Seriously...I'm Kidding: Week of 2/16/15

Pages Read: Finished
Prompt: What did you learn from the book that'll help you in future years?

The entire book was a bunch of nonsense, but the last chapter Ellen wanted the reader to actually take away something serious from her book. She includes many things that can impact anyone who reads the book. The one thing she said that I think would impact people's lives the most was, "Find out you are and what you believe in. Even if it's different from what your neighbors believe in and different from what your parents believe in." I feel that this advice is given a lot, but no one really listens to it. I know that I tune out when people are trying to give me cheesy advice like this, but I think that's because I'm just in a bad mood when someone is telling it. When I'm reading, I'm never in a bad mood, so I actually listen to the advice and decided that it is some good advice. When you find out who you are, you become your own person. You figure out what you have to do in life and I feel that being in eight grade this advice is extremely important. You're moving on to a new school, with new friends, and new teachers. I believe that you have to find out who you are before this transition happens.

Another piece of advice that Ellen gave that stuck in my brain was, "Stay true to yourself. Have your own opinion. Don't worry about what people say about you or think about you." In my opinion, (see what I did there) this is also important to know when you move on to high school because let's face it, people are going to think badly of you. They are not going to see you for who you really are, but as what you do and I say let them. They are entitled to their opinion and that shouldn't matter to you. It doesn't matter what other people think of you, only what you think of yourself. If you think that sweats and t-shirts are cool, then they are. You can't let other people's opinions get in the way of who you are because then you would just be a fake (and no one likes a fake, so if you think it's cool to be a fake, then you should really rethink your opinion.) What I'm really trying to say is be yourself, it's hard to do sometimes, but it is possible, just stay true to yourself.

As Ellen says many important things in this book, there is one more that I would like to share with you, "Contribute to the world. Help people. Help one person...Just help. Make an impact. Show someone you care." This is not only important to know for high school, but for your whole life. Most people already do this, so it's not a huge problem, but I still feel that I should bring it up. I try to help at least one person a day, even if it's something small like picking something up for them, and I encourage you to do the same. Helping people isn't something that you can ignore, you have to help people whether you like it or not, but it helps to have a positive attitude when you help someone. In high school, you are going to have to contribute a lot of time and effort and I feel that you should know this because if you're not prepared to contribute anything to your high school, then you're not gonna get far in life. You are going to have an interview for a job and they will ask you, "What did you do when you were in high school?" If you say nothing, the interview will end right there. To sum it up, just help people and contribute to the world. Easier said then done, but I believe in you.

Comments: Carlos, Steven, and Gustavo