Day #25 If the SATs/grades did not exist, in what way should colleges/teachers evaluate applicants?

I think colleges should base their evaluation of you on your transcript. Tests are terrible for determining skill, honestly. Lots of people, myself included, have terrible test anxiety. I do way better in school because we spend a lot of time learning and reviewing topics. Also, the tests ask you to cram EVERYTHING you know into your brain for three hours and that is completely unreasonable. I'm good at math when i'm in a class, but when you give me a test on a concept, especially one that requires me to recall everything i've ever learned in math, i'm not going to do as well AT ALL. College is going to be like this:  a teacher teaches you something and then you learn it and then you test on it and then you're done with it. That is how highschool works too. Asking a student to regurgitate everything they have learned in all subjects is insanity. It's not accurate. Not only is the student unable to cram everything, but also the anxiety from taking a test can seriously affect how they do. Also the student might do BAD on a  test because they haven't learned everything! Their teachers might not have done a very good job preparing them. ACT/SAT tests are probably the worst way to grade how someone will do in college. Colleges need to know how a students does IN SCHOOL--not on a test!

Day #24 Who makes you laugh the most?

The person who makes me laugh the most? Thats unanimous. My sister Faith Tyler. She is seriously the person who I have laughed the hardest and most often with. Pat of this is because i've known her my whole life--we're not even a year a part. We've grown up together since we were tiny tiny kids, and we're really close. Our personalities are extremely similar, and our sense of humor is almost exactly the same! We think the same things our funny, and we're always messing around! Another reason why I laugh with Faith the most is because we basically laugh at nothing. LITERALLY. The things we laugh at barely deserve to be laughed about, and the majority of the human race would never UNDERSTAND what was so funny! We just love to laugh, so we find excuses to laugh at stuff! Sometimes it's the casual chuckle, and sometimes it's the knee slapping, doubled over, can't make a noise, tears coming out of your eyes kind of laughing--which is my favorite. It's also easier to laugh with someone when you know them well--and you don't care if they see you ugly laughing with tears streaming down your face. But basically, it's because me and her are like, the same mind. We see the same thing and we both laugh at it for some reason. The reason is Telekinesis.

Day #23 Why Do You Think Eyebrows Exist?

Eyebrows exist because they show emotion! Think about it--how many times have you  communicated to someone through your eyebrows?! You raise them when you're questioning something a person has said, you furrow them to let someone know you're mad, you squeeze them together when you're laughing or happy, you lower them when you're sad--You use them to talk to people all the time!  Also, they're a form of beauty. Look at what people look like without their eyebrows! 

THEY LOOK REALLY REALLY REALLY REALLY WEIRD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

And not attractive at all. So basically, eyebrows make you look like a human being. Looking like a human being is naturally something that you would like to occur.

But , i'm no eyebrow expert. So what do all the smart people say about this?

"Scientists aren't entirely sure why we kept this hair, but they have a pretty good guess. We know that eyebrows help keep moisture out of our eyes when we sweat or walk around in the rain. The arch shape diverts the rain or sweat around to the sides of our face, keeping our eyes relatively dry. The most obvious advantage of this is that it lets us see clearly when we're sweating a lot or out in the rain. Without eyebrows, getting around in these conditions is a little more difficult. The shape of your brow itself diverts a certain amount of moisture, but eyebrows make a significant difference in your ability to see. Diverting the sweat away is also good because the salt in sweat irritates the eyes, making them sting a little." 

http://science.howstuffworks.com/life/human-biology/question520.htm

Basically, eyebrows are like little umbrellas for your eyeballs! And they make you not look like an alien! And they help you tell people what you're thinking!

That, my friend, is why they exist. 

So don't get rid of them because you need them to live. 

Day #22 Things you've learned that school won't teach you

I've honestly learned a lot of things that school won't teach me. First of all, I've learned how to write creatively. English class won't teach you how to be creative--that's something you have to learn on you  own. Basically, school doesn't teach a person how to be unique or creative, all of that has to be learned outside of the school building. I learned this by reading and writing on my own time. The ability to create has to be exercised regularly in order to master, and that's something i've done on my own.  School also doesn't teach a person how to take the lead on something. They push you toward that, but they never officially tell you how. I've had to do this multiple times on my own, especially when it comes to dealing with my little sisters. I'm the eldest, so i've had to learn how to become a leader on my own. I've also learned that school IS NOT the most important thing in my life. School DEMANDS that it be your everything, your all. It demands for your time during the day, and even the time you have OFF OF IT (which i think is incredibly stupid--school work should not be done at home. Homework is the single most stupidest thing ever invented. We go to school eight hours a day, therefore, we should not have to go home and spend four more hours working on MORE WORK. If that is what school is for, then they should just have us stay at school from 8 a.m. to 9p.m. because that's how late I get homework done some nights). Your life is way more important. At least it should be. It's about PEOPLE. It's about forming friendships and relationships with people--LIVING. Not school. School doesn't teach you that at all. Also, school doesn't teach you what your purpose is and who you are. That, unfortunately, has to be completely discovered on your own. School really only deals with basic education--stuff you need to be smart when it comes to the BOOKS. It doesn't teach you about LIFE.

Day #21 Something difficult about your "lot in life" and how you're working to overcome it

So far, my life has been plauged by stress! I honestly expected my senior year to be more layed back and comfortalbe, but it turns out THAT IS NOT THE CASE! In fact, senior year has been more stressfull than anything, surprisingly! First reason: college. College is around the corner. As of now, I still don't know exactly where i'm going next year. I have to decide between WIU for four years, or LLCC for two and then WIU for the last two--IT'S HARD TO DECIDE! SO, currently, that's my issue: WAHT AM I DOING WITH MY LIFE?! This causes a significant amount of stress on my life, as you might guess. That honestly is my lot in life that I'd rather NOT have. Also, I have regular school to worry about. I only have two hard classes that involve an extensive amount of homework--but i'm not exaggerating when I say EXTENSIVE. Pre calc and Dual Credit English are pretty rough, I'll admit. Math is math, and i'm not the best at it, so I usually have a ton of homework and tests and gunk that I hate. English homework usually comes in five individual pieces that must be completed by the next class period. And lets not forget all the ESSAYS I have to WRITE! So there's THAT. Third reason: JOB. I used to work regularly at a restaurant, but because the restaurant wasn't making enough money, they had to lay off almost all of their workers for a while who were paid hourly and replace them with managers who work for a salary, that way the sales wouldn't be effected. Unfortunately, I was one of those workers. They haven't worked me since october, so It's been a month and I need money. So my parents want me to get a NEW job. So now I have to apply for a bazillion other places, and it was hard enough getting the first job so now everything is bad. Applications take FOREVER TO FILL OUT, TOO!!!! And now for number four. MY SANITY. MY SANITY IS SLIPPING AWAY.

# 20A Day In The Life....

A day in the life of me? I'll give you fair warning--it's not very interesting! I'll go through my average school day. On an average B day I have three classes: Pre-calculus, General P.E., and TV and radio Broadcasting digital media at CACC. Well, I also have a zero hour class called madrigals that I go to in the morning before school, at 7:30. Anyway--so my day.

I wake up in the morning at 6:30, curse the sun for existing,  then stumble around my room trying to get ready. My mornings are pretty hectic--I don't give myself much time. I wake up at 6:30, and I have to be out of the house at 7:20, giving me 10 minutes to get to school and my class that begins at 7:30. Usually, I viciously stuff my breakfast down and have to run out the door to get there in time. 

Once I get to madrigals, we sing. Madrigals is a Christmas choir. During the Christmas season we do concerts and go caroling, and we have a madrigal dinner where we decorate our schools cafeteria and simulate a real medieval Christmas! People come and are served food, and we put on a performance and sing for them. This takes a lot of practice, so the madrigals choir comes in everyday before school to practice our songs. 

After Madrigals, I go straight to the most loathed class I've ever taken in my life: Pre-Calc. I absolutely, positively hate it. I strongly dislike math, and pre-calc is extremely hard! 

I have to survive 80 minutes of pre-calc before I can be free.

My teacher usually lectures and gives notes for most of the class, then gives us homework (that is sometimes impossible to do, so I rarely even get it done at home. I ask her for a lot of help.) 

Right after 80 minutes of pre-calc i go to my favorite class: General P.E.

General P.E is, I swear, the best class to have after pre-calc. By the time I finish pre-calc, my brain is dead, and working out and playing games with friends really is a great way to relieve the stress and to put my brain back in it's normal orbit.  It feels great. As of now, we are playing Ultimate Polo and Soccer. Hilariously, Ultimate Polo is exactly like real polo--but WITHOUT the horses! We play on our feet, and rather than have long wooden sticks like the polo players get, we have these long foam mallets. Also, the ball we play with is larger--It's one of those medium sized plastic bouncy balls you can get at wallmart. The game is then played the exact same way as real polo! We have two goals, and each team tries to use their mallets to hit the ball into the opposing goal. It's insanely fun. And soccer is soccer, as I'm sure you know!

After that, i eat lunch. I get 12 minutes because I have to drive my car to the middle school to catch the bus that takes me to CACC, so I usually have to jam my food down my throat--much like breakfast again, eh?

Then I go to CACC, where I learn how to edit videos, and also where I'm working on my independent project, which is this blog.

Then I get to go HOOOOOOOOOME!!!!!!!!!!!!

WOOOOOOOOHOOOOO!!!!

And when I get home I work on all my homework and then I go to bed and then I wake up and do it all over again. 

My life is boring.

Day #19 Ten things that make you really happy!

This is SOOOOO EASY! This is probably the easiest blog of ALL! Mainly because so many things make me happy! Not even joking!!!!!!!!

Alright, so I'm going to list out the things that make me really happy as I think of them, not in order of happiest to less happiest, just as I think of them!

1) Matt Langston's music. 
Matt Langston is the lead singer of my favorite band, Eleventyseven, and also the lead singer/producer/creator of my favorite Indie pop band The Jellyrox. Basically, anything he writes, I love.   Really, to describe Eleventyseven and The Jellyrox in my own words wouldn't even be close to how amazing I think they are. But I'm going to try! So, Eleventyseven is a punk rock (slightly punk pop) band that  writes insanely funny, deep, and meaningful songs. Emphasis on FUNNY. They parody a lot of things, but they are a legitimate band, and write their own music. They don't take songs already written and make fun of them. They write their own music parodying everyday things! Their songs are ALWAYS loud, fun, upbeat, and pretty much wonderful to dance too. For example, they have a song called Quota that truthfully complains about how hard it is transitioning from college to real life that goes like this: *imagine super fun synth beat*

Working this day job,

Just to get a paycheck,

Rent was due last week,

I haven't paid yet.

Driving this beat up hand-me-down,

That I can't afford to fix if it breaks down.

Living off ramen,

Girls no comment,

If you're feeling me, feel free to chime in,

Praying every night that it don't get worse,

I walked out of college and into a curse.

This phase won't last forever.

I don't wanna live my life just to meet a Quota,

Taking everyone's orders,

Marching around like a corporate soldier.

I wanna live life like everyday is golden,

I'm gonna put my life on a hold up,

I'm gonna take it over, take it over, take it over.

Clocking in right at 8 AM,

Clocking out when I've lost all will to live.

I need to see a shrink but it costs too much,

Never thought a tax return would give me such a rush.

Sick of eating takeout,

Going on blind dates,

Wish I had friends instead I've got roommates.

Should I take another job to make ends meet,

Or should I call my parents and admit defeat.

This phase won't last forever.

I don't wanna live my life just to meet a Quota,

Taking everyone's orders,

Marching around like a corporate soldier.

I wanna live life like everyday is golden,

I'm gonna put my life on a hold up,

I'm gonna take it over, take it over, take it over.

Basically, they are insanely fun. That's really all I can describe them as. Just wonderful and fun. As for The Jellyrox, it's like Eleventy minus the guitar rifts and insert super intense synth beats. The Jellyrox music is sugary, and 80's, and is the perfect thing to play at any dance party you may have in the near future. NO JOKE. The music is perfectly wonderful. Having a bad day? Listen to the Jellyrox. Stepped in a mud puddle? Listen to The Jellyrox. Spilled lunch in your lap? Listen to the Jellyrox. Failed a test? Listen to The Jellyrox. It's the cure for sadness, I swear. Eleventyseven and The Jellyrox seriously make me SO HAPPY. 

2) Laughing. 

Laughing is seriously good for a person. I know this because I looked it up! It is so good for you and your mood, and I love doing it. Having a great laugh with someone brings people close together, and it's just so fun! Being able to enjoy yourself to the point of which you can't control your laughter is the happiest thing ever!

3) My family.
My family really makes me happy. (Most of the time!) We're actually very tightly knitted. Like, we actually TALK to each other. We know one another. I have a relationship with my mom, dad, Faith, Lydia, and Vanessa all separately and collectively. I know I could count on them for anything. We, for the most part, all get along really well, and that makes me so so so sosososososo happy!

4) Reading.
I love to read. Reading is an escape--you can go anywhere at anytime and your mind can be opened to a million different things! And it teaches you. You learn how to communicate, you learn how to write, and all this is done by reading a book. Literally, there is no form of entertainment in this world that can boot reading out of number one, for me.

5) Writing.
Writing basically goes hand in hand with reading. I love writing. I love taking my mind, my thoughts, and transforming them into words! And then, when I read something I've wrote and I think "Wow. That was really good."

6) Acting.
Okay, so I've been a drama queen since I was born. Acting comes naturally to me. I LOVE ACTING. Nothing makes me happier than being on stage and entertaining an audience! I love entertaining people! I love the feeling after a show when everyone on stage and off can say, "That was great. We did awesome with this one!" Acting makes me super happy.

7) Singing. 
I've been singing since I was a little kid, and I seriously have a passion for it. I do Madrigals and jazz choir at my school, and I have a great time. Being able to sing with my friends and share the same love of music is a fantastic thing.

8) Movies.
Movies (the NON-sad kind) make me happy! I LOOOOVE comedies! If you asked me what i wanted to watch, i'd go straight for the funny ones. Watching a funny movie or a funny TV show with my family is truly paradise to me. Being surrounded by loved ones while enjoying a funny story is wonderful.

9) Learning. 
Learning is something that I've always taken on avidly. Being able to learn something new makes me feel accomplished, and gives me great satisfaction. I also love being able to demonstrate what i've learned.

10) People.
Though I said in a previous blog that people are scary, people do make me happy. Maybe i'm just observant, but I know that everyone has a story to tell, and I love meeting new people. There are a ton of people in this world, and being able to meet even  a small amount of them makes me happy.