riyaa-99-blog

[riyaa-99-blog]

Romeo and Juliet

Hey whoever still uses tumblr. So gonna keep it short for now but been thinking about Romeo and Juliet and what if it isn’t about romantic love at all but about how division kills us as the human race?

Anyways, I love ya tribe

Also Riya and I are currently talking and think there need to be a hashtag for anyone from any class who ever wants to blog from lit so here’s the tag

[riyaa-99-blog]

Daryl Davis is a blues musician, but he also has what some might call an interesting hobby. For the past 30 years, Davis, a black man, has spent time befriending members of the Ku Klux Klan.

He says once the friendship blossoms, the Klansmen realize that their hate may be misguided. Since Davis started talking with these members, he says 200 Klansmen have given up their robes. When that happens, Davis collects the robes and keeps them in his home as a reminder of the dent he has made in racism by simply sitting down and having dinner with people.

How One Man Convinced 200 Ku Klux Klan Members To Give Up Their Robes

Photo: Courtesy of Daryl Davis

[riyaa-99-blog]

I fell in love with typewriters at the age of 9, and I haven't stopped loving them. There's true magic in passion; you just have to find the things you care most deeply about.

[riyaa-99-blog]

Wtf? Is this some snakes on a plane crap?

[riyaa-99-blog]

The more I write, the more thankful I get for Rick Kreinbring . That man taught me so much (though he denies teaching us anything) he is the best teacher I have ever had and he has become one of the models I use to define success . I’ve cried so many times for so many different reasons because of Richard Kreinbring but today I cry because I truly will miss going to his class everyday . I will miss talking about Handmaid’s tale and Feminism and just discussing life with him in general . He is without a doubt one of avondale’s best, my first book is going to be dedicated to you . 

[riyaa-99-blog]

Some people believe that the gay pride flag does not equal the American flag. They are attempting to say that LGBT lives don't matter as much as straight American lives. I disagree.

[riyaa-99-blog]

just gonna leave this here

[riyaa-99-blog]

Oh The Places We’ll Go

I have never felt more attachment to a specific class than I have to AP English. It’s basically been one class, with a few people between joining or leaving from both years, but the most of the people have stayed together. Gosh it’s been a great ride, where do I start. 

Both classes just had such an impact on me. Ms. Allan was an amazing person, but I was in an Honors 10 class where I didn’t feel comfortable, I never felt like I could really be myself. I never wanted to be myself, I never had the desire to be remembered by anyone in that class. It wasn’t the place for me, but I wanted to find that space where I could thrive. AP Lang is where I thrived. 

Low key, everyone always stressed about the work, and was always mad about all the work, and the constant stress, etc. To be completely honest, I have never been upset with both classes. There has never been a time when I’ve been genuinely mad about work, or stressed so much that I wanted to die. There were times where I was stressed, but I felt that early on we were taught to deal with it, and it wasn’t that bad. I have never enjoyed being in a class more than I have AP Lang and AP Lit. It was such an experience, I thoroughly enjoyed it. 

AP Lang is where I started to really find who I wanted to be as a person. I started to be characterized by certain things by certain people, and it ended up being some of the best characteristics I have. One simple spelling mistake gave me a marking, a name: Bean, that would stick with me for the next two years. Something that grew from a simple spelling error would end up being something I identify with, and am proud to be. Ben would sometimes be forgotten, left out or ignored, had some self confidence issues or had a lot of doubt in himself, but not Bean. Bean was something that gave me life, and I am really glad I made that spelling mistake. 

All the lessons we learned early in AP Lang were lessons that literally changed most of our lives. The Cave, oh my gosh. I think about The Cave almost every day because all I want to do is work on leaving it. That lesson hit me particularly hard because I had been a deep cave dweller for most of my life. I’ve been sheltered and strict rule follower. There are people who disregard the rules, which isn’t a good thing, but there are some people where breaking the rules isn’t always a bad thing. Sometimes you need to break the rules and destroy the cultural norms in order to get where you want to go, and that’s maybe not a lesson I learned completely in this class, but it all fits into this idea of the cave. We are finally about to step out of the cave, but I feel prepared. Sure I’m absolutely terrified, but it’s just life. We just have to go out and live life. We are members of the tribe, and the tribe doesn’t just read but it’s gonna change the world. Whether it’s defending against the dark arts, or leaving the cave, our little tribe is gonna do great things. 

Thank you Mr. Kreinbring. Thank you for pushing us off of points and out of the cave, or at least trying to. Thank you for teaching me how to write, and how to enjoy writing. I’m gonna be honest, I was a terrible writer earlier in high school, I also hated writing with a burning passion. Now, it’s all different. I love writing and I feel so much more confident in it than I ever have. Sure it’s not at the level of some of my classmates, but from where it was almost two years ago, it’s a stunning improvement. 

Thank you Mr. Kreinbring. Thank you for dragging us out of the cave. Thank you for teaching us how to use our voices, and teaching us how to think and how to argue, but not what to think and what to argue. Thank you for providing us with a safe space where we could all come during AP Lit and for some people hate everything about the class, but the classroom itself felt like home. AP Lit this year was one of, if not my favorite class. Our misfit group of students aren’t always cohesive, but it always felt like a family. AP English is where Bean lives and dies, and I am so happy I got to be apart of it. Thank you for everything Mr. Kreinbring. Thank you to all the other members of our tribe that made me feel like I was never alone. I had a lot of great friendships that were built and/or solidified because of AP Lang and AP Lit. Running may not have been high art (I still think it is) but your teaching was definitely high art Mr. Kreinbring. Pinto is eternally grateful for those two classes, Mr. Kreinbring’s unique and extremely beneficial teaching style, and all of the members of those classes. Thank you all for two years of great reading, writing, arguing and learning. Time to tackle the world y’all. <3

[riyaa-99-blog]

A Tribe That's Tied

Hey tribe,

So years from now when Tumblr is the MySpace of today I want to login and see all the little memories that I’ll probably have forgotten by then. Memories of this one weird and fun and difficult class I took when I was 17 and in high school.

I want to remember getting vintage soccer jerseys from the closet I want to remember Kreinbring stealing food I want to remember Lila turning to Bridget I want to remember playing kick ball And the learning tree Ben becoming Bean And every single person in this class

It’s funny how significant seemingly insignificant moments truly are.

Anyways, just want to say thank you so much. Thank you AP Lit for being so unique. I’m grateful for every person. I’m grateful for our humble instructor and for every time we got rhet-or-RICK- rolled by him. I’m even grateful for having to re-do some papers because I know it made me better.

When I think about what I’m saying goodbye to- I know it isn’t rhetoric or language or writing or even necessarily the people, but it’s the combination of them all. Somehow this class allowed us to be real. More real than we could be in other classes and although I hope it’s not something that will go away, it’s what I’ll say I’m going to miss the most. Even so, I wish I could have gotten to know even more of y'all individually. I learned so much but still know there’s so much more I could learn from all of you.

We might not always have eachother, but we’ll all have similar things there for us but we’ll have the lessons we learned, the memories we made.

And through this change Even as you’re miles away

Your writer’s notebook is always there for you. As is mine. And so in some sort of a way, we’ll still be tied.

[riyaa-99-blog]

It's Goodbye, but it Isn't the End

Mr. Kreinbring, I remember the first day I ever spoke to you. It was back in my freshman year. I had heard ALL about you from my brother, and in my mind, you were a kind of a formidable but supercool celebrity. Apoorva and Tanya would talk about you and your class all the time at our Indian potluck parties, and I couldn't be more excited yet intimated by your class. You were built up to be this huge monument in high school, and your class was this tall mountain that I'd one day get to tackle. So, at the end of my freshman year, when I had this idea to get all of my brother's old teachers to sign a birthday card for him, I had to muster up the courage to go and talk to you. I was so scared. I stalled walking down the eng wing for the whole day. I distinctly remember looking down the hallway and turning away at least 3 times. When I finally did have the courage to go up to as you stood outside by your door, I remember I had the squeakiest, quietest little voice ever. You didn't know who I was, not really, but you were excited about the card and about my brother, which made me feel great. You were actually kind (well, relatively speaking). I don't remember anything after that, which probably is because I mentally passed out after the relief of not being yelled at. After that, I didn't talk to you again until AP Lang. I thought I was so ready for that class. I was ready to be the best damn Lang kid ever. You didn't scare me anymore. I was ready for everything you'd throw at us and I couldn't be more excited. Then, the first week of class, you gave us the Allegory of the Cave, and I couldn't have been more wrong. I wasn't ready at all. Lang was one of the most ground-breaking, universe-shattering classes I've ever taken, in an entirely good way. In Lit and Lang, I had to break old molds of how I'd done school for so long, and relearn how to learn. I had to learn to trust the process, which goes a lot deeper than just the process of doing a project or writing a paper. I had to learn to trust the process of Lit and Lang, and that once I went through it, once I let the classes teach me what they had to teach me, once I put in the work to understand, I would come out a better writer, a better reader, a better speaker. I learned so much. I wish I didn't have to use those words because they sound so cliched and overused at this point, but it's true. That's why cliches exist. I learned so much. These classes taught me how to think, how to read and understand and how to talk about my thoughts. They taught me to watch out for how language corrupts thought, taught me defense against the dark arts, taught me that what you call something matters, taught me that.... This class was everything for me. It was the class that stretched me when I didn't want to think too hard, and it made me grow as a student- for realsies. At the end of this year, I was so ready to leave. I was so ready for new adventures and new beginnings. I was ready for everything the world would throw at me, because I felt invincible after getting through your class. But once again, I have never been more wrong. I'm not ready to leave at all. I've made a new home in a new cave, with a new mask on, but this time, it's one I actually like. It's one I want to keep, one that helps me see better. And I'm not ready to leave. I have found a home in this class, next to people who aren't just classmates but friends and a crazy old qook of a teacher. This class was my safe space and also my unexplored, unbound territory. It was comfort blanket and my adventure pack. It was everything. Thank you so much for everything. Thank you to you, to the class, to the people who I sat in those seats with, who made this experience possible. Thank you. Sincerely, Riya

[riyaa-99-blog]

Mother’s Day this year has brought something quite important to light: unconditional love is the most irrational and illogical thing in the world. Yet, it is still one of the most beautiful things we humans have.

[riyaa-99-blog]

the end

after 13 long years with some of you or 1 short one with others and everything in between, it all is coming to an end now.

i can honestly say i have no idea what to do with my life now. there’s no ap lit to complain about, no kreinbring picking a fight every 5 seconds, no daily discussion with all of you about almost anything we can think of. for me to say “i’m not ready to say goodbye” would be an understatement because each of my classmates and Kreinbring, even you, changed my life. i am not the girl i was 4 years ago, 2 years ago, last year. I’ve grown immensely and learned a lot about who i am and where I want to end up. i’m not ready to let go of the class and the classmates that got me there.

although it’s a great feeling not having to go to school and not be required to read or analyze or any of that, i miss our class already and i miss our discussions. i miss seeing all of you and i miss the feeling of us being together and us facing problems together.

lit and lang is a collection of great memories and theyre all special for different reason. my favorite project we did was probably the big lang project that we designed ourselves because it was fun but it also taught me a lot about working with people and time management. in class, one of the most rewarding days was when we did the cave. that allegory messed us all up and the existential crisis was real for that whole week but it’s this inside joke that we all have and it’s an allusion that we make all the time with each other. it is so relatable and you can apply the cave to almost anything and even though that day messed us all up, it was extremely rewarding in the end. Obviously, turning in the final lit project was a great day and an amazing feeling. it was a party and we all put so much of our hearts and souls into that project that turning it in took a weight off my shoulders and it was such a happy day. building forts and #aplang16sub will always be special memories. this class and these classmates are so full of memories and connections and love that i can’t believe it’s time for me to leave the common space where we meet 5 days a week. i don’t want to leave the class behind or the connections and discussions and the memories we all have. it doesn’t feel over, but i know it is.

kreinbring- you. i dont know if i hate you or love you but i am thankful for you. last year i was terrified of you. i knew writing was something i wanted to do but i also knew you tore claire’s papers apart. i was afraid of failing. i was expecting a grumpy old man who made us harkness a lot and told us we were stupid and though you can be a grumpy old man, you’re not what i was expecting. in a weird way, you’re encouraging. you helped me find confidence in my writing and my ability to succeed. you helped me learn and you made me actually feel smart. your class was innovative and forward thinking and it taught me more than any other class i’ve ever taken. you set your expectations high and we had to meet them. you pushed me to be the best writer that i can be and i would not be at this level if you weren’t there chewing up my writing (in a semi-nice way) and giving me criticism. you’re one of the most incredible teachers in this school and for that I thank you. thank you for listening to us and caring about what we want to do, thank you for being our leader and thank you for stepping back sometimes and letting us figure things out for ourselves. thank you for letting us fail. thank you for teaching me that failing is the way you have to learn some lessons. the lessons i learned in my 2 years with you are lessons i will take with me for the rest of my life. thank you.

to my classmates- thank you all for crying with me, laughing with me, growing with me, singing with me, dancing with me, talking with me, protesting with me, reading with me, writing with me, learning with me, and graduating with me. we did it. whether we are ready to walk out of the cave and face the sunlight or not. whether we are ready to stop naming shadows or not. whether we have the mask on or our face grew to fit it, whether we are free from or free to, whether we like it or not, it’s time to go. i can’t wait to see all of you succeed. i’m equal parts terrified and excited.

thank you ap lit. thank you kreinbring.

goodbye.

[riyaa-99-blog]

I AM OFFICIALLY UNFLUNKABLE

WOWOWOWOWOWOWOWOWOW I did it. I wrote a gen intro that as a first draft [edited] i’m actually kind of proud of, i like what i have so far. the rest of my essays are coming together also I MIGHT ACTUALLY GRADUATE WOW i feel good i feel powerful. i wonder if this is what runner’s high feels like (god knows the only high i get after running is highly sick) 

[riyaa-99-blog]

SO i’m finally getting around to editing my lit crit essays, because I was afraid to because I thought they were going to be terrible and very difficult to edit and that i might have to rewrite it all and i didnt want to do that becus I’m lazy. But then, I realized that they aren’t that bad and that this will be okay and that I don’t really have that much to worry about. This project is coming together. graduation is in sight. wow 

  Also, in my search for background sources, I came across these videos of Ishiguro speaking about his book, and HE HAD THE SAME IDEAS AS ME WHILE HE WAS WRITING HIS BOOK. i know youre not really supposed to say this because “there is no right” (said in a contemptuous voice) but I GOT IT RIGHT. I had the right idea. He’s writing about the human condition. What humans are like and how messed up and complex and special we are. He’s exploring what humans value when their lifespans are cut in half and they know it, and he comes up with the fact that we value love and friendship and companionship. And that’s super complicated because there are so many emotions to be dealt with that go with love. There are so many i cant even tell you. Love is terrible and great. Ok sorry personal drama aside. He’s also exploring truth, and what humans do when they learn the truth, how they cope with it and how they keep going, ONCE AGAIN looking at the emotions that surround that and how that makes us human. Wow. i love this book. 10/10 recommend. I actually just recommended it to Tanya Metha tonight, that was fun. She’s gonna read it. Im excited i hope she likes it

[riyaa-99-blog]

Wow

okay Ishiguro is kind of full of himself. I’m looking at background sources right now, and I have like two that I know for sure influenced him. I’m looking for my third, sorting through interview after interview and through his blogs, but everywhere, he denies anything really influencing his writing. It’s like he’s saying everything comes from within. Occasionally, he’ll say something like “yeah that may have influenced me subconsciously, but not really, I just kind of put myself into the character’s shoes and write.” Like okay sure. I’m going to keep looking because surely, he can’t be THAT arrogant. But yeah, I’m having trouble with this background source part. Thank god it’s only like 10% of the project. #priorities 

i also really wish i hadn’t waited until the last day of break to work on this stuff. i’m the queen of bad decisions. but then again, Kreinbring did say to take a break. oh well hope i can still graduate

[riyaa-99-blog]

Crayola, the supplier of colorful art materials, was set to announce the retirement of one of its classic colors in the popular 24-count pack of crayons. The company planned to do the big reveal during a live broadcast on Facebook Friday morning in New York’s Times Square.

Instead, on Thursday, the colorful company announced that Dandelion — that bright yellow hue — is the crayon retiring to the Crayola Hall of Fame, calling the color “an adventurous spirit” with “a case of wanderlust.”

[riyaa-99-blog]

Wow wow wow wow

Wow wow wow wow wow I finished the first draft of all my explications wow that's dedication. I sat down today and told myself I was going to type all of these up today if it's the last thing I do, and I did it. I'm proud, and they're not even that shabby really. I didn't even need NyQuil. Oh but I did do some more yoga before I started, but I did it in my basement where there were a lot of rolly pollies and my friends in bio know how much bugs creep me the frick out so that probably stressed me out a lot more than it did relax me. Wow now I'm thinking about gd rolly pollies. Oops Okay but to conclude, I did good today and I'm proud of myself. I also cooked dinner with my dad today and that was a lot of fun because we just made fun of each other the whole time, a lot of laughs. Good times I had a good day.