Olympic Antics

Hey everyone! These next few weeks, the world will be working together, putting problems aside and competing in 30 different sports. Why, its the Olympics of course! The Olympic Games is a major international sporting event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. Over 200 nations participate in the Olympic Games which are considered to be the biggest sporting competition. The Games are held biennially, with Summer and Winter Olympic Games alternating. Originally, the ancient Olympic Games were held in Olympia, Greece, from the 8th century BC to the 4th century AD.

Currently, we are celebrating the 2012 Summer Olympic Games in London, England. The last summer Olympic Games occurred in Beijing, China, in 2008. The opening ceremonies were on July 28th and the Games go until August 12th. Since all countries are competing, it is always fun to cheer on your home country.
My friends and I are big fans of the Olympics and watch the games every two years. This year, there are big rivalries and big competitions. On the United States team, two swimmers, Phelps and Lochte, go head to head against each other for the gold title. They are both great swimmers, but Phelps is more well known will Lochte is a new-comer who must prove his way! Because of this, many people choose a side of which one to support. Also, there is huge competition between the United States team and other teams for different countries. Some of the sports with the biggest rivalries is in gymnastics and diving. Luckily, the United States Women Gymnastics's team won first in the team division! The biggest country competitor for the United States is China. Right now, China and the United States are tied with 23 total metals, but we are only on day four! Get updates on all the metals awarded to each country here! 

What country are you rooting for in the Olympics? What sport is your favorite in the Summer Olympics? Let me know in the comments below!

xoxo

On an Island in the Sun

Hey everyone! This summer is a great time to travel to different places. These locations can be far away, but you can have just as much fun close to home as well! When I want a fun weekend vacation, I travel to the island only 27 miles off the coast of Los Angeles: Catalina Island! I took a boat trip to get there and it only took one hour. Talk about a paradise close to home! There are many fun places like Catalina Island that have great activities to keep you busy. You can go to the beach, eat at nice restaurants, kayak and fish, and even zip line! I went on a zip lining eco-tour through the mountains of the island and it was amazing! I got to see many plants and animals that only live on the island. Plus, I got to zip through the trees with nothing but a harness holding me up!

For people who have a busy summer like mine, its great to go on a mini vacation to get away for a few days. Although Catalina Island may not be close to you, with a little research you can find your own local paradise!

What do you like to do for mini vacations in your hometown? Let me know in the comments! 

xoxo

Mail Call

Hey everyone! Since we are getting into the prime time for testing and admissions, colleges start to search the country to find prospective students. Sure, it is up to the students to choose the college they want to go to, but colleges never want to miss out on any great students because they didn’t know about the school. That is why colleges send you information letters, lots of them. 
There are over 2000 colleges and universities in the US, and many of these colleges market themselves to attract highly qualified students.  So even though high school students are trying to make themselves look good for the colleges, the colleges are trying to make themselves look good to possible students. They use each student's test scores on the SAT and ACT and other information to find students they would like at their school. Once you start taking your college admission standardized tests, you include your email and your home address. Once the colleges receive word of your tests scores, they start sending you letters if your test scores are in the preferred range for that specific school. They try their hardest to contact students through mail, email and even phone calls home.They want all the best students they can get at their schools, so this sort of advertising helps all students know about schools they might not have known about before. But don’t worry, the test scores colleges see when they are sending out letters do not affect your application. You have plenty of time to get a score you are happy with, and colleges will even let you super score your test! (Meaning you can take your top scores from each section from different tests to combine and create a super score). Although these hundreds of letters are annoying at times, it is the best way to find out about colleges you never would have thought of before. And that’s worth it. So when you start taking standardized tests don’t be afraid to fill in your email and your house information, because it just might lead you to the college of your dreams.

Would you use college letters to find your college? Let me know in the comments! 

xoxo

Summer Sports Camps are Here

Hey everyone! Although high school is out for the summer, sports are never done! Almost all fall sports and some winter and spring sports have summer camps during the summer. This is an extended practice to keep returning players in shape and introduce beginners to the sport. Although this is a good time to practice, it is also a key point in deciding which players will make the team, and which level they will be on if they make it. That is why it is important to come to camp everyday, and come prepared!

When freshman enter high school, it is important for them to try new sports without the fear of not standing up to the competition. This is why many sports have a freshman only team that does not cut anyone. This way all freshman who want to try out the sport have the opportunity to and can learn the sport at their own speed. Unfortunately, once you get to the Junior Varsity and Varsity levels, the competition heats up and you gotta bring it!

If you want to practice your passion or learn a new sport, summer camps are the perfect time to do so. Hey, you might even find a hidden talent!

What do you do during the summer? Let me know in the comments!

xoxo

Beach Bums

Hey everyone! Now that summer is in full swing and the June gloom is behind us, the beach has been the perfect place to spend my summer days. In California, there are over 1,000 miles of beaches along the coast and about 118 beach cities. There are so many beaches all about a half hour drive from me that I can go to a different beach each day of the week if I wanted to. Of course, my friends and I find our favorite sports and repeatedly venture there. Unfortunately, California beaches border the Pacific Ocean, which contains very cold water. Although the weather is in the high 80s Fahrenheit (almost 30 Celsius), the water is normally in the 60s Fahrenheit (above 15 Celcius), making for cold swimming. However, I aways end up swimming but there are so many other things to do as well on the beach. You can play games, go exploring, even see sea life! The other day when I was at the beach, and eel came onto the shore and you could hold it! There are always fun things to do at the beach, and summer is the perfect time to enjoy it.



Do you go to the beach during summer? Let me know in the comments!
xoxo