Comp: What School Does Not Teach Us

Comp:What I Like Best About My School II

What I Like Best About My School

Many students say they like their school without knowing why. Some say it is because of the teachers, others say it is because of their classmates. My school is just like my second home. It is true that we have the best teachers, but the best teachers are the ones who love students as if they were their own kids. These are the teachers who, like parents, give children encouragement and give us a little push to try harder, but most of all, like good parents, our teachers have opportunities waiting for us to experience, to learn and make our dreams come true. The opportunities are what I like best about my school. Let me explain.

  The encouragement I get from the teachers in my school mirrors the encouragement I get from my parents. One example comes to mind. Like a child afraid of strangers, I used to have stage fright at school. I cried and ran away when giving a speech.  My teacher showed me that there were always ways to gain confidence. Since I am usually outgoing with my family, the teacher encouraged me to perform at a play for Mother’s Day and pretend the audience was my family. It was easy after that. I practiced in front of my parents and even in front of my dog.  I conquered my fear of performing in public!  My teacher’s framing the audience in familiar ways encouraged me. Now, when I am on a stage, I feel like I am home. My teacher inspired my confidence.

I am a lazy girl that needs a push every now and then, like when I promised my teacher to finish my speech draft after the winter vacation, but didn’t do it. Not to worry. My teacher found a way to get me going. She said, “I’ll give you a choice; you can read this wonderful speech I have. Just go out on stage and read it, or you can write your own speech to share with the audience? ” Great, right? But there was one problem; her script was full of words I didn’t understand! Of course, I chose to get to work writing my own. She may have been angry, but she didn’t show it. She gave me the opportunity to make my own decision, just as my parents would have done. The gentle way she forced me to face my own laziness was fantastic!   

All the activities at our school are designed to gain experience, push us when we’re shy, and make our dreams come true. Who always gives you the opportunity to learn and to experience but your parents?  Who is always there helping you to trust yourself? That is our family. My school is like a family. My teachers encourage us to understand ourselves. This is what I like best about my school. It is my home away from home.  

Comp: What Facebook Does to Me II

What Facebook Does to Me 2

If you ask me whether I have a Facebook account or not, I will answer, “Who doesn’t?” Facebook is so useful that it has become a part of many people’s lives, including mine. For relieving boredom and sharing thoughts with friends, old and new, there is nothing else that compares, but the down side is its addictiveness.  I couldn’t imagine what my days would be like without it.

     First and foremost, Facebook keeps me from getting bored when there is nothing else to do. I check out friends’ home pages, read the news feeds, or watch funny memes. Facebook is really good for channeling my interests and expressing my opinions in public especially on hot topics such as same-sex marriage. In an instant, my ideas go out to the world.  Some discussions may not be agreeable, but when someone hits the "like" button on my comment, I feel great about myself!  With Facebook, people can understand me better and I can know how others feel.

  The second amazing function of Facebook is finding long lost friends to update our lives and feelings. I get to keep in touch with lots of classmates and teachers who I never thought I would meet again. With Facebook, keeping friendships over distances becomes easy. Friends post each other’s old photos which are usually cute, but occasionally I am reminded by photos I am doing something stupid in. It is all in fun though, unless it becomes malicious; that is the sinister side of Facebook. Being bothered by bad friends and strangers sending messages is annoying. Sometimes old friends must be “blocked” and left in the past.

    Though Facebook has brought the world closer to me, it has complicated my life by filling it with distractions, and compromising my concentration or my studies. I can’t stop reading the articles!  Before I realize it, hours have passed. It’s really a big problem getting less and less for studies and real interaction with people I care for. People around me spend more time posting and reading articles than talking to each other face to face. For instance, on my birthday, some friends post best wishes or smiling face stickers instead of writing greeting cards or giving me hugs in person. Everyone seems addicted to Facebook! That's really not what I want deep in my heart. 

I can’t help wondering why I am so addicted to Facebook. I must resist!

    There is no denying that Facebook is a useful tool for communication and information; it adds so many possibilities to our lives, but there is a sinister side to Facebook, too. There are always two sides, aren’t there?  I should be more careful least Facebook takes control of my life. Spend more time being with people I love is more important. Showing I care cannot be replaced by typing words or posting smiley faces. If we are smart uses of Facebook, it can bring us joy and improve the quality of our lives. 

Comp: Three Things That Trouble Me The Most II

Three Things That Trouble Me The Most 2

Teenagers always seem to be trouble makers, like when we don’t follow the rules of adults, but sometimes we only make trouble for ourselves. I am no different. Though I may be a trouble maker to others, there are a few troubles I save for myself, all because of insecurity.  For one, I am always worrying about my height. Another trouble I give myself is my fear of public speaking, and the last is my lack of communication with my parents. You may feel like I do. Let us compare notes.

Is height your problem? I often feel like I am staying short while my friends are growing up.  I do play basketball a lot and drink milk every day.  My father even urges me to drink disgusting medicinal Chinese snake or turtle soup to improve my height, but the miracle cure hasn’t happened yet. Increasing my height would heighten my self-esteem. Though I am 15 years old, my clothes are bought at children’s departments. Sometimes I wonder if I will stay in a ten-year-old body forever. It is not a pretty picture.

Is it my diminutive height that has affected my ability to speak in public? Perhaps! The fear of public speech is the second trouble I give myself.  When an opportunity to address an audience arises, I feel that everyone is waiting to hear my mistakes.  You may not believe it, but I have stage fright. Right this second, my heart is pounding so hard that I can hardly hear my own voice. Can’t you hear it?  You may think I look confident now. Thanks, but you can’t see my legs shivering or feel the sweat rolling down my back.

Blame my fear on the lack of communication I have with my parents.  Don’t get me wrong; I love them, but they don’t like to listen to me. It’s true!  When I try to share my interests with one of them, he or she looks at me blankly and says, “Sorry, Honey.  I am busy working.”  When I get into trouble and want to explain, they say, “We are too angry to listen to you.”  I admit that I am sometimes naughty and my excuses are loquacious, but it should not be so difficult to explain my dilemmas or share happiness with them. It affects my confidence.

These are the three problems that trouble me the most. How I would love to solve my insecurities due to my height and fear of public speaking, perhaps all caused by a lack of communication at home. I know that I should not make excuses; the best way to overcome fear of public speaking is to practice at home, even if no one seems to be listening. Even if I am not tall, my heart is big enough to conquer my problems. And about my parents……if they are sitting in front of me now, listening to my speech, I want to tell them I have a million ideas to share, all because they raised me well, to solve my own problems. If they are listening to me now, they can hear the echo of all the ideals they instilled in me. Thanks to their tough love,  I can solve my own problems. 

Comp: If I Were a Boy I

Comp: If I Were a Boy II

Comp: I Have a Dream I