A Place I Love Essay

I walk into the house after a long day at school with my head pounding at the thought of how much work I have to get done. Within the next two days I have to read and take notes on 75 pages from my art history textbook, write an essay comparing two articles on New York City, and solve a mountain of college algebra problems. Depending on how late I can make myself stay up, there are four or five hours at least of work ahead.

 But I open the door to my bedroom and am instantly calmed. My bed is made the way I like it, not one wrinkle in my top sheet or pillows. My 5 elephants - ranging from clay to pillows - are spread across the room. My empty desk is ready. I breathe in the sense of order. My thoughts are now in order, and I can complete my homework.

My bedroom is more than a place of productiveness, it’s me. The pictures on the wall display the people I care about the most: my mom, dad, grandma, 2 sisters, brother, cousin, boyfriend, and best friend. Most important is the comforting prayer on the wall, “God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and wisdom to know the difference.” The arrangement of my books show which ones I have read including The Great Gatsby and The Glass Castle, and which ones I have yet to read such as Water for Elephants and If I Stay. The modern sheets, curtains, and mirrors display my sophisticated taste in furniture, but also how I present myself.

My bedroom is the place where I am able to catch up with my friends via phone call. My dearest friends live far away, and sometimes all I need is to hear their voices to take a step back and really see what matters in life. My room makes me happy. It fills me with comfort.

Readings

I have been reading many articles and essays. I read these pieces not only for entertainment purposes, but also to study their structure. I ask questions like, "How did the author form this story?" "What is the structure?" "What is effective in his/her work?" Some of my favorite articles and essays I've read are linked below.

http://www.kenyonreview.org/journal/summerfall-2003/selections/and-we-shall-be-changed-new-york-city-september-2001/

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/09/20/magazine/what-the-world-got-wrong-about-kareem-abdul-jabbar.html?_r=0

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/11/22/magazine/the-women-of-hollywood-speak-out.html?smid=fb-nytimes&smtyp=cur

http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2015/04/true-cost-of-gun-violence-in-america

BuzzFeed Article

BuzzFeed: Major News Source?

BuzzFeed, an American internet news media company, describes itself as a “social news and entertainment company.” Although according to a recent survey sent out to teachers and students, most use BuzzFeed solely for entertainment purposes.
When asked if BuzzFeed should be considered a major news source, only 36% of teachers and students believe it should. Although people do not see it as a major news source, it is a very popular website in the school. 29% of the surveyed community that uses BuzzFeed uses the site a few times per week, 28% numerous times per day, 20% once per day, and 9% once per day.
66% of the survey participants said they use BuzzFeed for the quizzes. Abby Werwaiss ‘17 explains she only uses BuzzFeed for quizzes when she becomes bored, just as 23% of the survey participants do as well.. In agreement, Anne McKenna ‘17 says, “I only go on BuzzFeed when it pops up on Facebook or Twitter, and I only use it for the quizzes.” 28% of the community says that they use BuzzFeed only when it appears on other social media websites.
Nonetheless, BuzzFeed presents itself as a news source. The homepage contains a column titled, “BuzzFeed News.” It also displays headlines for entertaining stories, but does not contain section for quizzes. Quizzes are featured in a separate tab. Only 30% of the community uses BuzzFeed as a news source.
Regardless of BuzzFeed’s tendency to refer to itself as a news source, some people believe that BuzzFeed is unreliable. In a recent PEW Research Center survey, BuzzFeed placed fifth out of 36 for most distrusted news source. Along with Buzzfeed were programs including The Daily Show, Fox News, and Drudge Report. When asked if she trusts BuzzFeed as a reliable news source, Meghan O’Hara ‘16 replies “Oh definitely not, I only use it for quizzes.”