summer summer!!

As much as I'm going to miss this place I am beyond excited to go home for summer!! I cannot wait to catch up on sleep, have a car, not have to share a room/bathroom,see all my old friends, spend time with my family and everything else that comes along with summer. College really is so much fun and i have made some amazing new friends this year and learned a lot about myself but college can also just drive you insane. I can't stand not getting enough sleep and feeling like I'm always sick because of the lack of sleep or the constant close contact with other people. Also of course it's going to be super nice to not have to worry about the heavy load of homework for three months. I am especially excited to see my family and friends. I'm really close to my family and not being able to see them everyday is something it took me awhile to get use to. I'm actually still not use to i just deal with it so i cant wait to just relax with them. Also I miss my best Friend as well. My best friend is basically my sister too because I've known her since i was a toddler and she has lived with my family on and off for a few years because of her family issues. Plus I'm lucky because most of the Friends I've made here, live somewhat close to me back home. I'm also really excited for summer because I have never had a job before and this summer I may have a job at Vera Bradley, which is also one of my favorite stores. I'm excited to see what it is like to have a job and to make my own money. This summer I am also very VERY excited for country thunder!!!! It truly is some of the best days ever. Its just a great atmosphere being with a lot of my Friends, listening to country music and going crazy. I am really happy with what I have learned this year at college and all i have experienced but I can't wait to be home with my family and Friends because there is just something about being home that is so comforting.

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choose your own topic-choosing classes

I chose classes yesterday and it is probably one of the most stressful things ever and I think a lot of other students would agree with me! Along with a lot of other students I'm sure, I had this whole schedule written out and ready to go and then checking those classes last week, a lot of them weren't open. My major is psychology and all but one class out of all the classes I have to take for that major were full. Then on top of that, the gen. eds that I had planned on taking were also full! So now I have to take harder gen. eds that I do not understand and could affect my GPA even though those classes have absolutely nothing to do with my major. I believe this is absolutely ridiculous. I think they need to set up a different system when it comes to picking classes. I went to complain about this, asking what exactly comes into play when who chooses at what time. They told me that it goes off of your completed credit hours. I took 14 first semester and then 16 this semester which is why I am choosing so much later then a lot of people I know, since they took 16 first. I think that's a good way to set it up except for the fact that some people who I know are failing there classes and barely trying yet they are choosing way before me. Which to me doesn't make sense. I think that a student who has a higher GPA and tries harder should choose classes before a student who has maybe 2 more credit hours and is going to pick classes and just slack off in them. I know I am not the only student who is disappointed and stressed out when it comes to choosing classes. It's another thing to add to your stress. I believe grades and GPA should come into play when deciding who chooses classes at what time therefore they are not punished.

Word Count:342

The Breakfast Club Review

The Breakfast Club Review

Detention is supposed to be a punishment that every student tries their best not to receive. On one Saturday morning, as the 8 hour detention started for these 5 lucky individuals, they wanted nothing more than to get out of that school and not have to spend one more minute with each other. But throughout the day something unexpected happen, these 5 students began to see that they could connect to one another and created a bond.

The movie starts off with the 5 students one by one coming into the school in a terrible mood. You look at them and you can tell what role they are in high school. You have the princess, the criminal, the brain, the athlete and the basket case. The adults include the bitter, arrogant principle who especially can’t stand bender and then the janitor who is the “eyes and ears of this institution”. The director John Hughes did an amazing job at creating a character that any teenager and even some adults can relate to. As the day progresses the criminal is actually the one who begins to breaks down the walls everyone has put up. He does this be beginning to pick/hit on the prom queen. This leads to an altercation when the athlete steps into help which results in finding out some truth behind why bender acts how he does and him storming off. After this there are some more arguments that follow but eventually they begin to interact in a nonviolent manner and even covering up for bender when he is caught escaping back into the library. They begin to bond through many events including running through the halls together, smoking in the library which leads to the big one with them sitting in a circle sharing their secrets and why they are there. Just when you think they are all coming together and letting their guards down, bender comes in with one of his condescending remarks towards the princess but it actually ends up with him giving her a look of respect. Towards the end they talk about if once this day is over will they be friends. This circle brings them together in a way they never knew could happen. The movie ends with the princess helping the basket case come into herself causing the athlete to see her in a new light and ending up together. The brain ends up writing one essay from the five of them to the principle telling him off in a nice way. The princess surprises the criminal by making the first move which results in them also being together. They all leave that day very differently than how they arrived.  They all realize they can be friends or even more, that they have more in common than they thought and that this Saturday detention was just what they needed.

The movie does an amazing of showing just how people who appear to be complete opposites may have more in common then they think and can be friends. John Hughes is known for doing many teen films in the 80's that teach teens a lesson. Other movies such as Sixteen candles or St.Elmo's fire which includes some of the same characters in this film also bring teenagers together in an unexpected way. This movie especially is an iconic film that almost everyone can relate to and learn something from. It talks about real problems teenagers still to this day go through. It appeals to everyone because we all remember what it was like to be a teen and what we had to go through at one point. John Hughes has made a film that is still one of the most recognizable films today. I rate this with 5 stars  because no matter your age, style, or attitude on life, you have someone to relate to.

Cultural and Historical Context

To get some historical and cultural context about The Breakfast Club, I went onto websites such as IMDB and movie review websites to see what facts they had about the characters and production of the film. When it came to information about the director John Hughes I already knew some information because I already researched about him since this is my favorite film, and when I love a film I like to know all about it! The difference between writing this review and the costumer review is the costumer review was less formal and more of our opinion while this was our opinion but also a little summary about the film.

Trajectories

The possible trajectories of this review is I might have had a little too much summary of film. I just didn't know where to stop. I love writing about what happens in this film and it was hard for me to cut out what was important as to opposed to what is not important. A possible positive trajectory of my review is I think I did a pretty decent job at stating why this film is such an amazing one and how much it can really teach us something. I don't really think anything will come from my reviews being up. I was a little nervous putting up my costumer review because anyone can see that and people look at IMDB website a lot but I don't mind the criticism too much I'm more just having fun with the costumer review.

Influences

The only influences I really had while writing this review was looking up other people's reviews on this movie to see how they organized it. I looked up reviews on IMDB which were more informal and also on filmcritic.com and from Robert Ebert. I didn't look at what they said to go off of I looked at how they organized it.

Costumer Review

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0088847/

Once you get to that page you just scroll almost all the way to the bottom and look for the review portion. My user name is golfngirl63 and it said my review should be up in 2-3 business days. My Summary says"This movie can teach us all something and makes us all want to go back to our high school days for just a little bit".

Spring Break

For my spring break I am first going to Michigan to visit my aunt, uncle and cousins with my mom. I have always been very close to my aunt and uncle and cousins. My aunt and uncle are basically like another set of parents to me while my cousins have always treated me as their little sister. Probably one of the biggest things I miss since coming to school is not being able to just go visit them whenever I wanted, which is why I tend to visit them a lot over my breaks. This weekend when I visit them I am hoping that the weather is good enough for me and my uncle to go on a motorcycle ride like we always do. For as long as I can remember every summer, we go on a bike trip every year just us. It's a tradition between us and something very special to me. Since its still only March, we may not be able to take the bike out but if their is no snow or rain, then no matter how cold, we're gonna try. We're also gonna celebrate my cousins first birthday! After Michigan I am going to go visit my best friend at his college sometime during the week because I haven't seen him since winter break so that will be nice! For the rest of break I am just going to spend catching up with my family. It'll be nice to see my brothers especially since I haven't seen them in awhile. My parents have come down to visit me a lot but my brothers are busy with work. They use to go here but graduated so I miss seeing them whenever I could. Unfortunately over spring break I do have to do some homework which will for sure be a downer but for the most of break I will be relaxing catching up on sleep and with my friends and family which is perfect I think!

The Movie Fan

When I walked into the movie fan store it was not what I expected at all. When you first walk in it is a little sitting area with tables and chairs where you can relax and have some snacks. Then they have the vhs section which I personally loved because it was a bunch of older films that remind me of my childhood. Then beyond that is the dvd section. All the dvds are very close together with barely no room to walk and it actually was kind of hard to look for a dvd but once I actually began looking I found some movies I was interested in watching. This movie store was very different than other movie stores I usually go to. Back home I use to go to blockbuster as one of the movie places and there all the movies were spread out and very easy to see. There was a pretty good sized snack area but not a sit down area like this place. They also had no vhs section which is one perk this movie fan place had. I also would always go to best buy as a place and that place is much bigger than this movie fan store. It also has more than just movies there. I definately wasn't use to this small store but it was nice and for sure had some perks.

Country Thunder

My own choice blog that I am going to write about is country thunder! Country music in my mind is the best genre of music. Most songs actually have a story behind them and pretty much anyone can relate to them, personally I can relate to a lot of different country songs. Anyways, I went to country thunder for the first time last summer and it was the best four days of my life! The line up was awesome and just spending time with all my friends during those four days was the best. It rained all four days and was so muddy and hot but the weather was still good. The mud added to the fun! On the first night, I broke my finger by playing football and ended up having to come to college with a cast on it. Then on the last night, I got strep but I still ended up going. This summer is going to be even better!! The line up is amazing with my three favorite country artists being there including, Jason Aldean, Luke Bryan, and Blake Shelton. And my friends and I got our own campsite this year so that's going to be even better. Country Thunder is truly the best time of my summer and something I now look forward to every year. Just being in the hot son, listening to amazing music and being with all my best friends is wonderful. I believe everyone should experience country thunder at least once to see what the best music event ever is! Country Thunder 2012 needs to hurry up and get here! Lets hope this year I don't brake my finger or get strep.

Words and Pictures

The text I choose to talk about that I have read a lot of was the series The Berenstein Bear books. I read those books all the time when I was younger because that was some of the only books i was ever interested in and they helped me learn how to read when i was younger. When i was younger, along with every other kid, we looked at the pictures first before reading the actual text. Some of the times i would just look at the pictures and turn the page forgetting to read the text because I would just make up my own story as i flipped through the book. My mom would have to remind me to actually read the books text. I loved this series because i loved the house/tree house they lived in. It always looked so cool and I always wanted to live there. I never thought about how much the pictures caught my attention or how much they made me so interested in the text. But now thinking back, the colors and the town they lived in is what pulled me into the books and what made me want to read these specific books. I always went into reading these books thinking I was in their place and lived there and the pictures helped me really get into the story.

For my own choice I am going to write about the X games. Every year I look forward for the winter X games because I love watching all the events especially the snowboarding and snocross events. I have always loved winter and everything about it and I've been interested in the X games for a few years now. I love to watch the snowboarding events because I like to snowboard myself, even though I'm not that good, and I love Shaun White. Plus seeing all the tricks they can do is amazing and makes me motivated to one day get better. My favorite part of the winter X games though are the snocross events. I am very interested in snocross because my best friend has been racing snowmobiles since he was 5. Every weekend in the winter I spent going to his races and watching him compete. It’s such an exhilarating feeling watching all the guys race on these huge machines. It also gets your heart racing because the sport is very dangerous. At many races, people have been seriously injured yet the athletes keep competing because no matter how dangerous, it’s so much fun. This year at the X games they took away snocross racing though which was upsetting but they still have the snocross tricks events which is the best to watch. It is crazy to watch these people do amazing tricks on these huge snowmobiles that you wouldn't think is possible. They do tricks such as back flips, no handed tricks and much more. This year, one racer was supposed to do a trick that has never been done before on a snowmobile. Everyone watched in anticipation to see if he was going to do a front flip on the snowmobile considering how dangerous and difficult it was. But he did it. It was amazing to see just how he completed the trick. Every year winter comes around I can’t wait for the winter X games to see what new tricks the athletes are going to do.

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Hour of TV

The commercials that I saw while watching TV for two hours, related to teenagers and what they most likely will be interested in. there were a lot of movie trailers that teenagers would most likely want to go see which is why they showed them. They also showed a lot of clean and clear commercials because teenagers are the biggest group of people that suffer with acne. I was watching the mtv network and mostly teens are going to be watching the shows on that network which is why they show a lot of commercials that teenagers can relate to. They also had a bunch of texting commercials because teenagers are so obsessed with texting so they will be focusing on that commercial the most. One commercial I remember is the one about a person's character and it mentioned sharing. It's sad that we have to have commercials that remind us to act a certain way but it was good they showed it because teenagers need to be reminded a lot of the time. Another commercial was the twilight series one. Teenagers are obsessed with those movies and books so they knew they would catch their attention with that movie.

Introduction

I'm Kelly McGuire, a freshman at Illinois State University majoring in Psychology. I grew up in a north suburb of Chicago with a great family. I have two older brothers who also went to ISU, one that currently does. We all are very close considering how different all our interests are. In high school I played golf and was involved in habitat for humanity and the Special Olympics program. Both groups were very rewarding because for me, seeing the look on someone's face after you have helped them or made their day better is what makes my day. I'm majoring in psychology because one day, I would like to start off as an elementary school social worker to help out kids. Then I would like to move on up to high school aged kids and eventually become either a child advocate or substance abuse counselor. Basically I somehow want to help people someday and make a difference. My favorite season is summer because of my birthday, Country Thunder, and spending time with everyone. As for writing, I have many expectations for this class to help me for the future. Writing is something special to me that I have always liked to do because it helps you express your feelings. In this class I would love to learn how to write and express myself better. I would like to grow when it comes to writing by broadening my vocabulary and not repeating myself as much. I tend to repeat my thoughts and ideas in papers a lot and think that more is better but that's not always the case. I expect to learn a lot of different things in class that will help me in the future especially when it comes to my career. Writing is one way to express yourself and I would love to improve on it so one day I can teach each other people that it is a way to help you get through rough times.