The Moment I Stood Up To a Bully in High School
My high school years were a time when I had to face tremendous mental turmoil due to the fact that I have been bullied by my classmates for a multiple times. I was always a laid back child who did not want to make a lot of friends and have always been considered as a quaint person. However this was one of those reasons why I have always been targeted for those who looked for asserting dominance on others and derived a kind of odd satisfaction from making feel others small and insignificant. I was already going through a lot of academic pressure when the depression and anxiety compounded due to the added burden some of the so-called popular kids imposed upon me. However the very moment I stood up against bully it not only changed my course of high school experience but it has also marked a significant starting point of how I was being perceived by others and also by myself.
The act of bully was not always physical but it was incessantly done no matter how much patient I remained to those foul behaviour. I think that fear and patience were two of those qualities which have given society the impression that I can be made their easy target. Whether it was passing a snide comment about my appearance or mocking my interests or making fun of my last name and even to the extent of isolating me socially – the goal was clear to me, that is to make me feel inferior in front of the whole school. Now I realise that I have never take a proper stand against myself probably because I was too scared to make myself a fool in front of everyone which had given those students a better chance to threaten me. For a considerable period of time I have internalized the cruelty and convinced myself that I did not have the strength to fight back. The bully started to sow on the silent compliance of others and I was too scared to challenge that power. My thoughts often juggled between self blame and a deep sense of helplessness until one day I stood up against this behaviour.
I could remember that this was one of those times of lunch breaks during my sophomore year where I was as usually sitting at the corner of the classroom, reading a book and trying to distract myself when the bully decided to make me the entertainment of the day. They walked in front of me with a ridiculous smile and made a loud degrading joke about my expense that was supported by a collective laughter from the group. Normally I would have kept my head down hoping for it to end quickly but that day I felt something different because I realized that my mind and body are just too tired of letting these people to have complete control over my identity. Without giving a second thought I stood up with my hands trembling and heart pounding so hard that I could literally hear it. With a shaking voice I loudly uttered that I was just too tired of being the punching bag of the group and if the only thing that could make them happy is hurting others’ feelings and making them feel low about themselves then they are the problem instead of me.
For an entire moment I felt that the classroom was silent probably because they did not expect me to raise my voice against their cruel behaviour. I could see that there was no witty comeback and no follow up insult that would have usually happened. Instead they backed off and walked away, muttering something within themselves which I was not interested to hear at all.
However, what interested me was the sudden shift of the power dynamic the very moment I decided to stood up for myself. Even after that day I cannot say that things started changing overnight and they have stopped passing foul comments whenever they saw passing me but what made me happy and satisfied was that I was no longer cowered by their gaze. A certain sense of pride started to boil inside me and I can feel that it is not because I have defeated the bully and stopped it but rather because I finally refused to let others define my self-worth and rather I can reclaim my voice and restate it in front of the whole world.
Looking back I feel that although I was afraid and shivering with fear but the moment I decided to stand up and wished to end the bully I had not underestimated my own ability that time and thought of becoming the catalyst for that change rather than depending on others to fight for me in this journey. It was that one day and that one stand that took me to come out of this years of built up frustration and pain and realizing that I was not weak for being bullied rather, I was too soft and good for this world to be a victim of their entertainment. That day I discovered a strength which I did not know that I had.
Comparison/Contrast Essay
Compare or contrast online learning versus traditional classroom learning
Education has undergone a rapid transformation over the past two decades with the advent of online learning that has redefined the axis of knowledge among the students. Traditional classroom learning which has been the long standard model for educational activities is now getting juxtaposed with online learning. However with the advent of online education as the new mode of learning there has been a growing contention between the two modes of education that has been fueled by the surging interest as well as the participation of the students. It can be said that both mediums of learning have their own sets of advantages and challenges and this essay aims to show this comparison and contrast of two approaches that will focus on the areas of accessibility flexibility social interaction as well as learning outcomes.
One of the most important or rather significant differences between the online learning and traditional classroom learning is their modes of accessibility. Online learning mood has offered to the students as well as the educators with unparalleled flexibility and convenience. this has particularly come into light during the pandemic period of COVID-19 when the whole world was shut down and the educational institutions had to completely shift to online mode of learning for the purpose of continuing their educational activities. Furthermore it has helped the students from around the entire world to access the courses from prestigious institutions without needing to transfer from their country or relocate to somewhere else. in this respect it can be said that online education has completely democratized the process of education which has helped in removing the impediments of geographical locations and making learning easier for students who live in remote areas or face any kind of mobility challenges. In contrast traditional classroom requires physical presence which can be a barrier to some students. during the pandemic OF2020 it was seen that how traditional classroom learning were completely forbidden due to physical proximity of their students which came to be a barrier for some of the students who did not have access to online educational resources. During that time attendance at the specific educational centre was not feasible for the students to balance their health and education. Furthermore students who have to balance between their work family responsibilities as well as other commitments face considerable challenges in their traditional classroom learning settings. This also becomes a considerable challenge for students with disabilities or those students who live in areas with limited educational resources.
Virtual classrooms or online education environment has facilitated asynchronous communication where students can complete coursework according to their own schedules. This is particularly beneficial for those students who have other responsibilities to perform or adult learners who pursue a course side by side their normal professional work. This flexibility also extends to pacing as well where students can spend more time on topics which are challenging than those which they are already familiar with. This personalized learning experience has enhanced the preference for online learning over traditional learning. Conversely traditional learning follows a structured schedule where teachers or educators frame their own timetable and the students have to abide by the strict routine times and set deadlines. Well, this is indeed beneficial for maintaining the peace of learning and contributing to self-discipline it often creates restrictions for those with varying schedules. Students necessarily have to schedule their As per the classroom timetable which are challenging for the adult learners who have other separate commitments.
However one of the most significant contrasts between the online and traditional learning is the level of social interactions. Traditional classroom learning offer students with the option of face to face interactions with educators and peers which help them in clearing out their doubts there and get necessary feedback that encourages spontaneous discussions and help in strengthening the understanding of a specific subject. Furthermore traditional classroom learning also encourages group activities class debates as well as peer-to-peer discussions which enrich the entire experience of education and provide opportunities to the students to enhance their communication skills and collaboration. However this is one of the considerable impediments for online learning where most of the online courses offer discussion boards video conferences or virtual communication which is less interactive and engaging compared to face to face interactions. The lack of physical proximity makes it difficult for the students to engage in meaningful conversation with the educators where some of the students face the challenges of detachment with reduced motivation and engagement towards their educational courses. it is particularly beneficial for those students who get anxious while engaging in face to face interactions or prefer solitary learning however that is a considerable disadvantage for strengthening the communication skills.
Technology also plays a very important role in which it poses both advantage and limitation of uh the education system. On the positive note online learning platforms uses various forms of digital tools that help in enriching the educational experience such as video lectures interactive quizzes as well as virtual classrooms where students can engage in various ways with their educational resources. However the extreme dependency on technology also introduces a number of challenges for the students. Online learning platforms need a number of resources such as reliable Internet as well as appropriate devices without which the classes cannot be taken. This is a significant barrier for those students who cannot afford these resources for them or who belong to areas with poor connectivity and Internet issues. Furthermore the technical issues such as software glitches bandwidth problem and device malfunctions can also hinder the entire learning system which is not faced by traditional classroom settings because they completely depend on face to face interactions that does not depend on technological infrastructures in its entirety.
Lastly the degree of discipline also varies between the online and traditional learning environments. Online learning often needs high level of self motivation and time management issues furthermore it also leads to integrity issues where students often take help of various AI tools nowadays to get good marks in their examinations that completely hinder the aim of boy suing deep knowledge. Procrastination and also lack of motivation are significant impediments that lead some students to lag behind or abandon their courses altogether. However in case of classroom learning dear is more accountability since the presence of the instructors scheduled classes and regular assessments deterred the students from taking shortcuts to score good marks in examinations and encourages consistent study habits.
Thus, it can be said that both online learning and traditional learning modes have their own set of advantages and challenges. While online learning mode excels in terms of its accessibility, flexibility and time management facilities, the contribution of traditional learning cannot be disregarded since it helps in giving the students a greater opportunity for hands-on learning activities and better communication skills along with a disciplined and routine educational experience. Thus, it can be said that a seamless integration of both of these mediums can help the students in giving the best qualities of the two modes.
Touchstone 2.2: Informative Essay Draft
Beauty: Beyond Aesthetics and Symmetry
Beauty is often defined as the combination of those qualities which a person possesses in terms of shape color or forms that appeals to the aesthetic senses of the rest of the people. The dictionary presents beauty as something which is visual and is associated with the standards of physical attractiveness that the society has long understood. However it is true that in the modern society the definition of beauty has changed to a great extent which has taken into account a more inclusive definition of standards that does not merely restrict itself to visual appeals but also a blend of those qualities which include emotional qualities and moral integrity. It is true that we are born in a world without our heads full of hair without teeth and with unopened eyes. Slowly we are placed in educational institutions that means in front of the public eye. It is then that we all start to get labeled as either beautiful or not and the trends and standards of slowly embracing the popular culture that includes magazines movies and television shows as we slowly get accustomed to the surrounding things. True beauty exists not just in the symmetry of features but it is the seamless blending of values experiences and the ways an individual perceives or positively impacts those around them. this essay aims to redefine beauty as a complete balance of external appearance as well as inner character and the power to inspire positive emotions and connections.
The first a dimension of beauty goes beyond that of physical attractiveness to take into account the inner qualities of an individual that include kindness compassion and authenticity. While society often use the term beauty to define anyone having surface level attractiveness the genuine beauty of an individual lies within that individual which is shown through the acts of empathy and integrity. For instance a person who shows kindness and empathy in any situation regardless of the physical characteristics he or she possesses can evoke a sense of admiration in the minds of others.
Beauty inside and out is a concept which must be the way one should shape their outlooks about beauty. In China as well as in ancient Greek once there was a time when having more skin on the bones was something indicative of the royal lineage of that individual. This means that the person has the ability to afford to eat more and work less which was an also still now is desired by all. Even we can see in the statues of gods and goddesses which are posed in such positions that the exhibit belly fats that might seem unflattering to us in this generation but is deemed to be desirable during that time. The goddess Aphrodite who was considered as the goddess of love and beauty has always been considered as the epitome of beauty in ancient as well as contemporary Greek societies. However would that pass the standards which we have created for our society? Probably not, because beauty is not a concrete concept but rather it is constantly evolving where outer beauty seems to mold itself as per the trains of the new generation.
Thus it can be said that one of the most inspiring aspects of beauty is the ability to inspire connections and give rise to meaningful emotional responses. The beauty which is found in art music or literature for instance steams not only because of their aesthetic characteristics but the way it can charge the emotions of a human. A beautiful melody or a vivid painting is beautiful when it triggers a sense of introspection and gets embedded in the memories. In this respect beauty is not confined within the limits of only what we can see or what we can hear but rather it is the ability to evoke emotions that influence the way we perceive the world and create a sense of humanity.
Thus in respect to this it can be said that beauty can better be understood as beautiful harmony between the external appearance of a person and the lived experiences. The scars the wrinkles and the unique features that one person possesses is the testimony of the journey that person has covered so far which has its own form of beauty. The wrinkles on the face of a person is not only the evidence of old age but rather it is the authentication of the wisdom that person has quiet through all the ages. All these imperfections tell us a story that is marked by strength and resilience. For instance a person who has a weathered hands from years of labor or laugh lines that fall on the two sides of the chicks are evidence of the decades of joy that person has carried which is a part of the beautiful journey he or she has covered. In this regard, beauty is not a static concept but rather it is consistently evolving which represent growth wisdom and the accumulation of experiences.
It can be said that beauty can never have a textbook definition that one can look up in a glossary not that it is a cookie cutter simple where a group of birds can dictate what exactly makes a person jaw-dropping beautiful. The complexities that one person have in terms their bodies cannot be conveyed through a single binary – beautiful or ugly. Every one of us has the chance to be beautiful because it is within our own capacities to maximize the individual potentials for beauty that does not lie only in the physical appearances. True beauty is multifarious in nature which combines inner virtues and the capacity to inspire ones emotions. The definition of beauty should be used beyond the mere aesthetics rather it needs to be more inclusive in nature where it manifests itself in both people and the world around us.
