My freshman year

Freshman year, lets see, it was nothing short of amazing. At first when your first starting high school, it's straight up scary. You're scared of all the upperclassmen making fun of you or pushing you aside. But to be honest, high school is nothing like that. Sure you start of low on the food chain but it isn't that bad and you can always work your way up from there. Rumor says that the upperclassmen hate the incoming freshman, but i've experienced that to be incorrect as well. They don't really hate us! In fact, some of my closest friends are seniors! We also have a thing called freshman academy here. All freshman have other freshman in our classes at all times, and it's really helped me warm up to Moline High School. Now besides freshman academy, there are a couple things you've got to do on your own. Be social, make some friends! My strategy is to know enough people that I never have to be by myself any where I go in school. I like having people I know around just because it makes me feel a little better about myself. Plus it's by far more fun to know people then to be alone all the time. Another tip would be to choose the group you hangout with carefully. I suggest picking a lot of different groups to hang around with. But also be careful when choosing. Make the right friends that wont get you in trouble or talk behind your back. Like my youth pastor always says, "Show me your friends and Il show you your future." Don't get me wrong, I don't have high school dialed in or anything, but these are just a couple tips that got me through my freshman year!

Concluding animal farm

Animal Farm, in my opinion, is all in all a pretty good book. Reading from cover to cover i'd say it was worth it. In some parts of the story I was confused as to why power was and is so important to some people. Some of the details of the book made me feel for the animals which shows it's written well. I didn't like how abruptly it ended but the moral of the story is great. After reading beyond chapter 1, the farm goes crazy. The pigs try and overtake the farm and the other animals do nothing about it. Some of them are murdered for their opinions or run off of the farm. All the rules change and all in a matter of weeks. The quote "Only the strongest will survive." Does not pertain to this story, as any animal can be removed or killed for just a slight slip up. Trading with the humans begin as they slowly start to come back into the farm. All of Old Majors rules are either changed or gotten rid of and only one opinion is heard, no matter what. That opinion is comrade Napoleon the pigs. This however will condemn the farm almost entirely. It ends pretty abruptly, I almost wish there was a sequel.

What are the strengths and weaknesses of Animal Farm?

The book Animal Farm is about a couple animals and their outlook on life. But when you read between the lines, there is a whole other message from the story. From just reading the first chapter and not looking into it, it would sound something like this: The leader of the farm animals is the pig, named Old Major, and he has a dream that wakes him up to the reality of true farm life. He then calls a meeting late at night in the barn to tell all the other animals about his dream. The dream is about how all the farm animals do a huge amount of work daily and get nothing in return, they are fed just enough to keep them alive, and when they grow old they are slaughtered and eaten or used for a different cause. They work their lives away and receive nothing in return. Old Major then tells his comrades that this problem cannot go on any longer and it must be solved. The answer to this problem, in his eyes, is to rebel against the humans and take control. To someone reading between the lines, you can tell that this book is about the people in life that don't get the same writes as everyone else. They work for the upper class and for what? Nothing. So they must rebel against the higher classes to get the rights they deserve. I would definitely suggest reading this book.

Don't overdose on power.

Power can be an easy thing to loose. Great rulers can be overthrown in a matter of seconds all because of what they did, or didn't do with power. Power can be a very big part of our daily lives but do we realize it? A lot of people will get a taste of it and want more, this is called being "power hungry". So I have a couple of tips to help someone gain and maintain power. First of all, don't be a power hungry person. Once you receive power, be comfortable with the level you're at instead of constantly wanting more. Next, be nice to people! Do not think that your better than others just because you may hold more power than them. People like to be treated fairly, if you treat people with kindness usually they will return the favor. Lastly, listen to everyones opinion, don't just go with your own idea's all the time. People like to be heard, and who knows, their thoughts and ideas could be better than the original one. Maintaining power can be an easy thing to do if you just put yourself in the other person's shoes. Be considerate and caring and power should be a pretty easy thing to withhold.

Animals are a huge part of our daily lives, they provide us with food, transportation, and sometimes they just make us feel better. But how can that be done if they aren't alive anymore? Did you know that there are less than 200 siberian tigers left in the world? Some would say animals go extinct because of people hunting them; however, most animals die off because of habitat being affected.

Some people might say there are several reasons why animals are going extinct such as, hunters causing animal extinction,.I suppose that may have some affect on them, but that isn’t the big picture. Sure hunters kill a couple animals but that can be healthy sometimes to keep the population from going over. Another reason thought to be a cause of extinction would be lack of food. Animals have been finding their own food since the beginning of time, and I don’t think that is going to change. Sickness could be another reason, maybe sickness gets a few but that isn’t going to wipe out a whole race. The main cause is always going to come back to habitats being destroyed.

Animals are going extinct because their habitats are being destroyed. People tear down forests and trees to build houses and destroy all kinds of animal’s lives. When people tear down forests or groups of trees for a business or new houses they don’t think about all the animals habitats that they destroy. And it isn't just in the woods, it's everywhere. For example, as the ice melts from global warming, the polar bears have no where to live. If the polar bears go extinct then the whole arctic animal population could be gone. You see the polar bears are at the top of the food chain. They eat the sea lions, which eat the penguins and so on. If the polar bears go extinct then an over population of sea lions will occur, taking out the penguin population. The existence of each animal is very important. As we build more for ourselves we kill off different species. Our selfish needs are hurting these endangered animals. We need to stop feeding our own wants because these animals are paying the price for it.

(CONCLUSION) You could say this is a pretty big issue, because without animals we can’t survive. We need to work on keeping them safe and think about them before we tear something down or throw something away. Can it reused? If it can then reuse it! We have to do something to save these species.

What happens to the pelicans with no home?

Laura Quinn, an 81 year old woman lives in the florida keys. Her job, or hobby, is taking care of over 700 pelican birds that are either injured, or starved. Some have been caught by fish hooks, and some are simply without food because of lack of fish in the bay. Laura recently lost her job but no matter what, the birds come first. She is very protective over her birds and was said to have once been seen jumping into a river after one of her birds, which was heading into a dangerous cove. Quinn cracked an ankle bone but caught the bird. I don't know many people that would break their ankle for a bird. Laura has been rather inspiring to me. I am an animal lover as well and it it seems if anyone would take in that many birds, just because they want to, they must be a pretty amazing person. I look up to someone like that. The only problem is that because of Laura's age they are trying to replace her with someone younger. From experience I know that she has to be so attached to those birds. And giving up that job is going to be very difficult for her. I just hope she can find someone good enough to replace her. Good luck Laura!

Have you ever wondered about global warming? No it doesn't have a big effect on you, but what about the animals? The answer is yes. Animals do suffer greatly because of global warming. The animal I'm focused on today is the polar bear. Global warming is otherwise known as a climate change. When the climate changes and the heat rises, the ice melts. When the ice melts the polar bears loose ground to live on, leaving them constantly trying to find somewhere solid to put their feet. Polar bears hunt sea lions, and sea lions also depend on ice. When the sea lions disappear then so do the polar bears because they have to swim farther for there food leaving them to die of exhaustion. The numbers of the polar bear is constantly decreasing. The whole cause of global warming is the greenhouse gas. If we don't find a way to eliminate greenhouse gases then we could loose these creatures all together. That's right I'm talking about extinction. Polar bears know how to swim hundreds of miles with no problems at all, so when they are drowning because they can't find land that's saying something. A very easy way to help stop global warming is to recycle. Another way would be to walk, bike, or take a bus. We have to help save these lovable creatures before they go extinct.

One and five people believe in the Islamic religion. It's the second largest religion in the world! Have you ever wondered about someone's religion besides your own? I wondered about the Islamic religion, so I did a little digging and found a lot. See what you think. Maybe it will even surprise you.

Founder: The founder of the Islamic religion is a man named Muhammad, and it was founded in Shi Lanka in the early 600's. The funny thing about this man is that his life was extremely hard, but he still managed to take a very important role in Islam. Muhammad was orphaned at a very young age. When he started this religion he had very few followers, but it grew on people and by the time he was done he had founded the Islamic religion. Muhammad was considered a prophet and he wrote a book that is still around today.

Holy Books: Muhammad wrote a text called the Hadith. This text was all about the deeds done by this prophet and his family. Another important text is called the Qur'an. This is book filled with Islamic verses and prayers. Both are very sacred to the religion. Holidays are also very sacred, which takes me to my next point.

Holidays: In Islam the holidays include Ramadan, Ashura, and Al-fitr. Ramadan, probably one of the most important holidays in Islam, is the month of fasting. Otherwise known as the "Islamic Calender." Which means you do not eat, drink, smoke, or indulge in anything ill-natured from dawn to sunset. With holidays come lots of prayer, which is also one of the Islamic rituals.

Rituals/Customs: Prayer is an everyday ritual in Islam, along with "The Five Pillars Of Islam." This is a number of five rituals consistently used. They are daily confessions, daily prayer, paying the Alms Tax, fasting during Ramadan, and pilgrimage to Mecca. Mecca is the holiest meeting sight in the Islamic religion. Meeting at Mecca was a mandatory thing to do. Unlike clothing choices in Islam.

Clothing: Colors and style very throughout the Islamic culture, but most dress as monks in long robes with a hood. Some people think this style is long out of date, but i think it's kind of cool how Islam has kept the same wardrobe for so long.

Hierarchy: Muslims are separated into two groups. The first is called Ashrafs, meaning they are not converts of hinduism and as a result they have a higher social status. The second group are called Ajlafs which do convert from hinduism giving them a lower status. Although there is no church status because they worship one God and prayer goes straight to him.

Why is a good relationship hard to keep?

Relationships, oh boy, everyones had their share of getting hurt by now, but don't you wonder why? Our parents tell us not to get into that stuff and it won't happen, but in my opinion you kinda have to get out there and experience it to get the full affect. My opinion on why relationships don't normally last very long is simple, communication. Talking is key. Im not exactly an expert on relationships but from my own experiences and watching others around me, its not hard to pick up on. Misunderstandings are usually a key component of heartbreaks and arguments. "He said that about you." "She said this." Stop listening to what other people say! Why don't you just go up to the person and straight up ask them if its true, because in most cases its just a rumor anyways. But if it is true, and it doesn't work out, well then move on, its not like you were going to get married or anything. And besides were only in high school, dating is just for fun right? There are also a lot of relationships that don't have to do with opposite genders at all. Relationships can also be within friends and different clicks. The main thing is that you talk about it. Don't scream or yell at them. Stay calm and just talk about it, figure it out, because talking about it and getting a long is much better than not talking and losing a friend.

I just read a site that teaches how to get along in a relationship. Which goes hand in hand with my last blog, "Homecoming."This blog teaches to use your body in the way you communicate, not just your mouth. Did you know that more than half of communication is done with your eyes? Body language can also say a lot about you. The way you hold yourself up, or don't. In a relationship you have also got to listen to the other person! You cant always be right. Its kind of like a dance floor. You try and stay in a certain area, careful not to step on anyones toes. But sometimes you just cant avoid conflict, and some toes may get stepped on. Its all part of the journey. You also have to have your trigger spots. Trigger spots are those "looks" or body motions that just set you off. So if you have a trigger spot, tell the person your having the problems with about it! You are in a relationship so they will understand. Plus it makes your relationship stronger, and you will adjust to the persons wants and needs. So i strongly suggest reading this blog. It has tons of tips on how to keep your cool and keep your relationship healthy.

As part of team 3 Im excited to be blogging.

My Homecoming.

Alright everyone knows about homecoming right? Well as much as I like homecoming and dancing and all its also kind of a conflict at our school. Sure its fun if that one guy asks you but what if he doesn't? What if no one does? Wont that leave you feeling hurt and unimportant. Or maybe to many people ask you? You can only pick one. So wont that hurt them? I have tried a million different ways to let the person down easy. But someone no matter what always ends up getting hurt. And heres a tip for the guys out there. Never and i mean never ask a girl to the dance through text message. Its the worst way you can do it. Think of something! Fun and exciting! That way its not just a normal invitation. So this one guy asked me, and i really wanted to go with him. But he asked me through text! like really? come on. So anyways this other guy asked me by coming to my house and writing on my driveway with chalk. Now thats creative! Im just saying homecoming can create a lot of drama and conflict.

Im going to figure this out though. Somehow Im going to make everyone happy.

Rachael