This year, I have had mixed emotions when it came to reading, which is the reason I chose this picture. Some books made me love reading such as Misery and Flowers in the Attic. Fortunately, I felt this way most of the school year. But sometimes reading felt like a chore no different than doing the dishes or taking out the trash. That's right, I'm looking at you, Seeds of Yesterday. Then some books I didn't really have an opinion about. They were books that I didn't hate reading but I wouldn't choose them to read if I was just doing it for fun such as Fahrenheit 451. The thing I disliked the most about that book was trying to remember how to spell "Fahrenheit" correctly. I've noticed that when I choose the book for myself rather than having it assigned to me, I feel more motivated to read and finish the book, and often times enjoy it more. Sometimes, it was a struggle to fit reading into my schedule but I tried to read for at least 30 minutes a day, typically before I went to sleep. I hope that once the school year is over and finals are out of the way, I will be able to make more time in my daily routine for reading.
When it came to blogging, I disliked it from the start. It felt like a heavy weight I had to carry from the start. When blogging, sometimes it felt forced, especially if I was just beginning a book and didn't feel comfortable enough talking about it yet. It felt natural to discuss a book with other people if I was at a part that was really picking up, or if the person I was talking to had previously read the book. For example, throughout reading the Dollanganger Series such as Flowers in the Attic, I shared my opinions and thoughts with my mom, who had read the series as a teenager and was the one who recommended it to me. It felt unnatural though to keep a blog for others to read who may have never even heard of the book I would be discussing. Unlike talking to someone face-to-face, where I could judge whether I was holding the person's interest, I was left guessing as to what would keep the reader drawn in without giving away too much about the plot.
Just like the Diamond Back at King's Island, this school year had its ups and downs. In the middle school, teachers always tell you "You'll have way more responsibilities in high school" and that "teachers won't go easy on you anymore", which is true. Coming into the high school, you are expected to become a more responsible student. But, what I have noticed is that not only am I becoming a more responsible student, I am also becoming more responsible outside of school. Sometimes, it was difficult to keep deadlines in mind, especially as it grew closer to finals week in semester 1, as most classes were giving out projects. But, I had to pull through, knowing if I did, I would later feel a sense of pride. I enjoyed getting to take classes with students who were older than me. Because of this I got to meet new people that I might have never even spoken ten words with if everyone was separated depending on grade. Overall, I feel as if this school year was successful and I hope to grow even more as a Sophomore and in later years of high school.
