Hollywood Hangin'

Hey everyone! This weekend was fun, and adventurous, as I traveled up to Hollywood! Hollywood is one of the most renowned areas in California, maybe even in the whole US. It is the center for all motion pictures, as most of the movies and television shows are filmed and made here. In addition, record labels, studios, and radio stations all have headquarters here. Because of this, most celebrities live in the nice areas of Hollywood like Beverly Hills. Its fun to see where all the celebrities live, and if you don't know there are tours to show you! Its a fun day adventure, because I live a few hours away!

While in Hollywood, I went to see the musical Wicked with my National Charity League Class. It was awesome! The musical took place in the Pantages Theater, an old, famous theater in Hollywood. We also saw some sights around the city like the Hollywood sign! Don't forget Hollywood and Vine, the street paved with starts memorializing famous celebrities. It was truly a happenin' place to end the week!




Where do most of the celebrities reside where you live? What's your favorite musical? Let me know in the comments below!

xoxo

The End of the Beginning

Hey everyone! This week is very stressful for students at my high school, since its final exam week! Our school is based on a semester system which divides the year into two parts. We have final exam periods at the end of each semester. Each class gives one large test, that takes about two hours, which influence your end grades! Most finals are 20% of the final grade! With this is mind, this week and the days before are very stressful and filled with studying! Many people get together in study groups to productively study for a specific subject. Once this week is over, we have a formal dance to celebrate!
This dance, winter formal, takes place the weekend after first semester finals each year. The unique part about winter formal is it is a girls ask guys to be their date dance! This means that girls have to ask guys to be their date to the dance! Many girls carry out elaborate and cute methods of asking, like with balloons, puzzles, cake, etc.
Its a fun twist to a formal dance, since guys usually ask girls to be their date. It makes this end of finals dance truly memorable. Plus, since it is a formal dance, everyone wears their favorite dresses and gets their hair and makeup done! For the boys, they get suits with ties matching their date's dress. Its a fun way to coordinate! Also, the dance takes place in a country club, so there is lots to do along with dancing. Last year there were casino tables set up with pretend gambling! It was a fun way to have an activity that everyone liked that was all in good fun.

How do you like to celebrate the end of a stressful week? Let me know in the comments!

xoxo

Winter Sporty-Land

Hey everyone! Now thats it is getting into the winter season, all the sports are changing! All the fall sports like American football are over, and another sport has stolen the center spotlight... basketball! Basketball is another popular sport here in the United States. Since it takes place inside the gym, not outside on a field like american football, it is perfect for the chilly and windy winter weather.  Although basketball is not as popular as american football, it is still a fun occasion to get together and support your school. People paint their faces, wear team gear, and participate in chants that engage both team's fans. The best part is when a player slam dunks the ball!
Another fun winter sport is football, or soccer in America. This is played on the field when American football is over, and is another fun sport to watch as well! All of the games end up being close, normally with 1 point difference!

Although all sports at school are fun, winter sports are some of the best! It makes these long cold months truly enjoyable!

What is your favorite season for sports? Let me know in the comment below!

xoxo

Advanced Placement - Success or Stress?

Hey everyone! Today I am going to talk to you guys about Advanced Placement Classes, or AP for short. AP classes are the most difficult classes you can take at school, and are designed to challenge you and hopefully introduce you to new interests. Colleges like when you take these classes because it shows that you are challenging yourself and are willing to work hard in difficult situations. Plus, if you take these classes and pass a rigorous test at the end of the year, you can opt to use this as credit in college, and not take that specific course when you get to the university.
Although these classes sound like a good idea, they cause some trouble as well. Since these are the most challenging classes on campus, the work load is tremendous and it takes a lot of dedication. Coming from a girl in practically all AP classes, I am constantly working on homework or studying for a test in one of these classes. The stress can get to some people, as much sleep is lost and weekends must be forfeited to work, and many end up dropping some of their AP classes throughout the year. However, I am sticking with mine because although it is a lot of work now, it is great for the long haul.

Here is an article from a neighboring high school's newspapaer. It talks all about AP classes, the stress and the triump. Check it out!

http://thediablodispatch.com/?p=1960


Are you taking AP style classes? Would you take a hard class if it could get you out of classes in college? Let me know in the comments!

xoxo

Operation Help a Hero

Hey Everyone! Today was a very inspirational day today! I traveled to a military base with my National Charity League class and volunteered in the event Operation Valentine. This takes place every year, and girls in National Charity League from all over California come together to help the military. We build care packages to send to them on Valentine's Day filled with essential supplies and Valentine's Day cards we hand make ourselves.
We also serve lunch to the military personal who are currently at the base. All together it is a very inspirational day knowing we are helping our military who are serving over seas.








What do you do to help out in your community? Let me know in the comments!

xoxo

Twenty Twelve

Hey everyone! Happy new year! Celebrating the new year is always a big deal in the United States. People throw parties, light fireworks, and stay up till midnight to watch a huge glass ball drop in Times Square in New York City. Its a great time to spend with family and friends. Don't forget to make your new years resolutions, things that you wish to accomplish in the new year. 

Another fun part of the new years celebration is the Rose Parade, followed by the Tournament of the Roses (Rose Bowl) American football game. This parade has been going on for 123 years, and is filled with floats made up of only flowers! 18 million flowers were used in this years parade. This 5.5 mile parade takes place in Pasadena, California, so I live very close to it! This year I went to Pasadena to help decorate the floats! I worked on the Wisconsin Badgers float. It was a great experience, and now I know what it takes to put these floats together! Each float is truly stunning, with intricate designs and structures, yet is made entirely of flowers and other natural garden items. 

Here is a link to videos from the Rose Parade!

http://www.ktla.com/entertainment/roseparade/

How do you celebrate the new year? Let me know in the comments!

xoxo