Getahun’s English Blog

I find time to enjoy my day with doing simple things that can alleviate any negative feelings. These include going outside and doing some kind of quick activity whether it's walking, riding a bike, or playing with a ball with a friend or sibling. I find I can find time to enjoy my day even when I'm really busy or have a lot going on by socializing or having a quick talk with a friend that is completely casual and not related to work or school. Last not but least, whenever I feel overwhelmed, and want to feel solice and like I have time, I just write down how I'm feeling, and what I have to do exactly. This way, I can block my time to do what I need to, and leisurely time, as well as go about ways to alleviate any negative feelings I may have. Summary: Today we worked on finishing up our one pager on William Blake's poem in class, and submitted it by the end of class. While working on my one pager, I learned that both "The Tyger" and "The Lamb" have c...

I was born on April 14, 2007. From what I've been told I relate more to "Infant Joy" when I was born. My parents wanted to have a good amount of children, and were overjoyed to welcome another child. My older siblings would tell me how they would compete for my attention when I was an infant, and that I tended to gravitate towards my eldest brother. I was born about two weeks after my family had moved from downtown Atlanta, and I was the fourth child to be born and third boy. My birth symbolized a new start for my parents, as we lived the first child to come after we moved into our new home, and got adjusted to the new settings.  Summary: Today we read and analyzed two sets of poems by William Blake. The poems being "Infant Joy" and "Infant Sorrow" & "The Tyger" and "The Lamb." After analyzing all 4 poems, we were assigned to work on a one-pager for the rest of our time in class. I decided to make mine on "The Tyger" a...

After reading "The Tyger" by William Blake I believe all of creation is beautiful and something I cannot comprehend, because it is so encompassing and so intricate that it would take an immensely powerful divine God to be responsible. I believe the most beautiful creation in the world are trees. This is because they are so intricate, and each one so unique, yet they are so common. Trees are beautiful in that they represent nature and the symbiotic relationship humans have with nature regarding the exchange of carbon dioxide and oxygen. Trees can begin as a tiny seed, and grow to be grand and majestic structures that represent slow but steady growth. Trees are also a very important in symbolism, and is used to describe the universe in Norse mythology, as well as "family trees" or the "tree of life." Trees grow up from the ground, which we can internalize as motivaton to grow and develop and reach for the skies, and possibly even to our creator. Summary: Tod...

The holiday I look forward to most every year is Christmas. It is my favorite because the overall atmosphere and feeling that takes over during Christmas season as well as the family gatherings. Ever since I was a kid, I loved the feeling Christmas brought, with the music, decorations, movies, shows, etc. Despite Christmas being a day, it feels like the entire month of December. Christmas is also my favorite for the gifts we exchange, as it is exciting to get gifts and to give gifts to others. Additionally, I love going to church around Christmas, as the service and prayer becomes centered around the birth of Christ and his prophesized arrival as the messiah. Last but not least, the colder temperatures incentivizes us to stay inside with family, creating a more cozy feeling, which is only heightened when it snows outside. Absent this day.

Some steps I can take now to prepare for a career that pays more than minimum wage is to continue pursuing a college education, to help with my chances of obtaining a high paying career after I'm done with school. I can also conduct further research into different fields, and compare the material, the job market for each field, the salary, as well as my interest in each, to make an educated pursue of the right field for me. I can also better prepare myself to enter the workforce by looking for and getting an internship during my time in college, to gain experience and skills needed on the job like technical skills, teamwork skills, management skills, etc. Last but not least, I can expand my horizons regarding networking and gaining valuable connections with those who are successful in my desired field, and can provide things of value. All of these things will help me better prepare for a high paying career. Summary: Today we watched a video about a woman who lives on minimum wage. ...

Over this spring break I went on a trip to Florida with some friends of mine outside of school. We were there from Tuesday to Saturday. On the Saturday before the trip I stayed inside the house and went out to go see the Minecraft movie with some friends and got food afterwards at Cook Out. The drive to Destin, Florida was about 5 and a half hours. I packed my bags with my belongings and about 500 dollars, which I blew through by the end of the trip. When we arrived, we settled in our condo, and crashed in for the next couple of hours. Later in the night, we went out and got food and met some locals as well as others coming for spring break. The next day was much more eventful. We woke up early to get food in my friend's car. We visited the beach when it wasn't too busy, until later in the afternoon when we heard about music events happening. Later that day, the beach was filled with people, more than I had ever seen at once on the beach. For the rest of the trip we somewhat st...

If I could plan the perfect spring break with no limitations on money, time or responsibilities, it would look very fun and enjoyable. I would probably go plan a trip to Brazil with some of my friends, as well as family, but we'd have separate places to stay when we get there. First we would land in Rio de Janeiro and explore the local cuisine, architecture, and culture. I'd go with my friends around the place and meet with locals, as well as be cautious of the favelas (although they are less likely to interfere with tourists). There are many places I want to visit such as the Christ the Redeemer statue, the Selaron Staircase, and where the World Cup was played in 2014 and the influences of soccer in the culture. During the trip I'd also go to the beach with friends and family. Summary: Today was an assignment makeup day in class, and we worked on assignments that we haven't yet finished. I was working on my Vocab Lesson 15 Image assignment. Reflection: I learned that a...

When I watched the film "Lamb" (2015), I felt like it captured what Ethiopian culture is like. The story follows a young boy named Ephraim who moves to the countryside to live with relatives after his mother dies, bringing his beloved lamb with him. I recognized so many parts of my own culture in the movie—from the way families interact, to the importance of food, farming, and faith. The scenery, language, and traditions all felt very real and familiar. It was nice to see Ethiopia shown in a respectful and honest way, without the usual stereotypes. Watching this movie made me feel proud of my background, and I think it helps others understand how beautiful and rich Ethiopian culture is. I also found many parallels in the life that the boy in the movie was living and the life my dad had lived growing up in Ethiopia, when it came to farming, herding, religion, etc. Summary: Today, we watched the rest of the groups present their projects about negative cultural stereotypes portr...

Something I have outgrown but still miss is playing video games. I still play video games from time to time, but not nearly as frequently as in the past, and I also don't enjoy as much as I used to. I believe it to be one of the things that I can do throughout my life, but the enjoyment from it decreases. This may be in part to having less free time the older I get and that being the same with my friends so that I just have less time to enjoy it. It could also be due to the fact I have played these games for a long part of my life, and I simply have gotten tired, or I am just growing out of it. Despite all of this, I do miss the memories and fun that it would bring. Playing afterschool or afterchurch with my friends are some of the best memories I have from my childhood. I don't plan on giving up video games entirely, but I hope when I do play I can feel like a kid again. Summary: Today we worked on a vocabulary assignment in class and we had a substitute teacher. We had to cho...

Some common stereotypes I believed about high school students included that I thought the athletes would all be arrogant and not care about school, that the popular kids would be mean and exclusive, and that everyone would be divided into rigid cliques like in the movies. I also assumed that upperclassmen would look down on freshmen and that high school would be filled with constant drama. Although, when I actually lived through high school, I realized these stereotypes were very exaggerated and untrue for the most part. While some students did fit those molds a little, most people were way more complex and open than I expected. Overall, I learned that those stereotypes weren’t very accurate, and high school students are a lot more diverse than I originally thought. Absent this day.

A few years ago, when I was volunteering at a local homeless shelter, I realized my perception of homelessness was shaped by stereotypes, in that I had assumed most people there were struggling due to poor life choices or addiction to substances. Although, after hearing stories from individuals who had lost jobs due to illness, fled domestic violence, or faced other hardships, I saw how complex and varied their experiences were. This realization challenged my assumptions and made me more empathetic and less judgmental. I began educating myself on the root and systemic causes of homelessness and made a conscious effort to see people as humans with universal experiences and motives rather than as simply labels. Summary: Today we were introduced to a group project regarding negative stereotypes on a selected culture. My group's selected culture was East Asia. In the project, we must create a 10 slide PowerPoint in which find a film, tv show, or other piece of media that portrays negat...

I remember when a new student moved to the middle school I went to, and because she wore a hijab, I, myself as well as others assumed she was quiet and possibly even oppressed. This single story we created in our heads, shaped by media stereotypes, completely overlooked her outgoing, funny, and independent personality. I saw firsthand how people missed out on knowing her real self because they attached to one narrow perspective. Limiting ourselves to a single story is dangerous because it creates misunderstanding and flattens people's nuances and complexities into one-dimensional characters. To truly see people and cultures more fully, we should stay curious, ask questions, and disregard preconceived notions. Everyone is more than the first impression we might have of them. Summary: Today, we worked on a CommonLit assignment about the danger of a single story. The author describes how stereotypes and assumptions about others can create a harmful single story of various things. She ...

Mastering precise vocabulary can impact your daily communication and academic success through making it easier to express your ideas and feelings correctly and clearly. It makes communication easier because there is less of a chance for others to misinterpret what you are saying and reduces the chance of miscommunication and confusion. A stronger and more precise vocabulary can also increase your confidence because you know you have a strong grasp on the concept or idea you are trying to express, which can help you talk to others or speak up publicly. It can also strengthen academic success because it displays a strong understanding of material and lessons and can put more weight into your arguments which can in turn improve your grades.    Absent this day.

When I become an adult I think I would prefer to live in the city rather than in the suburbs. This is because of the greater convenience of things around, greater cultural diversity, and the greater amount of opportunities that are present compared to the suburbs. When living in the city, most amenities and necessities are nearby and easy to access in contrast to the suburbs where things you need may be miles away. These include grocery stories, public transit, restaurants, and even a job. Also, a city is almost always more culturally diverse than the suburbs. This opens city dwellers up to experience the varying cultures that live together in a city, whether it be through food at restaurants, or music heard in the streets, or languages spoken. Finally, since most companies and organizations tend to settle in urban areas, it provides better opportunities in finding jobs and making important connections. Plus, the environmental benefits are greater from a smaller carbon footprint due to...

I will personally strive to avoid student loan debt in a variety of ways. To start, I will asses my financial situation to see how much I can pay for without having to use loans. This would be done by looking at the cost of attendance compared with how much money I have saved. Next, I'd make sure to focus on my education and making sure to not fail any courses to avoid repeating so that I have to pay more. Additionally, I will search for scholarships to try to get as much of my education cost covered as possible.   Summary: Today we worked on a CommonLit assignment about avoiding student loan debt and differences between for profit and non profit schools. Additionally it gave some steps on how to be better prepared for college and how to choose the one that is right for you. Reflection: I learned that 4 questions to ask yourself when deciding what college to attend are: How selective is the college? Do most students borrow? Do students finish? How much will I earn? 

A vocabulary word from today that resonates with me personally is "nirvana." This word is significant to me because of its meaning of "a condition of great peace or happiness," as well as its association with the rock band and Buddhism. Nirvana is something that everyone strives for in life or in the afterlife, so it could hold significance for a great deal of people. Some personal memories and experiences that link me to this word include going to the beach, birthday parties, and sports games. These experiences were moments of happiness and peace in my life, so I could describe these times as moments of achieving nirvana. The word also holds a strong significance to me because it is the name of one of my favorite rock bands from the 90s and of all time. Furthermore, the band chose its name because of its spiritual and religious meaning in Buddhism of being the ultimate goal and freedom from suffering and the cycle of rebirth. Overall, the word "nirvana" r...

In my freshmen year of high school I tried out for the basketball team, but I did not make it. At this time I hadn't yet reached my growth spurt and I was still learning the game. I was frustrated at the time, but I managed to use it as motivation for the following year. I made the team my sophomore year, and made sure to lock in on getting better at the game and getting stronger. Plus, I had grown over 4 inches during this time period. The initial failure my freshmen year was pivotal, in my growth and success later on. Summary: Today we worked on our discussion questions in class. Reflection: We worked on the discussion questions and I learned that you only truly fail when you give up, and that roadblocks are a part of the journey to success.

I have had experiences in the past where emotions like stress, fear, or emotions made reality feel distorted or unreal. While going trick or treating with my two of my neighbors and my older brother, we were still somewhat young, the oldest of us being in 7th grade, we got lost. We had gone down the road from our home and took a couple turns down various streets, looking for the most inviting houses that we thought would hand out the most candy. After a while, we realized that we didn't know where we were and that we were lost. We tried to find our back but to no avail. At this point, I begun to become stressed and started to panic. Reality started to settle in, and almost seemed to warp. It was dark out, and lightly raining, plus it was freezing cold. All of these factors began to feel overwhelming and my perception of reality became distorted as everything felt more terrifying. Every car that passed by seemed like it could be someone that could try to harm us, the sounds in the d...

A martinet is someone who is strict and abides by rigid rules. I've encountered a few martinets in my life in school and in church. Back in my freshmen year of high school my math teacher, would strictly abide by rules and would never let any rule breaking fly by her radar. She would mark anyone tardy even if they were a minute late, and I had her for first period. She would also give not allow talking in the class 90% of the time. Another time of when I encountered a martinet was my priest at church, whom when teaching during Saturday school, did not tolerate many mistakes, and strived for perfection, as well as not allow tardiness. Understanding the word "martinet" helps improve communication and writing skills as it is a new word that I have learned and can use in my vocabulary when speaking a more advanced level of English, or to add depth and greater meaning when I'm writing or describing something or someone. Summary: Today we looked over 15 vocabulary words and...

I prefer Daylight Savings Time over Standard Time. The main reason for this being the extra hours of sunlight that comes with Daylight Savings Time, which makes the days feel more fulfilling because of the extra light that allows us to stay out longer. These hours are crucial in my memories and creating memories, as well as having events or hanging out in the evenings. Additionally, I love the waking up and getting ready to darker mornings. There is something about the atmosphere and feeling which is more fun and mysterious. I am also not a morning person, so I appreciate the sun not shining in my face early in the morning. I believe that the only drawback of Daylight Savings Time, is the hour of sleep lost, switching to it. Summary: Today, is a virtual learning day, so we were assigned an early NewsELA assignment about Daylight savings through canvas. Reflection: I learned the Benjamin Franklin originally proposed the idea of switching the clock, so that there are extra hour(s) of sun...