Why I Don't Have a Facebook

            The world's largest social network today, with over one billion users, is Facebook. In fact, Matt Petronzio claims in his article that if "Facebook's user base continues to grow at its current rate, it could surpass the number of people living in China — the world's most populous country" in 2015.

       And yet, I am still not a part of this massive online community. When I tell people this it usually leaves a baffled look on their face, but it is true. However, I do have my reasons of how Facebook can be more detrimental than beneficial.

        The most important reason I don't have a Facebook today is because it is a distraction. High school is a time where you need to be focused, to learn and earn good grades for a successful future. However, the last thing one needs is a distraction to harm their academic success. Many people "stalk" their crushes and enemies, and this leads to massive time consumption and energy waste. I for one already have enough distractions as it is, and can't afford to add another.

       Another reason I don't have a Facebook is because of privacy and security hazard. Facebook allows strangers to see private information, such as favorite movies, actors, your locations (Facebook Places), etc. Although one can enable privacy settings, a good portion of personal information about them would be revealed to the public because to be honest, everyone has some strangers of their friends list. This kind of information can hurt one's chances of having a successful career, since almost all companies check one's Facebook before hiring. Facebook is also known for scam (such as fake accounts) and viruses, which can be acquired with a click of a button.

        Facebook's impact on one's emotional state is a major  factor in my reluctance to make a Facebook. I personally prefer to learn about someone in person, with genuine human connection, not by reading their profile and statuses. That can lead to one being anti-social, or socially-awkward. Facebook can also lead to states of sorrow or depression. For example, if one goes on Facebook and sees a picture of their crush with another guy/girl, they would be saddened, and would have been happier if they didn't check at all. Or if someone sees their friends going hiking and getting exercise it might make one feel worse about themselves. The possibilities are endless.

         Although Facebook has some benefits, such as for educational or business purposes, the negatives easily out weigh the positives. However, the severity of the harms depend on the user as a whole. If one realizes the vices of Facebook, and properly adjust themselves and their uses of the social network, Facebook will not be as much of a threat than it is to most people today.

New Year, New Me!

            As we all know it is now 2015, and one of the most important things of a new year is the new year's resolution. To me personally, my new years' resolutions have shaped me to become the person I am today, and every new year I try my best to carry on the previous year's resolution along with adding another one. Below I have listed, in my opinion, simple recommendations for new year's resolutions.

1.  Don't care about the little things! This is probably one of my most important resolutions, that has created the most impact on my lifestyle as a whole. Just simply learn to shrug things off, things that aren't important and would usually bother you. This will make you a happier person, trust me.
2. Get organized! This resolution is probably the reason why I have good grades today. One just has to simply know what they are going to do, when and how. This just requires planning and effort. Don't leave anything up to chance.
3. Be responsible! As cliche as this sounds, responsibility is a very important factor in determining the kind of person you are. Don't procrastinate, and don't lie to yourself. Being responsible will not only improve your view on yourself, but others' view on you as well.
4. Be more social! This is my new year's resolution for 2015. A main part of a new year approaching is the goal to be happy. Being more social can make you a more outgoing person, and improve your personality. Learn to take more opportunities, join more clubs, get involved with events and activities.
5. Be nicer to others! It is astonishing how amazing it feels when someone compliments you. Not only will being nicer to others make you feel like a better person, but it will make others more willing to meet and know you. Being nice to others can make someone's day, and you will certainly create an impact on 2015

          As many people do so, it is common to give up your resolution in January. However, this won't help you as a person, and it won't create an impact on your life as resolutions did mine. Just pick a resolution and stick with it, you won't regret it!

Time For School!

            In today's society, most schools begin early in the morning and finish mid-day. Although the morning to afternoon school timing system has been working so far, it has many downsides. These issues can be solved by simply changing the start of and finish times of the (approximate) seven hours of school. If school were to start at mid-day (around 2:00) and finish in the evening (around 9:00), many issues of today's timing system would be solved, and as a result, students would flourish academically.
           
            A major issue of the current school timings is the early wake-up time. For example, I wake up at 5:45 every morning. This results in me being tired and ignorant in my first period class, which I happen to have my lowest grade in. If I wasn't sleepy and tired, I would pay attention more, and learn more. If school were to start mid-day, students' minds would be more awake and active, allowing them to prosper academically.

           Today, when students (including me) are given homework, they usually procrastinate and do it late at night. Some students stay up late at night doing homework because that is the only time they can do homework, due to extracurricular activities occupying time after school. However with school hours moved later, one can go home after school, sleep, and then do their homework the next morning. That way the homework can determine how much information a student can recall from the previous day, along with refreshing their memory so that in school, teachers don't have to go over what they learned that previous day. Additionally, students can better understand the lectures from the previous day. When it comes to practice, games, or sports, they shall take place before school. Exercising before school not only wakens and activates the brain, but stimulates brain function by delivering extra oxygen to the brain, which improves the learning capability of the student.

            A simple change in the school hours can not only improve the lives of students outside of school, but as well as in the classroom. Students will not have plenty of sleep, but will learn effectively, and complete homework efficiently. This results in academic prosperity and fulfills the purpose of school.

Semester Grades? Yikes!

              As all students at MMHS know, we are at that crucial point in the year before we receive our grades for the semester. These grades are the ones that count, the ones that get submitted for college. Now for many students, including me, this is when we frantically try to bring our grades up. For example, I am trying to bring my B+ in Honors Pre-Calculus to an A, to have a 4.0 unweighted GPA for semester 1. Since I have decent grades, many friends of mine that are struggling often ask me; What can I do to get good grades? Well, for those who ask that question you have come to the right place. Below are, in my opinion, the five best methods (by priority) to get good grades.

1. Just do your homework! Homework is a major part of school, and usually consists of a large portion of your grade. It frustrates me when students aren't doing well in a class, then forget to do their homework. Those are easy points anybody can receive.
2.  Manage your time wisely! The most common response I get when I ask my friends why they don't do their homework is that they don't have time, whether it be due to extracurriculars, sports, or other activities. This is why time management is so important, because you can have time for sports, homework, studying, and  fun, with just simple planning. For example, I am creating this very blog entry Saturday even though it is due on Monday because I know I am going to be busy volunteering Sunday and I don't want to rush.
3. Participate and ask questions! As unbelievable as it sounds, a large portion of assignments and tests in the grade book depend on you actually knowing the subject. You can't just ace a test without knowing the chapter. So if you are confused, or don't know something, don't be afraid to ask a question.
4. Study! Although this might sound horrendous, if you need an A on that next history test, you are going to have to work for it. It also helps to find out if you study better in groups (like me), or independently, and allot time accordingly.
5. Have fun with it! High school is a part of your life you will look back upon, reminisce, and wish you can relive those years. This might sound crazy, but high school is supposed to be a fun part of your life, so don't waste it by being miserable. If you can view high school from this point of view, it results in a more interactive and responsive nature towards learning, and therefore can have a positive result on your grades.

Thanksgiving With a Vegetarian

             Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays. It is a day dedicated to being thankful for what you have. However, that is not why I look forward to it. I love Thanksgiving because a huge part of the holiday is eating, my favorite activity. Many people are confused when I tell them that I am exited for Thanksgiving, because I am a vegetarian. "What do you do for Thanksgiving, Sai?" everyone asks, "What do you even eat?" Well, my Thanksgiving is similar and different to yours in its own ways.

            The one activity everyone thinks about when they hear Thanksgiving is eating. In my house, we don't have turkey or chicken for Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving for us is any good food your mind can conjure up. We have some classics of Thanksgiving, like apple cider, pumpkin pie, and mashed potatoes. However, we also have items like french fries, onion rings, noodles, soda, pizza, lasagna, tacos, cake and rice. This year, our family added two more dishes to our traditional, colorful table-burritos and quesadillas. All of these foods combined create a wonderful confluence of food delight. Half the fun of Thanksgiving in our family is the preparation. We have so much fun shopping for ingredients, and making these items. Thanksgiving is a holiday that our family not only enjoys, but also bonds through.

           The question most readers probably have now is-"How on earth do they finish so much food?" Well, similar to the common Thanksgiving tradition, our family invites friends and neighbors. However, what is different is that we don't eat our meal on the table. We set up chairs and carpets in our living room and eat our meal there, while watching a nice movie (this Thanksgiving it was 22 Jump Street). Most people find this anti-social, but really, we bond more through laughing and talking while watching a movie than we would have simply eating at a table. After the movie and our meal, we all usually play board games until it gets really late. Although this doesn't follow the Thanksgiving tradition, the holiday is still an extremely fun event which our family, and friends, look forward to greatly.

          A Thanksgiving celebration doesn't have to be based on tradition, or pop culture to be enjoyable. It just has to be a fun and entertaining event, where you can bond with, and feel thankful for,  friends and family. That is the true meaning of Thanksgiving.

Huh? Dendrophobia?

             Dendrophobia. The fear of trees. As ludicrous as that sounds, the fear of trees is actually a thing. This is just one of the world's many phobias. List25.com took the effort of making a list of 25 of the world's craziest phobias. These phobias are crazy, but, somewhere out there, someone might have it. Who knows? It could be you...

             Ablutophobia. The fear of taking baths. Victims of ablutophobia are afraid to take baths, or clean themselves. This could be due to religious reasons, such as sacred monks' belief in the value/spirit of dirt. Or it can be a result of a much more common reason: age. I for one hated baths when I was little, and I am sure many children at this moment are crying, begging their mothers to not clean them. I know my little brother is!

           Ergophobia. The fear of work or the workplace environment. For all of you who believe you have ergophobia, note that there is a distinct difference between not wanting to work, and being afraid to work. People who are afraid to work probably have these emotions as a result of fears of failing at assigned tasks, social anxiety, and public speaking.
          
            Philophobia.The fear of falling in love. Let's just say that instead of feeling butterflies in a stomach, people with philophobia feel angry snakes in their stomach. This is a result of fears such as the fear of commitment, or something going wrong. Unfortunately, people with philophobia usually end up in solitude or alone.

             Somniphobia/Hypnophobia. The fear of falling asleep. Most of us worship sleep so imagine what it must be like to fear it. This is due to the fear that you will miss an event, or a more common reason: nightmares. Many children with nightmares fear sleep, but it is a requirement for mental and physical success.

              Neophobia is the fear of new things. This is most commonly found in elderly people. Neophobia can be a result of one forming attachments (sentiments) with old things, and the unwillingness to part with these old things.

             These are just five, of hundreds of crazy phobias. Although these phobias might be hilarious, one has to remember that some people actually live with them. This helps us realize to be brave, and that you control your own fears.