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I was diagnosed with depression in the summer of 2018, I started therapy in my eighth-grade year. I struggle with episodes that can become pretty bad. I struggle with even liking myself. In my ninth grade year, I became friends with this person that seemed to help with my depression, then quarantine happened. We slowly drifted apart and all my other friends did too. I became alone, with depression. That’s not the best idea. At first, it hit me pretty hard and I started to fail my classes and became isolated from everything. Even though I was in therapy I still felt as if I wouldn’t make it through these times, but my therapist would help me get through everything explaining that it was ok that I felt this way because of all the things I have been through and that I would eventually be better. Half the school year had passed and I was still failing a lot of my classes and overall just having a hard time, then 2021 started. I started to put work into school and myself. I finally got straight A’s and that brought me out of the rut I was in. I started to enjoy being by myself and started to love myself a little. I was able to have better time management. During that time I was still in therapy, my therapist was helping me. She would be there for me to rant about the things I would be going through. We would talk about my self-improvement and what I wanted to do. I was starting to get comfortable with myself and even started to be more active on social media. I began to work out and take better care of my health. There would be times when I saw my old friends hanging out and I would get upset, but It slowly stopped affecting me. I was discovering more about myself and what motivates me. I realized that I focused all my time and energy on my friends instead of myself. The reason I had no self-love was that I didn’t take any time to love myself, instead, I loved others. That year I did the things that I wanted and loved myself. I still try my best but sometimes it gets hard but I think back to how far I have come and how far I want to go. I now also have friends that support me and I don’t focus all my energy on them. The advice I could give is if you need help please seek it, talk to a counselor.

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My name is Juan Jimenez. I almost got attacked by a crocodile. The morelet crocodile is one of the most dangerous crocs in the world. It hates humans. During my visit in Mexico I went to a place in the swamp.

When we arrived at the place the tour guides talked about a lot of bird species being in the area, when we were on a boat tour we saw a croc and I was curious if there were crocodiles nearby the swamp we were staying at, they didn’t respond to my question and they left. My family decided to take a dip and swim for a bit. After swimming they went and got their stuff prepared to leave. I told them I was going to take a quick dip and come back. I decided to take a dip a little close to the area we were in. I jumped water splashing everywhere with excitement, i looked at the birds and the beautiful trees surrounding me,  but for some reason the atmosphere seemed rather off. I saw something underneath a big tree under the water. And there it was a crocodile. It kept moving its head sideways,I was frozen and scared but I decided that’s not how I want to die. After being frozen for about 5 seconds I realized that the croc hadn’t noticed me yet so i swimmed slowly to prevent making water splashes because they love that noise and would do anything to chase it. I was tempted to look back but I kept swimming forward, luckily a big branch was sticking out, I put my hands around the branch and moved forward so then I wouldn’t slip and fall to the jaws of the croc. That’s the end of my story thanks for reading my weird writing.

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April 13,2020, my brother's birthday. We didn’t go anywhere that day. All we did was walk to the got dang mailbox to get the mail. I never thought that I would be in this situation.Getting handcuffed because of my skin. My skin. My amazing black skin You see society doesn't see me for my characteristics but the color of my skin. Just for being black. The description of the robbery was two juvenile black boys. No what they were wearing. No nothing, just black. When we got to the mailbox 1 police officer got out of his car and drew his gun at me and my brother and told us hands up. And then 8 more police cars pull up. Blue, white, and red light. These lights were so bright that they blinded me for a second. The lady was there to identify the robbery and she tells the cops “ that isn’t them”. Being relieved from those shackles those chains. I almost felt like the 60’s. When will this end? Seeing my brother crying hurt. They don’t care. They don’t want us here, they just want us to disappear. More and more I think about it. I could’ve lost my life at that moment. They don’t have to worry about them walking in their neighborhood wearing a durag and being scared if someone is going to call the police. For me I have to push harder and work harder just because I’m black. But I can’t let that affect me. I am black I am happy I am Bishop

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By: Jesse Ricario

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By Katie

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Alexis De Leon Cervantes

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- Matthew

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Melanie Bustos

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By Grace Thomas

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- Janet

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The stay at home thing was lame and I didn’t enjoy doing nothing. I got bored one weekend so went to paintball with a few friends. We were all sceptical about getting shot, but it was the only thing open at the time. So, we hopped in the car and said screw it.

We started playing, and the first round we just hid behind one box the whole time. We ended up getting surrounded and we just surrendered because we were scared. The next round was terrible though. All the badass players were on the other side so we got tore up. I got it easy by getting one in the face over some sand bags, but my other 2 friends came back to the sideline drenched in paint. I didn’t really want to stay any longer, but they convinced me to stay one more. I’m glad I did because my freshman year ELA teacher showed up and started carrying us.

Right when he got into the game he was shooting people out left and right. I was really impressed because the guy already plays guitar, makes boots, plays disc golf, and all this other exotic stuff. It was funny though because I didn’t expect him to be the type to play, and he came out guns blazing. After a while we got a little ballsy and started to run around a lot more. We started to survive a lot more fights, because we started to stay in a group. It was really fun shooting up close but our excitement didn’t last much longer. My friend got shot in the neck and I had a close call with my wobbly bits, so we decided to call it a day. We ended the day with some solid wins after losing 3 straight rounds, and I have to say after that day paintball has become super addicting for me.

I’m glad I was able to find something to do during the pandemic and get out of the house. I met lots of new people from playing that I still talk to pretty regularly. I probably would’ve had a very boring 2020 if I pussed out and didn’t go.

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I’d love to play basketball. I can see many of my friends. I can do exercises, it makes my body strong. I want to play basketball in school. I also play basketball at home. I score many points like 10 points. I met my teammates in the neighborhood. They play so good, but I can be better. We play at around 6:00 pm. I play basketball every day after school. My mom and dad support me in playing in basketball in the summer. I know how to play basketball. I can throw and pass the ball and shoot it into the basket. When I was little I once played basketball with my mom.

Nicholas Peralta

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Jasmin R

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Maya Forbes

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Vy Do

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By Darius Stewart

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When I got my first console I was ecstatic to set it up and to get playing.

It was a warm but not so cold Christmas morning of 2008 and the smell of pine filled the house waking up that morning to run down the stairs to see the tree filled with different colored wrapped gifts. Saying good morning to my parents that woke up before me “merry christmas” so one by one unwrapping the gifts from smallest to biggest. From clothes to lego sets I see one box as red as the paper that surrounded the box the height like a small truck was in it. Slowly listening to the rose red paper rip off of the box. Seeing hints of green and white then I saw it, “360” I whispered to myself, quickly unwrapping the whole box. There it was the Xbox 360, red paper still hanging off of it but I’m too focused and excited that I got my very first console. As red shiny paper flutters in the wind as I run to hug my parents to thank them for the thing that will change my life.

Being too ecstatic I told my dad if he can help me set up the Xbox and when all was set up I went to press that silver circle and there that sound was, the sound of my gaming life. Then with a subtle but bright green the silver circle turned on with a green light in the middle. The TV screen lights up with a white screen then rows of different shades of greens come flying in like the wind and creating the Xbox logo at the end. My smile is so big and bright while holding the controller in my hand ready to start playing the thing that would give me joy for the rest of my life. To online friends that would last a lifetime to playing with friends that I see every day, joy and rage in games that would create memories that would last forever.

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Mrs. Chun's memoir

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Robert Deckard