Joel Alex, Period 6, 1/31/23

 Joel Alex, Period 6, 01/31/2023

Modern Mythology 2023

Creativity & Fiction

• Craft a piece of FAN fiction related to any of the reading we’ve done in class that addresses one or more of the following: 

• Literary elements (i.e. structure, tone, diction, mood, irony, and figurative language) to craft a narrative.

• Structural features of drama (stage directions, character attributions/tags, dialogue, monologues, and/or soliloquies) to craft a script.

• Multidimensional characters to develop themes and create socio-political metaphors.

Cain and Abel

When Cain presented his offspring to God, he did it with ulterior motives by not giving his very best to God. Cain often heard his father, Adam, talking to God. He often hoped to have the same level of relationship with God. Cain knew that if he could obtain such a connection that he could possess something his brother Abel didn’t have, God’s blessing.

On the day of Cain’s birth, Eve received a vision from God that their newborn son would kill their next, future offspring. As a result, Adam and Eve always kept their firstborn son in close watch, especially around his brother, Abel. They would often be purposefully kept apart. All throughout his life, Cain felt strong resentment towards his parents since he felt that he wasn’t trusted and was treated as a second-class citizen among his own family. He was an outcast and hoped that the display of his offerings to God would indicate to both his parents that he was not a dangerous person. He proudly told his intentions to Adam and Eve one day in the midst of doing household chores.

After completing his daily household chores, he went into the fields to find materials in order to build an altar. He gathered some stones and wood. Cain proceeded to build up the materials into a well secured mount. The last step is to place something on top of the altar to sacrifice to God. However, he didn’t know what to sacrifice and went to Adam for advice.

Adam instructed his eldest son to sacrifice a lamb. Cain took this advice to heart. However, there was a problem. Cain did not own any lambs so he had to go to Abel in order to ask for some of his flock. Abel refused the request as he believed that a proper sacrifice to God should be something of a person’s own valuables and not someone else's. Abel further inquired upon his brother’s situation. Abel proceeded to ask his brother why he wouldn’t give his fruits to God. Cain informed him that his crops were not even sweet enough to even please his parents. If it couldn’t even satisfy mere mortals, how could it satisfy God? With these words, Cain eventually left his brother in an angry mood.

A few days later, Abel began to also consider what to present to God as an offspring. Abel decided that a few of his youngest lambs should be sacrificed, as a thanks for the growth of his herd. One early morning, Abel picked the very best of his herd and tied them to the altar. He used a stone to kill the lambs and put the corpses on the top of the previously made altar. Cain witnessed these things and hatred grew towards his brother. “At first, he didn't give me even one of his lambs. Then he decides to steal my idea of gaining God’s favor through sacrifices.” As he was deep in thought, a powerful burst of lightning struck onto Abel’s altar. All of Abel’s sacrifice disappeared. There was not even a single trace of blood from the slaughtered lamb. Cain bowed down to the soil and praised God. Then, he excitedly ran to his parents to tell them about what had happened. Adam and Eve saw this as a sign of God’s acceptance.

Cain keenly observed all of these events. He fell to the floor in anguish. A voice entered his thoughts. “Why are you angry, and why has your face fallen? If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is contrary to you, but you must rule over it.” Cain quickly raised his head to find the source of the voice. He couldn’t find it. He thought that the voice was Abel. Later, Abel critized his brother for his lack of faith in God’s judgment.

Cain asked Abel for help in searching for a proper sacrifice so that he can also receive a blessing from God. While searching, Cain felt exhausted and started feeling dizzy from his growing distress. Not thinking straight, Cain took a rock and jumped upon his brother. He bashed the rock multiple times against Abel’s forehead until he became a motionless figure.

Cain couldn’t believe what he had done. His brother’s dead and disfigured face was ingrained into his head. Cain had trouble breathing and temporarily fell to the ground beside his brother. He eventually regained consciousness and knew that he couldn't let God know what he had done. Cain had planned to return home and tell his parents that wild animals had killed Abel and the blood on his garments was from him trying to protect Abel. He knew that Adam and Eve were unlikely to believe his words, due to the prophecy. Still, he had to try.

Cain slowly started to walk back home like nothing had happened, fleeing the wrath of God. He knew that he allowed his jealousy, quick temper, and poor decisions to dictate his life. Cain knew that he was a failure in every definition of the word.

Suddenly, a voice shouted “Where is your brother Abel?” At that moment, Cain became aware of who spoke to him after he observed Abel’s offering. It is Abel. But Abel is dead?! Where is Abel? Is he not lying dead in the ground a few miles south? Didn’t I bury him so that God would not be able to find him and I can escape my fate. It is not Abel and there is no one for miles. He quickly came to the terrifying realization that it was God.

He responded in a terrified tone, filled with pain. “I do not know; am I my brother’s keeper?” The Lord responded, “What have you done? The voice of your brother’s blood is crying to me from the ground.” God is omnipotent. He knew everything that had happened and exactly the details behind Abel’s death. A few minutes after Abel’s murder and Cain’s departure, God had removed Abel’s buried body from the ground.

God proceeded to explain Cain’s punishment. Cain will not be able to return home to his parents and will forever wander the wilderness searching desperately for Abel’s body. He will never find it anywhere as God removed it from the Earth. He will continue to search until his last days. God told Cain that during the last days of his life, someone will kill him the same way that he had killed Abel. After Cain’s death, God told him that all his descendants would be cursed and anyone who finds Cain’s dead body will also be cursed. With these declarations, God sent Cain away as a “a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth.”

Cain was never seen or heard again.

God later blessed Adam and Eve with two children, as a way to replace both Abel and Cain.

Steven Chen, Period 2, 02/01/2023

 Steven Chen 

Period 2

02/01/23

Modern Mythology 2023

Literacy & Learning

Norse mythology, the unit that I was the most excited about in this course, has finally come upon us. Prior to the myth class, all the information I had about Norse mythology was based on Marvel films (Odin, Thor, and Loki movies). And since they are some of my favorite characters of mine in the Marvel series I was ecstatic to learn more about it in myth class and let me tell you something we definitely did. During this unit, I’ve learned about things that I didn’t know previously about the Norse gods, such as that they lived to fight and they glorified those who did and died honorably. In fact, they even had a place for those who died honorably, which is known as Vallhala, yet there is also a place for those that die not on the battlefield but of other causes that go to the place known as Hel. Hel is a place of cold where no fire can be lit and those that go there because of their dishonorable death have to suffer eternally. I personally really liked the story of The Last Days of Loki. Loki considered almost an antagonist or villain throughout the whole Norse mythology lore was always a character that I’m interested in. Loki is the god of mischief, so whether his deeds are evil can be further discussed, as I personally think that he’s just fulfilling his part of being the god of mischief. In the story, he was being chased because of his actions leading to Balder's death, and his being finally captured and tied down with his own son's entrail. I think the story is kind of ironic as Loki was always the one playing tricks on others, yet this time he is the one being tied by his own offspring’s intestine. 

In Norse mythologies, they also touched upon ideas that apply to the world around me such as teaching us lessons or ideals through the feminist lens and the Marxist lens. In the story of The Story of Gerd and Frey, we see Gerd basically being forced to marry a man she doesn’t love because of the threats of Skrinir killing her/turning her into an old hag. In this, we can basically see how the Norse saw the role of women as always being subordinate to men and how they don’t really have a say in things. A Marxist lens can also be applied to The Children of Loki where a class difference is shown because of the appearance of Loki’s offspring. Even though they are too the offspring of a respected being Loki’s children are crucified because they looked monstrous. And the idea of them being a monster made it so that their social standings were low, and even caused Odin the supreme god of Norse mythology to order other gods to capture them/restrain them. 

In order to show our mastery of the Norse mythologies understanding our class was assigned a project, which is to make a transformative twist on the mythologies we were given. For my group, we decided on The Story of Gerd and Frey as the mythology to transform into a play of our own. This was a challenging yet fun process. I remember me and my group mates talking on discord laughing and exchanging our ideas till 11 pm. During writing our play we talked about including a feminist lens and included many outrageous ideas that made the play more engaging. In the week of the presentation I enjoyed every presentation, and everyone went over the top in making their transformative play. Everyone brought props and was very passionate when presenting, showing that they took time and effort into making their play the best possible/in teaching us in a more engaging way than I can ever imagine. Through this unit, I improve my creative writing and overall ability to converse with others/exchange ideas. In addition, by completing the feedback sheet after each presentation I am now able to think more critically, which allows me to reflect upon myself.  And I couldn’t be thankful enough to be able to experience the Norse Mythology lessons. 

Guseyn Zarbaliyev, Period 2, 01/06/2023

Atomic Habits and Growth

● At this current point in time, what specific standards have you set for yourself?
● How and why did you come to craft these standards?
● How do you demonstrate resilience toward achieving these standards?
● How do you assess yourself?
● What adjustments do you make? How often?

As high school draws to a close, and the workload has lightened, I have come to realize
many of my internal flaws due to the time I've had to self-introspect. From my chats with my
therapist and those long nights left awake thinking, my flaws have risen above my strengths,
utterly outweighing them. There are many aspects of myself I wish to improve, both physical and
mental. From losing more weight to gaining a generally healthier mindset - I want to change, and
my current largest weakness is my horrendous work ethic. It's blatant that I’m a terrible
procrastinator. I stay awake until 3-4 am to get all my work done, then pass out once I get home,
creating a terrible self-fulfilling cycle of degeneracy. I try and cope with it by powering through
with tea and energy drinks, but the artificial sustenance is catching up to my body. But the key
thing causing this insomniac cycle is my tendency to brush off work that isn't due the next day.
Just a few days ago, I left a month of work to do in one day. I forced myself to go to one of my
friend's houses, to prevent my procrastination. I wouldn't be able to fall asleep or procrastinate in
any way at their house. It was the only course of action to get the giant pile of work completed.
I intend to keep up this habit of working alongside my friend, or at least outside of my
house or room. In my room, there's so much to do besides work. Reorganizing and cleaning my
shelves for the fifth time, playing video games, sleeping, or anything else but work. With the aid
of my friend, we both work on our own projects, keeping each other in check, and making sure
we are on track. Even just working at Starbucks - the setting just leaves me more motivated to
get my work done and get home.

But this is only a temporary solution. A priority of mine is to finally completely crush
this bad habit. It's simply a fact of mind over matter, and before I enter college and the course
work only becomes more overbearing, I need to develop a healthier work ethic to prevent
burnout and unnecessary stress - and to also produce the best work I possibly can for myself. I
need to overcome this before it starts to affect all facets of my life. Currently, I’ve been able to
maintain my social life, but it’s more often that I find myself declining invitations to hang out
with my closest friends, simply because I am too tired - or have too much work to do since I left
everything for the weekend.

There also comes the problem of sectioning or chunking my work. I often do work in
large blocks and leave studying to the last moment. While I do fine on most of my exams, most
of what I studied slips away once I hand in that paper. There were points when I would forget the
entire Units that I studied. Ironically, it was studying late at night for my Psychology exam that I
learned why this is, the premise known as retroactive interference, when old information that has
already been encoded is disrupted and forgotten due to the addition of new information.

I’ve always loved learning, from history to computer science. All of these experiences
have led me to the realization that I want to become a better learner overall. I want to understand
and truly comprehend the material that I am studying, and not just memorize it for the sake of
passing exams. In order to achieve this goal, I know that I need to develop a healthier work ethic
and a better study routine. I also intend to continue working alongside my friend and working in
different environments to keep myself motivated and productive.

Fiona Chen, Period 7, 11/28/2023

Fiona Chen

Period 7

11/28/2022

Modern Mythology 2023

Socio-political Consciousness

What are your thoughts and feelings about issues of inequity, oppression, and/or power?

How do you reflect critically on your own beliefs, assumptions, values, and experiences, and how these can influence your perception of self and others?

Inequity, oppression, and power is something that we will never be able to shake off. It will always be present within our society, as the three are interrelated and go hand in hand with one another. With power, comes oppression on those who are powerless, and with oppression comes inequity. Although people are who we usually think about when questioned about those with power, technology is becoming more and more advanced as well. Technology can be blamed for many cases of inequality and oppression. It’s growing more and more powerful, and thereby can be used to obtain power. In many cases, technology gave one group leverage over another. In the early stages of technology’s development, it had already started to take over jobs that were previously manual. We have probably long past the point of returning to a life without dependency on technology. Everything is on the internet, and we can argue whether the pros outweigh the cons. Either way, it holds an undeniable power over us as a human society, even though we were the ones to first create it. For example, we all know what artificial intelligence is. It is something that sits in our mind and makes us wonder whether it will eventually overpower us. Recently, art generated or “made” by artificial intelligence has been increasingly taken advantage of, as people utilize existing works of art to create supposedly original art pieces. It is a prime example of how technology has given people power over others. Artists spend the majority of their lives refining their craft, only for others to easily manipulate and use their art without permission within minutes. There is no control over how that AI art can be used, whether it is being sold or utilized in other ways. Everyday, more art is uploaded onto the internet, and as long as it is on there, it’s opted into databases like Stability AI, where copyrighted art is used without permission. Even though music is protected by copyright, art is not, and is being freely used. This problem has created an atmosphere where artists as a community are joining together to take a stance against this issue, and having it be heard. It makes me glad to know that we are able to speak up and do something about it. Although the advancement of technology is inevitable, we should adapt to it accordingly.

Maggie Li, Period 6, 1/13/2023

 Atomic Habits & Growth:

The specific standards I have set for myself are to work on my time management/procrastination habits and increase my participation in class. I came to craft these specific standards for myself after assessing my performance this past semester. Procrastination has become a bad habit of mine. As a perfectionist, I find myself holding back in fear of being wrong or not producing the “perfect” answer. This fear has led me to put work off that I find difficult because I avoid the feeling that comes with not being able to craft the best end result. This perpetual idea overlaps into my lack of participation in class. It’s not that I don’t understand what is happening in class, but I am not secure in my thoughts and wait for others to validate them through their responses rather than share my own first. I end up missing the opportunities to converse with my classmates and develop our ideas together. Recently, I’ve come face to face with the realization that this is holding me back and also taking away from the class as a whole. Even if my ideas may not be 100% correct all of the time, in reality, nobody is perfect and part of learning is trial and error. Mistakes are allowed and perfectly normal. 

These standards that I have set for myself are relatively new but in Mythology class specifically, I have raised my hand in class to start a discussion which was a first for me. During the Norse project presentation, I initiated discussions with the class after we shared our play to discuss the significance of Skadi’s transformation and Idunn’s relationship with her. When it comes to procrastination, I still struggle a lot and it’s a tough habit to drop as I find myself submitting this blog late but I have kept on top of my recent assignment submissions. I think the biggest takeaway I’ve come to adopt in my life is not to stop trying altogether but just to do my best and be willing to forgive myself for my flaws as long as I actively work on them. 

Sean Zhao, Period 7, 1/12/2023

Sean Zhao, Period 7, 1/12/2023

Literacy & Learning

ystems. I wasn’t interested in sermons or stories laden with symbolism and heavy morals. My understanding of Christianity only went as deep as seeing street pastors talk about oblivion. As such, seeing the hour long video on the Book of Job as our assigned reading didn’t elucidate a strong reaction from me.

After listening through the audiobook over a week’s worth of commutes, I felt as if I didn’t really ‘get’ the story. Flipping through a PDF version I quickly realized what I had missed. Being able to read at my own pace allowed me to better absorb the lessons the stories shared. A dense paragraph of prose couldn’t simply be tuned out; it nagged at me. A feeling of missing out in the back of my head until I flipped back and reread it. Reading the “most sold book of all time” also had an interesting effect on me. It was mind boggling to think of the amount of people who have also read, experienced and processed the same story that I have. The book of Job was also very pointed in its morals and messages. It was quick to put down any naysayers about God’s punishment and treatment towards Job. The story ends with God showing Job just how complex the universe was, how complex His system of justice was, and that Job would never be able to comprehend it. To me it still feels that Job got the short end of the stick. He lost everything, yet still repented, proving his dedication and faith. Yet he’s in the wrong because he agreed with his friends that this punishment was undeserved? Some even blame Job himself, for a just God wouldn’t punish without due reason. I felt that Job did not deserve to go through this ordeal. The question has to be asked: why did God want to disprove the naysayer Satan, to the point that He would allow one of his finest servants to go through this much suffering?

After reading through the Book of Job, and many other Biblical tales, I feel that I can understand other media on a deeper level. Biblical allusions are perhaps one of the most common in popular culture. From Dwight calling Jim Judas, to mentions of powerful underwater creatures, to simply a hometown team beating down a goliath, having read the source material for these references gives another dimension to these details. I feel that having read these stories, which serve to communicate God’s message and warn against sin, I’ve become more inquisitive. Not to be a stick in the mud, but I subconsciously find myself trying to poke holes in explanations. If even God’s actions can at times seem questionable, I should be able to analyze and point out flaws in my life as well. I feel that some of my feelings on mortality act as a catalyst for my interest and drive to read and process more and more of these religious texts. It’s nice to know that an almighty being will be there waiting for me after I pass, yet I want to be sure that such a fate exists. I know a large part of religion is having faith, but if in this misguided journey, for knowledge that might not exist, I become more analytical and thoughtful, I don’t think it’d be a waste of time at all. 

Eddy Lu, Period 6, 10/18/22

Eddy Lu, Period 6, 10/18/22

Atomic Habits & Growth

• At this current point in time, what specific standards have you set for yourself? 

• How and why did you come to craft these standards? 

• How do you demonstrate resilience towards achieving these standards?

• How do you assess yourself?  What adjustments do you make? How often?

College Application is almost over. There will be no more all-nighters, and I can finally relax. Except, that isn't the case. This year has made me realize the importance of work ethics, and I have created a couple of standards to improve it. The primary standards are to stop procrastinating and exercise more. 

This year especially, because of the abundance of work or just senioritis, I have been slacking with my work. I usually attribute that slacking to going out for sports with my friends, but this year I have also been lacking in that area. My sleep schedule was disrupted, texting increased, and mainly I lost the ability to sit down and passionately finish my work without distractions. After talking to my college friends, it dawned on me that in College, I cannot procrastinate because I would not have the time to finish everything last minute. This is why I wanted to be more productive, allotting my time efficiently so that I wouldn't have to procrastinate at all. Studying can't be everything that I do, and exercising is essential. Now college apps are almost over, I can go back and pursue my exercise standard. Before this, I would play basketball or other sports for hours a day, but looking at my state now, I would be happy to do 30 minutes of exercise per day. 

I have recently made a calendar marking what is due each day with daily reminders of what I have to do for the day. I do this because it organizes all my tasks and spreads them evenly throughout the week, so I don't have to do everything at the last minute. In addition, I started having set study sessions with a couple of friends every week or so before a test because I still needed to return to my senses of studying effectively alone. I found these study sessions especially helpful because helping others with materials they might not know indirectly helps me understand that material. Furthermore, I stop procrastinating by organizing the study sessions a day or two earlier than the intended testing days, so I have a couple of days to study instead of only the night before. Moving on to my exercising, three weeks ago, I twisted my ankle and knee while ice skating, but I am getting better. Although for the past week, I have been going to the gym to work out and exercise. Of course, I worry about my injury, but I realized that it helps relieve my stress and rest my brain. 

Overall, I am making progress in improving myself. For procrastinating, I have come across the Pomodoro technique. It relates to the time management part of procrastination. I said that I get distracted easily, but now, after using this technique for a few weeks, I have found it beneficial. Homework that would take many hours to complete because of various distractions would now take me only 30 minutes to an hour. Usually, before my assignment, I will take an energy bar and begin the technique. Twenty-five minutes of work or study before a 5-minute break, where I would stretch or do some push-ups and then get back to work or study. Although my leg is not back to total health, I would practice walking for 5 minutes an hour daily to improve my leg muscle and provide a fresher mind.

 

Joe Royzman, Period 7, 11/07/2022

Joe Royzman, Period 7, 11/07/2022

-Literacy & Learning

- Write about your thoughts regarding any of the fiction or nonfiction covered in class.

-Reflect on any new information you have learned in English class by considering how that learning influences your critical perception.

- How is what you’re learning applied to any other classes/the world around you?

With the Norse mythology unit coming to a bittersweet close, I’ve taken the time to reflect on my learnings. In this unit, I deep dove into the traditions and belief systems of the Norse. First, I learned the hierarchy: with the chief god being Odin and his sons Thor and Loki playing prominent roles. The Norse believed in the concept of Ragnarok, which was a series of events that would lead to the end of the world and the deaths of many of the gods. After Ragnarok, it was believed that a new world would rise from the ashes of the old one. The Norse also believed in the power of magic and the use of runes for divination and protection. One thing I loved were the lessons and values they put forward through stories. They emphasized the importance of strength, wisdom, family, and the dangers of hubris - which are all ideas I value in my own life. 

The unit culminated with the Norse Mythology Project. My group and I were tasked with creating a transformative performance depicting Neil Gaiman’s “The Story of Gerd and Frey”. After much debate, we decided upon the angle we wanted to take. We retold the story with a pop-culture twist and from a feminist theory perspective. It was fun getting creative. Writing an original script gave us total freedom, while still maintaining the principles of the original story. We added references to social media, zoomer phrases, and even “mead-pong” successfully creating an engaging script. Our goal was to hold our audience’s attention which we achieved using captivating settings like our disco party and Frey’s “Minecraft” themed room. Though I admit, our storyline could’ve been a bit more aligned with the tale, but taking a slightly different approach wasn’t a bad move either. Classwide activities raised interesting questions challenging the morality of different scenarios, which was very thought provoking. I also enjoyed exploring the various critical lenses each group used to delve into norse themes and criticisms.

Aside from studying the Viking way of life, I loved this unit because I got to apply my developing acting skills. Taking Theater Production this year was the first time I entered the world of performance, and I’ve honestly had a great time so far. And through the Norse Project, I took the lead acting role of Frey, where I put my skills to the test for a REAL audience, not just other actors. I believe I grew from the experience, so I’m grateful.

Leo Yoonsmith, Period 6, 1/7/23

 

• Literacy & Learning

• Write about your thoughts regarding any of the fiction or nonfiction covered in class.

• Reflect on any new information you have learned in English class by considering how that learning influences your critical perception.

• How is what you’re learning applied to any other classes/the world around you?

Throughout the Norse Mythology unit, we were able to see the myths from two different viewpoints; the original story, where we get the base tale that they used to explain different things, and the Neil Gaiman version, where he took the classic stories and added life to them. Of course, this is a lesser example, as the original stories are completely intact as far as we know, but it definitely had me thinking. How many different myths are inaccurate in findings? Also, how do we verify different sources? Looking into it more, although there are many ways to guarantee the historical authenticity of written documents (ie: dating the document with ai, finding dates or signs that have verifiability on the document, etc), there are extremely limited ways to verify the legitimacy of the story and if it was similar to the original, as even assuming that the story didn't change too much in its oral state, writers tend to exaggerate when copying down a story. It's kind of a game of telephone, where each writer has a chance to pass down something that they find more entertaining than the last.

This impacted the way I see things significantly. Of course, I was already aware of these flaws, but I never really paid attention to them. Now, I don't take stories or retakes for granted, as of course they could possibly be false sources. Reflecting back, I haven’t been very on top of the verification of the sources I use. From here on, I will put in significantly more effort into verifying the sources I use. Seemingly, contradictions pop up more often now (of course they were always there, but I never really paid much attention to them). As an avid reader, I definitely have took in some mythology that was far from the truth, maybe causing me to be uneducated in one of the meanings of the story. To summarize, one of the indirect takeaways from this unit was understanding the vigilance required to read about literature without misinformation. 

Justin Zhou, Period 7, 1/12/23

Justin Zhou, Period 7, 1/12/23

Modern Mythology 2023

What are your thoughts and feelings about issues of inequity, oppression, and/or power?

How do you reflect critically on your own beliefs, assumptions, values, and experiences, and how these can influence your perception of self and others?

Here’s the textbook definition of inequity:

Inequity: 

lack of fairness or justice.

Currently, my definition of inequity manifests itself in the checkbox next to “Asian” on my Common Application.

The definition of inequity extends far beyond the divides between groups of people. It’s not just the racial or religious tensions bolstered by the endless, online spew of hate speech, nor is it just the disparity between paychecks. These forms of inequity have had their time in the limelight and deserved every second of it. But when prevalent issues harbor tons of attention from the media we sometimes lose sight of the smaller, more niche forms of inequity. I’ve recently discovered another form of inequity flourishing under the media’s blind eye, perpetuated by none other than the college admissions process. 

I hold a very unpopular opinion and am not afraid to stand by it. Being Asian means that the goalpost is moved farther away. It means getting into college is no longer a holistic view of your achievements and accomplishments, but rather a skewed competition to prove how “Un-Asian” you are. Being specifically not Asian is an advantage. Online, we’re pressured to have our extracurriculars be sports based and to stray away from the Olympiads because it means you’re just another robot, dehumanized in spite of the effort you may have put in. 

Now currently in the college admissions process, the inherent unfairness of being an “Asian male in CS” is even more apparent. Getting into a top college has become a commodity where exclusivity is commonplace because Asians are stereotypically one dimensional “nerds” who can only excel inside the classroom or on standardized tests. This notion of what Harvard calls a “Low Personal Score” ranks Asians lower than any other demographic. 

Understanding diversity and how Asians also tend to be over-represented in academic institutions is another issue. But having diversity shouldn’t come at the cost of equalizing inequality using racism. My feeds are constantly flooded with questions such as “Is being an Asian male going into computer science a disadvantage?” 

The short answer is unfortunately yes. 

“Holistic” and “interconnectedness” are also thrown around a bit too much. Most students (including myself) have actually come to accept the fact that certain minorities are subjugated to harsher guidelines simply because of their race, and have to just “work harder.” This isn’t holistic. It pressures Asian students to reject their heritage in order to be considered for a spot at a top university. We’ve become acutely aware of what not to be. 

In regard to my own experiences and perceptions, this idea of appearing less Asian as a way to stand out changed how I perceived myself. I was unfortunately a subconscious proponent of appearing less Asian. Despite how much I hate the notion, it has made me who I am today. I quit violin for track and field. I sought out leadership opportunities instead of committing myself to Science Olympiad. In my quest to be less docile and “not a nerd,” I excelled in public speaking while balancing my parent’s expectations of what’s considered “good grades.” It also has shaped how I see my peers. I guiltily pity the “Asian males in CS” knowing the intrinsic disadvantage they’re faced with is incomparable. The real world – beyond the golden gates of the Ivy League – is not much different. 

Despite how this mindset molded me, I steadfastly believe affirmative action is wrong. It has altered my values to avoid a specific stereotype while changing my beliefs about being Asian. Even though I’ve come to accept affirmative action as simply a part of the college admissions process, I refuse to let it shape how I view my heritage and peers moving forwards. I understand the inequity of being Asian, but it's a weight I embrace with pride. 

Maria Garipov, Period 7, 12/05/2022

Maria Garipov, PD 7, 12/5
Atomic Habits and Growth

Currently, I have been lacking in keeping up with the standards I had set for myself. I had made a promise to myself at the start of this school year that things would be different than last year. Last year I had a horrible problem with procrastination, all because of my own lack of discipline with myself, and because of this school felt much more strenuous than it should have. Over the summer I had reflected on my habits, and I entered this year with new tactics sure that I could keep up. 

I was doing my work as soon as it was assigned and ahead in most of my classes at the start of the year, and it felt so great. I set standards for myself like doing my homework right after school at starbucks before hanging out with my friends. I had also learned that the best way for me to not procrastinate is to immediately stand up and do my homework as soon as the thought entered my head. I had to adapt this because otherwise I will continue to put things off unless i do them at that exact moment. I was pretty good at following these standards for myself in the first few weeks of school, and I was so proud of myself. However, I had noticed I was starting to slip from this productive mindset, and then the snowballing of all my missing assignments started up again. And now I’m finding it very difficult again, and I’m very disappointed in myself. However, I understand that the power to change my horrible laziness and unproductive habits is in my hands at all times, and I just have to be harder on myself.

I assess myself pretty frequently, and am self aware that these standards are slipping from my mind, so I know that I have many adjustments to make. I am currently focusing on catching up in all my classes, but once I am caught up I get to have a clean slate in the next semester. I am ready to really push myself and stay caught up this next semester, simply to prove to myself that I am not incompetent, and that the academically focused Maria from freshman year is still in me.

Kalliopi Lambrinoudis, Period 6, 12/5/22

 Modern Mythology 2022

Kalliopi Lambrinoudis PD 6 12/5/22

(Goal Setting & Growth)

    At this point in my life, I have many goals set for myself. Especially considering I am

approaching 18 and will be attending college soon, I believe that it’s important to work on myself

and my shortcomings. One particular goal of mine that holds great significance to me is to get

out of my shell and to allow myself to take risks and be uncomfortable.

    For almost my entire life, I have always been extremely timid and afraid to speak my

mind in fear of starting conflict or facing judgment from my peers. I have strived to have a

“perfect” image in the minds of other people. As one can imagine, this reluctance has held me

back greatly and has prevented me from allowing myself to make meaningful mistakes and

relationships with others that would help me grow. I refused to be assertive in disagreements

and discussions because I was afraid of having people’s perceptions of me being anything other

than what I hoped. Of course, this is unrealistic. This desire did not serve me and only hindered

my growth as a person. Because I did not want to stand out in a “bad way”, I eventually decided

not to stand out at all. I went out of my way to appear bland and agreeable and nothing more. I

struggled a lot to make meaningful connections with people, but didn’t mind because I figured it

was better than feeling uncomfortable and possibly leaving a bad impression.

    This was how I lived my life until recently. Despite worrying about how others view me, I

actually really enjoy talking to people when I can occasionally let those worries aside. Human

beings are social creatures, and depriving myself of enjoying such a valuable aspect of life

because of fear was not doing me any good, and I was starting to see the consequences. I

wanted to change this about myself and took the initiative a few months ago. Last year, I signed

up for theater class. My love for theater aside, I wanted to take this class because I felt like it

would be good for me. Embarrassing yourself a little in a class that requires you to exaggerate

and act silly at times is inevitable, and practically required to pass the course. I know those

“embarrassing” moments and being in new situations will feel bad at first, but help me in the

future. Although I still get quite nervous when it is my turn to act out a scene, I feel like this class

has also helped me significantly. My main concern when I first began was not acting well,

saying something wrong, or forgetting my lines. I worried that doing those things would

somehow make people view me negatively. But as time went on, I realized that people don’t

judge you for these things — at least not harshly. Even when I made those mistakes, people’s

view of me didn’t really change, in fact, I’d be surprised if people even cared at all. Those

moments I was so worked up about ended up being nothing more than a quick 30 seconds

people went home and forgot about the next day. I also realized that I didn’t judge anyone

either, and was nothing but sympathetic towards my peers when they messed up. This

experience can absolutely be applied to everyday life; I strongly encourage anyone who reads

this who may be struggling with the same thing to learn what I have learned and to start pushing

yourself to do things that may seem scary at first. Even if things truly go as bad as you

anticipated, you can feel accomplished for trying, and try again another time anyway.

Carolee Chen, Period 7, 11/23/2023

Modern Mythology 2023: Socio-Political Consciousness 

• What are your thoughts and feelings about issues of inequity, oppression, and/or power?

• How do you reflect critically on your own beliefs, assumptions, values, and experiences, and how these can influence your perception of self and others?

Last year in AP Lang & Comp class, we were assigned to conduct extensive research on a  socio-political issue of our choice and present a solution to this issue to the class. Being the first daughter of a traditional Asian father, I wanted my research to relate to women's empowerment and use what I’ve learned to break the misogynistic dynamic that has been deeply ingrained in my family. Thus, I spent months specifically researching the detrimental effects of women denied an abortion across the US and how we are able to increase accessibility to reproductive care. As a part of my research, I read the book, “The Turnaway Study: Ten Years, a Thousand Women, and the Consequences of Having—or Being Denied—an Abortion” written by Dr. Diana Greene Foster. Within ten years, her team recruited women at abortion clinics and compared the results of those who were just over the gestational limit and denied an abortion to those who underwent the procedure. After reading, it was extremely interesting to discover the extent to which being denied an abortion has on women, other than physically being forced to bear a child. Women who are denied are cut short of their aspiring goals, are more likely to live in poverty, suffer intense mental health problems, and their mother-child relationship is usually negatively impacted. Additionally, it was eye-opening to see multiple accounts of anti-abortion politicians who either don’t even know about these effects or are just able to transfer public funds to support evangelistic clinics that convince women at abortion clinics that they are making a mistake. These same politicians are the ones on the media outwardly supporting anti-abortion ideals for their campaigns. After months of delving into the controversy and practicing my speech in the mirror of my room, I finally was ready to present. I counterclaimed the common stance argued by many anti-abortion advocates that “abortions hurt women and affect them negatively” by stating that there is actually no proof to this claim, abortions are just like any general healthcare routine procedure, and women are actually far more hurt being denied an abortion than receiving one. I also brought up the other common argument that it is a sin to have an abortion and that every life is precious to dispute that personal belief should not dictate the lives of thousands of women who do not follow the same religion or follow one at all. To conclude my presentation, I advocated that reproductive healthcare needs to be more accessible in the US, whether that be birth control popups in neighborhoods, further education in schools, and support to local clinics that are often run-down, understaffed, and barely funded.
            Once everyone clapped and I took my seat, I was incredibly proud of myself for not just participating in a class I usually do not talk in, but for speaking out against injustice and being a youth figure of empowerment in the class. After that presentation, I promised myself to continue advocating for social justice and equity and made fighting against inequality a significant part of my life. I marched across the Brooklyn Bridge in an Asian-American hate protest with my family that summer, protesting against the sudden rise in hate that forced members of my community to stay home in fear. I had never felt more sense of community than standing with others like me also full of strength and hope for a better and equal future. I also marched in the NYC Pride Parade, celebrating with my queer friends our identity and for coming out that year to my family. I really enjoy this class as mythology allows me to relate stories outside of reality to further my passion for equality in the real world. In this class, I often connect many of our readings to contemporary inequality issues. For instance, for my group’s Norse project about The Story of Gerd and Freyr, we decided that Gerd rejects Freyr and gave her a voice and story, alluding to the feminist critical theory as she was forced to just marry Freyr with no say in the original story. In doing so, I was able to explore the interdisciplinary connection between myths and social justice and learn the ability of my generation to spin and rewrite traditional ideals rooted in historical literature to push for a more diverse society today. 

Elven Zheng, Period 7, 1/13/23

Elven Zheng 

Period 7

01/13/23

Modern Mythology

Literacy & Learning

Alas, the end of the Norse Mythology is upon us. Overall, the unit was very enlightening. I was always quite interested in Norse mythology (Rick Riordan books!), but I never really explored it on my own. Throughout this unit, I’ve learned a lot about the Norse and their stories. When we explored the different realms and the rewards in Norse culture, we agreed that the intention was to glorify the battlefield and incentivize everyone to participate there. Heroes who died in battle would celebrate a glorious afterlife in Valhalla with a bunch of mead and light. To enforce this propaganda even more, they scared people with Helheim. Helheim was a dark and gloomy place, home to non-warriors. Being in Helheim meant having a colorless afterlife. After hearing those depictions of the afterlife, even I was sold on being a warrior so that I could party for the rest of my afterlife in Valhalla! Their stories reflect their way of life, promoting battles and being a warrior. Besides devoting their lives to the battlefield, the Norse also touched upon critical theories such as Marxist Critical Theory and Feminist Critical Theory. Every story had a deeper message hidden inside, whether it was to be a warrior or to be weary of karma and not end up like the devious trickster Loki.

The biggest boost to my learning in this unit was the Norse Mythology Project. The project was difficult, as it required a lot of creativity. Teams had to create their own transformative retelling of a Norse myth. My group and I transformed The Children of Loki, making Tyr and Fenrir the main characters of the show. We saw an opportunity to shine a light on their relationship with each other, presenting a lesson on trust and betrayal. It was a hectic procedure, trying to write like the Norse. Instead of moving along with the script, my group and I kept trying to come up with nonsense alliterations to align with Norse storytelling. It was an experience, though. Writing poetry and using a dictionary to find words make alliteration possible is a headache. Still, I had a great time planning the project out with my group-mates and suggesting far-fetched ideas. Our project turned out fine, but it could have been much better. We spent too much time worrying about measly lines in the script to venture outside the box. Aside from learning through research from my own project, the other projects were also very enlightening. Everyone did a phenomenal job, expressing their respective stories in a creative and intriguing way, hooking me for five periods straight! From a giraffe costume to spilling water on Theodore (again), every group held the audience’s attention captive. The courts, journeys, time traveling, disco parties, and musicals all helped me to better understand each story. Messages I initially glossed over when I read the stories myself were brought up by others, filling in blanks I had in my understanding. The activities that followed each performance required me to use my brain to shift from enjoying a show to think critically. There were often questions that questioned morality: was X justified in their actions? These roused up discussions, as it could go in any direction. There could be arguments made for multiple sides, as different time periods or different values can be applied to the single question at hand.

Everything I learn can be implemented in my life one way or another. The critical thinking I experienced during this project will allow me to continue digging deeper for below-the-surface ideas. The presentations are all very memorable. Their lasting impressions will help me remember the Norse stories for the future. I would assume one day I could flaunt my knowledge on Norse mythology, impressing and bragging about what I know. Having this knowledge would also improve my creative writing, allowing the addition of a sentence such as “They’re acting just like Loki!” and "It feels like we're approaching Ragnarok." to my arsenal. This unit was a refreshing experience; it was more than just a revisit to Norse mythology for me. 

Mariam Zihiri, Period 2, 1/12/23

Socio-political Consciousness

• What are your thoughts and feelings about issues of inequity, oppression, and/or power?
• How do you reflect critically on your own beliefs, assumptions, values, and experiences, and how these can influence your perception of self and others?

Issues in gender equality have always been something that has mattered a lot to me. In the recent Norse presentations that my group had done, we decided to present our given story from a feminist critical lens. This was especially important to me because of its prevalence in society and my own personal life. Growing up, the women who most inspired me in my community were those who were outspoken and brave, willing to call out antiquated traditions particularly when it surrounded the patriarchy. This transferred onto me in the hopes to become what I’ve always looked up to. I grew up in a household that lived on conservative gender ideals, which affected my image on gender equality in the beginning years of my life. I believed that there used to be womanly duties and manly duties that needed to be done and that the two weren’t allowed to switch. I was first inspired by my sister who showed me that it was possible to do both and not have it affect your femininity. She taught me that the term feminine did not have to be so strict. I was also greatly inspired by my older cousin, who knew what she wanted in life and didn’t allow the criticism or the expectations of her to drag her down. She always told me “Our parents and the whole world is always going to tell you that you need to be feminine but shame you if you want to be girly, you just can't win, you can't.” I always hated that idea of “you can't win” especially when it came to something like this.

When it came to writing our Norse presentation, I really loved the idea of having three characters representing Freya because it felt like she needed to be heard so that the concept of “you can’t win” is portrayed out loud for people to see and understand every step of the process of what Freya did to fight this idea. It’s so important to allow women’s voices to be heard and I feel like it’s a common theme in certain mythology and in real life that women are constantly weaponized and blamed or they are talked over and are helpless victims which has been something that has angered me for a long time. This is one of the main reasons why I believe it’s so important to speak on gender inequalities and I hope to remember that while misogyny is endemic, women have continued to persevere throughout the centuries.

Perry Zhang, Period 7, 1/11/23

Perry Zhang 

PD 7 

Modern Mythology

1/11/2023

Atomic Habits & Growth

At this current point in time, what specific standards have you set for yourself? How and why did you come to craft these standards? 

One of the goals I have set for myself is to maintain my current grades and set high standards for myself. This is especially true as the college application process is almost over. Although it is the foremost priority in our senior year, maintaining our grades throughout the process is equally significant. Some specific goals for example in this class are to continue my strong cooperation with my group in regard to projects and to work on my writing skills. Having this opportunity in Mythology to write multiple varieties of responses helps polish and improve my writing. From portfolios to presentations, these assignments force us to try our best to match or even surpass our previous work in class. Another standard I set for myself is to improve my health such as a better sleep schedule and sleeping early. This ties in with my academic standards as not enough sleep can affect my class participation and activity. Without these major decisions and actions stressing me daily, I felt that I needed to start getting to school earlier as I am late daily for my first period.

How do you demonstrate resilience toward achieving these standards?

In my decision to actively change and improve myself, I am demonstrating resilience towards these standards. In regard to my sleep and mental health, I should wake up early and set an alarm for my sleep schedule. This should slowly become a routine that I will get into allowing myself more sleep and energy for school classes and activities. In order to improve my writing, I intend to focus and try my best on each Mythology assignment, including my upcoming portfolio and future projects requiring writing.

How do you assess yourself?  What adjustments do you make? How often?

In order to assess myself, I use checklists and planners, such as setting an alarm to remind me of my sleep schedule and establishing a routine. Although I need to make some adjustments to avoid procrastinating too much. Activities such as social media and YouTube are extremely distracting and sometimes take up hours of my time instead of work. Some adjustments include moving away from my phone and preparing all my assignments in front of me before having a chance to get distracted.

Zhu Liang Yan, Period 6, 11/30/22

Socio-political Consciousness

• What are your thoughts and feelings about issues of inequity, oppression, and/or power?
• How do you reflect critically on your own beliefs, assumptions, values, and experiences, and how these can influence your perception of self and others?

Uyghurs, a Chinese-speaking ethnic group that was mostly Muslims native to the Xinjiang territory of China. Xinjiang is a beautiful and one of the largest provinces in China, being native to many Uyghurian people. It is an exotic place with rich culture and an emphasis on nature compared to more modern china provinces. Aside from breathtaking views and cultures, it holds the largest Grand Bazaar in the world, along with a rich history dating back to the Han Dynasty. However, now the Uyghur people are facing heavy prosecution and oppression from the Chinese government due to their ethnicity. This dates back to as early as 2017, when China was accused of planning genocide against the Uyghur people. As time evolves, the Chinese government have been taken steps to fulfill this abominable vision of theirs. Recently and over the course of these years, millions of Uyghurs have been detained and sent to reeducation camps. Although it is not clear what these camps are, it is important to acknowledge the fact that these people are being detained against their will. In history, we're well aware of what happened to actions targeted against ethnic groups. Whether it was the horrible Holocaust or the Rwandan Genocide of Tutsi, all of these are disgusting precedents and demonstrations of what cruelty humans are capable of. We must take caution and actions to prevent these cruelties from happening, not after it has already occurred. All of these ideas for cruelty come from innate human desires and sin. In my personal belief, racism and oppression on the basis of race and genetics are fundamentally and morally wrong. We all grow up differently, and most of the time, we have little control over how we are raised and what type of beliefs we are taught. That's why education plays such an important role in making the world a better place.

I was lucky enough and privileged to receive an education, to be able to study history, and interact with those who are like-minded. Unfortunately, many around the world lack those opportunities to be educated and realize there are inherent sins and evil beliefs put upon them. To draw on my personal experience, I'm a foreign immigrant that spends most of my childhood years in China. Oftentimes, we are only taught a one-sided perspective of politics, that communism is the greatest, and so is everything else that comes from it. However, as my education and awareness expanded after moving to American education, I was more able to think for myself and see things from a different lens. This idea of being able to see things from a different lens is the fundamental formula for a harmonious society and world. Our beliefs will always and continue to clash; that's why it is important to empathize with the party, even if you disagree with their beliefs. Ultimately, what's good and what's bad are decided differently in different countries, places, and cultures. However, it is essential to recognize the morally wrong actions and consequences that can come from them. 

I enjoy hearing and learning about people's lives and their stories, whether it is from memoirs, biography, conversations, or even a fictional novel that could very well depict someone's life. All of which contributed to my understanding of the world and potential flaws in my own belief and actions. It is very important to self-reflect and understand that there is always more perspective to be gained and more harmony to be achieved.