So much to give thanks for

Hey everyone! This Thursday was a big day in America, it was Thanksgiving! Thanksgiving happens on a Thursday every year and is a holiday that dates back to the colonization of America. The Native Americans and American Colonists got together to give thanks for a bountiful harvest and celebrate together. The first Thanksgiving was in 1621as a celebration of the successful harvest at the Plymouth Colony. Modern Thanksgiving is a time to give thanks for all you have while bringing together family and friends. There is great food, along with fun and games. Turkey with gravy and stuffing, mash potatoes, corn, and pie are the traditional Thanksgiving foods, as they are delicious and relate back to the first Thanksgiving. American Football is very popular to be watched and played on Thanksgiving. Weather you are watching the professionals on TV, or throwing a touchdown in a family game of flag football, each makes Thanksgiving special.



Another tradition that comes with Thanksgiving takes place on the day after. Its called Black Friday! Since its the day after Thanksgiving, it is the official first day of Christmas season. And by season I mean shopping! On this day stores open extremely early, from 12 AM to 4 AM, and offer extreme deals just on that day. It turns into a free for all, as people line up and race to get the few items that are on sale. It can be crazy, but its all in the holiday spirt.

Do you celebrate Thanksgiving where you live? What would you want to buy for a super good Black Friday Deal? Let me know in the comments!

xoxo

Strutin' for Charity!

Hey everyone! This weekend was very exciting as I was in a fashion show! I walked the runway with 22 other 11th grade girls from neighboring high schools. We are all involved with a program called National Charity League that hosts this fashion show every year to raise money for 18 different charities. We raise about 30 thousand dollars to donate to the charities. Its an incredible experience, and its even better knowing we are doing it for a great cause. There were even 9 high school junior boys in it as well who brought some spunk to the show!

In addition to this show, we do lots of community service for these 18 charities throughout the year. This includes delivering meals to senior citizens, helping teach children with disabilities, and serving meals to homeless families. Although it's a lot of hard work, each experience is worth it knowing the good I am doing for the community.

Would you ever want to be in a fashion show? What community service do you do for your community? Let me know in the comments!






xoxo

Model UN - Peace in the Making

The group touring the city at night

Me and my friends all ready for committee!

Hey everyone! One club I am involved in at school is Model United Nations (MUN). MUN is representation of the real United Nations, where about once a month we go to different schools and represent a country in a UN group, and debate current international issues. Its a great way to get involved in your school while learning about world issues. I am very interested in international relations, and this club is a great way for me to learn more about it. Its a great way to learn about international events and problems plaguing our world today while improving your research and speaking skills. We write speeches and resolutions, while debating with other delegates about the best way to solve each issue. I recommend this club for anyone who is interested in the international field, or just wants to improve their public speaking ability. You can even win awards for your works.

Our school MUNers with our awards after the conference

MUN is also a great excuse to travel. Last weekend I went to UCLA for a MUN conference. This conference was huge, with over 25 schools attending. Since this conference was at such a prestigious university, the stakes were high to preform well. But I ended up wining the highest award for my committee, African Union. This award is called Best Delegate, and you get your very own engraved gavel when you win. The school was beautiful, and made the MUN experience more fun. We got to debate in the university by day, and tour the streets of the city by night! We even stayed overnight in a hotel. And don't forget to wear your business attire while debating! Everyone even dresses the part of a UN official.

Are you involved in an MUN club or something like it? If not, would you be interested in a club like this? Let me know in the comments below!

xoxo

College Application Time

Hey everyone! This time between November and December is a busy time for high school seniors, because of college applications. Most applications are due at the end of November or December, so this time is the final push. I am not a senior yet, so this is a good time for me to observe the application process and get ready for next year.
College applications here in the US are very detialed. Not only do applications require a report of your grades, SAT/ACT scores, class rank, etc., they also want to know all about your outside activities like sports, music, drama, volunteer work, work experience, etc. They love to know what your interests are and makes you special. On top of all the reports they require two or three personal essays. These are to show your writing ability, along with personal creativity and spirit. There is a lot of work that goes into writing applications, but it is all worth it when you are accepted into schools! Luckily, almost all private colleges today accept the Common Application, so you can fill it out once and send it to all your schools of choice! Some schools require extra supplement essays, but basically you have a one stop place for applications.


There are over 2,000 colleges and universities and also many junior colleges here within the US so there is a place for everybody! Some colleges are much harder to get into then others and require top grades and outside activities. This is due to their ranking. Below is the URL for the list of current ranking for colleges and universities in the US.

http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-colleges/rankings/national-universities

Each college is different, yet there is a different college that is perfect for everyone!

Would you ever want to come to college in the US? Where would you want to go to college? Let me know in the comments!

xoxo

SAT Time!

Hey Everyone! This Saturday, I took the SAT! The SAT, Scholastic Aptitude Test, is a test each high school student is required to take to apply to colleges. It tests you on subjects like sentence completion, reading, writing, and math. Plus, there is a 25 minute essay required to be written. Overall, it's a five hour test! Talk about a buzz kill to your Saturday! It takes a lot of preparation before hand, as many people purchase review books or take classes to obtain all the information needed. It's almost impossible to get a perfect score, 2400, because it's graded on a bell curve, yet everyone tries their hardest to receive the best score they can. Luckily, you can take the test as many times as you want, and some schools super score your test, taking the best scores from each section from different tests to create one overall super score.

If you read my ACT post, you will know how the SAT and ACT are very similar. Both are required with applying to United States Colleges, but schools only require one or the other. So you can focus on what test you are better at! The SAT tests you more on vocabulary and critical thinking skills, while the ACT tests you on what you already know, and has a science section that the SAT does not. Even though there are some differences, both are equally challenging and count the same in the college's eyes.

Here is the website for the SAT:

http://sat.collegeboard.org/home

If you are planning on attending college in the United States, knowing more about the SAT is a great first step towards this goal.

So, do you think you would be better on the ACT or SAT? Let me know in the comments!


xoxo