#70 To English 110 students

Dear future English 110 students:

I could not believe I am actually writing my last blog right now. As an international student, I have to admit I was not so looking forward to English class. I still remembered my first English class; I could not believe I have to write blogs everyday! After seeing the daily schedule Ms Chambers handed to me, I thought my winter quarter will be pretty miserable as I have to writing stuff every day. However, I have to admit I found myself improving everyday in my writing skills. I could not say my grammar skills or my structures of the article are improving a lot, but I could definitely found myself having more to write and becoming a faster writer than I used to be. Through the first ten blogs or so, I usually had hard time blogging them because it was such a pain for me to think about what to say and the proper words. But now, I feel really confident doing the blog. As people always say “practice makes perfect”. Blogging may not make you perfect writers; however, makes you more confident writers! Besides the blog, going to Ms Chambers’s office hours and writing center would also help you with your paper and grade. Ms. Chambers grades on the paper, or at least on my paper, but she is always very patient to answer my questions in her office hours. If you follow what she wants you to do, you would do fine in this class.

Good luck to all.

Sincerely,

Mengtian Chen

#69

Different parts of China have different kinds of culture. I am always fascinated by Tibetan Culture although it is part of China. Tibetan culture is quite different from the mainstream Chinese culture.

I love Tibetan art! It is related to the art of Tibet and former kingdoms. One thing I love about its art is that it is the origin of sacred art, reflecting the influence of Buddhism on these cultures. In 15 and 16 century, there were a lot of Tibetan carvers art with very simple designs containing sacred elements. I just thought they are so beautiful and could not believe they were done by hand in such a long time ago. I was really amazed.

Besides its art, I am also fascinated by its unique festival. Unlike Chinese New Year, Tibetan people have their own New Year. They celebrate it differently, for example, they put sacrifices on the altar of their deities and special foods delicately to welcome New Year. On the morning of the 1^st day, local people will make butter lamps to be sacrificed, along with grain, to their gods. They will go visit their relatives and toast with local drink. Besides the New Year, they also celebrate a lot of other festivals, like the Great Prayer Festival, the Butter Lantern Festival, etc. They all have very unique ways to celebrate.

I hope one day I could go to Tibet and see the real one with my eyes instead o reading it on the book, I bet it is a very beautiful and relaxing place!

#68

I am scared of height very much, so any time I have to get on a high stairs or a bridge, I would be really scared. I do not remember when I actually start to have acrophobia, but I remembered that I almost fainted when I climbed a mountain in my sixth grade.

My family decided to go to mountain climbing when I graduated from elementary school. So we went there and I could not wait to climb to the top of the mountain. However, when I made every effort and eventually climbed to the top, I looked down and started feeling sick. I was afraid of looking down the mountain at first, and then I started feeling dizzy and I could not feel my feet anymore because they were totally stiff. I was feeling so bad that I almost fainted at that moment. My mom later told me that my face was pale and I looked awful.

From then on, every time I look down from the very top buildings, I would panic and feel sick. Especially when I have to take the transparent elevator that could view the outside when we go up to 80^th floor, I would close my eyes for the whole ride. I would rather miss the beautiful view than faint in the elevator.

Acrophobia gets even worse when I need to get on the bridge. Since there is nothing under the bridge but water, I would try many ways to find another way to go across the ocean if possible. I am always afraid of looking down the water.

#67

After watching so many movies and news about different places are suffering from the global warming, I have to say that global warming is something that happening in the world that concerns me. My friends would sometimes laugh at me when I talked about global warming and how it is going to damage the world. They just said that it is none of my business and I have nothing to do about it.

Even though I know they are quite right, I still think it as a problem. Global warming hurts many people, plants and animals. Global warming makes the sea rise, and when the sea rises, the water covers many low land islands and might kill some people. When I saw the movie “Next” and the very end part of that movie when the world is blowing up because it is too hot on the earth face, I was actually thinking it could be happening in many years. Global warming is a real serious problem happening around world. I could imagine the earth blows up someday in the future because the temperature on the surface of the earth is accelerating fast and out of control in the end.

I think I am kind of radical and kind of pessimistic about the issue. I also hope it would never happen in our real life. Sometimes I try to walk instead of driving car and turn off the lights when I am gone to help save some energy. I don’t know if that helps at all or not, at least I am trying…

#66

I am the kind of person who is quite superstitious. I believe in fate and I like reading zodiac magazines and see if I have good luck next day. One reason that I am so into zodiac is that I found them very true, or at least very true about my zodiac. I have to say the characteristics of Cancer are exactly the same as my personalities!

No.1: Cancer natives are friendly. As being a “water element” zodiac, it is really hard to get a Cancer native angry. We are not as aggressive as other zodiacs.  I am a very friendly person and I could be friends with almost everyone. When somebody is mean to me, I could never stand up for myself. It is usually my friend who stands up for me.

No.2 Cancers have reputation for moodiness. I am very sensitive to almost everything. I am emotional and I cry a lot. My friends are used to me crying now because they understand Cancers are emotional and crying is the best way for them to stress out.

No.3 Cancers like to eat a lot. I am totally a food lover! I have a huge stomach and I could eat the whole day without stopping. I used to have three sandwiches, 8 sushis, one big bag of chips, one bubble tea and a cheese cake for lunch. My friends used to scare of my huge appetite, but they are used to it now.

So, the zodiac represents me quite well. I would always check my zodiac before I go out.

#65 different time

As a matter of fact, I always want to be born in a different time period. If I had been born in Tang Dynasty (AD 618-AD 907) in China, I would probably live in a better and more relaxed life.

During that time period, China is the most populous place in the world. It is generally considered to be the highest point in Chinese’s civilization. A lot of people from all over the world would come to visit China and learn the policies and culture, for example, Chinese poetry. Women at that time have a pretty high social status. There is even a first women emperor in Chinese history. I wish I could be born in that period because I do not need to study as hard as I am right now to find a good job after graduate from college. Men are supposed to work hard and finish all the required education at that time. Men are also responsible to find a nice job and support the whole family. Women, on the other hand, could do enjoy their life pretty well and not to worry about finding jobs or raising children.

I am a pretty lazy person, and I like to live in a slow-pace life. I hate the pressure coming from the school stuff, parents and the whole society. So I would be really enjoying my life in Tang Dynasty.  I would read a book or do something else when I feel like while not worrying too much.

#64 biggest mistake

Well, I could not really think of any big mistakes I have made. One of the biggest mistakes I have made was when I was in high school. I have to say that I had the worst and the meanest chemistry teacher in my high school because she is extremely strict to us and requires tons of homework. She gives random quizzes and exams almost twice a day. What’s more, when somebody does not participate in the class, she would say all the bad things about you and you he would be in a big trouble. I have been warned several times because I was late for class or did not turn in my assignment in time. So apparently, I did not leave a good impression on her. Oh well; anyhow, toward the end of the year, on the morning of the last day of school, several of my friends decide to do something crazy to her since she was so mean to all of us. So after she parked her car in the parking lot, we used glasses to  slash the tires.We also poured some water in front of the classroom, so she fell down when she entered the room as we expected. We did a lot of crazy things and finally she got mad at us and we were sent to the principle office. This sis probably the craziest thing or I could say “mistake” I have ever made. Even though, I was sent to the principle office and was in big trouble. I did not regret I did that. Maybe I will never have the guts to do these things again in college. At least I have done something crazy for memory.