College Prompts

University of Washington 
The Personal Statement is our best means of getting to know you and your best means of creating a context for your academic performance. When you write your personal statement, tell us about those aspects of your life that are not apparent from your academic record. Tell us about the experiences that don’t show up on your transcript:

• a character-defining moment,

• the cultural awareness you’ve developed,

• a challenge faced,

• a personal hardship or barrier overcome.

University of Michigan 

Essay #1 (Required for all applicants. Approximately 250 words.)
Everyone belongs to many different communities and/or groups defined by (among other things) shared geography, religion, ethnicity, income, cuisine, interest, race, ideology, or intellectual heritage. Choose one of the communities to which you belong, and describe that community and your place within it.
University of Southern California 

Describe the world you come from — for example, your family, community or school — and tell us how your world has shaped your dreams and aspirations.

Coming of age draft poster

Coming of Age Final Draft

Scooping my rice and plopping my corn on my plate. Using the tongs to pick up slices of chicken katsu. So hungry after a long day at soccer practice. Waiting until the clock strikes 7:30 to watch the premiere of a T.V show called Young and Hungry on ABC family. I knew the show would be a funny to watch just like modern family. Some show to get hooked on like pretty little lairs for 6 seasons. Once the clock struck 7:30 I was so excited I couldn’t even finish my food.

 The first episode was introducing a girl named Gabi (Emily Osment) and she had no confidence in herself in getting her dream-cooking job, which was becoming a personal chef. Her best friend named Sofia told Gabi that she is an amazing cook and Gabi should always tell herself “I got this” so she can stay confidence in herself. After the talk with Sofia, Gabi took Sofia’s advice and went after her dream of becoming a personal chef. Her boss’s right hand man, Elliot not really believing she has what it takes to become the chef. Gabi proved everyone wrong. At the end Gabi got the job as the personal chef. I knew this shows was suppose to be a comedy, but to me I knew it was going to be much more than that.

The next morning driving to school, looking out of the window re watching the show in my head over and over again. Seeing the TV show reflection in the window. Thinking about what Gabi did in certain situations in life. Trying to think if I was in anyone of those situations. My consensus always said NO. My mind always goes back to the quote "I got this”.  I figured that the quote would give me a boost of confidence and encouragement to get through the day since this quote was stuck in my head. Plus if this quote helps Gabi it should help me. During school I had to present a power point in front of the class. So as usually I'm freaking out hoping I don't get picked first or last. Shaking my left leg over and over again. I try and tell myself to stop but it won’t stop shaking. So what kept me clam and confidence is I said to myself “I got this”. Probably I said it like hundred times, but it really gave me a confidence boost. After the presentation I felt amazing like all if needed was a push and I’m off.

Before the T.V show aired I was lacking self-confidence and hope. I never believed in my work or my talent. I always compared myself to other people. Everyone tells me my work was great but I always wanted it to be perfect. I always wanted to be the best at everything and get perfect scores and perfect grades. Also never wanting to present in front of a crowd, so ashamed to say my opinion in class. Not even raising my hand to ask a question. I came to reality after watching this T.V show. Knowing that people will be smarter than me, faster than me, and better than me in anything I do. I just couldn't see that I need to have faith and hope in myself to become the person I wanted to be. Thinking that having self-confidence will not be the key to success and just sticking to my own thing.

I realized all shows say they teach lessons, like how to be kind and to be honest. This particular show, Young and Hungry teaches lessons that relate to how I feel inside and how I can over come them to become a better more confidence person. People like me that don’t always believe in them 100% 24/7 needs this kind of advice. Once watching this T.V show I realized to always have confidence in your self. Its kind of weird to be taking self -confidence advice from a T.V show but it really helped me to understand many things in life. One important life lesson that I have learned through watching this show is to believe in yourself and never give up. If I mess up on my presentation I would panic inside, but knowing never to give up I would continue the presentation proudly. Still till this day my screen saver for my phone hasn’t change. It's still “I got this”.  This quote gives me confidence and hope when no one else can. It always tells me that no matter what happens I did my best and I should be proud and confidence is the key to success. This show has taught me what I’m missing from my life, confidence and hope. Knowing what just happened is the past and now it's a new day to start fresh.

Blog Revision Process

What changes did you make and how does the new header show your skill in graphic design?

The changes that I made was my background, blog archive and my header. My header shows off my graphic design skills because I put purple flowers in the back of my title and my pictures. Also I cut myself out and placed it on my header. 

How did you organize your blog archive?

I organize my blog archive by organizing all my post my year then by month. 

Coming of Age Draft Essay

Scooping my rice and plopping my corn on my plate. Using the tongs to pick up slices of chicken katsu. So hungry after a long day at soccer practice. Waiting until the clock strikes 7:30 to watch the premiere of a T.V show called Young and Hungry on ABC family. Before the premiere I was watching all the trailers and commercials leading up till the premiere. I knew the show would be a funny to watch just like modern family. Some show to get hooked on like pretty little lairs for 6 seasons. One of my favorite actresses, Emily Osment was the main character. Once the clock struck 7:30 I was so excited I couldn’t even finish my food.

 The first episode was introducing a girl named Gabi (Emily Osment) and she had no confidence in herself in getting her dream-cooking job, which was becoming a personal chef. Her best friend named Sofia told Gabi that she is an amazing cook and Gabi should always tell herself “I got this” so she can stay confidence in herself. After the talk with Sofia, Gabi took Sofia’s advice and went after her dream of becoming a personal chef. Her boss’s right hand man, Elliot not really believing she has what it takes to become the chef. Gabi proved everyone wrong. At the end Gabi got the job as the personal chef.  Usually the first episode sets the stage if I’m going to continue watching the show or not. Some how I knew from all the trailers and commercials this show would be very different. This show is supposed to be a comedy, but to me I knew it was going to be much more than that. I had a feeling this show would change my life. After the first episode of this show I was ready to watch the next one and the next one and the next one.

The next morning on the way to school I was getting tired of my phone screen saver.  Always seeing a dinosaur cleaning up the city not the best picture I could choose. Looking out of the window re watching the show in my head over and over again. Also trying to pick a picture for my screen saver at the same time. Thinking about what Gabi did in certain situations in life. My mind always goes back to the quote was “I got this”.  I figured that the quote would give me a boost of confidence and encouragement to get through the day since this quote was stuck in my head. Plus if this quote helps Gabi it should help me. During school I had to present a power point in front of the class. So what kept me clam and confidence is I said to myself “I got this”. Probably I said it like hundred times, but it really gave me a confidence boost. After the presentation I felt amazing like all if needed was a push and I’m off.

I realized all shows say they teach lessons, like how to be kind and to be honest. This particular show, Young and Hungry teaches lessons that relate to how I feel inside and how I can over come them to become a better more confidence person. People like me that don’t always believe in them 100% 24/7 needs this kind of advice. Once watching this T.V show I realized to always have confidence in your self. Its kind of weird to be taking self -confidence advice from a T.V show but it really helped me to understand many things in life. One important life lesson that I have learned through watching this show is to believe in yourself and never give up. This show has taught me what I’m missing from my life, confidence and hope. Still till this day my screen saver for my phone hasn’t change. It's still “I got this”. It always tells me that no matter what happens I did my best and I should be proud and confidence is the key to success.  

"Mini-Essay"

When people come to the Hawaiian Islands for a vacation, the first thing they want to do is to go sight seeing. Seeing the beautiful nature and the blue ocean water is just the perfect memory. When looking at the sights there is a lot of dangers that could happen when you are trying to get the perfect shoot. You are risking your life on the line to see the view. A lot of people and tourist go back to their homes and have the best memories of a life time to remember, some on the other hand don't. Someone of these people like David Potts, Paul Tam Mai, and others never made it back to their families. Their death got their families suing the government. They should be suing the location were they were found dead. It's the location's fault because they have a lack of signs, lack of boundaries, and lack of security. 

These people like David Potts, Paul Tam Mai and others went to popular sight seeing attractions. Theses sights such as the Nakalele Point have only one sign by the parking lot. It states "Walk at your own risk" hand painted on a sign. A lot of people don't see the sign and just pass it and go to the sight not knowing to walk at their own risk. Putting more signs and making the signs bright  so people will pay more attention, will help get the point across of walking at their own risk. Having more signs saying the dangers and the risk that you could be putting yourself in. The same thing happened at Hawaiian Paradise Park, no hazards signs. The park have a dangerous rocky cliff that has knocked people offshore. The "landowners could be legally vulnerable if they have not adequately installed and maintained signs notifying the public of potential hazards". Making notifying signs and hazards signs are extremely important because you don't want to be a potential liability. You want to make sure that everyone will be safe. 

Reading signs when sight seeing is very important because you want to make sure you are safe and everyone around you are also safe. With deaths happening around popular sight seeing spots it's a real debate on if it's the person's fault, the location's fault, or the government's fault. It's the location's fault because the person doesn't have control of mother nature and the government doesn't own the land so they can't put up their own signs. The location has to take the blame because there is a lack of signs, lack of boundaries, and lack of security. 

Group Position Statements

Group: Jocelyn, Jessie and Naomi

Topic: Who is to blamed for the incidents at sight seeing spots on Hawaii?


Arguable/Viewpoints:
Person's fault
Location's fault
Government's fault

Person's fault
unaware of their surroundings
careless
ignorant

Location's fault
lack of having signs
mother nature
lack of boundaries (railings,fences)

Government's fault
lack of funding for signs
lack of notifying the public
lack of having money for up keeping the place

Position Statements:

It's the people fault because they are careless, ignorant, and are unaware of their surroundings.

It's the location's fault because of the lack of having signs and boundaries. Also mother nature can suddenly injure or kill people in an instant.

It's the government's fault because of the lack of funding for signs and up keeping the place. The government also isn't notifying the public about dangerous sight seeing spots.