SUMMER MENTORSHIP

Gratitude is the main theme of this chapter. Whether it be being grateful for others or yourself, gratitude goes a long way. Self love will lead to the loving of others. I also learned what to expect on my graduation day, from the start of the ceremony to the receiving of my diploma and, hopefully, other rewards, to meeting my friends and family afterwards, thanking them for their contributions in my journey to the professions. I learned that all the hard work leading up to that point will have been worth it. The story of Melba Patillo Beals and the Little Rock Nine was really inspiring because they endured so many things to battle inequality between races, and due to their actions, we are not segregated today. They learned to dance in the rain, other than wait for the storm to pass. For that, I am grateful for them.

NEW WORDS THAT I HAVE LEARNED:

1) REGALIA: the emblems or insignia of royalty used at a coronation.

(The Pope is always seen wearing clothes of regalia)

2) DECORUM: behavior in keeping with good taste and propriety

(The old lady from Europe showed great decorum as she walked down the street.)

3) SOLEMNITY: state or quality of being serious and dignified

(As the drill instructor walked in the room, the soldiers stood in solemnity, fearing punishment.)

4) NAIVETE: quality of being naive; lack of experience, wisdom or judgement.

(The students' naivete for the lesson informed the teacher that she had to go back to teacher the previous one.)

QUOTES THAT STOOD OUT FOR ME:Y

1) "Education is a loan to be repaid with the gift of self."(Lady Bird Johnson)

2) "Love yourself first and everything else falls into line. You really have to love yourself to get anything done in this world."(Lucille Ball)

3) "Don't wait for the storm to pass, learn to dance in the rain." (line from a commencement speech)

4) "If you love someone, don't wait till tomorrow to tell him/her. Maybe that next day will never come at all."(Jennifer Lopez)

5) "When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change."(Dr. Dwayne Dyer)

6) "If today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what I am about to do today? And whenever the answer has been 'No' for too many days in a row, I know I need to change something."( Steve Jobs)

7) "As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them."( John F. Kennedy)

8) "...Every step towards the goal of justice requires sacrifice, suffering, and struggle; the tireless exertions and passionate concern of dedicated individuals."(Martin Luther King Jr.)

Don't come up with logical explanations as to why you're straying from your path to educational success, and then continue to believe those lies. Just because they seem logical, does not mean they are right for you. You're only thinking of what you want right now, and not how those choices will affect your future. "Inventing a logical excuse to rationalize what you did, rather than what you needed to do, will not help you to excel. "(Dr. B) The story of one of Dr. B's former students, who decided to quit school and start working in order to buy a new car is a perfect example of what you should not do. Some new ideas that I've learned during my readings(though I was already taught by other adults) is to invest in my education and not in materialistic things. There's no point in owning the newest car brand if you don't know the first thing about driving it. Educate yourself before fully committing to the workforce. HUSTLE, HUSTLE, HUSTLE.

NEW WORDS THAT I HAVE LEARNED:

1) ABREAST: alongside or even with something

(It is recommended to stay abreast with news about everything nowadays)

2) STIGMATIZING: describe or regard as worthy of disgrace or great disapproval

(The comment about the restaruant's food was very stigmatizing to the chefs.)

3) PRETENTIOUS: attempting to impress by affecting greater importance, talent, culture, etc., than is actually possessed

(People who show off their flashy possessions are considered pretentious.)

4) COMMENSURATE: corresponding in size or degree; in proportion

(Salary will be commensurate to position.)

5) OPULENCE: great wealth or luxuriousness

(Everyone considered him humble because he didn't flaunt his family's opulence.)

QUOTES THAT STOOD OUT FOR ME:

1) "For tomorrow belongs to the people who prepare for it today."(African Proverb)

2) "There are two kinds of failures: those who thought and never did, and those who did and never thought"(Dr. Laurence J. Peter)

Dr. B states that in order to become a successful individual, whether it be in school or life in general, we need to stop getting distracted by technology. "Use technology, don't let it use you," is the recurring phrase, and in order to do that, you will need to have a "distraction detector." In order to have a good detector, you need to know what your distractions are and discipline yourself not to deviate from your path to success because of those. Distraction caused by technology can also lead to the misuse of. Sexting , Cyberbullying, etc., will most likely keep you from achieving your goal of being at the top of the class. Technology can also keep you from interacting with people. Prioritize your family over your cell phone. Don't be rude; using your phone when someone is talking to you face to face. Turn it off, especially when in places of worship

NEW WORDS THAT I HAVE LEARNED:

1) GRATIFICATION: pleasure, especially gained from the satisfaction of a desire

(The gratification of achieving something is worth all of the hard work.)

2) SERENITY: state of being calm, peaceful, and untroubled

(Monks train their whole lives to achieve serenity.)

3) ECLECTIC: deriving ideas, ideas, or taste from a broad and diverse range of sources

(People who don't know what they want to major in should consider applying to colleges that have an eclectic mix of courses)

4) PERSECUTION: hostility and ill-treatment, especially because of race, political, or religious beliefs.

(The persecution of MLK led to boycotts and strikes)

5) VINDICTIVE: having or showing an unreasoning desire for revenge

(When the school expelled him, he showed his vindictive side by spray-painting the premises)

6) TRUANT: a student who stays away from school without leave or explanation

(After twelve days of unexcused absences, a student will be considered a truant.)

7) PREVALENT: widespread in a particular area or at a particular time.

(Most diseases are prevalent after every century.)

8) HOMOGENEOUS: of the same kind; alike

(Being a colored kid in a homogeneously white school back then must have been hard.)

QUOTES THAT STOOD OUT FOR ME:

1) " The brain is malleable. Just a it can be trained to be distracted, it can be trained to pay attention."( Bryan Appleyard)

In this chapter, Dr. B states that, in order to become a successful individual, we must learn to stop viewing our teachers as mean abusive adults. Kids who have abusive parents will most likely view all adults as such and they will choose not to listen to them. Caring adults are part of that group, unfortunately. However, if we learn to get to know and trust in our teachers and let them help us, we will have given ourselves a higher chance of succeeding in school and being independent and free of those individuals. Only get help from adults you trust. Don't act up in school, and in the meantime, whilst living with people who are abusive or mean, doing your chores without being told to do so will keep them off your back. I second this advice.

NEW WORDS THAT I HAVE LEARNED:

1) ADULTISM: prejudice or discrimination against young people as a group

(Kids who are rebellious at school often go home to a family full of adultism.)

2) BELLIGERENCE: aggressive or warlike behavior

(Our football team is known for our belligerence on the field.)

3) BOORISHLY: rough and bad-mannered

(Some kids act boorishly on field trips that the school prohibits them from going on any.)

4) LETHARGY: lack of energy of enthusiasm

(Whenever I hear about the Great Depression, I think of a time of sadness and lethargy)

5) SOJOURN: a temporary stay

(The class trip included a sojourn in Italy.)

6) AFFINITY: a spontaneous or natural liking or sympathy for someone or something

(My father shows great affinity for our dog, but he told us that he wouldn't be responsible for it.)

7) FERVENTLY: very enthusiastically or passionately

(The students show their support for the sports teams by fervently cheering.)

QUOTES THAT STOOD OUT:

1) "When you hold resentment toward another, you are bound to that person or condition by an emotional link that is stronger than steel. Forgiveness is the only way to dissolve that link and get free." (Catherine Ponder)

2) "The abusive behaviors that have robbed you of your past cannot be allowed to fester and rob you of your future." (Dr. B)

3) "Throughout life people will make you mad, disrespect you and treat you bad. Let God deal with the things they do, 'cause hate in your heart will consume you too."(Will Smith)

(What I learned whilst reading this chapter is that in order to truly grasp the concept of the materials you study, you must learn to study with all your senses. One way to look at studying with all your senses is to think about how movie producers come up with their movies. before actually making the movies, a plethora of research has to be done. From the plot to the cast, a lot of thought is put into each of the steps, trying to figure out what will make the movie the best of the best. Now, if we study the same way movie producers do their studying, the outcome of our hard work will be worth it. I've already been inputting some of these methods into my studies since our mentorship first started( like looking up the definitions of words I don't know; active reading[i.e. writing down my thoughts next to passages that sound meaningful] and reading out loud.) and these methods have helped me recall the things that I have read.

NEW WORDS THAT I HAVE LEARNED:

1) MARSHAL: to arrange or assemble

(The teachers have to marshal their students due to the increase of positive cases)

2) ACQUIESCE: accepting something reluctantly but without protest

(I acquiesced when my dad told me to cut open the pig. )

3) CAPRICIOUS: given to sudden or unaccountable changes of mood or behavior

(Most people live their lives depending on a capricious boss)

4) TOUTED: attempt to persuade people of the merits of (something or someone)

(Father Duenas is touted as the best high school football team on Guam)

5) GANAS: spanish for desire

6) GUSTO: spanish for like(to like something or someone)

7) VOCATION: strong feeling or suitability for a particular career or occupation

(Of all my siblings, only my sister has the vocation to become a doctor.)

QUOTES THAT STOOD OUT FOR ME:

1) "You are never strong enough that you don't need help."(Cesar Chavez)

2)"Individually, we are one drop. Together, we are one ocean."(Ryunosuke Satoro)

In this chapter, I learned in order to be at the top of your class, you should use your free time to study. Dr. B wrote in his book, "Think of these times as study-bonus opportunities, not as times to kick back and relax with friends. " Personally, I take a break from school on my days off, but I still do some leisure reading. I learned that students waste a lot of time during their study sessions by relaxing or goofing off that when they go home or to their place of rest, they have to actually study for their classes. Pretty ironic, really. In the previous chapter, Dr. B states that in order to have a good study session, you must get rid of all distractions. Whether it be people or things, you need to distance yourself from those exact things. That's the reason students don't get to study during their free time. Yes, it is called free time for a reason, but they could be advancing to the top of the class, not relaxing. Libraries are being used as chill areas, rather than places of studying. Study hall is being wasted by students because they do everything but study. So, really, it's all a matter of self control, as Dr. B stated. Work hard now so you can relax later on. Some students also fail to study because all they do is think about studying and not doing it.

Ideas that can be put to action are (1)Gain an advantage over the rest by studying on the weekends, (2) Learn to live life purposefully. Grow socially, physically, intellectually, and spiritually, (3) Read memoirs and biographies of people in your chosen profession and see how they succeed in achieving their goals(4) have fun, but always get right back to studying.

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WORDS THAT I HAVE LEARNED:

1) PLETHORA: excessive amount of something

(The librarian had a plethora of books in his study.)

2) SELDOM: not often; rarely

(After years of pain and suffering, the boy seldom cries)

3) DISOBLIGING: deliberately unhelpful; uncooperative

(My coworker was very disobliging even after our boss scolded.)

4) PREDISPOSED: make someone liable or inclined to a specific attitude, action, or condition.

(The lack of engagement in the classroom may predispose students to inefficient learning)

QUOTES THAT STOOD OUT:

1) "The best intelligence test is what we do with our leisure."(Dr. Laurence J. Peter)

2) "To think too long about doing a thing often becomes its undoing."(Eva Young)

3) "All great achievements require time."(Maya Angelou)

4) "Genius begins great works; labor alone finishes them."(Joseph Joubert)

5) "Don't say you don't have enough time. You have exactly the same number of hours per day that were given to Hellen Keller, Pasteur,

Michelangelo, Mother Teresa, Leonardo Da Vinci, Thomas Jefferson, and Albert Einstein. "(H. Jackson Brown)

In this lesson, I learned that you need to be prepared to do a lot of reading if you want to be at the top of your class. Reading (the topic that you are learning in your class) beforehand makes you engaged in the class discussions and reading after class will help you recall what has just been taught to you AND will get you ready for the next lesson. Most lessons plans go by chapters, so reading ahead gives you an advantage.

A few ideas that I have learned whilst reading this chapter are (1)some teachers --not all-- are not really focused on whether or not the students are fully grasping the concepts that are being taught, but are just cruising through the lesson plan. That is why we, the student, must take initiative in our educational upbringing by reading before and after a lesson. (2) Getting distracted is inevitable, but having ways to keeping it from happening is possible. Seat yourself where you can hear and see the instructor while they are teaching(front of the class is the best), and (3) read actively. I never fully understood what that meant until now. We have to be engaged in our reading by underlining passages, writing down your thoughts about the passages, and reflect on it. It's kind of hard to do that with the books at school, but I am taking advantage of this new-learned idea by marking my books at home.

Pre and Post lecture reading will separate you from the mediocre majority of the class and propel you to the top

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WORDS THAT I LEARNED:

1) HOLISTIC: knowing the parts of something as intimately interconnected and explicable only by reference to the whole

(Greek philosophers were very holistic when they taught people.)

2) PRE-REQUISITE: required as a prior condition

(It is a pre-requisite for athletes to get a physical examination before joining sports)

3) CAVALIER: showing a lack of concern

(We had to fire the employee due to his cavalier work ethic.)

4) FIDELITY: faithfulness to a person, cause, or belief, demonstrated by continuing loyalty and support.

(The man's fidelity for his wife showed how much he loved her.)

5)SURMISE: suppose that something is true without having evidence to prove it

(The people had surmised that it was the landlord who killed the old woman, but the detective proved that it was actually her son. )

6) ERRONEOUS: wrong; incorrect

(The town peoples' continuous cries of anger should've told the mayor that he made an erroneous decision. )

7) FLEETING: lasting for a very short time.​

(While fleeting, the parade was an experience of a lifetime.)

QUOTES THAT STOOD OUT:

1)"True happiness...is not attained through self-gratification, but through fidelity to a greater purpose." (Helen Keller)

2)"Show up prepared-get your money's worth."(Mr. Hallock, Dr. B's science teacher)

3)"There are no shortcuts to any place worth going."(Beverly Sills)

In this chapter of Dr. B's book, I (re)learned that cheating is never good. Fishing for answers to get a good grade, rather than studying the topic to actually get the grade AND the knowledge is very detrimental in many ways. You could get caught cheating and the consequences will keep you from succeeding and will mess up your reputation. And to make things worst, your comprehension of the subject won't improve, causing you to do more fishing. I had learned early on in life not to risk getting caught cheating and just do my own work, but I am guilty of fishing for answers in some of my classes, and now, after reading this chapter of Dr. B's book, I won't go back to doing it. One lesson that I got out of this chapter was the one about the cheating nurse and the honest student. The nurse had cheated her way through her exams, not comprehending what she was learning, while the student hustled to get the marks she wanted. Now, I don't think I'm able to trust anyone in ANY profession with no knowledge of what they are doing. Like Elon Musk said,"...you can have a bachelor's degree and still be an idiot."

WORDS THAT I LEARNED:

1) UNSCRUPULOUS: having or showing no moral principles; not honest

(Unscrupulous monarchs used to tax people heavily, causing an outrage.)

2) SUPERFICIALITY: lack of thoroughness, depth of character, or serious thought

(Relationships that don't last long are usually products of superficiality.)

3) UNDERCURRENT: an underlying feeling or influence, especially one that is contrary to the prevailing atmosphere and is not expressed openly.

(The governor's mandate will have led to an undercurrent of anger and confusion)

4) ETHICAL: relating to moral principles or the branch of knowledge dealing with these

(Scientist sometimes perform experiments that would not be considered ethical to most people.)

5) UNIVERSALIZED: to bring into universal use; make available for all

(People have universalized TV remotes.)

6) STATURE: importance or reputation gained by ability or achievement

(The oldest in the family is usually the one with the most stature.)

7) ADULATION: obsequious flattery; excessive admiration or praise

(The popstar was immediately showered with adulation from her fans when she entered the building.)

8) TRANSGRESSION: an act that goes against a law, rule or conduct; an offense.

(Despite the many transgressions he commited, the convict was considered innocent.)

QUOTES THAT STOOD OUT:

1) "I worked hard for my grades...I wanted to know, and have the satisfaction - that I have earned what I got."(Brittany Wallace, the Honest Student)

2) "When you cheat, you don't learn. Since lessons build on each other, cheating now means you won't understand later material either."(Melissa Balmain)

3)"Copies fade, it's the authentic things that endure."(Dr. Laura Souder)

4) "When you were born, you cried and the world rejoiced. Live your life so that when you die, the world cries and you rejoice."(White Elk)

5) "One man cannot do right in one department of life whilst he is occupied in doing wrong in any other department. Life is one indivisible whole."(Mohandas Gandhi)

6) "With integrity you have nothing to fear, since you have nothing to hide. With integrity you will do the right thing, so you will have no guilt. With fear and guilt removed you are free to be and do your best."(Zig Ziglar)

7) "Character is what you do when no one is watching."

8) "To keep your character intact you cannot stoop to filthy acts. It makes it easier to stoop the next time."(Katherine Hepburn)

* During this chapter, I read that in order to succeed, one must grow their vocabulary and reading things without fully understanding them. Success comes from having a developed arsenal of words, and in order to learn new words, you must read. Read any forms of literature, and if you come across a word that you don't know the meaning of, look it up and make sure it's meaning goes with the context of what you are reading. Another way to think about reading is driving. New words are the stop signs and red lights. The dictionary is your way to turn the red to green. If you fins a word that you don't know the meaning of, STOP and look up the definition, make sure its meaning makes sense, and then you can move on. Doing this helps you improve your word power over time.

I also learned that you should team up with an adult who is willing to help you succeed. Dr. B says to look for an adult that is busy, but who is willing to make time for you. This is because you know that he or she has a lot to do, but they truly care enough for your wellbeing to help you out. Read memoires and autobiographies of people who made it in life despite obstacles thrown at them and learn from their experiences. It is recommended that you read books about people from your desired profession. This will help you know what to do to be like them. Always read to survive before reading for enrichment, especially if you are a first generation high school and college graduate. Keep hustling until people start looking up to you.

* WORDS I LEARNED:

1) INVIGORATING: making one feel strong, healthy, and full of energy.

(Thirty minutes of exercise is very invigorating and will make your day better.)

2) TEDIOUS: long, slow, or dull; tiersome

(The tedious hours of cleaning up is the worst part about hosting parties)

3) MENIAL: (of work) not requiring much skill and lacking prestige

(Making pencils seems very menial compared to making cars)

4) COMPETENCE: ability to do something successfully and efficiently

(If everyone showed a decent amount of competence in their profession, the world would be a better place)

5) CONSCIENTIOUSLY: in a thorough and responsible way

(The nanny conscientiously took care of the kids while also doing her school work.)

6) REPERTOIRE: stock of skills or types of behaviors a person habitually uses

(The rebellious kid at school always has a prank or two in his repertoire.)

7) IMPEDE: delay or prevent by obstructing; hinder

(The virus has caused a lot of deaths, impeding most social activites.)

8) EMULATING: match or surpass( a person or achievement)

(The underdog's goal is emulating the top player of the school.)

9) AFFINITY: similarity of characteristics suggesting a relationship

(Squares and rectangles have some affinities to each other.)

10) ORATORS: public speakers, especially ones who are eloquent and skilled

(Malcom X is one of many orators of history who are still talked about today)

11) LUMINARIES: person who inspires or influences others, especially one who is prominent in a particular sphere.

(Dwayne Johnson, a luminary of the acting and fitness industry, is still going strong with his influence on others, myself included.)

12) TENACITY: being determined

(The football team's tenacity earned them a spot in the championship after many years.)

13) ARTICULATE: having ability to speak fluently and coherently.

(Public speakers have to be articulate in order to get their message out to their audience.)

* QUOTES THAT STOOD OUT:

1) "The man who does not read books has no advantage over the man who can't read."(Mark Twain)

2) "No matter how busy you may think you are, you must find time for reading, or surrender yourself to self-chosen knowledge." (Confucius)

* What I learned as I read the first chapter of Dr. B's book is that in order to succeed, one needs to stop procrastinating. We need to learn how to properly manage time so that we have time for studying. Studying makes you memorize topics adequately so it is a key component to succeeding in your education. studying puts information in the long-term memory part of the brain. You will most likely be able to remember these information, unlike when you procrasti-cram( procrastinating and cramming together) and the information is only remembered for a short period before being completely forgotten. You cannot expect great results when your effort is minimal. I am guilty of procrastinating, so I didn't complete my assignments until the day before they were due, which also caused stress and that is not good for anyone in the long-term. I learned that I should complete the assigned work as soon as possible to get a head-start on studying for upcoming assignments. I also learned that you need to have someone to help you study(teacher, mentor, peer) and to keep you from getting distracted; someone who will tell you what you need to hear, not what you want to hear.

* WORDS I LEARNED( INTRO AND CHAPTER 1):

1) ARDUOUS: involving or requiring strenuous effort; difficult and tiring

(Athletes have to go through a series of arduous exercises to get in shape for their matches.)

2) VORACIOUS: wanting or devouring great quantities of( food or knowledge)

(The restaurant's buffet was no match for the football team's voracious appetite.)

3) DEFERMENTS: putting something off to a later time

(He was given a deferment letter regarding his college funding.)

4) DIGNITY: state or quality of being worthy of honor and respect.

(Knights were considered symbols of dignity.)

5) CONSUMMATE: showing high degree of skill and flair.

(The football coach still shows consummate footwork despite his age.)

6) FERVOR: intense and passionate feeling

(The valedictorian's speech was spoken with fervor that it made some parents cry.)

7) CONVICTION: firmly held belief or opinion.

(Everyone has their convictions, and they have the right to have them, for without it, they are not their own person.)

8) ELOQUENTLY: clearly expressing or indicating something.

(Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s words were so eloquently spoken that it caused a revolution.)

9) AUTONOMOUS: freedom to act independently.

(Becoming an autonomous reader is a must if you want to work in the professions)

10)PANACEA: solution or remedy.

(Most cultures have their own panacea for different illnesses.)

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* QUOTES THAT STOOD OUT:

1) "Procrastination is, hands down, our favorite form of self-sabotage."(Alyce P. Conryn-Selby)

2) "Procrastination is one of the most common and deadliest of diseases and its toll on success and happiness is heavy."(Wayne Gretzky)

3) "Cramming your way through school wil sometimes get you by, prehaps even get you good grades, but if you don't pay the price, day in and day out, you'll never achiev true mastery of the subjects you study or develop an educated mind."(Stephen Covey)