*th grade guide

8th grade guide

Great , its finally my 8th grade year, i had heard stories about it on how students struggle with grades and bullies, but you don't really know the worst of it until you experience it, how the heck will I survive!

Finding your own way through life may sound terrifying, but really its not,I started my journey to find my independence when I was about in 8th grade (maybe a little of 7th). I know what your thinking "How am I supposed to be in dependant already when I'm only 13?" Its not like you have to move out of your house, kiss your mama goodbye and find a job! Really, I not lieing! If I think far into my future well yes I'm terrified of what might happen, but if i think only about what I will do today or tomorrow then life doesn't seem so tough. Here, let me take you ALL the way back to my 8th grade year (well, not that far, since I'm still in the 8th grade) and way, this is the year I got independent.

One of the things that seem to stand out this year was definitely learning Japanese with my tutor. No, no, I'm not saying that you have to go all out of it and learn a different language too, but this really helped me feel like I am more than just an average student. It made me feel like I could step out of my box and go the limit! This class is helping me be in dependant with myself since I'm doing something that I want to do! who knows maybe one day I ll be all on my own in Japan and I will need this to communicate with people. You dont have to do anything big either, even a drawing that your proud of can make your feel better about yourself. what is independence? Well in my opinion I think that independence is basically finding out your purpose in life. (I guess I could put it that way) You may think " I don't have a purpose, all I do is eat sleep and poop!" I know how you feel, I don't know my purpose yet either but what I do know is that one day I will find it, even if it's as simple as teaching children why not to do drugs, or maybe just getting married to someone.


I was told that when you learn to like yourself, other people start liking you too. That's a pretty good deal right?... well not always. The truth is a lot of people don't like themselves. They may hate themselves because they think they're fat, or ugly, too skinny or freakishly tall. When they try to like themselves they put on an act and try to trick their mind into feeling confident. I cant blame them though, people in the 8th grade can seem so cruel sometimes, they try to make you feel ashamed of yourself with their harsh words and loud opinions. Just Ignore them (I have for the past few years) they aren't really hurting you as much as themselves. Do you think the people worth your time would want to hang out with them? NO! You were most likely minding your own business looking innocent and kind when all of the sudden the big bad wolf comes around and blows your house down!(Who would want to hang with that person!) Is liking yourself selfish? Not in my opinion. If every one was self conscious then we wouldn't make any friends. We would be afraid of talking to people in fear that they wouldn't like us, and the other person would feel even worse because we didn't say much to them (there fore thinking that they didn't like them). In other words its OK to like yourself!

I hoped this has helped you to understand that growing up in 8th grade really isn't so bad. If your are kind and respectful all of your efforts will pay off in the end, but if your not... Well lets just see what happens. next time though you think about 8th grade (well any grade actually! Maybe even collage!) Just remember to stand tall and appreciate your self for who you are. You will feel much better!

Mad man at train station

Tigers!!!

While traveling through Europe, my family waited at the train station for an early train. While waiting their like a slug on a rock (I was VERY tired) a French man was at the ticket booth literally screaming his lungs out! I watched horror stricken at the drugged wolf screeched at the person behind a ticket booth. All I could hear was jumbled up words that ended with a “POO! POO!” as if to say “I spit on you!” The wife of the man came up and tried to pull him away by the arm (obviously embarrassed). I couldn’t help but laugh my gut out! I was a hyena!

Orthodontics (march writing contest essay)

Orthodontics
March writing contest essay

Have you ever experienced the eye watering pain of braces? Or the horrible shock you get from tightening an expander? If you haven’t, well then you can be the lucky one who can experience it through my words. % of people in America have had their teeth fixed by an orthodontist (some people think that in Britain they do not take care of their teeth; the truth is they do...if you have seen the movie "Austin Powers" you’d know!) When you are a baby the only thing you know about teeth is that you can bite things with them. At age 7 or so, you want to lose them so you can get a dollar from the tooth fairy. Finally when you are about 13 you finally realize that your teeth will be twisted and smashed round until they are perfect (and the money you got from the "tooth fairy" will be used to pay for the orthodontist bill, plus a lot more cash).
Molds! Horrible, terrible, no good, very bad molds!!! Molds, for me, were always the worst part of the appointment. The hygienists fill a large, jaw shaped, tray full of goo and shove it way back into your mouth, surrounding your teeth as the goo slides near the uvula in the back of your throat, causing an uncomfortable gag reflex as they pin you to the seat. After they put in the molds they put in spacers, they are are like little rubber bands placed between each tooth in the back of the mouth. Each time they yanked a rubber band between my teeth, it felt like teeth started to cave in. At one point the lady had accidentally pulled out the band and I thought I had missed a tooth, for an 8th of a second my brain had thought of a list of what I would do without a tooth.
WAIT!!! Not only do you have to wear braces but you have to be responsible for them too? Braces are a big burden until after you get them off! When it comes to brushing my teeth i do an average job, but with braces you have to be extremely careful to get around every nook and cranny other wise my teeth will rot. They also they don't allow gum, and sticky candies. I have gum twice a day or more, also the first time I decided to break that rule my expander ripped off of my teeth. Hopefully after the braces my teeth will be perfect.

Writing territories 2



If I were to go to a place I have never been before, I would go to Asia. How many people have celebrated the New Years day with friends? Witnessed fire works up close? Or even be an onlooker at a parade waltzing down the street at night in a daze of royal colors? I’ve never been able to experience such a thing before, but just imagining the culture and atmosphere keeps my attention.

I have always wanted to travel to a place were people wore outfits that would seem only to be in a play. The first time I saw a Lolita outfit from Japan I thought “I want to move there!” I have never really been a fan of dresses or even lacy fabrics, these were definetly not me! Yet something about that caught my eye. I don’t know if it was the color of silky brown that appealed to me, or just the originality of it, but for one thing, I had to have one like it!

Before I was ever into Japan, my mom took me to a sushi resturant in Isaqua. I liked how the room looked peacefull from the yellow glow of the paper lamps.That was exactly how I wanted my room. I had never tried sushi before in my life. It was surprisingly good! Though the thought of eating raw fish didn't appeal to me at the time.

Only a few years ago I started collecting lucky cats. I have about...26 lucky cats now, and 2 lucky cat chopsticks. I have always liked cats since I maybe that had started once my family took in Monet (our cat).Like in the name maneki neko (meaning lucky cat), they are said to bring good fortune and riches. I will definetly trael to Japan when I get the chance.