Darlene McCoy
dmmccoy@ucsc.edu
Segment 1 Memo - Option B
Yolanda Diaz-Houston - Section 1E
April 13, 2011
506 words
To Whom It May Concern:
My name is Darlene McCoy, and I’m a student at UC Santa Cruz. Merely getting to this school was a near impossible challenge for me because of where I grew up. I live in an area right outside of Sacramento – Rancho Cordova, and let me tell you, it’s not exactly the best place to go to school. When I was in elementary school, in the ‘90s, there was paper provided in the classrooms, there were pencils if someone forgot or needed one, and there were functional materials. My teachers were incredible, and happy to be there teaching each day. While my elementary school was still poor, it was alright. It wasn’t a huge challenge to get through a day of class. In high school, I was hearing about how my beloved music program might be getting cut every other week, my textbooks were falling apart, my classes were at least 30 students to one teacher, our library was a joke, and our career center was a distant memory. In school, I was in the honors/AP program - I can’t imagine what it was like to be in the normal classes, with even less material. Just this year at least half of my high school’s sports programs were cut. I’m pretty sure my music teacher got about $500 for the orchestra for the entire year. There were about fifteen people of my graduating class of anywhere from 250-300 who went to a four-year college. Our original class freshman year was about 650 students. What happened to all of them? Why is the school system failing so miserably?
I believe that if the state gave more funding to schools, that students like me, from my background, would have opportunities to thrive in life, and all of society would benefit. If my school had more funding, we could have had better classrooms, better teachers, and better material. College would not have seemed like a far-off impossible dream. Other students could have had the chance to thrive more in elective classes. We could have a library that was worth taking the time to go to, or a career center to aid us in our future endeavors. I feel like with more funding, graduation rates in my area would go up. And furthermore, because graduation rates would go up, crime rates would go down. Just the other year, at Rancho Cordova’ annual 4th of July Celebration, someone was shot, and the whole thing had to be shut down. How is education not a public good? There are far too many benefits from having an educated populace to not fund education through tax dollars. Why is it that I, my former classmates, and my community have to suffer due to our lower income? Why is the state not protecting us, not helping us become educated citizens? The cuts to education are insane – how can a society function without educated citizens that are able to perform their duties well? I expect more from my state.
Sincerely,
Darlene McCoy
Showing posts with label UCSC. Show all posts
Showing posts with label UCSC. Show all posts
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
Sunday, January 24, 2010
First Rain Recap
So, like, um,
it's about uh,
a
few
months
since First Rain even happened,
and I've been meaning to write about it for a while, 'n stuff.
Yeppp.
ANYWAY.
First Rain.
Epic.
So, the morning of the planned "First Rain,"
I put on my shiny red underwear.
They've got sequins on them.
BWAHAHAHAHA :]
They're kinda awesome.
So, I wore those all day to try and prepare myself for the night.
THE NIGHT, THE CRAZY EPIC NIGHT THAT WAS TO COME!
Well, that worked.
I was debating if I was actually going to run First Rain all day,
but the red underwear
and Allyson
and Julia
and Ryan
all helped me decide that taking my clothes off and running around the forest in the rain at night
...was a good idea...
AND IT WAS.
...what?! XD
AWESOME!
Anyway, around, like, 10 PM,
it started raining again,
and good lord, it had been raining hardcore earlier that day,
so First Rain was def going down
down down down ↓
Yep!
SOOOO, I brought up a towel to the lounge,
...and left it there...
for later...
then, I got left behind...
XD FAIL!
So I ran downstairs, with my clothes still on and stuff,
and got out to the Porter quad,
where I saw masses of naked people
Oh, I love Porter.
I found Allyson, Ryan, Julia, and the other people we were running with: Casey, Rayne, Asher, and Cooper
They're all good friends of mine now. :]
So, uh, I took my pants off...
...and my shirt...
annnnnd
then I was standing in the Porter quad, half naked.
Cool.
I had Allyson take my bra off,
and then
it started.
HOLYFUCKNAKEDRUNNINGPEOPLEPARTSMOVINGWHOOOAAAA
...it was fun... :]
We ran up through Kresge, where we were joined by many people,
'cause Kresge is actually cool 'n stuff.
The streets were lined with those who wanted to see the awesomeness that was naked running people.
The awesomeness, it was so intense.
We continued running, and uh,
Vans
don't really have all that great of traction
so
um
I kinda
slipped
a few
times
and stuff
:(
The group actually moved fairly quickly, so uh,
I kinda couldn't breathe and stuff
and...
y'know
there was that uh
giant splint on my arm
'cause my hand was broken!
It was covered in a giant trash bag,
and Riley had wrote
"ARM CONDOM" on it :]
It's on my wall now, it's so awesome!
Anyway, that kinda slowed me down a bit
so I ended up at the back of the pack
with the chick with the viking hat on
She's from my hall. Really nice.
and we just kinda took
a shortcut or two
and enjoyed a naked stroll
through UCSC~!
It was freakin' fatabulous!
We caught up with the group and eventually ended up at Opers
which is the gym-type place
that has an Olympic-sized swimming pool
that a whole shit load of naked people might've jumped over a fence to swim in
Wet. Naked. People. Running. WTFFF
Then I lost my viking friend for a little, but ran into Liz!
Who was a little schwasted, but oh man, I think she was content with life.
After that we ran through the bookstore area, and got a little lost...
and I found Julia and Allyson again!
...then I lost them, again.
Deeeeeeeerp.
Uuuuhhh... then we were heading back to Porter
and I ran into my roommate!
and she was like HEEEEEEEEEEEY
and I was like HEEEEEEEEY
It was great.
Then we were in like a naked circle of awesome, chanting "Nudity is unity!"
and Ryan was there!
in his pea-coat
which I found to be oh so amusing.
Then
then...
I had a moment.
A wonderful, beautiful, amazing moment.
I felt free.
I felt beautiful.
I felt amazing.
I was amazing.
Being naked with a lot of other naked people is really fun.
Well, we finally got back to Porter,
and I got my towel from the lounge
and turned around to see Asher's GIANT FUCKING HORSECOCK
Then we had a shower party!
There's nothing better than showering with your new friends to learn how to be comfortable around them!
Woohoo~!
The shower was so warm.
We were in the handicap stall in B5 center... so we had like 6 or 7 people in there.
Someone had the shower head thing, and that person was all just kinda spraying us down.
It was. So. Awesome.
Then we went to the dining hall in our pajamas.
'Cause we could.
and we had a wonderful and amazing feast.
Then we all kinda passed out.
FUCK YEAH FIRST RAIN!
It was an amazing, awesome, and fantastic experience I'll never forget.
and daaaaaaaaaaaamn dude, I can't wait to do it again next year!
it's about uh,
a
few
months
since First Rain even happened,
and I've been meaning to write about it for a while, 'n stuff.
Yeppp.
ANYWAY.
First Rain.
Epic.
So, the morning of the planned "First Rain,"
I put on my shiny red underwear.
They've got sequins on them.
BWAHAHAHAHA :]
They're kinda awesome.
So, I wore those all day to try and prepare myself for the night.
THE NIGHT, THE CRAZY EPIC NIGHT THAT WAS TO COME!
Well, that worked.
I was debating if I was actually going to run First Rain all day,
but the red underwear
and Allyson
and Julia
and Ryan
all helped me decide that taking my clothes off and running around the forest in the rain at night
...was a good idea...
AND IT WAS.
...what?! XD
AWESOME!
Anyway, around, like, 10 PM,
it started raining again,
and good lord, it had been raining hardcore earlier that day,
so First Rain was def going down
down down down ↓
Yep!
SOOOO, I brought up a towel to the lounge,
...and left it there...
for later...
then, I got left behind...
XD FAIL!
So I ran downstairs, with my clothes still on and stuff,
and got out to the Porter quad,
where I saw masses of naked people
Oh, I love Porter.
I found Allyson, Ryan, Julia, and the other people we were running with: Casey, Rayne, Asher, and Cooper
They're all good friends of mine now. :]
So, uh, I took my pants off...
...and my shirt...
annnnnd
then I was standing in the Porter quad, half naked.
Cool.
I had Allyson take my bra off,
and then
it started.
HOLYFUCKNAKEDRUNNINGPEOPLEPARTSMOVINGWHOOOAAAA
...it was fun... :]
We ran up through Kresge, where we were joined by many people,
'cause Kresge is actually cool 'n stuff.
The streets were lined with those who wanted to see the awesomeness that was naked running people.
The awesomeness, it was so intense.
We continued running, and uh,
Vans
don't really have all that great of traction
so
um
I kinda
slipped
a few
times
and stuff
:(
The group actually moved fairly quickly, so uh,
I kinda couldn't breathe and stuff
and...
y'know
there was that uh
giant splint on my arm
'cause my hand was broken!
It was covered in a giant trash bag,
and Riley had wrote
"ARM CONDOM" on it :]
It's on my wall now, it's so awesome!
Anyway, that kinda slowed me down a bit
so I ended up at the back of the pack
with the chick with the viking hat on
She's from my hall. Really nice.
and we just kinda took
a shortcut or two
and enjoyed a naked stroll
through UCSC~!
It was freakin' fatabulous!
We caught up with the group and eventually ended up at Opers
which is the gym-type place
that has an Olympic-sized swimming pool
that a whole shit load of naked people might've jumped over a fence to swim in
Wet. Naked. People. Running. WTFFF
Then I lost my viking friend for a little, but ran into Liz!
Who was a little schwasted, but oh man, I think she was content with life.
After that we ran through the bookstore area, and got a little lost...
and I found Julia and Allyson again!
...then I lost them, again.
Deeeeeeeerp.
Uuuuhhh... then we were heading back to Porter
and I ran into my roommate!
and she was like HEEEEEEEEEEEY
and I was like HEEEEEEEEY
It was great.
Then we were in like a naked circle of awesome, chanting "Nudity is unity!"
and Ryan was there!
in his pea-coat
which I found to be oh so amusing.
Then
then...
I had a moment.
A wonderful, beautiful, amazing moment.
I felt free.
I felt beautiful.
I felt amazing.
I was amazing.
Being naked with a lot of other naked people is really fun.
Well, we finally got back to Porter,
and I got my towel from the lounge
and turned around to see Asher's GIANT FUCKING HORSECOCK
Then we had a shower party!
There's nothing better than showering with your new friends to learn how to be comfortable around them!
Woohoo~!
The shower was so warm.
We were in the handicap stall in B5 center... so we had like 6 or 7 people in there.
Someone had the shower head thing, and that person was all just kinda spraying us down.
It was. So. Awesome.
Then we went to the dining hall in our pajamas.
'Cause we could.
and we had a wonderful and amazing feast.
Then we all kinda passed out.
FUCK YEAH FIRST RAIN!
It was an amazing, awesome, and fantastic experience I'll never forget.
and daaaaaaaaaaaamn dude, I can't wait to do it again next year!
Sunday, October 18, 2009
First Rain Wiki
→ First Rain is an annual event held at the University of California, Santa Cruz (UCSC) beginning at Porter College. It is also known as Naked Run and Porter Run. During the first rainfall of the school year, students run naked through the campus, starting at Porter College at 10:10pm, stopping in each college and gathering more runners, before returning to Porter for a drum circle. To officially be considered "first rain", it must have been raining from at least 7:00pm-10:00pm on a school night.
→ First Rain started in fall of 1989, following the weeks of the Loma Prieta earthquake. Students, afraid to sleep inside the Porter College dorms, would sleep outside in the quad. Upon developing an outside lifestyle of playing small games like Simon Says, students dared each other to strip and run around campus naked. Aiming to make this event a yearly tradition as it is at other universities, the students decided on running during the first rain of every school year (since other events, like the first school day or first snow had already been taken by other universities).
→ First Rain started in fall of 1989, following the weeks of the Loma Prieta earthquake. Students, afraid to sleep inside the Porter College dorms, would sleep outside in the quad. Upon developing an outside lifestyle of playing small games like Simon Says, students dared each other to strip and run around campus naked. Aiming to make this event a yearly tradition as it is at other universities, the students decided on running during the first rain of every school year (since other events, like the first school day or first snow had already been taken by other universities).
Monday, September 28, 2009
The Robot Guys
So, there's some people in our hall,
wearing cardboard boxes,
and singing songs from Grease.
They're robots, and they are freaking awesome.
I love college.
wearing cardboard boxes,
and singing songs from Grease.
They're robots, and they are freaking awesome.
I love college.
Friday, September 25, 2009
The Awesomesauce, It is so Delicious.
Well, 'cause I said awesomesauce, gotta talk about the food here.
At UC Santa Cruz, they serve the cheese pizza of the Gods.
It's freaking amazing.
It's piping hot, fresh, good cheese, good sauce, crispy but still soft somehow crust...
Ohh Emm Gee, Homie.
That shit is delicious.
The chocolate ice cream here tastes like chocolate milk, and it too, is Ohh Emm Gee Homie deliciousness status.
Today I have my first classes! (at 11)
I get to go to.... boooooorring Porter Core, ASTRONOMY!!, and um
Econ.
Yay, econ!
I love common sense 101! :]
I'm super excited... I just want to GO
Well, I have to travel across campus to get to Astronomy/Econ, but that's okay.
This campus is
B E A U T I F U L.
Like, even Akon couldn't make this more beautiful.
Oh and then there's my new friends
Who I think might actually die if they didn't smoke at least once per day...
They go out to the meadow...
I sit in my room and wait 'til they're done...
but see, stoners are stoners
and they forget me sometimes.. makes me really sad :(
but it's okay, 'cause people are funny when they are high :D
I still want to find my Slug too! I don't think he does anything, so I'd like to get to know him more since the only other person who doesn't smoke here is Leah and... well... she's nice... but I'd rather get to know him... XD
UCSC is so fun, so amazing
like, we go downtown (for free) on the bus and just hang out in music shops...
I must say, it is very chill..
Oh, and the SoCal people freakin' hate people who say hella.
It's hella funny, I saw a "NO HELLA ZONE" poster on someone's cork board this morning.. XD
This weekend, I get to go explore caves! Down and dirty in Santa Cruz wutwut?
Teehee :3 not really!
But man I can't wait FOR class and I REALLY can't wait for class to be over...
I'll be back at dorms at like 3:30... 11 - 3:30 MWF for class isn't bad :]
Oh and dude
we got hot showers this morning
it was glorious. I was so damn happy.
Though the guys upstairs keep telling us group showers conserve water...
I hate boys.
:]
Only in Santa Cruz.
At UC Santa Cruz, they serve the cheese pizza of the Gods.
It's freaking amazing.
It's piping hot, fresh, good cheese, good sauce, crispy but still soft somehow crust...
Ohh Emm Gee, Homie.
That shit is delicious.
The chocolate ice cream here tastes like chocolate milk, and it too, is Ohh Emm Gee Homie deliciousness status.
Today I have my first classes! (at 11)
I get to go to.... boooooorring Porter Core, ASTRONOMY!!, and um
Econ.
Yay, econ!
I love common sense 101! :]
I'm super excited... I just want to GO
Well, I have to travel across campus to get to Astronomy/Econ, but that's okay.
This campus is
B E A U T I F U L.
Like, even Akon couldn't make this more beautiful.
Oh and then there's my new friends
Who I think might actually die if they didn't smoke at least once per day...
They go out to the meadow...
I sit in my room and wait 'til they're done...
but see, stoners are stoners
and they forget me sometimes.. makes me really sad :(
but it's okay, 'cause people are funny when they are high :D
I still want to find my Slug too! I don't think he does anything, so I'd like to get to know him more since the only other person who doesn't smoke here is Leah and... well... she's nice... but I'd rather get to know him... XD
UCSC is so fun, so amazing
like, we go downtown (for free) on the bus and just hang out in music shops...
I must say, it is very chill..
Oh, and the SoCal people freakin' hate people who say hella.
It's hella funny, I saw a "NO HELLA ZONE" poster on someone's cork board this morning.. XD
This weekend, I get to go explore caves! Down and dirty in Santa Cruz wutwut?
Teehee :3 not really!
But man I can't wait FOR class and I REALLY can't wait for class to be over...
I'll be back at dorms at like 3:30... 11 - 3:30 MWF for class isn't bad :]
Oh and dude
we got hot showers this morning
it was glorious. I was so damn happy.
Though the guys upstairs keep telling us group showers conserve water...
I hate boys.
:]
Only in Santa Cruz.
Monday, March 16, 2009
Monday, February 2, 2009
Sunday, February 1, 2009
Thee 31st of Jan!
What a wonderful, amazing, marathon of a day. :]
Woke up at 6... Ruby picked me up at like 6:55... (20 mins before I was expecting her!)
went and got Lidia...
went and got Ben & Breanna...
...went and got Rachel...
Ruby's car only holds 5 people... generally...
there was 4 of us in the back... it's a good thing I like all my friends or I'd of been very, very, uncomfortable...
we arrived at Safeway to get some index cards... and some Starbucks of course
Vanilla Bean, yummm!
btw - drinking cold things in the morning is not a good idea...
but nevertheless, so tasty!
We got to the courthouse at around... 7:50?
...and had to stand out in the cold until 8:00 when they finally let us in!
Found out defense was going first... (me!)
We were up against Florin... I think we killed them, to be honest!
I got all of my testimony right :] and I didn't giggle!
Rachel was killing people with insane objections... the judge called her a Bulldog XD
intense!
Ruby "knocked the judge's socks off"
She did amazing... her closing was just like BAM!
Yaaay, good job, totally rocked that!
Then we went out to eat at this amazing little resturant called Hamburger Patty's
I know, weird name, but oh my God the food was sooo amazing...
I had a burger smothered in Teriyaki... it came with a knife in it o,o
!!!
Mr. Manch's brother owns the resturant, so we ate a like... $80-100 meal for $50...
and then Mr. Manch just paid for it...
Free amazing food... is the best thing in the world...
Manch is so awesome!
Anyway, we got back to the courthouse around 12:35
...we got lost on the way back... <.> ...
Prosecution's turn!
Since our other attorney for that side couldn't make it, Amanda, our beast attorney had to do the case all by herself...
which, she kind of did, anyway, considering she wrote the whole thing and the other attorney was basically just reading crap off
Think we did better without the other girl!
Well, we were up against El Camino... and we got the judge from hell
Sure, he was great for educational purposes...
...if you wanted to sit there and listen to him for like 4 hours
...as the jury
...
Well, we destroyed El Camino
Amanda got like... at least 50% of their testimoney striken from the record...
and the other 50% they had was just horrid, anyway
along with their opening and closing statements...?
Their defandant freakin' fell asleep!
and their Pre-Trial Attorney...
They weren't dressed right... didn't adress the court right... I mean wow
I didn't know there was a school out there that we would look amazing against XD
So anyway, Mock Trial didn't end until about 3:45...
I had to be at home at 4 PM...?
WHAT?!
Mock Trial was supposed to end at about 2:30...
okay...
It takes about 20 mins to get back home from downtown
Nevermind the fact that we had to drop Ben off at his dad's...
I didn't get home 'til about 4:30...
...and I found nobody at my house ready to pratice
save my BFF cello, Stephen
so that was sort of, um, useless?
We went to the school around 5, because the rest of the group showed up there.
Praticed for maybe 30 mins XD people were whining it was too cold...
I like them otherwise I would have made them stay outside...
We had timing problems, and for some reason it was really hard to hear me...
but! we pulled it off...
I think the show was a success, but there was less people there than at an orchestra concert...
My friend James gave me a giant plate of spaghetti and some apple pie...
being friends with people in the cooking academy is always a good idea!
Finally got home at about 8 PM...
14 hour day... wooow...
so long, but it was really rewarding and I felt pretty good about it all...
now it's 7 AM the next day!
...and I gotta do some homework and head off to Santa Cruz :]!!
GO SLUUGS!
& buy Marron Glace, please?
Woke up at 6... Ruby picked me up at like 6:55... (20 mins before I was expecting her!)
went and got Lidia...
went and got Ben & Breanna...
...went and got Rachel...
Ruby's car only holds 5 people... generally...
there was 4 of us in the back... it's a good thing I like all my friends or I'd of been very, very, uncomfortable...
we arrived at Safeway to get some index cards... and some Starbucks of course
Vanilla Bean, yummm!
btw - drinking cold things in the morning is not a good idea...
but nevertheless, so tasty!
We got to the courthouse at around... 7:50?
...and had to stand out in the cold until 8:00 when they finally let us in!
Found out defense was going first... (me!)
We were up against Florin... I think we killed them, to be honest!
I got all of my testimony right :] and I didn't giggle!
Rachel was killing people with insane objections... the judge called her a Bulldog XD
intense!
Ruby "knocked the judge's socks off"
She did amazing... her closing was just like BAM!
Yaaay, good job, totally rocked that!
Then we went out to eat at this amazing little resturant called Hamburger Patty's
I know, weird name, but oh my God the food was sooo amazing...
I had a burger smothered in Teriyaki... it came with a knife in it o,o
!!!
Mr. Manch's brother owns the resturant, so we ate a like... $80-100 meal for $50...
and then Mr. Manch just paid for it...
Free amazing food... is the best thing in the world...
Manch is so awesome!
Anyway, we got back to the courthouse around 12:35
...we got lost on the way back... <.> ...
Prosecution's turn!
Since our other attorney for that side couldn't make it, Amanda, our beast attorney had to do the case all by herself...
which, she kind of did, anyway, considering she wrote the whole thing and the other attorney was basically just reading crap off
Think we did better without the other girl!
Well, we were up against El Camino... and we got the judge from hell
Sure, he was great for educational purposes...
...if you wanted to sit there and listen to him for like 4 hours
...as the jury
...
Well, we destroyed El Camino
Amanda got like... at least 50% of their testimoney striken from the record...
and the other 50% they had was just horrid, anyway
along with their opening and closing statements...?
Their defandant freakin' fell asleep!
and their Pre-Trial Attorney...
They weren't dressed right... didn't adress the court right... I mean wow
I didn't know there was a school out there that we would look amazing against XD
So anyway, Mock Trial didn't end until about 3:45...
I had to be at home at 4 PM...?
WHAT?!
Mock Trial was supposed to end at about 2:30...
okay...
It takes about 20 mins to get back home from downtown
Nevermind the fact that we had to drop Ben off at his dad's...
I didn't get home 'til about 4:30...
...and I found nobody at my house ready to pratice
save my BFF cello, Stephen
so that was sort of, um, useless?
We went to the school around 5, because the rest of the group showed up there.
Praticed for maybe 30 mins XD people were whining it was too cold...
I like them otherwise I would have made them stay outside...
We had timing problems, and for some reason it was really hard to hear me...
but! we pulled it off...
I think the show was a success, but there was less people there than at an orchestra concert...
My friend James gave me a giant plate of spaghetti and some apple pie...
being friends with people in the cooking academy is always a good idea!
Finally got home at about 8 PM...
14 hour day... wooow...
so long, but it was really rewarding and I felt pretty good about it all...
now it's 7 AM the next day!
...and I gotta do some homework and head off to Santa Cruz :]!!
GO SLUUGS!
& buy Marron Glace, please?
Friday, January 30, 2009
Holy God, so Tired.
Tomorrow I gotta be up at 6 AM... gotta be downtown by 8:30 AM
...I get home God only knows when...
at 3 I gotta start getting ready for the benefit concert...
for Africa Water! Yay!
... at 4 gotta start praticing so we don't blow our part... XD
Gotta be at school at 5:30 PM...
Walking!
Gotta do that concert crap... don't know how long it's going to take
then Sunday I am going to Santa Cruz to see my wonderful school :]
Which is of course, a good thing!
I'll be gone until Monday...
and man, after this week I am already so damn tired...
and I've got so much work to do!
like 100 pages in Pride & Prejudice...
French stuff...
a chapter in AP Gov
...some weird crap for AP Gov
research for Engligh...!
and it's all gotta be done by basically tomorrow night... D: wtf
tonight I've just been too tired to think... I don't know how I'm gonna get myself to relax so I can get all of this crap done!
:O so buusssy~!
Needs more sleep... I've been up since 5 AM so I could study for a test...
!!! Sleepy
...I get home God only knows when...
at 3 I gotta start getting ready for the benefit concert...
for Africa Water! Yay!
... at 4 gotta start praticing so we don't blow our part... XD
Gotta be at school at 5:30 PM...
Walking!
Gotta do that concert crap... don't know how long it's going to take
then Sunday I am going to Santa Cruz to see my wonderful school :]
Which is of course, a good thing!
I'll be gone until Monday...
and man, after this week I am already so damn tired...
and I've got so much work to do!
like 100 pages in Pride & Prejudice...
French stuff...
a chapter in AP Gov
...some weird crap for AP Gov
research for Engligh...!
and it's all gotta be done by basically tomorrow night... D: wtf
tonight I've just been too tired to think... I don't know how I'm gonna get myself to relax so I can get all of this crap done!
:O so buusssy~!
Needs more sleep... I've been up since 5 AM so I could study for a test...
!!! Sleepy
Monday, October 27, 2008
Help Me Out!
College Admissions Essay.
If anybody even reads this blog, please leave a comment with suggestions on anything!
I am applying to UCSC (University of California, Santa Cruz) and I want my essay to be amazing!
Thanks!
:]
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Everybody Needs a College Education
My name is Darlene McCoy and I play the viola. It is what I do, and who I am. A viola is a violin with a college education – it is simply something one cannot live without! The viola is like a violin, except it has different strings, is bigger; and its sound is deeper than the violin’s. I have been playing my reject of an instrument since the 4th grade, and ever since I started playing it, it has been a huge influence on my life. When I started playing under Mr. Kevin Sims though, the mere influence music had on my life grew to much more than just that. Being part of The Big Red Music Machine has been the most rewarding experience in my life. I have found a second family, our tradition of excellence is unparalleled in my eyes, and as a senior member of the orchestra this year, I plan to put the astounding amount of love I’ve matured toward making this year the best yet. I not only want to continue our tradition of excellence, but I want to do more.
The family I have found is not only within my own section, but in the orchestra as a whole. As the viola section, we take immense pride in being violas. We’re an uncommon instrument and usually are not recognized for being amazing players. This year, the violas hope to be the best section in the class. Our sectionals are so productive because we work so well together, respect each other, and help each other. I am the viola section’s mother. I take care of us. I make sure our baskets for various events are complete; I make sure our music is in the proper folder, and I help with just about everything in general. As a whole orchestra, my family could fill twenty pages of paper with wonderful experiences. We’ve gone on many trips together, and our bonds are so tight that when I walk into class, I don’t feel like I’m in school, I feel home. We even have Shoeless Friday, and Joke Wednesday! Even the freshmen this year are being incorporated, and are starting to feel those wonderful bonds. When I leave Cordova High, I believe I will be shedding many tears knowing that I will have to be away from my family. Mr. Sims is more than just a teacher to everybody in the orchestra, and to me, he seems more like a father, because I never really had one of my own, and I have learned so much from him in such a short time.
Music is something that allows one to put everything into what they are playing. Passion, rhythm, timing, and accuracy are all things one must have to play and play well. Just being in orchestra has taught me so much about perseverance and hard work. Everything about playing but the passion is hard for me. When Sims says give me emotion; I give him my fiercest anger, my most joyous happiness, or my most remorseful sadness, and when I can’t seem to make my fingers work to play a measure, I don’t stop. I sit there and work on that measure until it is right, because my family is counting on me to play that harmony. I put my heart and soul into everything I play could be the understatement of the year.
This year, I have put more effort into orchestra than ever. I have participated in every event so far, and I plan to create a small concert group. The group will consist of three violins, three violas, and a cello. Besides keeping up with the usual tradition of excellence, we are going to set our own. This group will work hard to perfect whatever piece we play, and the dedication to it will be even unparalleled to the Big Red Music Machine. We’ll call ourselves More, because that is what we’re going to do.
As the entire orchestra, I want every piece we play to be better than the last. I want us to play every note perfectly in tune. I want us to learn more and do more. I do not like to settle for mediocre, and I am determined to always do my best, and project the tradition of excellence to everybody I meet, and in everything I do. I plan to continue this tradition, and to take the lessons and passion I’ve learned from orchestra, and apply them to my studies.
If anybody even reads this blog, please leave a comment with suggestions on anything!
I am applying to UCSC (University of California, Santa Cruz) and I want my essay to be amazing!
Thanks!
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Everybody Needs a College Education
My name is Darlene McCoy and I play the viola. It is what I do, and who I am. A viola is a violin with a college education – it is simply something one cannot live without! The viola is like a violin, except it has different strings, is bigger; and its sound is deeper than the violin’s. I have been playing my reject of an instrument since the 4th grade, and ever since I started playing it, it has been a huge influence on my life. When I started playing under Mr. Kevin Sims though, the mere influence music had on my life grew to much more than just that. Being part of The Big Red Music Machine has been the most rewarding experience in my life. I have found a second family, our tradition of excellence is unparalleled in my eyes, and as a senior member of the orchestra this year, I plan to put the astounding amount of love I’ve matured toward making this year the best yet. I not only want to continue our tradition of excellence, but I want to do more.
The family I have found is not only within my own section, but in the orchestra as a whole. As the viola section, we take immense pride in being violas. We’re an uncommon instrument and usually are not recognized for being amazing players. This year, the violas hope to be the best section in the class. Our sectionals are so productive because we work so well together, respect each other, and help each other. I am the viola section’s mother. I take care of us. I make sure our baskets for various events are complete; I make sure our music is in the proper folder, and I help with just about everything in general. As a whole orchestra, my family could fill twenty pages of paper with wonderful experiences. We’ve gone on many trips together, and our bonds are so tight that when I walk into class, I don’t feel like I’m in school, I feel home. We even have Shoeless Friday, and Joke Wednesday! Even the freshmen this year are being incorporated, and are starting to feel those wonderful bonds. When I leave Cordova High, I believe I will be shedding many tears knowing that I will have to be away from my family. Mr. Sims is more than just a teacher to everybody in the orchestra, and to me, he seems more like a father, because I never really had one of my own, and I have learned so much from him in such a short time.
Music is something that allows one to put everything into what they are playing. Passion, rhythm, timing, and accuracy are all things one must have to play and play well. Just being in orchestra has taught me so much about perseverance and hard work. Everything about playing but the passion is hard for me. When Sims says give me emotion; I give him my fiercest anger, my most joyous happiness, or my most remorseful sadness, and when I can’t seem to make my fingers work to play a measure, I don’t stop. I sit there and work on that measure until it is right, because my family is counting on me to play that harmony. I put my heart and soul into everything I play could be the understatement of the year.
This year, I have put more effort into orchestra than ever. I have participated in every event so far, and I plan to create a small concert group. The group will consist of three violins, three violas, and a cello. Besides keeping up with the usual tradition of excellence, we are going to set our own. This group will work hard to perfect whatever piece we play, and the dedication to it will be even unparalleled to the Big Red Music Machine. We’ll call ourselves More, because that is what we’re going to do.
As the entire orchestra, I want every piece we play to be better than the last. I want us to play every note perfectly in tune. I want us to learn more and do more. I do not like to settle for mediocre, and I am determined to always do my best, and project the tradition of excellence to everybody I meet, and in everything I do. I plan to continue this tradition, and to take the lessons and passion I’ve learned from orchestra, and apply them to my studies.
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