school – The Mint Girl Blog

The Transition from Middle to High School

Recently I wrote a short essay on how to ease into the transition of middle school to high school. I hope you enjoy!

The transition from middle to high school is tough. It can be intimidating to move to a bigger school and once again, be at the bottom of the school. As you move into 9th grade, it’s important to learn how to manage your time, how to make good friend choices, and how to still make time for what you enjoy.
Managing your time is important because with homework from multiple classes that is expected to be finished on time, you’ll need to make sure that you get through everything you need to do. A planner is helpful for managing homework, because, if you maintain it well, it’ll list out everything you need to do and when they’re due. Planners are also useful for big projects, because you can plan out your steps and what needs to be done in what order.
Classes will start to move faster! You’ll often need friends who you can rely on to help with homework and/or catch you up if you missed a class. Having friends you can rely on is incredibly useful, especially when studying for tests, as you can bounce information back and forth to review tough topics.
Lastly, make sure you still have fun! While there might be a lot of homework and it’ll take some time to settle down, you should make sure that you have time to do activities that let you relax. Having an activity separate from school that you enjoy will help make sure that you don’t get too overwhelmed or stressed by school. This can include a club/extracurricular offered by your school or something you choose to do in your free time.
Using all three of these strategies can help you adapt to a new school and a new style of work. While the transition from middle to high school can be rough, managing your time, having the right friends, and still having fun can make the transition easier and help you adjust.

What do you remember about your middle to high school transition? Was it easy or confusing?

A Streetcar Named Desire

Our final set which we had for performances.

Our theater program has been working on creating an adaptation of A Streetcar Named Desire for the past 2 months. I’ve been on tech, specifically lighting- working on focusing lights, building an LED sign, wiring lights together, and so much more. Other departments were tasked with as much, if not more work-set built a platform and a balcony, scenic painted said platform, costumes sewed and bought outfits for everyone (and as the main characters each had a new costume or costume piece per scene, there was a lot to do), props provided the handheld items, and sound found and assembled what was needed for the show. It took all of us working together to create something as amazing as we did.

We performed the last two weekends- the 3rd, 4th, 10th and 11th. Adding on to these scheduled evening shows, we added on an afternoon show on both Wednesday and Friday. All of our shows were sold out which was amaing!

It was really cool to be able to see the show come together. As I was on tech, I never really got to see what the actors did and vice versa. I remember the first time we got the actors to practice on the actual stage and the way that the play started to come to life then. We were able to go from just an idea on paper to a real life set and show, which was an incredible rewarding process

Our original set plan- we designed our set based off of this plan.

Recently, on Tuesday, we had our strike, which was when all the set was “knocked down” and taken down. For me, on lighting, this involved removing LED tape, taking down our fluorescents, taking down the sidelights (lights that shone from the wings of the stage) from the trusses, then removing the trusses themself. Other jobs included removing our balcony, removing the tarp and dirt from the stage, and organizing the piles of wood, tape, and nails. Currently, the stage is almost restored to its original look.

I definitely enjoyed my experience with theater this year and I definitely hope to continue in the coming years of high school!

Studying for High School

5 weeks ago, I started high school. It’s been a completely new experience, but I’ve really enjoyed it. I’ve already learned a lot, both about the jump from middle to high school, but also about actual class material.

In Biology, I’ve already learned a lot about viruses, biomolecules, DNA and so much more, for example. We’ve been having unit tests and reading quizzes pretty regularly and we can check our progress with the class calendar. Our teacher simply provides us with

In Algebra 2, we learn a new lesson each class (2 lessons if it’s a block day). Our teacher provides us with printed-out notes and we get to follow along- highlighting, filling in the blanks, and solving the given problems- as our teacher works through the lesson. We have tests and quizzes pretty regularly on a platform called Edia and we get our results in anywhere from 2-7 days.

Similarly, in AP Human Geography, we’re currently on our unit about migrations. We have a multiple choice test (MCT) as well as a free-response test (FRQ) every unit as our end-of-unit tests. We also have vocab and reading quizzes every Friday over the section of textbook that was given to read. Additionally, we have to find the vocab words in the textbook and create flashcards over them, which are checked along with the quizzes.

These are just a sample of my three, most work-heavy classes. Other classes, depending on the teacher, are lighter or provide less work. And even though I call them the work-heavy classes, that doesn’t mean that I’m having a tough time in those classes. I enjoy all of what I’m learning and I can’t wait to add on to what I’ve learnt!

The Upcoming School Year

Soon, in a week, I’m about to start high school! I’m pretty nervous, but I’m excited too, because this is a totally new experience.

This year, I’m taking my first AP class- AP Human Geography. AP classes are college-level classes, where the work load is higher and so is the material you learn.
Other classes I’m taking include Biology, English 1, Spanish 2, Algebra 2, PE, and Theater. I’m super excited to see my new school and start these classes and see what high school is like.

Over the summer, I’ve been completing the summer work required of us. This ranged from reading a specific dystopian book (English) to reviewing important landmarks (AP Human Geo). I’ve learned a lot from the work we’ve been told to do and I can’t wait to get back in a classroom and apply it.

Overall, I’m excited for this new experience and I know I will fully commit to it and do my best everyday. What was your high school experience like?

Dystopian Societies

In my new high school, they’ve assigned us summer work. Part of our English work was to read one out of four dystopian books and answer some guiding questions about them. I ended up reading The Grace Year by Kim Liggett and Feed by M.T. Anderson. These are the questions and answers for those two books!

THE GRACE YEAR:

Q: What things in this society seem wrong to you? Why?

A: In this society, women are valued even less than they are in today’s world. They are treated as devices, used only for giving birth. Women are also considered to have “magic”, which on further inspection turns out to be the result of hallucinations caused by poisoned well water.

Q: What things in this society might be similar to the world we live in?

A: This society expands on the sexism often seen in the world we live in. While the society seen in this world is incredibly exemplified, our world too, often faces problems of not being accepting and open-minded enough.

FEED:

Q: What things in this society seem wrong to you? Why?

Everyone in this society relies on a stream of information called The Feed that is constantly being streamed into their brain. It tells them everything they need to know and is how most people function in this society.

Q: What things in this society might be similar to the world we live in?

A: This book seems to take people’s total reliance on the internet to an exemplified level in this society, drawing on how some people can base their whole life off of what they find online.

What are some good dystopian books you’ve read?

Leadership EOY

In one of my recent posts, I talked about graduating! In one of my classes, leadership, we had an EOY party. There, different students had the opportunity to give a speech or presentation. I had the chance to give a speech in which I thanked it all- the year, the teacher, the class, the experience. Here’s my speech, I hope you enjoy it!

Leadership is a class I’ll look back on with fond memories. It’s a class that has helped me grow, flourish, and thrive through my 8th grade years. I’ve learnt things I never thought I would learn and experienced things I never thought I would experience. So this is a thank you. A thank you to people, classes, and experiences that have helped me learn. A thank you to those who have molded me and made me more of myself. A thank you to the closing of middle school and the opening of high school. This is a thank you.
First, a huge thank you to Mr. Marshall. The teacher of Leadership, a torch in the darkness. His brightness and energy made my day, no matter what. Every P day, or really, every single day, I knew that I had a respite in Mr. Marshall’s classroom. He was kind and caring to everyone, no matter who you were or what you did. He heard out everyone through all their ideas, silly or serious. Not only that, he addressed all topics. He didn’t shy away from the serious, no matter what. Mr. Marshall was an incredible role model, not only for me, but for everyone who was in his class.
Next, a thank you to the class of leadership itself. This class has given me so much to look forward to and so much to enjoy. It’s a class where I know I can relax and simply focus on the lesson without worrying about anything else. Our lessons are practical, but fun, teaching us skills that’ll be important in our day-to-day lives. For example, our lesson on framing, a lesson that taught me how to take the most ordinary or boring things and spin them so that I have a positive viewpoint. Or our lesson on writing reference letters, a skill that’ll surely be useful in any job we take up.
Lastly, a thank you to these experiences. Leadership has been one experience after another and I am so thankful to be able to be a part of it all. Starting from 7th grade, with our trial PUPS lessons, to now, giving a speech in front of everyone from leadership, I’ve never stopped to question it, letting myself enjoy it all. There’ve been so many fond memories made with the people in this room- Leadership Camp, PUP Camp, all the socials, making presentations together, giving tours together, teaching classes together, and so, so many more. I don’t think I’ve ever stopped growing or changing and I don’t plan to now, as I enter high school. Through it all, we’ve been one big, happy group. One big, happy ship. Leadership.
Leadership has created so many opportunities not for just me, but for all of us. I’ve seen everyone around me learn more about themselves and grow into the best version of ourselves. We’ve all grown and blossomed- just like our plants! I don’t think anything can change the memories we made here or the fun times we had. And all those memories, all those fun times are thanks to one shared class- leadership. So thank you to leadership. Thank you to all the people in this room- every single one of you. Thank for always being all aboard.

This class has created some of my best memories and I will miss it a lot. What classes like that have you taken?

Graduation!

Recently, on Wednesday, I finished up 8th grade, my last year of middle school. It was a momentous occasion and I was so happy to be part of it, though of course, it was also incredibly bittersweet.

I’ve enjoyed middle school a lot. It’s been filled with a lot of new things- new classes, new people, and new experiences. I’ve learned a lot and I’m so glad that I’ve been able to experience it all. Middle school has opened me up to new experiences, like theater, something that I’m incredibly passionate about today, which you might know if you’ve seen some of my previous blog posts.

Also, leadership! Leadership is a class I’d been hoping to get into ever since I first went on a tour and I was so happy to get the acceptance email. The classes, the teacher, and all the experiences have been one fun time and I’m so glad to have been part of it.

Lastly, I’ve made a lot of new friends, who I’ll miss so much in high school. They all mean a lot to me and while some of them are continuing on with me to the next year, I will unfortunately have to part ways with some people who mean a lot to me, though we have made promises to keep in touch.

On the other hand, I can’t wait to experience so much in high school! I’ve already gotten my classes for next school year, so I know what classes I’ll be taking. I’ll be continuing theater, which I’m super excited for! I’ll also be taking my first AP course- AP Human Geography. I know high school will be an extraordinary experience!

How were your school experiences?

Say No to Book Bans- my IB Project

For my last year at middle school, we’ve been doing projects about a cause we’re passionate about. Because of this, I picked books and book bans. I did research about book bans around the US and the history of this practice. To take action, I emailed my state representatives, posted frequent Instagram posts, and wrote this essay. I hope you enjoy!

Books have been a part of my life since an early age. My parents have only encouraged this love and so it’s become something that has defined my life. Books have guided me through tumultuous times and have been some of my closest companions when I needed them. Not only that, books have helped me figure out who I am. As an Indian, my identity isn’t very commonly represented, especially in TV shows or movies. But books have let me, and so many other people I know, figure out who we are and how we want to exist in the world.
But book banning and book censorship seeks to erase these books that have created a safe space for so many people. Reports issued by PEN America, a foundation that seeks to prevent book banning, shows how in 2021-2022, 41% of books banned had LGBT+ characters and 40% of books banned featured characters of color. Additionally, books with religious minorities, books that dealt with race/racism, and books that dealt with themes of rights and activism were also frequently banned.
Not only does banning books limit students’ safe places, banning books is a slippery slope to censorship and eradication of the first amendment, which grants everyone freedom of the press. Banning books is unconstitutional and only succeeds in suppressing the thoughts and opinions of others. This could easily lead to the erosion of how our country commits to freedom of expression.
While parents have the right to choose what their child can read, that does not mean they have the right to decide for a large group of students, especially when all of these students have different views, different opinions, and different mindsets. One person’s opinions do not apply to everyone. Parents are allowed to ask that their children do not read a certain book at a certain time, but when this grows into policing a whole group, it is undemocratic.
Therefore, I believe that book banning is an abhorrent practice. It limits who sees themselves in books, the first amendment, and lets a small group of people decide for a larger group. Support stopping book bans today!

Black-Out Poetry

Recently, in my English class, we learned about Black-Out poetry. Black-out poetry is when you take an article, books, existing poetry, or any written material and black out some of the words to create new sentences and poetry. It’s a really fun creative exercise and I enjoyed it a lot! Here’s some of the black-out poetry that I did.

Poem 1:

Poem 2:

Poem 3:

The first poem was created out of an article about basements, the second was about a musical, and the third was about wild turkeys. As you can tell, none of the poems really stick with the themes of those articles, which is what makes black-out poetry so fun. You can play around with your topics and what’s important in your poem.

If you’d like to try black-out poetry here are the simple steps!

Find an article or piece of writing that you enjoy or would like to try writing with. This can be any article and does not have to align with your end product!
Start blacking out swathes of text so you are left with words or phrases that you enjoy and you think add to your poem.
If you find yourself getting stuck or are not sure what to black out, try a pattern! Maybe black out every ten words, then save the eleventh! Even just by trying, you can create something extraordinary.
You can also try to be artistic! Many poets who do black out poetry drawing pictures or make illustrations out of their work and it can end up looking beautiful.

Have/Will you try blackout poetry? What other kinds of poetry do you like?

2023 goals

2023 is hopefully going to be a big year! I’m graduating middle school and moving on to high school, so that’s a pretty big milestone for me. I’m also hoping to work on things I’m passionate about and get much better at them.

Dance:

Dance, especially Bharatanatyam, is already a huge part of my life and I want that to continue through the new year. I hope to practice a lot more, learn many new items, and get more opportunities to perform.
This year, I’ll also get to perform in my school’s Spring Show, where I’ll be able to perform 4 dances in front of parents and friends. This is something I’m really excited for and I can’t wait to grow my contemporary dancing skills as well!

Writing:

I really want to work on my writing, as well as my use of vocabulary. Writing is already a huge passion of mine and I definitely want to grow that this year. I’m also auditioning for a creative-arts school in the category of writing!

Art:

Along with my writing, I would like to get better at my art skills! Currently, I might not be the best artist, however, I definitely want to practice a lot this year and hopefully learn more about art and develop an art style (or any semblance of one)

Books:

This year, I’m going to be trying to “read my bookshelf” more and get through many of the books on my bookshelf instead of always getting new ones. I hope to maybe finish more series and discover a lot of good books!

School:

This year, I’ll be going into high school and I hope to find my footing quickly. I’ll definitely keep working hard in my new school (and for the rest of middle school).

What goals do you have for 2023?