Back to School and Other Things

So as I'm sure most of the rest of you are, I'm going back to school in 2 days and all I can think of is how much I don't want to go back. But at the same time I'm a little ready for the summer to be over. Even though I'm not looking forward to having to study again, not be able to watch Netflix ever, and miss out on all the fun days at the cabin; I'm ready for shaving and bathing suit season to be over! You feel me?
This summer has been filled with more friends then most other summers combined for me, and while that's great I'm ready to have some of the drama be over. However even before school starts the school drama is catching up to me. Ah the life of a high school student...
Anyways, I can't help but start to worry about stuff. Between social aspects and the actual learning aspect of school, I'm not sure if I can handle both this year. I'm worried about losing people dear to me, as I almost let happen last year, but at the same time there are some people I'm not so sure I'm sad are leaving if all they're causing me is drama. For example, someone who says we'll go to a movie and then stops responding to my texts the rest of the summer...
However, I am looking forward to taking a drama class this year, not my first and hopefully not my last. As shy as I am I love acting. In acting I don't have to be some shy nobody, I can be whoever I want, even if who I want to be is some popular pretty princess!
I'm afraid I haven't written as much as I would've liked this summer, but I did write a little so at least I did some. I also got addicted to the book series The Mortal Instruments. Once I finish I hope to put up a review of the series. Currently I'm on the 3rd one but my hold expires in a day and I still have about 7 hours left in the audiobook...
I think the only reason I'm allowing the days to pass is that my two favorite TV shows are starting up again this month, Once Upon a Time and Big Bang Theory. Anyone else going to be watching them with me?
I hope the rest of you had a wonderful summer and have a wonderful school year!



~MG

Also, did I tell you I'm leading a group of middle school girls at church with another girl this year? I'm so excited!

Learning to Drive

So this summer I was forced to do what almost all teenagers in the United States do at 15, I was forced to learn how to drive. And as I sat in the middle row of the classroom for 2 hours 3 days a week for 5 weeks this summer I couldn't stop thinking about that Big Bang Theory episode in which they force Sheldon to learn how to drive (click on the link to see the clip).
However my personal opinion, unlike most of the rest of my peers, is that driving sucks. I hate it, I really do. Not sure if my parents are happy about this or not...
Anyways, that's been the main part of my summer so far, driving and more driving. Can't get my license on my birthday as you have to have your permit for 6 months (would have been nice to know) so I can get it a few days after Christmas. Do you know how much you have to pay for a license these days?! Neither do I, but I know it's a lot. My teacher told us, but now I can't remember... I just know it was quite a bit.
Hope the rest of you are having a wonderful summer. One month left already! I don't want to go back to school, but I guess if I have to. Schedules come out the 18th so at least I know my classes ahead of time, unlike middle school.



~MG

The Fault in Our Stars

For years now I've been seeing many of my fellow schoolmates spending hours with their face in this little blue novel with black and white clouds on the front. The book I'm referring to, as you may have guessed by the title of this post, is The Fault in Our Stars by the wonderful John Green. 

My best friends have been trying to get me to read it for years, but it wasn't until this year that I picked up my first novel by John Green, Looking For Alaska. Then I went on to Paper Towns and, An Abundance of Katherine's. I had TFIOS on hold for a while, but it wasn't in for a while. In fact, I was able to read the three books I mentioned above in 2 months before even getting under 100 on the waiting list. I had just gotten Will Grayson, Will Grayson that I got the email that I could finally read the book I'd been hearing about for so long. 

I can't remember the exact moment when I first opened the book (it was on my nook so I guess I technically never opened it, but still), but I can remember that it was hard to put down. I regret that I didn't get more than a few pages into Will Grayson, Will Grayson, but I must say it was worth it. I found so much hope and strength in this novel when I needed it the most. 

I personally have never been sick, but someone very close to me right now is going through chemotherapy. It is the hardest thing to watch, but at the same time it makes me grateful for my small infinity on earth, that I can spend it healthy and not too worried about how long I have left. Now, the person in question is, at the moment, cancer free, but we still try and make the most of the days we have, even if this infinity is a much longer one than Augustus Waters was. 

I would like to thank John Green for this book, for giving me an understanding of what cancer and terminally ill people are going through, and for giving me a reason to appreciate life again. Even though the world is not a wish granting factory, we have the power to grant our own wishes and make them come true. Only we decide our happiness, not the stars, not the people around us, only ourselves. For the fault is not in our stars, but in ourselves. 

If you haven't had the privilege of reading this novel, please do. Also, I would like to mention This Star Won't Go Out, the charity in memory of Esther Earl, one of the inspirations for this book. 

DFTBA, 

MG

Social Media and Technology Changed the World

Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat, Twitter, need I go on? In this day and age popularity and self-worth seem to be more based upon how many likes, favorites, retweets, etc you get rather than the people you have helped or the things you've accomplished. It's gotten to the point that people will only do things because "this will be a good picture for instagram" or "this will look great to my friends on facebook". Even though half your friends on facebook you've met once. Who really knows thousands of people enough to want to share personal details?
Communication has changed so much over the last 10 years that I'm not sure our parents even know what to do anymore but tell us that "face to face conversations are better" or "why don't you write them a letter and not an email?". My parents grew up without cell phones, so they at least heard peoples voices. Nowadays we just text someone. Asking someone out is as simple as shooting them a text. However it can take a long time to get a reply, when just asking them in person or over the phone you can get an instant response. I've been a victim of this, 1 week was how long it took them to reply. Now the situation was more complex than that, but if I had asked them (not on a date, I'm not that bold) in person I wouldn't have been so down for that whole week (only to be told no).
We've put our self-worth into devices and social media. Why? Cause we can! I don't know what kind of technology my children will have, or my grandchildren, but I fear that technology will make people become even more anti-social and almost like those fat people in Wall-e.
I would like to end on these wise words from Albert Einstein, and please, remember that even if your photo only gets two likes as opposed to 20, you are still you and you are wonderful!


~MG

High School

 This year I started high school. I don't know what I expected, everyone randomly bursting into song or doing drugs in the bathrooms? In reality, my reality at least, high school isn't like the movies make it out to be. Sure, there is lots of couples holding hands and making-out, and there are definitely certain groups. However I haven't heard anything about guys holding stereo's above their heads, or girls falling in love with vampires.
 I guess somehow I expected that when we all walked in everyone would couple off. This is not what happened at all. In my direct group of friends none of us have even started to date, let alone get the much-anticipated first kiss. This year I got my first slow-dance, but it was with a friend so I don't think it really counts. I think the point of freshman year is to learn that, first: middle school sucked; second: that high school isn't all about finding a gf/bf, but more about finding yourself. I have managed to at least partially find myself in the halls of my high school, and I have also managed to find new friends among the old.
 The most interesting thing this year? Lunch. Our conversations are much different than last year, and in a weird way... I've got the best friends!

According to google, this is high school.

And this describes my life

As Ellen says, be kind to one another,
MG

The Autobiography of Jane Eyre Review

So, a friend had told me about this web series a while back, and on Friday I decided to check it out. It is a lot like The Lizzie Bennet Diaries  . This one is called The Autobiography of Jane Eyre.
I could not stop watching this, or couldn't until I ran out of videos. This is a modern take on a classic novel, and I must say, they are doing a wonderful job. The chemistry between characters is amazing and the adaption is unbelievably good. You should go check this out so you can get caught up before the next episode!

~MG

Finals

So last week was finals, which means this week is a new semester. I'm finally done with PE! Until next year that is... Now I'm in health, which isn't too bad. The teacher is great and I have a good friend in that class, but it's health. It's a graduation requirement, so...

Anyways, finals. They weren't too much fun, but I had to take them. Also I got out at 10:35 for the last two days, and that was great! What did I do the day I had no finals to study for? YouTube. Yes, for like 4 hours. It was amazing. I will do a separate post for what I was watching, I want to get back into reviews. 

So, hope you all had a good finals week and enjoy the new semester. We're halfway there guys!

~MG