Almost There

Post #97: Dedicated to: Say Anything

Close to home. So much to do this week including three papers, a presentation, and an a cappella show, but I'll get through it. And I'll get through the week after that, too. And then it will be finals week, and then I'll be

HOME.

What To Do?

Post #96

I'm so stressed out. I don't know how to cope with it. I have so much to do, not enough time to do it all, and not enough time to sleep.

I'm worried for my mental health, my physical health, and my grades.

I don't know how I'm going to get through these next three weeks.

I'd rather not celebrate Thanksgiving, but spend the entire extended weekend catching up on work and getting done with assignments that are rapidly approaching.

I'm stressed, and I don't know what to do.

Day Ten

Post #95

Day Ten: One confession:

I'm doing the best I can.

I was wondering for days now what my one confession was going to be. After my day today, I decided that this was it.

I'm doing the best that I can, okay? It might not be good enough for you. Well, tough. Learn to live with it. Or stop complaining, and do something about it.

Day Nine

Post #94: Dedicated to: Thinking About You; Norah Jones

So much to do, so little time. I wish I could stay caffeinated for life.

Day One: Ten things you want to say to ten different people right now

Day Two: Nine things about yourself

Day Three: Eight ways to win your heart

Day Four: Seven things that cross your mind a lot

Day Five: Six things you wish you'd never done

Day Six: Five people who mean a lot (in no order whatsoever)

Day Seven: Four turn offs

Day Eight: Three turn ons

Day Nine: Two smiley faces that describe your life right now:

|-)

(:|

Hahahaha, according to a list of yahoo messenger smileys, the first one means "sleepy" and the second one means "yawn." Ahaha. I laugh.

Day Ten: One confession

p.s. K-: I'm taking so long to write your letter, sorry! I literally (literally, not figuratively. Heh.) have so much to do. I haven't even watched this week's HIMYM yet - and I usually watch this Monday night or Tuesday at the latest...ahh! But your response will come soon...or after Thanksgiving... (;

Perspective

Post #93

I hated taking benchmarks during school. I hated having to do STAR testing during school. To me, (and to tons of students and teachers alike still, today) it just seemed like a complete waste of time.

Looking at it on the other side of things, however, has changed my perspectives pretty much completely. (Thank you, Critical Issues in Education class.)

No, Bush's NCLB probably wasn't the best idea in the world, nor will it ever completely, 100% fix the achievement gap. And no, Obama's Race to the Top will probably not yield the amazing, positive results everyone is hoping for.

But still.

We discuss the disadvantages of standardized testing, and how they go against practically everything "good" teaching stands for. Without standardized testing, though, how is the nation supposed to measure the achievement level of the kids? Achievement being a fairly arbitrary term, of course. Yeah, standardized testing generally only tests English and math, with maybe a little bit of history and science on the side. So it doesn't cover all the possible "intelligences" of a child's brain, so it might not call upon the arts. What is the country supposed to do? Administer individual tests catered to each and every student's specific needs? Impossible.

There's a lot more to be done, and a lot more that can be done, but for the first time, I feel like I understand that we're doing the best we can with the resources we have available. And maybe not.

But maybe benchmark assessments every semester weren't such a bad thing, after all.

Day Eight

Post #92: Dedicated to: If We Ever Meet Again; Timbaland ft. Katy Perry

After a great and much needed weekend in Boston, here we are back at school. One week and two days until Thanksgiving break. 32 days until I am back safe and sound, home sweet home in CA. But in the meantime...much work remains.

Such a late Day Eight, but here goes.

Day One: Ten things you want to say to ten different people right now

Day Two: Nine things about yourself

Day Three: Eight ways to win you heart

Day Four: Seven things that cross your mind a lot

Day Five: Six things you wish you'd never done

Day Six: Five people who mean a lot (in no order whatsoever)

Day Seven: Four turn offs

Day Eight: Three turn ons:

- Having a good relationship with parents and being sweet to younger siblings/small children

- Being intelligent – not necessarily academically intelligent, but intelligent – enough to carry a decent conversation

- Being musical talented and/or having an amazing, heart-melting voice.

Day Nine: Two smiley faces that describe your life right now

Day Ten: One confession

Good Morning, Boston

Post #91: Dedicated to: Ain't No Sunshine; Bill Withers

One of the few times I'll catch the sunrise in my life. I'll savor it while I can.

On the bus sitting front of me was a female who spent about 30 minutes (if not more) fervidly filing her nails. And then clipping them or pruning her cuticles or whatever it is. I was a little embarrassed for my gender.

I still have to register...and I still have no idea what to take next semester. Aaaaand, the debate between anthropology and english is growing more and more heated. It's getting difficult. I don't know what to do. On one hand, I don't want to suffer through two and a half more years of hating the English department, waking up with a knot in my stomach knowing I won't be good enough for my professors, and just barely making it out alive. On the other hand, I don't want to feel like I'm giving up. Am I giving up on myself too soon?

But I've told myself I'm not going to worry about this until next semester. When I actually take more classes from both departments and am able to better gauge the situation.

I feel like I have a lot lot lot of work coming up...but in the meantime, you can find me in Davis Square, enjoying my last weekend off with two of my favorite people.

Also, I really fail at posting 10 days consecutively. To be continued.