Go Ask Alice--Blog 5

We have finally finished the book. I began the novel confused about the narrator. Why does she act the way she does? Why is she so wishy-washy? Well, now that we have finished, I still have not answered the questions I had in the beginning, and I also have new ones. Throughout the novel, the narrator always second-guessed her decisions and contradicted herself. I think that is the point of the novel. I think it is trying to show what some people who use drugs go through, and what battles they have with themselves. Also, having drugs in your life messes a lot of things up and although it may feel great at times, as the novel displayed, the end outcome is not so great. We end the novel with the narrator ending her second diary, saying that she didn't need it anymore and she was now strong enough to fight anything. The last page is a short epilogue saying that the narrator died a few weeks after the last entry. There is still no clear answer as to how the narrator died or whether drugs were involved, we don't even know whether this is really a true story. Either way, this novel is meant to show kids how once you start using drugs, even during the good "highs," you're never going to gain anything really positive from them. Life with drugs is confusing, and full of ups and downs, as is this novel just for that reason. While reading this novel, it was great to see the narrator declare she was done with drugs, but it was also dreadful to see her slipping into the influence of drugs once again. I felt really close to this character and seeing her make poor decisions was very hard. I really feel for this character, and I don't want to judge her for her decisions with using drugs. Sure, some of her drugs experiences were not necessarily entirely her fault but she had some say in all of her actions, which is sad to admit. I know bad things can happen to good people and this is what happened to the narrator. Her bad thing began without her knowledge, at the party where she first tried drugs. Ever since that night, the narrator's life was completely controlled by drugs. It's especially sad because she had no idea what was going to happen. She was completely blindsided by the drugs but she liked it. It's like being in a car accident that you never see coming and then liking the rush... It doesn't make sense to any of us, but some people may feel the same way, which allows them to understand why the narrator made the decisions she did. I'm sad that drugs had so much control over her life and possibly led to her death. Throughout the novel, the narrator never could beat the drugs. In some way or another, drugs were still affecting her life. I guess we'll just have to accept that drugs won in the end, although it wasn't what we wanted and I don't think what she wanted. I enjoyed reading this book and I have a more clear outlook on drugs. I also understand how people could be persuaded to using and reusing drugs, however after reading this novel, I don't understand why anyone would ever want to begin if they had the choice.

Go Ask Alice--Blog 4

Things in the book are still just as changing and drastic as they were in the beginning of the novel. For instance, there has been another death in her life. Gran died soon after her husband's death. She was kind of part of the reason the narrator was trying to stay drug free, so it's sad that she is no longer with her. Also, her opinions on death are still the same. She is scared of it because she doesn't want maggots and worms to crawl inside her and eat her. This fear drives her into a clinic later in the reading. She was babysitting Mrs. Larsen's baby when all of a sudden she found herself in a hospital, almost bandages completely from head to waist. Turns out, she ate a chocolate covered nut that had acid on it. It turns out Jan actually planted the drugs. This rapid onset of acid caused the narrator to feel as if maggots were eating her, and as things led on, she ended up in the hospital with major injuries. After this experience, they decided to put the narrator in a youth clinic. I think this will help the narrator realize what drugs have done to her life and help keep her on the straight path, but I also know, from what we've read thus far that the clinic is awfully painful for the narrator to be in. Throughout the reading, all of the stoners have been mean to the narrator. All of this bullying and peer pressure I'm afraid is going to run her down the bad path once again, which will unfortunately lead to her ultimate downfall. In the clinic, however, she meets a girl with almost as messed up life as she has. Her name is Babbie and they become quick friends. After hearing Babbie's life story and about how she ended up here, the narrator feels for her. I would think all of her compassion towards others who have lived a life of drugs would influence her perception on using drugs. Things continue to worsen in the clinic, which I know will eventually lead to her downfall. All I have to say is... poor narrator. I know we should realize all of the mistakes we have seen her make throughout the novel, but I still feel for her. Yes, she has definitely made some bad decisions, but that doesn't mean she is a bad person, and like she even admits, "After you've had it, there isn't even life without drugs..." This quote seems to be the premise of the plot of this girl's life story.

Go Ask Alice--Blog 3

The novel continues to change as we read further and further on our way to her downfall. This section of reading has been full of ups and downs, both characteristics of the novel, and bad decisions for the narrator. We left off the reading with the narrator being so upset about how her parents were watching her after her latest drug bust. Since then, there has been great advancements in the plot. This sections begins with the narrator hitchhiking her way to Denver when she was under the influence. She meets a couple kids and travels with them to various locations. These are hardly the type of kids someone wants to bring home to parents, especially not in the narrator's situation. One thing I found very interesting about this reading was how she found a church where she was staying that she enjoyed being around. It was this church that inevitably called home for her and sent her back to her family. During her escapades as a hitchhiker and wherever that might lead the narrator, she is using drugs all along the way. She becomes sick from being out in the cold and not taking care of herself. While at the doctor, she meets a fellow druggie named Doris. They become close immediately and begin using together. That is one thing of Alice's character that has been consistent throughout the novel. She becomes very close to people very fast. I think this is sometimes a good thing, but in her situation I don't think it is very healthy. Most of the times, when she has become close to someone in this novel, they have also been users and they have used that similarity to party. Another thing I have noticed about the narrator is she truly loves her family and her home. During her travels "abroad," she thinks about family a lot and how much she misses them. On the outside, she acts like she hates them but truly, inside she loves them. I still think the narrator is just as confusing as ever but I think that is part of her character. I think she is supposed to be confusing and not steady and it's not just us not understanding her. At the end of this section of reading, she looks back at all of her past diary entries and cannot believe everything she has said and done. Luckily, she ends this section on a somewhat good note, drug wise. She is still not using but her grandpa died, which I know, based on her personality, will send her into another downward spiral. Her character hasn't developed very much, but in a way, I think that is her personality. I think she doesn't fully understand herself as she's writing these journal entries, so there is no way for us to understand her either. I think even by the end of the novel we will still not understand the narrator fully. Hopefully, we will get more of a grasp of her personality but her mysteriousness and how confusing she is it what makes us understand her most.

Go Ask Alice--Blog 2

A lot has happened in the novel since the last blog. First off, Chris and the narrator's relationship has really grown. It has grown to the point that they are both so fed up with their family life that they plan to sneak away to move to San Francisco. One interesting thing I found about this was that the narrator said that she really does love her family and that is part of the reason that she is leaving: she doesn't want them to know what she has done and who she has become. When they arrive in San Francisco, they get a nasty, cheap apartment. They have trouble finding work, but after many attempts they both manage to get a job. First, the narrator works as a cheap lingerie store but then gets a job at a jewelery store in a ritzy hotel. Chris gets a job with a highly sophisticated, cosmopolitan woman named Sheila. Life is going great for the two of them in their new life, but then things take a change for the worse. At one of Sheila's parties, Chris and the narrator experience drugs yet another time. They continue this life style and attend more of Sheila's parties, which only get crazier. Finally, one of the parties reaches the extreme. There are just four of them there: Chris, the narrator, Sheila, and her new boyfriend. They bring out heroine and it is the first time for both the narrator and Chris. Things get out of control, and in the end it turns out that Chris and the narrator were raped by Sheila and the boyfriend. Because of the recent events, Chris and the narrator move out of San Francisco. They start their own shop in their new town by renovating an apartment. Their shop is successful immediately. But once again, drugs comes back. But this time, it's in the form of all of the buyers and kids talking about them. So, Chris and the narrator finally decide it's time to go back home. They are greeted at home with the best welcome home parties. They are both glad to be home and are finally enjoying their lives. The narrator starts school again where social relationships hurt the narrator. All of the previous people she used to sell to ask her if she still sells and so she is forced every time to deny it. Drugs seem to keep following her, but I guess that's what they always do. Once you start them, you start a new life style for yourself that is very, very hard to escape from, even the narrator agrees. The rest of the reading deals with the narrator going back into doing drugs and her and Chris getting caught. Her parents are extremely upset. Who wouldn't be when when she came home she was so happy and active in the family. Both girls' families were so helpful in their secret process of distancing themselves from drugs, and then they both slam it into their faces by getting caught, which proves their use. It is hard for me to continue reading knowing that drugs ultimately end her life, but she makes so many promises to herself and to others to stop all together. The Christmas season was especially hard to read. She makes a resolution to herself that her new life is going to begin now, and within months, she is back to using drugs. She ignores every vow she makes to herself and it seems like she has lost complete faith in herself and her actions, which is very sad to me. I will continue reading in hopes of a lighter note, but knowing that there are no more light notes for the narrator, only ones that appear to be light but in the end are dark as night.

Go Ask Alice--Blog 1

So far, I really enjoy reading this book. I think it is a book with a lot of life lessons and a book all teens should read. My initial impressions of Alice are very mixed. I think she is extremely self-conscious and very unsure of herself. I think both of these aspects of her personality influence all of the choices she has made thus far. She is so worried about what people want that the only people she can really be completely truthful with is her diary. I'm kind of confused on how she continues to use drugs throughout her life. Right now, she is against drugs and although she enjoys what she feels like when she is under their influence, she vows she will never use them again each time she tries something new. I know that she eventually dies due to a drug related affect, but right now I don't know how she will ever get to that point. Her personality shows through in her social choices also. For instance, Beth was a great friend for her and they were inseparable but then things changed when she went back to her hometown to stay with her grandparents. When she traveled back to her hometown, the narrator got involved in things that were not ordinary for her character. She was happy when Jill, an infamous troublemaker from her old high school, invites her to go to a "yearbook signing party" at her house. The narrator is starving for attention that she'll do anything. So she waits by the phone for the details of this party. When she arrives at the party, it turns out she has another thing coming to her. She has her first experience with drugs, when she is surprised by LSD in her coke. She also meets a boy named Bill at this party. She then pronounces the next day that she liked what she felt like when she was under the influence but that she will never do it again. But I sense an edge of falsity in this statement of hers because I know that her personality isn't stable. Another incidence where her personality shows through with her weight loss. After Roger hurts her so bad, she decides she is fat and sloppy so she begins to eat less and less until she's under 100 pounds. Her weight then dramatically increases, which makes her happy. All of this leads up to how she is so easily influenced and cares so much about what people think. Neither of these characteristics are good for teenage girls because it will only get them into trouble, so she is already set up for a bit of failure. And then there is Roger, who is a completely different story. I feel like she is overly dramatic about everything. Although, I don't know the real story about what happened that pushed her over the edge in the beginning of the book, I don't think it was as horrible as she makes it out to be. When Roger comes back into her life during the summer, he seems nice as can be and acts like he likes her, so I can't understand what would have changed since the beginning of the novel. I also feel like she is one of those type of girls that if a guy even looks at her she falls head over heels for him. After what she has gone through since she has been back in town, I feel like she really needs someone to talk to, but I don't know if Roger is such a great source. The narrator seems to be clingy and if Roger ever let her down again, I think it could lead to her downfall. I'm excited to read further and learn more about the narrator and her struggles and see how she develops and she begins to lose her true self.

Final Choice Book Ranking

My first choice out of this list of books is Go Ask Alice. My next choice is The Boy in Striped Pajamas. I would rather not read To Kill A Mockingbird, because I have already read this book and I didn't like it very much. I guess my third choice would be Black Hawk Down but I would must rather not have to read this book. I am willing to read any of the books, but my first choice is Go Ask Alice.

A Long Way Gone--Final Chapter (21)

The beginning of this chapter starts with Ishmael Beah talking about his trip to New York City. His family cannot believe how weird the city sounds. We also learn that Mohamad now lives with Ishmael and his uncle's family. This made me so happy because earlier it talked about how Mohamad had to go back to the front lines just because his family wouldn't take him. I was happy to finally see someone take Mohamad in and it must be great for both Ishmael and Mohamad to have someone who understands what they have been through with with them. It would be hard to be in a world where very few really know/understand what they have been through and it is good for anyone who goes through a hard situation to have someone to talk to. Also, we learn that they are both attending secondary school again, which is great! But it made me sad when they notice how most kids sit far away from them because they know about their past and they're scared that one of them is going to snap any second and kill someone. This is how unaware these other children are of the situation going on and ignorant to Ishmael and Mohamad's feelings. Unfortunately, the mood of the book was brought down from happiness and joy to sadness and madness. The rebels and soldiers come to take control of the city. The city is waken up by the noise of gunshots. This just further proves how Ishmael never seems to catch a break, and he even mentions this later on. It seems to me like the violence and destruction are targetting one person, Ishmael, and they will do whatever and follow him wherever to reach their target. Ishmael also says how if he became a child soldier again he didn't think he could make it, and I don't blame him one bit. To go from a normal, young civilian to a mass-destruction soldier, and back to a normal, young civilian was rough and now that Ishmael knows what life can be like I don't think he would be able to handle going through the routine once more. It was hard enough going through it once, going through it two times would be horrific. Throughout all of this madness, Ishmael feels like he has seen this scene a few too many times. He remembers similar situations from before he became a soldier and his life as a soldier where he was the doer in the madness. To even be able to feel a familiarity to all of this destruction is unacceptable. Nobody should be able to say they are familiar with danger. Yes, they may have met it a couple of times but to say you're acquaintances and you're familiar with it is awful. But, sadly, Ishmael really can say he is familiar with this scene because he is acquaintances with danger and has come within a hair slice of facing the ultimate danger, death. Ishmael and Mohamad begin to lose faith because they say that they have come so far to get out of the war and then they are just brough back into it. They must be going through a complete emotional rollarcoaster because they constantly have to change their roles in life and in their thoughts. The death of Ishmael's uncle almost did it to me. I was so sad to see that even this little bit of the war had caused the death of one of Ishmael's family members. Ishmel has gotten almost everything he has taken from him, and I didn't want to see another thing taken from him. But the death of his uncle also proves how strong Ishmael must have been to be able to withstand years of it. Ishmael, in a mad attempt to run away from the war, starts his journey to Guinea. The journey is full of cloe encouters to death, new people, and new experiences for Ishmael. While reading about all of the different checkpoints, I actually felt what Ishmael must have been feeling. I felt all of the tension, nerves, fright, worry, and eerie feel to the event that all members included must have felt. Finally, after a couple nights of traveling, he can say he has made it out of the war. Now, Ishmael's journey is really over. I am glad that in the end things worked out for Ishmael. He deserves all the good he gets, I think, considering what he has been through. Because of what we knew about the author, Ishmael Beah, we knew he was going to live through the war, but I would hace expected the end to be less dramatic. I thought something would change and he would be done with his career as a child soldier, but nope. More horrible things had to happen to Ishmael before his journey was over. Although they were all bad, they all made Ishmael a stronger person and led to a great end of the novel. I really enjoyed reading this book because the author really engaged the reader and his story is truly unique and entertaining, not to mention heart-breaking. I am very, very, very, very, very glad that Ishmael's story ended with a "happy ever after."

A Long Way Gone--Chapters 19-20

These chapters began to bring closure to the story. Ishmael grew a lot throughout these chapters and there is a lot of reflection done by him as an adult to the occurrences he experiences in these chapters. These chapters begin with Ishmael being nervous to join his new family. He didn't know how long it would take his cousins to realize Ishmael was different than most kids and then how long it would take them to ask him about himself. I don't blame him one bit for feeling like a bundle of nerves. If I were in the same situation, I would feel exactly the same. This will be the first time Ishmael is brought back into everyday life. At the Benin Home, he was with other children who had gone through similar experiences. When he moved in with his new family, it wouldn't be the same. He would always have to be on guard for anything that might be thrown at him about his past. It seems like his whole life has been about goodbyes and new beginnings, some good some terrible. So when he had to say goodbye to Mohamad, the last time he will ever see him again, I wasn't surprised. Although things had shaped up dramatically for Ishmael, I didn't expect everything to be good for him. It was sad though to know that Mohamad was sent back to the front lines just because his family didn't want to take him back. Mohamad doesn't have a chance now. If he ever makes it out of the military again, I don't think he would be able to recover because he had already seen what being out of the military was like and he was rejected here so why would he want to be rejected again. I don't think he would be willing to change because nobody did him any good after he changed so if he changed back and then made it out and was supposed to change again, I don't think he would be able to. I don't understand why someone wouldn't just step up and say "I'll take care of him." This is a life that people aren't caring about so if Mohamad ever made it out of the military again, I wouldn't blame him for not wanting to make the change to become a civilian again. Ishmael also becomes compassionate toward Esther. He wonders how she can handle hearing so many children's war stories when he can't even bare his own. That is a very good thought because if he is having constant nightmares from his own experiences, how would someone else be able to make it after hearing countless people's stories. Also, it seems like the world doesn't want Ishmael to have fun. When he tried to go out and have fun with Allie, he is tormented by hideous flashbacks. This is no wonder why he doesn't trust smiling and happiness because almost all of the times he has been happy something bad comes and brings him down again. I was happy when Ishmael won the interview to go to New York City in America because it was kind of like the silver lining to his very long, and very bad cloud. His trip to America is so full of happiness I couldn't help but be happy for Ishmael. I imagined a timid, scared little boy just sitting in Times Square marveling at how amazing the area is. For Ishmael to come from such a rural background, living in the woods, sleeping on the ground, to coming to America and standing in Times Square is truly a miracle. It is the perfect ending to a trouble filled childhood. I think all big cities give people with bad childhoods some safety and hope, which is why so many flock to these big cities when they are down, and Ishmael, well, he was a little bit more than down. To come to New York City and seeing how truly remarkable life really can be would definitely be a spirit lifter for him. Because of this, I completely understand how he says his trip to New York City was a dream that he never wanted to wake up from. I also found this quote interesting because he had been having nightmares of his past for so long and now he is having dreams; carefree, happy, and devoid of gore and inhumane acts, and with an outlook of the future. It is like Ishmael has finally just jumped the last step and has crossed the bridge from his nightmares and killing to dreams and happiness. These chapters for me, finish the story of Ishmael's childhood because he has finally crossed that bridge and has made it past everything that has gone against him and has reached someplace bigger. Although I know at the end of chapter 20, he is on the airplane back to Sierra Leone, and the story is not completely finished, I feel like for me, it is.

A Long Way Gone--Chapters 17-18

These chapters made me very happy because Ishmael finally begins to open up about what he has been through and he begins to gain himself back. The nurse, Esther, is the one who gets Ishmael to start opening up. I really value her character for this reason. She buys him a cassette player and cassettes, which is the initial thing that allows Ishmael to begin opening up. I think it is a coincidence because the rap music saved his life so much before he became a soldier and now after he was a soldier it is saving his life again in a way. Because of the rap music, he is beginning to gain his old self back, which is a way of saving Ishmael. If he didn't return to his ways after ending his career as a soldier he would be completely lost and so it is important that music is in his life again Also, the presence of a family member in his life again was a great joy to him and the reader. I was happy that he was finally reconnecting with someone who would accept him no matter what his past was like, his family. Also, having his uncle in his life again would help his recovery because his uncle would remind him or his previous life and what things were like. This is essential because Ishmael had not thought about his previous life or especially his family deeply in a while. If Ishmael cannot accept and move past his problems in life then he will never be able to turn the other cheek ad start a new chapter in his life. Another great thing in this section was the return of Mohamad. This just proved that not everything that existed before the war had been deleted from Ishmael's life. Also, it makes Ishmael happy to have his old pal back and another porthole for his memories. All around, it seems like things are definitely starting to shape up for Ishmael... And it's about time! Although this chapter was filled with many, many positive, there were also some horrible flashbacks. One significant flashback was the event that caused the scars in his feet and legs. While fighting, he received many bullet wounds in his feet but he ignored them because he wanted to keep fighting. But eventually, he went to the doctor and the pain was excruciating. It was hard to read about Ishmael being in such agonizing pain. The war had not only caused him emotional pain and loss, but also physical. How else was the war going to impact his life? Well, emotionally and psychologically Ishmael was and will never be the same. Another big thing about these chapters is how Ishmael cannot show emotion because he feels bad and he had numbed himself for so long. Often times, he wants to smile but either doesn't know how or doesn't know whether he should. It would be so hard to have to keep your emotions under control all the time. He also says that he has lost the possibility of happiness so when he is happy he doesn't both showing it because he doesn't believe that it will last or that is just temporary. For someone so young to have to think about this is so tragic to me. The war still has a lasting impact on his everyday life, which is horrible. I was happy while reading these chapters however because Ishmael's life is starting to shape up and I'm seeing some of the old Ishmael show through.

Choice Books

I don't care too much what books we choose for our list of choice books. I just would prefer them not all to be science fiction and not history. I prefer fiction novels or autobiographies. I like books with interesting twists and most of the times I like them to be kind of girly. I don't care about the length as long as if it's long I want it to be interesting and not just carrying on. I don't have any specific titles for books but here are my recommendations for choice books.

A Long Way Gone-- Chapters 15-16

These chapters I think have been the roughest thus far. There was some happiness when the younger soldiers were saved by UNICEF agents but these young soldiers didn't feel that way. They were very angry and were mad that they were leaving the front line. I thought this was weird because they had dreaded it so much before they entered the army and now that they had they didn't want to leave. It really shows how much this lifestyle affected their lives and brainwashed them. I was thankful though that someone was trying to do something but I still wondered why they hadn't earlier. If they had tried to rescue some of these young children earlier the recovery for them wouldn't have been nearly as bad. Reading about what their recovery has bee like thus far has been very hard. I cannot believe the way they act towards the people that are trying to help them. Also, their drug withdrawals are awful. Reading about the first night in the camp was hard because a fight, almost like those in the forest, began between some of the rebels and the army boys. It was sad to see how much their prior lifestyle has had an impact on their lives. It seems like there is nothing of their old lives and they have completely become soldiers. They view everything as a possible threat and act as if it is dangerous to them. They acted like animals when they were fighting, and I dont blame them because they were taught to hunt and kill like animals do. After the big fight between the rebel and the army boys, Ishmael and his group were taken to another camp. Here, they completely gained control of the whole area through violence, threats and power. They were even alone at the camp for a couple of days because they had scared all of the faculty. It is strange to think that these young children are more powerful than adults. That really says something because that says that they have been trained to be crazy powerful and have more strength, although it is all violent strength, than adults. It also says that violence overpowers logic, wisdom, and normal social customs in this society during this time of war. I really couldn't believe what I was reading. It was differnet in battle and didn't affect me nearly as much but now that they're off of the battlefield it is mind-baffling to me how they can be more powerful than adults in normal situations. While on the battlefield, age doesn't matter as much as long as you have a weapon and you know how to use it. If you meet that criteria then you will be just as even as your opponents until something else is added to the equation such as size of group, personal superior excellence, etc. Now that they are off the battlefield they are still acting as soldiers and definitely exercising their skills against anybody, no matter the age. But I guess they are still on the battlefield in their hearts and memories... This war and lifestyle has affected these children in inimaginable ways and I can't even begin to feel what these children are feeling. They must be extremely confused, power-hungy, and eager for violence, not to mention their want/need for drugs. The people who trained these children for war definitely knew what they were doing because they made it almost impossible for these children to beat it, even with the help of professional people. After reading these chapters, I feel like things are just going to become even more crazy for us the reader and for the characters. While reading these chapters, I didn't even want to put the book down because the characters were acting very violent and it was one of those things that even though it was horrible I couldn't look away, much like this whole book is. Another disturibing aspect of this section was all of Ishmael's memories from his life as a soldier. One extra disturbing memory was the one about Ishmael's squad making the people bury their own graves and then burying them alive. He displayed so many strong descriptions and emotions about the event that made it even worse to read. I think the following chapters are going to be filled with even more of these disturbing memories as Ishmael and the others fight to gain themselves back.

A Long Way Gone--Chapters 13-14

These chapters were extremely rough. I have to admit, it was hard for me to continue reading these chapters just because I hated who Ishmael had become. I started to lose my feelings of compassion towards Ishmael and the other boys. They were becoming just what they had hated so much: killers. Sure, the government says that they have a reason for killing but is there really any killing of this magnitude that can be justified? In the beginning, the new soldiers are waken up and are told that there will not be training today and instead all of those who follow the Christian religion should go and pray to the Lord because it could be their last time. Man, this was a harsh and eye-opening way to open this chapter that's for sure! We now went into the chapter knowing that there is a chance they will all die soon. Later in the afternoon, all of the boys are lined u and given weapons. They are told to grab as much ammunition as they can. Poor Sheku couldn't even hold himself up once he was given the weapon and ammunition. This was so sad because if he can't even hold the weapon, how do they expect him to fight with it? Then they go off to fight. Ishmael says in this chapter that he has "never been so afraid to go anywhere in my life as I was that day." (116) This made a lot of sense to me but was also mind baffling. Yes, going off to battle would be very, very terrifying, but all of the days he spent running from danger were also very terrifying for him. It seems like he can't win either way, which is a sad thing to realize. Then they were set up to open fire. This was so sad to read because I know it is going to be the beginning of a lot of gruesome and tragic chapters. The battle scene was horrible. Unfortunately, poor Josiah was killed in the battle, and his death is too tragic to write about. Also, Masu was killed. Ishmael says that there is no storyteller for them now. I think this is a huge deal because the stories brought them joy and laughter and memories of their old lives. Without someone telling the stories, they had no way to remember all of the great things they used to know. Ishmael also starts blaming himself for Josiah's death because he made him wake up that morning. Once again, everyone is looking for someone to blame for all of the sadness they are suffering, and rightfully so. Ishmael also talks about how his mind is a void during this period. His role as a soldier has made him become addicted to drugs and the soldiers spent all of their free time either doing drugs, watching movies, or preparing for killing. As if things aren't bad enough for these people, they have to add drugs into the mix. Ishmael recalls feeling a lot of energy and excitement from the drugs but he also recalls when he took all of them at once and the result was not very good. He couldn't sleep for a week and he had become addicted. Another scene that was hard to read was when he suffered from a nightmare where the scene from the swamp replayed in his mind but then a rebel put a gun to his forehead. He woke up from this dream in a frenzy and started shooting his gun rapidly. Other reinforcements then had to come to calm him down and wake him from his torture. This really shows how much the war and becoming a soldier has impacted his every moment of life and his state of mind. The last scene I would like to write about is when they five soldiers were chosen for the game of who can slit the prisoners' necks the fastest. To see Ishmael completely be turned into a monster was hard for me to handle and this was yet another example of his downhill new being. He was declared the winner, which made things even worse for me, and as a reward he became junior lieutenant. The second place winner was Kanei, another boy he had been traveling with all along. I am wondering if this is because since they had traveled together they had seen the same stuff. Earlier in this section, the soldiers talk about how they become angry with the rebels because they killed their families so they should take it out on them and kill them more gruesomely and painfully. I am wondering if the two most angry soldiers, Ishmael and Kanei, have seen the worst of the worst and have felt the strongest hate for the rebels. I'm wondering if all of the things they witnessed were worse than those of other people because something along their journey has made them angrier than the rest, which makes them successful in war. I know that from here on out it is just going to get worse and it is going to be difficult for me to get through it. I can't help but hate Ishmael and who he has become which will make the reading even harder. I guess from now on, I will have to just remember the way his forehead used to shine and all of the happy things about him to keep reading.

A Long Way Gone--Chapter 11-12

This section of reading begins with the boys reflecting and mourning the death of Saidu. They try to keep moving, but they have to stop to take breaks every once in a while because they are so sad. The silence of their group grows stronger throughout their journey. They are trying to make it to the village where their families are supposed to be. They are so excited to see them that they try to get their quickly, but they have to stop to take a lot of breaks on their way. Finally, they make it to the village. They hear sounds ahead of them, which gives them hope that there is life ahead. On their way into the village, a man stops them on the side of the road. Ishmael remembers him from his home village. I loved meeting this character named Gasemu because he seemed so cute. He has a gap in his two front teeth and he is known throughout the village for his single lifestyle. While reading, I felt a lot of happiness learning about this character and how life used to be before they were struck by evil. He asks them to help him carry some bananas to the village. They are still a little whiles away from the village and there was only a narrow path for them to take so they had to make the rest of the journey single-filed. Another part of this journey that got me was when Gasemu was talking to Ishmael about his behavior as a child. He remembers how Ishmael’s forehead used to glow they thought when he was extremely happy. But then when he used to get angry his forehead would glow even more so that didn’t make sense. He tells Ishmael that his forehead isn’t glowing anymore. I think this is because there isn’t a lot, if any, of his old self in him. He has completely lost himself throughout the journey. He is excited to see his family to get at least a little of himself back. Gasemu also tells Ishmael that his brother is also here with his parents. He says that his brother went out looking for him but came back alone. He says that he blames himself for losing Ishmael. I remember when they got split up and it wasn’t really anyone’s fault so it was sad to hear that Ishmael was beating himself up from the whole incident. Finally, they get close enough to hear the village well but they have to stop and take a break to rest after climbing up the big hill. Right after they start their journey again, they hear a lot of gunshots and they hurry their pace. Once they are closer they realize it is the rebels attacking the village. Ishmael does all he can to hold himself back from going to the village to try to help. After a bit of waiting, they go into the village. What they see broke my heart. Almost all of the huts were on fire and there were dead people all around. They all desperately start searching for any family members still alive. The result is zero for everyone. Watching Ishmael search for his family was horrible! He tries to find someone to blame his heartbreak on and he chooses Gasemu as his target. I feel like people going through this needed someone to blame their pain on because they couldn’t take all of it among themselves because it was just so heavy. All the rest of his traveling group also start turning against themselves, which was just another example of them losing faith in one another and the war tearing friendships and family apart. Seeing all of these kids become hopeless after being filled with so much hope was really sad. More rebels then come back and the group seeks shelter within the woods. They make their escape after being chased by bullets. Gasemu unfortunately is shot amongst the escape and he struggles to stay alive throughout the night. But soon, he dies after battling as long as he could. The boys then have to make the rest of their journey alone. Gasemu pointed them in the right direction so eventually they arrive at a riverside and board a boat that takes them to Yele. When they make it to Yele, they are overwhelmed with the feeling of safety they feel in this new place. The place was very crowded with families and young boys so the boys felt like they were in the right place. The boys are all assigned a task they have to do every day. Ishmael is happy about this because this helps distract him from his thoughts, which are still dangerous and plagued. But when his task is over and he is by himself, he has nothing to keep himself away from his thoughts. He suffers terrible migraines and nightmares in this village that cause him much pain. Soon, there are gunshots heard very close to the village and the soldiers in the village go out to fight. Soon, some come back but not many so the boys in the village now have to be trained. Ishmael’s two roommates, Sheku and Josiah, are very young and can barely hold their guns. They all go through training every day, all day and training becomes their lives. When they go to bed at night, Sheku and Josiah muttered things they heard throughout the day, which consisted of weapon sounds and other war things. When I read this it made me sad because these boys were so young and they shouldn’t have to be involved in war, but sadly they were. War was a huge part of their lives now and I think it will just take me a while to become comfortable with this piece of the literature. This section is the beginning of a big change in the novel and the reading from now on I think will be drastically different.

A Long Way Gone--Chapter 10

In chapter 10, Ishmael Beah says one of the most painful things of his journey was that he didn't know when or where it was going to end. If I were in a similar situation I would feel the same way. He and his companions are just forced to keep moving further and further away from the closest danger. This would be a horrible way to live. If I were in the same situation with no positive monumental thing in my future to drive me, I feel like I would definitely lose faith. These boys were just moving along because they had to. If they didn't they would be forced to join the rebels or their journey would be over. Neither of those seemed very positive for these young boys. This way of life is kind of short lived because I feel like sooner or later something will have to change. This lifestyle does not seem like it could possibly be long lasting. I think this is why the boys start to lose faith and start adapting to the rebels ways because they also know that this isn't a life long way to live life and that sooner or later something is going to have to change, and in their circumstances it would most likely be their death or enrollment. Also in this chapter, Ishmael Beah starts to wonder more about what has happened with his family. And later, while going through a village, a woman comes up to him and says that she knows about his family. She says that many families from his home area were in another village a little distance away. When I read this, my face brightened up. I was so happy that maybe something good might be in the cards for Ishmael. But I know that if he sees his family again and they get separated once again, it will be even harder for him to carry on without them. Throughout this chapter, there were many times when the boys said the mood felt weird, or they didn't have a good feeling about the night. While reading these parts, I became very scared because I didn't want something bad to happen to these boys when they had struggled so much to get to where they are. I think this theme of uneasiness is going to play a big part in the following chapters leading up to Beah's capture. A significant and equally tragic element in this chapter was Saidu's death. Throughout this chapter, Ishmael had recalled how much Saidu kept saying he felt like he was dying a little bit every day and soon there would be nothing left in him and he would be dead. Which is very ironic, because after the "ghosts" pass them on the road, Saidu is almost dead. And in the next village, they wake up and find him dead. I about cried when I read this. It was so sad for me to see this war over power the good in the world. I hate it when the bad guys win and this was a prime example of how they always do.

A Long Way Gone-- Chapters 8-9

This section began with Ishmael talking about how he feels like he is constantly being chased. He also began to see evil in everything, including the air. I think it is completely awful for children as young as he is, to already know and be familiar with evil. It is bad for anyone to know evil, but especially bad for young children. Unfortunately though, it was these boys' lives, and they were surrounded by it during this time. But passing through villages that had already been beaten made him just move faster, and he says they were the driving force of his escape. After walking for several days, Ishmael finds himself lost in the forest. Because he is lost he spends a lot of time thinking, which is dangerous and hard for him to do at this time in his life. He couldn't remember how he got there or how to get out. So he was stuck: alone, thinking, and lost. He felt tormented by the images an memories his mind conjured up for him almost for punishment. He tried to chase them away by filling his time in other things, but i didn't help. He was brought back to the sad memories every time he tried to drift. Ishmael also says he was "afraid of thinking." This completely broke my heart. Your mind and thoughts are supposed to be your safe haven. But instead, for people going through this war and for people who had seen what Ishmael had seen, their minds were just another danger zone. It is sad to think that you can't even escape from the harsh reality because it is being replayed in your mind. I also found Ishmael's memories of his grandfather and his medical remedies to be sad. Ishmael talks about how his grandfather had medicines for anything but he didn't have one for the problem these people were facing every day, when they needed a solution or an aid of some sort to end the problem. In this section, Ishmael's loneliness begins to eat at him. He says the worst thing about being in the forest was the loneliness. But before Ishmael said it was bad that he was traveling in large numbers and now that he is alone he thinks it is also bad. It kind of shows that there is no easy or happy way in the situation. Another thing that kind of broke my heart in this section was when he remembers what his father used to say to him: "If you are alive, there is hope for a better day and something good to happen. If there is nothing good left in the destiny of a person, he or she will die." This was very hopeful to me but it kind of made me a little confused because it seems like nothing good is happening to/for Ishmael, so he should be dead but he's not. But it kind of also got me worried because according to this and the lack of goodness in Ishmael's life he will soon die, which we know he doesn't, but in this book you never know. Finally, Ishmael is reacquainted with a group of boys. This time, he accepted their companionship even though he knew it was going to be a problem to their safety because he hated being alone. Another sad aspect of this section was the old man in the abandoned village. I cannot believe how everyone could juse leave him to die just because he needed help, but I guess this is just the self preservation aspect coming back into the story. The old man says that it is better not to know his name so they can save that place in their memory. And later on in the reading, this happens again with the friendly man who shelters them in the next village after they practically burn their feet off. They get their shoes stolen from them when they are persecuted in another village for being part of the bad group. So they are forced to walk to long walk to the next safe village, barefoot on the hot ground. When they arrive in the village where they finally receive help, they find a hut and try to rest their legs. Soon, a nice young man comes and brings them food and water and cares for them. This gave me hope that even in this wreck of hatred and corruption, there could still be some decent people in the world of evil. He kind of gave me faith to continue reading and promised that not every person in this book were going to be disloyal or not trusting. And then, once again, rap saves their lives when they are being persecuted for being the evil devils once again, a cassette falls out of Ishmael's pocket and it intrigues the villagers and soon they are on their way again. God love that rap music.

A Long Way Gone-- chapters 6-7

After reading these chapters I feel like we have a better understanding of what Ishmael and others were feeling during this time. Ishmael got more in depth about the emotions the characters were feeling, which I think is helpful because it gives us a better understanding of what people going through similar experiences were feeling. I think the experience with the village gives the reader an understanding of how the rebels worked. They would pop up when they were least expected and then wipe the village completely out. They attacked through little sneak attacks, which I think is why they were so successful in their attacks. In the beginning of chapter six, Ishmael Beah talks about how being in a large group of teenage boys was not to their advantage. This then leads to the end of chapter seven where the family bathing in the pond, even the young children were scared of the teenage boy. He talks about how the war caused everyone to be scared of everyone, even loved ones. This is such a sad reality of the war in my opinion. Even though this is definitely true, I feel like this is awful. How is a community supposed to act as a community if everyone is scared of everybody, including their brother or son. That is not how a community is supposed to act. This section of reading evoked a lot of emotion in me. I felt really mad how this war manipulated everyone's thoughts and feelings towards another. I hate power when it becomes destructive and turns good things like a community into something bad. It's is so sad to me how even though Ishmael was so nice and friendly they still thought he could be bad. It just shows how the rebels were so maniacal and deceiving, which makes their evilness even worse. Also, during chapter six it talks about another way victims of this war had to change their lifestyles as an impact of the rebels. The group of boys were guards in the new village they were staying in called Kamator. And then they had to become farmers, which was hard working and gave them a lot of back pains. It's sad to see how much of an impact evil can have on the world, and I think this showed a lot throughout this section.

A Long Way Gone-- Chapter 3-5

After reading this section, I still have some of the same first impressions. I am still completely appalled at how a society can live like this, and I am still very disturbed by some of the images and events that author describes so vividly, I might add, to us. I understand that the society didn't want to live like this and they would have been much happier with all of their family members still living, but things weren't really don't to try to stop this. Sure, there were soldiers but even they were scared of this crazy group. I would think once things have reached the highest level something would be done to stop it. It is hard for me to imagine something this obvious and malicious to happen in our country. Yes, Africa is different than America, but still something should have been done to try to stop the massacre. I also understand that these disrupting images are going to be throughout this whole book, because let's face it this wasn't a pretty picture, but I'm still shocked every time these horrific things are described. It's like when you go into a movie knowing all well that the main character dies from cancer. You are still shocked when they're diagnosed, and even more shocked and stunned when they die from it. After reading this bit of reading, I have become more compassionate for this young boy, Ishmael. In the beginning I kind of thought, "Oh, there were a lot of kids going through this exact thing, sometimes even worse things." But now, I still know that during this time there were dozens of stories identical to his, I really feel bad for him. To be put at gunpoint, just moments away from taking your last breath and then walking away from it knowing that could have been your last minute on Earth would be extremely difficult for anyone to go through. I also feel like I am really going to enjoy reading this book. Sad parts and all, I think this will be a great book to read.

Chapter 1 & 2--A Long Way Gone

From reading the first two chapters of this book, I think this is going to be a very tough book to read and discuss. After hearing about Invisible Children and learning about the Lord's Resistance Army, I knew this situation was a very tough and tragic one. But I wasn't quite expecting all of the extra stuff this book discusses. I think that because this book is told by a boy soldier, the events and tragedies will be even more distinct and intense because we are getting all of his thoughts and his extra input about being there first hand. Some of the first observations I got from reading the first two chapters is how many connections there are in this book and Things Fall Apart. For instance, many things that were discussed in Things Fall Apart are also mentioned in this book. I thought this was interesting because Things Fall Apart took place a long, long time ago, and this book is more recent but they both have some of the same ideas, and Africa is somewhat the same. However, I'm a little confused and overwhelmed with all the places and people that have already been mentioned thus far in the novel. Because the author actually lived and experienced the things he is writing about, he really gets the setting and emotions right. For instance, when he was telling about seeing all the injured and dead people trying to get away from the mining areas, I felt like I was really there, and I felt the pain he felt. Also, I am already getting some eerie emotion about the story. The way Ishmael Beah describes everything creates the mood of people's lives during this period and it translates to the reader very well. I feel like Ishmael will be a easy person to relate to because he is just an average, every day kid doing the same childish things as many of us do (i.e. starting a rap group, dressing in what is supposed to be cool, etc.) who got stuck in a bad situtation. This is definitely going to be one of those books you will never forget. While reading, I was amazed at some of what I read. It is completely mind-boggling to me for an event like this to have gone on and still be going on. Even though, I know this book is going to be very disruptive and heart-wrenching, I am excited to see what happens to Ishmael and his family and watch his story progress. And I'm excited to see how he feels about living life in twenty first century America after living a childhood like he did.

Different Beliefs of the Ibo people and the White men

When the white men first came, the Ibo people were scared and worried, but not as worried as they should have been. They didn't really know what was going on and what these white people were doing in their area. In Abame, they killed the first white man who came but then they were wiped out when the next group of white men came. They were worried about this white man so they tried to protect themselves but instead, they just hurt themselves. I think because of what happened to this town, many other villages are scared to fight back against the white men because they don't want the same thing to happen to them. The Ibo people didn't know what was going on so they didn't know how to react. When the white men come, they know that they are more powerful than the Ibo people. Because they are the "attackers," if you will, in this situation and the Ibo people are the "defenders," the Ibo people are already at a disadvantage. The white men came to the Ibo people knowing all their intentions, while the Ibo people were blindsided. Even the white men had interpreters, which gave them even more of an advantage. They come to the Ibo people knowing all well that they would win the fight, if it ever came to it. The white men came to the Ibo people like they were little kids in the playground. They knew that these people were less advantaged and advanced, and they used this in their attack. Because they know that they are "better" than the Ibo people, they treat them like they're dogs. In jail, they beat them and treat them very poorly. The British are the main brains in this operation. They are the ones who sent the missionaries. They knew the state of living that the Ibo people possess so they see it as an area where they could prosper. The British are advanced compared to the Ibo and they know this so they use it to their full advantage. The British come to try to fix the Ibo's way of life and make it like their own, which is the best of all.

"Mother is Supreme"

Okonkwo profoundly ignores any "female" virtues he sees in himself. Some of these "female" virtues he could possess are showing feelings, showing compassion, wanting to help others, and being nurturing, just to name a few.Okonkwo never shows feelings because he thinks it is a sign of weakness. Him thinking this shows that he thinks women are weak. Women usually always show their feelings and it is a characteristic often associated with the female sex. Also, Okonkwo is never compassionate to anybody. He doesn't even feel an ounce of pity for his father who was not successful. His family gets his the hardest with this characteristic of Okonkwo. Nwoye has not been able to develop as a man because every thing he does he gets beat by his dad. Okonkwo will not let Nwoye show feelings or compassion because that is a "female" virtue and he thinks it is a sign of weakness. Where does Nwoye turn to when he suffers pain from his father? His mother. Most females show compassion and are nurturing. Children always turn to their mothers when they are hurt or upset. There are only rare occasions when children turn to their fathers for support and help. Okonkwo never thinks of others. He only thinks of himself and making himself stronger or better in the community. He doesn't marry wives because he wants to make their lives better or he actually has feelings for them, but he marries them to make himself look wealthier. He drags people with him on his road to power, trampling whomever he wants or can on the way there.
His personality and the way he ignores any "female" virtues in his life just cause more trouble for him in the end. For example, he beats his wife during Week of Peace because she doesn't have his dinner ready. If he were practicing his "female" virtues, he would have been happy to let her go and have some fun. But instead, he got mad because he lost control of her for one second. She didn't wait to ask him what to do, she just did it and that made Okonkwo feel weak and unimportant. So, power hungry, he beat his wife. Also, because he treated Nwoye so horrible in the past and never really connected with his real personality, Nwoye decides to convert to Christianity. Okonkwo killed Ikemefuna which just led to confusion and hurt in Nwoye. This new faith gave him something he could believe in and something that cleared things up in his mind. When Nwoye converted, Okonkwo stopped talking to him. He didn't want to seem weak by showing a sense of understanding to Nwoye. He didn't want to open up and say, "Son, if it is what makes you happy and you understand it, go for it!" If he did, he would be acting like a woman and showing his feelings.
Okonkwo thinks it is weak for men to show emotion, but in reality, other men look down on men who think women are weak. In Mbanta, the people try to make Okonkwo understand that women are just as important as men, maybe not in the working community, but at home, they share just as much, if not more, importance in the family. He thinks he is being strong when everyone else is weak, but in this community, they're not afraid to let him know that because he is ignoring any "female" virtues he might possess, he is losing some positive characteristics that might make him a better person. Okonkwo chooses to ignore all of these virtues, but I think by the end of the book, he will come to understand the importance of women and wish he shared some of the same characteristics that they have.

First Impressions of Okonkwo.

From what I've read about Okonkwo so far in Things Fall Apart I think that Okonkwo will do whatever he can to run from his past. He despises his father and everything that has to do with him. He has said this many times in the book and has expressed his feelings about his father through his relationship with his other family members. He beats Nwoye when there is even a possibility of laziness showing through in his personality. I think it is wrong that he beats his famiy, but Okonkwo just loves having family to do it to. His father had only one wife and he couldn't even take care of her. While Okonkwo has three wives and many kids, which symbolizes his wealth. I think he likes the power he has and the fact that he is wealthy enough to support three wives. Him beating his wife makes him feel like he is different than his father. Being different from his father is what he strives for in life. I don't think Okonkwo wants to get wealthy because he's money-hungry, but I actually think that his big motiviation for working hard and making a good living is the possibility of his father's characteristics showing up within himself. I think that Okonkwo will do whatever he needs to to break the similarities he might share with his father. I don't think Okonkwo is necessrily a bad human being in the fact that he beats his wife. I think in the moment it is not about what his family member did that was so bad but actually just an opportunity for him to further break the connection he might have wih his father. He wants so desperately to break all ties he might have linking him to his father. It kind of makes me sad that there isn't one thing he found positive about his father's personality. Any of the negative characteristics he saw about his father definitely outshined any positives he might have. Okonkwo was blind to all of his father's positive characteristics and focused only on the negative. If Okonkwo would open his eyes and see the good things about his father, he might find some common characteristics between he and his father that he likes about his own personality. I like Okwonko's character but I think he needs to realize that there are some things in life that you can't run away from, things that will always be with you or in your veins.

So Much Unfairness of Things

Based on what I know  about Virginia Preparatory School, I think the story will end with P.S. either turning himself in or feeling guilty and confessing that he cheated to at least his father. I think that because P.S. felt so guilty while he was cheating he will feel even worse afterwards. The little bit I have read about what happened after the test included P.S. saying "he didn't feel well," and that he just wanted to go lie down. And over time, this guilt will become so much greater. 

I think that he will realize that what he did was wrong and confess to Dr. Fairfax that he in fact cheated on the test. I'm not sure how Dr. Fairfax will react, but because the school is so prestigious, there will definitely be a penalty for P.S. I think cheating is taken as a very horrible act at V.P.S. I also remember that after the examination, all of the students had to sign a pledge saying that they were not dishonest and didn't cheat on the test. P.S. hesitated to sign this, but knew he had to. I also know that Dr. Fairfax is very levelheaded so I think he will take into account the fact that P.S. only cheated on one section. He could have cheated on the whole test, but he had a little bit of pride and let himself only cheat on the section he needed. I think that Dr. Fairfax will admire P.S.'s self-control and as a result reward him with less punishment or a less severe penalty. If P.S. doesn't confess to Dr. Fairfax, I think that the guilt will overwhelm him and he will make himself confess his fault to his father. I'm not sure how his father will react. But I think that he will be more upset that he cheated than he would have been if he failed the exam again. He would have been disappointed that his son felt like he had to cheat to please him. This incident could weaken or strengthen the father and son's relationship. P.S.'s father could lose complete trust in his son or the father and son could work out the kinks in their relationship that may have driven P.S. to this level. Any way, P.S.'s father will not react positively and will not be proud of his son.

I definitely think that P.S. will turn himself in to someone, whether it be Dr. Fairfax or his dad, I am unsure. The guilt he suffered less than an hour after was tremendous, so that guilt multiplied by twenty would make P.S. a complete wreck. 

Friday Fill-ins

1. The last meal I had at a restaurant was a cheeseburger at Five Guy's.

2. Seafood is something I intensely dislike.

3. The full moon is usually when freaky stuff happens.

4. "HEEEEEEEEEEEEY!" is one of my favorite local expressions.

5. Sometimes it's best to just laugh it off.

6. "Mamma Mia!" and "The Dark Knight" are the best movies I've seen so far this year!

7. As for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to going out to eat & then relaxing, tomorrow my plans include sleeping in & helping my sister get ready to go back to college, and Sunday I want to take my sister back to college & help her organize her new apartment!! :)

"Not Waving But Drowning"

“Not Waving But Drowning”

I think that everyone’s initial impressions of people are always wrong or not as accurate as they could be. You can’t ever fully understand someone’s personality when you first meet them. It takes time and shared experiences for people to understand each other better.
I recall the first time I met a new student to University at a summer soccer practice. She was new to the school and new to Indiana, which made adjusting twice as hard. I could tell she was really shy and I knew I was the same way. After that first soccer practice, I went to basketball camp, which she was also going to. We recognized each other immediately and found some shelter within each other’s company because we were both strangers and outsiders among the basketball team. Soon, other people started warming up to us and after a couple hours we both felt somewhat comfortable with the team. By the end of the camp, we had gotten closer and we had already learned a lot about each other. I could tell that she was very nice and was very nervous about starting school at a new place where she knew very few people. After camp, there were a few soccer practices left. We were usually partners because neither of us knew the other players very well and I could tell that she still felt uncomfortable in the mass of new, unfamiliar faces. By the time school rolled back around, she had met some new people but not well enough to feel completely settled for the first day of school. When I got to school, I found some of my old friends and then found her soon enough. Luckily, we had our first class together so that took some ease out of the beginning of the first day. After a couple days, we had become pretty good friends, and I couldn’t even remember her as the timid, nervous person she was when I first met her. In a way, she didn’t even look the same.
My initial impression didn’t alter negatively but it became clearer and I have a better understanding of her personality. Meeting new people always brings surprises. You could find a new, possible friend, or a person who you’re going to battle with for the next four years, or better yet, you could find your long lost best friend that you’ve been searching for since fourth grade. I’m sure people have misunderstood me when they first met me and then later realized something different about me. Everyone has first impressions of new people. But once you get to know them, they could be completely opposite than what you first expected. Afterall, you should never judge a book by its cover.

Technology

“Monitoring sites with a hawkeye”

Social networks have been a hot topic of discussion for a while now and they ought to be. This is kind of a hard topic for me to discuss just because I have very mixed feelings about it. I wish that students could be trusted with their taste of what is appropriate and what is not. Students should get the benefit of the doubt and be able to roam the internet and their social networks freely. But sadly, in the world we live in today, most kids ruin all the trust they have instilled in them by parents, teachers, etc. in many ways, not just Internet abuse. Because of this, I think it is right for administrators to monitor students’ social profiles if anything relating to their school is affiliated with it. If the student does not associate his/her profile with their school, or does not use school property to visit their social network, I think it is their own right to have social networks and put whatever they want on them. But when it gets to a very fine point, administrators, friends, or parents should step in to try to urge the student to correct the errors.
I admit, I do have a Facebook, but I try extremely hard, and I think I do a fairly decent job, to keep everything that should not be out in the public off of my profile. I have encountered many social profiles that give students bad names. It is these people, the people with no shame, who are the reasons students lose the trust that we will do the right thing.
I think University has a good policy. If the student gets a computer through the school, the school or its administrators have the right to check up on their students every once in a while. But if a student uses his/her own computer, they have the right to do whatever they want with their social profiles. And if it reaches a point where other students or parents are coming in raising questions about a student’s profile and it’s appropriateness, further measures can be taken at the school’s discretion. It is a very touchy subject and I think every school should have the right to make their own decisions on their course of action.

FIRST BLOG! : ]

this is my first blog! woohooo! :)