STAC Goes to Manhattan

My first STAC trip was yesterday, September 23. It was probably the best trip I've ever been on. No, it WAS the best trip I've ever been on and it always will be. It won't forget this trip for a long time.

The museums had incredible art; even though some of the art was really bizarre. The paintings were amazing and the sculptures were astounding as they always are. That's why they're in a museum; because they're amazing. The play was so funny! Instead of using lines to show emotions, the actors would actually say the emotion which I found hysterical. Towards the end, the stage and house lights were turned off and I thought one of the actors was moving my chair which was really freaky but maybe it was my imaginations. Best play EVER.

But besides the museums and the play, being able to roam around Manhattan was also great! It felt great to be free and go out on our own for a few hours. We went shopping in the Village, roamed around like tourists, and relaxed with good friends. It was a great feeling and I can't wait for our next STAC trip!

Something Different

Today in STAC, we did some acting. I really enjoyed the part
where we walked around and changed our emotions based on what we heard. The next
part, “felt more like public humiliation” as Danny Magaldi mentioned in his
blog.  I felt completely out of place, publicly humiliated, and just a complete disgrace to acting itself. In my eight years of acting, I never felt like I didn’t know anything. Today was totally
different. I felt like it was my first day of acting! It was so strange. I’m
really not used to that. I knew I had a lot to learn before, but now I have
EVEN more to learn. Back to square one I guess. Well, I’m willing to relearn
everything because I love acting and everything along with it. I would go into detail
on what “everything” is but I don’t know whether it’s right or wrong anymore. I
guess you could say I’m in the largest state of mass confusion I’ve ever been
in. I guess I have plenty of time to find out what I need to learn and to how
to learn it.

Who Doesn't Like Writing on the Wall?

Today in STAC we did an interesting activity. We wrote on the HALLWAY WALL
outside of the STAC room! I don't know why I find that so entertaining....
Anyway, what we wrote on the wall was our names and connected it to something
we like. We connected that to several words describing why we liked that thing.

This activity was a fun way to tell the other members of STAC and Herricks
High School what we like and what. our interests are. This is also an activity you don’t do everyday. That's the brilliant part. It's different, it's unique! Being different and unique is
great. If everyone were the same and did things the same way, the world would
be boring. If there is to be lesson learned, you are unique and so are your
talents. Let people know what is unique about you and let them know who you
are.

“Each second we live is a new and unique moment of the
universe, a moment that will never be again. And what do we teach our children?
We teach them that two and two make four, and that Paris
is the capital of France.
When will we also teach them what they are?

We should say to each of them: Do you know what you are? You
are a marvel. You are unique. In all the years that have
passed, there has never been another child like you. Your legs, your arms, your
clever fingers, the way you move. You may become a Shakespeare, a Michelangelo,
a Beethoven. You have the capacity for anything.

If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it
is because he hears a different drummer. Let him step to the music which he
hears, however measured or far away."

- Henry David Thoreau

First Day of High School

High School... How do you describe it? With its jungle like hallways and its
predators. My first day of High School, felt like a trip do a jungle. I had no
idea where I was going most of the time but that's life. In certain parts of
life you go down a path and test it out. Sometimes you don't know what to
expect. Sometimes, you know exactly what will happen. I'd wonder down a hallway
hoping to find the correct classroom. I got lost... several times... but it's
my first day; it's expected to get lost.

Periods 1-6 was a huge blur. But then at period 7, everything slowed down.
STAC time. The moment I stepped into that classroom, I knew it was going to be
a great year. These people had similar interests to mine. Laughter filled the
room, everyone caught up from June and the newbies, (me,) met new people. As periods
7, 8 and 9 went by; I knew this was a start of a new family.