Journal #1

1. Pretend that you are talking to a blind man and have to describe for him what "red" is. You should use narrative and descriptive writing techniques, and try to appeal to his other senses!

Red is the color of the season autumn. It is bright and exiting and it keeps you moving. It is the color of your blood. Of the warm fire that keeps you cozy in a cold night. It is the color the sun creates as it sets behind the ocean. It is the color of a rose you receive for your most memorable moment. It’s the color your lips take after coming in from a snowy day and drink hot chocolate to warm up. It is the color of love and infatuation. Red is life and vitality … it is a strong emotion like excitement, energy, speed, strength, danger, passion, aggression and sacrifice.

Journal #2

2. How does competition function in our society? To what extent is it healthy/unhealthy? Offer some real world examples taken from your life, community, culture, state, nation, or world.

Competition can be both healthy in a way and unhealthy. In many occasions competition can bring out the most of someone. It can encourage individuals to try harder to achieve what they want instead of someone else getting it. It pushes people to the edge of hard work and maybe even improve. Although the tables can turn and it can bring the worst in someone. It can lead people to go to extreme measures to obtain what they cannot. It can lead to cheating which in any occasion is perceived as wrong and lazy. Competition is healthy and unhealthy to a certain extent. For example competition to gain more power between the nation, cultures, community can often lead to a war, but sometimes it can lead to a discusion that opens your mind to different perspectives.

Journal #3

3. How have you taken something that you have learned in the classroom and integrated it into your nonacademic life?

In theory of knowledge I have learned to perceive things from different views. I have learned that emotion and logic are very important components of people’s lives and that many things can influence the way we are, such as our beliefs, history and cultural background. Now every time I am told a story weather historical or someone’s experience I immediately start to think of different point of views. What might have influenced action and what everyone might be thinking or feeling? I start to think weather actions taken and if everything in the story is logical or not and what might of influenced those that logical or non-logical thinking.

Journal #4

4. If you could go back in time and be someone in history, who would you choose to be? Why?

If I could go back in history I would like to be a person like Maya Angelou. I believe Angelou is dependent strong woman that wasn’t afraid to speak her mind and cite all of the obvious injustices going on that everyone was blinded by and perceived them as the “correct” way to be. She was proud of whom she was and nobody could make her believe different. Angelou wasn’t just born in a time when people of color where inferior if not also a time when woman had no voice or little say in what was going on. A time where nobody cared about you if you an African-American especially not an African-American woman. That’s exactly what Maya Angelou was a proud African-American woman whiling to fight for justice of equality for her people of race. Angelou’s famous autobiography, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, illustrates how will power and strength of character and a love of literature can help overcome racism and trauma. She also was active in the Civil Rights movement, and served as Northern Coordinator of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s Southern Christian Leadership Conference.

Journal #5

5. If you had the responsibility to decide where $1 million should be spent to improve conditions somewhere in the world, what project(s) would you choose? Why?

I think that if I had one million dollars to improve conditions somewhere in the world I would either spend that money on world. To begin, everyone knows world hunger is such a devastating state to be in and no almost no one is capable of giving a helping hand to those that need supplies to survive. As humans we should logically be united and be compassionate and give to those who need. The United States for example is one of the biggest funders that give money when other areas need it when disasters occur, but to the amount of money the United States makes it is almost nothing compared to what it could give/ donate.  There are millions of people with no food that depend on eating whatever they can find; sometimes the deprivation of food can lead to many deaths. Why can’t we all give up a little and share it with those who need it. Why must we be vast consumers and not share with people that cannot grow their own food due to highly dried areas.

Journal #6

6. How have you tried to effect change in relation to an issue of personal, local, or national significance?

Lately I have been becoming more involved in cleaning our mother earth. Earth is our home and should be treated with respect, but every day you constantly see trash out in our streets, parks, oceans and everywhere. Pollution is what’s leading the earth to die; therefore we will slowly die as well. About a month ago I went to an ocean force clean up event where you grab trash bags and you go to the beach and clean up. Sounds simple right? but in the end almost no one showed up. At the clean up the organizers told us to focus on the almost microscopic pieces of trash that are almost done decomposing because they are the most harmful. He told us that if a fish eats that tiny piece of trash and then humans go kill it, cook it and eat it, then they are too eating that tiny trash that can produce cancer. We began to observe the ground closely and it was ridiculous amounts of tiny decomposed trash. It was amazing the abundant amount and to think people aren’t even aware. I am trying to get more involved in beach clean ups and anything ecological. Now every time I am at the beach or at school or anywhere I pick up after myself and tell others to pick up after themselves as well.

Journal #7

7. If you could introduce one new idea or material thing to a primitive culture, what would it be?

Journal #8

8. If you were to describe yourself using a quotation, what would that quotation be? After you have chosen a quote, then write a bit about how it relates to you and reveals what kind of person you are.

“you can’t always trust the world with your heart and you can’t always lend a friend a hand, but you can always try and listen … you should never get too involved but always lend a hand in the good and especially in the bad and then they will know you are there and maybe then you’ll see someone is there for you as well.”

Journal #9

9. Given the authority to establish a holiday, what would you choose to commemorate? Why? What would the celebration look like?

Journal #10

10. What is the best advice you've ever received? Explain.

“you can’t always trust the world with your heart and you can’t always lend a friend a hand, but you can always try and listen … you should never get too involved but always lend a hand in the good and especially in the bad and then they will know you are there and maybe then you’ll see someone is there for you as well.”

Journal #11

11. Ask and answer the one important question that a university won't ask you, but you wish they would.

Journal #12

12. Your life is a movie. Describe the first 15 minutes.

I like to think the world and life hold a “perfect” path for me. Not always the correct one but one stable enough to get me through.  A life that will appreciate the most of me and will allow me to learn many magnificent things. I am only sixteen at the time, but I am eager to find more of life’s teachings so that one day I can teach them to someone else. I am willing to learn new things in life although I am very indecisive and often need help. I might not have the perfect family or the perfect school but I rather have everything imperfect and appreciate what I have for all the good things. I don’t like taking things for granted especially not friends. It’s hard for me to trust people sometimes but that’s only because I have been let down so many times. I am not a liar and don’t like the easy life even if life seems too harsh sometimes, I find a way to get through.  

Journal #13

13. Write a letter to your future college roommate introducing yourself and your background.

Dear roommate,

I am Itzel Ruiz, your future college roommate. I am from an all Mexican background. Everyone in my family knows all Spanish except for me and my brother, we are both bilingual. I was fairly young when brought to the United States and my brother was around four years of age. It was difficult being around children that did not speak your language but slowly we both learned. Now I am like any other fluent Spanish/English speaker so I hope we won’t have any problem. I am a respectful person as long as I am respected back. I tend to be a friendly person and I don’t doubt well get along just fine. I like to try new things and I am open minded to everything.  I do believe in god but I have reasons behind evolution as well. I am a trustworthy person so if you ever need anything you can ask. I only ask that when I ask of you to let me have a moment to study and work you listen because I like to work hard to achieve my goals and I as well will respect when you need that time.

Journal #14

14. Please describe your reactions/ideas to the following quote: "He does not possess wealth, it possesses him."

We have all heard that man obsesses over the sense of power. Most of the time power is symbolic of wealth and money. When man obsesses over wealth he does not control wealth … wealth controls him. By this I mean that usually too much power tends to get over people’s heads and people begin to change. Sometimes people become dependent of money and think that money/power is everything. Due to so much power people become selfish and greedy and want more and more and more power. All of that power makes them believe they can have everything they want and that everything can go their way because they believe to be all “powerful”. But all power must come to an end. Power cannot get you everything you want you want in life, it is only limited. So much power can also blind you to believe that everyone wants to be your friend an ally when in reality they going for your money/power. Power abstracts your path and it’s up to that person to see how much it affects them.

Journal #15

15. What is the most valuable contribution you could make to a college campus? Explain

Journal #16

16. Explain a significant experience, achievement, risk you have taken, or ethical dillema you have faced and its impact on you.

Journal #17

17. Discuss some issue of personal, local, national, or international concern and its importance to you.

Journal #18

18. If you could choose two things to change about our high school campus, what would they be and why?

Two things we could change about our high school campus could be its color and environment. School tends to be very stressful to students and our campus can sometimes seem so plain and vague. We spend hours sitting and learning and the short breaks we take students want to relax, forget about school and be with friends. I believe every school should have color to it in order to get a sense of feeling and changing our environment to have more nature around to give a sense of relaxation in a stressful place like school. Our school use to have a beautiful wall that was drawn all over with historic significant things. When that wall went from being art to just another cream blank “color” wall this school became so much duller. It was so disappointing to see that wall in front of the main office go. Adding color to this school could make it seem more alive and cheerful it could change that blank boring sense it gives. Our school also has trees and grass, but some of it is dead and there isn’t as much nature here as there could be. By adding different trees, flowers, and new grass the environment could be so much more pleasant. The environment would be so welcoming and would have a sense of relaxation, which could help the students relieve that stress, even if it is just for ten minutes.

Journal #19

19. Should school attendance be mandatory? In your answer, be sure to explore what the function of education is, and what our nation would look like if the masses were less educated.

Journal #20

20. If you had the ability to talk to one species of animal, which animal would you choose to communicate with? Why?

If I could talk to any animal it would be a dog. I believe dogs view the world in a whole different way, through a whole new perspective. I believe dogs know the truth about humans more than what humans know themselves. If dogs are really able to detect what the human’s feel, imagine how much they could tell us. How much they could help us understand ourselves and they could tell us who we are truly. Dogs observe everything with a lot of detail and they know everything. I am sure that dogs hear everything … they probably know your problems, your most cherished memories, and everything about you. Dogs are known to be man’s best friend; therefore I believe a dog would never let you frown. They would be able to give you advice that is based on their experiences and the knowledge they have that we don’t even know they could have. Also not to forget that a dog can and would be anything you would want it to be. If you need a dog to be there he would, if you need him to be brave he will, if you need protection he’ll offer it to you, if you need a friend he will be that friend, if you need a guide he will guide you, if you need some fun and cheering up he will offer it to you, a dog is willing to do so much for his owner, his friend.