Charlotte’s Blog

       Every student has heard the speech from their teacher’s before, the “we have a no nonsense policy for cheating” speech. It makes sense, cheating cannot benefit students in the future and should, therefore, be stopped. However, this iron fisted approach to rule enforcement may not be the correct way to prevent further infractions.      Strict punishment may work to stop some students from cheating in the future, but most likely there's a reason for why they cheated in the first place and punishment isn't going to change it. It’s generally not students in average classes that are inclined to cheat, but ones taking advanced or AP classes. This has to do with the increased stress and desire to succeed from students taking these kinds of classes. While punishment may convince them to not cheat in the future, it’s not going to help the student learn to manage their school work better.      Instead of suspension, or even expulsion, schoo...

  Everyone who has siblings knows that the order in which your born seems to have drastic effects on your overall personality. Many scientists have performed studies over the years into whether the order in which your born effects your personality. Most tests came to similar results, however, due to the media many people have put out their own opinions into the world and fact and fiction have become merged. So what effect does birth order really have? Oldest children tend to be the perfectionists of the family. While the oldest child is being raised, parents generally have no idea what they’re doing. This leads to strict rules and high expectations being set for their children from a young age. As these children grow up, they continue the mindset that was instilled with them as children that they need to strive to prove themselves. This leads to them becoming high achievers and sometimes controlling. By the time parents get to their middle children, they already know what to expect...

  Ever since I can remember I’ve loved when it rained. When most people are asked to think of a perfect day, they picture clear sky’s and sun. I, however, imagine dark clouds and the patter of rain against windows. So what caused me to prefer such dreary weather?  While I was growing up, rain had a much bigger effect on my day to day life than it does today. When I saw grey clouds rolling in, it meant one thing, softball practice was cancelled. I hated softball as a kid, but my parents forced me through a full season of the sport. Regardless, the sight of rain became joyous as receiving a phone call from Carrie Birmingham announcing a snow day. Yeah, it was that exciting. As I got older, the sight and smell of rain continued to be something I looked forward to, even though I no longer play softball. The idea that rain brought joy was trained into my brain, the way you might train a dog to expect treats when they sit. When we think about the way our childhood shaped where we ar...

  Although you may not know what this word means, we’ve all experienced it. As defined by the dictionary, petrichor is the name for the smell that is produced after it rains. However, the reason its my favorite word, and the way I define it, is through the memories it inspires.             As a kid, there was nothing like the feeling of glee when the rain finally passed and the sun broke through the clouds. I would run outside, finally set free from my house, and the first thing that would hit me was the smell. It was heavy, earthy, and felt damp in my nose. I would stay outside doing little kids things, like playing in dirt and stabbing the ground with sticks, until the scent gradually drifted away. But the feeling of it would stay on my skin for a long while after.             When I got older, the feeling just wasn’t the same. Instead of rushing outside, I foun...