I am Thankful (For a Classmate)

In my English class, there’s a handful of people that I already knew from last year, and some I made quickly from the very beginning. I sit in the front, right corner of the room, with three other young writers; Antonio, Justin, and Sam. Were lucky to be grouped together because getting in a group of four is a breeze, and we already socialize so we almost agree all the time. Antonio and I knew each other since Freshman Year, when we had three classes together, and we met on the bus. How else would we start talking to each other? By talking smack about one of our teachers of course! He then hung out in lunch, and then we never really stopped since then. He remind each other of our homework, help each other out in our homework (especially Italian!) and just argue of who has more fans; the NBA or The Walking Dead (NBA wins, though). Justin I Knew last year from world studies and geometry, and me and him kept going at each other during Socratic seminars during History. I learned not to underestimate him. Justin tells the truth, and he knows it well. He just may not want to say it at times. Justin is a great guy over all, helpful and smart, except he’s a LeBron Fan (Justin if your reading this, Chi-town for 2014 champs!). And then there’s Sam. He's a friend, of a friend, of a friend. We started talking when were in groups during English, and I learned that he can’t be serious when it comes to needing to do work, and fun when he knows everybody can relax. He’s also very organized and helpful whenever you need it, and that’s good to have around. Without these guys and Mr. McCarthy, I would have been asleep every day during 7th period, but thank the lord that I have these guys to give me a wake-up call, and I am very thankful. Happy Thanksgiving everybody.

I Celebrate Myself

The feeling of celebrating is great no matter how big or small it is, from getting a good grade on a quiz or even winning a prize. Many people celebrate in different ways too, by just giving a whispered "yes!" or just shouting and screaming around out load in circles. I’m in that same pile of people, because I have probably celebrated in every way God has thought of. I’m not trying to sound like I always win because then I’ll be too arrogant. I’m able to celebrate a lot because I’m one of those who have realized that with every passing second you have done more than what you have done before. With every hour, day, week, month, and year that passes you have done more or have outwitted life than you have before and have gained more experience, which a recent movie has taught me is the importance to a man's core. This a lesson learned from Chris, a transcendentalist of the 21st century in a film called “Into the Wild”. He removes himself from the society that he has believed has possessed everybody with materialism, so he secludes himself in the harsh forest conditions of Alaska with nothing but his gun, books, and mind. I didn't finish the movie; but I bet he felt pretty good after he went back home. He had something to celebrate; he gained so much experience to his knowledge that many of his peers are too scared to even take a peek at. Chris is an example of how we should always celebrate ourselves in every way. Celebrate that you passed that one video game level, or finished that hard math question, or even get on the early bus, at least that’s how I celebrate myself.