High School Vs. College

Hello there!

So you are probably worrying about college (or not) and what your experiences are going to be like.  You probably have some stereotypes in your head about college.  All I can really say is that depending on what college you choose to go to you may find some of these stereotypes to be true.  I am writing to you to inform you about the difference you will find when you transition from high school to college.

One of the things you need to know is that when you go to college, your classes are not a continuation of your high school courses.  You will find that there are no more standardized tests!  You will also find that though the knowledge you learned in high school can come in handy in some college classes, you will find these things being applied differently.  You have to realize that these professors with different teaching styles.  It is not their responsibility to make sure you do your homework or that you pass a test.  I learned rather quickly that my classes though are similar to my high school ones they are defiantly different in the material that is stressed!  I had to rewire my brain so that I could learn how my professors taught versus thinking they taught just like my high school teachers!

You may also want to take note that college requires new kinds of motivations and self-discipline.  You have to realize that you do not have a set schedule anymore.  You don't go to school, come home, do homework, eat dinner, do something, and go to bed.  Your schedule will have gaps and you will experience night classes.  You will realize that college has more freedom than high school.  And for this very reason you need to develop time management skills.  You do not have your parents, teachers, or school officials pushing you to do your work.  You have to find your own motivation to do these things, your old motivation will do very little for you.  You need to develop time management skills that will suite you so you can get your work done.  You will also need to find new motivation and since it can be anything it is up to you to find it.  I had motivation for the first week or two of school.  Afterwards I fell behind.  I didn't fail or necessarily get bad grades but I found myself procrastinating like never before.  It was bad, extremely late nights, exhausting mornings, eating whenever, and not wanting to do anything.  It took a while for me to adjust and occasionally I fall into a pattern resembling my bad one, but I can easily switch if I try!

Your lifestyle will change when you go to college, for some this may be good and for others not so much.  You might have a negative impact when you go through the transition.  You may gain weight, have an increase in your stress level, begin to fail courses, and fail to discipline yourself.  Just know you are not alone.  The first step to overcoming these drawbacks is to find something (or things) that motivates you.  You can't do anything until you have accomplished this.  Once you have found your motivation don't take advantage of it.  Start small and work your way up.  You will not experience results immediately but eventually you will start see change.  The college lifestyle hit me hard, and I am currently still adjusting to it.  I took it one step at a time and so far it is working rather well.  Sometimes I do grow impatient from waiting for results, but then I have to tell myself they don't come immediately!

The last thing I want to inform you about is the amount of services your college offers you.  You paid a lot of money (or barely any) to go to college.  Your college is not just going to leave you in the dust.  If you look you will find many services your college offers you.  Your college may also display them.  Your college wants you to succeed, they do not set you up for failure like you may think.  Your college's library is the best place to get work done.  Utilize the librarians, they are there for a reason.  Your college may also have a program that is designed to help students succeed and may offer other services.  Such services may include study tables, workshops, tutors, and/or writing facilities.  If you take the time to get familiar with them you will realize how helpful these can be.  Not only does your college offer pristine study areas but they also offer useful tools that will help you succeed in college.  Just remember, college's want you to succeed!  I truly didn't know just how much my college offers me until I took a giant step back and pieced all that the college has told me.  I am beginning to utilize the services my college offers me more and more.  Each time I am glad I did because I can get my work done with little distractions and as best as I can!  It can be hard to find time, but you will manage.  I managed to and even if it's just a few times a week for an hour, that's all the time you need to start seeing improvements (as long as you don't slack off)!

So with these tips in hand I hope you are ready for life as a college student after your senior year!  I give you my best wishes and hope that you will utilize these tips before it's too late (or at least use one or more of these tips when it is too late).  Hopefully you will be successful in college and graduate with flying colors!

Good luck!

Death Across Stories

Poe's life was enveloped in death.  Prime examples of death in Poe's life include his mother and his wife, Virginia.  When reading The Black Cat, Tell Tale Heart, and The Masque of the Red Death by Poe one can clearly see the death that appears in these three short stories.  One can branch off of death and relate all three stories to fear and emotion (intense emotion or lack of) as well.  When looking at these stories the main connection between death, fear, and emotion is that fear and emotion lead to death.  In the case of the Tell Tale Heart the narrator describes how the old man's vulture eye has led him to plan the old man's murder.  The narrator was unable to stand the old man's eye (this is emotion).  One can argue that this lead to the narrator becoming fearful of the old man's eye, but it depends on how one interprets the story.  In the end, the narrator's emotions led to the death (murder) of the old man.  In The Masque of the Red Death Prince Prospero locks him and his loyal subjects in an abbey to escape the Red Death.  The reason why the prince did this is because he feared the Red Death and did not want to get sick.  In the end the Red Death eventually makes its way into the abbey and kills the prince.  In this story the reason that death came about is due to the arousal of fear.  In The Black Cat the narrator killed his black cat and his wife.  From reading the story the audience learned that the narrator didn't have any motivation to kill his cat or wife, what led him to do that was that his emotions towards animals changed.  The narrator used to adore animals but as time wore on he began to be more irritable and emotionless towards his animals.  He eventually scooped the black cat's eye out due to him being intoxicated.  The narrator then hung the cat on a tree.  This is the first time the narrator had killed something.  The narrator eventually obtained another cat in which he tried to avoid because he began to want to kill the cat.  After almost tripping down the stairs the narrator ended up killing his wife instead of his cat.  The reason behind why the narrator ended up wanting to kill the cat is due to his lack of emotion.  One could argue the reason why the narrator didn't kill the second cat for so long was due to fear of killing the first cat.  The result was death no matter what.  In all three of Poe's short stories one could relate emotion and/or fear to be the main cause of death in the story.  Death was a major part of Poe's life, and it is clear to see this in these three short stories.

The Twisted Murder

Pacing around a jail cell with no memory of what happened last night is not fun.  A pounding headache (due to a huge welt on my head), tattered clothing, and no idea where I am is rather stressful.  To keep my hands from shaking I shove my hands in my pockets.  At first they feel empty but a slight shift and I feel something in there.  I sit down on my concrete slab of a bed and empty the contents of my pocket on the small rusty table at the edge of the bed.  I spread the items out and take a look at what I got.

• Airplane boarding pass
• A business card (in another language)
• A random key
• A crumpled up piece of paper
• A valet parking ticket

I looked at these items trying to figure out what went on last night.  I fell on the bed wincing as my head hit the pillow (more like a one-ply tissue).  What did I do?  I close my eyes trying to remember what I did last night.  My mind was a blank and my head hurt, I just wanted to sleep.  I tried to close my eyes and sleep but that didn't work all too well.  Small bursts of pain accompanied this and all I could think of was what happened.  Sitting up I decided to give each item a good look to see if I could recollect anything.

I started with the business card.  It was stiff which made me think it was expensive.  It was black with silver writing on it.  I ran my hand over it and instantly my mind went back to last night, but all I could make out of it was a blurry nighttime background and a blurry man standing in front of me.  I looked at the card, the soft yet rigid texture was what brought back the memory of last night.  I continued to examine the card.  I flipped it over, nothing but a small logo on the back.  I looked closer, an ellipse with a picture of a key inside of it.  I flipped it back over and decided to examine the words.  The words were written in what seemed like calligraphy, it was very beautiful.  It seemed like it was written in French.  Looking at the words I put them together to spell 'La Ville de la Loi'.  I whispered it under my breath and the same memory popped in my head, this time it was clearer though.  I was in a city, sitting at a table outside of a cafe.  Looking to my right I see cars passing by and a lot of foot traffic.  I look in front of me and see a man with black hair.  He had electric blue eyes and freckles grazing across his cheeks.  He had a slight chiseled look; overall he was handsome.  He smiled at me with his straight white teeth and said something that seemed to be in French.  I must have been in France!  Why was I in France though?  I put the card down and picked up the next object.

I picked up the airplane boarding pass in hopes of discovering where I was going.  I ran my fingers across the smooth and shiny paper.  It was white and black and had a type of bar code off to the left and all of my information regarding my flight.  I examined the boarding pass to find out I traveled from the Philadelphia International Airport to an airport in Paris, France!  I continued to examine the pass.  Terminal E, gate 13, departing time 7:30 AM, row 9A.  As I read this information small flashbacks ran through my mind.  I strung together the flashbacks and discovered that I seemed to be on a business trip.  I was dressed in business casual, carried a briefcase, and seemed to have an important agenda in mind (though I cannot remember what this was)!  I remember taking off into the sky and hours later arriving at an airport in Paris.  After leaving the plane and gathering my luggage the last thing I remember is calling for a taxi and getting in.  I placed the airplane boarding pass down and picked up the next object.

I picked up the valet parking ticket.  It was shaped like a pentagon but smooth around the edges.  It said Paris up top and the number 613 right below it.  When I saw the number a flashback hit me.  I had somehow managed to obtain a very expensive looking car.  I pulled up and got out of the car handing the valet my key.  I began to walk up to a museum looking building.  The flashback ended there.  I felt the paper, it was smooth and thin.  It was white with black glossy print.  I put the valet parking ticket down and reached for the next object.

I picked up the key and held it in my palm.  I flipped it over, feeling the cold metal against my skin.  It was the color of brass and larger than most keys.  They key seemed to be old, the ridges a bit worn down from excessive use.  The key was plain but when I ran my finger over it I remembered what happened after the taxi.  The museum like building turned out to be a hotel at which I checked in, quickly settled down and with my briefcase I headed out onto the streets of Paris.  I was walking down the street passing many unfamiliar faces.  I bumped into one and this key was purposely placed into my hand slyly.  I continued walking making a left and continued on my way (wherever that was).  I was back in my jail cell looking down at the key.  I looked at the bow of the key and noticed a marking that I recognized.  I picked up the business card and turned it around looking at the logo in the corner (the ellipse with a key in the middle).  I looked at the key and saw the same exact logo on the key.  The only difference was that the logo on the key was more ornate looking (small swirls interconnecting and such).  Another flashback came to me where I seemed to be in a part of Paris that was historical.  The buildings were all different, close together, and little foot traffic.  I walked into a light blue building and headed upstairs.  The building was abandoned, dust adorned the house, covering all of the antique furniture.  All of the doors were open upstairs except for one.  I walked towards it and stopped right before it.  I looked at the old doorknob and pulled out the key.  I inserted it into the lock and turned the key hearing a small click.  The door slowly swung open with a slight creak.  I walked in removing the key and put it back into my pocket.  There was someone standing by the open window.  the window scattered light across the room illuminating the particles of dust.  The curtains slightly waved as a nice breeze stirred the old air.  The person turned around.  I was once again back in the jail cell, my mouth slightly gaped open.  The man who turned around was the person at the cafe.

My head was spinning.  What was going on?  What was I getting involved in?  The last clue I had about what happened yesterday was the crumpled up piece of paper.  I sighed picking it up, hoping this would end all of my frustrations about not remembering anything.  The paper was stiff, it felt like parchment paper.  I slowly and carefully unraveled it, feeling paper run across my fingers and hearing the crisp paper brush against itself.  After unfolding it there were two things written in cursive in the center of the paper.  I put the paper on the table and read "Alexandre Beaumont".  At that moment everything came back.

I worked for a security company, well it's facade was a security company.  Most would call my an undercover agent, but I feel like that's a bit too much like television.  I go wherever my company sends me and do what ever they bid me (and that has a broad range).  Alexandre Beaumont (a companion of mine) and I were sent to Paris to complete a mission.  We each flew on separate flights and had our own mission to accomplish.  When I got into my hotel room I opened up the piece of paper to find his name written on it.  I had to eliminate Alex.  I gasped, feeling tears rush down my face.  I had to kill him, and I don't know if I could.  Knowing that I couldn't escape from this I decided to go about my mission, thinking of a way out.  I crumbled up my paper and shoved it in my pocket and walked outside.  A key was handed to me along with a small piece of paper by a random stranger.  The piece of paper had an address on it and I went to the place.  That's where I ended up at the light blue house.  I headed upstairs and unlocked the door with the key.  Alex turned around, he wasn't surprised to see me and I wasn't surprised to see him.

"I don't want to kill you," I blurted out.  He chuckled and walked up to me enveloping me in a hug.

"And I don't want to kill you," He answered.

"So what do we do?" I asked with an empty voice.  He let go of me holding onto my shoulders.

"We run away," I looked at him in awe. "But first, we go eat something in this beautiful city." He said smiling at me.  All I could do was nod.  What was going on?

We ended up at a cafe in Paris, eating outside on the patio.  We chatted and laughed, it almost made me forget about everything.  I had found a random business card on the table and was playing with it, twirling and fiddling with it.  I unconsciously threw it in my pocket as we stood up to leave.  Just as we stood up I heard a loud bang, a gun was fired up from the rooftops.  I don't know why I wasn't moving until I glanced down and saw that Alex had been shot in the heart.  I gasped, feeling tears stream down my face.  I looked at Alex's face which was looking down.  He looked up, his face drained of color.  He managed a small chuckle.

"They got me," He said.  He managed to collapse in the chair and I ran over to him and began to apply pressure to his would, yelling at him to stay with me.

"Hey, got out of here, you know what's happening.  Run, don't look back.  Go," He managed to say.  His head rolled back.  I couldn't leave him.  I shook him, crying and sobbing for him to come back.  Why did they have to take him?  What is going on?!  I heard police sirens and saw the cops pulling up and yanking me away from him.  I screamed and struggled to get out of their grasps only to end up getting hit on the head with something hard.  I ended up passing out.

Now I am here in a jail cell, crying.  My best friend had died, the company I worked for had killed him.  Why am I in jail though?  Just as I asked that the door slammed open.

"Get up, you're going on trial for the murder of Alexandre Beaumont."  All expressions left my face, I felt my face go pale, my limbs go numb.  I was set up for murder by the company I work for.  They set me up.  I didn't know what to do other than accept this fact.  I stood up and put my hands out and felt them put cuffs on me.  I followed them out of the cell and into the rest of my life as a convicted criminal.