There's been a huge leap in maturity this year that I've had a tough time seeing over these past months. I hated to admit it or recognize it at first but I started to see it a little over a week ago. I had a project due for one of my classes and as I sat at the computer looking at the clock that read 12:30 a.m., I knew I wasn't going to get it done that night. Instead of falling to the ground and sobbing like I would have ten months ago, I slowly got up and told myself that it was time to go to bed. And I did go to bed. Without worrying. The next day I was able to approach my teacher and ask her if she would be willing to give me an extension. She said yes and said that she completely understand as I explained to her why I was having difficulty finishing the project. Ten months ago, I could not have done that. But this showed me that I am growing up and taking responsibility for my actions.
Simple things like this would have stressed me out in the beginning of the year. Heck, my hair was falling out in chunks, I was stressed out so much. My body was becoming smaller and weaker due to the lack of energy and nutrients it was receiving. By the time I hit February, I looked disgusting. Things were going downhill fast and needed to climb my way out before it became worse. "You're not going to go to college if you don't do anything about this." My mom would reprimand me everyday and threaten to take away the one thing I held fast to: college. When march rolled around, I made a promise with myself to get healthier and not stress over the small stuff. I needed to start enjoying life again.
That's when it clicked: I don't need to be perfect for senior year. I just need to make it through. I started letting go and started doing what I wanted to do. I noticed a difference in my demeanor and my mood. I was happy again. I felt satisfied with my work and not overwhelmed anymore. People noticed this too and I had never received so many compliments. "You look great." Someone would say. "Yeah, I feel great." I can look back now on this year and be thankful for the experience I had. I know now that I am smarter than I think, and stronger than I seem.
Wednesday, June 6, 2012
VCU Bound
I can't even really put into words how excited I am to be a VCU Ram. The reality of the situation didn't really hit me until last week when I finally physically saw on the calendar I would be graduating in two weeks. Just two and now tomorrow it will be one, half of those days in which we won't be spending in school. I'm finally looking at the finish line head on and realizing that this year has gone by so fast with so many lessons that I have been able to extract along the way. Lessons in which the consequences weren't immediate but will have an impact later in life. Now I feel as if I can begin a new chapter knowing I can move forward without looking back.
To be honest though, my first choice was not VCU. I actually didn't have a first choice. I was just hoping the college would pick me instead of myself picking it. But it wasn't until I auditioned for VCU's theatre program when I actually realized I wanted to go to this school. I thought I wanted a small school like Christopher Newport. But I ended up loving the large urban life that VCU provided and all the spirit that the school has. It boggles my mind to think that 32,000 students attend that school each year. I keep telling myself I want to meet new people and technically I will be going to a school where I don't know over three-fourths of the population. That actually excites me.
Not only did I audition for their BFA theatre program but I made it in too. Which also floors my mind. 250 kids auditioned for the program this year and only 32 made it. 16 Boys and 16 Girls. People had told me how competitive it was, but I just went into the audition with an open mind not expecting to make it in. But I took this as a sign that I needed to attend the school, that this was not just a stroke of luck. People seem to think that acting is very straight forward and simple but in reality it's not. This is one of the most brutal industries in the world and I'm about to take part in it. But that feels exhilarating. And I can't wait.
To be honest though, my first choice was not VCU. I actually didn't have a first choice. I was just hoping the college would pick me instead of myself picking it. But it wasn't until I auditioned for VCU's theatre program when I actually realized I wanted to go to this school. I thought I wanted a small school like Christopher Newport. But I ended up loving the large urban life that VCU provided and all the spirit that the school has. It boggles my mind to think that 32,000 students attend that school each year. I keep telling myself I want to meet new people and technically I will be going to a school where I don't know over three-fourths of the population. That actually excites me.
Not only did I audition for their BFA theatre program but I made it in too. Which also floors my mind. 250 kids auditioned for the program this year and only 32 made it. 16 Boys and 16 Girls. People had told me how competitive it was, but I just went into the audition with an open mind not expecting to make it in. But I took this as a sign that I needed to attend the school, that this was not just a stroke of luck. People seem to think that acting is very straight forward and simple but in reality it's not. This is one of the most brutal industries in the world and I'm about to take part in it. But that feels exhilarating. And I can't wait.
What? Prom Queen?
If you had told me I was going to be prom queen when I was a freshman, I would have laughed and told you you were wrong. Very wrong. When I thought of the prom queen, I always thought of Barbie which would never equate to myself. Like everyone does, I went through the awkward ugly duckling phase. From the time I was in third grade to about seventh grade, I was not considered an attractive child. I wore the glasses, the braces, and the oh-so-popular short bob cut. Looking back at it, it makes me thankful because if people went through life looking great all the time, it would get boring. There would be no depth to them I guarantee you. But becoming the prom was such a humbling experience. I never knew that people cared so much until they announced my name.
I have always underestimated myself and there's no question about it. I have always thought that I was not good enough to receive the people I have now in my life. I thought I wasn't intelligent enough to be earning the grades that are on my transcript. I never thought this year would be so hard yet so rewarding at the same time. People made me realize this year that there is more that's going on than meets the eye. Like I stated before, I always thought the prom queen was Barbie. That she was perfect. But she's not. No one is perfect and that's what I've come to realize this year. No one is. Barbie will never exist in this world and I realized most people like to vote for someone they can connect to. I just didn't know I would be that person.
I'm thankful though. This title doesn't dictate who I am of course, but it definitely gives me some incite as to how my peers feel about me. After looking at the ballot, I understood why all those girls were on there: because they all truly deserved it. Sanam Hahemi is a great example; she is one of the kindest people I know yet she's also witty and people love to listen to her because she's intelligent. She still thinks that her name was a joke but i keep reminding her that there are so many people that love her and care about her. That's why her name was on that ballot. Yet, she's not perfect either. None of these girls were perfect. And I'm proud to be in a selection of girls that does not believe perfection to be the be-all-and-the-end-all.
I have always underestimated myself and there's no question about it. I have always thought that I was not good enough to receive the people I have now in my life. I thought I wasn't intelligent enough to be earning the grades that are on my transcript. I never thought this year would be so hard yet so rewarding at the same time. People made me realize this year that there is more that's going on than meets the eye. Like I stated before, I always thought the prom queen was Barbie. That she was perfect. But she's not. No one is perfect and that's what I've come to realize this year. No one is. Barbie will never exist in this world and I realized most people like to vote for someone they can connect to. I just didn't know I would be that person.
I'm thankful though. This title doesn't dictate who I am of course, but it definitely gives me some incite as to how my peers feel about me. After looking at the ballot, I understood why all those girls were on there: because they all truly deserved it. Sanam Hahemi is a great example; she is one of the kindest people I know yet she's also witty and people love to listen to her because she's intelligent. She still thinks that her name was a joke but i keep reminding her that there are so many people that love her and care about her. That's why her name was on that ballot. Yet, she's not perfect either. None of these girls were perfect. And I'm proud to be in a selection of girls that does not believe perfection to be the be-all-and-the-end-all.
CT Scans: Could Be Causing Increase in Cancer
http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/06/06/ct-scans-increase-childrens-cancer-risk-study-finds/?ref=health
If I wasn't going into acting, I would probably contemplate the idea of becoming a doctor instead. Medicine has fascinated me and has made me wonder how it works in the body as well as it does. Or doesn't. Some things our bodies can handle, such as sun radiation every once in while (with sunscreen of course.) But according to a new study conducted by the scientists of The Lancet, a British practice, reported that CT scans can increase a child's risk of being diagnosed with leukemia and cancer later in life. "180,000 children who had scans from 1985 to 2002 in Britain. There were 74 cases of leukemia and 135 cases of brain cancer in the group." There may be some confounding factors in this study but the results are alarming enough that people may have to ask whether its genetics or some form of gamma radiation that caused this. "Children under 15 who had two or three scans of the head had triple the risk of brain cancer compared with the general population, the researchers found, and 5 to 10 scans tripled the risk of leukemia. But the baseline risk is extremely low — 4.5 cases of leukemia per 100,000 people under 20, and 3.5 cases of cancer of the brain or central nervous system." says Denise Grady, the author of this article. She's right, in which the chance is small. But several doctors have been trying to figure out the causes of cancer and leukemia and have linked it back to these types of machines which give off these harmful rays. Scientists are trying to make advancements towards protecting young children and their vulnerable skin from any type of cancer or leukemia. They are trying to lower the power of the rays by finding chemicals that will be less damaging, than so those chemicals that have been linked to types of cancers.
Personally, I know I would like to see them make this advancement because it is important that we find a way to not make cancer as prevalent in society. Even though heart disease is the number one killer of both men and women in America, cancer is right up there with it. Potentially, there are effects of cancer that we do not have control over such as our genes. But we do have control over the amount of rays that are being produced by a CT scan machine. These children deserve to be able to live a life where they don't have to worry about dying before their parents do. This article emphasizes the importance of keeping a child healthy and cancer free under controllable circumstances. "A major study warning of CT risks to children, based on the Japanese exposure, was published in 2001; it predicted that of the 600,000 children under 15 who were having head and abdominal scans in the United States each year, 500 might ultimately die of cancer caused by the CT radiation." writes Grady. We've come a long way since 2001, and Grady does a good job of acknowledging that fact. We still must protect the future generations from any harm. Any way we can stop cancer is a means of moving in the right direction.
If I wasn't going into acting, I would probably contemplate the idea of becoming a doctor instead. Medicine has fascinated me and has made me wonder how it works in the body as well as it does. Or doesn't. Some things our bodies can handle, such as sun radiation every once in while (with sunscreen of course.) But according to a new study conducted by the scientists of The Lancet, a British practice, reported that CT scans can increase a child's risk of being diagnosed with leukemia and cancer later in life. "180,000 children who had scans from 1985 to 2002 in Britain. There were 74 cases of leukemia and 135 cases of brain cancer in the group." There may be some confounding factors in this study but the results are alarming enough that people may have to ask whether its genetics or some form of gamma radiation that caused this. "Children under 15 who had two or three scans of the head had triple the risk of brain cancer compared with the general population, the researchers found, and 5 to 10 scans tripled the risk of leukemia. But the baseline risk is extremely low — 4.5 cases of leukemia per 100,000 people under 20, and 3.5 cases of cancer of the brain or central nervous system." says Denise Grady, the author of this article. She's right, in which the chance is small. But several doctors have been trying to figure out the causes of cancer and leukemia and have linked it back to these types of machines which give off these harmful rays. Scientists are trying to make advancements towards protecting young children and their vulnerable skin from any type of cancer or leukemia. They are trying to lower the power of the rays by finding chemicals that will be less damaging, than so those chemicals that have been linked to types of cancers.
Personally, I know I would like to see them make this advancement because it is important that we find a way to not make cancer as prevalent in society. Even though heart disease is the number one killer of both men and women in America, cancer is right up there with it. Potentially, there are effects of cancer that we do not have control over such as our genes. But we do have control over the amount of rays that are being produced by a CT scan machine. These children deserve to be able to live a life where they don't have to worry about dying before their parents do. This article emphasizes the importance of keeping a child healthy and cancer free under controllable circumstances. "A major study warning of CT risks to children, based on the Japanese exposure, was published in 2001; it predicted that of the 600,000 children under 15 who were having head and abdominal scans in the United States each year, 500 might ultimately die of cancer caused by the CT radiation." writes Grady. We've come a long way since 2001, and Grady does a good job of acknowledging that fact. We still must protect the future generations from any harm. Any way we can stop cancer is a means of moving in the right direction.
Hip Hop: Made to Change?
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/05/arts/music/nicki-minaj-backs-out-of-summer-jam.html?pagewanted=2&_r=1&ref=music
I'll be the first to admit that I love pop culture. Like most people, I find it a little more entertaining than other types of news due to the fact that it pertains to the current generation of young adults. For example, there are up and coming artist who create major controversy, like Katy Perry, Lady Gaga, and Chris Brown. Though all seem to have quite a trend (i.e. making obscene stage appearances, wearing ill fitted clothing and expressing their opinions about the paparazzi through hand gestures), Nicki Minaj has caused more of an uproar by selling out Gaga and Brown combined with regards to ticket sales and albums. Minaj has been an up and coming artist for about a year and a half now and continues to create songs that are suited for the tween age group and the bubble gum pop culture. D.J Rosenberg of New York's 97.1 Hip Hop station made a comment about Minaj's lack of talent with regards to this genre of music. “I’m here to talk about real hip-hop.” He remarked as he spoke to the crowd who came out for the latest Hot Summer Jam Concert in New York City. Minaj was supposed to perform that day but after hearing the comment, her manager called to confirm that she was no longer going to be a part of the event. While other appearances were made, such as Tyga and Wacka Flocka Flame, the crowd apparently was waiting for Minaj. Rosenberg has made snide comments about her before on his radio station, remarking that she is "not a good representation of what Hip Hop is." But neither are Tyga and Wacka Flocka Flame.
This generation is constantly evolving and changing the dynamics of music. The game is no longer for men but for women too. Minaj has set for this trend, making her way to the top of the charts month after month and earning recognition from every aspect of the music industry. Though she is not my favorite artist, I have to give her credit where credit is due and that is why I chose this article. She was going to be the only female representing the Hip Hop genre at the Summer Jam Concert. Yet, Rosenberg can't seem to keep his opinion to himself, thus making her back out of the performance. Fans were angry and that can affect his job he continues to slam the careers of those who trying to make it in this industry. The article, written by Jon Carramanica, emphasized that this genre of music is not something that stays steady but changes overtime as we become more knowledgeable about the people who are representing it. Minaj is just one example. Did the author have some biased towards her? Yes, but he proposed a good argument in which " Hip-hop is many things, depending on who is drawing the boundaries: sometimes it’s a walled-off fort, sometimes a steady fountain of invention and change." Both sexes should be given an equal chance to create this type of music and people, such as Rosenberg, should not be so against the idea of evolution in the music world. Minaj is the one bringing in the money after all.
I'll be the first to admit that I love pop culture. Like most people, I find it a little more entertaining than other types of news due to the fact that it pertains to the current generation of young adults. For example, there are up and coming artist who create major controversy, like Katy Perry, Lady Gaga, and Chris Brown. Though all seem to have quite a trend (i.e. making obscene stage appearances, wearing ill fitted clothing and expressing their opinions about the paparazzi through hand gestures), Nicki Minaj has caused more of an uproar by selling out Gaga and Brown combined with regards to ticket sales and albums. Minaj has been an up and coming artist for about a year and a half now and continues to create songs that are suited for the tween age group and the bubble gum pop culture. D.J Rosenberg of New York's 97.1 Hip Hop station made a comment about Minaj's lack of talent with regards to this genre of music. “I’m here to talk about real hip-hop.” He remarked as he spoke to the crowd who came out for the latest Hot Summer Jam Concert in New York City. Minaj was supposed to perform that day but after hearing the comment, her manager called to confirm that she was no longer going to be a part of the event. While other appearances were made, such as Tyga and Wacka Flocka Flame, the crowd apparently was waiting for Minaj. Rosenberg has made snide comments about her before on his radio station, remarking that she is "not a good representation of what Hip Hop is." But neither are Tyga and Wacka Flocka Flame.
This generation is constantly evolving and changing the dynamics of music. The game is no longer for men but for women too. Minaj has set for this trend, making her way to the top of the charts month after month and earning recognition from every aspect of the music industry. Though she is not my favorite artist, I have to give her credit where credit is due and that is why I chose this article. She was going to be the only female representing the Hip Hop genre at the Summer Jam Concert. Yet, Rosenberg can't seem to keep his opinion to himself, thus making her back out of the performance. Fans were angry and that can affect his job he continues to slam the careers of those who trying to make it in this industry. The article, written by Jon Carramanica, emphasized that this genre of music is not something that stays steady but changes overtime as we become more knowledgeable about the people who are representing it. Minaj is just one example. Did the author have some biased towards her? Yes, but he proposed a good argument in which " Hip-hop is many things, depending on who is drawing the boundaries: sometimes it’s a walled-off fort, sometimes a steady fountain of invention and change." Both sexes should be given an equal chance to create this type of music and people, such as Rosenberg, should not be so against the idea of evolution in the music world. Minaj is the one bringing in the money after all.
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