The transition from adolescence to adulthood varies for each individual. For some, it may happen at an early age, and for others it may take longer. No matter when it happens, it is often a significant day in a person's life, because it's the day that they've finally come of age.
When I was younger, I used to be really mean to my older sister. I would roll my eyes whenever she said something dumb and get mad at her over every little thing. Then, one day, we had a pretty bad fight, so my mom had a talk with me. Little did I know that something as simple as a conversation would help me to grow up and change into a better person. At a younger age, I didn't quite understand my sister's condition and how lucky we were to have her in our lives. I wasn't alive to see any of the many surgeries she had to go through to fix the hole in her heart, and I wasn't aware of how much medication she had to take, just to maintain her health. I didn't know what DiGeorge Syndrome was and how it affected her everyday.
My mom continued to tell me about the major obstacles that she had to overcome to get to where she is today. She said to me, "You have to learn to appreciate her more, and to let the little things slide. You can't change the way other people are, but one thing you can change is the way you act towards them." In that moment, I realized how strong my big sister was, and I admired her for that. My mom helped me to understand that although she wasn't perfect, neither was I. There were still many things that I could do to become a better sister. I was snobby, unappreciative, and I made everything about me. I made lots of sassy comments whenever she said anything, and I rarely had any meaningful conversations with her. I didn't include her in anything, because everything that I did was with my twin. We would gang up on her and leave her out when we would go outside to play volleyball, or watch a movie. Then, I felt bad, and I realized that this was not the person that I wanted to be. She already had a tough life since she was born, and I was only making it harder. I should have been there to cheer her up when she was feeling down, and support her in tough situations. I should have been more grateful that my sister was healthy and pretty much normal.
I was then determined to become more loving and caring towards my big sister. Instead of being quick to point out her mistakes or to judge her, I learned to keep my comments to myself. From making that small change, I noticed that we started fighting less and less. Now, my sister and I talk a lot more, and do a lot more things together. When we go shopping with each other, I help her to pick out things to wear. When we play volleyball, she serves and hits to me to help me become a better passer. I was opposed to changing myself at first, because I was stubborn. But when I finally did, I found myself laughing more and being a better person overall. Change is not always easy, and it may take some time, but in the end it was worth it.
My mother's words helped me to learn to appreciate every moment that I have with the people that are important to me, and not take them for granted. Without that conversation with my mom, my sister and I might not be as close as we are today. I learned that the only life that you have control over is your own, and that change is okay. By making changes for myself, I've become a much happier person than I was before. Change is needed for the coming of age, and is necessary for a person to finally be able to grow up.
Monday, October 31, 2016
Wednesday, October 26, 2016
Word Choice Olympics
It was the concert of their dreams. They've been looking forward to this concert for months now, counting down the days one by one. When their favorite singer came on stage, they couldn't believe it. The fact that they saw Justin Bieber in person made them scream in disbelief, for this was the moment that they've been waiting for forever. They reached out to grab his hand as he walked by, still screaming and chanting his name. When he pulled up a random girl on stage to dance with him, they started crying in disappointment. They wanted so badly to get the chance to go up on stage with the love of their life, but he'd chosen a different girl.
A couple years ago, I remembered that my grandma had told me the one thing that she wished she did when she got a chance to was to shoot a gun. I recently bought a gun for protection, so I decided to bring it over to grandma's house. Of course, I emptied out the bullets so she wouldn't hurt anyone. When I gave her the gun, the look on her face was priceless. She was grinning from ear to ear, and giggling in nervousness over such a dangerous object. She didn't even try to pull the trigger, she just thanked me and gave it back to me. She couldn't stop smiling, for this was by far the most excitement that she's had in her life for years.
I was waiting by the window, growing impatient as the clock ticked by. "He should be home by now", I thought to myself. Then, right on cue, I saw my dad's car turn onto my street. I screamed and ran outside, my mother and brother following close behind me. I yelled for my dad, and all three of us jumped on him. I missed him so much, and I was glad that he was okay. Although we hugged each other for a long time, I never wanted to let him go.
Sunday, October 23, 2016
Coming of Age Rough Draft
The transition from adolescence to adulthood varies for each individual. For some, it may happen at an early age, and for others it may take longer. No matter when it happens, it is often a significant day in a person's life, because it's the day that they've finally come of age.
When I was younger, I used to be really mean to my older sister. I would roll my eyes whenever she said something dumb and get mad at her over every little thing. Then, one day, we had a pretty bad fight, so my mom had a talk with me. Little did I know that something as simple as a conversation would help me to grow up and change into a better person. At a younger age, I didn't quite understand my sister's condition and how lucky we were to have her in our lives. I wasn't alive to see any of the many surgeries she had to go through to fix the hole in her heart, and I wasn't aware of how much medication she had to take, just to maintain her health. I didn't know what DiGeorge Syndrome was and how it affected her everyday.
My mom continued to tell me about the major obstacles that she had to overcome to get to where she is today. She said to me, "You have to learn to appreciate her more, and to let the little things slide. You can't change the way other people are, but one thing you can change is the way you act towards them." In that moment, I realized how strong my big sister was, and I admired her for that. My mom helped me to understand that although she wasn't perfect, neither was I. There were still many things that I could do to become a better sister. I thought about all the times where I could've been a nicer and more caring sister to her. Then, I felt bad, and I realized that this was not the person that I wanted to be. She already had a tough life since she was born, and I was only making it harder. I should have been there to cheer her up when she was feeling down, and support her in tough situations. I should have been more grateful that my sister was healthy and pretty much normal.
I was then determined to become more loving and caring towards my big sister. Instead of being quick to point out her mistakes or to judge her, I learned to keep my comments to myself. From making that small change, I noticed that we started fighting less and less. I was opposed to changing myself at first, because I was stubborn. But when I finally did, I found myself laughing more and being a better person overall. Change is not always easy, and it may take some time, but in the end it was worth it.
My mother's words helped me to learn to appreciate every moment that I have with the people that are important to me, and not take them for granted. Without that conversation with my mom, my sister and I might not be as close as we are today. I learned that the only life that you have control over is your own, and that change is okay. By making changes for myself, I've become a much happier person than I was before. Change is needed for the coming of age, and is necessary for a person to finally be able to grow up.
When I was younger, I used to be really mean to my older sister. I would roll my eyes whenever she said something dumb and get mad at her over every little thing. Then, one day, we had a pretty bad fight, so my mom had a talk with me. Little did I know that something as simple as a conversation would help me to grow up and change into a better person. At a younger age, I didn't quite understand my sister's condition and how lucky we were to have her in our lives. I wasn't alive to see any of the many surgeries she had to go through to fix the hole in her heart, and I wasn't aware of how much medication she had to take, just to maintain her health. I didn't know what DiGeorge Syndrome was and how it affected her everyday.
My mom continued to tell me about the major obstacles that she had to overcome to get to where she is today. She said to me, "You have to learn to appreciate her more, and to let the little things slide. You can't change the way other people are, but one thing you can change is the way you act towards them." In that moment, I realized how strong my big sister was, and I admired her for that. My mom helped me to understand that although she wasn't perfect, neither was I. There were still many things that I could do to become a better sister. I thought about all the times where I could've been a nicer and more caring sister to her. Then, I felt bad, and I realized that this was not the person that I wanted to be. She already had a tough life since she was born, and I was only making it harder. I should have been there to cheer her up when she was feeling down, and support her in tough situations. I should have been more grateful that my sister was healthy and pretty much normal.
I was then determined to become more loving and caring towards my big sister. Instead of being quick to point out her mistakes or to judge her, I learned to keep my comments to myself. From making that small change, I noticed that we started fighting less and less. I was opposed to changing myself at first, because I was stubborn. But when I finally did, I found myself laughing more and being a better person overall. Change is not always easy, and it may take some time, but in the end it was worth it.
My mother's words helped me to learn to appreciate every moment that I have with the people that are important to me, and not take them for granted. Without that conversation with my mom, my sister and I might not be as close as we are today. I learned that the only life that you have control over is your own, and that change is okay. By making changes for myself, I've become a much happier person than I was before. Change is needed for the coming of age, and is necessary for a person to finally be able to grow up.
Monday, September 26, 2016
Angry Letter Final
Ala Moana Center
1450 Ala Moana Blvd
Honolulu, Hawaii 96814
Dear Ala Moana Administration,
My family and I have been coming to the Ala Moana shopping center for many years and come almost every other week. The variety of stores and restaurants, along with the location ensures that we come back.
However, recently with the introduction of the Ala Moana gift cards, it's been very inconvenient for me along with other shoppers. I was shopping at one of the stores in the mall and wanted to buy something using the Ala Moana gift card. The cashier asked me if I knew how much was on the card and I said no. Then, she gave me this website to go on to check my balance, which resulted in me just paying cash to avoid the hassle and holding up the line. I went to a couple of other stores and got the same response. Also according to your website, it says that in order to check your gift card balance, you need to visit guest services or call. It is very inconvenient to have to remember your balance whenever you purchase something, or have to call/visit the kiosk to find out how much you have on your card. I understand that this card is different from regular gift cards because of the fact that you can use it any store in the mall, but it would be much easier for the shoppers if they could just swipe the card and go.
Also, if I wanted to buy something that costed more than the amount that was on the card, the transaction wouldn't work. There are many examples of similar experiences that I saw on yelp.com, along with an article by The Honolulu Advertiser. Some customers ended up throwing away the gift card while there was still money on it to avoid the hassle of obtaining a balance. By making the gift cards easier to use, I think that more people will purchase them and be more satisfied.
Getting a gift card that you can use at whatever store you want is a perfect gift, but I feel that you should make it easier for the shoppers by allowing us to use the card without having to know the balance of it. It would be much more convenient and would make our shopping experience at the mall much more enjoyable.
Sincerely,
Kelci Sumida
1450 Ala Moana Blvd
Honolulu, Hawaii 96814
Dear Ala Moana Administration,
My family and I have been coming to the Ala Moana shopping center for many years and come almost every other week. The variety of stores and restaurants, along with the location ensures that we come back.
However, recently with the introduction of the Ala Moana gift cards, it's been very inconvenient for me along with other shoppers. I was shopping at one of the stores in the mall and wanted to buy something using the Ala Moana gift card. The cashier asked me if I knew how much was on the card and I said no. Then, she gave me this website to go on to check my balance, which resulted in me just paying cash to avoid the hassle and holding up the line. I went to a couple of other stores and got the same response. Also according to your website, it says that in order to check your gift card balance, you need to visit guest services or call. It is very inconvenient to have to remember your balance whenever you purchase something, or have to call/visit the kiosk to find out how much you have on your card. I understand that this card is different from regular gift cards because of the fact that you can use it any store in the mall, but it would be much easier for the shoppers if they could just swipe the card and go.
Also, if I wanted to buy something that costed more than the amount that was on the card, the transaction wouldn't work. There are many examples of similar experiences that I saw on yelp.com, along with an article by The Honolulu Advertiser. Some customers ended up throwing away the gift card while there was still money on it to avoid the hassle of obtaining a balance. By making the gift cards easier to use, I think that more people will purchase them and be more satisfied.
Getting a gift card that you can use at whatever store you want is a perfect gift, but I feel that you should make it easier for the shoppers by allowing us to use the card without having to know the balance of it. It would be much more convenient and would make our shopping experience at the mall much more enjoyable.
Sincerely,
Kelci Sumida
Friday, September 16, 2016
Angry Letter draft
Ala Moana Center
1450 Ala Moana Blvd
Honolulu, Hawaii 96814
Dear Ala Moana Administration,
My family and I have been coming to the Ala Moana shopping center for many years and come almost every other week. The variety of stores and restaurants, along with the location ensures that we come back.
However, recently with the introduction of the Ala Moana gift cards, it's been very inconvenient for me along with other shoppers. I was shopping at one of the stores in the mall and wanted to buy something using the Ala Moana gift card. The cashier asked me if I knew how much was on the card and I said no. Then, she gave me this website to go on to check my balance, which resulted in me just paying cash to avoid the hassle and holding up the line. I went to a couple of other stores and got the same response. It is very inconvenient to have to remember your balance whenever you purchase something, or have to call/visit guest services or the kiosk to find out how much you have on your card. I understand that this card is different from regular gift cards because of the fact that you can use it any store in the mall, but it would be much easier for the shoppers if they could just swipe the card and go.
Also, if I wanted to buy something that costed more than the amount that was on the card, the transaction wouldn't work. There are many examples of similar experiences that I saw on yelp.com, along with an article by Honolulu Advertiser. Some customers ended up throwing away the gift card while there was still money on it to avoid the hassle of obtaining a balance. By making the gift cards easier to use, I think that more people will purchase them and be more satisfied.
Getting a gift card that you can use at whatever store you want is a perfect give, but I feel that you should make it easier for the shoppers by allowing us to use the card without having to know the balance of it. It would be much more convenient and would make our shopping experience at the mall much more enjoyable.
Sincerely,
Kelci Sumida
1450 Ala Moana Blvd
Honolulu, Hawaii 96814
Dear Ala Moana Administration,
My family and I have been coming to the Ala Moana shopping center for many years and come almost every other week. The variety of stores and restaurants, along with the location ensures that we come back.
However, recently with the introduction of the Ala Moana gift cards, it's been very inconvenient for me along with other shoppers. I was shopping at one of the stores in the mall and wanted to buy something using the Ala Moana gift card. The cashier asked me if I knew how much was on the card and I said no. Then, she gave me this website to go on to check my balance, which resulted in me just paying cash to avoid the hassle and holding up the line. I went to a couple of other stores and got the same response. It is very inconvenient to have to remember your balance whenever you purchase something, or have to call/visit guest services or the kiosk to find out how much you have on your card. I understand that this card is different from regular gift cards because of the fact that you can use it any store in the mall, but it would be much easier for the shoppers if they could just swipe the card and go.
Also, if I wanted to buy something that costed more than the amount that was on the card, the transaction wouldn't work. There are many examples of similar experiences that I saw on yelp.com, along with an article by Honolulu Advertiser. Some customers ended up throwing away the gift card while there was still money on it to avoid the hassle of obtaining a balance. By making the gift cards easier to use, I think that more people will purchase them and be more satisfied.
Getting a gift card that you can use at whatever store you want is a perfect give, but I feel that you should make it easier for the shoppers by allowing us to use the card without having to know the balance of it. It would be much more convenient and would make our shopping experience at the mall much more enjoyable.
Sincerely,
Kelci Sumida
Friday, September 9, 2016
Peer Pressure and Alcohol: Final Draft
When growing up, everyone will experience some form of peer pressure. Peer pressure often influences teens to act similarly to their peers. In an effort to fit in or be cool in social events, it can be very hard to say "no" in these situations. Peer pressure can be as harmless as following a simple fashion trend, to as dangerous as doing illegal activities. At parties or places with lots of people, it can be hard to resist the temptation to look cool amongst peers. When teenagers see other people drinking and having fun, they feel the need to join in so they don't feel left out. The most common type of peer pressure is in relation to alcohol. Although peer pressure with alcohol can boost a persons social status, it impacts your future in a negative way, causing people to make risky choices, lowering your chances of getting into a good college, and it affects brain growth and development.
Alcohol along with peer pressure can cause people to make dangerous decisions. 72% of students have had alcohol by the end of high school (National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism). Underage drinking is linked to an increase of temper and physical violence. Also, if it's their first time drinking, they don't know the side effects of it and can lose self control. Peer pressure with alcohol also plays a big role in drunk driving. The Edgar Snyder and Associates Law Firm states that about 4,300 people die annually, due to underage drunk drivers. The pressure to be cool can cause teenagers to put their lives, along with others, in jeopardy just because they wanted fit in and drink with the rest of their peers. Teenagers today face countless tensions that can heavily impact the decisions that they make.
Peer pressure involving alcohol can also harm your chances of getting into a good college. Getting a disciplinary infraction in high school can affect your chances of getting into the college that you want, especially if it's put on your permanent record (Collegeconfidential.com). By drinking in high school, some teens are risking a possible scholarship or acceptance just because they wanted to drink and party with their friends. According to Brain and Alcohol Research with High School Students, 25% of seniors say that alcohol has affected their grades in a negative way. Drinking can have an impact on your memory and your sleep schedule, causing you to miss class or show up without being able to pay attention. Grades are the most important thing that colleges look at during applications, so if they see a decline in your grades, it harms your chances of being accepted.
At a younger age, your brain is still growing and developing every day. A study by George Washington High School proved that 39% of students experienced peer pressure to drink and did it. The effects of alcohol on an adolescents brain can be significant, depending on the amount they drink. Alcohol is proven to affect memory and balance. It also slows down your central nervous system, slowing your reaction time, and decreasing coordination and academic performance. (National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism). Underage drinking affects a teenagers spatial learning, changing their behavior and making it very difficult to do specific tasks, such as finding their way out of a maze. Overall, the effects of alcohol on the brain are mainly targeted to the hippocampus. The hippocampus plays a part in many cognitive functions, such as learning abilities and memory. Many teenagers don't know the risks and long term effects that alcohol can have on their lives, and how it can impact their future in a negative way. When they see that the people, like their peers, are drinking and having fun, it makes them want to do it too. However, while it may be fun at the time, alcohol affects and damages parts of your brain, making it unable to reach it's full potential.
Peer pressure with alcohol can help teenagers to become more popular, but it also affects your future in the long run, affecting one's decisions, decreasing college acceptance opportunities, and impacts cognitive abilities. The pressure to fit in can be very stressful at times, so teenagers don't think about their choices all the times. They feel a need to dress, talk, and act like everybody else. Many times, the things that your friends do will have an impact on the decisions that you make for yourself. Some teenagers drink to fit in and be considered popular in high school, but will being cool help you become successful and have a career? Does being cool in high school even matter once you're an adult?
At a younger age, your brain is still growing and developing every day. A study by George Washington High School proved that 39% of students experienced peer pressure to drink and did it. The effects of alcohol on an adolescents brain can be significant, depending on the amount they drink. Alcohol is proven to affect memory and balance. It also slows down your central nervous system, slowing your reaction time, and decreasing coordination and academic performance. (National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism). Underage drinking affects a teenagers spatial learning, changing their behavior and making it very difficult to do specific tasks, such as finding their way out of a maze. Overall, the effects of alcohol on the brain are mainly targeted to the hippocampus. The hippocampus plays a part in many cognitive functions, such as learning abilities and memory. Many teenagers don't know the risks and long term effects that alcohol can have on their lives, and how it can impact their future in a negative way. When they see that the people, like their peers, are drinking and having fun, it makes them want to do it too. However, while it may be fun at the time, alcohol affects and damages parts of your brain, making it unable to reach it's full potential.
Peer pressure with alcohol can help teenagers to become more popular, but it also affects your future in the long run, affecting one's decisions, decreasing college acceptance opportunities, and impacts cognitive abilities. The pressure to fit in can be very stressful at times, so teenagers don't think about their choices all the times. They feel a need to dress, talk, and act like everybody else. Many times, the things that your friends do will have an impact on the decisions that you make for yourself. Some teenagers drink to fit in and be considered popular in high school, but will being cool help you become successful and have a career? Does being cool in high school even matter once you're an adult?
Monday, August 29, 2016
Peer pressure and alcohol essay: rough draft
When growing up, everyone will experience some form of peer pressure. Peer pressure often influences teens to act similarly to their peers. In an effort to fit in or be cool in social events, it can be very hard to say "no" in these situations. Peer pressure can be as harmless as following a simple fashion trend, to as dangerous as doing illegal activities. The most common type of peer pressure is in relation to alcohol. Although peer pressure with alcohol can boost a persons social status, it impacts your future in a negative way, causing people to make risky choices, lowering your chances of getting into a good college, and it affects brain growth and development.
Alcohol along with peer pressure can cause people to make dangerous decisions. Underage drinking is linked to an increase of physical violence, according to a study by the National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. When drunk, many teens don't think about how their actions will affect them later on, therefore they do whatever they want. Also, if it's their first time drinking, they don't know the side effects of it and can lose self control. Peer pressure with alcohol can also cause an increase of drunk driving. The Edgar Snyder and Associates Law Firm says that 4,300 people die annually, due to underage drunk drivers. The pressure to be cool can cause teenagers to put their lives, along with others, in jeopardy just because they wanted fit in and drink with the rest of their peers. Teenagers today face countless tensions that can heavily impact the decisions that they make.
Peer pressure involving alcohol can also harm your chances of getting into a good college. Getting a disciplinary infraction in high school can affect your chances of getting into the college that you want, especially if it's put on your permanent record. Underage drinking is illegal, meaning you could go to jail if caught. That means that by drinking in high school, some teens are risking a possible scholarship or acceptance just because they wanted to drink and party with their friends. According to a Brain and Alcohol Research with High School Students, 25% of seniors say that alcohol has affected their grades in a negative way. Drinking can have an impact on your memory and your sleep schedule, causing you to miss class or show up without being able to pay attention. Grades are the most important thing that colleges look at during applications, so if they see a decline in your grades, it harms your chances of being accepted.
At a younger age, your brain is still growing and developing every day. A study by George Washington High School proved that 39% of students experienced peer pressure to drink and did it. The effects of alcohol on an adolescents brain can be significant, depending on the amount they drink. Alcohol is proven to affect memory and balance. It also slows down your central nervous system, slowing your reaction time, and decreasing coordination and academic performance. Underage drinking affects a teenagers spatial learning, changing their behavior and making it very difficult to do specific tasks, such as finding their way out of a maze. Overall, the effects of alcohol on the brain are mainly targeted to the hippocampus. The hippocampus plays a part in many cognitive functions, such as learning abilities and memory. Many teenagers don't know the risks and long term effects that alcohol can have on their lives, and how it can impact their future in a negative way. When they see that the people, like their peers, are drinking and having fun, it makes them want to do it too. However, while it may be fun at the time, alcohol affects and damages parts of your brain, making it unable to reach it's full potential.
Peer pressure with alcohol can help teenagers to become more popular, but it also affects your future in the long run, affecting one's decisions, decreasing college acceptance opportunities, and impacts cognitive abilities. The pressure to fit in can be very stressful at times, so teenagers don't think about their choices all the times. They feel a need to dress, talk, and act like everybody else. Many times, the things that your friends do will have an impact on the decisions that you make for yourself. Some teenagers drink to fit in and be considered popular in high school, but will being cool help you become successful and have a career? Does being cool in high school even matter once you're an adult?
At a younger age, your brain is still growing and developing every day. A study by George Washington High School proved that 39% of students experienced peer pressure to drink and did it. The effects of alcohol on an adolescents brain can be significant, depending on the amount they drink. Alcohol is proven to affect memory and balance. It also slows down your central nervous system, slowing your reaction time, and decreasing coordination and academic performance. Underage drinking affects a teenagers spatial learning, changing their behavior and making it very difficult to do specific tasks, such as finding their way out of a maze. Overall, the effects of alcohol on the brain are mainly targeted to the hippocampus. The hippocampus plays a part in many cognitive functions, such as learning abilities and memory. Many teenagers don't know the risks and long term effects that alcohol can have on their lives, and how it can impact their future in a negative way. When they see that the people, like their peers, are drinking and having fun, it makes them want to do it too. However, while it may be fun at the time, alcohol affects and damages parts of your brain, making it unable to reach it's full potential.
Peer pressure with alcohol can help teenagers to become more popular, but it also affects your future in the long run, affecting one's decisions, decreasing college acceptance opportunities, and impacts cognitive abilities. The pressure to fit in can be very stressful at times, so teenagers don't think about their choices all the times. They feel a need to dress, talk, and act like everybody else. Many times, the things that your friends do will have an impact on the decisions that you make for yourself. Some teenagers drink to fit in and be considered popular in high school, but will being cool help you become successful and have a career? Does being cool in high school even matter once you're an adult?
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