Professor Sabir's Posse

Eng. 201 A/B Lauriel Solomon
8-8:50 Class August 28, 2008

Changes


There are only two things in life that’s constant; that’s change, and change. Whether it be for the good or for the bad, no matter what change will come. My priorities had to change in order for me to further my education, which means I myself had to do some changing in order to change my priorities. School was placed on the back burner when I graduated because I felt like I had graduated and that was good enough. I felt like I could always go to college, and it would still be here.

Graduating from high school was a big step and change for me. Receiving your high school diploma is like the first step into adulthood. You’re coming into the real world. For some people that could be a scary change. For me it wasn’t, I was ready to go to college and knock it out, just like Tyson used to knock out his opponents in his good days. Fresh out of high school, I was very excited and ready for anything. This is where my priorities changed and got mixed up. My plan was to enjoy the summer, and when fall came around to attend my first year of college.
 

Dion Cade

1. What is the subject of your paper?

The subject of my paper is my responsibility of having to pay rent.

2. Why do you want to write about this subject? Is your purpose to explain, explore, evaluate, describe a problem and propose a solution, or argue a point.

I wanted to write about this subject because I thought it would be interesting because some people had to go through the same situations as me.

3. What audience will you write for? (Your audience determines the language and information you need from your sources. In this essay, you are a primary source.)

The audience that I will write for is anyone who cares really. People who go through the same situations as me who can relate to what I have to say.

4. What question do you want your essay to answer?

The question I want my essay to answer is: Is a teenager always spoiled by my parents? That answer will be clear in my essay. Now I have to work for everything that I have.

5. What is the main writing strategy you think you will use? (Description, process or causal analysis, compare/contrast, problem/solution, classification. I mentioned that all discourse is argument, or persuasive.)

The key writing strategy that I will use is cause and effect because it seems to me that the cause of me turning eighteen has the effect of more responsibilities to handle.












Looking back

What is change? There are a lot of definitions for this word but here is one that fits the topic: “becoming different in some particular way, without permanently losing one’s or its former characteristics or essence.” Changes happen all the time in life. Some are visual to all and others may be very small and barely recognizable. They happen all of the time and they can affect a person’s life physically and mentally. It also affects a person’s life for the good and for the bad. Changes reflect a person’s life and make them want to look back and see how far they have come and how they will see their lives in the near future.

The biggest change in my life is having to pay rent now. Finally having money in my pocket, I have to conserve it because most of the time I have to spend it on necessities. Its been a little hard to have money for myself because before I had two jobs but basically now I only have one. I actually have three now but I hardly get any hours at my other jobs so basically I have one. I work at taco bell, cutco, and doing security for sporting events. I have a lot more responsibilities since I have turned eighteen and paying rent is a huge responsibility.

Now that I have to pay rent, sometimes I think back in my life where I did not have to pay three hundred dollars a month. I tell a lot of people that I know that that is what I have to do in my life right now. They always say that they feel sorry for me all the time and that it is messed up that my parents are making me pay rent. I do agree with them because it is weird that after most of my life living with them they now want me to pay rent? They are low income but they have been surviving without my money all these years. So why now are they making me pay rent? Is it just because I am eighteen? Don’t make sense because that’s just a number to me. But it has actually helped me to be a better person by learning to be independent and surviving on my own with little or no help. I have learned not to depend on my parents and take life into my own hands and shape it up. I am ready for what the future holds.
 

Eng. 201
8-8:50a.m. Jakaila Scott
August 28, 2008

Throughout life there are many changes. Some are mental, physical, and there are other’s that may become spiritual as well. As humans, we tend to mainly focus on these that are outside changes rather the one that are on the inside, not realizing that those that are within are there to help us as people teaching us many ways to view life. With my changes I’ve learned not to hold on to my past. Although, I can’t forget what happened, I have forgiven my father for letting me down at a very important, memorable time in my life; him not coming to my high school graduation hurt, but I’m moving on and keeping the past behind me.
June 10, 2007 was the day that my father let me down. Using a poor choice of words decided to explain to me that he was no longer going to attend my high school graduation due to the fact that I did not have an extra ticket for his wife. He then no loner spoke to me, never returned my phone calls, as well as later began to tell his family that the situation had been my fault. I used to dwell on the fact that my father left me putting another woman before his own flesh and blood, his first born daughter.
As time went on, I began to realize that everything wasn’t my fault, that in fact nothing was my fault so how could he be blaming something which I had completely no control over on me? I started to understand that as a human being you have no control over what people say, feel and or do, nonetheless can you control the type of decision others choose to make. I had to accept that, that was just one of his decisions he chose to make. I took his decision as a life lesson that needed to be learned and not as a punishment or mistake that I’ve made, understanding now that the past stays in the past and knowing not to let it interfere with my future.
Change is a way of life, some are for the better, others for the worst. Yet all are made to become lessons that need to be learned. In my case this lesson has taught me how to let go of my past and look forward onto my future. A father is a son’s first hero and a daughter’s first love, my first love may have stirred me wrong, but that’s ok because I know that I’ll always have my hero.



Eng. 201 Jakaila Scott
8-8:50 August 28,2008



Outline

Thesis:
I’ve learned not to hold onto the past. Although, I have forgave my father for letting me down on a very important, memorial time in my life; him not coming to my high school graduation hurt, but I’m moving on and keeping the past behind me.

1.) Major Point:
I used to dwell on the fact my father left me and put another “woman,” (his wife) before his own first born daughter.

Evidence:
June 10,2007 my father decided to vulgarly explain to me that he no longer was going to attend my high school graduation.

Evidence:
No longer spoke to me, as well as told his family tat everything was my fault.

2.) Major Point:
As time went on I began to realize that everything was not my fault so, how can he blame me for something that I never did? I started to realize that, as a human being you have the right to make your won decisions, and that happened to be one that he decided to make.

Evidence:
Took his decision as a lesson learned in life, and not as a punishment.

Evidence:
Realized that the past is the past, to let it go, and not to bring it into my future.

Conclusion:
Change is a way of life, some for the better, others for the worst. Yet all are lessons to be learned, in my case this one has taught me how to look go of my past and to look forward to my future.


Eng. 201 Jakaila Scott
8-8:50 August 28,2008



Planning Sheet


1) The subject of my essay is going to be about how I’ve learned how to let go of the past, to let by gone be by gone, and how not to let the past interfere with my future.
2) The reason why I have chosen to write about this particular subject is because as a child I have always kept my feelings bottled up on the inside to where I would end up in such ways that weren’t healthy for me. Another reason behind me wanting to write about this stage of my life is that since I’ve gotten older I realized that by doing so that I’m not hurting any one except for myself which isn’t healthy at all.
3) The audience that I will be writing for will be my professor Ms. Wanda Sibir.
4) There isn’t a specific question that I am trying to answer through out my essay I’m simply writing about change and how good change can be.
5) I believe that the type of writhing strategy that I may be using will be problem and solution maybe.
 

Kiara Perine
English 201
August 28, 2008
Initial Planning Sheet

1. What is the subject of your paper?

The subject o my paper is maturity.

2. Why do you want to write about this subject? Is your purpose to explain, explore, evaluate, describe a problem and propose a solution, or argue a point?
To show my growth and development from a foolish girl to a young lady.

3. What audience will you write for? (Your audience determines the language and information you need from your sources. In this essay, you are a primary source.)
I don’t really have an audience.

4. What question do you want your essay to answer?
There really isn’t a question that my essay can answer because I’m writing about a certain experience that I went through.

5. What is the main writing strategy you think you will use? (Description, process or causal analysis, compare/contrast, problem/solution, classification. I mentioned that all discourse is argument, or persuasive.)

In this paper I plan to compare and contrast the years of my life that has helped me grow into such a responsible and mature young lady.


Kiara Perine
English 201
August 28, 2008

Outline

Thesis:
I had a wake up call about not graduating; thinking about not walking across that stage at graduation only made me work harder towards my goals. I realized that I needed to leave something’s behind and pick up some better habits in order to better myself; it was time for me to finally mature into a young adult.

1.) Major Point:
Growing up I was very cocky and self-centered.

Evidence: I always thought the world revolved around me

Evidence: Never cared about no one’s feeling’s, but my own


2.) Major Point:
I never cared about what anyone had to say about me, because I always thought I was the best.

Evidence: Looked down on other’s a lot

Evidence: Never thought anyone could out do me


3.) Major Point:
My turning point then came my senior year in high school.

Evidence: Almost didn’t graduate

Evidence: Trying to keep up wit the status of being the best


4.) Major Point:
I soon realize that if I didn’t change the way I act or thought, I was gone be in for failure.

Evidence: Focus more on the important things to help me make it in life

Evidence: Start doing more of my work

Evidence: Stop the slacking

Conclusion Sentence:
As I look back on all the thins that I’ve done, I was very grateful to have made that turning point in my life, that allowed me to mature and see things different.


Kiara Perine
English 201
August 28, 2008


CHANGE

I had a wake up call about not graduating; thinking about not walking across the stage at graduation only made me work harder towards my goals. I realized that I needed to leave something’s behind and pick up better habits in order to better myself. It was time for me to finally mature into a young adult.
Growing up I was very cocky and self-centered. I always thought the world revolved around me. I never cared about no one’s feelings but my own. I never cared about what anyone had to say about me, because I always thought I was the best. I looked down on others a lot and never thought anyone could out do me.
My turning point then came my senior year in high school. I almost didn’t graduate because I was focused on the little things, like trying to keep the status of being the best. I soon realize that if I didn’t change the way I act and thought, I was gone be in for a rude awakened. I realized that I needed to focus more on the important things to help me make it in life. So therefore I buckled down to the challenge and got rid of my foolish, emotionally undeveloped, juvenile, childish ways and started to do my work. I let go of all the slacking and did what I had to do.
As I look back on all the things that I’ve done, I was very grateful to have that turning point in my life, which allowed me to mature and see things different. So many things have changed for me in my life due to the many changes that I’ve made through my transition from high school to college.
 

Nina Wooten
Eng. 201 A/B
8:00-8:50 am

My Struggle

In most recent times, I’ve come face to face with the struggles of my
parents seperation, changes within my family, and the a new form of
responsibility. These daily struggles and frustrations seem to have set
me back, and now I’ve become side track from the goals and I have set
for school.

Growing up, I’ve been fortunate enough to have both parents not only
in my life, but also together living under the same roof. They have been
married for twenty-one years, but lately things haven’t been the same.
About a year ago my parents don’t communicate with each other anymore.
They’re planning to move in separate houses, which is very
overwhelming for me. We have not been able to sit down as a family and
talk about the changes that I feel are being damanded. I feel as though
no one cares about my feelings towards the seperation or how I’m
affected by their decisions.

During the process of the seperation, we recently found out my sister
is pregnant. The stress and burden of feeding another mouth and the
added expenses has taken a toll on us all. Both my parents have to
support my sister and the baby until she is able to take on that role. I
feel as though I had to make sacrifies because of her doings. I wish my
sister would realize how much is changing not only because of the
seperation, but because of her pregnancy. First, I'm being rushed into
adulthood. I'm not receiving as much help with book and my school fees.
Secondly, I'm forced to pick up a bill around the house. I feel as
though i`m being punished for my sisters doing. Sometimes I feel like a
prisoner in my own house.

Although I've become slightly side tracked and lost my focus, I know
changes occur all the time. Now it's time for me to adapt to the changes
and accept my responsibilty. Change isn't always a terrible thing.

Thesis:The changes that have occured in my family have caused me to take responsibility for myself.

Major Point: My parents seperation

evidence:after 21 years of marriage my parents decide to seperate

Major point:My sisters pregnancy

evidence:the entire family has made sacrificies to help my sister with her daughter.
 

Planning Sheet:

1. What is the subject of your paper?
The subject of my paper is change.

2. Why do you want to write about this subject? Is your purpose to explain, explore, evaluate, describe a problem and propose a solution, or argue a point.
I wanted to write about this subject because it is a big issue and its what I need to start pursuing it in my life right now. My purpose for this paper is to explain and explore the problems and solutions.

3. What audience will you write for? (Your audience determines the language and information you need from your sources. In this essay, you are a primary source.)
I am writing for people with family problems and issues for homes that are not happy

4. What question do you want your essay to answer?
Is change always hard to do?

5. What is the main writing strategy you think you will use? (Description, process or causal analysis, compare/contrast, problem/solution, classification. I mentioned that all discourse is argument, or persuasive.)
The main strategy I will be using is problem solution

Outline:

Thesis:
Throughout my growing years I have come encounter with various trials and tribulations that have cause me to make changes in my life which was the solution to my problems.

1. Major point
My Father got shot when I was only three years old. This made him paralyzed from the waist down for the rest of his life.

Evidence- I had to change and adjust to my father never being able to walk again.

Evidence- while I was growin up i had to realize that i will never see my father stand on two feet.

Concluding sentence- Its hard enough to change into a mind state of not being able to see my father walk on the other hand, its even harder dealing with a grandmothers passing away.

2.Major Point
I recently had a gradmother that passed away from cancer. Her son is the one paralyzed my father.

Evidence-this death gave me a serious wake up call to live healthy and enjoy my youth.

Evidence-This incident was not easy to adjust to and it was hard to change after this.

Concluding sentence-Having to deal with this tragedy has made me change mentally and gave me a motive to continue my education and get a degree just as she would tell me too.

3. Major Point
My High school graduation was a very important and one of the most important times of my life.

Evidence-I had to change my mind to enter the man mentality

Evidence- I had to sacrafise sleep and lots of time to get to my goal of graduating high school.

Concluding sentence- Graduating high school was hard, to answer my question is change hard yes it is.

Julian Pete

Aug. 29, 2008

English 201A

Ms. Sabir
Changes

Throughout my growing years I have come encounter with various trails and tribulations that have cause me to make changes in my life which was the solution to my problems. I have been through many changes in my life. The three most important changes that I have been through is adjusting to my father never being able to walk again, having to live with my grandmother not being here anymore and graduating high school. My dad got shot and was paralyzed when I was three years old and that was a big change for me . I think that was my biggest change . My granny just recently died from cancer and that was very hard for me. I still cant believe it but I got to realize she’s gone. Graduating high school changed me mentally and it made me realize no more fun and games or in other words time to walk into adult atmosphere.
My father got shot when I was only three years old. This made him paralyzed from the waist down for the rest of his life. In may 1993 my father was disabled for the rest of his life and he will never be able to walk again. I will never know what its like to have a father who stands on his own two feet. When I was old enough to realize how serious things was I started to look at life as it was a glass cup. What I be mean by this is life is fragile and its easy to break. Its hard enough to change into a mind state of not being able to ever see your father walk, on the other hand its even harder dealing with a grandmother’s passing away.
I recently had a grandmother that passed away from cancer. Her son is the one paralyzed my father. Cancer is a serious dieses that is not to be played with. I have had two grandmothers who came encounter with cancer. One of my grandmother survived. And one that recently passed. This death gave me a serious wake call to live healthy and to enjoy my youth. There are changes for the better and the worst. I know its for the better because she is in a better place now. Having to deal with this tragedy has made me change my mind mentally and just continue my education and get a degree just as she would tell me too.
My high school graduation was a very important and one of the most important times of my life. When entering college you must have a business handling mentality. My high school graduate was my test to see if I am becoming a man. This has changed me mentally, and this was a gap in my life to see if I really had the determination in me. I had a problem in high school with math. I had to sacrifice a lot of sleep and a lot of my time to learn the material. In conclusion to answer my question is change always hard to do, in my opinion yes change is hard to do.
Throughout my growing years I have come encounter with various trials and tribulations that have cause me to make changes in my life which was the solution to my problems. Dealing with a father not being able to walk again, a grandmother passing from cancer and graduating high school. These are all issue that have changed my life for the better.
 

Andrew Sengsouriya
English 1A
Ms. Sabirs
August 29, 2008
My Changes
Throughout my life I notice some changes that affected a lot. Some are minor changes and some are major but the most important changes that happened to me were right after high school. It made me more aware about the things around me; it made me more responsible, and more of a focus person. These changes made me a more mature person.

The first thing that hit me right after high school is more responsibility. I am going to have to face the real life, no more messing around, realizing the things that I can and cannot do, and having to make the right decisions for myself. While I was in high school I wasn’t really responsible about anything and I did not care about anything because it never affected me but now I more responsible for my own actions. I follow the rules like obeying the law, knowing what I can do and not, realizing how serious some situations are, and making the right decisions.

The second change made my eyes more wide open being more aware about things. I wasn’t a really serious person and I didn’t really know anything back then but right after high school I opened my eyes and now more aware about things because I now I have to deal with college, getting a job, and knowing what I need to achieve my goal in life. After high school, it made me gain my awareness and I am more focus on what I plan to do.

After becoming more aware about things, I also have become more focus on my goals. Ever since after high school, I started planning on what I need to accomplish to reach my goals in the future like becoming an engineer, or a business man. I have been researching on the internet, reading books, and taking classes at community college to help me get into those career fields. I think about things that would help me in life so I can a successful person. This change really made me more focus and smart about things.

All these changes affected me have made me become a more mature person. I know I cannot be messing around anymore, no more games, and no more fun. I realized that this is the real adulthood life and I have to take it seriously. It is not like high school anymore where you get to play with your friends and do homework. It is about my own life and making it successful in order to survive in this world. I am more responsible for my own actions and cannot take be careless. I have become more aware about the things around me making me more open to the world and I have become more focus about the things that I need to accomplish in life. These 3 changes after high school made me a more mature person now and making me an adult.
 

Andrew Sengsouriya
English 1A
Ms.Sabirs
August, 29 2008


Intial planning sheet:

1. Maturity and adulthood.
2. It affected me greatly in life
3. The people who relate to me in becoming more mature after high school.
4. Am I mature?
5. compare and contrast
 

Andrew Nguyen
English 201A
8-8:50 AM


"Planning Sheet"

Topic
+What do/did you have to change to be in CoA? What do you have to change to remain in CoA/The Semester
-My "dream" college/family dream
-My priorities/urgencies
+my job, my friends, my family, my education
-My routines
+morning/afternoon/evening/night

Audience
+The reader: possibly a conversation to the reader
+First person view for a more personal note.

Question to Answer
+What am I doing here?
+Why am I here?
+Should I be here?
+Is it right for me to be here?
+Did I make the right decision?

Key Writing Strategies
+Examples: pressure from families (siblings/expectations/their dreams, not mine)
+Problem and solution: did not get into a university, have to take to alternative by going to community college.
+Cause and effect: what happened after I went to community college?

(I have no bad feelings about being in community college, it is just that I was kind of forced to go to community college.)

"Outline Essay"

Thesis
+pressure may make you commit to some changes in your life that you believe is the correct choice or for the good of others.

Major Point One (School)
+constant pressure of college
+comparison from others (family members, people that I do not even know)

Major Point Two (Family)
+situations with father and mother
+how long pressure lasted, or continued.

Conclusion
+change for others, not for oneself.

"Regretful Changes"

The main subject that my family continually pressures me is always about my education. To be honest, most Asian families pressure their children about their education. Their families want them to enter the top ranked colleges, such as the top universities, or the top private colleges. They want them to be doctors, dentists, engineers, or any high-paying occupations. They want their children to be financially successful, not successful in life. To increase that success, our families invest their time drilling our heads with occupations and with focusing on our education above our limit. To make matters worst, families also compare their children to other families' children as well. As their children, their hopes and dreams, we want to please our families by doing what they want us to do. Because we were constantly drilled to believe that top universities and top classes are the only way to succeed, we receive major pressure to make changes in our lives to accomplish our family's dream. We believe what can be acceptable to be actually terrible. The pressure changes our mindset and the changes we believe are the correct choices, or the wrong choices , even if they are truly not.


I was raised in a family whose main focus is education- mostly my education. Everyday I would- actually I still do, hear from my family to do well in school, to do better, to excel in classes. I understand their concern, but "to do better" hits me because I understand it as "you are not putting enough effort." Along with that, the U.C. system is also a top priority in my family as well. There is a very high expectation when I went through high school. I was expected to join all honors and advanced classes. Unfortunately, I did not join alot of those classes. I received many lectures (I actually mean arguments) from my family about not joining those type of classes. At the same time, I was compared to my cousin, whom entered U.C. Davis, and how intelligent he is compared to me. I know they meant better, but I felt like I was not good enough. I continued to work with more effort, especially when college applications arrived. Unfortunately, no universities accepted me. A state college did accepted me, San Jose State University. It was such a relieving feeling for me. This state university had had my interest for a long time. I'd rejected them. Even during the whole crisis of over admittance and being accepted again, I had rejected them. I did not accepted SJSU because I felt that I could do even better, even if the school I had rejected could be the one for me. Instead, I chose to go to community college to gain access to a university (no offense to community colleges!). Everyone is happy with me to try to go for the U.C. path once again. I however, seem not to be.

With all the high expectations, the comparison from other familes' children, and all the lectures, pressure can no doubt change what people believe is acceptable or not. People may think that it is unnatural that someone is crying about getting a 3.5 GPA, but to that person, a 3.5 could be a 2.5, or even lower then that. Getting into a state university can be a terrible outcome for those whose dreams of being accepted into the top universities the first time. We change to succeed for our family. As much as we want to believe in that, we change for others, not for ourselves.
 

1. What is the subject of your paper?
Coming to the United States

2. Why do you want to write about this subject? Is your purpose to explain, explore, evaluate, describe a problem and propose a solution, or argue a point.
I want to write about this subject because it’s the most event that had change my live.


3. What audience will you write for? (Your audience determines the language and information you need from your sources. In this essay, you are a primary source.)
My class mates.


5. What is the main writing strategy you think you will use? (Description, process or causal analysis, compare/contrast, problem/solution, classification. I mentioned that all discourse is argument, or persuasive.)
narative


years go by, we grew up and a lot of things is changing in our lives. To me the most challenging change I face was coming to the United States. In November 11th 2005 we came to America and I was 17 years old it was very hard choice especially for me. I couldn’t imagine my life outside my country and away from my friends and teachers. It was very challenging coming to a new country that has different language, culture, and people. It was very hard tome especially in my first day of Fremont High School. I was in 10th grade and I was really sad and afraid I was not happy and I could not understand what they were saying. Then, when I went home I was just crying and saying that I want to go home, I can not stay there any longer. Everyday in the morning when it was time to go to school I was crying and I did not want to go to school because I did not know English and every thing was very hard. I did not talk with any body and I was so quiet all time. All I thought was I cannot live there. Every thing was different and hard for me. But my parents were supporting me and pushing me all the time to talk and to make new friends here. They said I couldn’t learn English if I did not speak it and practice it with others. Eventually I overcame coming to America, and I started making new friends and talk with others and I understood that coming to America was not that bad. Actually it gives me the opportunity to try new things and to know different people. In addition, it gives me an opportunity to learn new language “English” beside my Arabic language.

Enghish201B
 

The changes of my life is that i used to be worry and afraid of stage fright. My families and friends told me that if i never over come my fear, i will never be able to become the person i want to be. And that is to become a singer, which having to do with a lot of performance and standing in a crowd of people looking at me and seeing what i really can do. Then one day, i started to think about the situation that i really needed to do to over come what might come at me when my career begin. i realized that if i don't start becoming stronger to over come my fear then i should just give up. But i didn't.. That was the beginning of it all.
Working on my first performance of a school event. With 3 other friends of mine, we practice and practice and practice until the event come. On that day, i frozen up because i was afraid that i was going to mess up, but i again realize if i don't do it, i will ruin me and my friend s at the event. Luckily, my friend told me never to be worry. this is the first time for them too. if we mess up, then we mess up. no doubt about it.the first time is the worst but then u will feel better. i mess up, but they said it was cool. after that day, i started to become stronger and more unafraid of it and that was were it all happen.
the next performance that we had was 2 weeks away. i was more confidence then even so i began to do better. now, i been able to be in front of crowds and feel much better. i have over come my fear and become more of a winner.i think! thanks to friends and family even i haven't mention them at all, my family love to sing that is why i started a band with my friends called "chance" and by then, i have been doing great. that is the change of my life.

Lou Saechao
engish 201A
8-8:50
 

i woke up one day and decided to look around my life and see how things progressed. through that i saw that there is alot to be changed. i was a kid who was heading to the wrong direction. i was cutting classes and falling behind everyone else. my parent was really upset about my grades and they were going to kick me out of the house if my grades didnt improve. then i realize that i needed to change my route because the road i was heading was leading me nowhere.

that's when i began to buckle down and take school seriously. i dropped my old friends because they were one of the reason why i was falling behind in the first place. after that my grades started to improve drastically and my eyes began to open.

therefore, after going through this life altering experience; my life has changed and the road i was heading finally pointed me to the right direction. this is a moment or time period in my life that i was completely changed into another person. since then, i never looked back.

dung nguyen
english 201 A
8-8.50
 

Jaliyah Davis
Eng 201 A/B
8am-8:50am

CHANGES


Losing my grandmother was a difficult change for me. On July 9 2006, at Summit hospital my grandmother was pronounced dead. So many thoughts were going through my mind. Losing my grandmother hurt so much I cried out the blue for days. I was very moody because I didn’t want to except she was gone. I kept to myself and didn’t talk much. Living without her was very lonely.

The way I dealt with the hurt of losing my grandmother was by keeping her in my thoughts. I also discussed my grandmother with my family which really helps to keep her spirit alive. Having some of her belongings helped me feel close to her.

Though losing someone hurts, there are many ways you can heal. Talking to family, having time with your-self, ect. Yes change is a part of life and everyone is bound to experience change. Some change may be harder than other but staying positive about the change will help you get through. That’s what I realized about my grandmother. It’s a difficult change and it hurts, but staying positive and family is what got me through.






OUTLINING GUIDE


Thesis: Losing my grandmother was a difficult change for me. Even though she is gone I will remember and the good times we had.

1.Major Point: Losing the person I loved hurt.
*Crying out the blue
*being moody
*Keeping to myself/not talking much
*Feeling lonely




2. Major Point: Staying positive and keep her spirit alive.
*Keeping her in my thoughts
*Talking about her with family



Concluding Sentence:
Though losing someone hurts you can heal the hurt by staying positive.







Planning Sheet for Essay


*What is the subject of your paper?
The subject is me losing my grandmother

*Why do you want to write about this subject? Is you purpose to explain, explore, evaluate, describe a problem and purpose a solution, or argue a point…
My purpose of writing about this subject is to express to readers on how I felt when my grandmother passed, and I have


*What audience will you write? (Your audience determines the language and information you need from your sources. In this essay, you are the primary source.)
My audience will be anyone who has recently losed someone close to them,and who suffer from the change of no longer having having that person in their life

*What question do you want your essay to answer?
I don’t really have specific question I want to answer.

*What is the main writing strategy you think you will use? (Descriptive, Process or Casual Analysis (instructing what to do), Compare/Contrast, Problem/Solution, Classification… I mentioned that all discourse is argument, or persuasive
I’m not really sure what writing strategy I will use.
 

re: essay by Lauriel Solomon

Your essay lacks direction, and clarity. It would be helpful if you could narrow the topic a bit more and elaborate on your transition from high school to college.
 

re: essay by Dion Cade

The topic choice is great. However, you didn't clearly state your thesis. It seems as though the thesis may have been the topic sentence in the 2nd paragraph, but this should be placed in the intro paragraph.Also, the structure of the paper is rather loose, try to condense it to only include valid points, and pertinent information.
 

re: essay by Jakaila Scott

Elaborate more on this pivotal moment in your life. Be sure to state your thesis clearly, and note each paragraph. Also, watch out for punctuation/grammatical errors
 

re: nina wooten essay

nice thesis, but you forgot to include it in the context of the actual essay. Watch out for punctuation and grammatical errors, but you clearly stated each of your topic sentences and provided adequate detail.
 

Treana Penn
English 201A/1:00-2:50pm

Role Model Express
By becoming more active with my younger siblings, I can become a better role model to them. Especially, in today’s society the youth need people who are making a positive impact to look up to. For example, from personal experience, I would not be here today, if I did not have any one to look up to that showed me that life is worth living. It will take progress to be a better role model, but hard work takes practice.
I am out of High School, working, and have more responsibilities, I spend less time at home with my family, and it seems to be a problem. Many times when I walk in the house after a long day, my youngest sister hardly lets me walk into the house without giving me a hug or a kiss. My younger brother and sisters even act like they are my parents, saying things like “Where have you been?” or
“Who you going with?”, making sure that I am always safe. Each of my actions are important, because mainly my sisters watch what I do and try to copy and paste my ways to their lives. If, I choose to go out and do all the wrong things, they will automatically think that it is okay, because they seen their older sister doing it.
For me to be able to fulfill out this personal change, we would all have to come to an understanding, meaning I have to be able to talk to them and hear their problems. If, my sisters and brother, feel comfortable talking to me it would release any fear they might have of asking me questions; whether the question being right or wrong. The reason why I would talk to them is to create a personal bond, because even if I am not a role model, I am still a sister. In order for them to go down a good path, they have to be able to see a good path to follow and then be able to create their own path.
Change, takes steps and it usually consists of a tall ladder with a mirror at the top. My mirror came early, when I seen the difference in the way I acted to my younger sisters and brother and I knew it had to change. I know that they love me and I need to take more annotative, to show them that they are loved back. You have to be your own role model, “The more you know, the more you owe” - Omega Boys Club’s Coachism, because we may not know it, but we are all somebody’s role model.
 

re: Julian Pete

Although you stayed on topic, it's a good idea to watch out for repetition and clearly identify each paragraph. Also, a suggestion would be to write the events noted in the essay in chronological order.
 

re: Andrew Nguyen

Great job of staying on topic without digressing. The topic sentences were concise, however, be sure to check for any grammatical errors and clearly state the thesis.
 

re: essay by Ohood

Although very brief, your essay stayed on point. you made sure to identify the problem, hardships, and ultimately the conclusion. I am aware the English is not your native language, so I would suggest to work a bit more on the overall language and punctuation of the content.
 

re: essay by Lou Saechao

Your essay remained on topic, however, it lacked structure. I didn't identify a thesis, nor was there a workable conclusion.
 

re: essay by dung nguyen

the essay structure is correct, but you should elaborate a bit more on the subject...the essay is quite vague. Good, workable thesis but I'd suggest to re-word it.
 

essay by Jaliyah Davis

A suggestion would be to revise your thesis, and provide more detail on the changes that you endured during this tragic period in your life
 

re essay by Treana Penn

your essay was hard to follow due to the fact that the point was missing. it is a good idea if you revised the essay and narrowed it down a bit more. also, it needs to have a working thesis and identifiable topic sentences.
 

re: Kiara Perine essay

There is no clearly stated thesis. you did a great job with your topic sentences, but be sure to indicate where each paragraph starts and ends in the future. Also, it would be helpful if you could provide a bit more detail in regards to this experience.
 

Kiara Perine
English 201
8-8:50am
September 3, 2008


Summary of Introduction


In the introduction of the book A Rose that Grew from Concrete, Leila Steinberg basically tells us how she first met Tupac Shakur. Leila first met Tupac when she was outside a school called Bayside Elementary School in Marin City in 1989. Leila also goes on an explain how she became Tupac’s manger and all the work they did together. Leila tells how she helped Tupac name live on after his death.
 

Lisa Ryan
English 201A
MW 1:00pm-2:50pm

Change Outline

Thesis: Overweight people can be in better physical shape than there skinny counterparts if they incorporate exercise and good eating habits into their daily lives.

1. What is the subject of your paper? Health and Fitness

2. Why do you want to write about this subject? To dispel the myth that if you're skinny you are healthier and more fit than someone who is overweight.

3. What audience will you write for? Anyone who believes the myth.

4. What questions do you want your research to answer? The benefits of fitness and health, whether you are skinny or overweight.

5. What is the main strategy you think you will use? Problem/Solution.


The Skinny on Health and Fitness

Fitness is the state of being physically fit, esp. as a result exercise and proper nutrition. The media (television, billboards, magazines and other media print) have convinced many in society that the image of fitness and health is someone who is skinny. This has completely excluded overweight people. Because of this society has brought into the notion that if you are skinny you are healthier, fit and happier. There are overweight people who are more physically fit than skinny people. Skinny people as well as overweight people should focus on improving their fitness which will lead to better physical health. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Cancer Institute show that overweight people appear to have longer life expectancies than so-called normal weight adults (The Ledger.com).

As a teenager and young adult I was always considered skinny. When I was thirty nine years old a close relative who was also a fitness trainer stated to me, “you need to get into shape”. I was offended at being told that I was out of shape, I thought to myself I’m not fat so how am I out of shape. But after looking at myself and accepting that I had put on a few extra pounds, and physical exercise was something that I had no interest in. Eventually, I decided to take on the challenge. In the beginning, I couldn’t walk a quarter of a mile without feeling like I was going to go into cardiac arrest and a million times I thought about quitting. My sister on the other hand who was overweight could walk a mile without a sweat. My sister works out regularly and will be participating in the 25 mile breast cancer walk. Although she is overweight I consider her to be in better physical health than I am. She has more endurance than me and has incorporated regular exercise into her daily life. In the past, I felt that I didn’t need to exercise like other people because I was not overweight, I was slim and I felt pretty good. But today my thinking has changed and I have made a commitment to better health through exercise. I will incorporate regular fitness exercise into my daily life and maintain my good eating habits so that I can experience the same rewards as an overweight person who is physically fit.

I believe that if you are skinny, have a good diet and are physically fit you will have less health problems and may even have a longer life expectancy. The same holds true for overweight people that are physically fit, they too will add years to their lives through regular exercise and better eating habits. About one out of four slim people who fall into the “healthy” weight range actually have at least two cardiovascular risk factors typically associated with obesity (The Ledger.com). Skinny people feel that they are physically fit and unlike overweight people don’t have to focus or work at being healthy. In a ten year research at the Cooper Institute for Aerobics Research, they found that overweight people can be just as fit and healthy as their leaner counterparts (An Invitation to Health, 2009-2010, pg. 195). The rewards of being fit include: a boost in energy, improvement in mood, decrease in stress, sleep patterns are likely to improve and a person generally feels better about themselves. Overweight people can be in better physical shape than there skinny counterparts if they incorporate exercise and good eating habits into their daily lives.
 

Joshua Brown-James
English 201A 1:00–2:50pm
August 31, 2008

Initial planning sheet

1. What is the subject of your paper? The subject of my essay is preparing to have a baby

2. Why do you want to write about this subject? I choose to write about this subject because this as one of the big changes in my life

3. What audience will you write for? Anyone who is planning on having a baby.

4. What questions do you want your research to answer? The changes that are positive and negative of preparing to have a baby.

5. What is the main strategy you think you will use? Positives and negatives.

Changes Outline

Thesis: Preparing to have a baby was an overwhelming obstacle that changed my life in ways unimaginable.

Body paragraphs: The different positive or negative changes I went through such as relationship change and emotional change.

Changes Essay

Preparing to have a baby was an overwhelming obstacle that changed my life in ways unimaginable. When I first found out that I was having a baby I thought about all the changes that would happen to my life and I didn’t know how to deal with them. I would now how to sacrifice many things that I wasn’t too happy to give up. I went through emotional change, economic change, relationship and personal change. These are some of the changes I have gone through while preparing to have a baby. I had to take on many responsibilities like working to provide for my family which I wasn’t prepared to do at such a young age. This was a problem for me because I never had a job before and all of a sudden I had to find work immediately which was hard to cope with. I now had to manage all of my money and not just blow it because I had many things to buy for the baby that were expensive. At first I didn’t know how I was going to pay for everything because just one job wasn’t enough income to pay for everything I needed. A baby is a big responsibility that one has to be prepared for and this was a responsibility that I wasn’t prepared for.
The emotional change that I went through while preparing to have a baby was something that was greatly overwhelming. It was many times in which I felt like giving up but I knew this was something I couldn’t do. I had to please everyone my girlfriend, her parents and my parents. Everyone expected me and only me to do things that I thought was impossible. My girlfriend expected me to be there and do everything she wanted at that particular day and time. Our parent kept asking when we were going to get married which was something I wasn’t prepared to do. I was only eight teen and it was bad enough that I was having a baby at such a young age. I often thought that I was going to be a bad father because I didn’t know how to take care of a baby. This was what I thought about the most because I wanted so bad to be a great father but I didn’t see how that was possible. This made me go crazy but I had to put all of my emotional problems to the side in order to be a great dad and to take care of my family. My life was changed in various ways while preparing to have a baby that brought many problems that I wasn’t able to deal with. I had to take on many responsibilities. I went through emotional, economic, relationship and personal change. Changes are something that everyone goes through which makes their life different for better or worse. The change I went through changed my life for the worse at first because of the enormous responsibilities I had to take on. It also will change my life because just waiting for the day when I can see and hold my baby brings me great joy.
 

re: essay by Lisa Ryan

Wonderful essay. Bravo! Very well pieced together and researched. You provided a multitude of information, stayed on topic, incorporated your thesis, and made a solid point.
 

re: essay by Joshua Brown-James

This is a great start... I was unable to identify the paragraphs and topic sentences. I would also advise you to revise your conclusion to include a recap of the essay, and reiterate the thesis- (within the conclusion)
 

This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
 

AudraTipton
English 201B
1-3 PM

There is a dramatic change of the person you are in high school and the person you are a year after high school. During my ninth grade year I began to develop my quest for my inner self, struggling for growth and change. Looking back I found myself evolving right before my eyes, I became more outspoken I hung out with the same four girls through out my four years of high school. My last three years of high school I was more active I joined two wonderful programs (T.R.Y.U.M.F. trying to uplift my folk and Conflict Mediation) that birth me a new ideology looking into what some people call the “real word”. Ninth grade year I wanted to be apart of the in crowd, now I’m glad I didn’t navigate that way. All the kids with the latest trends hung together, I could have cared less what I had on I was coming to school to learn not to make a fashion statement!

By the time I graduated high school I became confused, I didn’t know what my purpose for life was, I didn’t know who I was. Being that I didn’t know self I followed my best friend to the “Art Institute of California San Francisco”, that idea was very wrong. I hated every moment I was there, no clubs to join, no student body activities, and no college parties, so I dropped out. I picked up everything I could carry and moved to Atlanta where my sister resides. I stayed there for the summer I got a job working at the “Avenue” (women’s clothing store) I hated it there seven dollars an hour a $100.00 a week which didn’t help much. I had two managers one was cool the other manager I couldn’t stand her; she was just like plastic fake. Seeing how my sister had not changed much still the spoiled child when we were younger I had to leave and come back to California.
Back at the college of Alameda now on a more serious note to finish school.

I met my husband to be, we met outside the library. I would see him in the book store where I worked. He was always polite and showed his beautiful big smile. I remember our first conversation. He was at the table in the library doing home work; I sat down on the other side of the divider. I whispered to him “psst” he says hello. How are you doing? Fine, who am I talking to? It is I my son. Oh what’s up Jesus how you been? I’m good; did you see the young lady I sent your way? Yes I did she’s beautiful. Thank you, I know.” We went on role playing for about two hours. Previous relationships I jumped head in first with out being friend first. He made me wait four months before we officially became a couple. It was important to him that we were friends first. In the beginning I didn’t understand, but now I appreciate it. Besides my mom he is my best friend. He goes out of his way to make me happy which is crazy; cause he knows just spending time is more than enough for me. Every time he comes over he brings me flowers, breakfast, lunch, dinner or something special. He rubs my feet after a long day of hard work, he accepts me for who I am nothing more nothing less. Everyday ihe helps me to stay focus on my goals by making sure I complete my task for that day weather it’s homework, work, working out, helping others etc.

Meeting him was like being in the middle of a tornado; he flipped my whole world up side down my life changed for the better! He presented a whole new ideology to life. He showed me how to evaluate my self, the people I called my friends and the difference between a friend and an associate. As our relationship grew stronger, my layers begin to unravel focusing more on myself, reading more, asking questions, writing down words I didn’t know when people held conversations with me. He challenged my every thought for the benefit of my own good, no longer was I passive I took a stand for what I believed in if I didn’t like it I said so. It’s all about me now. I take time to evaluate my life everyday, “did I do anything productive today, did I help someone, did I finish my homework etc? It’s funny now that I think about it. If someone has a booger or something on there face, before I wouldn’t say anything but now I tell them within a heart beat.

About a year ago my mom would tell me everyday “Audra just land some where” now I can say flight 22 has landed safely. I like the way my life has changed for the better. Now that I am a better person I can help people see the sight beyond site. In my high school honors program we had principles to live by to help us in our everyday life to be fully human. One of those I understand more clearly now is G.I.T. Visions, which stands for Goals, Insight and Thought. Back then I really didn’t have goals; my insight and my thought were off on vacation someplace. In the movie “Matrix” there is a character Neo he plays the one, his job is to save the people of Zion from the machines that come to destroy them. He doesn’t believe it at first then he come to see that he is the one. For religious views it’s like beneath the veil. Here at the college of alameda I found my Neo “Oh God grant me the serenity to accept the things that I cannot change the courage to change the things that I can” India.Arie.
 

Miloš Bucalo
ENGL 201A
Professor Wanda Sabir

What is Change?

What is change? Some people search all their lives trying to find the meaning of this word. In everybody’s life, the word change is having positive and negative side. For me, the word change has a positive meaning, because in last one year I had a big change in my life.

First, everything started two years ago, when my best friend asked me if I wanted to come to America to study and at same time to play basketball, because in Serbia where I am from, you have to choose between school and sport. I was in big dilemma, go or stay. Never in my life I was not separate from my family, friends, city, and country. Something, in me said try you will not lose anything if you try. He gave my tape to a coach from Kansas and he decided to give me scholarship in Colby Community College. For me that was one of biggest change in my life. I always wanted to be good student and athlete in the same time. America gave me that. For me moving from Europe to America was big. For the First time I was so far from home.

The year, in Kansas was the year of my maturation, when I learn to live alone, to take care about my-self, to make decide in my name. For me was weird that I didn’t have anybody from Serbia, nobody who knew my language. In Kansas, I lived in cities that have about three thousand people and I am coming from city that lived about three million people. The first time in my life, I saw and had a black teammates in team, because in Serbia we do not have black population. My first roommate was a guy from Louisiana. Kansas the year when I first time tasted “no justice”. Kansas for me was good, school was good, people loved me, but one reason why I came to USA was basketball, and that was not going well. I had a lot of problems with my coach. He never wanted to help me, for example for Christmas break when everybody was with their family at home, me and my teammate from Brazil stay in dorms alone, without food. He never wanted to call us to checked or asked if we needed something, but thanks to God that we had good host parents, people who helped as, and took care like we are there sons. That was one of reasons of my thinking about leaving and changing college in Kansas.

I did not have any ideas, where I could continue my education and play basketball. I had a lot of offers, from all parts of America (Texas, N.Carolina, Mississippi, from others schools in Kansas). One Saturday morning, I received a call from a coach from California. That coach was a coach from the College of Alameda- Maryon Jordan. He explained me about his program, and how he is interested in seeing me in his program. I decided on COA, because Coach Jordan really wanted me to come to be part of his program, and our communication was better than coach from Kansas. A couple of weeks later, I come to visit COA, and I was really happy with what I saw.

I know that California will be more difficult than Kansas, but my goal is to finish the four year university, and I am sure that coach Jordan, the teachers, and my new teammates will help me to reach, and of course I will work hard and be ready for new changes in my life.
 

re: Essay by Audra Tipon

You started your essay off well, but you didn't include a clear thesis. After writing about your transition from Atlanta to the College of Alameda, you started to deviate away from the topic. Also, there lacked a conclusion which referred back to your initial topic/thesis.
 

Francisco Marcial
English 201A
08/31/08
BECOMING AN ADULT
Every single person in the world has to go through a change in life. Some of them are visible and some are not. Some of them just happen to a few people and some of them happen to everyone. Like becoming and adult. Everyone in the world goes through this change because everyone has to transform from a child to an adult. For the people that have already gone through this change they already know what the effects are and the biggest one is, being more responsible.
Once I became eighteen years old I thought that everything was going to be really easy because I would be able to do what ever I wanted because I was already an adult. But the first responsibility that I had when I became eighteen was to find a job so I could get money. When I got my job I saw that I also had some responsibilities in my job and that having a job wasn’t just going to work and getting a paycheck. Having a job is a big responsibility and one of my responsibilities in my job was to always get there on time because if I didn’t I could get fired. This was one of the hardest things for me in my job because I used to be the type of person that was always late to everything for example, I was always late to school and my appointments. But having this job helped me learn to manage my time wisely so I could always get to work on time and never be late again to any of the places that I go to. Another thing that I’m responsible for at my job is all of the tools and materials that I use. Every time that I get a tool or material I have to place back where it belongs and if I loose it then I have to pay for it. This wasn’t really hard for me because I’m a pretty organize person.
Having money and managing my money always sounded and looked pretty easy for me. But when I started to manage my own money I saw how hard this is. This was pretty hard for me because I always thought that once I was eighteen then I could do whatever I wanted with my money for example; that I could always buy anything that I wanted . Then I saw that it didn’t work that way because when you become an adult you have to start paying for your own stuff. I had to start paying for my own bills and for my own food and clothes and when I subtract all of the things that I have to pay from my check my check starts to get smaller ans smaller. So I started to learn how to manage my money so I could always have enough money for all of my bills and money that I could spent or save.
Instead of spending a lot of my money I started to save it and with all the money that I had saved I bought my self my first car. I never thought that having I car was going to be a really big responsibility. I always thought that once you had a car you didn’t had to pay for anything more, that you could just go drive it whenever and wherever you wanted. Now that I own a car I know that it is a big responsibility. For me having a car is like having a pet because when you have a pet you have to be responsible for its food, health, vaccinations, etc. Also every time that your pet gets sick you have to take it to the hospital. Well when I got my car I had to be responsible for the gas, maintenance, state fees, and insurance. Also every time that something was wrong with my car or something didn’t work I had to go take it to a mechanic shop so it could get fixed.
Becoming an adult means becoming more responsible of all of the things that you own and use. Being an adult isn’t really that bad because when you become an adult you start to make all of your own decisions and you could do what ever you like to do with your stuff. Another effect that you get is that you learn more things that will help you be successful in the real world. When you become an adult you start to learn how to be more responsible for all of the things that you do and use. You also start to learn how to be more organize and how to manage your money and time. You start to learn how to be more independent and you are going to need all of this things when you get out to the real world because there is going to be times where you are going to need to push yourself so you could get to the place where you want to get. There’s not always going to be someone there pushing you and helping you so you could get to the place that you want to get. You are going to need to find your own resources and get help by yourself. I know this because I’ve already gone through this, by the way I’m still going through it because college is a really good example because here at college if I need help, I have to look for it. Every time I miss a day I’m responsible for getting the work that I missed and I also have to know when I have to turn in my work. That’s my responsibility not the teachers. So it would be really helpful if you start to be responsible when you are still in highschool so it doesn’t hit you that hard when you become an adult and go to college.
 

Francisco Marcial
English 201A 1-2:50pm
8/27/08

PLANNING SHEET

1.What is the subject of your paper?
The subject of my paper is the effects of becoming an adult.

2.Why do you want to write about this subject?(is your purpose to explain, explore, evaluate, describe a problem & propose a solution, or argue a point)
The reason why I want to write about this subject is because I know that other people had to go through this situation but, for the people that haven’t, so they could see how it is and so they could get ready.

3.What audience will you write for?
The audience that I will write for is, for the people that haven’t gone through this change.

4.What questions do you want your essay to answer?
The question that I want my essay to answer is; what are the effects of becoming an adult?

5.What is the main writing strategy that you think you will use?(description, process or casual analysis, compare/contrast, problem/solution, classification, I mentioned that all discourse is argument or persuasive.)
I think that the writing strategy that I will use in my paper is description because I’m giving you a description on the effects of becoming an adult.
 

Thomas Newman
Eng 201b



If Fish can Walk, then I can Run



For so long I had been living this life not really knowing why I was living it. I had no purpose; or at least no awareness of one. A life without purpose is a strange thing. This person walks through this world kind of asleep with his cheap self constructed endeavors that are ultimately just flimsy excuses to be living. This meaningless busy-work that fills his life is only a hollow victory. These meaningless victories cannot amount to anything in a more grand sense. How could they? He cannot see too far: how far can he see if he can't even see his role in the grand scheme of things in the world that he has been put in? He cannot know too much: how much could he really know if he doesn't even know why he exists, where he comes from, or where he must go? He busies himself with things unrelated to these ultimate questions. This is the tragedy of it. In being ignorant to his purpose these questions forever remain unanswered. Without that, he is just a hollow body. He is a person at sleep; a king of nothing.


Not too far back I orderd this magazine through the internet from somebodey in England. The magazine featured Sade, best known as the popular singer from the 80's. For so long I've had the biggest crush on her. I laid down on my bed and flipped through the pages feeling light. She always could do that to me. Seeing her and reading what she had to say was like being dunked underneath water. There I am sort of just floating with this magazine in my hands still underwater. Bill Evans and Miles Davis are down in that water somewhere playing the same song as usual. I put it down eventually. If only just to take a breath I guess. I looked up and it was all gone. She was gone and I was alone again. I looked around me and saw so many things that filled my life. Video games, boxing gloves, comic books, some brand new shoes: all loosely scattered around the room. These things suddenly seemed so worthless. What did it all mean really, these things? Nothing, really. It was all I had. Did that also mean I had nothing? I knew then that I wanted something more than that.


I went outside a couple days later to take a walk. I had been subjected to only walking after getting an injury in my legs (shin splints) that comes from running on hard surfaces (like concrete) excessively in effect straining the muscles of the leg to their break point. For so long I hadn't even been doing even that. I got so discouraged by the injury I pretty much just gave up on the whole idea of training. I guess I was bitter. Maybe I was frustrated. This walk, as marginlized as it was, was my first attempt at training again in months. I went to the beach because I figured the surface couldn't be too hard on that soft beige sand; not a bad place to start all things considered.


The beach is interesting. When you walk along the shore your line of sight is cut in half. On one side there is the land and on the other there is the water that appears so endless. This time of the year the weather isn't so great. The water was gun metal grey, emotionless for the most part, only taking breaks from this to appear discontent at something for reasons only it would know. The land was filled up by sandcastles - some new, some old - and people carving their names or other messages into the wet of the inter tidal zone with a stick probably. Eventually the water sweeps up and takes it all away when it feels the time is right. Walking along that thin seperating line between these two worlds you can't help but feel that you are being asked something by this scene. On one side there is evidence of life and on the other there is an endless void. Is it asking me which side I'm on?

So long ago our ancestors came up out that same water, that same endless void. They climbed up onto that same land and though it must have been hard they even learned how to walk. I guess thats what it all came down to. Just that one choice to change their lives forever. I had to climb out of that water too. I had to learn how to walk again just as they did so long ago. I knew I wanted something more than what I had. I just needed to know what it was I missing, to breathe in that purpose through my own lungs, and only to take that first step out.
 

changes

Risi Agbabiaka
English 201B
Aug. 29, 2008

Out line

Thesis: There are challenges that I face and with those challenges I had to create a plan for in this time of growth, such as finding a balance of being a single parent, maintaining healthy relationships, and the economics hardship I now face being a college student.

1. To create a balance of being a single parent and a student.
a. Son’s time
b. Meals
2. The economic change from being an employee with a nice pay check to a starving college student.
a. Spending
b. Resources
c. Ways to make and save money
3. I needed to change the role I played in my relationships in my life.
a. My role in them
b. My new role
c. Reminder
Conclusion: recap of everything briefly and the way I feel about my new opportunity.










Changes

In life everyone grows at different times, and when we are faced with growth there becomes a need for change. I must agree that change is not easy and it takes paycitices. I am currently faced with the desire to change who I am. I was once an employee and now I am in the process of being a student. There are challenges that I face and with those challenges I had to create a plan for in this time of growth, such as finding a balance of being a single parent, maintaining healthy relationships, and the economics hardship I now face being a college student.
First I had to create a balance of being a single parent and a student. Being a single parent time set a side for my son is important. I now have less recreation time to spend with him due to homework, so I now set aside special time for my son, which gives him a sense of importance. I also had to change the way our meals are planed for the day. In the past I would allow my son to choose what he wanted for dinner, when I picked him up from school. I know plan all meals in advance, and I try to cook enough for left-over’s for the next day. I may add that it is going to take some getting use to because I do not like left-over’s.
Next is the economic change from employee with a nice pay check to a starving college student. This to me is the most difficult change from being able to buy what you want, when you want it, to becoming a person who can barely pay for school books. I had to adjust my spending habits, by not spending any money. I learned about resources that can help a student going to school such as Finical Aid, and EOPS. I also now recycle and use the barter system for extra things I may need, which is helpful, and relieves some of the stress of what I don’t have or may want.
Last I needed to change the role I played in my relationships in my life. I have always been the supportive person whither it is with friends, family or lovers, so the first thing I needed to change with my circle of people was who I am to them. I had to become the student, and that person’s life is more structured. I can be supportive but I come first now, well at least studying and homework. Everything in my life now is on a schedule down to the times that I eat. Luckily the people around me are supportive in my change although I find myself reminding them I am a student. I have to explain to them that I too am having a hard time finding a balance with them and my new identity the student in school going for her BS.
Overall I am accepting me being a student, which has caused an overall change in my life. I am happy that everyone is supportive in my new role in life. And for my son, finding some peace in the balance of parenting will be as easy as I make it. I tell my son knowledge is power, you have to get yours, and I will support you the whole way. However, at this time mama has to get hers because knowledge is something no one can ever take away. Economically school pays off in the long run, so I believe I can adjust to this change of not having as much money as I use to for a little while longer.
Posted by agbab at 11:24 PM 0