Springking Pixie Dust

I watched a PechaKucha on a man’s experience from working at Disney World. The focus on his presentation was on treating everyone better than what you would in the real world and how Walt Disney wanted it to be like another realm. He mentioned how not only the guests, but the workers as well were treated impeccably and when you go there, all the workers do everything in their power to improve your experience at Disney World.

                The people around me didn’t enjoy the topic they watched, so I tried to find one that seemed would keep my interest. I chose well and the presentation was attention grabbing and I was focused on it the whole time. His topic was broad enough for him to fill out the whole presentation and keep the listener’s focus and his pictures worked well with the track. Each picture was explained or related to what he was talking about in each part. However, the presenter did say “um” often, at first it was distracting, but his topic was well enough explained that it didn’t bother me. I enjoyed watching the PechaKucha, but I would not be up for making my own only because I dislike my voice.

Chinese college life vs. American college life

     Taking your ACT, getting your score back, filling out the application for the college of your dreams, scholarship essays, itching to graduate: a typical American high schooler's preparation for college. Take a stretch across the world, and things are quite different there. The college life for an American student takes a leap of differences compared to the life of a college student in China.

         In an Article by Siqi Wang on the Daily Iowan on the International Programs Website (URL below), she's provided plenty of stats and experiences. On average, nine million students in China expect to go to college after graduation. Of this nine million, only 75% actually get accepted to do so. Like the ACT, they take a college acceptance test prior to graduating. This test is called the GAOKAO. The test-- as well as everything else school related-- is highly competitive. Once admitted to college, there's still major differences. These differences include studying, majors, transportation, and living arrangements.
        How often do American college students study? It really is based off the student. The time is flexible and if you're struggling, you may spend more time than you would if you find the class to be really easy. Our flexible study time teaches us self-discipline. In China, students go to an enforced mandatory study hall from 6-10pm. This teaches the students time management. China also has a one major rule. This rule prevents students from switching majors. They also decide on their major prior to entering college. They have to think long and hard to be sure it is what they really want to do. In America, it is easier to pursue what we want to do in life. We are able to switch our majors in a day and we can also choose to have more than one. We also rely on cars to get us places. We might just walk or ride a bike around campus, but when it comes to going across town, we drive our own car. In China, no one has cars. Luckily the colleges are usually in big cities, so you can mostly walk to get where you're going. China's college living arrangements are similar to ours, however we usually stay in the dorms our freshman and sometimes sophomore year, then we would get a place of our own. in China, they live in the dorms all four years.
       Things are significantly different in America compared to in China, but we are all reaching for the same goal: being successful at doing what we want. We just go around the goal in different ways.

 
 http://cetacademicprograms.com/2011/11/08/college-life-china-vs-usa/

Discrimination

     Today I chose to do the do the IAT tests, and listen to the 9/11 stories. As I was taking the test, i felt the questions were very blunt (I'm sure that's the point) and they were uncomfortable to answer. You were forced to choose black people or white people (there was a choice for either, but that isn't the point of the study) then answer the questions and categorize different words and pictures. The things the test required us to do were about things that aren't usually talked about in an every day conversation because it is uncomfortable to do so. In the 9/11 stories it shared the point-of-view from Americans, Arabs, and other ethnicities. Americans were hurting and scared more devastating things would take place, Arabs were made fun of for being the ones who terrorized the united states, even though the specific people had nothing to do with it. Its really sad to hear their stories and about their feelings.

   Everything we did today was based around discrimination of some sort. The things talked about in the websites we were on were all about the way people are treated or viewed as.

Book Review 3: Hunger Games (Continued)

                Previously, I wrote about reading the hunger games again. I enjoy reading books more than once because I tend to pick up on things that I hadn't the first time I read it. It’s fun to catch innuendos, or little facts that you didn't catch before.

                I left of in my last review with Katniss remembering a slight memory of her and Peta when they were younger. They are getting ready to leave for the Capitol to the Training Center and Opening Ceremony. The two are accompanied by their mentor—the lone surviving winner of the hunger games from district twelve—Haymitch, and their escort, Effie. When they arrive for the opening ceremony, they are wearing designed outfits with fake fire trailing behind them. Katniss is then referred to as “The Girl on Fire”.

These are the outfits the two wore to the opening ceremonies. They were so extravagant, the capitol and the rest of the nation were sure to remember them.

                The two are putting on a show for the capitol. They’re supposed to be madly in love. As they fool the Capitol, they’re winning them over. Who wants the star-crossed lovers to die? The more people who favor Peta and Katniss, the more sponsors they receive in the arena, assisting them to stay alive. “Remember, we're madly in love, so it's alright to kiss me anytime you feel like it.” Peta said to Katniss as she was hostile to everyone. I love this quote because it explains how Katniss needs to be reminded that she “loves” him (implying that its fake) and it shows how Peta is cooperative by just reminding her.

                The next day in the capitol, the tributes from each district must perform their best survival skill/talent in front of the judges. Peta showed his camo painting skills and Katniss showed her talent with the bow and arrow. Because district twelve is the highest district (in number) Peta and Katniss were last. By the time it was Katniss’ turn; the judges were restless and didn't pay attention. She didn't put up with it. Katniss shot her arrow straight through an apple up in the judges’ box. This got their attention. (This is as much as I finished in the book so far.) 

Reading Response 2: Hunger Games

            With everything I’m involved in, I don’t have very much time to just pick up a book. However, I have been able to pick up and read the Hunger Games a little bit here and there. I read the book a couple years ago, which makes it easier to read and makes things go faster.

            The plot of the story is in future America. America is split into 12 districts with each district doing a different job of production. There is also the capitol, where the president and rich people live. Every year, a handful the capitol come to each district and draw the names of one boy and one girl under the age of 18 (this is called reaping). The two are sent into a game where they fight for their lives against 22 other kids from the other 11 districts.

            Prim Everdeen and Peta Mellark are the two names picked out of a hat. Suddenly, when Prim’s name is called, her older sister, Katniss, steps in and volunteers to take her spot. District twelve put three fingers in the air as a sign of respect to Katniss. Katniss and Peta are then taken for preparation of the games.

            Peta and Katniss knew each other, but had never really talked. This had to change in order for them to work together in the games. Katniss had remembered a time when they were younger, “The boy took one look back to the bakery as if checking that the coast was clear, then, his attention back on the pig, he threw a loaf of bread in my direction. The second quickly followed, and he sloshed back to the bakery, closing the kitchen door tightly behind him” this memory of Katniss’ really explains how scarce the food is in district twelve. (So far, this is as much as I’ve read)



The picture I have chosen is America in the day of the Hunger games. It is divided into twelve districts and the districts are labeled.

           

Reading Response 1: Lock and Key

              I picked up a book by Sarah Dessen randomly in a book store, I read the last page
and it was very interesting. When I went to the library, I found more of her books. I picked a
specific one out and I fell in love with it. I've never been one to li
ke reading, but once I found
this author, I've read nearly half of her books, this being one.

               Ruby is a 17-year-old who is counting down the day she becomes a legal adult and gets out of the foster care system. Ruby’s alcoholic, drug abusing mother left her three months prior to her entering into the system. She lived alone in a house that she couldn’t afford to pay rent as she went to school and balanced a part-time job. When social services found this out, Ruby was sent to live with her sister, whom she’d not seen or even heard from in 10 years, along with her new husband, Jamie, a successful business who invented the trending site of social media.

                Ruby not only has a new family, but she is also in an unfamiliar part of town and going to a school where she doesn’t know anyone. One night, she had an encounter with her new neighbor as she tried to run away. Her new neighbor, Nate, the nice and popular jock, (He was described in the book to be a very good looking, male model) and her start to become close and eventually open up to each other, which is not something either of them tend to do.

               The quote I picked out, I feel, is relatable to everyone, “Everyone has their weak spot. The one thing that, despite your best efforts, will always bring you to your knees, regardless of how strong you are otherwise.” This quote surfacing the meaning behind the key she holds on her neck from her old house, but looking deeper into it, it can mean so much more.

101 Things about Me

1. My changed from Madyson Oivia Alartosky to Madyson Olivia Ivanna Maschino on May 1, 2014.
2. I have two siblings; my sister is a freshman this year.
3. I have two dogs and two cats.
4. I'm the Activities Commissioner on Cabinet.
5. Cabinet is the best thing I've had the privilege to do in my high school career.
6. I'd like to go to Evangel or Pitt State for college.
7. I love, love, love hockey and football.
8. I'm a cheerleader.
9. I am a cheer coach for little girls.
10. I love country music.
11. Scotty Mccreery is my forever love.
12. High school sucks and I cannot wait for college.
13. I enjoy Netflix... A lot.
14. Teen Wolf is my favorite show.
15. I'm getting a tattoo on my birthday and I am stoked.
16. I over think things.
17. I love thinking of my future.
18. One time, I tried convincing my friends I was Hannah Montana...
19. I drive a jeep and I love it.
20. I love to eat... a lot.
21. I have an awful sweet tooth
22. I really dislike the oblivious mean people in the world.
23. I can last for days in a political discussion.
24. I tend to embarrass myself more than needed.
25. I'm a terrible driver.