to convince me the existent of blind spots, but I couldn't believe my mom because she can't prove it, and she usually likes to trick me into believing some interesting "facts" that she makes up.  I'd questioned that is there any real blind spot of our eyes until I saw this amazing image. (blind spot is a part of the field of vision is not perceived) When I closed my left eye and use only my right eye to stir at the little dot on the left side, in a certain distance, I cannot see the big dot on the right side. It disappear in my vision because it's projected on the blind spot of my right eye. It was Edme Mariotte (1620-1684), a Roman Catholic priest, who discovered the blind spot and came up with this testing image.  
I also found a cool website that tests if you really have blind spots!!  http://www.blindspottest.com/

Happy Teacher's Day

9/28 is said to be the birthday of Confucius, who was a famous teacher and thinker in the Chinese ancient time. Today in Taiwan, people celebrate 9/28 as Teacher's day and think to their teachers. I thank to all teachers and anyone who has taught me. I usually made some cards for teacher but this year I totally forgot this date until afternoon. I texted an teacher who taught me in local school and told her how I glad to had her. Though I didn't say much, I don't think it would make it different from that I have sent a message to her. XD I hope everyone had a nice day~

Relax

As Ms. Pamela recommend, I'm going to relax before the SAT test. Today and yesterday, I have watched several of a series of Criminal Mind, which is story about crimes and how FBI solve them. I watched them together with my roommate in the evening. Because each of the series only lasts for around 40 minutes, we watched about 2 or 3 of the series at a time. Since I hadn't watched movies for a long time, I had a moment of rest from the pressure of the exam. I found that I love the series so much that I can wait to watch another one when it's over eleven o'clock and I had to go to bed. Beside watching Criminal Mind, I tried to do some homework and preview in AP biology, so I found some lecture video on youtube. However, after stirring at the funny old professor for a half hour, I decided that this week, at least before the exam, I should loose myself some time and have nice sleeps.

SAT

These days, I have been struggling with SAT, not struggled with the exam itself, but struggled to get myself facing the pressure of such an exam that will or probably will play an important role that determine my education for the next couple years. After taking the prep test today, I was tired and felt dizzy, and felt even worse when I knew that I will be taking another prep test tomorrow. I sometimes wished that I have studied hard earlier. Still I'm glad that I feel this way so I can start working hard now X)

Swimming vs SAT

I love swimming and had joined swimming team last year. Though I swam slower than most of the teammates, I enjoyed swimming with them, especially after a busy day. During this summer, my aunt, parents, sister and me join a ocean-swimming activity along the coast of Keelung, northernmost of Taiwan. I would like to join swimming this year but was held back by those everyday SAT packets. :P  Still, I go to swimming every weekend so I don't lose the skill and body strength. I'm looking forward to join the swimming after the SAT exam this week. However, some parts of mind struggle to chase time as I wish have more time before SAT.....lol

Haunted House

These two days after school, I helped art crew make haunted house to prepare for halloween. I painted many paper boards into dark colors. I remember the theme of haunted house last year was a scary hospital with bloody nurse, doctor and dead bodies. While painting, I recalled that I casted one of a ghost last year and was set in the corner to scare whoever passed by. Though I was very tired and exhausted after squatting down and jumping up to scare people for an afternoon, I found it fun to cast a ghost because when people passed by the corner, they would see a ghost and scared but didn't see the real me; well, there're some exceptions. I'm thinking about to cast a character in haunted house this year.

Biodiesel Doesn't Work

Today during environmental science class, we continued to finish the process of making biodiesel. It had been two days since we started this experiment. We carefully add the acid chemical to neutralize the biodiesel and use other chemical to dehydrate it. I was exciting that we're to going to burn that in the class room. However, when the teacher put burning  matches into the biodiesel, fire disappeared quickly after it burned out the match but the biodiesel did not burn. We try it several times in almost every way to get the biodiesel burn. Though we later found out that it did help paper burn but that's not the fuel we expected. When I knew the reason might be that we did not heat biodiesel hot enough, I realize if making biodiesel is that easy, we should have been using them instead of fossil fuel!

Kids, chemo and hair loss

I just saw a video news about a young girl who tells of losing her hair during cancer treatment and growing it out later to donate to others. I learned that there're many children got cancer and have to get chemo at a young age. They lose their hairs. It's a very hard time when they become teenager, who care about appearance more. Though  I can't imagine me without hairs, I feel sad and sorry to them because it must be terrible and uncomfortable. I really admire the girl that she's brave and optimistic, even willing to donate hairs after she get better. 

Making Biodiesel

Today during environmental science class, we're having a lab of making biodiesel. Biodiesel is a fuel made from vegetable oil. The fuel we usually use are fossil fuels, which are non-sustainable and non-renewable resources that our current society has become heavily dependent on. Unlike fossil fuels, biodiesel can simply be made in lab with chemical reaction. We mixed the oil, alcohol and sodium hydroxide, and heat the mixture, which produces biodiesel. I was wondering if making biodiesel is such easy and simple why do people still pump out fossil fuel. Producing biodiesel must uses up many farm lands and potentially harm the river by spray of pesticide. Since I took environmental science, I have learn many thing about how we harm the environment and how people try to mild the damage in many different ways including by laws. However, I somehow think the most effective way is to require everyone to take environmental science! :D

Sweet Home

I live in dorm this semester and enjoy studying in dorm where I can discuss with classmates.  However, there're some parts I haven't got used to it very well. This weekend, I had a nice sleep with my own bed and had a delicious breakfast that I ever had. I realized how comfortable home is. Mom made me blue berry yogurt and vanilla tea, and I found that I had never appreciated her so much before I live in dorm drinking only water all the time and eating the same food for breakfast everyday. This afternoon, I had a nice walk with Charles, my puppy, who was so enthusiastic to see me. He kept jumping and running around me to show that how much he missed me. He seemed to understand when I told him I missed him too. After that I was looking and observed plants in garden where I found many of them had grew up since last time I took care of them. This week, I brought two small plants to my dorm and put it on my desk.

Clubs

I found myself so indecisive recently that I couldn't even decide which club to join. I had joined community service since the first year I came to PAS so I want to join something different. The week before last week, I went to Spanish club and really like the teacher. However, after discussing about the activies that we are going to do in that club I decided to choose another club because 90% of the activies are making mexican dish. Today, I was going to join the mobile app club until I found that they are not going to make games but making some apps that I would never use. Then I went to chess club thinking it might be fun since I know most of the rules of chess. I played two round with a little boy who was so smart that was helped by the teacher to won one but lost the other one. Also, I realize I don't know the rules very well, so I told the teacher that I was not sure whether I would stay in this club. Surprisingly, he suggested me to join cheer leading club, which is the least one I would ever consider. After thinking about the clubs while doing today's SAT booklet, I realize I should join yearbook club because I like photography very much. I think I will enjoy that club. :-)

Not me

1. Concrete or Abstract
2. Thinker or Feeler
3. Investigative or Judicious
4. Introverted or Extroverted

During college essay writing class today, we are asked to choose one from each of four pairs above that best describes ourselves. The purpose of this activity, according to the teacher, was to learn words that can describe ourselves. We were then divided into four groups by the four choices we picked. I initially picked abstract, feeler, investigative and introverted and was put into a group with the most people. However, the teacher said that he's sure that I'm judicious, which I really don't agreed to, and put me in another group. In addition, I found I made a wrong choice that I should have choose concrete instead of abstract, but he was so sure that I was the kind of person he though so that I couldn't have a chance to explain. With his personal opinion, he changed our choices and redivided us into groups.  Most of us were not happy. From then on, I began to consider it was the worse class activity I ever had because no one ever can understand me more than I myself, not to mention that the teacher has just known me for two weeks. I can't really make any choice because I always have different thoughts and attitudes in different situations. Since I'm introverted, it's even more people to really know me. Unfortunately the teacher judged on me and stated that I'm don't understand myself. :-(

Charles Darwin

After taking Paolo's SAT class, I have more confidence on writing the essay on the first section of SAT. He taught us to use research examples and use them in any topic of essay. I used to wrote essays with only two examples because I cannot write quick enough to finish the full essay. Recently I found that I have improved my pace of writing so I researched for another example, Charles Darwin, who I really admire and have thought about to write in essay for a long time. Charles Darwin, born in February 12, 1809 and died in April 19, 1882, was a naturalist who proposed the theory of evolution by means of natural selection, which is my favorite scientific theory among the theories I have learned. I was surprised to find that more than 20 species and nine genera have been named after Darwin. I was even more surprised to find that the exhibition in a museum in Cambridge I went to when I traveled to England in 2009 was actually arranged for the bicentenary of Darwin's birth and the 150th anniversary of the publication of On the Origin of Species. (The picture was taken by me in front of the museum) No wonder I saw many incredible works and pictures drew by him and spent half of the day in that museum. I also fond a old copy of the book On the Origin of Species on my dad's bookshelf. I guess I'm destined to know him.

Cripple ?!

Though the Moon festival was on this weekend, I didn't visit my grandparents as every year in the past. I stayed at home three days. When I studied biology, my mom was reading with me too. She told me that she studied that in college too and taught me some important main points about the chapter I was reading. I like the way my mom teaches me because she always describes things in a interesting or incredible way, which triggers my curiosity, and brings up questions in a funny way. When I was looking at a picture of the chemical structure of phospholipids, a type of lipid in cells, she asked me, "Why it (the chemical structure) got cripple on this leg (she pointed at it) but not the other leg??" "It's not cripple, it just bents one leg to stay balance because its body is leaning to one side," I responded. We both laugh loudly for a while. I'm sure that I will never forget that characteristic of phospholipids for ever.

Taylor, a Writer

It's late at night but I still had no idea what to write on my journal today. Though I'm still thinking, I don't want to say anything about my decision to drop or keep taking environmental science which I may change my mind again next week otherwise I would probably state that I'm going to drop it but decide to drop it the next day continually until the end of next week. Sitting in front of my computer, I was bored so I watched a youtube video about a interview with Taylor, called YouTube Presents Taylor Swift. I love Taylor Swift very much and have listened to many of her songs. I especially like the lyrics of her songs because they're always telling stories. The interviewer asks her many questions about her tour, songs, and writing. She said that she writes songs anywhere at anytime whenever she has a idea or inspiration. She once even wrote on towel paper in an airport toilet. I was amazed to her some interesting things about her. Her mom taught and usually talked to her about metaphor when she's growing up. Since she once wanted to be a novelist she have always been writing. Usually 13 or 14 out of around 50 songs she writes are released in an album. After watching this video for 42 and half minutes, which I didn't think I have watched it for that long, I realized she is not only a singer but also a writer. I love many of her responses, especially when she's asked what's her definition of beauty. Like her, I think beauty comes from sincerity.

Waver

Today, during the last period, I went the regular environmental science class. On the way the classroom, I meet one of my classmate in AP environmental science class. After hearing that I'm about to drop the AP class, she was emotional to persuade me to keep it. I was wavered again by her promise that she will work with me. During the class, I learned some interesting case study that I've never known. It was about a town, near a volcano, in which all of its residents and their domestic animals suddenly died in one night without any obvious reason.  Mr. Smart demonstrated the chemical reaction happened in the volcano, which produced large amount of carbon dioxide, because of climate change, that killed all the people. We also watched some video in the class. It was a very enjoyable and easy class. However, taking a look at the content of the textbook, I found that I have learned most of concepts and remembered most of the terms when I was taking ESL environmental science. I became indecisive whether to go to regular class or AP one, so I told Mr. Smart my problem. Even though he encouraged me to stay in AP class, Ms. Pamela, the almighty of school, just shouted at us about how we should work on SAT test and college application instead of taking so many AP classes. I am confused. Fortunately, I have another week to make my decision.

Too Heavy

It has been two weeks since the start of school. I found myself under a heavy pressure because I'm going to apply for college very soon but at the same time I am taking classes that are difficult for me. There's no class I'm comfortable with, except AP calculus. I'm tired of being anxious but sometimes I just can't help myself get over it.
For two weeks, I've been deciding whether to keep taking AP environment science or not. If I keep it, I will have too much workload that I may not able to handle it and mess up other subjects. If I don't, I may regret in next year when I finish college application. I kept thinking about it all day and kept telling myself that I must make up my mine now.

As I am typing down this line, I made it. I will tell the teacher and drop that class tomorrow. What a relieve!