My Best Friend

Senior year had come around, that was the year Natasha, and I had become best friends. We had every class together except for one, which gave us the time to be able to connect with one another and to hang out more. It was great to have her in most of my classes because if I did not understand information or even just missed a day of class I knew I would be able to rely on her. Of course, at the same time, I did not go into my senior year the way I had really wanted too. I was on crutches for about two months where I would need help with caring my book to the other classes. It was that time I had realized that no matter what I can always count on Natasha to be there for me no matter what. We would always hang out and that I could trust her with everything. Natasha helped open myself up and her knowing that I was completely shy while she was so outgoing we still manage to make it work. To this day, she still introduces me to new things and is always going to be one of my biggest supporters. Yeah we fight every now and then, but that is normal in a friendship. Even when the fights are huge we know that we both value our friendships more then anything in the world. After everything that we have been through I am proud to call Natasha my best friend. 

This is one of my favorite photos of us from last year. It describes our friendship easily and perfectly. There is never a dull moment where she can't make me laugh. I remember this day like the back of my hand because it was a girl’s weekend. Yeah I know some people get the opportunity to have a girl’s weekend with there best friend, but I don’t really have that option anymore due to school and work. One thing she remembered the most about me that I am hockey fan. For my Christmas present that year, she decided to get us four tickets to a monarch game. That had been my first monarch’s game since I had first moved here. I was excited to be able to go to one of the games that year because I do not get that opportunity often. The game had begun and I was so excited to be at this game and to have a great night. In the first period, the monarchs were winning 1-0, but that did not last long. By the third period, it was tied 3-3 and we knew that it was not going to be a quick game. We decided to leave with 10 minutes left since we were all tired from the long day we had. When we got back to the car that is when everything turned around for us. Other cars at the parking lot, which would mean that we would have to wait forever to get out, had blocked us in and there was nobody there to help us get out. That was when everyone started to come out because overtime was finished and the monarchs won the game, but we had to help direct traffic so that we were able to leave the parking lot. I remembered this the most because even though we might have had a bad day that no matter what there is always something that can easily turn everything around for us.

Working while attending school

Students going to college often feel as if they never have any money and in most cases, students try to get a job during the school year. My first year at Southern New Hampshire University I felt as if I never had any money to do anything, so I figured why not try to get a job during the school year. I knew that it wouldn’t always be that easy, but it is better to try then not to try. I am at the point where I would look to start paying for some things on my own and not always having to rely on my mom for certain things. I also figured it seems like most people can handle working and going to school at the same time so why shouldn’t I be able to handle it? Well this I got a job at Market Basket and as I can see I am struggling sometimes to manage my time. I work about 25 hours a week, which is good enough to make some money while going to school, but I have noticed lately that I am now struggling to get the sleep and school work finished on time. This got me thinking one day how some people can manage to do both, but then it dawned on me some of the post I used to see on Facebook. It showed that some people were struggling not only to get the sleep they needed but to also keep a social life. It is not always going to be easy to have a social life, but this is the time where students should be making memories with there friends at school. It is not like some people can cut back on hours because in some cases, students really need this money, but they can’t cut all of there friends out either. I think sometimes it can be difficult for students to find the balance besides between school, work, and having a social. At the same time, it can be very easy for some people to do this. Maybe over time I will be able to figure out how to manage it all better. If any of you work and go to school what would be some advice you would give to other students who may be struggling with this?

Technology Experience

As a child, I moved around a lot because my dad was in the military. I lived in North Carolina for most of Elementary School and we really didn’t have any technology in the classroom besides one computer. That one computer in the classroom was just for the teachers the students were not able to touch the computer. If we needed the computer for any work, we would all have to go down to the computer lab. When I moved to Georgia in sixth grade we didn’t have much technology available as a resource in the classroom. Even if we did have the computer labs or library the teachers would always have to check a month or two in advance so that they could secure a spot for us. Most of the time, the teachers would just have to tell us to find a way to finish the project or paper at home, because it would often be difficult for them to get into the computer lab. Not only would we have to try and do projects in the classes, but we would also have to learn how to type through out sixth grade. It was difficult doing that because they would give us a sheet of paper to cover the keyboard so we wouldn't look down at the keyboard.

When I moved around a lot one of the places I got the chance to live was in Vicenza, Italy. We lived there for about four months, which meant that I went to school there for about two months. It was definitely a new experience for me because in their classrooms they did have smartboards put into their classrooms over the summer. Most students were excited to use this new tool in the classroom. When I first used it, I thought it was better then having to write on the chalkboard or white board. It made getting up in front of the classroom better and made you feel more relaxed. I did end up moving back to the states during seventh grade and that is when I moved to New Hampshire. 

I am sure that not everyone has had the opportunities I have had in my lifetime with not just moving to different places, but with technology in the classrooms. At my middle school, everyone in the seventh grade had laptops in every class. They were old Apple computers that had been previously used by other students. Often students would have trouble with the laptops, which would make it difficult for the student if everyone needed there own laptop in the class that day. High school we didn't have our own laptops, but for the most part the teachers had a hard time when it came to having new technology put into the class. It was often a big issues for most of the teachers when they were getting the smartboards put into the classrooms. Sometimes even the students were able to work the smartboards better then the teachers.  

I hope that for the future Educators or even employees will have a better understanding of the technology they are going to be working with. In some cases, I know that most employees take a course or have a meeting with everyone to learn about the technology. My question is do any of the employees actually get to play around with the technology before using it in the work place. I am certainly no master with technology, but I want to be able to use my resources correctly even if I have to ask another employee. Everyone in the office I believe should have a well enough understanding of what they are using the world before they are to the meeting. Later on in life, I know that I will struggle with trying to use the technology in the world, but that doesn’t mean I wont quit trying until I have a full understanding of what I am doing.