People wonder why teenagers get sick so often, and I think I have found the answer.
We are constantly being run into the ground, overwhelmed with task after task.
I will use myself as an example. I go to school, do my homework, and go to volleyball. Everyday. No breaks in between.
You would think I would get used to it, and I do in some ways. But sometimes the lack of a break catches up to me.
Getting home at 10pm in need of a shower and a snack does not let the teen body get the rest that it needs to stay healthy.
At our age we are growing so much mentally and physically.
If we take the breaks that we need, we are scolded for being lazy or not trying hard enough – but if we do too much we are told that we need to “slow down”.
Confusing, right?
So much is asked of the high school or college student, and yet whenever I say that I can almost always hear an adult scoffing and making some snide remark about how “we have it so easy”.
And perhaps in a lot of ways we do.
I know that I don’t have to worry about paying the bills at the end of every month – and I am so grateful for that.
But I do have to worry about my grades, sports, getting into colleges, trying to maintain some kind of social life, and a lot of other factors that are major stressors.
So why is anyone surprised when 1/3 of the junior class gets a cold, or a fever?
Some of us get only three to five hours of sleep per night because of the work load that is put on us.
Everyone needs a break now and then, and when that break isn’t taken, the human body will find a way to take it.
Our systems are beaten to the ground. And while we may not have to same feats to overcome as some, we have our own.
What is life, anyway? I have struggled far too long with realizing why we are here on this planet. But recently, I have finally understood what I believe to be the purpose of life.
We are all here for different reasons, with different talents and different things to do. Not everyone will be able to do what they want- there will always be obstacles standing in the way, but the fun is in the journey. There are many things we can do- make lots of money, travel, go on adventures. But the most important part of life, to me, is loving those we are surrounded by.
It took me a long time to realize this, but now I understand. There is no point to living a life where you don’t love those who love you. It doesn’t get you anywhere, it only sets you back and fills you with negative feelings. Why should I do this to myself? I am so happy that I have finally learned one of life’s greatest lessons- loving others infinitely. This love for people is the one thing that can never be bought or stolen, and it is the most basic necessity and reason for living.
Compared to the entire universe, all life on earth is miniscule.
There are countless studies explaining this relativity, and they really put everybody’s individual problems into perspective.
Yeah, if your significant other breaks up with you or you fail a test that really sucks, but you are one of seven billion people in the world. Each and every person has problems of their own, all to varying degrees.
There are eight other planets in the solar system, and billions of solar systems in the galaxy, each with many planets. There are then over 100 billion galaxies in the universe. So really, earth, and people in particular, are quite insignificant.
Photo Credit: upload.wikimedia.org
Take a step back, and look at things from a different point of view. Immediate life is hectic and each problem seems magnified. Compared to the rest of the universe, however, what seems like the end of the world is actually an insanely small aspect of life. The universe is endless, and everybody and everything are small pieces that together, make it up.
It all began in the dusty lifeless town of Lancaster, with extreme winds that carry the tumble weeds across the hot cracked asphalt. The white Adidas shoes on the telephone lines purchased at the Payless ShoeSource are a reminder of the lack of success. There’s nothing there except unemployed college dropouts who have many offspring who will go down the same road. Those who are employed are the lucky few. They’re the ones who want to break the never-ending circle and go to college. But most of the time, that job was just temporary because those few that do graduate know they can leave this ghost town, and they take the first bus out, leaving nothing but a trail of dust that goes on for miles across the dead Mojave desert. I was fortunate that my parents saved me from a life where being ambitious is becoming the manager at Payless ShoeSource.
I spent the next chapter of my life in a place I am proud to grow up in: The wonderful town of Ventura where surfing is not a hobby; it’s a lifestyle. It’s how people talk, walk and dress. It has this relaxed feel to it — the sound of crashing waves and the fresh sea breeze. Day and night are nothing alike. The day is colorful and full of life; the buildings are colorful and are spread from sea to the mountain; and the beach is always full, looking like a 1950’s Coca Cola poster. Ventura is not just limited to the beach. It’s next to a beautiful mountain. On top, there are the iconic “Two Trees”, which you can see the whole city from. Although there’s all the commotion below, you feel isolated and alone, like there wasn’t a city for hundreds of miles. It’s the best place to watch the sunset. There is nothing like it in the world. The night is much more quiet. I could take a walk on the beach and hear nothing but the crashing tide and see maybe one or two silhouettes of people, outlined by the moon. Main Street at night has a sense of liveliness, even though it’s less than the day. It must be the bright neon lights and all the meter parking that is completely filled, even after shops are closed. As great as this town is, I am not the type of person who can live in one place his whole life.
After College, and winning the Mega Millions a dozen times or so, I would have a custom-built airship I would live on that is basically a flying aircraft carrier, but a little more complex. It wouldn’t be all modern and futuristic; it would be held up by two large balloons that look like they came off a blimp, attached by 100 feet of thick rope like the ones used to tie a cruise ship to a dock. The balloons would be just the right height so I can take off in either of the two planes I would have. One of the planes would be a HU-16 Albatross, a large sea plane that could carry a lot of cargo. It would be military green with a 1950’s pin-up girl with red hair riding a large bomb. The other plane would be a P-51, with a pair of white sharp teeth and a red mouth toward the propeller. A little behind the mouth would be a pair of eyes with a fierce look to them. It would be painted the same tone of green as the cargo plane. The planes would perfectly fit the overall theme of steam punk meets sky captain of tomorrow. Any metal on the airship would be either copper, bronze, or gold. And anything else would be a dark-colored wood. The outside of the ship would be rough wood, the wood used on a pirate ship, but the inside would be detailed refined wood with fancy floral engravings. Polished copper pipes would be visible through the halls and outside of the ship, and two large bronze smoke stacks near the control tower would be used to collect the clouds, turning them into steam and using it to power the ship. When I’m on my ship, I would wear khakis with a brown leather jacket, along with aviator goggles around my neck just to add to the feel. I would only do this on my ship, because it would already be strange going places by old planes.
The seaplane would allow me to go anywhere coastal and my P-51 would allow me to fly to any airport. From the airport, I would take the much more conventional, but less adventuress, method of transportation known as taking a taxi. Transportation would be inconvenient but limitless. I could go anywhere in the world, and that’s what would be so great. I wouldn’t even need to pack bags, because I could just take my ship with me. Once I got married and had kids, I would live on the Ship until the first one turned 5. Then, I would ask them where they wanted to grow up. It could be anywhere in the world; I would then move there so they could have a great place to call home while growing up like I did.
I would live in that town for the rest of my life because it is the end of my adventure and the start of his or hers. I would stay there, so when they come back and visit they will remember the great times they had at their old home where they spent the greatest years of their lives. Wherever it is, I know I will be happy because all I would want is for my children is to have a good life, like my parents have for me. Whether it’s the snowy mountains of Colorado or the cherry-blossom filled streets of Japan, I will gladly spend the rest of my life there.
Can you think of one thing everyone has in common? Public school kids, lawyers, locksmiths, princesses, Canadians, Obama… We are all on a quest to find true happiness.
But what is true happiness, really? Is it doing what you love, being with who you love, loving yourself, or helping others? I guess it’s different for everyone. In my case, I think happiness is when you can do what you love with support from the people you love.
Others, however, are willing to give up who they love for what they love. I personally don’t think this will leave you being truly happy, for as long as you are not surrounded by people that will keep you happy, I think you will not be able to find happiness in just an activity.
It is true that happiness is relative, of course, so I extend the question to you – what makes you happy? Do you think you are a happy person? Why?
I wish you all luck on the quest to living life to the fullest.
All day I am stared down, laughed at and mimicked. Stuck behind bars, I try to say hello, but all they hear is a roar. I’m not as fierce as I appear, but they’re scared of me, and I’m not allowed to cuddle up to them, to show them who I truly am. I yearn to be free, to go on a long run and splash in a stream. But I can’t, for I am held captive. Day after day, it’s always the same. I wake up to see all of them laughing at me: at the way my mane blows in the wind, the way unwanted flies are always buzzing around me, and the way I carry myself as I try to escape the onlookers. To my left are the zebras, and to my right, the bears. All so different, we are placed together, for they think we relate. They believe that since we walk on the same ground and breathe the same air, we must be similar, when in reality, we couldn’t be more different. Not only do we look different, we come from different prides and we all communicate in different ways. The days continue, and I go to sleep again and again, signifying the next day where although they might move the sea lions, nothing more important than that will happen.
“I think it’s a science. We are born and we die. The best we can do is be happy everyday and enjoy it.”
The answers will always be different, as people will be different, as situations will be different and as life will be different. The meaning of life is whatever you make of life, whether it’s to watch a thousand movies until you understand the “42” reference, or if you decide to just pursue happiness.
Recently I found some really good blogs online.
Some are formal, some are more about daily life.
One of my favorite is called “Jaron Report.”
“Jaron Report” is a journalism blog that is run by Jaron Gilinsky, a video journalist, documentary filmmaker and web entrepreneur from Canada. The blog is mostly the reporter’s personal journalistic experience and his opinions on the trends of modern journalism and the challenges the journalists are facing. He analyzes critically about some issues such as the credibility of Wikipedia. He also gives some advice of how to become a good journalist.
The layout of the page is simple and easy to see the titles of each articles. Most of the articles are long and some of them have pictures. On the left side, there are links to other journalism blogs, the news on current TV, some feature documentaries, CNN world report and the blog archive which leads readers to his earlier posts.
The blog focuses on Jaron’s writing works and it’s really helpful to read his own experience and learn something from them.
Blogs are ways for people to express their ideas and record their life through words and pictures. Different types of blogs have different focuses therefore people can search for their preference. It’s just amazing how blogs have become more and more popular these days and how they connect people together as a whole world.
I like to knit. I like how you can never forget how to knit. I like the idea of creating something through your knitting.
What I don’t like though is rolling yarn. I got a large box of yarn for Christmas and spent about a week rolling all of them.
Yarn comes in many shapes and sizes, all varying in difficulty of rolling-ness. The easiest way to roll them is to pull out the yarn end from the middle of it and pull – and commence the rolling.
In my many hours of rolling and many hand cramps, I have realized that rolling yarn, the act of rolling it, and the yarn ball itself, is a lot like life.
Yes, life. I’m comparing a ball of yarn to life. Just hear me out.
It starts off small, and rolling it is quick and easy. It doesn’t matter how you roll it now, because since it’s so small it doesn’t matter.
Eventually you’ll start getting impatient, right? So you’ll start rolling it faster, faster, faster, until your hand slips and a large ribbon of yarn falls off the ball. Then you have to pause, untangle the ribbon, and re-roll it, kind of like fixing your mistakes after plowing through life too quickly.
If you start the ball off too loosely, the ball of yarn will be really big, and it gets hard to hold. Of course, you gotta get the job done, so you gotta keep rolling that ball of yarn. Your hand will cramp, all that nasty stuff, and the process is slowed, kind of like trying to live with the wrong start in life.
But you can’t roll it too tightly for too long, as your hand will cramp anyway. See, no matter what, your hand will cramp, so it’s best to anticipate it with a warm towel or something (I just played some computer games). Just like how you need vacations in life or else you’ll just be crawling through life, suffering every inch of the way.
I think the point I’m trying to make is that when you spend two hours a day rolling yarn covered in dirt and horse hairs you start to see life differently.
What do I hope to find over the rainbow?
Of course a perfect me, I think. That would be a beautiful girl with a charming smile and melodious voice. She would have everything and be successful at everything she does.
Right in front of me there is a vast rainbow stretching into infinity.
After open the red door with all of my curiosity, the orange river appears and runs eagerly by my side. I follow the river into the splendid yellow. The green leaves swing and wave to me as I pass them. Then the raindrops fall, the sky turns into an endless gloomy shield. The storm starts to howl, carrying blue dust. I look into the gloomy shadow and move forward into another unknown. I move slowly but firmly. I will not change my direction until I find out what is waiting for me over the rainbow. As I am picturing all the possibilities, suddenly a streak of indigo lighting breaks the silence. The snowflakes spin and sway from the violet sky, dancing with dulcet music.
Suddenly I realize something. The rainbow is just like life. There will be pleasure filled with bright colors, and there will also be gloomy moments filled with challenges and difficulties.
Finally I reach the end of the rainbow. Unfortunately, there is nothing but a mirror in front of me. With disappointment I walk closer to meet the girl in the mirror, who looks exactly like me without anything special. She is not that perfect self I had hoped to find after all. I look into the mirror and observe the girl more carefully. Something has changed about her. Her face is more confident and she seems stronger. The girl is me; a new person after the rainbow journey. She is the person who has just enjoyed the beauty and conquered all the hardships; she is the person I want to be.
I look back at the rainbow, from which I discovered my own identity. I bid a thankful farewell to the journey, from which I learned to know not a perfect but a real self.
Suddenly I realize something. I will smile at the person in the mirror.
Yes, this is what I hope to find over the rainbow – a true me.
.jpg)
OVS Journalism Blog 
You must be logged in to post a comment.