Tips for 8th Grade

Waddup Twiglets! I don't know about you, but I'm graduating

from 8th grade, and I couldn't have done it with out you little Twiglets!

Here are some tips I have for you if your eighth grade year is coming

up or if you'd like to go back in time and turn your 2.6 GPA into

a 3.95.

  

1) Take naps when you can. You may not feel tired to the point of saying "Hey I need a nap" but they're always nice. There's a nice hammock near The Corner which is a nice spot to get some shut eye.

2) Listen to music. It always helped me when I was working and studies show that music can help students focus and work more efficiently.

3) Stay as organized as you can. It comes easier to some than others but remembering what assignments and tests are coming up definitely help me prepare.

4)  Go outside between classes. Sitting in a class all day is hard for me which is why I like to take advantage of the breaks between classes as much as possible

5) Eat. As much as you can.

6) Don't sweat the small stuff. If you stress about the little things all throughout the year, you will end up feeling very overwhelmed when you shouldn't.

7) Spend time with friends. Being with friends is always nice and can help relieve stress I hope.

8) Have fun. The year can be challenging and stressful at times but remember that constant stress and worrying will make the year a much harder time for you.

 Thanks for a great year Twiglets!

My Intro Paragraph

As many of us know, life comes with its challenges. Throughout the many years that humans have roamed on this planet, there have always been great deals of suffering. Whether it be a very futuristic example found in the book Last Book in the Universe, or a very realistic example of struggle, such as World War II, found in Night by Elie Wiesel. Many people showed great deals of courage and strength when it would've been much easier to cave in and give up as many others did. As seen in Spaz's, Elijah's, and Elie's stories, overcoming challenge can lead to positive transformation in the world.

Innovation - Memes

Hey Twiglets! The topic of today's blog is what innovation

I think has transformed the world. This is a real good

one, so I'd read if I were you. Enjoy.

 As you probably guessed, my answer to this question would have to be the internet. Being able to communicate easily and quickly with people who are either in your community or on the other side of the world is pretty neat. It has allowed people to receive current news no matter where they are. It has also allowed for people to waste large amounts of time watching Real Housewives or staring at a social media feed full of memes. Either way, with the invention of the internet, the way we live our lives has transformed enormously. Without it, I wouldn't be able to connect with you, Twiglets!

The Progressive Era

Hola Twiglets, enjoy the blog.

There were many conflicts and issues during the time of the Progressive Era that many muckrakers looked to expose. The majority of the corruption was found in big, dominant US businesses. However, even to this day, some of the same issues are still found in US business. To me, the ones that stand out the most are worker's rights, FDA regulations, and monopolies found in the farming industry. Last year in science class, we spent a lot of time looking at CAFO's where cows, chickens, and even fish are gathered up and then slaughtered to mass produce meat. Lots of information about that process is kept under the radar, which is why I believe that there is not proper FDA regulation on the meat that is produced in massive CAFO's and factories. In addition, the environment and rights that workers who work in that industry are faced with are definitely not fair and not healthy for one's physical and mental state.

To go along with this, the farming industry is dominated by very big companies which makes the process more efficient when producing the meat, but risks can sometimes hinder the process. For example, if there is an outbreak of E.Coli, a very large amount of meat will get affected by the outbreak due to the very large but few amount of factories packaging the meat.

Transformation

Hey Twiglets, any of you know what transformation is?

Here, let me explain. Basically, think of it like a seed growing into a

twiglet, then a twiglet growing into a mighty tree. Today I will be

telling you all what I hope to transform in today's world. Enjoy.

My little sister, Eviana, was born in Adis Ababa, Ethiopia and as many of you probably know, it is a very poor country and in most parts even dangerous. When my parents traveled there to adopt her, they were shocked at the level of poverty and suffering in the streets. Now, it is hard for me to relate to the lives many Ethiopians live because I am very fortunate, but I do know I want to help in any way I can. Whether it be providing food, water, medical aid, education improvement, I would like to support my sister's country and help them to live happier and more comfortable lives. Just thinking that my sister could've grown up in that environment is something I'd never want for her. So if I could help provide safer access to food, water, and other items to help them stay healthy and happy, then that is exactly what I'd like to transform in today's world.

Courage

What up Twiglets! I'm gonna be telling you all about the most courageous person I know.

No, not John Cena, not Superman, and not Morgan Freeman.

His name is Wells Fowler.

Kidding. Enjoy the blog.

To me, the most courageous person I will most likely ever know and have ever known was my grandfather. After he passed away, my family returned to Tennessee to go to his memorial service, and it was there that I realized just how courageous and humble he was. I had never really thought about that side of him when I spent time with him, but as my cousins, uncles, aunts, and everyone else that was related to him told special moments that they got to share with him, it hit me. 

When he was younger, he served many years in the Air Force during the Korean War. That alone could earn anyone's respect and could get him the title of being "courageous", but to me, there was so much more to it than just serving our country from the air. For many years after the Air Force, he struggled with alcohol and became very bitter. However, I was lucky enough to get to know him during the final 13 years of his life where he had gotten over this problem. According to my mom, he was very mean to my grandmother and could be the same way to his kids at points, but he was never this way with his grand kids. He woke up and knew that he needed to clean his life up, and if you ask me, that has got to take an immense amount of courageous to realize the changes that need to be made, and also to take responsibility for your actions and do something about it. Deep down, he was always the humble man that never talked about the many accomplishments he had done in his life, never about the people that he knew or the things he could or could not do. To sum it all up, after his passing I found a hat that he used to wear all the time that read, "Real men don't ask for directions." I thought that this perfectly summed up his humble and courageous yet stubborn attitude that I will never forget.

Stay courageous Twiglets.

Dear Ma

Dear Ma,

I'm writing to you on this fine Wednesday evening to make sure you're doin alright and also to tell you that I'm just fine myself. 

It's been a very long and cold nine months, but they're taking good care of us folks. Judgin' by what I've heard, the South seems to be at quite the disadvantage in almost every possible way. They don't have the economic power that we do, and certainly don't have the will power and drive that we do. I know you didn't want me to join this bloodbath, which I can assure you it is, but I always remember how much you told me about Grandma Penny's awful life that was lived out in the fields. Believe me Ma, she was not the only one experiencing that torture, and I'm not the only one out here willing to fight for ending it, I promise. The Union's got a lot of determined soldiers that are prepared to die for what they believe in, if that is there fate of course.

We shouldn't have to fight for abolishing such a terrible crime that man is committing, but unfortunately that's the situation many of us are in, so I'm going to go the extra mile and fight for it. After all, you took the extra step to become free, so I'm not gon' let you down now. The fact that the South thinks that what they are fighting for is right...no one over here in the Union can understand, and that includes me. But I will do my part to help win this battle, and all the Confederate soldiers and former slave owners will realize just how better this world is without slavery.

Ma, I know you're worried out of your mind, but please know that it is all going to be okay and I'll get home as soon as this war is over.

With Love,
Christopher