High School Lyfe

Oh those butterflies..

2010-05-11T18:51:00.000-07:00

i have such bad butterflies, i feel like i have a third grade crush. yes, just a crush.. but it's not turning into anymore...i won't let it be anything more...

Middle of the year madness?

2010-03-22T09:29:00.000-07:00

Much to the dismay of students the teachers have started cracking down harder with homework, projects and tests.

This is the busiest time of year, even more stressful than the beginning of school. At the beginning of the year everyone is getting back into the swing of things, finding out who's in their classes, and just hanging out. Then the excitement for winter vacations and snow start! But as soon as it starts a brand New Year stars right back up again. But just as fast as that happens, everyone is then off for february break.

But now since it's march there are no vacations in sight. As of late all students know is work, work, work. We no longer have as much time for social lives as we used to.

It's time to prepare for SAT's, Regents exams and finals!

As teenagers do we have too much on our plates due to school? Or do we just try to do too many things than possible?

No more Regents?

2010-03-21T09:34:00.000-07:00

With the economic downfall of 2009, schools and state governments have had to scrimp on their budget. Talk has been surrounding the possible cancellation of many New York Regents's. Students rejoice at this seemingly unneeded state test, tests that are mandatory for most high school classes in the state of New York. However, no final decision has been announced yet. We all know that most students will approve of this, but will parents? Is the Regents a needed test, or just a waste of time during the summer, as students have called it. Read more about it here.

Drivers Education

2010-03-21T09:23:00.000-07:00

As junior and senior year approach for high schoolers, drivers education is a choice for many. The thought of being able to drive at any hour once you're seventeen is one that entices many students. Drivers ed includes 48 hours of classtime/driving time. The benefits include licensed teacher education, lower insurance, and in New York, the ability to obtain a full license at the age of 17. However, some students have found this course to have some flaws. This lower insurance policy has been talked to be not very significant compared with the $300 to $400 fee for the class. Also, many students have complained of the poor instruction, as driving classes consist of two to three other drivers, and often students will lie about their experience level, putting not only the student's lives in danger, but the other students in the car as well. While the course is meant for the greater good, is drivers ed really as beneficial as it has been talked of to be?

Economy effecting technology in schools?

2010-03-18T10:32:00.000-07:00

As we all know, alst year the American economy was at a drastic low. Because of this, schools have had to cut down on their budgets. Students feeling it quite immediately as teachers had had to scrimp on basic supplies like staples! However, other schools have also been able to maintain some fancy materials, like Apple Mac desktops and Smart Boards in the classroom. I wonder, should efforts to buy more fancy technology be transferred to helping budget more essential supplies. Are schools buying into the hype of newer and fancier technology being worth more then the essentials?

March Madness!

2010-03-03T17:15:00.000-08:00

College visits, SAT's, spring sports, and getting prepared for finals! This is what starts happening to teenagers during our third quarter of school

The heat is on! Being a junior in high school, I have no doubt in my mind that this is probably the most difficult year in high school. Classes are difficult, and we are balancing education with social lives, and preparing for the huge end of the year exams that the teachers start to make a big deal about starting in november.

This is the first time I won't have a spare moment for friends for the entire month. Parents and teachers don't realize the enormous amount of stress we are under to keep our grades where they are, do sports and search for colleges. It's all so overwhelming. Most high schoolers don't know where to even begin to look when it comes to college! I know I don't, and i don' know if i have enough time to even open one of the many college letters that have come in through the mail.

With this work load also comes little sleep for high schoolers! I know there are nights when I'm up till about three in the morning doing homework

Teachers are just piling up the work, and teenagers barely have time for themselves. Is there any way for teachers to ease up on the work load? Or do we as teenagers need to figure out how to manage our time better?

Any helpful hints? Let us know!

School Spirit, Who Has Any?

2010-03-03T15:15:00.000-08:00

School spirit has always gone done in the books as lame and "not cool". Kids have thought, how lame can you be to hoot and holler to some "spirit" we have? While we had our periods of sitting back and sulking at the attempts by teachers to pump up our spirits, I've found that within my school, school spirit has gone up! Being a part of one of the biggest classes in my high school has had it's ups and down. Students generally agree that although we have a big class, we lack spirit, making our size virtually useless for fundraisers and such. However, this year I saw a turnaround in spirit. At our school Spirit Rally, instead of a soft murmur of "yays...", our Class of 2011 was the loudest class there. Attitudes have changed and now they're being put to the challenge. Our annual Dodgeball Tournament is coming up this weekend, and even though if you asked our typical high school student if spirit is cool, they'll give you a "hell no", the bleachers have been filled each year to cheer on the teams. This year could be even louder as my Class of 2011 has chosen to speak up, will spirits continue to stay up? Has your school's spirit increased? If not, can fundraisers like these help?

Steps to get through junior year

2010-03-02T12:54:00.000-08:00

The pressure is on! As a junior in high school i don't think my life has been more hectic, and i'm sure other high schoolers will agree. Nowadays teenagers worry about school, sports, community service and COLLEGE.

Heres a checklist of what you should start doing your junior year:

1. Start thinking about colleges, or at least make a point to take to your parents about what you're thinking of doing.

a. Make sure you think of financial aid as well, it never hurts to have some help

2. Plan for your SAT's

a. start studying a little bit each night, ten to fifteen minutes each night can go a long way

3. Explore colleges and take your SAT's.

4. Plan ahead for your summer and senior year.

And over the summer keep up the work! The last thing you need is to fall behind after putting in all this effort!

Have any other helpful hints/idea? Let us know!

The Juggling Act

2010-03-01T17:07:00.000-08:00

High schoolers these days have so much pressure on them. Grades are constantly on students minds during the school day, and homework just ties it into the night. Social lives are to be balanced, extra curricular activities, clubs, sports, community service, and college...wouldn't even know how to start that. Not to mention teenagers are undergoing changes during the high school years, which are usually challenging and eye-awakening. The teen years have been "defined in three easy steps" in hundreds of parenting books, however, how do they know? Every teenage life is different. And yet teenagers are criticized as being "dumb" and "naive" for some of the things we do, but is it fully our fault? Teenagers experiment to figure out their lives. Give us some slack, we're sure you adults had/wanted some when you were teenagers.

Idol vs. Olympics

2010-03-01T13:18:00.000-08:00

As most high schoolers know for the past two weeks the olympics have been on every night. One thing most people don't know is that on tuesdays, wednesdays, and thursdays there was a decrease in the amount of people watching the olympics and an increase in those watching American Idol. American Idol in short is a singing competition. Most people watch American Idol for the elimination rounds, and too see the singers who lack that talent.

What really doesn't make sense to me is that why would someone watch American Idol, when the olympics are on? Every single event in the olympics happens differently each year, and things can change in a second.

Yes the same goes for American Idol, but with that you can find the reruns on tv, or look up missed episodes online. You can't do that with the olympics.

And what of your support for our country in the olympics? Has that energy gone instead to watching judges criticize others and let us watch them fail?

School Grade Portals

2010-03-01T12:54:00.000-08:00

The stress of wondering what your grades are is a daunting and fearful task. However, schools such as mine, have started using an online system that allows students to view their grades online. This eliminates the time needed to wait for interims or report cards to see your grade. Students get an in progress grade constantly. While many find this very efficient and useful, others have said that it leads to more stress instead of less. Students have claimed to become "addicted" to checking their grades, constantly worrying if your latest assignment will bomb their grade. While I find it very useful, I can easily understand how it can cause students to panic and worry more. Student portals, are they neat or do they bring more heat?

Facebook

2010-02-27T19:59:00.000-08:00

This day in age, most everyone in high school or college, has a facebook account. For those who don’t know what this social networking site is, it is a place for family and friends to share pictures, updates, chat online, and more. According to facebook, the population has risen to 400 million active users, so many that there have even been mass messages sent out declaring that facebook has become too crowded. During the busiest times of day on facebook, users often find the website to load slower. How can the creators or users adapt to the continuing increase of members? Is facebook even needed?

Do you really want to know what others think of you?

2010-02-27T19:47:00.000-08:00

As of late there has been an increase in the use an honesty box type website called Formspring. Formspring allows people to write you a questions and have it either be anonymous or show your name. When i first heard about this website i felt compelled to get one, just to see what people would think about myself. And as of late, i have received some blatantly rude comments; while i can handle this easily, other people don't receive criticism well whatsoever.

As I have been scanning the site i have noticed less people are asking questions and more people are sending demeaning comments about a person instead; and of course they have left the rude comments anonymously.

When i have browsed peoples pages, and even my own I have noticed an increased amount of people have been trying to insult one another.

But there is such cowardice among people that the insulter can't even say the insult to the insultees face.

Have we really reached that point in life where we can't even confront one another about some of the simplest things in life? And what drives a person to look for anothers flaws? Or to leave such rude comments on such a public page?

Avatar's White Hero

2010-02-27T16:01:00.000-08:00

The 21st century is full of innovation and technological advances, so the new movie, Avatar, came as a change of pace and surprising ideal. Critics and viewers viewed it as a groundbreaking movie that portrayed a message of all races and species existing as a whole and appreciating mother nature, an idea often overlooked in our industrial world. After seeing the movie, I thought it was a breath of fresh air, bringing me away from the technologies of this and that, reminding me and others to appreciate nature.

However, others have a particular complaint. Reading into the plot of the movie, many have felt a sense of underlying racism in the movie. Viewers take into account how the Caucasian war soldier had to save the natives, as discrimination, saying that the natives themselves are lower or less able of protecting themselves, needing the help of the white "hero". These ideas date back to the 19th century White Man's Burden ideal. Stating that the white man had a duty to civilize and help the less competent natives. Critics have been voicing their opinions on this controversial topic since the release of the movie. Is there an underlying racist tone? or is it simply the director's plot?

Honorary Vegan?

2010-02-26T18:37:00.000-08:00

Over february break I decided to do something different. Besides going to another state, i made a lifestyle change for the week to see how it would feel; I became a vegan for the week.

I actually didn't realize i was being turned into an honorary vegan till my aunt, who is a very very big animal activist, picked us up from the airport.

A vegan is different from a vegetarian because a vegan doesn't eat any eggs or dairy products.

When people (not all, but most) think vegan, they think bland tasteless food, like tofu; when in actuality vegan food is extremely similar to regular food. No it isn't exactly the same and of course there's a difference, but its a very close second.

While I was in california half the time we ate, I forgot I was eating vegan food and I was able to enjoy my meal as much as I would with normal meat. The only difference that I've come to realize was that during my vegan week, no animals were harmed in the making of any of my meals.

Am i a vegan now? No, but an honorary vegan I am.

COLLEGE.. what a big word!

2010-02-26T14:29:00.000-08:00

COLLEGE

To many high schoolers, college is a scary and intimidating thought. So many majors to choose from, locations to pick, tests to pick, grades to worry about. Students are encouraged even from freshman and sometimes eighth grade, to start thinking about what they'd like to do. I personally know that when I was in eighth grade, and now in eleventh grade, I still don't know what I'd like to do. So, to help all of us confused kids, College Board has come to the rescue. Helping you sort through colleges, schedule and review for the SAT and ACT dates and overall informing you of the basic important matters of college. So for those of us who don't know where to start, College Board is a great place to start.

Good Luck!

& if you have any other helping suggestions, feel free to comment

Meet your Meat

2010-02-25T17:31:00.000-08:00

As an average American I honestly don't think about where any of my food comes from. All I know is that I like eating it. I spent winter break in California with my vegan aunt, and she really opened my eyes to the food industry. No I am not trying to promote veganism, as that would be hypocritical seeing as I am not a vegan nor a vegetarian, but I am rather trying to show people what they're eating and the awful condition the animals are in.

Most of the food people eat are from factory farms. Factory Farming is the practice of raising farm animals in quarantine where animals are packed as closely as possible, where the farm acts as a factory. The animals spend there entire lives living in the horrible conditions, never see sunlight, and generally don't move from the same spot until they die.

So if people knew more about this, would factory farms disappear or would they just continue to grow?

School Fights and More Gore

2010-02-23T17:57:00.000-08:00

When a fight between two girls broke out in school today, it got me thinking. Why and how could something be considered so important that is was deemed able to be resolved violently? Even so, are issues ever worked out between people when they physically fight? School fights usually consist of two girls or boys cussing, throwing, punching, and kicking, while a crowd of students circle around to watch. Many spectators are fascinated by the spectacle and seldom take the initiative to stop the fight. While I myself have been guilty of finding a high school fight entertaining, it makes me wonder why. Society and our parents have taught kids to think better then to resort to violence, yet most kids find themselves absorbed in the intensity of the fight. Are high school fights necessary? Do they solve any problems? Isn't there an alternate solution?

Prom 2010

2010-02-22T11:09:00.000-08:00

With prom a couple months away for many highschoolers, girls and (some) boys are already getting ready. Looking for prom dresses, thinking of dates, and other pre-prom tasks are fillings kids minds. While we can't help you find a date, we've come up with a list of websites to help you find your dress, whatever your price range is. Dresses range from $40 to $600 and more, and keep in mind the price of alterations, usually around $40, or a free service at your dress store. Some sites to check out are Jovani Dresses, Tiza.com, La Femme Fashion, or even your mothers closet for her prom dress. While you may think finding the perfect dress is the most important part, remember to have fun and be safe!

Have any other tips or advice about prom? Feel free to share!

Valentines Day

2010-02-14T09:42:00.000-08:00

In todays day and age, with any major holiday comes pre-made cards that range from sad to tears rolling down your eyes funny. One holiday that doesn't make too much sense is Valentine's Day.

Valentine's day was created in 496 AD by Pope Gelasius and it was named after martyrs named Valentine. Generally people present flowers, candy, and cards expressing their love. But nowadays people feel obligated to buy their significant other something related to this holiday, whether or not they end up staying together or not. (Ah these social pressures of society)

Is Valentine's really a day dedicated towards those who love each other, or is it another holiday for the card companies to reap in money.

Welcome!

2010-02-11T13:05:00.000-08:00

Welcome to High School Lyfe, a blog about all things high school. Blogging about high school trends, popular topics, media/movies/music, random tidbits, and more. This blog is run by two authors, both high schoolers themselves, so you get a first hand view of what's in and what's out in high school these days. We aim to help other high schoolers stay informed on the latest and greatest. Keep checking back, we'll have several posts up each week!