~dIaNa’s BLOG~

Dear Class of 2012,

As I sit in Mr. Morales’ Spanish class, the count-down starts in my head. Five. Four. Three. Two. One. PAUSE. The last Middle School bell we will hear penetrates my ears. HECK YEAH! I run out of the class and start screaming with joy. Some other 8th graders also dash out of their classes and together, we all jump in excitement. Then, by Ms. OB’s class, they’re blasting “School’s Out” by Alice Cooper. Everyone gathers there and starts partying. What a nice moment. 

YES! Finally! Wohoo! No more school! 

Congrats fellow classmates, we made it. We’re done with Middle School. But I will miss being in Middle School. “We’re just crossing the street, it’s no big deal,” some may say. The thought that next year we will be right across the street doesn’t make a big difference. But when you think about how life in High School will be like, it is a big deal. Obviously, academically, it will be much harder. I remember in the previous years, the teachers would always tell us to be prepared for next year because it will be much harder than the current one. But as I live through one year, that grade becomes easy. It never appears to be as challenging as people put it. For example, I used to think the Geography Fair was so hard. But as I look back at it now, I think to myself: Big deal. It wasn’t as hard as people say it is. Also, one of my best friends told me that life is a cycle. You start off being the small ones, then eventually become the big ones. But then, you become the small ones again and it goes on and on. In first grade, you are the smallest ones, but then when you’re a fourth grader, you’re the oldest ones of elementary school. Then you enter fifth grade. Then time flies by and you soon rule the middle school. But eventually, you become the small ones again. You’re a freshie. Then a senior. Then you’re in college. So you see, life is a cycle. 

Andre: this tiny section is dedicated especially for you. I will miss you a sh*t load. The thought that you will not be here on the first day of school hugging me with a big warm smile and starting 9th grade has not hit my mind yet. I still can’t believe you’re leaving. I mean, all these years I’ve known you and now you’re leaving. I know I will get to see you again, but it feels like you’re leaving forever. Anyways, you’re such a great friend. You’ve always been there supporting me and helping me. In those times when I felt depressed, down, or sad, I turn around and you’re there. That feeling is great, knowing that when you turn around, there’s someone there for you. Thank you for EVERYTHING. I hope you have the time of your life in summer and in Mexico, but don’t have too much fun without me You better e-mail me during summer and update me with every single detail that’s going on in your fantastic life. I can write a full page of all the memories and inside jokes we’ve had, but I’ll leave it like this. T.Q.D. (XOXO, you know you love me… *wink*) hahahaha

Middle School with all of you was awesome. Class of 2012 rocks! I can’t wait for next year in High School. I’ll see you soon. Well, I’ll see you in the graduation and the party and the after party. But other than that, I hope you have a GREAT summer and enjoy all you can before starting High School. Thanks to all of you that have helped me in any way. I’ll see you soon. 

Love,

D

P.S. I will keep on blogging as long as there’s something on my mind. I know I won’t be blogging as much as when we had to because since we don’t have a due date, I’ll procrastinate. But I’ll try my best to blog as much as I can. 

Compulsive physiological and psychological need for a habit-forming substance

Recently, I wrote a short story about a girl that had to live with her alcoholic dad. Well, I was thinking about addictions, because the dad was addicted to alcohol. I came up with a question I still find hard to answer: Is any form of addiction bad for you?

Well, the obvious addictions that are definitely bad are: alcohol, smoking and drugs. When I hear the word “addiction”, I automatically think of drugs and alcohol. Moreover, and addiction of nicotine prohibits someone to stop smoking. These are the three main things that are addictions, which are obviously bad.

Then comes the phrase: “I’m addicted to candy.” or “I’m addicted to (a particular TV show).” Why yes, these can also be classified as addictions, but they aren’t as bad as the ones I mentioned previously. Of course it’s bad to get addicted to candy or chocolate because then, you become fat. And when you’re addicted to a TV show, you can’t stop watching it and then you’re distracted from doing homework.

I came to a conclusion that too much of something is always bad, even if it’s not as bad as something else. But then I think to myself: Wait… addiction and too much of something… they’re different. After I looked up the definition of addiction, I analyzed it and I realized that they’re different. If you think deeply, they ARE different. When I started typing this blog, I thought that they were the same thing, but then I got confused and I didn’t know if I was talking about addiction or too much of something.

“Too much is just an excess in number. Addiction is not being able to live without the damn thing,” a friend explained.

Anyways, I also realized that both are bad, even if they mean something different. Moreover, an addiction is not good for you because when you don’t have it, you suffer and you can’t live without it. If you ask me, I would say that having a lot of something is better than being addicted to something. Addiction is something terrible, and I’m grateful that I’m not addicted to anything. I can’t imagine how life would be. Wanting something so badly and when you don’t get it, you’re depressed. For example if you are addicted to alcohol, you can’t stop drinking; you drink every single day. Then, when you don’t have anymore, you long for more. Maybe alcohol is not the only thing an alcoholic’s life depends on, but it is very important for him/her (although it’s very bad).

Now about excess amounts of something. I’m gonna give as many examples I can possibly think of. Too much:

• alcohol = kills your brain cells and causes trouble (violence, poverty, bad grades)
• drugs = screws up your body, poverty
• products that contain high oxalic acid = kidney stones
• coke/diet coke = weakens teeth, increases possibilities of digestion problems and stomach ulcers
• intelligence = cockiness
• money = power, manipulation, spoiled
• proteins = kidney diseases
• water = water intoxication
• food = obesity
• TV/video games = electricity

Anyways, you get the idea. While I was typing, I also thought of “too little of something”; the complete opposite of excess amounts. There are some situations where too little of something doesn’t make a difference. For example too little alcohol and drugs doesn’t matter, it’s better than too much, don’t you think? But then if you say too little intelligence, money, proteins, water, and food, that creates problems. So there are many perspectives about this; it goes in all directions.