Fahrenheit 451 Analysis

Symbols are very important in Fahrenheit 451. Name three specific symbols and outline their references and meaning throughout the novel. Use specific examples from the test in your arguement.

Throughout the book there are many symbols that stand out and have a hidden meaning. First, books are a big part of Montags job and the whole society. "He wanted above all, like the old joke, to shove a marshmallow on a stick in the furnace, while the flapping pigeon-winged books died on the porch and lawn of the house," his job was to burn all books and rid them from society. The people don’t seem to understand the need for books, the just want everyone to be the same, think the same and act the same. A few people in the city began to read to analyze the writing; however that ended very quickly for each of them because the firemen would come and burn everything. Montag was so curious and confused of what books offer to people. "There much be something in books, things we cant imagine, to make a woman stay in a burning house; there must be something there." which then led him to crack open a book. Captain Beatty who is Montag's fellow firemen describes a book as "a book is a loaded gun in the house next door. Burn it. Take the short from the weapon." they don’t want books to provide variety in people’s opinions and thoughts. "If you don't want a man unhappy politically, don’t give him to sides to a question to worry him; give him one." they have controlled all aspects that are needed in society. Another symbol in the book is the Sieve and the Sand. Giving a flashback to his childhood, he remembered trying to fill a sieve with sand, but "the faster he poured, the faster it sifted through." he connected this when he began to read. He thought that "if you read fast and read all, maybe some of the sand will stay in the sieve." he was quickly disappointed and frustrated when he didn’t understand and didn’t remember what he was reading. He then decided to speak with Faber, who was an old acquaintance who could explain to him what he was reading. Lastly, the salamander, which was a symbol of the firemen and the fire truck itself. The Salamander represented the total experience of burning books and the destruction of literature. "Beatty never drove, but he was driving tonight, slamming the Salamander around corners, leaning forward high on the drivers throne." every time they answer an alarm-report on the telephone, they feel like the are making the world a better place. However, they are just ever so slowly destroying their society.

TU Tuesday- Local

Determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze in detail its development over the course of the text.
 Then, convince me you read the article, understood what you read, understood the prompt below I asked you to think about as you read, and wrote a thoughtful response, using support (direct quotes) from the article in your response.  put a working link to the article you read and are responding to, address the instructions in yellow below, and use support from the article you read in the form of FOUR direct quotes.


http://www.timesunion.com/local/article/Maddie-s-Mark-in-memory-of-girl-who-died-of-brain-3591020.php

This article displayed the theme of "You never know what the future holds and you really need to enjoy ever single day," which is shortened into "the best days ever" because of the lasting memory that "Maddie's Mark Foundation" is giving us. This article is about "Madeline "Maddie" Musto, a 5-year-old Rotterdam girl who died in February of a rare, incurable brain stem tumor." she has shown us to live everyday to the fullest and that the smallest things really do count. "Though she is appreciative of everything, Erin Musto says it was the small things she remembers most fondly" and a lot of people forget that. Many people get tied up in work or school and people forget that at any moment, this can be taken away from you. I think this article is not only to give knowledge about Maddie's Mark and their goal "to donate money to help maintain places including parks, playgrounds, butterfly gardens and nature walks where people can enjoy "best days ever," it is about the message to stop and enjoy life. I think a local story like this and a strong family to deliver this message can have a big impact on a town that only pushes us to focus on the future without stopping to live in the moment. I love that  "the foundation hopes to provide a scholarship to a college-bound girl, who is kind, creative and can appreciate the best days ever," it really shows that people can strive for their future and their goals by enjoying life each day. Personally, I think that is a major aspect in achieving happiness in someone's life. Maddie's story should inspire more people to stop and soak in their surroundings instead of planning and squeezing out every minute of everyday. 

36. how would you feel if there was a draft?

36. How would you feel if there was a draft?

If there was a draft I probably wouldn’t be able to sleep very much without worrying. I already worry enough as it is. I wouldn’t want to lose the people I love and really care about and since we are getting to that age where they try to recruit people, it would have a bigger impact then I first thought. If there was a draft I feel like our whole country would have a depressed feeling linger in the air. There are a lot of people out there that think it is an honor to serve for your country, but I feel like that number is decreasing. Also nationalism in this country seems to be decreasing over the years. More people are thinking of a draft as a death sentence and shouldn’t be forced to enroll. Personally, I don’t think there should ever be a need for a draft because so many people already have the feeling that it is an honor to serve this country. 

what is crippling us?

Gatto has come to believe that the schooling system only cares about teaching students "1) To make good people 2) To make good citizens 3) To make each person his or her personal best." also that education isn’t all that it has hyped up to be because many philosophers and leaders throughout our history weren’t in the schooling system. The part that really stood out to me stated that "George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln? Someone taught them, to be sure, but they were not products of a school system, and not one of them was ever "graduated" from a secondary school." this stood out to me because I never thought of it that way, so many people that we have looked up to and depended on, didn’t go trough proper schooling. The schooling all just seems the same because we are all taught the same thing, tested on the same thing and encouraged mostly the same way. What also stuck out to me was when Gatto was talking about the integrating function. "This might well be called "the conformity function," because its intention is to make children as alike as possible. People who conform are predictable, and this is of great use to those who wish to harness and manipulate a large labor force." now that this is brought to my attention, I don’t think there are ways to change the system. In Fahrenheit 451, the people in the society seem to all think a certain way. I came to that conclusion when Montag asked, "What do you talk about?" when Clarisse said her family just sits around and talks; that seems unheard of in their neighborhood. Also it seems that Gatto and Bradbury have a connection when saying people are becoming more and more alike. This was shown when Montag thought "these men (referring to the other firemen) were all mirror images of himself!" I am persuaded by both Gatto and Bradbury's writings because as our schools have created us to be so similar and have similar goals of being our best that we can be. 

Tried and true

http://writingprompts.tumblr.com/post/17477297690/my-28-most-tried-and-true-writing-prompts

a-accept others

b- bring peace to your mind

c- count your blessings

d- dare yourself

e- excite yourself about the small things

f- find yourself

g- give yourself credit

h- help others

i- ignore the negative

j- just let your hair down

k- kindness is key

l- learn to love

m- money isn't everything

n- notice everything 

o- overloading isn't always good

p- pretty isn't everything

q- quiet moments are good for your health

r- relax 

s- soak up the sun

t- take your time

u- understand before you start

v- visualize your meaning

w- walk don't run

x- xenophobia isn't okay 

y- you always come first

z- zone in on what you want

TU Tuesday- Commencement Speech

"When I finished school I was completely lost...and I really had no ambition or know what I wanted to do." I understand what she went though. I really admire people who know what they want to do and the exact job they want but I still cannot figure out what to do for my career! I would love to have a job that has to do with art but the only thing that seems to be an option is an art teacher and that seems so ordinary. I do feel like I know who I am and "found myself" like some people say but when Ellen DeGeneres stated "by the time I was your age I really thought I knew who I was" now I do know exactly what I want for myself and understand that if something doesn’t fit in my life or doesn’t make me happy, I wont keep that around. "Live your life with integrity and not to give into peer pressure to try to be something that you are not, to live your life as an honest and compassionate person, to contribute in some way... follow your passion and never follow someone else’s path." I don’t like when girls or guys change them self to be accepted, I believe you have to know what you want and how you want to live life and if the people around you are blocking you from living to your fullest, you might have to think twice about the people you are hanging out with. Lately I understand that completely, a few friends that I have been a little iffy about this year held me back from who I really wanted to be seen and known as so slowly I've been weeding out the bad ones to leave the ones I want. Yes we have had good times and laughs but the "weeds" just take away from you and leave nothing to make you feel good about yourself. "I finally decided that I was living with so much shame and so much fear that I just couldn't live that way anymore... (I wanted) to free myself from this heaviness that I was carrying around." the heaviness can always be lifted if you know exactly what you want in life. If you want to be happy and joyful, don’t let others bring you down because they don’t have a found propose in life yet. I also agree that "the most devastating things can teach you the most" because after you experience a fall in your life, you know exactly what to do to get right back up and back onto your feet. If that ever occurs again it is that much easier to get back up. “Don’t be afraid to fail... though you should not fear failure, you should do your very best to avoid It." if you don’t try than you never know what could have been. It is better to try and fail than you forever wonder what could have happened. 

Commencement speech: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0JccudODwwY

second non-fiction: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KmDYXaaT9sA&feature=related

90 Newspapers and How I Would Change Them

90 Newspapers and How I Would Change Them

I don’t understand how someone could just sit down and read the newspaper. I always hear about people who read the paper every morning. But I don’t understand, it is always so boring for me! Whenever we get the Sunday newspaper, I always open to the middle and take out the store ads to look through and throw the rest of it back on the table. The business section, sports, opinion and whatever other sections there are, are boring. I don’t understand the economy or politics and all the terms so I don’t care for reading about it. If I could change the newspaper I would put in more entertaining things like brainteasers or news around the world. I want our newspapers to be more like the journal we receive in school. The journal is upbeat, up to date, and never talks about depressing subjects or how the economy is going down. I would also make the print a little bit bigger because it annoys me when I’m trying to read the article and the paper is held 3 inches away from my face. I would also want to hear more about music and the artists, not the things like “they were seen outside of a night club drinking” but their new albums and their concerts.  

Love to Know Slideshow

http://freelance-writing.lovetoknow.com/Slideshow:Journal_Writing_Prompts~2

Essentials for a Happy Life List 10 things that are essential for a happy life and describe why each item is important.

1. To forgive- most people seem to not be able to forgive and forget problems that affected their life. I think for a happy life you need to forgive the people that made you mad or upset and just live life without worrying about the past.

2. Smile - I really believe that happiness is contagious. I was at a tournament and I received the two best complements anyone could have ever said. The first one was from a teammate’s mom who said "you are just always happy and you are always smiling no matter what." and the other one was from a coach that comes from time to time. We were down by 10 or so and it was my turn to finally go in. everyone seemed to have long faces and you could see they were down in their eyes. I went in, helped get some points back while smiling and laughing off any mistake that I made and when I came out and stood by the bench my coach came over to talk to me, he said "I think you’re up-beat attitude and the points you got really helped the team get out of the rut. It’s really important to have that skill to shake off any mistake that you made and you really have that." that lead me to believe happiness is contagious at that moment.

3. laugh- I did a project about Humor therapy when I was in middle school and I learned that laughter is very good for your health and can help you live a longer and happier life. When you laugh you just feel happier and some stress is taken away.

4. balance- you need to balance your school, your sports, relationships, work, friends and family. If you work hard in school it really pays off! Then you are happy to see the good grades you are receiving.

5. love- love comes in many different forms. You first learn love and the feeling of it from your parents when you are young. As you grow older you begin to love for your friends and care for them and don’t want anything to hurt them. The feeling of love can bring happiness because of the bubbly feeling you get from it. Later in life you fall for your boyfriend or girlfriend and then your spouse and get the feeling of love for your kids. I hope to have a family like that when I’m older.

6. Think positive- this seems like a cliché answer but it really works! For example, if there is something in this world that you want or desire, think positive about it! If you think about it, focus your energy on it, it will come to you. I read and watched the movie for "the Secret" and it says that "You are a magnet attracting to you all things, via the signal you are emitting through your thoughts and feelings. (There are) ways to open yourself up and become a powerful magnet to wellness and health starting from wherever you are now."
(http://thesecret.tv/living.html)
7. sports- I think everyone should join a sport or be part of an activity because after you exercise, endorphins are released which help you feel happy and content. Then you physically just feel better about yourself. Also with joining a sport, you meet a lot of new people and make a bunch of new friends.

8. friendship- to live a happy life, you need friends to be there for you. Friends are always there when your family isn’t available to talk and it seems easier to talk to someone your age. I wouldn’t be able to get through life without my friends to talk to and get advice or criticism from them.

9. Don’t get into drama- I absolutely hate drama. High school seems to be full of it but I steer away from it. It seems to make life easier and you have more energy to spend on the positive things in this world.

10. music- music can put you in any mood depending on the song that you are playing. I think listening to music and just singing along always makes you in a better mood. I love listening to music and singing along with my friends because we just start singing our own version and get a good laugh from it.

Creative Contest III

first time relationship, parents eyeing him.    

Communism

Communism is based off the ideas of Karl Marx stating that the society would be a classless society and all resources are divided equally among the people. The definition of communism "a theory or system of social organization based on the holding of all property in common, actual ownership being ascribed to the community as a whole or to the state." the first country to become a communist state is Russia after the Bolshevik revolution. The Bolshevik party turned their name into the communist party and just took all of power. Also during the Second World War Germany was a communist nation that led to the U.S. policy of containment that is trying to stop the spread of communism and the theory of the domino effect which is that if one nation becomes communist then the surrounding nations will become communist. Surrogate wars were also fought following WWII of communist and non-communist nations like Vietnam and Korea. I do agree with the idea that everyone should be equal however, nothing successful has ever come out from a communist nation and the people are miserable. So I disagree with the ideas of communism.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Communism
 http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/communism?s=t

TU Tuesday - Classified

Her lips blew the dust off the "amber baby cup, plate and bowl set" sorrow sunk into her heart. Her daughter seemed more distant these past few years after the wedding. She received less phone calls, less visits, and slowly seemed to lose her daughter to her new husband. The old lady tucked a piece of white hair back into her bun and pushed her glasses farther up on her nose. The only thing she ever dreamed of is having grand children. She saved all her "vintage" toys to share with the toddlers and right when her dream became true, they move hundreds of miles away. A whole trunk full of "never used" toys seems to be a waste now. She would never be able to see the smile on their faces as they open and play with each toy. The "Mother Goose Nursery Rhyme" begins to hum in her head never being able to hum it to her grand children as they drift off into sleep. She wonders what could have been different, what could she have done to change her daughter from moving? Her wrinkled fingers trace the only picture of her grand daughter and her heart sinks deeper into her chest. She wanders back downstairs from the attic and drops herself into her tattered couch. Her eyes wander around the room until landing on the computer. She slowly approaches the mouse and wiggles it alive. Her fingers sluggishly begin to type... "Vintage Indiana Tiara Glass (Amber) Baby cup. Plate & Bowl set. Mother Goose Nursery Rhyme theme. Original box. Never used. Excellent condition. Label still on plate. Cash only, local only." she leans back into her chair, now only if she can get rid of the pain left in her heart.

http://timesunion.kaango.com/ad-antique-tiara-glass-mother-goose-cup-plate-bowl-set/20526813

Antique Tiara Glass Mother Goose Cup, Plate & Bowl set

Vintage Indiana Tiara Glass (Amber) Baby cup. plate & Bowl set. Mother Goose Nursery Rhyme theme. Original box. Never used. Excellent condition.

Label still on plate. Cash only, Local only

Q= quesadilla

 It's a Letter Blog Day!  Go alphabetically to the next letter, and find a recipe that you love and to relate it to memories you have

Ingredients

• 4 (10-inch) flour tortillas
• 1 cup grated cheese, sharp Cheddar or Mexican blend
• 4 tablespoons butter
• Sour cream, for garnish
• Salsa, for garnish
• Guacamole, for garnish

Directions

Lay the tortillas flat on a cookie sheet. Like the cookies made on Christmas. The cookie cutters in different shapes and the pastel colored icing for a touch of sweetness. Putting on upbeat Christmas songs, on maximum volume and the whole house full of the sweet scent. 

 Sprinkle some of the cheese on 1 half of each tortilla. Try not to get it too close to the edge. Fold the tortillas in half over the cheese to make a half-moon. Looking up at the shining moon, coming into the house well past midnight; stomach growling with six boxes of Mexican leftovers in my hands. Opening each box when coming into the house and preparing myself a chicken quesadilla. The house smelling of melting cheese and chicken attaches the "midnight snackers." perfect ending to a perfect party.

Warm a skillet over low heat and add 1 tablespoon of the butter. Butter always makes everything better! Creamier, richer and melts into a creamy yellow color. Reminding me of cracking open lobster shells to search for their sweet meat by the Cape Cod Bay. Our skin the same color as the shells but still have the biggest smile across our face and little bibs wrapped around our neck. Spending the summer by the beach with a bunch of friends is how I want to spend my time. 

 Add the tortilla to the skillet and cook until it is lightly brown, about 2 minutes. Using a spatula, gently lift the edge so you can check. When 1 side is brown, turn the tortilla over and cook the other side until brown and the cheese is all gooey. Like flipping a pancake, praying it wont fall apart or fold into a doughy mess. Or waking up to the sweet scent of maple syrup on hot pancakes Sunday mornings. Sometimes even waking up early to help dad out with the pancakes or dropping blueberries into the batter. Whipping up a quick batch when babysitting and helping their little hands grasp the handle of the spatula. 

 Use a spatula to transfer to individual plates or a large platter. Repeat with remaining butter and tortillas. Top them with the sour cream, salsa and guacamole. After a long drive to a hotel for a tournament the next day we pull into Chili’s for a quick bite to eat. I turn to the quesadillas immediately; feeling as if this is a home cooked meal. When the plate comes out bubbling and steaming, I push all the sour cream, salsa and guacamole away and munch on the little cut triangles; smiling with every bite. 

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/paula-deen/cheese-quesadillas-recipe/index.html

famous poem starters

Begin your blog  with the line:  Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered weak and weary
From The Raven by Edgar Allan Poe

Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered weak and weary
eyes blinking to clear the foggy mind that has come
each foot stumbling onto each stair
a glance at the clock; 4:39 a.m.
body quivering from the sleepy chill
scattering clothes as you come closer to the bed
head heavy,
eyes droopy,
feet pulsing,
hands shaking.
sliding into the cool sheets
the weight from the blankets bringing security
each breathe evening out
sleep.

Nursery Rhymes ARE relevant to Life

 that makes you think about something relevant to your life today. and write about how it connects.

Hickory, dickory, dock

Hickory, dickory, dock,
The mouse ran up the clock.
The clock struck one,
The mouse ran down!
Hickory, dickory, dock.

Dickery, dickery, dare,
The pig flew up in the air.
The man in brown
Soon brought him down!
Dickery, dickery, dare.

http://www-personal.umich.edu/~pfa/dreamhouse/nursery/rhymes/dock.html

Right now it just seems I cannot keep up with school. I have always had a busy schedule and usually I'm ahead of the game but lately I just cannot keep up. It feels like teachers have been assigning more than usual and each assignment has been taking longer. It is hard to fit homework time with volleyball and dance and actually trying to get enough sleep! This nursery rhyme reminds me of that because the clock keeps ticking but I still seem to be falling behind even though I’ve been working so hard. It seems like I'm slowly slipping like the mouse on the clock. Soon dance and volleyball will end so I will have more time to do all my projects and have time to actually relax. 

Turn your Inkblot into a Butterfly

first seeming like a mistake

like spilled paint over a finished piece

wishing to take back that moment

why even try if this could happen?

                                                         but as we look closer
                                                          a shape my begin to form
                                                        only a creative mind may see
                                                        only a few brush strokes can begin
                                                          to reveal the true beauty underneath

                                                         the body begins to take life
                                                                   to take shape
                                                                   to take form
                                                        and take the idea to a whole new level

                                                         don't look at it as a mistake
                                                          or a reason to start over
                                                         look at it as a way to help you grow
                                                   to show you that you can take something dark
                                                                 and bring life to it

as it gains strength

and the image comes together

the artist takes a step back

proving through this experience,

something is never actually malformed,

it just needs the artists eyes to accept it.

Jennifer Gish

Jennifer Gish was born and raised in a "die-hard Penn State" family but now has been "hoping to be a fan again" after "Sandusky's alleged sex crimes against children broke."  Jennifer Gish is a Times Union sports writer and "Parent to Parent" blogger. The article I read was about how distant she has become over the years as she follows what is occurring with Penn State football. She doesn’t always agree with the choices that Penn State has decided but there is still a high hope to love them again. I have noticed that she thinks and writes in a style that only a mother seems to have because she seems to care about the team and wants to see it grow and succeed; the same of what a mother wants for her children. Which she can strongly connect to from raising twins. She seems to have high hopes for the team after "listen(ing) to sports journalists question Bill O'Brien." Jennifer Gish "hear(d) him talk about the importance of academics, the importance of character, (and) his guarantee players will volunteer" which gives the team a brighter outlook and she seems to like the idea of creating well rounded players. However she seems persuaded that "the Penn State faithful will forgive us a loss or two next season. They will not forgive us another scandal." she still seems to want the old Penn State she knew and loved, the one "my father, a die-hard Penn State fan who encouraged my love of the game and the school." But in the end she begins to show a little affection toward the new and thriving team.

  

http://blog.timesunion.com/parenting/author/jennifergish/

http://www.timesunion.com/sports/article/Hoping-to-be-a-fan-again-3475997.php

NYT tuesday

BSo, go to http://learning.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/03/30/our-third-annual-new-york-times-found-poem-student-contest/ and find out the details on how to enter this contest. follow the rules established below by the New York Times as the criteria for the blog.  Then, why not submit it!  Winning things like this is fun and a great resume-builder for colleges.

Graphic Novel Module - Do the following:  (1) choose a Graphic Novel that you want to read and bring it in;  (2)  talk to your partner (under Course Materials to the left) about whom you want to do for the voicethread and Facebook templates.  Make sure it is a hero/villain pairing that you can find sound clips for and do extensive research on (sometimes, if they are too contemporary, there isn't enough written about them yet).  Tell me whom you have chosen once you have made a decision.

he saved me

I was crossing The Place Beyond the Pines, sun beating down on my hairwhen i saw himdarkmysteriousdrawing one inenchantingyet not clear what sparked the blaze of interestwanting to morei stop.... stare saving (me) from a freight train beyond the pines i look back,gone.

http://www.timesunion.com/default/article/Toledo-casino-site-soon-ready-for-Ohio-regulators-3459515.php

http://www.timesunion.com/default/article/2-Montana-men-escape-injury-train-hit-Jeep-3459214.php

http://www.timesunion.com/default/article/Frost-Offers-Exclusive-Line-of-Southwire-3458475.php

http://www.timesunion.com/default/article/Austria-finmin-under-fire-for-upstaging-colleague-3458568.php

http://www.timesunion.com/default/article/Nobel-winner-Grass-Israel-a-threat-to-world-peace-3459425.php

http://www.timesunion.com/default/article/Nissan-wants-to-woo-more-US-car-buyers-3459290.php

http://www.timesunion.com/default/article/Heart-Rate-Watch-Company-Publishes-Heart-Rate-3458609.php

http://www.timesunion.com/default/article/Opus-First-Quarter-Growth-Exceeds-Expectation-3458081.php

http://www.timesunion.com/default/article/Ford-increases-full-year-US-sales-forecast-3459289.php

http://www.timesunion.com/default/article/Transformer-fire-closes-Jersey-City-street-3459502.php

http://www.timesunion.com/default/article/Enchanting-Twist-on-Ankle-Bracelet-Fashion-Trend-3443467.php

http://www.timesunion.com/default/article/Environmentalists-press-for-review-of-wolf-death-3458933.php

http://www.timesunion.com/default/article/Environmentalists-press-for-review-of-wolf-death-3458933.php

http://www.timesunion.com/default/article/Plans-move-forward-for-RoboCop-statue-in-Detroit-3459427.php

http://www.timesunion.com/default/article/Trump-wishes-transgender-luck-in-Canada-pageant-3457496.php

http://www.timesunion.com/local/article/Twitter-claim-Ryan-Gosling-saved-me-3458832.php

http://www.timesunion.com/default/article/Bruce-Willis-offers-to-donate-Idaho-ski-area-3459421.php

http://www.timesunion.com/default/article/Ga-inmate-sues-prison-over-beating-3458922.php

http://www.timesunion.com/default/article/US-eases-some-Myanmar-restrictions-3459140.php

http://www.timesunion.com/default/article/Review-Artist-meets-artisan-in-The-Morini-Strad-3458510.php

http://www.timesunion.com/default/article/Some-cases-being-compared-to-Trayvon-Martin-3459464.php

http://www.timesunion.com/default/article/Some-cases-being-compared-to-Trayvon-Martin-3459464.php

http://www.timesunion.com/default/article/A-year-after-arrest-ex-teacher-rebuilding-life-3458516.php

what relationship had the biggest impact on your life?

 Honestly, the relationship between my friends and I have impacted me the most. They understand me and always know how to make me laugh. We are each a big part of each other’s life that we would feel empty or lost if someone wasn’t there to turn to. My friends are the ones that I turn to when ever I need help no matter what. We can talk to each other without being judged, it’s like a safe place to turn to. We share each other’s experiences and learn how to deal with problems. We learn through each other and grow and find who we really are. I've meet so many people and it did take me a while but I have a key group of friends that I couldn’t live without. I have met a few people that have hurt me but you learn from, become stronger and know who is fake and who is genuine. Through volleyball, I’ve been on four different teams with everyone from different schools and I've made so many new friends and they always know how to bring a smile to everyone’s face. Even when we are down, we know what brings everybody up! Honestly, the relationship between my friends and I have impacted me the most. They understand me and always know how to make me laugh. We are each a big part of each other’s life that we would feel empty or lost if someone wasn’t there to turn to. My friends are the ones that I turn to when ever I need help no matter what. We can talk to each other without being judged, it’s like a safe place to turn to. We share each other’s experiences and learn how to deal with problems. We learn through each other and grow and find who we really are. I've meet so many people and it did take me a while but I have a key group of friends that I couldn’t live without. I have met a few people that have hurt me but you learn from, become stronger and know who is just an obstacle in your path and who is genuine. Through volleyball, I’ve been on four different teams with everyone from different schools and I've made so many new friends and they always know how to bring a smile to everyone’s face. Even when we are down, we know what brings everybody up!