Category: journalism

Stuff having to do with the world of journalism.

Attention span

candystealer76Leave a comment

I think that scrolling on my phone and watching short videos that I can scroll past, is slowly reducing my attention span in class. Its getting hard to pay attention for a full class. When i’m taking notes I can pay attention well because i’m writing, but when the whole lesson is the teacher talking, I get distracted easily and lose my track of thought. Its not only in class that this happens, its also whenever I should be focusing on something but my mind goes anywhere than what i’m doing. TikTok’s algorithm is endless scrolling that is supposed to keep you hooked and it can make you lose time perception. When my mind wonders, its not just TikTok’s fault because the world has many distractions, but its also made it a way where it requires no mental effort. Ive noticed when I try and read a book or do homework, I cant concentrate and I catch myself reaching for my phone. Going from watching entertaining videos to reading a book is obviously gonna alter your brain to make your mind unable to focus, but it would help to be mindful about using TikTok and not over-watching. I think finding a balance will help to stay connected without losing ourselves in an endless scroll.

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Hollow Immitations: Live-Action Remakes

StrawberryMushroomLeave a comment

Within the last 10 years, there has been a trend of live-action remakes of animated classic films or series. The most prominent example of this shift is displayed by The Walt Disney Studios, adapting their beloved works for the modern age with updated technology and real-life actors, but telling virtually the same story. Examples include Aladdin, The Lion King, Beauty and the Beast, Snow White, Pinocchio, and many more.

Live-action film adaptations of pre-existing animated stories produce exceedingly high box office results, demonstrating undeniable commercial success. However, they are typically not well-received by audiences and critics, with many perceiving these films as a sign of desperation and lack of creativity. And yet, they continue to be produced and continue to make hundreds of millions of dollars, capitalizing on nostalgia for profit rather than telling creative stories.

Conversely, films containing original stories recieve less recognition and tend to flop at the box office, further incentivising the continuation of live action remakes.

While they are lucrative, live-action remakes of animated stories lack the soul and passion of their original counterparts. Most of the stories told, particularly classic Disney films, were told in animated format to enhance the whimsical and expressive nature of their respective narratives and characters. When that core element is stripped away, all that is left is a mere imitation of a beloved story that a live-action adaptation could never recapture, let alone surpass.

Disney Live Action Remakes: Do They Have a Future? - Wright State Guardian

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Stress

myfatcats2Leave a comment

I’m done. This life is too stressful. I’m tired of literally everyone. I don’t want to have to explain anything to anyone. I don’t want anything to change. Why can’t I just leave it the way it is? Why does it have to become complicated? Let’s just leave it. But then you’ll start asking questions, why, how come, but why? I don’t know. You’ll have a better idea than I do, and it’s an issue that I have, so that should tell you something if you have a better understanding than I do. Part of me doesn’t even wanna do this thing anymore, but she said that change is good and I need to adjust and just go for it, but I just don’t want to. I can’t lol. This stresses me out, and I’d rather not than do. No one gets it, but whatever. That’s life, lowkey. So, yeah.

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Sophomore Slump

ackley4167Leave a comment

As a freshman, I would always hear all my friends talking about the sophomore slump. And how it happens to everyone. I thought I would be immune to it and devote myself to all my classes. But this year has been tough, and school is barely a month in. It feels like I’m overloaded with homework, and whenever I get it all done, I somehow still have more. As stressful as it is, I’m attempting to push through. But it’s almost like the sophomore slump is creeping up on me. Every time I check my grades it feels like my heart drops to my stomach. It’s not that they’re bad, but they aren’t the best. It’s frustrating because I feel like I have been devoting myself to school and aiming towards good grades. Every night I dread waking up in the morning and having to go straight to class. My classes are a lot harder because I decided to take all of the hard classes last year. Not thinking about the consequences, I was excited to be in these classes and to try something new. But everyday it seems like I regret taking them more and more. As tough as it is, I’m going to try and commit myself and try to focus more on school.

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Curly Hair

brownbeansLeave a comment

As a kid, my hair was straight. I don’t know if it was naturally straight or if it was because my hair was always brushed out. But, since puberty, my hair has become unruly and curly.

No one tells you how hard it is to care for hair that no one else in your family has. When I was younger, my mom would spend a lot of time brushing and detangling my hair to put it into intricate hairstyles to tame it. I would hate having my hair done. It was always too tight and too stiff. But my hair was so long that it went past my waist.

Then, I started experimenting with my hair, I dyed it many colors and had it at many lengths. It was here when my hair started to curl and frizz. I didn’t know how to deal with curls or waves, so I would brush them out and hope for the best. But, slowly, I started to do research and experiment with things until I settled on a routine that works and gives me what I want. Finding the right products took forever! I would buy one thing and hope that it worked, and if it didn’t, I had to finish the product before I could buy something new.

If you go back through the yearbooks, you’ll find me and my brushed-out hair from freshman year. But you’ll also be able to see how much I’ve learned and grown. My hair and I as a person.

credit: Pinterest

Sorting of My Docs

Halos_击Leave a comment

Whenever you’re a writer, you probably have a crap ton of Google Docs lying around. Since the app lacks a sorting device, I had to create an entire Google sheet and copy and paste each Google Doc into it. The lengthy process made me realize that I have a lot, and I mean a LOT of Google Docs that fit into each category.

I have a category for the novel I’m currently writing, Beyond the Graves, where the progress is currently on and off due to school and a busy schedule. I also have my Dungeons and Dragons-based world, The Fall of The Helm (labeled TFoTH for short), where I usually write more worldbuilding and the history of the world in that area.

Compared to both BTG and TFoTH, my Concepts tab has 14 Docs, filled with just, well, concepts.

After making this sheet, I realized one thing. I can’t stick to one story, no matter how hard I try. Sure, I’ve been working on BTG for over a year, but I’ve made other stories and concepts in the meantime.

Sure, J.R.R. Tolkien took 17 years to write The Lord of the Rings, but with a tiny novel such as mine? I need to get on to it.

Image Credit- Pinterest

Bordem

myfatcats2Leave a comment

I’m so bored, there’s nothing to do in my house, no food, no activities, just my TV, cats, and dog. I’m also just lazy. I don’t want to do anything, lowkey I just want to chill, everyone’s always doing too much. Everyone in the world just needs to calm down, because it was never that deep. Back to the main point, I’m still bored, Friday night, nothing to do, just sleep or something. I don’t even know. I should go feed my animals, but my cats are so fat they don’t need any food. My dog is the one who needs food. He’s so skinny and white, not that it has anything to do with it, but just saying. He’s kind of ugly but in a cute way, but Akyra thinks he’s the ugliest thing to ever exist, which is mean. But anyway, I’m still bored. I guess I’ll watch a show, ok? Bye. 



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Ugly Mornings

zombiegxrlLeave a comment

I am so tired. I have no free time during the school week so I like to make the most of my weekends. This is where my dilemma arises. I stay up late on the weekends to get the most out of my futile untethered days. I know it will come back to bite me during the school week. I never want the day to end because the next will only creep closer to Monday.

When Monday morning finally comes, my long nights catch up to me. My eye bags are swollen and discolored. No amount of stretching soothes the aching in my back. The cold world awaits me right outside of my blanket that heats me like a freshly baked loaf of bread. One alarm goes off, then the next, and then the next. I hit snooze until the last second.

When the last second forces my eyes open, I sit up and slide my legs down the side of my bed. The hard floor meets my sore familiar feet like a deceitful friend. The blanket slides off and the cool air envelops me as goosebumps run across my skin. I stare into the darkness with drooping eyes. I cannot fathom the fact that I am about to start my day and go to school.

I open my curtains and the harsh light pours in. A new day, a new school week, and a new set of sleep deprived mornings. I hate being tired on the weekdays but I would hate it even more if I missed out on the freedom of my weekends. I’ll have to keep sacrificing my under eyes and sleep for my freedom.

Picture Credit- Google

Work Days

Soccer11Leave a comment

Three times a week I go to work. Usually, I work closing shifts with someone else, but they are changing it to closing shifts alone. This weekend I worked twice. The first time was on Friday, and I got to work with one of my best friends. For the first three hours of my shift, all I did was serve customers and restock cups, spoons, and ice cream. Once it gets to the last hour, we start closing and cleaning the windows, the lids, and the counters. Once everything was clean, I started to sweep the floors while my friend put the lids on the ice cream, and after I was done sweeping, I did the register and waited for my friend to finish mopping, and then we took out the trash and locked up. Almost every time I work, we do the same things, and usually on the weekends, we make way more money than on the weekdays. 

OJAI ICE CREAM - Updated September 2025 - 215 Photos & 185 Reviews - 210 E Ojai Ave, Ojai, California - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt - Phone Number - Yelp

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Rainy Day Shenanigans

thehebrewhammerLeave a comment

I woke up with my mind racing of the dream that had woke me up. Half-asleep I forced myself out of bed into my normal morning routine which consists of 1, going to my parents room to say what’s up to my dog, 2 going into my room to shower and brush my teeth and finally 3, get dressed and leave.

However, this morning was different whether it was my cold shower being not so cold this morning, or the feeling of wearing a jacket to school for the first time this year. Today was different.

That was when I looked out my window to see water droplets had covered all the windows in my room. Then it hit me, last night was rainy. But I didn’t feel down because of the weather, not me, no this cat likes the rain. I ran outside with my wet hair and shoes untied and took a big nice American whiff of that rainy air.

I smiled ear to ear, with that rainy day smell in my body I knew today would be a great day.

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