I read the Handmaid’s Tale. My reading this weekend was quite inconsistent– I read a lot on one day, and non the other. The book I am reading is quite interesting, and I really like Margaret Atwood’s writing style.

I have always understood the importance of reading; yet, sports, clubs, and entertainment on other media have made me neglect its significance. I wish to develop a regular reading habit of 30+ minutes to expose myself to broader vocabulary, writing style, and information while improving basic writing techniques as grammar (things I need to improve on in English).  I take pride in my presentation skills, participation in discussions, descriptive writing, and the writing style of my work. Still, I would learn new techniques to enhance these skills. To do so, some of my goals include: developing a regular reading habit and analyzing the works of brilliant literature.

Banning single-use plastic is effective in saving the ocean. marine life are suffering from plastic and banning single-use plastic will decrease the rate of marine life consuming substances found in plastic. Countries must begin following the successful footsteps of Kenya and others and begin banning single-use plastic. Though others have claimed that plastic has no alternatives, there is a fine list of materials that state otherwise. Countries must begin following the successful footsteps of Kenya and others and begin banning single-use plastic.

Banning single-use plastic is an effective way marine life is suffering from the poison of plastic. For instance, in 2015 organization Ocean Biologist extracted a single-use plastic straw from a turtle screeching with pain and agony. Examples similar to this reveals the harm of plastic to marine life. According to National Geographic, 42% of the plastic in the ocean is single-use. Demonstrating how the ban would reduce the number of animals consuming the pollutants and toxic substances used to produce plastic. To save marine life, more countries need to begin banning single-use plastic.

It has been proven that banning single-use plastic is effective in saving the ocean as countries such as Kenya who incorporated the ban and has shown great success. “We have saved the environment of 100million plastic bags. (In one year) That’s something worth celebrating,” announced James Wak an environmental activist from Kenya. According to the article Marine, it is estimated that in 2050 there will be more plastic in the ocean than fish. However, with more countries following the trend of Kenya. Saving 100million plastic bags per year will increase to billions. Therefore the success in banning single-use plastic from Kenya demonstrates that banning single-use plastic is an effective way to save the ocean.

Despite the success in Kenya, some say that there are no alternatives to plastic. Furthermore, Scroll.in published a video quoting, “We’ve banned carry bags a few months back but there are no alternatives.” Comments on the video have stated otherwise. For example, AthrarvaUlhe described how the ban has impacted her own life, claiming the effectiveness of this ban stating and user ToShar stating, “It’s working in my area at least”. This shows that the majority of people disagree, other than that alternatives to carry bags include paper bags or cotton bags. Both reusable and most importantly biodegradable and digestible. This shows that banning single-use plastic is an effective way to save the ocean.

Banning single-use plastic is an effective way to save the ocean. If more follow the successful footsteps of Kenya and start the ban marine life consuming plastic chemicals and pollutants will decrease. Although some say there are no alternatives to single-use plastic there are many. Therefore banning single-use plastic is an effective way to save the ocean.

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Ever had those days where nothing makes sense. You have something like ADHD, and you just can’t understand why people expect you to be as good as others in school? Or maybe you want to have a more positive relationship to people, but you’ve said things you didn’t mean. If that’s the case, then You and Percy from the book Percy Jackson and the lightning thief has a lot in common. However, Percy doesn’t understand that he can be as good as the others in school, despite he has ADHD. He just learns in a different style. Percy can also improve his relationships by managing his emotions. 

In the book “Percy Jackson and The Lightning Thief”, Percy’s mindset towards learning is directly linked to him having ADHD. Percy keeps downgrading himself in learning and uses ADHD as an excuse for this. For example,” Mr. Brunner expected me to be as good as everybody else, although I have dyslexia and attention deficit disorder. According to Article “Neurodiversity”, People with ADHD work best in stimulating environments” Percy isn’t limited to learning, he learns in a different style. If Percy’s school offered more learning styles, Percy would be able to learn more efficiently. Through the story, Mr. Brunner-Percy’s Latin teacher demonstrates this method. On page two, Percy explains why Mr. Brunner is the only class that doesn’t” put him to sleep” because he “lets us play games in class”. Playing games can include movement such as the game tag. This is an example of learning in a stimulating environment.  Percy also exceeds in Mr. Brunner class, “I looked at the carving, I felt a flush of relief because I actually recognized it.” Studies shown, people with AHD could be extremely focused when something interests them.  This indicates the results of Mr. Brunner’s way of teaching, Percy’s isn’t limited in learning and he’s more engaged in Brunner’s class. If Percy would see these results on how ADHD is not affecting him as a student, he would do an outstanding performance in class than he is with his attitude now. Therefore, Percy’s viewpoint towards learning is associated with him having ADHD. 

Presuming that Percy managed his emotions, many of Percy’s relationships throughout the book would be better. Percy referred to his mother when things were not going well, he would be homesick and miss her. “My mother can make me feel good by just walking into the room.” (page 32-33) Percy is comforted by his mom, shows affection and a positive relationship. However, on page 39 Percy blurts out, “because you don’t want me around?”, I regretted the words as soon as they were out. Since Percy has a positive relationship towards his mom, and he regretted the words as soon as they were out. Percy didn’t mean to say those words. If Percy thought about the outcome of his actions, he probably wouldn’t have said them to his mom. According to the article, Managing Emotions. Emotional decisions are frequently made in “the heat of moment”. When Percy offended his mom, his decisions were in the “heat of moment” the state where his emotions blurted out the phrases he says to his mother. Experts in the article Managing emotions recommended ways to help avoid these situations: 

• Stopping before you decide 
• Think about how you will feel as a result of each possible actions

Other than managing your emotions to improve positive relationships, doing so could also develop better relationships with people who you don’t work well with. In school, Percy not only faces issues with his learning perspective but also has a poor relationship with a girl, Nancy Bobofit.  During the story, Percy reveals on page 17, “I got in more fights with Nancy Bobofit and her friends. I was sent out of the hallway in almost every class.” According to all the fights, Percy has shown that Percy reacts to Nancy’s behavior aggressively. Causing him to be the person who got in trouble. Using the suggestions that Managing Emotions expert gave, Percy might have had a better relationship with Nancy. If Percy put in the consideration to think about how he would feel as a result of each possible action of him. Maybe he would approach Nancy’s behavior in a different way. Such as on page 5, Percy screamed to Nancy, “will you shut up?!”. If Percy approached this in a way such as, “Nancy I’m sorry but I can’t hear anything Mr. Brunner is saying. Will you please keep the volume down a bit?” The teacher wouldn’t blame Percy, Nancy wouldn’t have a reason to be mad at Percy. On that account, Percy managing his emotions would lead him to develop a better relationship with others. 

Percy’s mindset towards learning is directly linked to him having ADHD. Percy isn’t limited to learning; he learns in a different style which can make his. Other than managing your emotions to improve positive relationships, doing so could also develop better relationships with people who you don’t work well with.  Percy isn’t limited to learning; he learns in a different style. 

In the first chapter of “Percy Jackson and the Olympians” Percy is a short-tempered kid. On page 2, the stanza “I hoped for once I didn’t get in trouble, suggests that Percy frequently gets in loads of trouble, indicating that trouble has come to him multiple times already. Also, on page 9 “I tried to stay cool, the school counselor had told me a million times count to ten, get control of your anger” further indicates that Percy routinely loses his temper. The part “count to ten, get control of your anger” particularly shows that Percy is short-tempered as the stanza itself is about him trying to tame his emotions. Then, Grover, Percy’s best friend, reminded him that he was already on probation. If Percy had a good reputation or trouble at school, probation is probably unneeded.  Aside from that, it was someone else who reminded Percy about it. This indicates that others know Percy as a short-tempered person. There are numerous examples of why Percy Jackson is a short-tempered kid.

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One of my biggest successes was making it so one crank can maneuver the arm and flap the tongue at the same time. I really struggled at the start when I was trying to figure out how everything was going to fit together and while assembling it, I really didn’t think that it would work and it did. So when I had my finished product I felt really proud.

If I did this again I would stabilize the oboe reed on the gecko hand better because it fell off and it was something I was really proud of. I would attach it with hot glue an add a layer of tape around it just to make sure it wouldn’t fall again.

One new skill that I developed was using different tools. I think that in the future learning the way these tools work will help me. I especially liked learning about the vice because it was something I never knew about and it was really fun to use.

One advice I would give the future student is to use your time well. I wish that I could have more time to attach the reed back on the arm and to really clean my cranky contraption up. But I completely forgot about time

Reflection of the trip

•What new skill did you learn?

I learned how to make a fire and the different components of making it. I also am not as scared of bugs as before.

•What did you learn about your other classmates

I learned that some of them were nicer than I thought while others were harder to work with I also learned that even though you don’t agree with your team it’s best to still contribute and help out even though you don’t like their ideas because we are all a team.

•What was the most challenging part of the trip

I think I was cooperating with people that are hard to work with

• What did you enjoy the most?

I enjoyed the time before lights out where you could just have fun with your roommates and the dance party.

•What advice would you give the next group?

I would say to talk less and work more

I feel that one day is important because it reminds us of real life.  We have to choose what we want to do and face through challenges along the way.  During one day I created a lot of things. At the start, I wanted to only make a bag and a pencil case, however, it went way faster than I expected and I finished it within the 1st hour. I then went wild I started snipping the extra clothes I brought creating gloves, bags, decorating folders, making hats and it just went wild! One of my problems were figuring out how to close one of the bags. It had to open and close but I was running out of ideas. I scrabbled through my bag of old things and found  a pin. It might work for pining the 2 sides together.It wasn’t the best way but hey it works. I painted the pin gold and tried it on the bag and it worked. I really enjoyed One day.