The Solution to Homework

Today in class we had a discussion about whatever we wanted to talk about. Some of the topics in which we talked about were the beach, the pros and cons of relationships and one of the other topics was homework. As we were disscussing Geoff came up with what some people thought an unrealistic idea to solve the homework problem but I sort of like it and think it has a slim shot of working. The solution was to instead of assign homework every night to rather give a ungraded quiz at the end of each class and then have the teachers look over them to see what subjects need to be gone over in the next class. This would benefit the students because instead of going home exhausted from a hard day at school and dreading homework it would give them a chance to relax and reflect on the day. Plus it would teach them how to manage their time and when to review becasue in the real world people aren't going to be checking if you are doing your work all they are going to care about is the final project. I know when I go home I am pretty teird from practice and I really don't want to do any of my homework but I know that if I don't do it then I wont get a good grade in the class so I usually rush over it fast and not do the best job I can. If teachers didn't assign homework in the first place then this situation would never happen and everyone would be happy. The students would be happy because they wouldn't have any work to do at night and on the weekends unless they choose to and the teachers wouldn't have to worry about grading anything when they also get home.

An Unsung Invention

When I was thinking about something to write about for one of my common place book entries I was rummaging through my backpack and realized how much this thing helps in our everyday and how hard it would be without it. Sure we could manage without it but can't we also say that we can manage without electricty or computers but life is a lot easier with them.
A bag helps us in everyday life and makes life a lot more comfortable and convienient. Imagining trying to carry all of your books to school without anywhere to put them except your arms. I know my arms would be super sore by the end of walking from Alexander to Pauahi. Backpacks make life so much easier and convinient and I think that we are taking them for granted.

Spring Break

In only a couple of days we start our spring break and I cant wait. During most spring breaks I usually stay home, sleep, watch tv, rest, go to the beach and movies and also just hang with friends. I am really anxious for this spring break because I get to have the car all to myself. I know I must sound pretty selfish right now but usually during the spring break my sister gets the first priority on the car and I never get to use it but now that she is on the mainland for collage its all mine!! Since our volleyball coach is giving us some time off to relax and recharge I use this time to work out on my own lifting weights and trying to get better. This spring break is shaping up to be a good one so dont let it go to waste by staying home everyday all day.

Punahou Sports

Ever since I have been at Punahou which was kindergarten Punahou sports have been a huge part of the school and what we do. At Punahou there is a wide variety of sports to play like, basketball, volleyball, football, track, golf, air riflery, water polo and many many more. Punahou sports have been integrated into school because of all of the school spirit there is from the faculty whenever there is a game. When we were in Kindergarten through sixth grade we had a pep rally for our varsity football team on every friday. For this pep rally we did cheers, ran relays and met the team. We also were encouraged to wear buff n' blue clothing to support our school colors. Now that I am a Punahou athlete for the basketball and volleyball programs I appreciate how much Punahou Sports were stressed when I was younger because without that I might have never entered the sports program and that would have been an opportunity lost.

St. Patrick's Day

St. Patrick's day is a always a very big holiday for my family on my mothers side because of how my grandfather loved to celebrate it when he was alive. Its funny how much our family on my mothers side loved to celebrate it becasuse they weren't even one percent irish, they are 100% Chinese. My grandfather's name was Patrick and when he was a little boy he decided that he always wanted to celebrate St. Patrick's day as one of his main holidays. When he was alive I asked him why he enjoyed celebrating this holiday so much and he told me it was because of the music, dancing, food and just the overall theme of it.
Every St. Patrick's day the entire family would go to their house and celebrate. Usually when we have family get togethers we eat Chinese food and barbeque but on St. Patrick's day we bust out the Celtic recipies and make some Irish food. This year was the first time my grandfather wasn't here to help celebrate St. Patrick's day with us but I could tell that he was enjoying his time up in heaven with some Corned Beef and Cabbage on his plate.

Ruth May Day at Punahou

Today was my first day of school in this strange land. I was brought to this new school where father said we would get a first class education. The first thing I saw when I arrived was how all of the girls at this school would be called prostitutes according to father. He thinks any girls who wear make-up are trying to seduce people and those are devilish acts, which are sins. All of the kids at this school have plumb bad language. Father wouldn't have been proud of this and would have given them all a slap across the mouth and also made them do "the verse."
When I went into the big room with books and tables I saw people working on big bright briefcases. Later when I asked father about it he said that those things are gifts from God to the people on earth who haven’t sinned and are good. I didn’t believe this because I was watching them later and I saw them talk with plumb bad language and God never took them away.
I wore my best schools clothes to school and I was amazed about how differently I dressed from all of the other girls. I wore a big white dress that covered all of my skin except for my head. But the girls at school wore these tight pants that only went down to their knees and shirts that were skin tight around their upper body. If I was with father now he would have given these girls the verse and reprimanded them for dressing so devilish. If I ever wanted to wear something like that I think father might disown me and not talk to me again because he doesn’t associate himself with prostitutes and things to do with the devil.

Aunty Kelly's

Last year when we were small inferior freshman we never had any place to hang out and socialize. But that all changed when our good friend Macy told us her mom was working at the language lab this year. Her mothers name is Kelly and since that day we have hung out here, did homework and played computer games. I am actually in there right now typing this cycle paper up. There are so many benefits to have aunty Kelly here for us. We can eat snacks, have access to computers and we can also just talk story. Many of my most memorable moments have happened in this computer lab. So I decided to make a poem about this wonderful place.
Always a good time
Unbelievably scrumptious snacks
Never boring
Totally AWESOME!
Yelling and screaming not allowed
Kelly is the best
Everyone is always in a good mood
Loving and caring
Luxurious and spacious
Yellow chairs everywhere
'
Solace

UH basketball

In years past going to UH basketball games with my dad and friends was something I really enjoyed doing but now this years team has been nothing but BORING! Maybe its becasue the late hiring of new coach Bob Nash and him having no time to recruite players or maybe its the lack of talent on the team but still this team was boring to watch.
I went to one of the games early in the season and honestly I nearly fell asleep. First of all the style of game that Hawaii plays is very low tempo and strenuous and also the fact that the arena is never even close to being 3/4 full. It seems that no one wants to go watch these guys. As the end of thier season was approching I got the opportunity to watch them one last time on senior night and I was suprised on how hard they work for a team that isn't going anywhere. I was watching a team that went from having no heart to playing with passion and intensity. Sure they still don't have the best talent but these guys worked their butts off and tried extremely hard. I give Coach Nash all the credit in the world now because of how he got this team turned around. In Sunday's edition of the Honolulu Star-Bulletin they have a quote from Coach Nash that I really take to heart and follow. He says, "Life is never going to just deal you a royal flush-you're going to get some bad hands, and it's how you play those bad hands that reveals your character." To me this quote shows how even though life can be rough and hard you have to use those hard experiences to learn and use them to become a better person.

San Diego Here We Come

Tuesday night at nine o’clock my parents say their final goodbyes and I take my first step to San Diego. Our varsity volleyball team was invited to the Best of the West volleyball tournament. This is one of the most prestige tournaments on the west coast. It’s made up of the 32 best teams from the entire western region.
This tournament is such a big deal to Punahou because this is the first time ever that Punahou has been invited to a mainland tournament and this is also the first time that any team has been allowed during their certain season. The coaches and athletic department have been planning this trip for a year and have scheduled so many fundraisers and events for us to make money at. Tom Holdin and Kevin Conway joined us in San Diego which gave us an idea of important this was to Punahou and its goal in branching out throughout the mainland.
Last year I was cut from the varsity along with all of the members of my JV1 team. This year was a different story though. I made the team and seven of my teammates from last year also made it. Joining me on the team are, Taylor Crabb, Kaiwi Crabb, Maddison Mckibbin, Erik Shoji, Jared Altenhof, Jacob Brovelli, Henry Cassiday, Jarrett Chang, Toby Ishizuka, Jeremy Kaimikaua, Ben Lam, Marcus Miyabara, Damian Pherigo, Josh Taylor and Philip White. Most of the people on this team are new to the varsity including our coach Rick Tune. Last year he was the assistant coach to Peter Balding who is now assisting coaching for him. Along with Coach Peter is Stewart Chong.
On our first day in California we went to DISNEYLAND!!! I went to Disneyland once before but I was too young to remember anything and I treated this like a first time experience. Once we entered Disneyland the term “happiest place on earth” could be seen. Even though we went on a Wednesday we were surrounded by smiles and more smiles from everyone young or old entering the park. We raced around picking which rides to ride and what other things we could do. We ended up riding, Indian Jones, Buzz Lightyear, Thunder Rail Road and Space Mountain TWICE! We also watched the 3D version of, “Honey I Shrunk the Kids.” All of the smells of the sweets cooking, the sounds of people of all ages screaming and enjoying themselves help make this a day to remember.
Friday was the day that we have all been waiting for. Sure Disneyland was great but this was the reason why we skipped half a week of school and endured some grueling practices. We came into this tournament testing our skills but also our determination and character. Our determination was tested because during the warm up for our first game our opponent’s height averaged at least 6 feet and the tallest player on our team was 6’4’’. We were definitely lacking in size but we soon found out that we had more intensity and skills. At the end of the first day of pool play we ended first in our pool and had handily beaten some of the better Californian teams. On the second day other known as the, “Gold Round” we faced some adversity. Our best player went down with a really bad flu and 102 degree fever and another of our good players sprained his ankle in the second game. We ended up getting fifth in the tournament but more importantly we grew as a team and learned how to handle adversity. Our teammate Phil put it the best, “we have handled the bumps in the road and still came ended the journey together as one.”
This trip was one of the best ones I have ever gone on because I have learned so many new things about myself and my friends. I learned that I can handle myself in tight situations and battle competitively even though I am an underdog. I have learned that I can, “handle the bumps.”