I've never felt so dead during an exam

The AP Lang exam was an absolute mess for me. Maybe I did it just to see the memes. I don't even know anymore. Was the College Board smoking something funny when they made this exam? Maybe. Does anyone know what artifice means? Absolutely not. Right from the start, the multiple choice threw me off. It seemed more difficult compared to the practice exams we took in class. As soon as I tried reading that first text, I pretty much cursed in my head and told myself to wing it. A regret I have about the multiple choice is that I wish I started backwards. I could've done much better if I threw the first passage out the window and focused on the easier stories (as weird as they were).

There were some parts of the exam where I felt confidence, such as the synthesis essay about the role of libraries. As for the other two essays, my only comment is lol. I had no idea what the hell I was writing. By the time I got to the argumentative essay, my brain was tired and I'm pretty sure everyone wrote the same thing as me, so I'm probably not going to get any points for originality, but oh well. Overall, the AP Lang exam is what I would call... a strange experience. As my only AP exam of the year, I had no idea what I was walking into. There was nothing really to study or prepare for because it's an English exam, so I tried to stay calm and listen to Mr. Felder's advice of "don't take this exam too seriously." It really wasn't the end of the world, and my senioritis gave me motivation to just get it over with so I could go home and sleep. However, I really hope I didn't waste a year's worth of work in class to get a 2 on the exam, so fingers crossed!

I'm seriously aiming for a 3 here.

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The Horrors of the School Bathroom (learn how to flush, people)

I remember my trip to the school bathroom as a gruesome experience. As soon as I stepped in, I was hit with an overpowering smell that permeated the air; it was a blend of flatulence, urine and the sharp smell of Fabuloso multipurpose cleaner. After adjusting my eyes to the dim white light, I glanced at the once pastel pink walls that were shabby with  age and delinquent children who decided to cover them with their name or a variety of vulgar words in a thick Sharpie marker or pen. I ignored the girls who were fluffing their hair and putting makeup on their face in the lackluster vanity area (which was an array of dirty mirrors above a large sink that was on the brink of overflowing since some genius decided to stuff a ball of paper towels in the drain).

When I opened the stall door and locked it, the first thing I came face to face with was a toilet that had seen better days. The dirty, white porcelain bowl was marred with some type of rust that seemed like it would spread the second someone attempted to clean it. Small drops of urine were sprinkled on the filthy toilet seat, indicating that one of the girls must have “missed” while doing their business. After looking down, I immediately noticed the small, square white tiles on the floor that were soiled with dark, revolting stains that I prayed was dirt and not something else. The roll of thin toilet paper to my right was dwindling – it may have been enough for two more people. The stall itself was graffitied by the people who arrived before me – crude drawings of penises and middle fingers along with smiley faces and declarations of love adorned the dull white stall. Regardless of the bathroom looking as though it came out of a horror story, my bladder was ready to burst. And yet, I paused when I heard the echo of a zipper being pulled down. I suddenly became painfully aware of all the other sounds in the room: the click-clack of a girl’s heeled boots, the tinkling noise coming from the stall next to me, the crinkling, sticky sound of a pad being thrown away – all topped off with the occasional flush every few seconds. My reluctance to pee was strengthened when I made eye contact with an unfamiliar girl through the crack in the stall. There was no privacy. I unlocked the stall, washed my hands for good measure, and left with a strong resolve. I would wait until I got home.  

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I wrote this at the last minute because the internet made me lazy

           With post-millennials living in what is now dubbed as the technological era, many of us have been using the internet easily at a young age and have wiped out the traditional methods we used to have. You’ve probably heard your parents telling you in various ways to “go outside before you turn into a potato goddammit” before you ignore them and continue to text your friend. God forbid you actually talk to people in person. As someone who uses the internet often, I’ve realized our generation is exceedingly lazy because of the internet accommodating our every need. This convenient lifestyle has led us enjoy things like online shopping, various forms of entertainment and even food delivery – all without leaving our rooms. 

           With the internet being used widespread since the 90s, it became an easy and common thing to use among average households, especially with the introduction of Google. With the world at our fingertips, we are able to find answers after looking at the first few results on a Google search.. Instead of going to a library and looking through books or encyclopedias, the internet provides us with the sources we need without us taking the initiative to go outside. 

            Instead of waiting on line for lengthy amounts of time, people can just order anything  using websites like Amazon. You can easily buy various items that come with two day shipping – ranging from shoes to that Harry Potter wand you bought on impulse. The internet also allows us to order food online just so we can avoid that quick phone call asking for two large cheese pizzas, please. 

           The internet has led our generation to hide behind our screens and talking out loud becomes a nuisance for people. If we do talk out loud, it’s often through conveniences like Facetime or Skype. It comes to the point where you text your siblings even though they’re in the next room – I’ve certainly done that multiple times. Forget socializing – we have social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter to let people know that we care about the food they bought and their issues that are condensed in a limited word count.

           Some people might think that the internet has not led our generation to be lazy due to people utilizing the internet for the better by creating innovations that have benefited others. However, can people deny that the internet makes life easier? If something is easy, it means you do less work and don’t put in a lot of effort, which is the equivalent of being lazy. Therefore, people who use the internet for convenience are indeed, lazy. 

         I went to get lunch one time with friends and noticed a sign immediately after walking in that said, “No wifi – talk to each other like it’s 1995.” After the initial amusement I felt after reading the sign, it came to my understanding that there would never be a time again where traditional means like talking or going outside without the internet would be prevalent. We might even become the obese people from Wall-E who depend on automatic machines with every need given to them at the click of a button. That doesn’t sound too different from today, does it?

The people from Wall-E who were dependent on technology...

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Corn Pone Opinions: Rhetorical Analysis

Mark Twain was effectively able to use rhetorical devices such as tone and imagery in "Corn Pone Opinions" to inform the reader of his perspective on public opinion. The tone of the text is informative and insightful because Twain is aware that trends occur due to popular opinion. He provides examples of fashion trends, such as the hoop-skirt along with pointing out how people are only followers and not leaders. These instances occur in politics, religion and literature as Twain makes references to Shakespeare and various factions. Twain's informative tone contributes to his connection with self approval since he states that people throw away their own self opinion due to subjective and emotional circumstances.

Twain uses imagery to support his purpose along with utilizing anecdotes and examples as supporting evidence to emphasize his point. Twain's anecdote in the beginning of the text served to introduce his topic and included imagery to appeal to the reader's senses. He mentioned a time when he was younger and how he used to know a black slave who was a skilled orator. People would not acknowledge the slave, but Twain was heavily impacted when the slave stated, "You tell me whar a man gits his corn pone, en I'll tell you what his 'pinions is" (717). He presented Twain with the idea that people join the bandwagon in order to fit in with the rest of society.

                          

One of the issues brought up in the essay is whether to side with the minority or majority when it comes to forming your own opinions. Twain states that corn pone opinions stand for self approval and argues that self approval is achieved through society’s approval. I agree with Twain as the inevitable result is conforming to others. Some people genuinely care about what others think about them and hold it in high regard. Twain's use of these rhetorical devices made it easier for readers to understand his viewpoint by putting them in his shoes. His examples helped to make the text lighthearted and make the reader more open to his opinion.

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Abortion: Pro-Life or Pro-Choice?

There's an age-old question that no one has been able to answer without involving themselves in a heated debate - is abortion right or wrong? Abortion is when you end a pregnancy by removing a fetus from the uterus before the woman gives birth. Many people consider morals and legality along with safety when arguing for or against abortion. There is also debate on when life actually starts. Some think that life starts at conception while others think life starts when the baby is born. For women who are pregnant or plan to be pregnant, abortion is okay.

Source: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/345862446354946065/

When taking morals into account, we should take the best course of action that we are confident with. What circumstances should a woman experience in order for someone else to deem them worthy of getting an abortion? For example, if continuing a pregnancy would lead to the mother's death or life being in danger, even those who insist abortion is wrong would agree that aborting the fetus is morally acceptable.

Another situation would involve rape victims. According to RAINN, one out of every six American women have been involved in an attempted or completed rape in her lifetime. I believe that a pregnancy caused by rape is the result of a horribly violent crime and that the victim should be allowed to abort the fetus and not focus on viability if they're reminded of their trauma and mental distress. Other reasons the woman would want an abortion is if her financial situation is unstable or if the child has a disability and would be born into a harsh life.

Due to abortion being illegal in different areas of the world, women have turned to unsafe abortions. An unsafe abortion is when women have an abortion in an unsafe and unclean environment without any skills. According to WHO, there are an estimated 40-50 million abortions every year. 47,000 women die due to complications of unsafe abortions every year. If abortion was legal, however, there would be an increased chance of aborting safely and being provided with alternatives, such as contraceptives that can get rid of the fetus. The death rate of women would not increase as drastically.


Based on tips from On Writing Well by William Zinsser, I was able to implement his advice from the section labeled "Bits & Pieces." Zinsser states that the dash is regarded as not quite proper, but does the job since it elaborates or justifies a second part of a sentence. There is no need to add an extra sentence when a dash can help a sentence sum things up. I also used mood changers, such as the word "however." If you use the word "however," you shouldn't use it in the very beginning or ending of a sentence, but as early as you can. I also tried to keep my paragraphs reasonably short since Zinsser states that writing should look inviting and visually pleasing.


Websites Used
https://www.rainn.org/statistics/scope-problem
http://www.bbc.co.uk/ethics/abortion/
http://www.who.int/reproductivehealth/topics/unsafe_abortion/magnitude/en/
http://www.worldometers.info/abortions/

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