Personal Narrative

Johanna Arias

4/21/14

World Literature: Second Period

Ms. Parham

 

Personal Narrative

I walk out of my house, my comfy fortress that I had been hibernating in during our long summer vacation. I walk into my car (I had asked my mom to please not force me to take the bus) the big blue minivan I was so familiar with. On we went on my way to my first day of high school. We hadn’t talked the whole way there, I was very nervous and worried. I worried that my outfit might not meet public high school standards. I did not have this problem before because I always attended catholic school with a uniform. I wore a white see-through shirt with a pink tank-top underneath and ripped jeans, I wasn’t sure how I was supposed to look so I wore what I thought suited best. My mom approaches the school, leans over and asks me that question I’ll never forget, “Ready?” I answered her with a confused yes. I didn’t know if I was ready or not all I knew is that I was here and had to go to school. I walk into Brien McMahon I admired how big the school was, how beautify rebuilt it looked. I felt so small. Like a fish in an ocean not knowing what part I wanted to explore first.

I came from a very small school Catholic School called All Saints. We were always taught in that school to be respectful and always follow the rules. We said prayers in the morning wore our uniform and we girls weren’t allowed to wear make-up. Since my school was so small it was very tight knit, but although it was tight knit it was very clicky. Our groups consisted of the popular kids, the losers, he people that studied a lot. It seemed like it was from a movie or something. I never really belonged to one group, I always hopped from group to the other hopping that I’d stick in one but I never really did. The group I always thought I was part of really didn’t accept me, I never got invited to anything they did… unless I found out about it. They only told me things when I asked not on their own. At that time I didn’t care because I was still considered part of the group, or at least I considered myself part of that group. I was a follower, physically and mentally, I did what they did, thought what they thought. I walked around with them never next to them always behind like a puppy dog, it was sad.

I got to Brien McMahon still being a follower. It’s all I knew how to do, and I thought I did it well. I went through my days mesmerized at how big the school was, how diverse, how not clicky compared to my prior school.

What I have so far.....

And Again...

Is there really a certain way to act or dress that is classified as normal… or is it more of normal to us as robots of society who can’t see anything that’s different because our hard drive crashes and the only way of fixing the crash is to isolate the person trying to be different... In society people are socially out-casted because of what they wear, how they act, the things they do. But are we truly allowed to judge the people that are our peers. I mean is it really our place to say… our place for our opinion on what they like. A big problem as a child I had was the fact that I wanted to go to the military, ever since I was in third grade. In my school my choice was not socially accepted. I got laughed at many times by the girls in my middle school and elementary school because the military to them was classified as a man’s job. So for me to feel accepted and a part the girls I changed my future profession to a wedding planner; I mean what is more girly than a wedding planner, nothing, and yes this got me in to the crowd but as I grew older and noticed how much I loved what I wanted to do I finally accepted my difference and at the end of 8^th grade I told my parents I did want to go to the military and that was my little moment of social acceptance because of course I believe that no one should be judged because you never know someone until you’ve walked there path. This is a big problem especially among us teenagers this out-casting leads to suicide, depression, and even self-neglect which is not okay. What are we all monsters, can we all not live in a place together and be different or as mentioned in one of my favorite songs “America the brave still fears what we don’t know “and its true we fear what we aren’t exposed to on a regular basis but why, why can’t we just except the new thing and move on.

Stop it Weirdo...

 

In life following the social order is something that is viewed as the “right” thing to do. In life some people live to follow the social order and then there are the people who self willingly isolate themselves, choosing not to follow that “right” thing. This is something that is dealt with throughout our whole life whether it’s an adult following the social norm of buying a computer that’s very expensive or a little kid having to sit down for circle time. There is one time where it’s the hardest to make your decision of following social order or not… and that when we are teenagers in high school. At this time we are just finding who we are and where we belong and it doesn’t help that if we do choose to follow the path of individuality we get judged for doing so. It happens especially here at Brien Mcmahon. When someone sees another person not wear the “normal’ clothes they just talk about them behind their back. This just becomes a repeated thing that will always stick with that person that chooses to be different. But can anyone really define normal? According to Merriam-Webster Dictionary normal is defined as according with, constituting, or not deviating from a norm, rule, or principle. Is there really a certain way to act or dress that is classified as normal… or is it more of normal to us as robots of society who can’t see anything that’s different because our hard drive crashes and the only way of fixing the crash is to isolate the person trying to be different. I have to say I have been a person that isolates the person but now I’ve come to realize that life is about making yourself happy no matter what other people may say, so what’s the point of me judging someone and expect not to get judged in return…. That’s what isn’t a part of social order, that is what makes us individuals that should get isolated.

Damn Right I Support It.

            I think it’s only fair that I write this blog on something I have thought is a controversial issue. Same-sex Marriages.  This is a topic not brought up by many. Why? You might ask. It’s viewed as awkward, weird, not the social norm. This issue is not only controversial but I believe it’s a problem with the equality in the United States. The legality of Same-sex marriages first became an issue in 342 A.D. when they were outlawed in the Roman Empire by a Christian Roman Emperor. The issue began being raised in the 70s after the APA voted in conference that homosexuality was a sexual orientation not a mental illness. Also in that decade, the state of California made all its laws gender-neutral, causing some to believe that there was now a loophole for same-sex marriage. In the 1990s, the issue of possible legalization was again raised in Hawaii, causing the Congress to pass the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act. There are several reasons of why same-sex marriage is looked at as a problem, but probably the main reason is, many religious sects believe that homosexuality is a sin and/or a perversion and therefore two homosexual people who want to get married are trying to get special privileges based on a sinful lifestyle. Many people have worked towards the end of this issue. Many have spoken on the issue, including countless politicians, religious leaders and celebrities from the entertainment industry. Included among these is poet Maya Angelou who made personal telephone calls to New York State Senators asking them to vote in favor of legalizing same-sex marriage in that state. . It’s unfair that 14 states have legal same-sex marriage, 35 have banned same-sex marriage and 1 has no law banning or legalizing it. I believe that all states should be equal and allow same-sex marriage. Like the song Same Love by Mackelmore says. “No freedom till we are equal, Damn right I support it.” This whole song is based on same-sex marriage, he dedicated it to his uncle who had to suffer his whole life with not being treated the same. Macklemore is very serious about this issue and I think everybody should because no freedom till we are equal. Damn Right.

Come on let me go out...

Dear Mom and Dad,

 I am writing this letter to you because as we all know I want to go out this Friday. I feel as if I should be able to go out because of many reasons. To be honest I’m such a good student. I do all my work and get good grades. All my grades are either at or where they are supposed to be. I gave you my tracker the other day and you guys congratulated me. I also do a lot of work around the house, I help Isaac get his homework done, and I help Tatiana whenever she needs help, I was the dishes, clean the bathroom, clean my room and wash my clothes. What more could you ask for?  I do everything I’m told unlike my sister Tatiana who is like a wall. We talk to her and nothing happens, I’m so much better. If you don’t let me go out I will not help around the house anymore, I’ll be rude to my teachers and to my brother and sister. I will go anyways if you don’t let me you guys have no choice. I’m old enough to make my own decisions and I know what’s best for me. And if you say I can’t come back home I know you guys won’t hold to your word. You guy can’t just kick me out of the house I’m a minor and there is no way of kicking me out. This is just so stupid how you guys never let me go out but you guys were allowed to go anywhere as kids and me it takes lightning to strike the house to be able to go out for one day. In my defense I never make stupid decisions either I’m a good girl and I’m that way because you guys have taught me how to be that way as I have grown up. You know who you daughter is and what decisions I will make so in that case I should be allowed to go on Friday and have a little fun.

Love,

Johanna Arias

The Arts? Or waste of time?

Should high school students be required to take an art? In my school a graduating credit that is required is an Art, well for the singers, dancers, artists, and instrument players that's a piece of cake. But then there is me... the girl who sings in the shower and pretends to sound amazing but the moment that water is turned off its like nails on the chalk board. I as a junior haven't completed my required credit. I really don't want to do it next year but I have to. In my life I don't plan on doing anything in the arts so i don't believe that I should be required to waste my class on something I don't need. I rather spend time on something that helps me get closer to my goal of becoming a physician. I believe that it shouldn't be required  it should be optional, I understand where the required credit come for Computer Literacy because as a growing technology era we should  learn the basics of using a computer and being efficient in typing, we would you it in our daily lives either as physicians to dancers. I mean lets really look at what we can learn from the arts if we want to be a physician? Choir teaches you how to sing... Band is for the people who play instruments... Art is for the ones who can draw and I can't to save my life...  Maybe culinary arts because it teaches you to follow procedure but in reality you don't have to because in cooking you can add and remove what you'd like as opposed to having to follow the set procedure in chemistry or in biology. So think about we have to take a class that for some of us doesn't change anything or doesn't affect our lives when we could be taking the class that could help us get one step closer to being what we want to be in life. I leave it for you to think whether your part of the lucky artistic people or not, Should high school students be required to take an art? 

That Really Special Thing to Me

There is a class in the school not understood by many. What class is that you may ask; although it seems obvious. This certain class happens to be my favorite class. NJROTC (Navy Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps). This class is misunderstood for many reasons, the uniform, the curriculum, the teachers and mainly the purpose. This class is just like any other class you come in. You sit down. You listen to your teacher. You do the work, and the outcome is your grade. Does that not sound familiar? Of course it does, but this class does distinct itself from the others. This class is an opportunity  to change your life. That is if you allow it to do so. People come day in and day out... "I hate this class" "This class is stupid." "This uniform is gay." Well that uniform is the same uniform that the men and women that are fighting for our freedom. Of course if these people come in here they will never, ever be able to like that class with the mindset that they have. I say this because I was once one of those people. Its because of these people that this class is so misunderstood. If your not open minded then where will you get in life? Will you ever try new things? An example would be myself I got to ROTC and said the day I walked into the class and automatically said I hated it not knowing the first thing about it. Later my mom just told me to try it to be OPEN-MINDED so I did. Now I'm the XO of my unit (second in charge) and i love the class and wouldn't change it for the world. Its important that when people get to this class not to shut it out just because you have to wear a uniform on Wednesdays, always look at the brighter sides of thing. It will save you loads of looking at your closet wondering what you are going to wear. This is mainly for the people who have heard many scuttlebutt's (nautical term for rumors) about the class so the they know that the class is just a class with many opportunities to better yourself.