https://padlet.com/esantacruz/9z6tenhv9iw0 Made with wonder en-us 2017-12-08 01:47:41 UTC 2017-12-08 01:56:01 UTC hello@padlet.com esantacruz https://padlet.com/esantacruz/9z6tenhv9iw0/wish/214370339  I feel like this semester my motivation level has increased. At the beginning of the semester I was just doing enough to get by and now that I have seen my grades go up, I try to exceed expectations. Tattoos on the Heart was the novel that motivated me. The homies were all in a bad place at some point in their lives just like I have and I knew that if they could overcome working with ex rival gang members, I can overcome anything. This came through self reflection as I thought to myself everyday, stressed, how having these grades and pressure on my shoulders should not be what I feel all four years of my college career. 

]]> 2017-12-08 01:50:48 UTC https://padlet.com/esantacruz/9z6tenhv9iw0/wish/214370339 esantacruz https://padlet.com/esantacruz/9z6tenhv9iw0/wish/214370421 In each of the books, the theme perseverance often showed up. The homies didn’t give up in Tattoos in the Heart. They didn’t allow their past to shape their future. In Fire in the Ashes, Benjamin was often arrested and drug dealing but having that image of himself did not stop him from getting over his addiction and going back to school to finish his education. 

]]> 2017-12-08 01:51:52 UTC https://padlet.com/esantacruz/9z6tenhv9iw0/wish/214370421 esantacruz https://padlet.com/esantacruz/9z6tenhv9iw0/wish/214370642  Tattoos on the Heart resonated with me the most. The reason is because they lived a similar life to the one I live. I definitely don’t gangbang but I live around them and I often live with the mentality of “Live day by day” because I might not even make it alive another day. For example, I think that I can be shot dead everyday so I am often not motivated to even leave the house. But being vulnerable like the homies, makes me want to go out into the world and make a change. The neighborhood I live in should not have to be the same forever. I can be the one to change it. 

]]> 2017-12-08 01:54:35 UTC https://padlet.com/esantacruz/9z6tenhv9iw0/wish/214370642 esantacruz https://padlet.com/esantacruz/9z6tenhv9iw0/wish/214370751 Reflection and mindfulness has played a large role for me this semester. For example, when working on assignments, I didn’t just quit when frustrated. I stopped working for a moment, relaxed and got back to work with a fresh start. These are important skills to have as they hold your emotions intact. Without stepping back and reflecting, I would find myself in a lot of altercations or physical fights. What helps me enact this in my life is watching how others deal with their issues and more often than not, it is aggressive and embarrassing. To avoid that, I reflect to myself before making any decisions when I am in a crisis.]]> 2017-12-08 01:55:18 UTC https://padlet.com/esantacruz/9z6tenhv9iw0/wish/214370751 esantacruz https://padlet.com/esantacruz/9z6tenhv9iw0/wish/214370813 I want to develop motivating myself further. In order for that to happen is by making short term and long term plans. I don’t want to do enough to graduate college but more than enough my making the world around me a more positive place whether that’s by holding a door open for someone or interacting verbally. 

]]> 2017-12-08 01:55:44 UTC https://padlet.com/esantacruz/9z6tenhv9iw0/wish/214370813