justaregularstudent-blog
Just A Regular Student
Hi. I am Ottia, the owner of this blog.I will be writing my life as a high school student, sprinkled with other topics. So to be updated on the articles I post, click the follow button. Thank you and I can't wait to grow with you.
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Hey guys, so I’m nearing the end of my senior year, and it’s been great so far! I accomplished my academic tasks efficiently and didn’t burn myself out, and I think the main contributor to my success as a student is my organization system. This system has been refined throughout my high school years, but I think now I’ve finally found the most effective methods.
Please remember that this isn’t the only organization system you can adopt; this is just the one that works the best for me, and I hope that by sharing it with you, you’ll gain a new perspective on how to stay organized as a high school student.
The first thing I wanna talk about is my notebook system, which I briefly mentioned in my Guide to Note-Taking.
My notebook system comprises three types of notebooks: the Everything Notebook, the subject notebook, and the revision notebook.
The Everything Notebook
The first stage is in-class notes. I only bring one notebook to school every day. I call it my Everything Notebook, and this is where I write down all of the notes I take in class. This way, I don’t have to lug around six notebooks where I’m only going to use a few pages in each of them that day.
Subject Notebooks
At the end of the day, I would revise my notes and compare them to the syllabus so I know where we are in the learning process. I would then transfer my class notes from my Everything Notebook to my different subject notebooks. This is stage two. I also start to jazz up my notes because I use the notes in my subject notebooks to study for tests.
In addition to my class notes, I include material from my teachers’ notes that they might not have elaborated on, as well as points in the syllabus (I’m currently taking A2) that were only glazed over briefly, or not at all, in some cases. (Note: this does not mean they completely skip a chapter or topic; it’s more like they missed a few bullet points that should be in my notes but aren’t. An example would be if we’re learning about phenol reactions and the teacher forgot to mention the use of FeCl3 as a test for phenol.)
Revision Notebooks
Stage three comes a little later, when exam week is just around the corner. Essentially, I rewrite and improve my notes from my five different subject notebooks into a single revision notebook or binder. (Recently, I’ve opted for a revision notebook because they’re lighter and easier to carry around.)
Because my teachers don’t always teach in the order of the syllabus, the first thing I do is organize my notes according to the syllabus. I would then fill in any other missing gaps in the material that hadn’t been filled in stage two.
When compiling material for my revision notebook, I use as many sources as possible: my own notes, my teachers’ notes, youtube videos, online sites, and my favorite, the mark scheme! I add in some answers from past papers (explanations only, so no calculations) mainly to secure marks. It’s safer to memorize definitions straight from the mark scheme than from the textbook or from handouts. I also do this to ease my memorization, especially for topics that require lengthy explanations. It’s a lot easier to remember the 6 points I need to explain the principles of NMRI than to remember everything in the four-page handout my teacher gave me.
Folders and binders are essential to organizing your papers. Some people keep a single accordion folder for all their papers, but for me it’s just too heavy to carry around all the time. The same goes for subject folders that are brought to school every day.
Instead, my binder/folder system comprises my Everything Folder and my subject binders.
The Everything Folder
The folder I carry with me to school every day is this A4 folder I got from Tokyu Hands. It has 5 pockets, one for each day of the week, so all the papers I receive on Monday will go behind the first divider, and so on.
Some people also keep blank papers in their folders; I don’t because my school has its own lined paper and graphing pads that I keep under my desk that I use if a teacher asks us to do an assignment on those papers. If I do work at home, I prefer to just use a plain A4 paper or a legal pad.
Subject Binders
At the end of the week, I’ll sort my papers into my subject binders. Sometimes I’ll keep some papers in the folder if I think I’ll be needing it the next week. This usually only applies to worksheets because all my teachers’ notes are available on Google Classroom, so I can access them even if I don’t physically have them.
Each of these binders have sections inside them:
Physics: 1 for handouts, notes, and tests, 1 for Paper 4 (Theory), 1 for Paper 5 (Practical Planning). I included extra tabs to mark the different topics in the handouts section.
Chemistry: same as Physics.
Economics: 1 for Paper 3 (MCQ), 1 for Paper 4 (Case Study and Essay). A lot of my Economics material is online, though.
English: 1 for Paper 3 (Text and Discourse analysis), and 2 for Paper 4 (Language Topics, which includes 1 for Child Language Acquisition, 1 for World Englishes). Past papers, handouts, and notes all go under their respective topics.
Mathematics: I just keep everything together because I never revise math and just constantly do past papers.
This makes it easier for me to revise each subject because I can just take one binder with me instead of a messy folder with everything just shoved in there.
I keep a magazine file for each of my A-Level subjects (English and Mathematics are combined). All my textbooks, revision guides, and subject notebooks are kept here, so if I need to revise one subject, that’s the magazine file I’ll take out.
These magazine files prevent any small things (like my book of flashcards) from being shoved to the back of my bookshelf, or materials from different subjects from getting mixed up.
In my senior year, I mostly plan using this app called Edo Agenda. It syncs across all my devices for free and has all the features I need: a to do list to organize tasks, monthly and weekly calendars to organize events, a journal to organize notes and memos.
I used to bullet journal regularly, but it takes too much time during weekdays, so now I just bullet journal for the therapeutic effects it gives me, and I use an app for organizing tasks and events. Sometimes at the end of each week, I’ll transfer my tasks to my bullet journal and then decorate the page, but again, this is just for its therapy.
Organizing your school supplies is just as important as organizing your papers and notes. With a more organized backpack and pencil case, you won’t waste time looking for your things at the bottom of an abyss.
Pencil Case
I don’t find it necessary to bring so much stationery to school unless I plan on making notes at school (usually during revision week).
Backpack
Because we’re already in the revision term, I don’t really carry a lot of things in my everyday backpack, just the following:
Pencil case
Everything Notebook
Everything Folder
Revision notebook
Kindle
Phone
Wallet
Earphones
Calculator
Speaker
Drinking bottle
A pouch with things like a hairbrush, pads, and lip balm
And that’s all for now! I hope this post will help you organize your school life (if you haven’t already) or at least provide some useful insights on some ways to stay organized as a high school student.
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Getting Ready for School
Hello, everyone. I have been so busy this past week and I can’t wait to tell you about it. First things first, I got a job. This was the best news I received all week. Right now, my family needs the money so it came right on time. I am a cashier at a store and I don’t know when I start but I hope it’s soon. Next, I have been having link crew training. Link Crew is responsible for helping the freshman transition from middle school to high school. It went well and I like my partner. She is super nice and funny.
I got my schedule also. I have Journalism Honors, AP Lit, Piano, AP Stats, Gov’t Honors/ AP Econ, Chem Honors. I kind of regretting getting a zero period (which is Chem Honors) because I have no way to get there. I don’t have my driver license yet (only my permit) and my parents won’t take me.
I’m kind of stressing but I just have to get through it. I rearranged my room today which made me feel better...kind of. I just hope when school starts everything will fall into place.
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R is for Regret
This story is based on true events. Enjoy!
He was magnetic, drawing people in with his words. His depressing aura was masked with fake light and hope. He was the darkness that consumed my light.
I was young and looking for love and he was there. He seemed so caring and happy. What’s on the outside can be deceiving.
I talked to him every now and then. I was falling further down the rabbit hole wanting to see what would be at the bottom. I was not expecting the ground.
He said he saw me. He knew me. He knew where I attended.
I never saw him. I didn’t know him. I ignored a red flag.
He stopped talking to me. He got a girlfriend. I was no longer important.
The truth came out. He wasn’t who he said he was. His name didn’t start with R.
He drank himself away and threatened his life. I tried to help. He refused.
He changed his profile, continuing his happy persona. People flocked to him and he consumed their happiness also. Sadly, they didn’t know that R stood for regret.
#short story#story#mine#regret#boy#love#lust#hearbreak#heart#writer#writing#author#aspiring writer#aspiring author#words
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It’s Finally Hitting Me
I am so happy. Last Wednesday I took my senior picture and I got them (the proofs) this week. I can say with pride that I look good y’all. My melanin was poppin’ and my highlight was glowin’. You couldn’t tell me I didn’t look good.
That day I finally processed that I was going to be a senior. I am so happy. Graduating high school and going to college was a big dream of mine. None of my older cousins did it and I wanted to. I wanted to set an example for my sisters and younger cousins. I am blessed right now. Eek!
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Cultural Appropriation: Explained
Currently, a person who shall remain nameless (ahem) sparked the debate on cultural appropriation. In 10th grade, I had to do a research paper and I was going to do cultural appropriation. But as time went on I didn’t think cultural appropriation was a real thing. Please don’t come for me, but I didn’t think it was valid.
After the project, I did a little more research. I was surprised that I did agree that cultural appropriation was a thing. Wikipedia said that cultural appropriation is,”the adoption or use of the elements of one culture by members of another culture.[1] Cultural appropriation, often framed as cultural misappropriation, is sometimes portrayed as harmful and is claimed to be a violation of the collective intellectual property rights of the originating culture” (Wikipedia).
Honestly, I can say that I do not agree with the Wikipedia version. One reason is that it says that we can’t wear, eat food, listen to music, of another culture. That’s stupid. That means I can’t wear a dashiki or eat Mexican food (which is my favorite type of food). I can only eat traditionally black American food and only listen to any music created by African-American people. I love African-American culture but I want to listen to CNCO or Jay Park.
So you may be thinking, then she doesn’t agree that cultural appropriation is a thing...well I do. I just believe that if you take a hairstyle, type of music, food, or whatever and claim it as something different it is cultural appropriation. If you rename micro braids the Coco Swoop, Bantu knots as mini buns, or cornrows as boxer braids, then it is cultural appropriation. So a white person wearing box braids is not cultural appropriation and neither is a black woman wearing weave. And yes, minorities can appropriate someone’s culture but I don’t think that will be likely. We can never get away with calling a kilt a UrbSkirt or whatever name.
Yes a white person with their struggle dreadlocks is hard to see and a person dressing up as a geisha may feel exploitive but it is not technically cultural appropriation.
If you disagree that’s okay, but please be respectful about it. I will link articles and videos about the subject down below. They all have different POV’s and if you don’t agree with them please don’t attack them.
(Edit: I also think that we should always stay away from cultural things that hold religious significance.)
Sources:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AHD0ZLPDRxM&t=700s (Explains my opinion better)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zwczz9AeI7Q&t=942s (Kinda agree, kinda don’t)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R27DijshVG4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vh7c7PSVubE
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cultural_appropriation
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/06/14/opinion/in-defense-of-cultural-appropriation.html (Don’t agree with this definition)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q2Bj8OCmxb4 (Video about what culture is)
#culture#appropriation#cultural appropriation#black#minorities#truth#my opinion#explaination#youtube#america#hurt#offensive#white#black and white#okay#my thoughts#please don't come for my edges#justaregularstudent
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Senior Stress
This is my last high school summer and let me tell you I am stressed beyond belief. The previous seniors and teachers told me that it would be stressful I was like...okay. As a person who didn’t even start their school year yet and I am already stressed. Why am I stressed? Well, I’ll tell you.
I wanted to get a job this summer. I applied to a lot of fast food places and stores. They either did not respond to me or they said no. This job was essential for my senior year. If you didn’t know already, senior year is very expensive. I had to pay $65 for my standard senior picture. I was so livid about that. I also wanted to get my driving classes going (I got my permit) but that didn’t work out because I don’t have a job. It costs $100 for two hours and I need a total of 6 hours. Needless to say, I really need a job.
On top of that, I got a 1130 on my SAT. This wouldn’t get me into Stanford, let alone all of the other schools that I want to apply to. Now I have to do the SAT next month. I have been studying for 3-5 hours almost every day of the week and I am still struggling with my math.
College apps are hard, AP work is kicking my butt, and my Spanish progression is going really slow.
I am sorry I complained this whole post, but this is real life. I just hope all this hard work will pay off soon.
(Oh and next week I have a meeting with a tutor for AP Chem in which I am self-studying, so wish me luck)
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AP Scores and Disappointment
Hello everyone. I am here to talk about my 2017 AP scores. This year was filled with a lot of surprises. Last year I got a 3 on my AP World History test. I was okay with that score. It was my first AP test so it was not as devastating. But this year, it was something else. A whole new level of disappointment.
You may be wondering what I got on the AP tests. Here we go. For psychology I got a two, for lang I got a three, and for APUSH I got a four. As you can see, I did not do so well on my psych test, but I did great on my APUSH test. The thing is I study so much for my psych test but I only studied the day before for my APUSH test. Needless to say, this came as a complete shock to me. The test that I wanted to pass so bad I failed and the test that I didn't care about I got a pretty good score. I am still in shock. On the bright side, at least, I got a 4.
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Summer Language Challenge: Update
Hola. Today I am going to tell you about my progress with the Spanish language. Vamos a comenzar. Okay, I have been learning on Duolingo. According to them, I am 25 percent fluent and I am at level 10. I noticed that I have been having a harder time retaining the words the more I go on. This is causing me some great concern and I have to relearn the vocabulary more often. I am currently on object pronouns and numbers, in which I have a hard time with. I am hoping I will get better with practice though.
Now let’s move on to Beelingoapp. I have been trying to listen to the stories as much as possible but lately, I haven’t had as much time. I have been studying traveling expressions on there and listening to children's books. It has been nice to hear how people talk in Spanish. Duolingo doesn’t have the best pronunciation when it comes to Spanish.
On to YouTube. I have been watching more Spanish YouTubers. The first one is Maria Espanol. She is from Spain and she teaches Spanish to non-Spanish speakers. The thing I like about her is she only talks in Spanish and she moves at a nice pace. Next, is MonicaStyle Muse. She is Dominican and does make-up and style videos. She speaks in both Spanish and English, so that is a plus. She does teach very basic Spanish words, but on her regular videos she doesn’t hold back. She is fun to watch so it won’t feel like a total strain.
Lastly, I have been watching Gringolandia with no subtitles. I love Gringolandia. The Chilean humor is so funny and refreshing. I also am trying to get used to different dialects, and this is surely helpful.
I recommend you check these programs and people out. That’s all for today. Nos vemos.
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I thought that since this challenge consists in learning a language from scratch it’d be fun and useful to have some study buddies that are learning the same language, so I put together by language all the langblrs that so far are taking part in this.
Also, if you aren’t in this list and you want to be, or if you are and don’t want to, just let me know! Have a fun and productive challenge!!
***First post by @notglot here**
Seguir leyendo
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youtube
#cruise#carnival#carnival cruise#mexico#water#vacation#family vacation#family#fun#summer#happy#mini golf#karaoke#shows#dinner#food#xz#the best waiter in the whole entire world#want to go back#summer vacation
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Summer Language Challenge: Como estoy aprendiendo
Hola.
That’s all the Spanish I am going to type in this post today. So far I have been understanding Spanish a little bit better and my vocab is progressing little by little. I understand what a cuchara, cuchillo, pato, and all those other basic words means. But that’s not what I am going to talk about today.
What I am really going to talk about are the apps and methods I am using to help me further along my Spanish vocabulary.
Apps
Duolingo - https://www.duolingo.com/
I really like this app. This has really helped me build my vocabulary. I like how it has me review the things that I already learned to help it stick more. I would recommend any beginner to use this app.
Beelinguapp - https://beelinguapp.com/
This app is used to hear and read in the language of your choice. I like this because you can put what you learned from Duolingo or any other app to use. I would strongly recommend.
TV Shows
La Ensclava Blanca
The show is okay. I am watching it with English subs though. If you have any suggestions for tv shows I can watch in Spanish tell me thanks.
Any Disney Movie in Spanish (animated)
Watching a Disney Movie that you watched before with Spanish subs and audio is a good option. You’ll understand the premise of what they are saying because you have seen it before.
Music
I listen to a playlist on Spotify called Viva Latino
Songs that I like in Spanish are:
Suavemente
Duele El Corazon
Felices los 4
Despacito (sin Justin Bieber)
Safari
Reggaetón Lento (Bailemos)
y más
That’s what I have been doing. Along with reviewing my old notes on grammar.
#summer challenge#summer#summer language challenge#language#spanish#blog#language challenge#hola#bailemos#idk#english
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Feeling Overlooked: My Story
I applied to be a co-editor-in-chief that was in charge of design for my yearbook class at my school. I had three years of yearbook experience and I did a lot of design for the current yearbook. I made the cover along with another peer, I designed the folio, did the color pop, the title page, took a good amount of the photos, and more. I spent a lot of my time trying to make this yearbook the best that my school has ever had, and I can proudly say that we accomplished just that.
When it came down to the decision of who was going to be one of the co-editors I thought I would be a shoo-in, but part of me wasn’t so sure. My teacher had a circle of students that she was known to gravitate toward. Her trustee three, which later turned into eight (it did not include me or my other friend who was also an editor). When she started calling everyone out I was getting excited. I would finally be recognized for something I did. That did not happen. I got to be a section editor...again. When she told me I wanted to cry, but I kept in my tears until I got home. Her trustee three got the top positions again (we’ll talk more about them in part two).
They were with her often, were a lot more open and outspoken, and maybe they did a lot more. That doesn’t negate the fact that I did a lot too. I thought she would be the only teacher that could actually see the work that I have done but that was not the case. Never before have I cried so much in my life. I was not only sad but heartbroken. My goal was to become editor-in-chief or at least co-editor becauseI want to be an editor-in-chief in a book publishing company. So when this happened my dreams were shattered. I just felt that the people who got those positions don't care about the yearbook. Sure they care about our yearbook, but not yearbook as a whole. The only thing on the mind of our editor-in-chief this year and next year was getting an award. I wanted the student body to be proud of it.
I wanted to quit right then and there, but I decided even though I didn’t have a position of high power I would try my best to influence our yearbook next year. I was on a team with an outlandish idea. Everyone gave up, even our next year co-editor-in-chief. I didn’t. I spent my Saturday and Sunday to map out our plan (https://justaregularstudent.tumblr.com/post/161838348379). The day we presented it, my group gave up and we went with an easier theme. Then when we had to pick out the color scheme some people said they liked mine but when it came to the voting all there was only silence. The board (group of editors) want everything to stay the same, keep the same colors, not have mods, and all of that. They are stuck in their ways and they don’t want to evolve. I feel like they don’t know how to make a yearbook and I am getting frustrated. I have cried over this inside and outside of school. I’m still contemplating on leaving yearbook, but I still don’t know yet. But if there is one good thing that came of this situation, it is the conversations that I got out of this. That will come in the next part, so keep tuned.
#shy#alone#overlooked#look#not seen#blogger#blog#My Story#me#loner#yearbook#story#idk#write#writer#book#publishing#crying#sad#depressing#okay
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Summer Language Challenge
I was scrolling through my dashboard and saw the summer language challenge. I was initially going to study a language by myself this summer. Needless to say, I was really happy when I saw this hashtag because I could find a community to also go through this process with me.
The language I want to learn is Spanish. I have been studying Spanish for three years, but I haven’t really retained pretty much anything. All I know how to say with confidence is Me llamo [insert my name] or Buenos noches (and likewise things). So pretty much the things Dora teaches you. The first two years of Spanish classes, my teachers left and we were stuck with subs. And the third year I was so behind, I just couldn’t keep up.
I have been trying to learn Spanish on my own for a little bit. I downloaded Duolingo and my vocabulary has been building up. I just need to work on my grammar and pronunciation.
My goal by the end of the summer is to speak and write better in the language as well as understanding it being spoken to me. I hope all goes well.
#summer language challenge#language#puerto rico#spanish#challenge#blogger#blog posts#blog#summer#summer challenge#learning#learn#i dont know how this is going to turn out because my english isnt all that good and its my first language
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This summer if you have the time off maybe try picking up a completely new language! The challenge lasts for however long your summer break lasts and you;
1) pick a completely new language you’ve never studied before
2) make a realistic goal for what you want to achieve out of this time (e.g. reading a beginning book in your target language, maybe having a short conversation with a native/advanced speaker, finishing a Duolingo tree etc)
3) commit to practicing it for a allotted time everyday (it could be 20 minutes to 2hrs everyday what matters is that you stick w/ it!)
4) immerse yourself in that language; listen to music and podcasts, watch movies and tv in your target language, change your tech to the target language-really surround yourself w/ the language
If you decide to take on this challenge make an intro post describing;
who you are
your target language
why you are choosing that language
what your goal is
how long you have for break/summer
tag it with #summer language challenge
Then every week
post abt something related to your target language (e.g. good movie you watched, cool words, accomplishments you made, vocab you learned etc)
post something in your target language (it can be anything)
progress on your goal(s)
tag it with #summer language challenge
At the end of your break make a post abt how you did. Hopefully you’ll have exceeded your expectations and gotten a solid foundation in your target language while having a series of posts that document your journey!
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Social Media Detox UPDATE
I just finished taking the SAT today. If you were wondering how it went, it wasn’t bad. I think I actually did really good. I answered every question (even in the math section). Back to the subject at hand, my social media (YouTube) detox.
Long story short-- it didn’t go well. I lasted about two days (maybe three). I have always been attracted to knowledge. I have the urge to learn and understand most things, whether I agree with it or not (depending on the category), so being restricted to only education videos and things that fall into that category I got sucked into a black hole.
Getting recommended conservative videos I fell down a hole of people who had one mindset and it was the same for the liberal videos. Reading the comments and seeing the videos made me realize that both sides are very closed minded (even though one claims to be very open minded) and they were both hate filled.
When I go on a detox I want to get rid of the negative aspects of my life, and these videos and comments were negative. I knew that when the same hate and intolerance those people were spewing began to cling onto me it was time to go back to the mind numbing videos I was trying to avoid in the first place.
This post was not meant to bash any of the political parties or paint what they stand for and who represents them with one brush. These comments and videos were even on things regarding religion (of course) and historical events. I just couldn’t deal with it anymore and decided that watching these types of videos sparingly would help my mental state.
So all in all, this detox did not go as plan but it did show me something that I find very important. It showed me what I believe in and how is not as simple as saying that I’m...whatever.
#politics#conservative#liberal#detox#social media#youtuube#blogger#blog#tolerance#hate#open minded#close minded#writer#teenager#teen#aspiring writer#aspiring author#update#haha#cool#funny#truth#true#awkward
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Social Media Detox
Just a couple of months ago I decided to give up Instagram. This was meant to help me detox from the materialism and vanity that I think social media portrays. I just wasn’t as happy as I thought I could be. The first month was horrible. I was itching to log on to Instagram and onto Tumblr (in which I also gave up). At school, I was extremely bored and decided that I should start doing my homework in replace of my social media time. This was a huge step in the right direction. With this, I was getting things done faster and had more free time at home. I could often go to sleep at 11:00 instead of 12 or 1. Although, with this great accomplishment I slowly fell down the rabbit hole of Youtube. Instead of doing my homework, I replaced it with watching Youtube videos.
It was okay until my SAT and AP testing came along. Instead of doing my prep, I was watching videos. I don’t think I did well on my SAT (it hasn’t come out yet) but I think my AP scores was solid (these also didn’t come out yet). But I want better. I have my next SAT in two weeks and finals in three. I want to do well, so I am going to stop watching Youtube videos.There will be some exceptions though.
I have a couple of projects due and I need Youtube for them and for my SAT prep. NOTE: I will be blogging about how I prepped for the SAT and my mistakes. Other than that I will not watch Youtube for any other purposes. I need to start taking control of my life and this is one way to do it.
#socialnetworking#social media#detoxification#detox#blogger#blog#writer#story#haha#funny#aspiring author#aspiring writer#sat#ap#honors#class#junior#junior year
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