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one for the books (acknowledgments)

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I do not consider myself to be a remarkably sentimental person, however saying that I wouldn’t have survived even a week in this class without the support of everyone would be an immense understatement. I was completely and immediately prepared to collapse into a pile of mush when I realized much of class wouldn’t be focused on just writing, but rather be discussion-based. But no matter, I persevered, and not without the support of everyone. To begin, I would like to thank Vandya for putting up with my half-articulated ideas during partner writes and developing them into complete sentences. It seemed there is so much I wanted to say, yet I had no way of actually writing them down in a way that was coherent and intelligent. Why settle for my “Kingston’s lack of confidence kept her from enacting change” when Vandya’s “Kingston’s lack of confidence and support from her own community undermined her ability to create a widespread impact” sounds so polished in comparison? Whether it was join...
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it's a lot more real than you think it is

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 In a world where any piece of information is so readily accessible, at your fingertips, violent imagery is practically inescapable. Whether it's on the news or even the cartoons the children watch nowadays, it's safe to say that violence is everywhere.  However, there's something different about the violence we are exposed to through media. Even if the crime is real, coverage of the subject is often very censored as to not disturb the sensitive (it may be triggering, or it may not be appropriate for younger audiences). We hear stories of people being mutilated, but how often do you see those images on the TV? Do you see their bodies? Probably not. Regardless, the internet is a vast pit. Even if censorship is common, there are still instances when it does not occur. Last summer, for summer reading, we had to compile a list of things that were on the news. As I was searching for things to put on said list, I accidentally came across an article of a double homicide of a lesbi...
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spotting re-wilding in the wild

Re-wilding has become all the hype in recent years, and for good reason too. The pros certainly do outweigh the cons; making for a better environment both for wildlife, but also for people living there. Recently, I visited Toronto. In case you haven't been, you should know that the city, while much smaller, is also significantly less dense than other urban cities like Detroit or Chicago. There are lots of places with open space and parks (one of the reasons for this is that Toronto is a college town) and overall is a very clean and well kept city. Another thing that's a little less easy to notice is the emergence of urban re-wilding, or more specifically hybrid versions. Trees adorn the roofs of tall apartment buildings and are planted to provide shade on sidewalks. Roundabouts are well maintained and are decorated with brightly colored flowers, and boulevards feature lush greenery as well. It's not even just for the aesthetic too, I noticed the improved air quality almost ...
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self-destructive impulses and habit

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Most of us all know the dangers of substance abuse. I, for one, remember having to sit through Drug Abuse Resistance Education (better known as D.A.R.E. ) presentations and having to do that "I will say no to drugs" pledge by the end of them. It would suffice to say that most, if not all, of us are aware of just how bad partaking in these behaviors is very wrong. But the truth of the matter is that drug abuse rates are higher than ever. The other day, my friend told me about how he was offered a vape in the media center once when he went to go print something out. Knowing him, obviously he said no even after the person offering kept trying to pressure him. But what about the people who aren't as stubborn as my friend? They might give in, knowing that it's wrong, or maybe they want to seem cool so they try it. They know that once you start, its very difficult to stop, leading themselves down a path they could have refused. For people with crippling addictions, self-des...
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once a predator, always a predator

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 Considering the fact that I've been so sick that it has practically left me bedridden for the past few days, I had spent a large portion of my time mindlessly scrolling through Instagram. Ironically enough, I ended up seeing a large influx of posts from the very infamous James Charles. I don't even follow him and, to be completely honest, I never even watched his content in his prime. (His trademark "Hi Sisters" just creeped me out ngl). Unless you've been living under a rock, you would know that he got cancelled back in 2019 for a myriad of things, such as sending nudes to minors, transphobia, racism, and scamming his supporters. Now you would think that after being completely demonetized by Youtube and having all his brand collaborations pull out and losing roughly 3 million subscribers, he would do a little self reflection and change his ways. Maybe he would actually try to better himself after he made that (now privated) apology video. However, this is all ve...
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worcesthsujdkajbuiahdkj??? sauce

 If you ask me where I am from, I will tell you I am American. You can hear my voice and I sound just like you, but look at my face, and the melanin in my skin might say otherwise. It's clear that I am also South Asian (more specifically from Bangladesh, but nobody even knows where that is, so I've chosen to not bother anymore). I was born and raised here in Michigan, and while it is true that English isn't my first language, it still is the one I'm most confident in. When I was little, I could speak Spanish, Bangla, and English very fluently and had no issues switching back and forth between them. It wasn't until after I started school that it became an issue. It seemed I had been hard wired to speak to adults in Bangla or sometimes Spanish (mainly because that's what I spoke at home), yet I could communicate with my other classmates in English with ease. If my own teachers struggled to communicate with me, the only solution apparently was to stop speaking all ...
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i don't think you can be persecuted for going a 90 on a 25

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Christian Man Persecuted Simply For Driving 90 Miles Per Hour In School Zone This article details the instance of "local evangelical Christian man Joshua Weller [who] was reportedly persecuted Tuesday simply for driving 90 miles per hour in a school zone." Last I checked, I don't think getting a speeding ticket for going a 90 in a 25 classifies as "persecution". Persecution is what happened to Jesus, but then again, if I recall correctly, he wasn't totally flooring it and putting the lives of children at risk. Weller claimed he was stopped for his "Jesus fish on [his] back windshield", yet a first Amendment right is one to religious freedom. A country that is primarily Christian and allows freedom in that sense would probably never have an officer pull someone over for a bumper sticker. He also makes for a sardonic retort when he thought he was just going to "hit [him] with some trumped-up charges" just because he is a man of God. Come a...
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FAQ

- "What does the title of your blog even mean?" It is a fairly popular Latin phrase that means "toward better things". I hope to learn and grow and become a better person by the end of this school year. Also, Latin is quite fascinating, and I want to learn it, but nobody really speaks in Latin anymore, so it wouldn't be that useful for me.