Lisa Conway > Recent Status Updates

I really liked this book. It was very interesting to see the different points of views of all the ethnicities and friend groups in the school. It showed me how grateful I am to live in such a good and safe community.

"But I guess popularity always has and always will take its toll on people. (216) This quote is still true today. I know many people that all they care about is being popular and were not friends anymore. They care more about their social status, instead of their close friends. I could care less about being popular so I stick to my group of friends and we all care for each other.

"All that matters to them is that I am not doing their work." (199) I feel bad for this student because if they're going through hard times a teacher should be able to understand. This student also could've reached out to their teacher more so the teacher didn't think they just were choosing not to do the work. It's hard when you have a teacher who doesn't care, like this student did.

"Hearing about Rosa Parks and her protest showed me that there is a hope for me and all the students in Mrs. G's classes to truly be catalysts for change." (153) These students now saw that they can do anything and they can change. Learning about Rosa Parks taught them that even the littlest of people can still make a huge change in society. This student now has hope that she can change her life around.

"We were like a fire triangle, he was the oxygen, I was the flame and together we made the fuel." (131) This is a simile and the author was comparing the boy and his friends to a fire triangle. Together they supported each other and made each other stronger. And when someone was the water and put the friend group out, they all went down together.

"I thought he was just playing around and being a little aggressive, but then he started yelling at me and calling me names." (129) If I was in this situation I would've reported it right away. It's not right to even let anyone touch you to begin with. Mrs. Gruwell's students don't know right from wrong and didn't say anything because they're scared of the people they live around. That's not the way to live.

"Ever since that day I've tried not to accept society's labels, but to fight against them." (93) This quote means to just ignore the stereotypes society makes and to prove them wrong. Also just ignore them and not pay attention because most of the time they aren't true.

"At that moment, I became like the fire, and like the lightning and like thunder." (89) This is a simile and it expresses that she is now powerful and complete. She now u see stands the how she has to connect Anne Frank's message to her own life.

"I can't believe how peer pressure can take charge of a person's life and change who they are." (69) My biggest fear is being peer pressured. It can really change who a person is and make everything worse. It can make a person do horrible things that they would never do on a daily basis.

"...because school is one of the things I love doing" (54) Every teacher wants their students to enjoy going to class every single day. Mrs. Gruwell accomplished that by having a special connection with each student. By also adding fun activities to educational lessons she accomplished her goal.

"I turned my life around" (26) This quote shows that everyone can turn they're life around if they try. This kid went to jail and ever since has never gotten into trouble again. Even if you are the worst kid, If you put your mind to it, anything is possible.

"To hear people talk about my art gives me the strength to continue what I do" (21) It's good to hear that even though the kids in Long Beach have a way to express themselves. This particular kid loves to draw and that's what he does all day. It makes him happy and takes his mind off all the worries and crimes in his town.

"On the way home, I get chased by mostly older fools with bats and knives" (12) It's crazy to believe that they have to be cautious when walking on the street. They could be jumped or even killed. In Port Washington we can walk alone on the street but there they need to be armed and ready to fight at any time.

"Each race has its own section and no one mixes" (8) This quote shoes that in Long Beach they're very segregated and all hate each other. The only people they actually like are their type or people like them. In our school it's much more diverse and everyone is friends with everyone, this school is just the opposite.

"It's like you speaking two different languages" (162) It is hard for Bethany's interviewers to connect with her and understand because they've never been bit by a shark or they aren't such a successful surfer like her. She says that it gets annoying to keep repeating the same story and being asked the same questions but she adjusts to it and makes it work.

"It's like we're talking two different languages" (162)

"I truly believe that faith is a big part of what did get me through it." (134) Bethany thinks that if she didn't have faith she wouldn't have had such an amazing recovery and comeback. Faith helps people when they don't even realize until after when they look back.

"Animals dart by like a shadow" (124) This is a simile comparing the shark underneath her to how fast a shadow can move. Bethany didn't even realize that the shark was underneath her until it actually attacked her. Using the simile made her really emphasize her point.

"Removed from the circus that was going on" (92) This is an idiom because there wasn't an actual circus going on in the waiting room. It was very chaotic because everyone was nervous and didn't know what to do about Bethany. Her whole family seemed very calm, including her and I know I would be not calm at all.

"Bethany, don't you miss campus life?" (62) At first I thought it was hard for her to not be with her friends at school and be home all the time. But her friends are from surfing or from her church and that's where she spends her time. She doesn't mind being homeschooled and actually enjoys it.

"There was after all, salt water in the blood line" (31) I think this is a metaphor because she's comparing what's in your blood line to salt water. The liquids in your blood line make you up and are very important so she is saying how salt water is in her body and Meant for her. Bethany's whole family surfs so much that they have developed a strong love for the sport.

"One try and Dad was hooked" (22) This quote also represents my family and I with basketball and lacrosse. Ever since I picked up a basketball or my lacrosse stick I've been in love just like her dad. I always want to play and never want to leave the court or field like Bethany's dad doesn't want to stop surfing and will surf in the winter.

After reading I Am Malala my perspective on life has changed. She really went through hard times and didn't have a lot to work with. This shows how grateful I should be with everything I have. I really liked this book because it was very inspirational and written very well. Malala makes an amazing point saying that anyone can do anything if you put your mind to it.

After Malala was shot, she had to relearn all the basics of life. "How strange to have to work so hard on something that used to be second nature." (168) I can relate to a part of what's she's going through because after I broke my leg I couldn't walk normal and took a while to get my walking back to normal. It was very hard and like Malala required a lot of physical therapy.

"And I didn't hear the crack, crack, crack of the three bullets" (130) Malala uses repetition and onomatopoeia to emphasize and really bring the story to life. She says crack to make it seem like the bullet is going through her body at the moment. This onomatopoeia really makes he story much more realistic and brings it to life.

"So I decided to start an education foundation" (124) Malala is just an all around really good person. Everything she does is to help people in a positive way. Her attitude towards everything is so inspirational considering she had a death threat and didn't freak out, she stayed so calm.

"We felt like the taliban saw us as little dolls to control, telling us what to do and how to dress." (124) I don't know how I would handle this situation, I would want to stick up for myself but I know that I couldn't because I would have to face tbe consequences.