Clarissa Frias

                                                      Semester Coming to a Close

 

As the semester comes to a close my writing has improved not dramatically, but it has improved. This semester I feel like I have grown as a writer thanks to the blogging that we have done in class. I myself still have a couple of errors in my writing but slowly I can see some progress. One of the skills I have learned is revising and looking over my essay twice. Revising was my weakness, but now it’s something I have progressed in over time. Secondly my vocabulary has grown with my writing as well as speaking. When I go home at times my mom tells me that she can hear that my vocabulary sounds more properly more educational. Now I know when to talk properly and when. There’s still times where I still use my text message language, but I just know when I can use it and when not. My attitude towards writing has changed to more of a better side. My attitude for writing back then was bad I disliked writing with all my heart. As for now it’s gone for the better side because I don’t dislike it as much. To be honest I kind of enjoy it. Well knowing that it’s part of my grade yea I have to love it. Those two things I feel like I have progressed in my writing skills I pretty sure there’s more but I just can’t name them of my head right now. As for the progress I feel that I have become a better writer as well for a read. Hopefully still in the future I can progress more and more over time.

Clarissa

                                                        New Change in Life

            Well this semester is coming to an end and may I say it was a pleasure having nice, cool classmates as well having an awesome professor. Coming to college was a big change for me moving cities and leaving my family. Especially for me being an only child it was hard to leave.  It really is a miracle that I made it a whole year in college never thought I would make it. To be honest I was ready to give up during first semester, but something inside told me to not give up on myself. I was scared to be seen as a failure in the family till this day I am scared. Thinking about that is my motivation to keep on going. August came and it was time to move out start everything on my own. Getting here to Bryan I had to get a job there was no in, and’s, or but’s it was a must. School started and I was a full time student then I got a job. Back then I would work only 1 day out the week and I went to working 5 days a week that was a change. I know shocker right but I wasn’t used to it. I had it made back in high school thanks to my parents. Sometimes i wish I could go back, but I toke it for granted. Back to first semester I was trying to be a full time student and working 5 days a week. On top of that I had to adjust moving away and not having my family around. To be honest first semester broke me down I mean way down I won’t lie I cried a few times. I always kept telling myself I was going to move back to my home town, but there was nothing there for me and I wanted to be someone. So I stayed first semester was no good. Then winter break came along I was excited to go home oh but I forgot I worked so I stayed and worked all winter break. Poof just like that my winter break was over and second semester came around. I kind of knew what to expect and was ready to start the semester. I had to take off some classes because I knew what I can handle. So far it’s going good I am glad I didn’t give up. Yea this semester I had my setbacks with my car crash and family problems but that life right. I just had to get use to this new change. I am now ready to finish this semester strong. As many told be your first semester will be hard, trust me it is hard but just have to keep on pushing yourself. Look ahead and don’t give up in your life goals

Clarissa Frias

                                                      “Anything for Selena”

            Selena Quintanilla was a Tejano singer as well a songwriter. She was born April 16, 1971 at Lake Jackson TX. Her mom and dad are Marcella Ofelia Somora, Abraham Quintanilla Jr. Her brother and sister are Abraham Quintanilla 3, and Suzette Quintanilla. When selena died March 31, 1995 they came out with a movie about her life of what it was like to be selena. The movie was named after her “Selena” which came out in year 1997. The movie was a hit since he passing was a couple of years before. What I really admire about selena in the movie is that even though she was famous she never forgot where she came from. Selena never consider herself bigger or better than anyone else. That influenced me to never treat anyone different we are all the same it doesn’t matter if you have money or not. Never judge a person by their looks. My favorite part of the movie was when selena was in all time star hit and went shopping with her best friend. They were looking something to wear for the Grammy’s. They went into a store where it look like they sold formal dresses but a little on the high end side. Selena saw a dress on a manikin and wanted her best friend to try it on. When they ask the sales associate if they can take it off the manikin. The sales associate responded with “I don’t think you will be interested in that dress” Selena responded “why?”  Sales associate said “because it cost 800 dollars”. Selena and her friend just wanted to try it on. As they were trying it on someone had spotted her and started screaming “Selena esta aki” which means “selena is here”. The rumor spreader and all her fans came rushing into the store. Little did the sales associate know that selena was a big time famous star and was there to attend and get her Grammy Award? My point is never judge someone based on their looks you never know. I recommend this movie it’s a nice family movie and it teaches a couple of lessons on there. SO HURRY GO WATCH..!!

 

Clarissa Frias

                                                         Major Exam #2

            Taking this exam, exam number 2 I felt store confidante more prepared. They ways that I started to prepare for the test were first studying a week ahead. Second I did some flash cards so it can help me with the vocabulary. These things helped me more than the first exam. The first exam was a total blow out. What I did wrong on the first exam was I never study and just winged it out. I didn’t even look at the study review not even once. Which I know I know really bad thing I did. Now what I did differently for exam number 2 was I prepared way ahead of time. Yes this preparing ahead of time did help me a lot on things especially when walking into the room and not having that feeling of just being lost. With the first exam I went into the room with just feeling lost and not knowing what to do. Maybe that’s why I didn’t get a so much of a good grade. This exam I have to say I really did step it up. Hopefully with all this preparing that I did and have done I get a grade that I will actually be more proud of. Just hoping for the best because I really did try with my all for this second exam. If I didn’t do well then I mean I have to start preparing I guess more ahead of time and look for more ways to study. It may be though but better grades is my goal so I can pass this class this semester. Those were just a couple of ways that I changed and better my study skill or can say preparing myself more for the exams.

Claissa Frias

                                                                       The Struggle

            School is a struggle this year. Elementary, Middle school, and High school were easy. But coming into college was the difficult part. School has been a struggle for me I was always the slow learner. No matter what I was always the one being picked on at school.  Aside from that in high school was a long journey. Freshmen year I was just excited that I was in high school which was a big change from middle school.  As I was as saying freshman year I really didn’t focus on school I was so into trying to find where I fit in. Sophomore year I joined the drill team sort of like a dance team. That’s when I was focusing on my grades because to on the team I had to have good grades. Sophomore year I was on fire never missed a day maybe just one because I was sick but aside from that was always present at school. I was also making the A & B honor roll every 6 weeks I would get my certificate.  Junior year came around and I was out of the dance team I was doing volleyball. With volleyball it was leaner yea my grades had to be passing but not as high as when I was in the dance team. But even in volleyball I tried my best to keep my high grades as possible. I wouldn’t get A & B honor rolls like when I was in the dance team but I still got one or two around there. Senior year I was just focused graduating and getting out of high school couldn’t handle it anymore. I was just focused on just getting out I forgot to pay more attention on college and seeing how to feather my education. Yes I graduated from high school my family says it’s a miracle, but I was determine to show and prove to them that I can graduate high school. Now till this day I still ask myself how I got college and still standing here. Have to say college has broken me down but I try to get myself back up. I just have to tell myself to keep moving forward and never give up. School for me will always be a struggle but somehow I will get through it.

Clarissa Frias

                                           Defining Excellence in my Point of View

 

David Books in his essay “It’s Not About You” defines excellence as “It’s the things they did to court unhappiness”. My mom’s excellence is defined as her attending St. Edward’s University, being head president of AAIP Association, and also being the best at her job. My mom attending St. Edward’s University exhibits excellence to me which though she did not finish she did two years of university. Not only was she going to school but she had two full time jobs. Aside from that my grandma was sick so she has to take care of her and the household. My mom is also head president of the AAIP Association. She stared off with just attending the meetings with her excellence building they voted her president. She is the first Latina president from that association. The people from the association didn’t believed in her but she proved them wrong that anything is possible. Aside from being president from the association she is one of the top person from her job. My mom is property and causality underwriter. Till this day she is still taking classes and with those classes come testing. She does it to further her job major. With all the excellence that she has done and is doing I am able to attend college myself. My mom’s excellence pushes me to do the best and never give up. With seeing her I learned that you start from the bottom but you can always rise up no matter how low you start from. The way David Brooks defines excellence is a different way I define excellence. The way I define excellence is seeing my mom succeed. As Davis Brooks said is his article “ It’s excellence, not happiness, that we admire the most”. Those are the three ways I see excellence in my mom.

Clarissa Frias

                                                 Library Visit, Then Held at Gunpoint

            I found the article “Library visit Then Held at Gunpoint” very captivating. Tells the story of his sons encounter with an aggressive yale security officer to shine further light on the misuse of police power and authority. Charles Blow made sure every detailed was told clearly in the article. He also made sure that his sons point of view and words were inn this article. One of the things that I found very fascinating is that Charles blow said “The stop is not the problem: the method of the stop is the problem”. Specifically saying that the way the police stopped his son was the problem Charles didn’t mind that they stopped his son because he looked like a suspect of the crime he also didn’t mind that they asked Charles son questions. It was just the way the police stopped him by pulling out weapons. However what also stud out was that Charles blow said something deep with a meaning that maybe people can relate “Triggers cannot be unpulled. Bullets cannot be called back “With him saying that it’s like with one little thing wrong that the police people have done with just pulling out the gun would be bad enough. The worst would be actually pulling the trigger with that cannot be undone. Foe example another way of putting it is like you cannot bring someone back from the dead. Last but not least the best of the best that Charles blow said was “We would share stories about encounters with the police in which our lives, hung in the balance intergenerational stories of joining the inglorious club”. For instance that means that not only has his son lived that frightening experience, but he has also experienced that situation before. It’s really not pleasing to say that you and your son can relate on a topic like that because in any parents mind you don’t want your child going through that. Throughout all the article I loved how Charles made his statement and actually put his sons words in it also his side of the story overall Charles made his statement as a concerned parent on what he felt on the way the police at yale approached his son.