Category: Junior Literary

     Save Me

I’m in a pool of water

drowning with your exceptions of me

and who I need to be

and who I am.

I suddenly forgotten how to swim

I’ve been drowning my whole life

waiting for you to pull me up and save me

waiting for you to open your eyes

and truly see me for who I am

not this person you created.

For me to be me

you to be you

only then is when I can breathe.

I wrote Save Me when I was going through a harsh period in my life. I felt that nobody understood me and what I was going through. It was a ironic moment because I was feeling loneliness during at time where I felt like I had the most friends. Which is so interesting to me because it reminds me of a quote, which I believe Robin Williams said, I used to think the worst thing in life was to end up all alone, it is not. The worst thing in life is to end up with people that makes you feel all alone.”

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                                                                Beautiful Little Roses

Even the most

beautiful roses

have thrones

that if you take

that single touch

it’ll prick you

for all your blood.

I got the inspiration to write Beautiful Little Roses on Valentine’s Day. A little back story, at my old school you could buy roses for anyone, and on Valentines day the roses would be delivered to the recipient’s homeroom class rooms. So this year I received a abundant of roses from my special someone who shall not be name ( if you are reading this – hello  🙂  ). When I got home I decided  to really analyze the roses for some particular reason and as a result I created this thought. I would not classify it as a poem yet because I feel like I can develop it and give more meaning and worth.

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   The Plead to be Free 

I wish body hair was normalize as much as it

on our heads.

I wish women

can be free

in the breeze

where their hair

could go free

and I can be

the real me.

Not this me that society

has created

Not this me that makes

you feel normal

And makes me feel bad

that I have to rush

to shave my flower

that has naturally

grown in it’s garden shed.

I wrote The Plead to be Free (I’ m still working on the name, suggestions are welcome) when I was very much in my feminist mode. I was just so frustrated with the societal expectations that has been place on me because I am a women. I wanted to write something that women could relate to the pressure of society views.

Ahhh! A new week. You know what that means…A NEW SHORT FILM! Honestly, I keep think how awkward it is that only about 8 people are reading these posts, but I’m going to keep talking like a large audience is reading (don’t judge me please)

Today, I realized that reviewing these short films has brought me much joy, and I enjoy watching them very much. Now, I understand you might be wondering about the title. Well…it’s honestly the funniest thing I’ve had as a title. If you know, us writers love our coffee. It’s crazy, but the addiction we all have is crazy, and it’s only been some weeks since we started school. Before coming to MSA, I only drunk coffee when my mom offered to make it, which wasn’t often. Now, I have a cup of coffee probably once a day, twice if I really need a kick to get me through the day. I have my coffee routine down now as well. I love the breakfast blend with 6 sugars. If I don’t have coffee, I have to drink hot chocolate. Now that its getting colder in Brookhaven (today it was 60 degrees!), I want to start having hot chocolate more. It will really get me into the mood of the changing seasons. Speaking of seasons, it is officially fall! My birthday is in the fall (October 23), and it happens to be my favorite season after summer. The clothes you get to wear, the food, the aesthetic! Fall/autumn (whichever you prefer) is the coziest season, I love it! What’s your favorite season? Leave them in the comments!

Now, I will actually talk about the short film, but first let me tell you why I chose this film and the title. So, in relation to the title, this film is about a caffeine addiction. You might’ve guessed it, but did you guess that its a dog and a cat that have the addiction? No? Well yes! Like the dog and cat duo in this film, the literary students also have a sort of caffeine addiction and I just thought it would be so cute to have this title be for this particular film.

This film is pure humor! First of all, a cat and dog drinking coffee is hilarious in its own way. What made it even funnier was the cat loosing its wits (or shall I say kits LOL…not funny?…well…ok moving on).  I won’t explain it in detail, but if you love cute animal animations, this one is for you. Me, a cat enthusiast, absolutely loved this film!

The actual film was very well done. It reminded me of the Secret Life of Pets movie a lot. The whole concept was absolutely amazing. This film is appropriate for all ages, and it was executed really well.

-The animation was very realistic, as realistic as animation can be, and I give it 8.5/10. It could’ve been a little better, but it was still very good.

-The concept execution was really good. Animals don’t talk, and for the creators to still have a good plotline to it was amazing! 10/10!

-The music selection was good. I didn’t pay a lot of attention to it like I usually would, but it was still really good. 9/10. I would’ve liked some music that would’ve appealed to me better if that makes sense. It just didn’t pop to me.

The overall film was very good, and I will definitely watch it again. To my fellow literary students, I hope you get something from watch the affects of a caffeine addiction and maybe we can all cut back on coffee a little bit (just a little though!) Leave comments on how you felt about the film below! Has it helped you and your caffeine addiction?

 

Before I launch into a new topic, I would like to spend a minute or two on an introduction.

Happy October!

I personally love October because it potentially means the temporary death of the oppressive heat. It also means that skeleton decorations become socially acceptable and that holiday season is in session. Anyway, I hope that all of you have a lovely October filled with all of the corresponding stereotypes.

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Now the time has come to address the title. You may be thinking, “Why creativity, and what is that weird word after it?” Well, to have all of your questions answered, you must continue on this bizarre journey of words. Also, do not be afraid to skim because I will get to the “illiteraries” section shortly.

Creativity, yes. Many, many weeks ago, I struggled with this concept. Now, I know I have repeated this a ton of times, but I wanted to zero in on my growth as a writer and as an overall artist. Anyway, the way I worded that statement suggests that I had no association with creativity, which is false. I only neglected that crucial piece of myself.

Somewhere within one of my first blog posts, I suggested that artists needed to immerse themselves in an environment encouraging creative thinking. I typed that inspired by a tragic realization, but I had not yet witnessed its effect. But, wow, I eat and sleep and breathe creativity now. It has honestly consumed my entire existence. Yes, I used to squeeze as much figurative language as possible into my essays. And, yes, I used to let a hundred metaphors saturate my view of reality. But my creativity has recently escalated to dangerous levels, nearing the point of absurdity. Although this has not quite led to the emergence of an awe-inspiring poetic voice, I definitely notice the difference. To restate the point of this paragraph, my transition to this new environment acted as a catalyst; I did most of this to myself.

Oh, yes, the “illiteraries”, otherwise known as the dysfunctional family that has kind of enveloped me. After all, we have to become close anyway because of our discipline. We basically pour out our most inner selves to each other, presenting each vulnerable mess of thought and feeling in the form of paper and ink. We are also all addicted to coffee—some more than others, of course. But, anyway, they have encouraged my absurdity. Because of them I have named all of my plants, and my lamp now sports a birthday hat.

To conclude this post, I would like to restate my suggestion that artists should seek out environments that nurture creativity. Not only that, but I suggest that artists give in to their radical and ridiculous voice. All of you should name your plants and write poetry about lasagna.

Please.

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Wednesday’s Fun Fact:

Spinning in a rolly chair at 0.55 mph shakes up inspiration. For more of an effect, I recommend consuming Cheez-It crackers while doing so.

Hey guys, I thought it would be nice to give some insight on what matters to me, and other things to help you relate to me. I find that having a common interest/ goal between the reader and writer really allows you to understand who I am.

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1. I am a vegan– I have been for a while now, and this coming April will be my two year mark. It has been a fun time, and I have learned so much from it. For some background, I thought about becoming vegan for a long time, then randomly decided to pursue that goal one day. I truly love animals, and feel like they should be respected. Plus, I am also doing better in health since I’m lactose intolerant (and also intolerant to other things).
2. I am an introvert– I have always been a quiet kid. I have tried to be more sociable, but it is still nice to be alone. Nothing beats chilling out alone watching Netflix. I also come off really anti-social/ mean, but I am actually quite goofy when you get to know me. It’s always a shock for people to find that out.
3. I am open-minded– Over the years I have come to be accepting of many things. I always try to step away, and see if there is a way I can understand someone/ something. I feel like everyone deserves a voice in this world, even if it does not match up with my beliefs. 
4. I am a Slytherin/ Capricorn– Okay, okay, I know what you’re thinking: What am I suppose to do with that? I think these are both fun ways to see my personality/ why I act the way I do. Slytherins tend to be ambitious, determined, and leaders. I personally feel like this relates to me. Capricorns are also ambitious, realistic, and sensitive. Overall, this speaks volumes of who I am (so it’s not as stupid as it seems).
5. I have the advocate (INFJ-A/ INFJ-T) personality type– So instead of spewing out a bunch of facts, I rather just give a general umbrella term for my personality. The advocate personality sees helping people as their purpose in life (which explains why I would see myself being a therapist). Some of the strengths that go along with this personality is creativity, insight-fullness, and decisiveness. Some of the weaknesses are needing to have a cause, and sensitivity.

Again, I hope these things helped you relate/ understand who I am as a person. It was nice to share it, and I hope you guys enjoyed reading. Have a lovely day 🙂

 

Morgan Love, being the gorgeous and quite hilarious person she is, said M very clearly when I asked Hannah to pick a letter. So I guess I’m just doing a small recollection of many stories in one post, and I think I’ll call it Morning Memories.

Okay, so firstly, when I was younger, I am told that I got my head stuck in a bed. I don’t know how or why, but I did. I was still living in The House On Santini Street and I was about a year old when it happened. But, I apparently had a colossal head as a child and it got stuck in a bed.

I have a memory, I have no clue if it’s a dream or real, where I am a very small toddler and I’m climbing onto this ugly green and blue couch. It was in the House On Santini Street.  My grandfather was still alive and he was sitting on said couch. Now, all I can really remember is trying to get onto the couch because he was eating the Lyons family delicacy: tomatoes with salt and pepper. I know, it sounds weird, but I’m being so serious. It genuinely S M A C K S. Don’t knock it ’til you try it. Anyways, so yeah. I remember being a little itty bitty baby tryna crawl up onto this horrendous couch with my paw-paw there. I’m pretty sure it’s real.

I’m sure, by now, that we are all familiar with the story about my cousin stabbing me while we were racing ( if you aren’t, my cousin stabbed me while we were racing). Well, get ready for this: one time, when we were younger, my cousin decided to literally harrass me by sitting on me while I was asleep on his couch…I woke up to him laughing about it. While I was asleep, he had found a way to place a couch cushion over my entire body, including my face, and then climb into it until I awoke. When I finally came to, I couldn’t breathe. He had been farting on me for the past 15 minutes. That night, my mom said I couldn’t spend the night over there anymore.

And, as my last story to end this episode of Morning Memories, I shall tell the story of how I came to decide that I am probably the dumbest person alive. So, as per usual, I was with my cousins and we were doing stupid, childish things. We were outside and, in their front yard, they have an orange tree. Well, this particular weekend, there were oranges on the ground, molding and decomposing. They were d i s g u s t i n g. And yet, I somehow allowed my cousin, who is as smart as I am dumb. He dared me to eat one of the oranges off the ground. There was no prize for doing. There was no ultimatum. There was nothing. Just pure curiosity. And, as I went to pick up the orange, my oldest cousin got home. We dispersed whenever he got home, I have no clue why. We were just…intimidated by him. I don’t even know why, he’s literally a dope person.

ANYWAYS, yeah. That’s it. There’s your collection of me being a stupid child to hold you over until next week. Goodbye.

Facade

 

Flowers are supposed to smell sweet.

That is what I thought upon first inspection.

How could a flower be so beautiful,

Yet have such a pungent and foul smell?

 

Flowers have a reputation to uphold, you see.

They must be Tangerine with Pink tones 

And a Yellow base. They should be shaped like

A cup, ready to catch the compliments thrown to them.

They should be layered like a person,

Dark on the inside and bleached by the sun on the outside. 

 

Or Lavender with kisses of Purple lining the bottom

A Yellow belly, right in the center

A Lilac Red clings to the tips, 

Waiting to jump off.

Pollen swims in the center

Yellows and Orange couples dance in the sun.

 

Or a pastel Yellow flower that emits serenity. 

It is so small in color yet big in character. 

It starts as a deep Yellow and ends in an almost White color. 

There is no deeper layer to this flower, 

Much like the person looking at it.

The edges are ruffled like the hair of a child,

After their father messes it up. 

There are spots of an electric Orange,

Splattering across the lips of the bud.

 

Beneath these bitter smelling flowers are rocks and dirt. 

Perhaps they’d smell more like real flowers,

If they came from a softer background.

The poisonous ants crawl around,

Waiting for something to bite.

 

Vines stem from these flowers too.

Their umbilical cords are a deep Purple, 

With Green lines going along with them.

They have leaves and flowers sprouting from them on every inch. 

 

The small garden is surrounded with concrete,

Worn down and chipped on the edges.

From students sitting and looking at the flowers.

The rocks that are sprinkled in are various shades of Browns and Oranges.

The Turquoise paint is cracked and mostly missing. 

The ants crawl there, too.

Thinking positively shouldn’t be hard. It shouldn’t be hard to look at a person and think nice things about them. Going against the negative images and ideas society conveys should be easy. But we make it so hard.

We can’t complain about the cruelty of society, because only we are responsible for it. We make the ideas and put the images that control the minds of so many people into the world and complain about the negativity. “No one takes my depression seriously.” That’s because you don’t take depression seriously. We have a way to take such horrible things and make them so commonly sugar coated that we over look them. It’s an issue that starts with us. Stop blaming the world for being negative when you add to its problems.

I see people complain about how people treat them wrong, and in return they treat others wrong because of it. if you say everyone in the world is horrible, then you’re including yourself. And if you’re a horrible person, you don’t have room to complain about others. Don’t rant about how everyone and everything is wrong when you do nothing to try and make it right. Don’t say that no one cares when you don’t try to care either.

Changing our view on life in general is only as simple as we make it. If you say it’s too hard to think positively, it’s because you think it’s too hard to think positively, therefore; you’re giving your negative ideations more power. We can’t expect to find good in the world without redirecting our mentality. It starts with coming to find goodness in your surroundings, as I’ve said in a previous blog post, It’s hard but not impossible. Be more grateful for people in your life, and be more caring towards their feelings. Be kinder. Stop criticizing everything you dislike about the world and instead try to think of ways to change it starting with you. Focus more on the good things. They’re there even if you have to look extra hard. Most importantly, learn to love yourself. You can’t show love if you have none for yourself. You can’t be happy if you’re miserable with yourself. And you won’t find good in the world if you can’t find good in yourself.

This blog post is purposed to express my distinguished thoughts on some issues I find to be prevalent in todays world. I hope you will try to apply it to your life as I do:) Have a good day!

Okay, this blog is completely out of my comfort zone, so bear with me. I decided to interview myself because I would like to share some things about myself so here we are!

What is something you are certain you’ll never experience?

Me- Meeting my soulmate. Getting married. Someone falling in love with me. All the mushy stuff, lol.

What’s your favorite thing about yourself?

Me- My favorite thing about myself is my compassion. It’s also what I hate the most. My compassion for others hurts me most of the time but I would much rather hurt because I care so deeply than hurt someone else because I don’t care at all.

What do you think about most often?

Me- I think about my past and what I could’ve done differently. Thinking about what I’ve done keeps me up at night. I would change so much if I had to chance to.

What is something that offends you?

Me- Okay, this is going to sound weird but it really offends me when people interrupt me when I’m speaking. It makes me feel like what I have to say isn’t important enough to finish saying and what they have to say is more important. It’s also my biggest pet peeve.

If you could go back and change anything, what would it be?

Me- I would change who I hung out with in my 9th and 10th grade years. No hesitation. I got myself into a lot of trouble and honestly had the worst times of my entire life during these two years. If I would have surrounded myself with more positive people, I feel like I would’ve been a lot happier and less self- destructive. 

If you could watch everything that has happened in your life until now, would you enjoy it?

Me- Absolutely not. Like I previously said, 2017 and 2018 were THE worst years of my life. I wish I could take it all back and never look back again. I would change who I hung out with, what I did, where I was, etc. I’d change EVERYTHING. 

Would you sacrifice yourself for a stranger?

Me- Absolutely. I wouldn’t even hesitate. Or that’s what I like to think. This is where my compassion comes into play. I like to think that I would give my life for a stranger. Unless they’re a bad person. Then I wouldn’t. I would do it for an innocent bystander but I wouldn’t do it for a murderer or anything. 

What does your ideal life look like?

Me- Working as an author or publisher, making good money, and having a happy marriage. Maybe have a kid or two. I don’t know for sure yet.  

 

Well, hello. The month has officially drawn to a close, so this will serve as my September synopsis. Good luck surviving this post. Enjoy. (:

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When August bled into September, no evidence of change presented itself. But September did, however, surprise me.

I remember August, and I remember first moving to MSA. A lot has changed since then. For starters, everything seemed so unfamiliar and daunting. I had a hundred ignorant questions, and I let stress consume me. Not only that, but I realized just how much my creativity had died. If you have never felt this way, let me clarify by saying that it was absolutely awful. Everything had become so mundane, and what was left of my shriveled creativity eluded me.

September started off relatively uncertain. I knew that I had experienced growth since the start of the school year, but I did not know the exact amount. But as the month progressed, everything changed. I could actually see the growth in vivid detail, and that astounded me. My first week here can only be described as  a mess of clumsiness, held together with duct tape and a fear of the unknown. Although the unknown does not necessarily terrify me, I do not find ignorance particularly pleasant, and I definitely felt like a blubbering idiot.

Anyway, yes, I kind of slipped into an odd routine, and I found the prospect of September dull. But this month actually surpassed August. I will say that a lot of unexpected variables elbowed their way in, but they ended up being not too bad. This month, my room has not caused me any problems, so I find that pretty awesome. And although I have the entire space to myself now, it does not bother me. I have brought a few plants, and they never fail to be great company. I would also like to add that the stress has become reduced. Everything is tolerable right now, and I hope it remains that way because I am actually able to breathe. I have more time to spend outside since I no longer spend a heap of hours on homework, and I find walking fairly pleasant. My only disagreement, however, is with the sun and the warm weather.

All in all, during September my writing improved, my number of questions decreased, and my environment became more familiar. I also feel happier than usual. More of my personality can seep through without judgment, and this has led to an odd clash of identity. I know who I am, but I have almost forgotten this piece of myself, if that makes sense. Anyway, I look forward to whatever October holds. I only hope that the next nine weeks will be manageable, hah.

Oh, yes, a quick interruption: Do not forget to eat tacos (“tahcos”) and fries that taste like happiness. And I would also like to add that I still miss my cat terribly.

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Wednesday’s Fun Fact:

Are you aware of the part of the brain that is the cerebral cortex? Well, in Latin, cerebrum translates to “brain” and cortex translates to “bark”. Basically, your cerebral cortex is brain bark.

Today is October 2, 2019, the time has finally come. The time for spooky season  😈 

I am so excited for Halloween this year, I mean, usually I always am; but this year especially. I feel like I always have high hopes for Halloween. I imagine my friends and I get dressed up as Bring it On characters and going to the hunted house. However, my Halloween always goes like this: I get dressed in all black to go to school and when the school day was over I would go home. Usually, later on, that night I will watch America Horror Story. Sounds sad yes I know, but this year will NOT be like the rest. This year will fulfill all my spooky desires especially because I’m in Artoberfest and the haunted house is on Halloween night. The whole day is just going to be a great spooky-spooky vibe.

So to keep tradition I have an October playlist for your listening desires!

Although this playlist is titled “Spooky Playlist” no songs on here have any demonic saying or message. However, most of the songs are pleasing to hear and I recommend listening to all the songs with headphones and full volume.

Personal opinion about some of the songs

The first song to be featured on the playlist is Nani’s Interlude by Raveena. I came upon this song by coincidence. I was listening to a radio playlist and when this song started I was like hold up- run this back. The peaceful melody that plays behind the narrator’s voice (which I assume is Nani) is so beautiful. I recommend listening to this song when you are writing it could maybe inspire some ideas.

The second song is Stand Still by Sabrina Claudio. I knew of Sabrina Claudio from her song Confidently Lost (which I also recommend). She has this certain sound with her music that is so beautiful, it’s like when you listen to this song you are automatically at peace. It is truly a magical experience also I recommend listening to this song when you are in your feelings.

The next song is Lay me down by Steve Lacy and let me tell you guys something I can write a whole blog post and playlist solely on Steve Lacy. That is how much I love him so dearly he is such a talented individual. Lay me down has an old school/ prince/ blues vibe if that makes any sense. I promise if you listen to the song you will completely understand me.

The last song I will be reviewing is Warm Winds by SZA featuring Isaiah Rashad. Just how I stated with Steve Lacy on how I can write a whole blog post and create a playlist. I can do the same with SZA, her music is transforming when you experience it. Her voice is very unique and has a sound that none else can ever intimate and with Warm Winds that exactly what she does. In the first part of the song, she sings as she is speaking to you and everyone else in the world. Including the last part, it’s a whole beat switch that she and Isaiah harmonize on gorgeously. I also recommend listening to this song full volume and while writing.