Political Perspectives

Normally, ’tis Maleigh that does the interviews and the “journalistic” types of blog posts. But, an assignment that Mrs. Sibley gave us this week has really had me thinking. “Beings that everyone comes from completely different backgrounds, what do other people think about this whole thing called Politics?” So, I talked to 5 people, 2 seniors,  2 juniors, and a Boomer, and asked them all the same series of questions. 

Brianna Cox

What would you say your political affiliation is? Why?
– I don’t really have one. I just believe in human rights for everyone because I agree with both parties and I disagree with both. I also don’t know enough to really have an opinion.

What do you think about the generational divide between Boomers and Gen. Z?
– I think that times have changed and there is still a lot of boomers stuck in their ways and refuse to accept the way things are now.

Do you think that our perspective on the world reflects on our person? Why?
– Yes; I think if you’re an optimistic person, the world will seem like a better place, but if you’re a pessimistic person, it won’t. I’ve noticed that people who try to keep an optimistic view tend to be happier.

What is your opinion on the state of the world right now?
– I think that if everyone showed kindness, it would be a lot better. But right now, there are  too many people that are just hateful.

What part do you think race plays in our society?
– For some people, it doesn’t play a part at all. But for other, it decides whether they like a person or not. There’s so much prejudice against poc (people of color). They get little to no justice no matter where they are. White people have privilege regardless of whether they accept it or not. The faster we accept that, the faster we can use it to help everyone.

What part do you think gender plays in our society?
– Oh, women get stomped all over whether people realize it or not. Men make rules regarding women’s bodies. The wage gap between men and women is huge, women making 79 cents for every man’s dollar. Men can get vasectomies whenever, while women have to have to meet all sorts of criteria in order for them to get their tubes tied. Almost everything negatively affects women.

Stephyne Weathersby

What would you say your political affiliation is? Why?
– My political affiliation is a democrat because I believe that the government should provide assistance to those who need it. The world is hard and sometimes people need a helping hand.

What do you think about the generational divide between Boomers and Gen. Z?
– I understand that we are going to have different opinions. I mean that’s expected. However, I do not support when people wish death on the Boomers. I do feel like that [is] extreme and you shouldn’t wish death on anyone. But I do understand certain things the boomers say are problematic but [they] aren’t all like that. For instance my grandmother is a part of the boomer generation and me and her have intellectual conversations all the time. No we don’t agree with each other all the time but that doesn’t mean I stop talking to her. People love to exile someone who believe the same thing as them instead of trying to learn why they believe that way. We don’t have to agree with what they believe but we can come to a mutual understanding to say, “Hey, I don’t support that, but I do understand that is your opinion.” I think that if we talk more about things, we can close the gate on hate.

Do you think that our perspective on the world reflects on our person? Why?
– Yes because how you view the world reflects your opinions on the world. Also, it affects your choices as well. For instance, if you believe that the health of the world isn’t important, then you have no problem with littering. So [how] you view the world is really important and it mirrors who you are as a person.

What is your opinion on the state of the world right now?
– I think that the world is lost and it has been for a very long time now. We are lost and we need to learn new ways to function so we can have [a] better, accepting society. After quarantine, the world is never going to be the same, and I hope it’s for the better. I do believe that if everyone actively plays a positive part in helping the world and people, that it could be for the better. We need to use COVID-19 as a sign to become a better, united world.

What part do you think race plays in our society?
– Unfortunately, because [of] how this world was developed, race plays in every part in our society. Often, people think that it’s not racism to not acknowledge race and to “not see color” but that’s only doing more damage. To just ignore race would be to ignore someone’s culture, someone’s struggle of life. Because how someone was raised and who that person is has to do with their race, we have to pay attention to race in this society because if we don’t, we are accepting to ignore the racial issues in this world. We have to talk about it and discuss race and not be afraid.

What part do you think gender plays in our society?
– Gender plays whatever part and how much you allow it to play in our society. I believe that a woman can do anything a man can do. I believe certain people let their gender limit them because society tells them that they can’t. But if you believe that you can do something that you can do it regardless of your gender, race, anything.

Kathy Nguyen

What would you say your political affiliation is? Why?
-I don’t have one. I care more for the qualities in that candidate. I am not a democrat or a republican or anything really. I care more for policies and honesty. So basically I’m not affiliated with anything. I keep my options open.

What do you think about the generational divide between Boomers and Gen. Z?
-I think there needs to be a safe space where we can find common ground. Our values are way different because of the time. This always applies to the political parties because democrats no weren’t considered democrats back then. Like, they had different beliefs.

Do you think that our perspective on the world reflects on our person? Why?
– I think it reflects on how we react to situations. You can have many perspective on things, but really how you use that to affect your actions reflect on you as a person

What is your opinion on the state of the world right now?
– People are very scared right now. When you’re scared, you get paranoid and do stupid things. Right now, it really shows who we are as a society. Our actions now are reflecting on our society. I feel like there are so many negatives but we forget the good things are going on. We are also distracted because of this virus.

What part do you think race plays in our society?
– Bro, yes. I think it’s good that have different groups of people. Because we have diversity, we can come together. This time has made me more sympathetic towards other ethnic groups. I am now thinking more of other minorities when bad situations blow up and how they were alienated. Because I’m not the only [one] going through this.

What part do you think gender plays in our society?
– Gender identity is very empowering for a lot of people. It’s something that can make us confident and give us comfort. There is a divide in genders, but everyday the line is just being blurred. People just need to be respectful. There’s so much confusion about gender identity, but if you take the time to understand then things would go more smoothly. I see a lot of inferior feelings between men and women, and this goes both ways. People forget that feminism is about equality. No gender is superior [over] another.

Dion Ruiz

What would you say your political affiliation is? Why?
– I would say for the most part I’m pretty liberal, but I wouldn’t call myself a Democrat. The Democratic Politicians like to dangle change in the face of black people without really delivering, so I can’t really prescribe to them. The Republican Party strictly serves the interest of cis, straight, white males. Therefore, I have no business on that side of the fence either. So, all in all, I would describe myself as a intermediate liberal.

What do you think about the generational divide between Boomers and Gen. Z?
– I feel an inability to progress mentally causes it. The human brain matures at 25. So, relatively speaking, at that age, political, social, and economical standpoints are solidified inside a persons mind for the most part. Ever hear the phrase, “Can’t teach an old dog new tricks?” That little saying really summarizes why the generational divide is inevitable. It’s a hard pill to swallow when everything you’ve thought to be right is proven to be wrong. However, this is the reality of evolutionary thought. I think of myself as fairly progressive or “woke” in my thinkings, but I’m pretty sure my standpoints will be proven, through sensible reasoning, to be wrong. While I seem to have a good grasp on that reality, I’m sure I will struggle with it just as the “Boomers” are. It’s never easy being told your wrong.

Do you think that our perspective on the world reflects on our person? Why?
– Forgive me if I’m misunderstanding the question, but I feel it’s backwards. I think our person reflects our perspective of the world. Take the confederate flag, for example. A lot of Caucasians can’t fathom why a piece of fabric could hold so much negative meaning. That’s because people who look like them were not targeted by people flying that flag. However, they can and will detest the swastika as a negative sign because people who looked like them were targeted by people wearing that symbol. It’s the fact that your quality of life is completely indicative on how you look that makes me believe this statement to be true. If I live out my entire life eating nothing but broccoli, a person who has never tasted broccoli could never tell me what it is to eat it. Therefore, I will have a view that is not shared by them. We will have completely different outlooks on food or “life”.

What is your opinion on the state of the world right now?
– That’s probably the hardest you’ve asked me so far. To be honest, I don’t really have an opinion. I haven’t really taken the time to form an opinion on the world because it’s depressing when you think about it. If I had to give an opinion, I would just say “bad”.  The world is going downhill at a rapid pace, and the people with the power to do anything about [it] won’t be alive long enough to deal with their lack of problem solving. So, yeah, I would just say “bad”.

What part do you think race plays in our society?
– Every part. From the day I was born to the day I die, I will be an “African American”.  That is a box that was already checked for me when I was born. A box I have to check when I’m in school, when applying for jobs, when getting any piece of identification for myself given by the state. It would be ludicrous to suggest that race doesn’t play a part in every aspect of life because if that were so, I wouldn’t have to constantly disclose mine. And I say that as if you couldn’t tell with one look that I was black. Everything, to the way you’re treated in a store, at school, in the legal system, etc. is based off your race. The only people that would disagree as a majority would be white people. What do you call white person? I’m “African American” and that Asian girl is “Asian American” and that Cherokee boy is “Native American”. The fact that they don’t have to be hyphenated to be identified shows you why they’d disagree. Race is present in every aspect of life.

What part do you think gender plays in our society?
– At a risk of sounding repetitive, every part. Based off your sex, you are assigned a gender (which is not derivative of your reproductive organs, or at least shouldn’t be). The gender you are perceived as has many expectations tied to it. Being a man, you are expected to prescribe to masculinity, in all its toxicity. Being a woman, however, you are expected to prescribe to the standards of femininity, but you have no say in said standard. Society favors men in many ways. In my opinion, one of the most important ways they are favored is when it comes to being heard. A man’s place is defined by men, and a woman’s place is ALSO defined by men. Due to this, women have to fight much harder to push pass boundaries. Being a man, I have little knowledge on the experience of being treated differently based of my gender, however the difference is most definitely present. I just can’t go into as much detail as I would like because I can’t describe disadvantages that I don’t experience.

Now, I thought it completely unfair that I only spoke to teenagers around my age. So, I interviewed the most home-grown boomer I know: My Dad. 

Tim Sullivan

(I will not be including a picture for familial reasons)

What would you say your political affiliation is? Why?
-I’m a Conservative, because I believe in smaller government and more individual freedom.

What do you think about the generational divide between Boomers and Gen. Z?
-Most of Generation Z are being raised without traditional values of respect, working for your income, and self-sufficiency.

Do you think that our perspective on the world reflects on our person? Why?
-Yeah, because I think your outlook on the world determines how you interact with other people.

What is your opinion on the state of the world right now?
-The world is unsettled, unstable, and there is a lot of distrust among people. And as a result, if you can’t trust people, it makes it hard to get alone with people.

What part do you think race plays in our society?
-People of all different races have predetermined opinions about other people of other races.

What part do you think gender plays in our society?
-I think there’ll always be a different way that men and women approach problems. They generally will solve problems different ways. Men tend to be more logical, women tend to be more emotional. It’s not true across the board, but it is a tendency.

There it is. I hope you enjoyed reading this and that you can agree with at least a few things that were said. Now, I know that some of the topics brought up could be considered controversial, but if you found something different from your own personal views, please don’t respond with animosity. Instead, I ask that you try to understand where they are coming from. It never hurts to listen. 

Well, I apologize if this post was way too long, but I hope you have an amazing rest of your week. See you soon. 🙂

What I’ll miss most about junior year

 



This past year has taught me countless life and personal lessons and has helped me shape and abundance of fond memories. As corona has *officially* ended my junior year, I would like to take the time and reflect on what I’ll miss most about it.

1. The first one is definitely a no-brainer for me: The seniors. At MSA, you’re around everyone so frequently that you truly come to know everyone for them and who they are, and you come to love them no matter what. The seniors this year were the first people that really went out of their way to make me feel welcome and at home at MSA. If any seniors are reading this, I hope you know how much I love you. I never thought I could respect and look up to a group of people that I haven’t even known for a whole year. The seniors had such an impact on me and my junior year and really helped me to come out of my shell and be more open minded to everything this school has to offer. The hardest part about all the set backs and  effects of the  Coronavirus for me is coming to accept the fact that I won’t get to spend the last couple months of my junior year with them. It makes so sad to think about next year without them, but I can’t help but be happy for them for starting a new chapter in their life:)

2. Another thing that I find myself thinking commonly about is missing out on New Student Day. I remember how exhilarating it was for me to see where I would be spending the next year of my life and who I would be spending it with, and I wanted to be a part of that for the new juniors coming up to this school. I remember how much my seniors helped me with looking forward to my new year and calming my nerves about being away from home and starting something so different and I hoped to do that for the new students. When someone helps you in a confusing and hard time, it makes you appreciate them so much more and it helps them be a better person by wanting to provide the same kindness you showed them. However, I just have to remind myself it isn’t too late to be there for the juniors as they embark on this new journey. It just makes me look forward to next year even more so I can meet them all!

On another note: I have never been a very patient person, but the Coronavirus has taught me a lot about waiting for the good things in life. With such trying times, it’s difficult to maintain positivity throughout presented trials, but there stands many reasons to keep pressing on. I hope you all have a wonderful week and I look forward to nothing more than seeing your faces next school year<3 And as always, thank you for reading:)

Staying Positive

During quarantine, your mind can wander to dark places. I know because I have found myself there countless times. The feeling of not caring about anything. The feeling of insecurity. The feeling of sadness and feeling like you are losing your mind. It is easy to fall into these despondent phases, but I just want you all to stay strong and positive.

People often say, “It’s better said than done,” but with staying on a positive mindset it takes speaking it into existence and action. Set goals for yourself whether they be long term or short. It could literally be going on a walk every day. Repeat to yourself in the mirror if you have to, “I will take a walk every day.” Once you say it out loud it’s spoken in the universe. Then put it into action. Hype yourself up to go on that walk. I know how easy it is to be lazy. But why would you spend your days doing nothing productive? It is a blessing to wake up every day and you should take it for granted. If it’s one thing I learned from living is that to never take anything for granted because it can be taken away from at any moment. So, live every day doing something you love.

Recently, I have been taking this time to do things that I enjoy. Instead of focusing all my energy into my school work as I did before this pandemic. I have been writing, researching, photographing, and even drawing. I have just been trying to find myself and who I am as a creative. Ironically, I feel like a lost that side of me this school year. I was focused on getting straight A’s and comparing myself to others that I completely forgot to take care of myself and, as a consequence, I spiraled emotionally. I let what others had to say about me affect me and became anxious about the smallest things.

Allowing other people’s opinions to affect me was my biggest mistake. Growing up, I have always been picked on. If it wasn’t because of my skin color, it was because I was tall. If it wasn’t because I was tall, it was because of my big eyes. If it wasn’t because of my big eyes, it was because of acne.

The moral of the story is it was always something, and I learned to become immune to what others had to say. However, when I made a change in my life and encountered different people, they would aim at a different flaw.

My speech impediment. When people started to pick on me because of the way I spoke, I started to look down on myself. I never wanted to speak in public. I even became self- conscious when I spoke among people. It got to a point where I hated myself because it was something I couldn’t control. I also developed a fear of speaking. Then my grandmother reminded me that I can do all things through Christ who strengths me.

So, I forced myself to get outside my comfort zone. To speak in front of crowds of people. I was only holding myself back  by keeping my mouth shut. Never let someone take your voice away. So I accepted my speech impediment and started to work on myself because that is the only person who was going to help me. When I did that, I started to become more comfortable with speaking out loud and I regained the confidence I had once again. Thankfully, I realize that I was allowing those people to win if I thought negative things about the way I talked. Those people who said negative things have insecurities within themselves that they have to heal. They feed off of hurting others. So, I no longer allow them or anyone else makes me feel bad about myself because I know who I am and my flaws.

It is important to accept all parts of you and work on the parts they need healing. I am not perfect and I still have parts of myself that I need to heal. But I choose to accept that and remain positive about it. Because with a positive mindset you can achieve anything.

Here are a couple of  Ted Talks that I’ve watched recently. Maybe they can help you the way they helped me!

 

quarantined and afraid

Quarantined and Afraid. Get it? Like that TV show Naked and Afraid? Okay, never mind.

I say quarantined and afraid because I have been quarantined in my home with my mother and her fairly new boyfriend. Now, don’t get me wrong, there’s nothing wrong with Michael. He’s an alright guy. But, he’s very different than my dad.

For example, my dad is all about piercings, tattoos, dyed hair, the whole nine yards. Michael, however, is very against all of that. I have my nose pierced at the moment and I plan on getting more very soon, and he hates it so much, it’s honestly kind of funny.

Another difference I have noticed is that my mom and I love music very much. It’s a huge part of our lives. Michael, however, prefers movies and such. He’s not really a music guy at all.

I’ve officially known Michael as my mom’s boyfriend for almost a year now. He recently moved in with us. It’s been a lot of fun. He’s been helping us renovate our house and paint the walls that have had awful wallpaper on them since I can remember.

We’ve been out of school for a month now, and I realize now how much I took MSA for granted. I would give almost anything to be back. Since I’ve been home, I’ve absolutely ruined my sleep schedule. I’m writing this blog at 8AM on April 6th, and I still haven’t slept. I need school to have some sort of routine because at this point, everything just feels off.

Anyway, I’ll keep y’all updated on my sanity (or lack thereof at this point).

Peace out, girl scout 🙂

Let’s talk about the *benifits* of Corona

 

It would be easy for anyone to list off a hundred reasons why the Coronavirus is horrible, including me. I think, however, that there’s definitely reasons why this global pandemic is beneficial that people aren’t focusing on enough.

For decades, this world’s health has rapidly been decreasing and it seems like the attempts to make it better have become more and more hopeless. As you may know, Italy is one of the most impacted places– if not the most–by the Coronavirus with almost 18,000 deaths and about 136,000 confirmed cases. While more people are being forced to stay inside, the country around them has been increasingly getting better– environmentally, that is.

Some of the major changes we’ve seen in the environment in Italy are:

1. Dolphins return to Italy’s coast amid Corona’s lockdown. Despite all the negative effects of this virus, wild life that typically kept away from the Italian coast and Venice canal appear to have returned. This is all thanks to the lack of tourism and docking of cruise ships.

2. The canals in Venice have cleared up. Some footage a college shows provides the image of Venice canal waters running clear for the first time in a very long time due to the decrease in water-vehicle pollution. It even shows a whale swimming in the water!

whale swimming in Venice canal

Sure, we can sit here all day and complain about how we won’t get to spend our birthdays the way we want to (for the kids in March, April, and possibly May), or how our life has become a boring abysses of the repeated sorrow of not being able to do anything– but let’s talk about the benefits of corona. The world is finally  improving itself and the environment that we have been destructing for quite a while now– I mean, pollution rates aren’t nearly as high as they used to be! And in the places where the Coronavirus is the worst, the most positive benefits are coming out of it for the environment around it. I’m mainly talking about China and Italy but those aren’t the only places of course. So all though this quarantine is horrible for us, it was much needed for mother nature.

 

On a non-related topic: I have found out that I like Taco Bell. This is groundbreaking news for me, ok? It may not seem like a big deal to anyone, but it is to me because I have hated taco bell for quite a while. Also my life has just come to the point where this is the type of excitement I offer now… sorry.

Thank you for reading and have a great week!

try to stay positive and safe! 🙂

 

More about social distancing and mental health

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention states that there are four main groups that respond more strongly to the stress of a crisis. Of course, these groups include healthcare providers and people at a higher risk of COVID-19 being fatal. But these groups also include people with mental health conditions, children, and teens.

To keep mentally well, they’ve suggested the following:

  • Take breaks from watching, reading, or listening to news stories
  • Take care of your body. Try to eat healthy, well-balanced meals, exercise regularly and get plenty of sleep
  • Make time to unwind. Try to do some other activities you enjoy
  • Connect with others. Talk with people you trust about your concerns and how you are feeling

With each passing day, it seems as though it gets harder and harder to keep up hope. My mom updates me every day on who in my town has been diagnosed with the coronavirus and I know a lot of them personally.

I’m not doing amazing. But it’s not awful either. I’m keeping up with school work and trying to keep healthy physically. To keep healthy mentally, I’ve been talking with friends as much as possible. I’ve also been exploring the worlds of television and movies, finding new things to watch!

So far, I’ve watched (for the first time):

E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982)

A cute, classic movie about a lovable alien making friends with a bunch of kids. Kinda like a lighthearted Stranger Things.

I Lost My Body (2019)

This movie made me feel so many feelings toward a severed hand. Not my favorite, but still a good watch. It’s on Netflix!

John Mulaney: New in Town (2012)

My entire sense of humor was shaped by this man. Also on Netflix!

Missing Link (2019)

This was such a cute movie!! From the lovely animation to the whimsical plot and characters, it was an absolute joy from beginning to end! Watched on Hulu!

Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975)

It was amusing, but exactly my type of humor. On Netflix!

Onward (2020)

The first half of this movie was kind of disappointing, but this second half was pretty good! I’d be lying if I said I didn’t cry. It was recently just added to Disney+!

Sinbad: Legend of the Seven Seas (2003)

I actually did see this once when I was younger, but I didn’t remember much about it. It fully lived up to be everything I remembered and better! Watched on Hulu!

TV shows I’ve binged in their entirety include American Vandal and Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem and Madness (both of which are Netflix series).

I wish I could write more about how to keep mentally healthy, but that’s really all I have. What’s mainly been keeping me going is the people around me. If you’re not already reaching out and talking to people, please do it. These past few weeks, I seem to be talking with a new/different person everyday. And it’s great! I like knowing that everyone from MSA and my old school is doing okay!

Please keep inside, keep happy, and keep safe! I love and miss you all!

– Addison

Three Movies You Should Watch During Quarantine

Hello you guys if you are like me one of the main things you have been doing during quarantine is watching movies. Movies are an excellent way to past time and to procrastinate when you should be doing your work (lol 10/10 would not recommend) However, when you are done with your work for the day a perfect way to relax is to watch movies. So, I have composed a list of movies that I love and I have been watching during quarantine.

  1.  Queen and Slim

Queen and Slim - Vudu HD - (InstaWatch) - UltraCloudHD

I am sure you have heard about Queen and Slim is was released around December 2019 I believe. You guys this movie is so wonderful.  It is about about a African American man and woman who are on their first date, but it takes a unexpected turn when then man is pulled over by ignorant policeman. When the situation escalates Slim has no other choice but to kill the officer in order to save his and Queen’s life. The pair decides to go on the run and the movie takes you on a hectic roller coaster while following their journey.  Let me not get started on the end (no spoiler alerts) but I was distraught, for real. I could not finish the movie. I had to walk out the theater it affected me that much. It portrays the struggle of police brutality that African Americans have to go through.  Overall, I rate this movie a 9 out of 10. 

2. The Invisible Man 

The Invisible Man | Universal Pictures

If you are looking for a movie that’s going to keep you on your toes. THIS IS THE MOVIE SIS! This movie is about a woman who escaped an abusive husband who manipulated and controlled her. Some time has passed by since she escaped from her abuser. The woman is notified by her husband’s brother that he has passed away. You would think she would be relived, however she still feels like he is alive. Soon after crazy things started happening to her. Like things comes up missing, someone is messing with her in her sleep all sorts of things. She comes up the assumption that her abuser is still alive and he somehow made him self invisible. While I was watching this movie I was thinking, “is this real, is this all in her mind?” I couldn’t not believe what I was watching until the very end when it was explain. Overall I rate this movie a 7 out of 10. 

3. Little Women 

Greta Gerwig's 'Little Women' is an Enchanting Adaptation | The ...

Okay first the acting in Little Women is great. Every actor fully embodied their character and it shows. Little Women is such a adorable and empowering story.  The movie follows the lives of four sisters Jo, Amy, Meg, and Beth. I relate to Jo the most in the movie because she is a writer who is focused on her craft and becoming successful. During this time period of the late 1800’s, women are expected to be married and have no ambition for their own lives. However, my girl Jo is this independent woman and she is full of ambition. This movies has very valuable lessons and it makes me want to read the Little Woman book series. Overall I rate this movie a 8 out of 10. 

So you guys that is my top three movies I recommend for you all to watch during quarantine. Stay strong and I love you all!

Social distancing and mental health

As of writing this, it’s been:

27 days since I last saw MSA

23 days since I vacationed in Florida for spring break

20 days since I’ve hung out with friends

14 days since I’ve began self quarantining


For this week’s blog, I want to talk about how the past few weeks have effected me mentally. I know that everyone is kinda going through it right now, so I wanted to put my own thoughts out there just to let you know I’m going through it as well and you’re not alone.

I’m been trying to distract myself with some sort of technology or doing schoolwork, but ultimately, I’m just bored. And I’m bored, I have no choice but to just think. I end up thinking about the friends and family that I haven’t seen or heard from in awhile. I think about all that’s happening on the news. I think about all the things that I’ve wanted to get done at home and now that I have the free time to do them, I’m unmotivated.

This time alone with my thoughts as made me realize that I take a lot for granted. Mainly, I take MSA and my friends for granted. I have actually never wished that I was at home or back at my old school while at MSA, but now that I’m stuck at home, I’ve realized that I’ve taken a lot of my independence and the resources of MSA for granted.

I also have become unmotivated. There are days that I wake up and just want to lay in bed and stare at the ceiling all day until the sunsets. I know that this isn’t a healthy mindset, but a lot of boosts in my mental health have come from seeing friends and hanging out with them.

Sure, we still FaceTime and play games online together, but it’s not the same.

But of course, now that I’ve spend enough time alone and away from the rest of the world, I’ve begun finding other things that make me feel better.

Things I’ve begun doing in quarantine to keep me busy:

  • Finding free videogames or old videogames to play
  • Watching movies that are out of my comfort zone
  • Walking in the evenings when it’s cool outside
  • Cooking and baking
  • Gardening
  • Making YouTube videos again
  • Finding new TV shows to watch

I hope that you all are also finding new ways to keep yourselves entertained. We’ll make it out of this soon! I miss and love you all!

– Addison

Netflix Recommendations.

Okay, so in light of the terrible, terrible social afflictions brought about by some chick named Corona, a l o t of time has been spent on Netflix. And sometimes, it’s hard to find something to watch when it feels as if you’ve already watched everything.  So, here I am to put you on some dope shows and a movie that I love and that I hope you’d love.

So, first. American Horror Story.

So, there is no secret that this is one of my absolute favorite shows in the entire world. And there’s so much diversity in this show. Like, honestly. Every season is something new and they all coincide. It is a horror show, though, so there are many different situations where it can get much. But if you aren’t faint of heart, then I genuinely recommend it. But do your research before watching it.

Second, Total Drama Island.

Now, Total Drama is a show for the ages. Originally Canadian, this animated series is a hilarious spoof of survival reality tv. It follows the 22 campers that have to endure insane and dangerous challenges weekly. It isn’t really rated for a younger audience, but a good recommendation for anyone 14+.

Up next, One Day At A Time (2017-)

One Day At A Time is a sitcom that follows the life of Penelope, a newly single Army Vet. and her Cuban-American family. Y’all…this show is so good. It kind of reminds me of the show Mom, but it’s different because, although it doesn’t cater to younger audiences, they can still learn communication skills and things of the such. Besides that, though, this show is so good at reeling you into the story so that you feel like a part of the family. Such a good show.

My third recommendation is Self Made.

Now, I haven’t finished Self Made and that is due to it being new to Netflix. But, from what I have seen, Nicole Jefferson Asher really popped off. This limited series chronicles the incredible story of Madam C.J. Walker, the first black, self-made millionare. With a cast that includes Octavia Spencer, Tiffany Haddish, and Carmen Ejogo, you already know the acting was top-notch. Overall, an amazing show thus far.

Last, but certainly not least, is Joshua: Teenager vs. Superpower.

Joshua: Teenager vs. Superpower is a 2017 documentary about a teen rallying thousands of kids our age to occupy the streets when China’s Communist Party breaks it’s promise of autonomy is Hong Kong. I personally really liked this one, not only because it documented a shift in history, but it shows what we, teens and preteens, can do. We are extremely powerful and Joshua is a testament to that.

 

I hope you watch these and get inspired to create, to evolve, or to change the world. Are there any movies/ shows that you really like? I’d love to hear them! Until next week. 🙂

effects of the coronavirus

And there we were, packing up our suitcases for Spring Break. Not knowing that the world would turn upside down. That events would be can cancelled. That the world would be really unstable for a little while. And let me tell you something, coronavirus and mental health do not mix. So that’s what I want to talk about today. The effects of the coronavirus on mental health. I would also love to give you all some encouragement in these unstable times.


Has the coronavirus taken a toll on your mental health, and if so, in what aspects?

Stella: “For me because of how I normally run on a day to day basis with heavy time constraints life has slowed down. The stress of not being able to get everything done in a normal work day has become more balanced. I get to enjoy my cup of coffee instead of chugging it on the way to work. Laundry is caught up, meals at home are prepared, and I am still meeting my weekly work deadlines. Mentally I am no longer in a heavily scheduled day of going from point A to point B.”

Stella is a 44 year old single Mom who works for the military. Ever since this coronavirus has come into play, things have slowed down for her. I really appreciated her different perspective. Now, I would like to ask the same question for myself.


Personally for me, it has taken a negative toll on my mental health. You see, I have to have stability or else I cannot mentally stabilize. I need exact times, exact schedules, etc. With the uncertainty of going back to school soon, and everything being a bit chaotic it has hurt me. Also, not being able to really socialize with people face to face has been a bit hard too. I mean, I see the good in the midst of it all. It has brought people together and has made many of us much more grateful for ‘normal’ things like school, daily interaction, and many other things.

My advice, remember to take time for yourself. I know work is hectic and school is too, the world is a bit chaotic for now, but I believe that we will be okay. So hang in there, and know that I am here to talk if you ever need me for anything. Keep safe, and remember to stay inside if you can!

Maple <3