SSR First Quarter

The name of the book I read this past quarter was A Civil Action by Jonathan Harr. It is a nonfiction novel and there are a total of 500 pages in this book.

The book is essentially a collection of accounts about a leukemia outbreak in the small town of Woburn (in the United States) that was thought to have been brought on by the negligence of nearby companies. The book gives the accounts in the perspective of someone looking in from the outside. There were several families who's experiences with the leukemia were accounted for. Many of the families experienced the death of their loved ones because at this point in time, not much was known about the cancer. When the leukemia began affecting families, people began to search for answers. It was highly puzzling that so many people fell sick in the such a small vicinity. It seemed as though all the evidence pointed towards the companies. The book tells about the trial that the families went through in an attempt to get some sort of compensation for the loss of their loved ones.

In all honesty, I did not like this book. It was not at all entertaining, even though I prefer the nonfiction genre over others. The reason I didn't like it was because it felt as though the author was repeating himself endlessly. Also, his thoughts were incredibly jumbled, making the plot hard to follow. The tone was almost monotone in a way, and I felt as though I was reading a textbook.

In closing, I wouldn’t recommend for anyone to read this book

1st Quarter Book Review: Thunderhead

The first quarter book I decided to review is Thunderhead by Neal Shusterman. It is a five hundred four page science-fiction book where the world is a utopia because a super advanced artificial intelligence called the Thunderhead is the supreme ruler of the world. This is book two in a series called Arc of a Scythe and is the latest one in the series. Book one is called Scythe. The backstory to this series revolves around the idea that all the world's problems have been solved by the Thunderhead. These problems include world hunger, disease, global warming, pollution, renewable energy, world peace, aging and most importantly death. With death being solved people feared over population so they created they created the scythedom which the Thunderhead can not interfere with and the scythedom is above all authority. The scythedom's purpose is to train worthy apprentices in the "art of killing" so that they could become scythes who are the only people who have the permission to take lives. The plot of Thunderhead is that the scythedom is having an internal conflict between its two major philosophical parties and matters are coming to a critical point. The story follows the two main characters form the first book. The first main character is Rowan Damisch, who goes by the title of Scythe Lucifer, who's mission is to end corruption in the scythedom from the outside. The second main character is Citra Terranova, who goes by the title of Scythe Anastasia, and is trying to fix the scythedom form the inside. The things I like most about the book is how it makes references to present day things like famous people or concepts and presents them like they are something form ancient history.

SSR Quarter 1 Book Review: Every Day

     For the first quarter, I chose to read Every Day by David Levithan. The genre of the book is fantasy and young adult romance, and it contains 324 pages.
     The book revolves around the protagonist A, who is a person that wakes up in a different body everyday. It is always a person around their age and near their location, but it is never the same person twice. A makes sure not to disrupt the lives of  their hosts by respecting the person and living the day as that person. However, that all changes when A meets Rhiannon, a normal teenage girl they had the opportunity to get to know when they woke up in the body of her boyfriend Justin. The rest of the book deals with the struggles that both A and Rhiannon have to endure in order to be together. The obvious hurdle that they have to go through is the fact that A is never the same person, so Rhiannon has to learn to love A's soul, not their body. Also, A has to come to terms with the fact that they broke their promise to not change the lives of the hosts.
     One of my favorite things about the book is that after getting to know the characters, it kept you on the edge of your seat because after all the difficulties the characters have gone through, you want  to see them to be happy. The writing may seem simplistic at times, especially because the chapters are titled by days (the days that A has been alive). However, I think that it benefits the book because you are able to understand what events occur each day, and you get to know what A is thinking. I believe that many people will be able to relate to the main character because A is simply trying to find out where they belong in the world and what their purpose is. Overall, I highly recommend this book.

1st Qtr. SSR Review: The Hate U Give

During the first quarter, I had the pleasure of reading the Hate U Give by Angie Thomas, which was categorized in the young adult fiction genre. After browsing my peers' book reviews, I am pleasantly surprised to say that I was also captivated by this raved out novel ever since its announcement of its movie. In the novel written by Angie Thomas, it illustrates a 16 year-old girl named Starr Carter who is ultimately trying to stabilize her life as a black minority student in a prestigious, white private school, while also maintaining her reputation in her neighborhood as a part of the lower class. Within the midst of this, she is suddenly put into the position of standing up for what she believes in once her long-time childhood friend Khalil is shot by the police while driving them both home after being pulled over. After witnessing this, Starr is then faced with the internalized obstacle to whether voice her opinions or not about the consistent prejudice against black Americans.

 Overall, this novel is too intriguing and it just flies by once you pick it up. I believe that especially our age group would find it to be captivating, although it describes the harsh realities in which most black minorities face today. I personally found it to be more relatable especially because of the political climate that we are in right now, with the use of occurrences such as these being routine sadly. Overall, this 444 page novel can be enjoyed by all ages and I highly recommend it! 

The Sun Also Rises - First Quarter Book

     This first quarter I decided to read something older so I picked up The Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemingway. The main character is Jake Barnes and he narrates his encounters with Robert Cohn, Lady Brett Ashely, and others. Jake is a veteran of the Great War and is having a relaxing life in Paris. Robert is a Jewish man perceived as hasty by everyone else as they all seem to hate him. Lady Brett is a free spirit who is enjoying her life as much as she can. The story takes place in Europe after World War I, and that was something that definitely influenced the plot—I will explain.

     Hemingway's language was a bit hard to understand sometimes and this definitely had to do with me not understanding some of the cultural references that were going on in the 1920s, but overall you found that the way people talked back then was the same except that the actual words were different (if that makes sense). We express ourselves no different than our ancestors did; however, we have found newer terms.

     The way the book is written, you get this idea that the main characters are fond of taking part in exciting activities, but this is their only source of happiness. Last year in history class, I learned that Hemingway's goal with some of his novels was to outline this idea of the "Lost Generation" after World War I. This is very evident throughout the novel, you can see that most of the characters don't see life as something valuable. There plenty of times where they were stripped of emotion, where their pleasure came from talking behind Robert Cohn's back.

     The book is intended for a mature audience because it's a bit of a hard read and because there's a lot of sexual themes, which ultimately decide the fate of the story. I have to admit that there isn't much action besides lots of traveling, but the underlying themes and the (sometimes bewildering) assumptions that you have to make about some of the characters is what really makes this book one-of-a-kind.

SSR Book Review Q1: Slaughterhouse Five

        For the first quarter, I read Slaughterhouse Five by Kurt Vonnegut. It is a science-fiction novel containing 215 pages. 

        The book revolves around one major character, Billy Pilgrim. The plot of the novel consists of Billy traveling through time warps into different parts of his life. Billy constantly alternates between random experiences such as being a soldier in World War II, being abducted by aliens, and being stuck in a mental hospital. Billy Pilgrim is a static character, but this doesn't take anything away from the story because the great qualities of the character project differently in the novel's many distinct settings. 

        What makes this novel special is Billy's personality. Billy is a very average, quiet, and non-heroic character that finds himself in several intense experiences. This gives the novel some comedic qualities while also allowing the reader to simultaneously feel sympathy for the character and truly feel a connection with him. It is an interesting combination that adds to the peculiarity of the novel.

        My favorite characteristic of Slaughterhouse Five is how unpredictable the plot is. Similar to many other novels, the plot has dry points, but the random time traveling provides a permanent sense of suspense while reading. Obviously, this is a great trait for a book to have, and it helps make it a relatively easy read. This novel has the most abstract and bizarre plot I have ever read, so I would easily recommend it to readers who want to try something different and are tired of the redundant storylines of many popular current novels. 

Not Gonna Lie

The novel I read last quarter was not so great.  It is called We Were Liars and it is written by the Emily Jenkins, who goes by E. Lockhart.  Although the book has several good reviews and is of a mystery genre, the novel's 225 pages were very confusing to me, so I will explain it to the best of my ability.  The main character, Cadence Sinclair Eastman, is apart of a very rich family called "the Liars" because of all the mischief they get into.  She grows up in Burlington, Vermont and in the summer, she goes to the family island called Beechwood where she goes to dinners, plays with her cousins, and lives a very luxurious lifestyle.  Cadence meets Gat there and they fall in love together at the mere age of fourteen, but that is when it goes downhill for them.  Her parents go through a divorce and while, her mother buys basically a new everything to help them get through the transition, Cadence goes through this terrible incident where she experiences memory loss and disabling migraines.  Cadence struggles to come to terms with the extent of her injuries as she tries to figure out what happens throughout the novel while also going through typical losses of innocence through transitioning into adulthood.

We Were Liars has several themes, but one that came to my attention at the end was the perception of reality.  The ending really made me reconsider the details of the novel and made Cadence an unreliable narrator.  There are points in this novel where you really have to question what is real and what is just the perception that goes through Cadence's head.  This novel is one of those where you question "why does that person do such and such.." and it will not make sense until the absolute end.  Personally, this book was not very capturing because of the writing style and the way events played out.  There was no humor or action, it was very old-fashioned mystery.  Lockhart was poetic, made incomplete sentences at times, and had very short chapters.  Overall, the book was not of my preference, so it was not the type that would call my attention or that I would read for hours on end.

SSR Quarter 1 Book Review

The book that I read for the first quarter was The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams. This book consists of 180 pages and is a Comic science fiction novel. The Plot of the book is about Arthur Dent and his journey across the galaxy. Arthur must search the galaxy for a new home because Earth is destroyed by Vogons, who destroy Earth because they want to create room for a motorway bypass system. Arthur then becomes friends with Ford Perfect who becomes his guide to the galaxy and teaches Arthur everything he needs to know to survive. Arthur learns three important things from Ford that help him to survive his journey, 1) He, Ford, is an alien from Beetlegeuse; 2) He, Ford is a writer for the Hitchiker's Guide to the Galaxy, and 3) The Earth and many more planets are going to be destroyed. These three tips are essential to Arthurs survival in the universe because they lead the way to more tips about the universe that Arthur eventually discovers.  For being a short book,I really enjoyed reading it because I like reading books that are related to Science Fiction and at the same time, deal with Space. This book mentions Space a lot, it felt like a Star Wars novel because there were parts in the book where Arthur got into blaster showdowns with the Aliens in the novel, and most of the characters in the novel have their own spaceships, just like in Star Wars. However, this book for being a really action paced book can get really slow at times because sometimes the story stops to give an explanation of random things in the universe. For example, the moment before Arthur's house gets destroyed, the book takes a break from the story to give a whole explanation on the origin of the Zaphod race that lasts for about five pages long. Still, despite the fact that it drags, this novel was still engaging for me, if you're a reader who likes action, Sci Fi, and comedy, then this book if for you, give it a read.

SSR Book Reveiw

Title: Sword Art Online: Gun Gale Online Squad Jam
Author: Keiichi Sigawa
Genre: Fiction
# of Pages: 294

In this light novel, the protagonist, Karen, is living her normal life in Japan in the year 2026. Karen struggles with her appearance by being a tall young adult and is being uncomfortable whenever she goes out in the real world. She had this idea to become a completely new image by the help of MMOVR(Massively Multiplayer Online Virtual Reality) gaming and would like to choose a game where she can be a small girl in another world. After many attempts trying to find the right VR game of her character resembling a small girl, she has found the perfect game that she wishes her character to be and naming her, "Llenn". When exploring game, she realizes that the game called "Gun Gale Online' is based off of a Dystopian future including battlefields, wars, and Battle Royale, but Karen wasn't bothered by the fact and only cared about her little girl character. After going through tutorial and designing her character, she was prepared to freely play the game who its meant to, including fighting monsters and play against other players with  military/ futuristic weapons. One day, she meet a mysterious women named Pitohui, surprisingly finding Karen out in the desert and become friendly towards her as she seem special to her. Karen and Pitohui became friends and as they get along, Pitohui decided to ask her to join her team for battle royale tournament known as "Squad Jam"...

I really liked the light novel as I relate to the main protagonist of wanting to create my own character image to something I believe is presentable to others. The main character was pretty energetic and motivated to do anything that comes across from her and has set her own goals throughout the novel. The major plot later on in the story were not predictable and I wouldn't even think of it myself. Side characters during the whole story were interesting with their little background and gives more development to the main character.

SSR Book Review: Looking for Alaska

For the first quarter, I chose to read Looking For Alaska by John Green. This novel was young adult fiction mixed with adventure and romance and included 223 pages. The main character, Miles Halter, is a humble boy was tired of his basic life at home where he didn't have much friends and craved excitement, so he decided to attend Culver Creek boarding school in hope to seek a "Great Perhaps." There, he meets many more people such as his roommate Chip, who goes by "the Colonel" and an interesting girl named Alaska Young who he immediately ends up catching feelings for, but she has a boyfriend. Alaska is different from the other characters in that she has a more mischievous personality and is able to connect with Miles in their own unique way. They introduce him to a new lifestyle full of adventures and trouble where Miles is content with life— until an unfortunate tragedy occurs. This event was extremely difficult for Miles to cope with, but once he is assigned an essay that asks how each student is able to personally escape their labyrinth of struggles, Miles realizes that he finally has some answers to what he has been searching for. Overall, I enjoyed this book because it was easy to read and kept an interesting plot throughout the entire novel, and I would recommend it to teenagers in general since it revolves around teens with different stories and struggles.

1st QTR SSR: Infinity

The book I got into for the first quarter is called Infinity by Sherrilyn Kenyon.  This book is about a  14 year old named Nick Gautier who is very poor and unpopular in his school.  He has three friends he would hustle with to get money for his mom.  He is a good kid overall but one day he gets set up to do something bad without knowing and from that day on he meets a guy named Kiran who's part of a clan thats for the good side.  Nick has no idea what he actually is and doesnt know his abilities.  Kiran saved him once so he starts to work for him so that he can also keep an eye on him.  He has powers and with those powers he needs to decide what he wants to do with them. This book really kept me reading because I kept wanting to know wether he chose the good side or bad.  Its very descriptive and should be read by people who love fiction.  I usually dont like reading books but this book had me reading it on my spare time.  I give this book a 10/10.

Moneyball

The book I read throughout the first quarter was Moneyball by Michael Lewis. After high school my current dream is to be a professional sports agent, this book gave me insight into the business side of Major League Baseball. Throughout the book, Lewis shows the advancement of the Oakland A's from mediocrity to championship contenders with a team whose payroll was much smaller than the opposition's. The book provides insight into the previous world of baseball and what baseball was destined to become through the analysis of advanced statistics. The main character, Oakland A's General Manager, Billy Beane radically changed the criteria of potential players. The book states prior to Billy Beane's shift players were judged on their bodies and their potential to become stars. Players had to look the part of the ideal baseball player and prove to the old scouts that they possessed the physical attributes to play in the majors. The shift was brought about with Harvard educated statistician, Paul DePodesta, who used baseball statistics to evaluate prospects. The eye test of scouts and simple batting average was replaced by sabermetrics( the applying of statistical analysis to evaluate the performance of individuals).The 301 page book shows how deeper analysis reaps greater rewards than the superficial and grossly expensive alternative. This approach was adapted on a league wide scale and has since been replicated in all other professional sports.   

The book was interesting because it showed who Billy Bean was prior to becoming the General Manager of the Oakland A's. Beane was a top MLB prospect in high school who was debating between the big leagues and college. He ultimately chose the big league was bounced to the minors and had short periods of play in the big leagues, never becoming the superstar the old scouts envisioned him becoming. This failure in Beane's life led to his revolutionary succes as a general manager. It pushed him to go against the grain and change how prospect evaluation was handled.

Baron Barajas

The Hate U Give

My first quarter SSR book was The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas. I’ve been meaning to read this book for quite a while, and I actually read the first few chapters about a year ago but never really had an opportunity to read all 444 pages. When I saw the movie was coming out, I knew I had to read it before heading to the theater, so I figured SSR was the perfect opportunity!
The story follows Starr Carter, a 16-year-old who balances her life between her poor, black neighborhood and her posh, white private school. She has mastered the art of making sure her two worlds remain completely separate from each other, that is, until her childhood best friend, a young, black boy named Khalil, is murdered right in front of her by a white police officer after being pulled over despite being unarmed and compliant. After the police department’s inaction, comments from friends and peers at school, and false rumors about Khalil’s character come into play, Starr swallows her fear and decides to fight for justice.
I thought this book did a great job of telling a very heavy and important story. Even though it’s a fictional story, it’s a great depiction of the realities African Americans face on a regular basis, detailing the disproportionate violence that affects impoverished communities and the nuances of being the only black kid at a white school from a first person point of view. This book did not disappoint. I hope the movie is just as good!

1st Quarter SSR Blog

For my SSR book I read the autobiography Unashamed by Lecrae. Lecrae is a well known Christian rapper who has a very decorated career and life. It talks about how Lecrae grew up as a troubled youth. Always in and out of trouble, selling drugs, smoking marijuana, all whilst trying to find himself with God. Lecrae grew up loving hip hop and rap. Consistently listening to artist like Tupac and Notorious B.I.G it inspired him to be his own artist. Lucky for him along with writing skills he had art skills but he was trapped between too worlds. If he talked about art with his black friends he would be looked at as being too white. If he talked rap with his white friends he would be looked at as ghetto or hood. Eventually he went off to college and got a fresh start. The start wasn't all that great for him he stopped focusing on his art and his music he began selling drugs, constantly partying, having sex with different women every week and smoking weed. Lecrae decided to turn his life around and joined a church group on the campus. So now he was battling between his normal friends and his church friends, He didn't want to be too church like around his normal friends and he didn't want to be any less church like around his church friends. Ultimately Lecrae through all the struggle and hardships he has become a grammy award winning artist.
In my opinion I enjoyed the book it was boring at times but overall it was good read. I would suggest this book to anybody who knows of Lecraes work or is a hip hop fan

The Graveyard Book

Book Name: The Graveyard Book
Genre: Horror and Mystery
Pages 312

         To start off, this is a novel that gives a unique effect by joining a multitude of genres. The book not only contains horror and mystery, but it is a fairytale that portrays supernatural people throughout the novel. The book begins with a murder scene where Nobody’s, the main character, family was killed by a man named Jack. However, when Jack went to kill Nobody, who was an infant at the time, he was nowhere in sight. He actually managed to escape by crawling towards a cemetery, which embarked the start of his new life. Nobody or Bod for short was being looked after by ghosts who lived in the Graveyard, and he was able to see them throughout his early life because he was given certain abilities. The ghosts managed to teach Bod life skills even though they were unable to go out of the boundaries of the cemetery.
          Later on in the novel, he was still being targeted by Jack who managed to go through great measures to ensure that he had completed his job of killing him and his family. There are constant battles and various scenes where Bod’s life is threatened. Even, Bod's friend Scarlet had a knife at her throat and encountered an unexpected turn of events ...
This book was different from any other book that I had read previously. It had more of a supernatural, mysterious genre to it that I never really read before. I liked how the book was not predictable and in each chapter, there was a different obstacle. Also, Neil Gaiman is suspenseful throughout the book. He portrays a balance of good and evil, as he shows villains such as Ghouls, Jack, and Bolger, but emphasizes how the good of the spirits will overcome some obstacles. However, one thing that I did not like about the book is that the beginning caught me by surprise. The main reason for the murder is unclear, which made it frustrating. But, this book was good overall, and I recommend it for anyone. It is a good read and you are able to see the two sides of reality and the supernatural in Bod’s life. You are also able to connect with the main character throughout the story because the story begins with him as an infant and ends with him being an adult. Through that he goes through many of the same experiences that we go through such as losing friends, learning about the world around him, and growing up.

SSR Book Review: The Catcher in the Rye

I started the year off with J.D. Salinger's The Catcher in the Rye. It was 214 pages. I chose to read this because I felt like it was one of those novels that most people read, either for a class or for their own enjoyment.

This realistic fiction book follows sixteen-year-old Holden Caulfield after he gets expelled from Pencey Preparatory Academy because of his failing grades. Instead of waiting until winter break starts, Holden decides to leave his boarding school four days in advance. The resentment he has for his classmates drives him to take a train to his home state of New York. His parents haven't received the letter about Holden's expulsion, and he doesn't want to get home before they know. The teenager uses the little money he has to stay in the city over the next few days. Holden meets with some former classmates and friends who have all matured; however, each encounter leaves him disappointed and frustrated with their behavior. It seems as though Holden only appreciates those who have a sense of innocence and generosity for other people.

The book was written from the point of view of Holden, so it's fairly simple to read. It accurately resembles a teenager's thoughts and diction. In all honesty, I found myself getting annoyed with the main character. He complained a lot and used the word "phonies" way too many times. The one thing I would change about the book is Holden's negative attitude toward most people. The end of the novel emphasized what he truly values, and I gained some respect for the character after that.

Emily Quezada

The first book I decided to read for the 1st quarter is "The Serpent's Shadow" by Rick Riordan.  To summarize,  the young magicians Carter and Sadie know that they have to play a big role into restoring Ma'at in order to save the world.  Throughout the book they realize that if they don't save everybody from destruction the world will be filled with evilness and chaos.  The chaos snake Apophis is awaken and is going to destroy the world within three days.  The magicians throughout the world are divided and the gods are diminishing off the Earth.  It's up to Carter and Sadie to stop this event from happening but it can cost their lives to save the world.  In my opinion, I've always felt connected to books that had to do with mythology.  I recommend this book to people who are interested in it as Rick Riordan is a good author when it comes to making books like these.  Books that are made like these tie into real life situations as well on the fact that it shows us the decisions that teenagers have to make.  Whether it has to do with working together or sacrificing things that you love the most.  It ties down to my daily life because everyday the things I do in my life reflect me as a person.  In addition, it can be a good or bad for me at the end of the day.  A character that I could relate to in this book was Carter on the fact that me being the older brother I have to do everything in my power to make sure my sister is good and to protect her.

1st Quarter SSR Book Review

     The book that I chose to review for the 1st quarter is Second Chance Summer,by Morgan Matson. This Juvenile fiction, 'young adult' novel was 465 pages. The story told of a young teenage girl named Taylor Edwards and her experience with her odd and busy family after being told devastating news about her father. Her family decides to take a visit to their summer lake  house for the first time in about 5 years to spend some quality time with each other for, possibly, the last time. At this lake house that her and her family haven't visited, Taylor rekindles her feelings for her former best friend named Henry, whom she had left behind, and as we continue to read, we learn of great the growth and maturity that Taylor must experience, in a timely fashion, with her family and her friends around her before it is too late.
     I enjoyed this book to be honest, partially because it was an easy read, in my opinion. In the beginning of the story, the protagonist is not as open as she becomes in the end. We get to learn more about how she is genuinely feeling as the story progresses and I love that because we get to see how relatable she actually is. She is just a young girl, like myself, who is going through stuff and is used to being closed off but learns to grow and open up to people. I loved this book because it was slightly romantic which, for me, is always a plus and, it had a good ending. Having a good ending is so important to me because books that have bad endings leave a bad taste in my mouth and leave me upset that the story didn't end how it should've ended, or how I  believed it should've ended. The novel had a nice tone to it. It took place in the summer, which is usually a relaxing and exciting time for most people. I think the simplistic and relaxing style of writing helped the novel read better to the audience because it did not stress the reader, but instead it let the reader flow through the words. I would not change anything about the book mainly because I feel like if I were to change it, it would not flow as smoothly as it did. I would recommend this book to anyone who wants a relaxing "love story" of a relatable teen.


~Joy Umeh

SSR Book Review

I decided to read "Prodigy" by Marie Lu this quarter which is a Utopian fiction genre book, and the book consists of 371 pages. This book takes place many years after the present in both LA and Las Vegas. The two main characters who are in love, Day (boy) and June (girl) are on a mission to meet with the this secret organization called the patriots who plan to take down the corrupt government of the US and rebuild the country to its former glory. After barely making it out alive of Los Angeles, they travel to Las Vegas where they hope to find the patriots to help them save Day who is in pain and his last family member which has been imprisoned by the government. Once Day and June finally find the leader of the patriots, Razor, they make an arrangement to help both Day and June with whatever they needed in return for a favor. Razor's favor was for June who was born from royalty in the government to use her position to infiltrate inside the government and assassinate the new Elector Primo and use day's skills to help on the outside.
I enjoyed this book mainly because of the intriguing story that it provided, and throughout the entire book I felt very connected to both characters because of how detailed every page was. The two main characters are perfect for this book because they are both prodigies who have the highest skill throughout the entire country, but both born from complete opposite backgrounds. In the book it switches off perspective from both Day and June which makes it much more of an enjoyable read because the reader gets to see what both are thinking in the same situation. There were many major plot points that were very unpredictable which made it much more of a thrilling read.

SSR Book Review

The book I chose to read for the first quarter was In the Presidents Secret Service by Ronald Kessler. My dream job after High school is to be part of the Secret Service so this book was really appealing to me. Throughout this 298 page book, they have first-hand accounts from retired and current agents. They provide an insight into the Service and also insight into their individual in which they must protect which most often is either the president or the Vice President. The book gives insights into each President since their establishment in 1865 and their growth following incidents such as JFK and the multiple attempts on Reagan. The book talks about the affair that JFK had with Marilyn Monroe, Jimmy Carter and his disrespect for the Secret Service, and that threats on Obama had increased by over 400%. They mention attempts that weren’t newsworthy, the lives of the first family and presidential aides. Not only does it cover the protection of the President it also talks about how each president and First Lady would treat their agents.

What I found the most interesting about the book, was the chapter that went through the process of becoming an agent. That includes the application process, interviews, and requirements. Kessler describes the trading process at their facilities in Maryland. Like I stated earlier, as this is the job I would like to pursue, I found this chapter the most beneficial.  The book was very interesting and each chapter was broken down by each president, with the title being their code name.  Each chapter mentioned the personal life of the president, his treatment of his agents, and how the Secret Service developed and progressed through each term and from president to president.  I would really recommend this book if you have any interest in the presidents, the presidency, or the Secret Service.

Tyler Stibal

1st QTR SSR: The Things They Carried

One of my SSR books for the first quarter was Tim O'Brien's critically acclaimed book of short stories, The Things They Carried. This book is told through the author's point of view as he recalls his experiences from fighting in the U.S Army in the Vietnam War. I love this book and would recommend it to anyone because it's beautifully written to encapsulate the emotions and experiences of the soldiers.
If I could sum up this book in one word it would be real. Real because the book elaborates on just what the title implies, The Things They Carried. Not only the twenty-plus pounds of equipment but the stories of love, pain, loss, guilt, insanity, friendship, and all the other things war brought to the men that were forever changed by their time in Vietnam.
The characters all had their stories shared: who they were before, after (if they survived), and during the war. Readers are able to identify with them because they are all regular people in the beginning. My favorite story/chapter from the book is the one about the first man that the narrator killed. The entire book is poetic in a way but that one chapter has O'Brien's thought process after he killed the guy so well articulated that I felt as if I had been there. I could see the whole thing play out in front of me and I felt his pain. This is why I read books: the power of story telling.
The Things They Carried is a riveting book to say the least and an easy read too.

SSR Quarter 1 Book Review

Willow

The book I read for the first quarter was Willow, by Julia Hoban.  The genres that take place in the book I would say are: Young Adult, Romance, and Realistic Fiction.  The story is a total of 329 pages long in the hard cover version.  The book starts out by describing Willow, the main character of the book.  The book is read from Willow's point of view.  She is a young girl who is currently attending college at the time of the story.  She quickly lets you know that she was driving her parents in their car when she accidentally crashed and caused them both to die.  She was way too young at the time to be operating that vehicle but she had to, her parents were too drunk to drive.  She now lives with her older brother who takes care of her.  Willow blames herself for the death of her parents.  She struggles with very strong feelings of guilt and sorry.  Her actions represent how she feels about the death of her parents, including the blades she keeps hidden from her brother so she can "satisfy" her guilt.  She meets a boy at her college named Guy and he finds out about the things she is doing so they must stay close in order to keep her secrets.  Willow deals with difficult social interactions, guilt, sadness, and self blame throughout the story.  It is very entertaining trying to relate to this main character.  Since she is the one speaking, you hear the thoughts inside her head and you get an insight to how she tackles each situation.  In my opinion she makes a lot of wrong choices but it is interesting to see her reasoning behind everything and it opens your mind to a new way that people can think.  Although the book was very predictable for me, it was still very entertaining to read, because I was constantly in anticipation to see if what I thought would happen, would actually happen.  The story was very poetic.  What made it so poetic was Willow's thoughts, hearing things she thought and trying to see things how she saw them.  The characters in hindsight were very static but while reading, they are dynamic because while in reality they are static, hearing the story from Willow makes them seem very dynamic.  Willow and Guy made the story very interesting especially because I could relate with Guy so much.  I wouldn't change anything about this book.  The story was good and it ended exactly how I wanted it to end.  I was happy reading this book and it was very interesting to try and put yourself inside of the book in either Willow's or Guy's position.  You'll have to read the book in order to find out the big details and the ending, I would 10/10 recommend spending your time reading this.  It opens your mind, and I'm glad I read it.

First Quarter SSR

The novel I read was a romance novel, Me Before You, written by Jojo Moyes. The main character of this novel is Louisa Clark, an ordinary girl who lives in a very small town. Her family struggles financially, and heavily relies on her income to help support her parents, grandfather, sister, and nephew. After she loses her job as a waitress, she desperately takes a job as a care taker for Will Traynor, who is permanently in a wheelchair after a horrific accident. He was previously known to be a very happy and upbeat person until his motorcycle accident paralyzed him from the chest down. He then turned into a frustrated person and was constantly upset with his life which he then took out on his caretaker. He had several attempted suicides and was extremely disrespectful towards Louisa. He constantly turned down her ideas and makes jokes about her character. Louisa eventually decides that she has had too much and decides to take him on a series of adventures to help him find a meaning to his life. Due to his stubbornness, it was very difficult for her to get him out of the house and experience events he once had loved before. Overtime, they begin to grow a friendship which eventually forms into a romantic relationship until a huge barrier stands in the way. Overall, I would really recommend this novel to those who are interested in romance themes. However, it does have a pretty slow beginning, and it takes a while for the story to really begin.

Still Missing

Still Missing is a novel under the genre of thriller and mystery written by Chevy Stevens. It consists of 351 pages. The story is centered around a young women in her early twenties that is a real estate worker. During an open house, she gets kidnapped by a man, and throughout the novel, she switches from telling her story about being trapped to her therapist to actually trying to live her life after the horrible event has occurred.
I liked the book, how it includes many details and visualizations, but most of all how it switches from the main character living in the horrific moment to how she acts after. It really shows how she was permanently damaged both physically and emotionally. It's also an interesting way to tell her story, but sometimes, when the main character was in the present after the experience, I would become somewhat disinterested. The author, a few times, would cut off a climactic moment and switch to her real life, and this is a good strategy to keep the reader reading, but it took away from those big moments. I found myself skimming these sections just to get back to the action-filled parts. I think this kind of hurt the story, and if I was the author, I would shorten this part. Although it is actually a very important section of the story, I think much of it dragged on. Overall, though, I liked the book, and I recommend giving it a read if you like these mystery-type books.

ssr blog post

The book I read during the first quarter was a romantic comedy called "Eleanor and Park" written by Rainbow Rowell that took place in the very late 1900s when music tapes and comic books were a big thing. So this book takes place in Omaha, Nebraska and begins with a young 16 year old named Eleanor starting her first day at a new school. Obviously starting at a new school is hard because of having to adjust to new people and being an outcast but it is even harder when your clothes and appearance automatically draw everyone's eyes to you. She takes the bus to school everyday and on her first day on the bus she struggles to find a seat because no one wants to sit next to the new girl, especially when her appearance is the way it is. Then there's Park, A 16 year old half Korean boy who usually keeps to himself and is on everyone's good side. The so called bullies in his grade are all positively associated with him and his family so obviously they don't bother him. So on the first day he gets on the bus and a few stops after his house they stop at a beat down house and a new girl gets on, one that he's never seen before. She has big red hair, an over sized men's shirt with ties around her neck and wrist, and sparkly shoes that blinded him. He sees her struggling to find a seat and reluctantly offers her the seats next to him. This routine proceeds for the next few weeks and he begins to share his music that he brings as well as his comic books. They begin to have feelings for each other and it is frowned upon in both of their families because Eleanor's family is just broken in general and boys are not even remotely in the question, Park's mother disapproves of Eleanor because she is not the perfect, intelligent, beautiful girl that she envisioned for her son. The books goes into depth about the pitfalls of their relationships and how they overcome seemingly the entire world against them.

SSR Book Review

For the first quarter, I read "One Of Us is Lying" by Karen M. Mcmanus. The book is filled with 379 pages of suspense and surprises. To summarize the book, the main characters are 4 high school students, Bronwyn (the brain), Addy (the beauty), Nate (the criminal), Cooper (the athlete), and Simon (the outcast). They all end up in detention together for having their phones go off in class but they all left their phones in their own lockers so someone must have put those phones in there bags.  They just can't figure out who, while in detention a car crash outside happened so the teacher in charge left the room to check on it. All within that time, Simon goes over to pour water into this plastic cup. After drinking the water, he starts to have an allergic reaction (peanuts),  everyone in panic tries to find a epi pen but no luck. He then dies, but who poisoned his water?

I really liked this book because it kept me on my toes about who really did it or not. It had a lot of twists and turns but that's what kept me the most engaged. I would recommend this book to people that would want a good book to read. I loved how the author wrote the book, she wrote it based on the characters own perspective of what was going on in their head or what happened to them as an individual after everything. I felt like this helped the book because it was more enjoyable reading it in everyone's perspective rather than just one person's perspective. I would just change one thing about the book and that is to at least have one chapter of Simon's perspective of what went through his head before everything happened. That is it though, the rest of the book was great.

SSR Book Review

The book(s) I decided to read was the fiction book series of Percy Jackson. The main character, Percy Jackson, begins as a normal troubled student in school. All it took for the series to get a kick off for Percy to begin his new way of life was a school field trip to the Metropolitan Museum of Art. After that fateful day, he begins training with weapons the Greeks once bore. Throughout the series, they all generally revolve around the fact that Percy saves Olympus and the day, of course. Nevertheless, summarizing doesn't give it the justice it most certainly deserves; go read this astounding series of novels. For now, let us have a lovely discussion about the young Percy Jackson. Mr. Jackson has eyes bluer than the Circassian sea. At the beginning of this incredible series, Percy was 12 years old. Also, even though I've seen the movies from Percy Jackson, the book was completely different. Which makes me a bit sad to know because movies tend to be revolved around books or vice versa. So, when I found out that the book had more adventures, I became absolutely excited. On the regards of the style of writing, it had about one percent or less of writing. The rest of the novels, however, were completely straightforward. Furthermore, each of the characters had different dynamic personalities which made the stories and adventures even more exciting. I wouldn't change anything about the series.

SSR Book Review

My first quarter book was called “The Phantom of the Opera”, it was an ok book in my opinion but I probably wouldn’t read it again. This book is about a phantom also known as “Erik” who is to unfortunate looking to have Christine, which is one of the main characters along with her boyfriend Raoul. Erik is jealous that he can’t have Christine therefore he haunts the opera and causes other drama. If you guys would like to read the book I feel like you guys would like the ending, which was my favorite part about the book. I feel like the dramatic vibe mixed with the romance is where this book shined and what kept me reading this book.

SSR Book Review

For this Quarter I decided to read a thriller "Those Girls" by Chevy Stevens. The book I chose was relatively proportioned with a total of 376 pages. The novel surrounds itself with the three Campbell sisters who have had a rough life but still work hard to survive every day by working as labor workers on a ranch in Western Canada. Thinking that their disastrous life was at it's peak they are sadly mistaken when a fight breaks out between them and their belligerent father that leads to his murder. Planning to move to Vancouver they decide driving is their best option to raise the least amount of suspicion. Believing their nightmare has ended they feel safe but it has only begun when the truck breaks down in a small town. Left in a horrific situation they have no choice to change their identities and hide. After 18 years and still trying to forget everything that happened that summer, the past resurfaces when one of the sisters goes missing along with her niece not shortly after. There is no longer anywhere left to run and only room for survival...and revenge. Personally after I finished this book it was bitter sweet. Even though it ended beautifully in my opinion, it had me engrossed every step of the way with every turn it made me wish it would never end. The author made sure if you couldn't connect with all of the sisters you will at least connect with one making it even more heart wrenching to read and riveting. I rarely ever say this to a book but I wouldn't change any detail in this novel because I was completely blown away. One thing I will say is if anyone decides to read this novel please do read with caution because it could cause triggers for some people.

To All the Boys I've Loved Before

In the first quarter, I read the book "To All the Boys I've Loved Before" by Jenny Han. This book is a young adult fiction that contains 388 pages. After all the hype the Netflix movie received, I wanted to see how the book lived up to it's counterpart.

To summarize the book, protagonist Lara Jean Covey writes letters to all the boys she has every loved but does not send them (she keeps them in a box). However, they somehow get sent out to Lara Jean's lovers. The main problem was that she wrote a letter to her sister's ex-boyfriend that she still loved, but she did not want him knowing that so she pretended to have a fake boyfriend to conceal her emotions for him. The main character was Lara Jean but it also focused on her sister Margot a lot. Lara Jean is emotional, a true romantic; she falls in love quite easily. However, Margot is more realistic and responsible. Because their mother died when they were young, Margot had to take up the responsibility of the mother figure.

The major plot points were very predictable and actually extremely cheesy, but I think that is what you would expect from a romantic young adult book. The writing in the book was very easy to understand but also poetic. The letters that Lara Jean wrote were very dramatic but sweet which made the text interesting to read. If I could change something about the book, it would be that the characters should have developed a lot more. I would have loved to have read more of Josh (the boy next door) and how he played a role in developing the relationship between the sisters and even Peter (fake boyfriend) and Lara Jean.

[KC]: Op-Ed Mentor Text Activity (for absent students)

Hi! If you missed class Tuesday, here's what we did. You'll want to complete this before you come in on Wednesday since we'll be starting to write our own op-eds that day. Take a look at these two slides and complete this activity in your notebook. This is meant to help you understand the structure and style of an op-ed before you write your own.

The link to the NYT Room for Debate "How to Stop the Spread of Fake News"

Also, here's the prompt for what you're writing. This shouldn't be new to you. We've discussed these questions for three weeks now. 

[KC]: SSR Quarter 1 Book Review

Hi kids,

Here's your quarter 1 SSR assignment:

Step 1: Create a new POST in which you review the book that you read for the first quarter. If you read more than one book this quarter, you can choose any of them to review. n your review, be sure to clearly state the title, author, genre, and total page number of the book. Then, summarize a bit of the plot (but don't give away the major spoilers!) to give us some context. Next, discuss what you liked or didn't like about this book.
- Feel free to use these questions to help guide you, but don't feel tied to simply answering them:

• How was the main character? Did you feel connected? Were the major plot points predictable? How was the writing? Poetic? Simplistic? Were the characters dynamic or static? Did that hurt or help the story? If you were to change anything about the book, what would it be?

Step 2: Once other classmates have posted their reviews, COMMENT on two other reviews. (Be sure to read the comments on your review as well and engage in conversations as necessary.)

As always, your post should be around 250 words and your comments should be at least a few sentences.

Post DUE: Thursday 11/15 by 11:22pm

Comments DUE: Friday 11/16 by 11:13pm

 What do I need to know about out of state tuition ?

If you are student who is planning on attending a four year college outside of the state you have lived in your whole life there is a chance you may have to pay out of state tuition. With that being said the average out of state tuition for an undergraduate is about 16,000 dollars. A student who has not been a resident in the state for more than a year it is more likely that you will pay more simply because you do not or have not been a resident of that state. There is a big gap between how much tuition is depending on whether or not they live in the state where there school happens to be. For instance the graduate school of education lists the difference between the amounts paid for in and out of state tuition. Say you live in the state of Maryland and decide to attend Towson University and you have been a resident for a while now your tuition would range about 8,100 dollars to attend that university. However, if you have not been a resident and are now moving to the state just for college your out of state tuition ranges from 18-19 thousand dollars for out of state tuition. That leaves almost an 11,000 dollar gap between in-state and out of state tuition.

               Some states have made it somewhat easier for those who are paying tuition from out of state. Some states have set up programs to reduce tuition for those out of state and make things alittle easier for them. For example the Academic common market is a program most states have like Alabama, North Carolina, and other states to offer discounts on tuition for undergraduates and for graduate degrees.

https://www.heath.gwu.edu/state-vs-out-state-tuition

https://www.collegexpress.com/interests/public-colleges-and-universities/blog/what-you-need-know-about-out-state-tuition/

Should You Apply to Schools Early Action?

Applying to college Early Action allows students the opportunity to apply to the top colleges of their choice. They are able to know if they are accepted before students who apply to college by Regular Decision that generally know in the spring. However, unlike Early Decision, Early Action allows students to apply to other schools by Early Action or Regular Decision since it is non binding, which means that you do not have to attend the school if you are accepted.

The benefits to applying Early Action may help you decide what colleges are at the top of your list. The increase in admission rates to those who apply Early Action compared to applying Regular Decision can be seen at selective schools where a fairly large advantage can be gained. For example, Notre Dame and Caltech’s Early Action admission rates are twice as much as their Regular Decisions. Also, since you are applying early, it means that scholarship opportunities can be greater than normal because there will be more money to spare during the fall than in the spring when Regular Decisions come out.

However, it is important to note that just because you get accepted does not mean that you will be able to afford the school. Some schools do not offer early financial aid packages to those who applied Early Action, so you might not know if you can afford the school until the spring. Therefore, it is necessary to keep your options open. Luckily, by applying Early Action, you do not have the obligation to commit to the school because you have until the universal decision date which is May 1st.

https://www.collegetransitions.com/blog/early-action/
https://www.collegeraptor.com/getting-in/articles/questions-answers/should-you-apply-early-decision-or-early-action-when-financial-aid-matters/

How will the Coast Guard prepare me for the rest of my life?

Enlisting in the Coast Guard for four years of service will teach me a lot such as hands on training with working on boats, doing rescue and boarding missions, physical endurance, mental endurance, and discipline just to name a few. But how will my four years of service prepare me for the rest of my life?

As of now, I’m not exactly sure what I want to pursue in as a career. What I do know is that I do not want to go to college right now. So after four years of living independently out in “the real world,” I should know what I want to do in terms of a career and education which thanks to the Post 9/11 G.I Bill, will make a college education easily attainable and affordable as a veteran.

Moreover, a prodigious work ethic will be instilled into me due to the military lifestyle that I will be used to: attention to detail, honor, leadership, and devotion to duty.

The Coast Guard will also provide me with enough experience and skill to get civilian jobs as soon as I get out of service. Jobs such as a police officer, longshoreman, marina/harbor/port/pier supervisor, and ship pilot.

https://www.gocoastguard.com/active-duty-careers/enlisted-opportunities/view-job-descriptions/bm

http://theconversation.com/us-civil-services-preference-for-hiring-military-vets-comes-at-a-hidden-cost-78078

https://www.aol.com/2011/04/11/how-military-service-can-prepare-you-for-a-successful-career/

What Is Life as a Pilot?

     What is like in the clouds? Is it really a high-risk job? What about the free tickets? There's so much that goes unsaid about being a pilot because most people just assume that their life is just in the aircraft cockpit and in the hotel room. If you have ever taken a flight anywhere in the world, you know that the view outside the window (during the day) is beautiful. I would personally describe flight as a peaceful intermission because until you land you get to forget about everything that is going on beneath you. Flying is actually regarded by a lot of people as the safest form of transportation because it is the most efficient while having the least amount of fatalities (Preske). Unfortunately, grabbing free tickets is not as viable as rumors say because it really depends on the airline. Below is the question I was mostly interested in.

Is it lonely?

     It really depends on you. If you are able to establish a good relationship with your work partner, then it should be enjoyable. Especially since they will be with you for a couple of hours. You also meet a lot of people often. People in different areas of the world have different tastes, so you are exposed to a lot of different personalities along the way (Margolis). I did find some sources, however, that referred to the job as "a blast for about the first two years as you conquer the world and see things you’ve never seen before, but after that [it feels like] rotating between moving prison cells" (Wagner). Unfortunately, being a pilot does pose a risk to personal relationships, like marriage, because it is hard being away for so long and especially since some of "the rigors of the job [are] difficult for any non-pilot to comprehend" (Houston).

     There is a currently a serious shortage of pilots so it seems like employment should not be much of an issue. I consider it a valuable and worthy career to pursue. Although the pay wasn't really something that I considered important for someone like me who is chasing dreams, the average commercial airline pilot salary is around $130,000. Not bad.

Ron Wagner: What Nobody Tells You About Becoming A Pilot

Elizabeth Preske: Here's Why Flying Is the Safest Mode of Transportation

Jonathan Margolis: The ups and downs of being an airline pilot

Sarina Houston: Airline Pilots Talk About Their Personal Relationships

Is Double Majoring Beneficial?

When we were younger, one of the most common questions we would receive from adults was “What do you want to be when you grow up?” Some of us answered with answers we thought our parents might like, and others (if you're like me) based their answers off of which field makes the most money. We’ve had our whole lives to think about what we want to do when we grow up, and for most of us, we still don’t know what we want to do or how we’re going to find a job in our desired field of study. This dilemma has been something I have thought about for several months now. The field of study I really want to go into is music; however, it is difficult to find a well-paying, steady job in the field of music. This is why my question was about double majoring.

Double majoring has many benefits. According to wayup.com, double majoring is a way to learn as much as possible, which will give you an edge on your competition. Through this route in college, a person can also network with a significant amount of people, including professors, who can help guide them into the workforce. There are some drawbacks to taking up this load. There is a lot more work, which will take away from the amount of time for extracurricular activities. Some schools even have a higher tuition for double majors since the student will be taking more classes.

Double majoring is something definitely worth considering, especially for those who desire to get ahead in the workforce.

https://www.wayup.com/guide/advantages-disadvantages-double-major/

What are the benefits of obtaining a college education?

Earning a college degree has become an important part of life. The goal has been to go to college, buying a house, starting a family, and getting a job. All of those goals start with getting a college education. Earning a college degree is about opening many doorways to the future. Getting a college degree can open up many doors to the future. The benefits of a college degree include having the chance of having a higher paid job.

For most people who pursue a college education, their main goal is money. The ability to learn more about the way money works and how to earn it, is what drives people to go to college. Over the past years, studies have shown that those who have graduated from college earn more than those who only graduated from high school. Another benefit that can come from earning a college degree is health care benefits, most jobs that require the worker to have at least a bachelor's degree, masters, or doctorate tend to provide more benefits to their employees. These benefits can range from health care benefits, retirement benefits, and travel benefits, a major part of the reason why these benefits are important is because they may also pertain to family members as well.

As a college graduate, it is also more likely that you will enjoy your job. Factors like health benefits, higher income, and other employment benefits may attract people. But a college degree is what gives people the freedom to choose a career that they would like to be involved in, one that will inspire you to work hard everyday. Even though attending college can be a struggle of money and commitment, the work will prepare people to be prepared for what's to come in life.

https://www.educationcorner.com/benefit-of-earning-a-college-degree.html

What to do if you do not want to go to a four-year college?

For most people they have an idea that they want to go to a four-year college after high school. For other people a four-year is either not right for them or is something they do not want to do. That is why there is more than just that path after high school.

The first alternate option to a four-year is a trade school. This option is most advantages to people who either don't have four years to devote to a college, want to get into the working world with a good job, or can't afford to go to a four-year. Some people don't have all the necessary time needed to devote to four-year. An example of this is if you have a child that depends on you. The other main reason is cost which is not as high as a four-year. The trade you choose to go after have different pays like solar energy plant operator who makes $67,000 a year to a construction manager who makes $87,400 a year.

The other option is the military. Some of the biggest reason that joining the military may be an option to choose is if you don't feel ready to start college, want to serve your country, or want to get college paid for. The reason for people who don't feel ready for college can also be said as they want some time to find out who they are. Most people would have this as one of their life goals at one point. The other reason of serving your country is for people who feel that they want to give back to their country in that way. The last reason is that the government will pay for your college after the military which if you don't have the financial support then this is the best option.

Citation:

https://www.onlineschoolscenter.com/30-high-paying-trade-school-degrees/

https://www.moneycrashers.com/joining-military-benefits-risks/

How does minoring work and is it beneficial?

How Does Minoring Work, and is it Beneficial?

Minoring at college basically means you are studying a subject, but it is not your main focus (or major). Minoring in a subject is beneficial to those who might want to study more about their major. Having a minor might give you the chance to learn more about what you are majoring in and expand on your education about the general theme. Minoring doesn't automatically make you smarter but it can make you a well-rounded student. Also, minoring in a subject that goes hand in hand with your major looks great on a resume in that field. Minoring can also lead you into other subjects you might not have been familiar with. Minoring can lead to a change in major or even double-majoring. However, minoring does mean you are taking more classes which means you need to pay for them. More classes might also mean that you are busier and have a greater workload. Despite that, the pros do outweigh the cons; minoring can be very beneficial. If you are able to handle another class, and if you manage your time wisely, you can minor in something that can greatly help you in understanding what your major is all about. 

Is a Cheap Degree a Good Degree?

One of the main concerns with college is its cost as college is known for having high prices that determine whether or not it is worth applying and attending. As with most topics, this issue is controversial and carries both negative and positive aspects.

Most people believe that mainstream colleges are the best to attend, when there are numerous of other schools out there that also suffice the education needed. Popular colleges typically tend to be the more expensive ones, as opposed to lesser-known colleges that are much cheaper and still offer several majors that would be taken at the “known” university. Ultimately, the degree you receive is what matters most, not where you got it from.

On the other hand, college experience is also important and beneficial. Although college may seem costly, it usually has a sticker price, for most students do not end up actually paying the full cost due to scholarships, financial aid, and other resources. For this reason, students should not limit themselves and their educational paths strictly because of tuition rates. Price is an important factor in determining which college to attend, but so is the quality of content and reputation of that campus (www.greatvaluecolleges.net).

Overall, receiving a degree and finding a career with it subsequently is the essential part in succeeding from investing in yourself. Whether people choose to take a cheaper route, they are still obtaining a similar education that will ultimately depend on what they choose to do with it afterwards.

How many graduates use their degree

I've often heard through social media and the internet that college isn't beneficial because those people graduated and never used the degree they went to school for. I would like to know is this actually true. What I've come to find out is that according to the Washington post 62.1% of people get a job that uses their degree. College degrees are necessary for a multitude of jobs and they must show you have a knowledge for the field in which you are planning to work in. Another factor that plays a part is the location in which you work in. Bigger cities tend to have more job openings and more opportunities to put your degree to work.  In addition to the argument that a degree isn't needed is that with a college degree you are likely to get paid a lot more just because of the degree. For example, some schools pay teachers more the higher the education they completed meaning a teacher with a master's is going to get paid more than a teacher with only a bachelor's degree. So the answer to how many graduates use their degree is a majority of them do and they've found it to be necessary to because provides proof of experience and gives a pay boost in some jobs.






https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2013/05/20/only-27-percent-of-college-grads-have-a-job-related-to-their-major/?noredirect=on&utm_term=.874dbeac8975

What are the career options available for Gaming?

What are the career options available for Gaming?

          Career options vary when it comes to Gaming.  You can choose between being an artist, audio programmer, writer, game programmer, designer, producer, or even a professional gamer.  These jobs seem to average good pay, with the least one being artist, which was around $50,000 per year.  If you are a game writer then you could make up to $200,000 per year!  This is very good news for me because I was really worried about how much money was available for those who are into gaming.  I doubt I will be a game writer or artist because those are both not things I'm very interested in for a career.  The job that sparked my interest was game programmer.  This is a job I could really see myself doing in the future and loving it.  I am happy to see that they make an average of $95,000 per year because I would personally feel very successful if I could make that much money doing something I love.  This makes me very hopeful for being a future game programmer because one of my biggest concerns about entering the field was that I would not make enough money to satisfy my needs.
          One career I've been very interested in is streaming on Twitch and making videos on Youtube.  This would fall under the lines of entertainment and that just sounds like something I could be good at and enjoy doing.  My job would basically be to make as many people as happy as I can and make sure everyone is having a good time laughing and enjoying their time spent on my channel.  This is ultimately a dream job for me and there is no other job in the world that I want more.  However; being successful in this job can be fairly difficult and I know this.  Looking up how much money the best of the best streamers make really motivates me to be the best I can be at it.  Streamers such as Ninja make an estimated of $5.4 million per year streaming on Twitch.  This is an insane amount of money for doing something I would already want to do for free if money wasn't something I needed to live.  This is the job I could see myself doing the most and am most excited to try out.  Seeing these streamers that I know the name of and I see daily how many views they get and how they do what they do; This really encourages me because those numbers don't seem impossible and I think I can be one of the best at this.

https://www.lifehack.org/319007/8-careers-for-video-game-enthusiasts

http://mediakix.com/2018/09/how-much-do-twitch-streamers-make/#gs.mtRyvAU

What are Benefits of Taking a Gap Year After High School?

         By the time high school graduation comes around, we, seniors have been through about 13 years of schooling. That is a lot of years if you think about it. After all these years, the brain can seem to be burnt out with so much formal education. That is why I ask the question regarding the benefits of taking a gap year after high school.

          A gap year is a period of time between high school and college where a student takes time away from the classroom to continue their education in other meaningful ways. It is a time where high school graduates can take time to explore the world and all that it has to offer as well as possibly replenish their energy and motivation for school. I learned some benefits that seem to attract the population of students who take gap years. These include being able to travel and experience new cultures all while possibly discovering hidden passions and prepping for more years of a formal education. Also, taking a gap year leaves doors open to making more memories with friends and having fun while living a full life. Although, research states that gap years have increased in popularity in the United States over the past  years, but more traditional family members and teachers may not quite understand this big decision of some seniors. This opens doors to negative opinions from people that you love and care about. More cons of taking a gap year include the easy ability to get distracted and stay out of school longer than planned if disorganized, as well as the large amount of planning that one has to do regarding their next steps after the gap year. Besides slight cons, taking a gap year has shown to not be crazy, but instead a reasonable decision made by many high school graduates across the world.

Citations: 

https://www.globalcitizenyear.org/content/why-take-a-gap-year/

https://www.goabroad.com/articles/gap-year/gap-year-after-high-school-pros-cons