The blog post I enjoyed writing the most this year was the one in which I discussed the cities I have traveled to, and I think this was because it’s the topic I am most passionate about so everything from the idea to the writing process itself were genuinely engaging. As I wrote, it also refreshed a lot of good memories from traveling that I’d either forgotten or hadn’t thought about in a long time. Additionally, this blog was all personal experiences so I was able to go through my camera roll and add a lot of pictures, which makes for not only a more engaging writing experience but also a more compelling read. Contrary to many of my previous experiences in writing, the words seemed to flow naturally. Reflecting upon this post, and all the others in which I wrote with enthusiasm, blogging has overall changed both my writing style, and my attitude towards writing.
The creative and light nature of these blogging assignments expanded my previous relationship with writing that was purely academic into something that could be recreational. In the past, I hadn’t had any experiences with writing outside a formal academic setting. While learning these composition skills are important, I think it made my mental association towards writing very tense, and thinking back on it now I had developed an almost rejective attitude to anything that involved writing. Beginning the semester, I started off lost. Already used to being given specific topics and criteria, I always felt like I was doing something wrong when writing my posts and that they were too casual for a high-school AP course assignment. Reading other students’ blogs completely dissolved these concerns as I saw and learned about a variety of different topics and creative ideas. The process of drafting, posting, and commenting then became much more comfortable. Interacting with others’ posts on the site, I think it was a positive way to communicate with peers, and expanded my perspective on many topics such as traveling, sports, and cooking that are often not discussed in school. Overall, I’ve now opened up to the exciting and relaxing side of writing.
In addition to attitude, I’ve also seen a shift in the way I write. The first month of school when I first read through other students’ blog posts, I discovered a lot of them had a very distinct tone that seemed to shadow the way those people normally spoke – I first saw this characteristic in Biswo’s blog, and reading her blog posts almost felt like she was talking to me. This I think added a lot of personality to the writing. As I became more conscientious about adding my own voice into my writing, my compositions began to acquire a more distinct and individualized tone. Through this realization I also recognized that, in addition to logic and analysis, a valuable aspect of writing is creativity and individuality.
To conclude my blogging experience so far, there are both meaningful lessons about writing that I will carry with me into next semester, and some aspects that I would like to work on. First, I strive to continue opening up my attitude towards writing, whether it be through blog posts or other assignments. Additionally, after reading other people’s blog posts, I’ve seen many meaningful messages such as making sure to balance academics with health and that going to a prestigious school is not the only factor that defines success. Such messages were encouraging and valuable to read for me, and I would also like to incorporate such meanings into my own blogs next semester since so far I’ve only focused on very light topics.
For people who like food, this is a must-visit. The food options actually seemed to be endless, and I could’ve stayed there the whole day if there weren’t a limit for how much I could eat. We went to a place called Jiangnan for lunch, mostly for the purpose of taking a picture of the crab pots, but the food surprisingly was pretty good too. In addition to food, there are also a lot of cute cafes that look like the ones in Asia I always see on Instagram. The subway ride from Manhattan to Flushing is almost an hour, the car ride is usually even longer due to traffic, but it is very close to LaGuardia airport so I think it’s a great area to grab food after arriving or before leaving New York.
Jane’s Carousel is located in the Brooklyn Bridge Park, around half a mile away from the base of the bridge itself, it is the perfect angle to take photos. The carousel itself is an attraction, but I think it is the view of the city skyline that makes it worth a visit. The view is beautiful,, and there is a path a short walk away from the carousel that brings you down to the shore of the river. Most importantly, I went at night when there were barely any people, which means you can get the classic picture of the NYC skyline without any obstructions to the view.
This spot I think recently became popular, and after visiting I truly understand why. The building is in the center of the city in Midtown Manhattan, so transportation in the area is convenient. The views are very similar to the Empire State Building experience of going up a tall building and seeing the city from above, but much more modernized. The whole experience at the top of the building included three floors and a balcony, all with light and sound effects. The management and ticketing systems aren’t very efficient so the line was a two hour wait, but I would still recommend this place as a more interesting alternative to the Empire State Building.
Soho already is a very popular location, but it’s one of those places that is not only worth visiting but revisiting. Apart from the fact that each time I go back the stores have completely different items, there are also a lot more shops, many of which we don’t have in Chicago like Gentle Monster and Stussy. There’s also a larger location of Miniso, a Japanese store that sells stuffed animals and various household items, which we have here in Chinatown. Almost everything in these stores can be bought online, but I think it’s a different experience to see them in person. Additionally, the architecture is very unique, from not just the rest of the buildings I’ve seen in the U.S., but also the rest of New York. Entering Soho, there is a clear distinction between the style of the buildings in Soho and those of the surrounding areas.
Growing up, my memories of being sick consisted entirely of relaxation. The quiet mornings waking up to sunlight flooding through my window, followed by calm afternoons lying on the couch beneath a mountain of blankets dissipated any physical discomfort. I appreciated these rare occasions, that is, until I got the full high-school experience of being sick this past week. I spent the majority of my first day at home glued to my bed. My attitude towards the increasing amount of unfinished assignments and the upcoming Nov. 1st college application deadline adamantly remained that “I’ll figure it out tomorrow”. The second day at home was when I truly began experiencing the stress, and through fevers and headaches I was pulled back into the reality of my coursework. Surviving off of five different types of medicine, I spent the entire day working on worksheets and essays, and even had to drive to my fourth period for a math test because I didn’t know when else I would get the time to go to Central and make it up. It felt the opposite of relaxing, and the day after I eagerly returned to school despite the fact that I still hadn’t quite recovered. 
re, Versailles etc. all gave me the feeling of “it’s good, but not as good as I expected”. I’ve been there twice, and I think after the first visit drew me out of the medi
that most cities aren’t, we were pleasantly surprised that Singapore is actually really clean. The food and culture was also amazing, it was a mix of the three largest ethnic groups that live there: Indian, Malaysian, and Chinese. I think Singapore is a beautiful spot for vacation, but living there long-term might be a struggle with the outrageously high prices.
ack of prior experience with dogs made for the fact that I was nervous to even move her out and get a better angle.
or of her fur a brighter shade of white. It is also the one photo in which my iPhone camera managed to get a shot that isn’t heavily pixelated.
e tree and presents in the background, I think it’s pretty artistic with the coordinated holiday theme.
appy to be there together. The photography obviously gets a 10(thanks Katie your photography skills are amazing),and I think thewhole viewmakes the photo seem pretty artistic.