Schema Builder 1: Watching home videos from the past

I've spent this past week digging through boxes in the attic in order to find a bunch of our old videos. I've always wanted to get through all of them, but I've never had enough time. However, I now have all the time in the world thanks to quarantining!

To be honest, I have never laughed and cried so hard in my life. Watching these has made me do a lot of reflecting and questioning. It's opened my eyes to what life was like between my parents and all of the moments in time I don't remember. For example, I had the opportunity to watch clips from my parents' wedding (yes, I actually found those). Just watching it made me realize how much I didn't know about my parents and that day in general. My dad had to explain to me how difficult the wedding was because he and my mom were fighting the night before they were supposed to exchange vows. Looking back, however, he commented that the fight was something insignificant that they made a huge deal out of. My parents agreed that it was nerves that truly made that day as miserable as it was for them, but overall it seemed like they had a good time. 

I also got to watch videos from my early childhood. Some of the moments brought back many vivid memories that I wish I had remembered early on. One of the videos was Thanksgiving at my grandparents' house in 2006, which I didn't remember at all until watching this video. At this point in time, I was three years old and we had just become a family of five. My younger brother, Everett, had been born four days prior to Thanksgiving that year. Because of watching this moment, I can remember having dinner at the big dining room table at my grandparents' old house in Long Island, and I remember holding my younger brother on this big brown leather chair that sat in the corner of the living room. It's crazy how many moments in life we fail to remember! 

Schema Builder 2: Renee, Current Quarantine Complaint

Although boredom is (fortunately) still the most pressing issue in my life currently, something new that's been bothering me I realized, is that this pandemic is taking place right in the middle of my favorite time of year. Yes, we can take walks and spend time outside, but the whole situation is putting a serious damper on what I'm usually most looking forward to. I want to see my friends more than anything, especially now that the weather is nice and there is much more daylight. Of course, as soon as we are getting out of the annual seasonal depression from the winter, we're in a pandemic (hooray!) I'm just hoping that it ends or slows down sometime in May so I still get the last of the spring season.

Something positive however that came out today, however, is that prom is not canceled rather postponed until mid-July. I'm so grateful that it's not canceled in general even though I'm not sure how doing makeup along with pictures in the blazing heat will go, but we'll find out. It's way better than canceling all together because I think all of us that are going will need that after social isolation. I am also extremely upset at the news that we won't be returning to school. I thoroughly enjoyed my junior year and wasn't ready for it to be over. I feel even worse for the seniors in that regard, as well as the uncertainty graduation holds.

I hope everyone is staying safe and has been going outside for the spring weather but is practicing social distancing so that we can see our friends even sooner. If anyone has any ideas on how to fully embrace the warm weather to come in unique ways, let me know. It's really hard to be happy when we're in such a dark time. I think we all are itching to go do things; even those of us who are usually home-bodies. We are not meant to be alone or with the same people all hours of the day, every day; so matter someone's situation, we are all being affected by the pandemic in our own way.

Stay safe!

Sydney Schema Builder #2: Walks

Walks are very underrated. Before this mess started I really didn’t go on many walks. I got all the exercise I needed from dance, marching band, and personal fitness. Not to mention I didn’t really have time to walk even if I wanted to. Now that I’ve had the time, it’s been really nice to just walk around with my dog.

Not only are walks great for physical health, but they’re also just very relaxing. I enjoy being able to just be by myself for a little while and listening to music. I also get to see a lot of the kind people in my neighborhood who just smile and wave.

Although I love taking my dog Ivan with me on these walks, he is also quite the trouble maker. He is both famous and infamous in my neighborhood. All of my neighbors absolutely love him and many will call him over to give him treats, or they’ll even ask if they can walk him. Everyone in the neighborhood knows him as a happy and friendly dog, and everyone is always happy to see him.

On the other hand, the dogs of the neighborhood can’t stand him. For whatever reason most of the dogs will just start barking nonstop until he is gone. The dog across the street has an especially bad rivalry with him as both of them will sprint to the others yard and pee just to make the other dog mad (don’t worry both us and our neighbors think it’s really funny).

The only real downside of taking Ivan on these walks is that he really likes to mark his territory everywhere. This means that if I say that I’m taking him for a walk before I let him do his business he will refuse to go until we actually start walking. This is very frustrating because I really don’t enjoy walking around and needing to stop every 2 mins to let him do his thing.

Even though he makes things more difficult, I love having my walking buddy around. He makes it much more enjoyable and fun. I also highly suggest that everyone goes on some walks (preferably when less people are out) because they really make quarantine a lot more tolerable.

Liz Schema Builder 2: New Recipe!

This week I decided to distract myself with some baking. I wanted to make something I hadn’t made before, and I was really in the mood for something sweet. I decided to make cinnamon rolls.

Now, I love baking, but something always seems to go wrong for me when I do it. I was determined for these to go right. I read over the recipe, and the only ingredient I didn’t have was yeast. Luckily, my grandmother lives next door and was willing to lend me some. I got started, and while my yeast was activating, I realized I couldn’t find the dough hook for my kitchen-aid mixer. After frantically searching with my mom, I had to defeatedly call my grandmother and ask to borrow hers. So I finish my dough and set it aside to rise. It actually doubled in size like it was supposed to, which was a relief! I went to make the cinnamon-sugar mixture, which is when I discovered that I already used all our butter, and I didn’t have enough cinnamon. At this point, I was really frustrated. I decided to make a make-shift mask and run to the store because I was just missing too many ingredients. After my quick run to the store, I finished up the cinnamon rolls and left them to rise. They didn’t rise like they were supposed to, but oh well, I just popped them in the oven.

Now I’ve never made these before, and I wasn’t sure how to tell if they were done or not. So I left them in the oven for the recommended extra time (cause my oven never seems to bake things fast enough) and took them out. They looked really good to me! Flash forward to a little later, my family and I are eating the cinnamon rolls, and mine is so raw in the middle that I can’t eat parts of it. I took mine out of the middle of the pan, so my family was able to enjoy theirs, but it made me really sad. Next time, I gotta make sure I’m more prepared to bake!

Schema Builder 2: Fishing

With quarantine keeping me away from my friends and other activities I usually do. I have found myself with a lot of free time. So my dad and I have been going fishing a lot more this year than any other. Since we have been cooped up in our house for a while it's a nice excuse to get outside. I happen to really enjoy fishing too. It's an activity that I normally don't get to do because of school and sports on the weekend. Since the corona virus stopped both of those things I'm able to fish in peace.

I don't think fishing is very popular nowadays, but I think its very relaxing. The sound of the water and birds chirping creates a peaceful environment. Even if we don't catch anything i'm still happy because fishing is therapeutic. On the other hand though hooking a fish is exciting and you feel satisfied if you catch it. So it's a win win activity I like to say. Sometimes we wake up early and go out so that we can fish alone which is my favorite. We usually catch and see only trout, but rarely well find a bigger fish called a palomino which is a larger golden fish. We saw one the other day it was about 24 inches long, sadly it wasn't hungry.

The season just started a few days ago so i'm excited to keep going out through the spring. Also my friends and I are planning on going out soon which is going to be fun. I think fishing is a great quarantine activity because you can find fishing holes that no one really goes to. So you will still be practicing social distancing. It's important to get out and get some sunlight so activities like these are very helpful during these times.

13/Schema Builder #2- Julie: Listening to Music - Barbershop

On one of my many sleepless nights, I was watching Youtube and fell into the depths of the different kinds of music that are available for public consumption. First, going from Broadway songs of shows I have never heard of to random a cappella groups, I eventually stumbled upon the amazing world of Barbershop music. Before this experience, I knew of the Barbershop style, but I have never seen a professional performance. Once I did, I was absolutely blown out of my mind by how fascinating it is. 

Though Barbershop is a specific style, each group and their individual members all have their own personality that enthralls any audience (and me). The four members work together to perform music that resonates and makes the piece sound beyond beautiful. During their performance, the quartet not only sings, but they act, dance, and interact with the audience and judges (if there are any), so instead of just listening to the music you can watch how the group interacts with the piece. Also, in my opinion, make the music a bit more fun.

While listening you can find a wide variety of songs available in the Barbershop style. There are the original barbershop songs, which created the genre, but then you can find versions of popular songs throughout the ages and parodies that the quartet groups created. So far, I love listening to all the different groups and the unique ways they present their music. As of now, I like to specifically watch and listen to the groups called: Instant Classic, The Newfangled Four, Signature, and Main Street(pictured below).

Coming upon this type of music has opened a new way for me to experience music, and I quite enjoy it. Listening to this type of music is very relaxing and allows for a good laugh when it comes to parody songs. This find just shows one of the many ways people can enjoy the different ways music can be performed. I recommend going out of your comfort zone when it comes to music because you never know what you actually might like. I know now that if I ever want to listen to something a bit different I can always look for some good old fashioned barbershop, and know that I will enjoy the music.

The Barbershop Group Know as Main Street

Nigohosian Schema Builder 2

In my quarantine generated boredom, I had no idea what to do. I was just so tired of doing the same things in hopes of keeping myself entertained. On a whim, I decided that I would try making food for a change. I wanted to make something relatively simple that did not require many ingredients, as I had no idea what we had on hand with limited shopping orders. After compiling a list of all of the ingredients that we had, I decided on making guacamole after a bit of research. I ended up finding a recipe online, just modifying it a little bit. It didn’t seem too complicated to make so I decided to give it a try. 

To make it I just needed three avocadoes, two jalapeños, half of a tomato and onion, some lime juice, cilantro, and salt. It didn’t really take long to make, I just had to cut up some of the ingredients and just mix them together in a large bowl while seasoning to taste. The final result ended up being pretty good, with everyone enjoying it. It was a nice experience being able to make something that I could enjoy and share with others. I would maybe try to do this more often, but it might be a challenge with a shortage of ingredients due to the current circumstances. Maybe in the future, I can find new recipes to try and make, but for now, this may be all that I can do.

Schema Builder #2: Conquering my Fears

I have a legitimate fear of making decisions (yes, you read that right). I'm such a laid-back, easy-going person that I simply just avoid making decisions at all costs. The reason for this is mainly because I hate the idea of hurting others because of stupid decisions I make, which I have made plenty of in the past. Also, I don't want to make a bad decision because I know it will affect me later. Anyway, I decided (yes, I actually decided on something) to experiment with this problem and make a difficult decision every day for a week. These were the results:

Day 1:
I made the decision to do this. Which was actually really hard. I contemplated over it all day, but then I remembered that I need to do a schema builder for this class so then I just kind of forced myself into this whole mess.

Day 2:
I finally picked a painting for my room! My mom has been bothering me about it for months and I finally decided on it. It's a giant waterfall that's going right across from my bed where I can see it, and it's absolutely beautiful. I have no regrets.

Day 3:
I picked out the plants we're planting in the garden for this spring. We have green beans, tomatoes, and squash to name a few. In terms of flowers, we're also doing marigolds, zinnias, and carnations. They've already sprouted and I'm really excited to see them grow.

Day 4:
I helped my mom pick out the new pillows for our couch because it originally came with pillows that we didn't like. So we picked some blue and grey ones that match our light grey couch perfectly. We also decided on a new painting to put above the fireplace as well as a new coffee table. It's really nice to see the whole room come together.

Day 5:
I made the decision to actually ride my bike for once, even though I'm a little too short for it and I can barely get on it. On the plus side, I actually had a lot of fun. My sister and I went to this small little area by a creek and we picked flowers.

Day 6:
I decided on the dishes we would make for Easter. My family and I had a "porch Easter", where we dropped off different foods we made for each other on each porch. We made mac and cheese, along with these cute little Easter egg nests made from rice crispies, coconut flakes, and chocolate eggs.

Day 7:
I made the toughest decision of all, which was trying out for drum major. I was unsure about it because drum major tryouts can get pretty intense and some people take it very seriously, to the point where it gets really competitive. Even so, I'm just trying out for fun and I think it will be a good experience.

All in all, this was probably one of the toughest weeks I've had in a while, but I learned a lot from it. I've discovered that making decisions isn't always about the future. Sometimes it's better to think in the moment. Also, I feel as though decision-making is an important life skill and we should all work harder to become better at it. Our decisions are what alter the course of our life, and a lot of times it's the small ones that make the biggest difference. You may think that a decision may result in a bad experience, but we end up learning from those events at the end of the day. I've learned that decisions are their outcomes are apart of life, no matter what the cost. It's important that we can learn from them and live happier, more successful lives.

Kadison Schema 2 - Brother

Recently, my mom (and my younger brother and I) were cleaning out our “junk room”. You know the type: suitcases, clothes, old toys, books I used to read, art pieces from grade school were all just sitting around in this room over our garage. Within this room, there was a particular item of interest: the Wii. My brother, Kolby, saw it and hooked it up to the TV and asked me if I wanted to play with him. I didn’t have anything else going on, so of course, I said yes. He picked out the game “Lego Star Wars: The Complete Saga”.

The Wii in general gave me flashbacks to when I was young, and I’m pretty sure this was one of the first games we had for it. I still remember sitting on the floor in my cousin Travis’s house watching him play through the game. While it had been forever (probably 10 years) since I played the game, I somehow had snapshots of memory in my head about what certain parts of the levels looked like.

While Kolby and I were playing, we realized how many hidden secrets we somehow still remembered. We also, surprisingly enough, didn’t really fight at all. We argued, of course, but we didn’t get into any heated discussions. It was actually really nice. Kolby and I also worked together to figure out some “cheats” to the game; there ten “minikits” hidden in each level, and most of them are meant to be collected on the second play through when the player can switch between other characters. However, we could often figure out ways to jump onto things that were not meant to be jumped on, and collected the minikits anyway.

Playing this video game made me realize how much I miss just hanging out with Kolby, and how much we’ve both grown. I remember having to ask my cousin for help completing certain levels because they were that difficult for us, and now all of them seem like a piece of cake. It’s amazing to me how much both of us remembered from a time when we were so young. Although Kolby can really irritate me sometimes, I’m glad he’s my brother.

Schema Builder 2; Alanna

Something other to do;):


       Recently, I have taken up exercise during this quarantine. Before the virus, I worked out and went to the gym but it is different. I started trying new things that weren't just cardio and weight lifting. I did a dance video, yoga, and even pilates. I focused so much on the health/weight loss aspect of working out that I didn't realize it could be fun and calming. The quarantine has opened my eyes to become more open-minded. I was always a person who would pick one thing, stick to that, and just do it 24/7. I was MISERABLE. I never thought I could get the same workout from running 3 miles as to doing one dance routine (I do look a little stupid doing it though).
       I did not want to use this time at home to sit and do nothing. Most of my day is sitting and doing pointless things because I obviously cannot work out all day, but the one hour of it changes everything. I feel accomplished, relaxed, and healthier. I didn't get this chance while we went to school. I would start my day at 6, sleep-deprived, sit for 7 hours, go to practice, and then go home and have ZERO energy to workout. So although this quarantine isn't happening for the right reasons I decided to make some good come out of it. ( Also found out yoga is NOT my thing, and I am way not zen enough for it)

Schema Builder 2 VanHise- Journaling

Prompt: Write in a journal every day for two weeks (and then write your reflection on the experience).

I started journaling on and off in the 6th grade after my mom let me go to Barnes and Noble and pick out a journal. My whole life I've been oddly obsessed with journals and sketchbooks, and to this day I can't leave the store without spending at least 10 minutes staring at the huge wall of journals they have by the checkout area. Journaling has never been a consistent part of my life. I go through bursts of time where I'm writing every night, and then months go by without a single entry. About a year ago I decided that each night I would write down one insignificant happy moment in my day that I didn't want to forget some day, and I kept up with that journal for months.
However, these past few months (probably 6-7) I've started writing in my notes. I have a locked note, and whenever I have something to say, I log in, type in my password, and write whatever is on my mind. To anyone else it would make no sense whatsoever. It's jumbled, confusing, and all over the place, but it's my raw thoughts. It has its ups and downs, and includes song lyrics and poems randomly placed in. I don't write in it everyday, but sometimes I'm jotting my thoughts down multiple times a day.
I've found that this mismatched form of writing, that makes sense only to me, is comforting in a way. It allows me to see me without any filters, and it allows me to be honest with myself in a way I haven't been before. It shows me how I've grown and how my thoughts have changed over time. I've learned through this that its important to document happy moments as often as the sad ones, if not more. I've learned that my most insignificant thoughts and ideas mean something about who I am. It's allowed me to figure myself out a little more.
If you're someone like me who has a thousand thoughts and emotions that are sometimes hard to grasp, or your thoughts fly by at the speed of light and you never get the chance to truly think about them, then try this. Let it be messy and unorganized. When you read it back it'll make sense, I promise. And if it doesn't immediately, eventually it will.