The Chronicle - "The End of Solitude" Response

Throughout reading this article, I felt refreshed. And although I'm slightly hypocritical, for I do make use of Facebook, MySpace, e-mail, a cellular phone with text messaging, and Video iChat occasionally with beloveds, I completely agree. My father always pushed for my sisters and I to spend some time alone, by ourselves, without music or any media at that, in our rooms, or in the backyard under a starry night and escape from thought and busy world. "The act of being alone has been understood as an essential dimension of religious experience...[it] renews its relationship with divinity" (1-2) is a similar expression to my dad's idea of solitude: "to pray is to ask, while to meditate is to receive the answer" he would say. My dad is an intelligent, knowledgeable, well-read man - I usually take his word on accounts and issues. Solitude, away from the "bustle of petty concerns, jostle of quotidian interests" (2) is the means to gain ideas and the "value of keeping them hidden" - the own person, own soul of each individual. I've personally have felt such fear of loneliness that I grab my phone and call an old lover, a reliable friend, in my despair. However, once overcoming the bewilderment, I relax and envelope in the isolation. I'll admit though, I spend a lot of my time by myself; however I'm usually in the company of a book or music, which I'm not sure it necessarily counts. I've been wanting to reach into my own mind, my own conscience with ideas and thoughts outside of external influence and drugs, but honestly I'm afraid. I know the only means to reach such individual ideas is to dwell in solitude habitually, occasionally on those dark lonely nights. How would you feel if suddenly you were not able to call your best friend, or boyfriend, or tell everyone what you're doing and feeling on Facebook, or listen to your favorite song, or read a good book - what would you think about, how would you feel?

-Elish I.

college applications(with voice!)

So, I'm finally finished with my second essay for college applications thinking that I'm at least close to the end. Feeling as if I just conquered the world, my mind has absolutely no thought left in it and I am literally laying on the table. I am proud of myself for accomplishing this tedious task when, come to find out, I'm just barely half way! I feel like crying as my eyes swell up with tears of defeat, exhaustion, and frustration. Who created these applications anyway?! We already have to complete the SAT which is already a wearisome task on its own, as well as maintaing good grades for four years through high school! And if your'e doing sports, it's a whole other process on its own as you are required to contact the coach, miss school for official visits(which lowers your grades in school), and try and pull some money out of the colleges you want to play for! After a while, it's easy just to lay on the table, as I'm doing righrt now, and and stab yourself with a pencil(which I'm not doing).  The only thing that keeps me going is the exitement that I'll feel in the end when all of this is over and I'm laying in my bed instead of the table! I'm pretty sure that every senior knows how it feels right now at the most stressful time in a teenagers life. The application process wouldn't be as stressful if your whole life and future depended on it. The fact is, that applications get you into college, which in turn, get you a job, and therefore a better life. The whole life of a highschool teenage  basically depends on the crafting of the application; which includes the essay, the supplements, the teacher recs., etc. 
   My strategic advice is to take one part of the application process at time and definately DO NOT look at everything all at once, like what I just did, or it will seem like nothing you do is making a difference and you will end up passed out on the table!(like me). Just know that every senior is feeling this pressure of colleges right now, even if theyr'e going to Chaffey College. Hang in there seniors!