Throughout this semester, writing blogs every couple weeks has been one of my favorite assignments. I enjoyed being able to have creative license and choose what I wanted to write about. There are two blogs that I especially enjoyed writing. One was a winter bucket list where I talked about my favorite holiday activities. It was so much fun to write because I got to think about all of the fun things I want to do over winter break. The other was an itinerary for the perfect trip throughout Alaska. I have always wanted to go on an Alaskan adventure and writing that blog allowed me to research exactly what I would do if I were able to go.
Over the course of the semester, my ability to write my blogs and generate ideas grew more efficient. I also feel as though my writing itself has improved. Specifically, comparing my earlier blogs to the more recent ones, I think I succeeded in developing a more conversational tone. This was difficult for me at first because I was so used to writing pieces for more formal and academic situations. However, I learned that blogs have to be more lighthearted in order to be engaging and relatable – no one wants to read a blog that is written like a timed writing. It was also difficult to think of ideas at the beginning of the semester and find something that I was able to write an entire blog about. There were times when I would decide on a topic, write half of a blog, and find it difficult to think of more to talk about. This also became easier for me and I can now think of a handful of different topics to write about.
Reading other students’ blogs has also helped me become a better writer because I have been exposed to different styles of writing. I was able to learn new words and unique ways to phrase thoughts, as everyone words their opinions differently. I also gained more insight into writing blogs in general, as I mentioned this was difficult for me at the beginning of the semester. I do not typically read blogs, so reading what other students wrote helped me learn more about how to write one. It was also just really interesting to see what everyone chose to write about every week and learn from different perspectives. There were so many blogs that were fun to read, and I borrowed ideas and strategies from the ones I found the most engaging. My favorite blog that I have read so far would have to be Annie’s X Marks the Park.
Overall, this semester has been a very interesting one with all of the senior activities and college applications. I definitely believe that all of the essays and blogs, while overwhelming at times, have helped me become a much better writer. However, I have learned a lot throughout this semester in other aspects of my life as well. For example, during the height of college applications, the non-relenting mountain of school work prompted me to learn more about prioritizing. There were times when I had to get less work done than I wanted to and I had to learn how to be okay with that. In the end I completed everything that I needed to and ended up perfectly fine. I have learned that it is important to give yourself breaks, as long as you keep track of all of your responsibilities. I need to remember this for next semester when I know I am going to want to prioritize fun activities over school. I am going to aim to maintain a healthy balance of both so that I can relax and have a fun senior year while also not falling behind.
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capped mountains and glacial lakes will fill your windshield. The largest US national park and bigger than Switzerland, Wrangell St-Elias is filled to the brim with glaciers, volcanos, and four different mountain ranges. 
Katmai contains the largest known concentration of grizzly bears in the world. There is even an island off the coast that is home to Kodiak bears – a larger, more aggressive, and somehow more terrifying species of brown bear. It isn’t uncommon to spot a handful of bears fishing in Brooks River Falls. 
campsites, or roads. It establishes a new definition of remote and provides an incomparable experience.