QT1 Blog🐵

Summary

Quarter one is officially over, and it felt like it went by pretty fast. First couple of weeks of school were okay since I didn't have as much assignments as I did as of now, and I was still learning a lot of things. For example; writing repeating decimals as fractions, square and cube roots, elements of art, endothermic and exothermic, Captain Cook's arrival, Case of the disappearing words, and responsibility. I am still learning things of course, but I feel like I haven't learned anything at all. Mostly because of my Alzheimer's. Anyways, the other weeks of school weren't bad either, but my classmates made things worse. They're so, so so loud and obnoxious that it generally drives me insane, and I have trouble focusing in class because of them. Good thing that they didn't affect my grade THAT much. The class that I enjoy the most currently is still art class, since I love making art, and nobody bothers me when I lock in (unless I don't have my headphones) My most favorite art piece might be the eye drawing because it's just so slay and glorious and pretty and majestic :) Least favorite class? A tie between ELA and Science. Both classes have loud and obnoxious classmates inside, I cannot focus on the work, but I still have good grades in them. I don't know how, but I manage to keep my grades up despite having horrible memory and (I'll begrudgingly admit) not paying attention as much in class. Leadership is going well, still doing the things we normally do (work rotations every week, blogs, ect), and we are going to be introduced to GT (gifted and talented) students when we come back from fall break, woo. They're going to be staying in A101, which means that their homeroom changes, and we have to make room for all of them since the A101 room isn't that big and I don't really expect everyone to fit inside, but we'll see when they come. We are also very close to going to retreat, so I'm kind of nervous but excited at the same time. I do, however, have slight concern for the insects that will be in the house we're staying in, but that's okay (I think). I have yet to pack, since me and my parents are figuring out what to put everything in, and I know have everything I need for retreat.

Highlights + Lowlights

Highlights

My Period 3 - I love my period three. Why? Because it's the period where I get to stay in A101, and I get to be with my Leadership group. They're funny, nice, and make my mood better since I like hanging out with them so much.
Working Music - I enjoy working music because I get to pick what plays on the speakers, and I can vibe to the songs with the two other people that work with me either in the morning, or at recess. We also have to set up speakers pretty quickly, but that's fine since I know what cables go where.
Art class - Art class is where I can show off my creativity, and I can listen to music with my headphones. The assignments are easy since I have been drawing for 9 years (starting at 3 years old), so I already had a lot of practice.

Lowlights

Loud and obnoxious classmates - The loud and obnoxious classmates I have in some of my classes disturb my focus, and my mood. Me and other classmates just want to finish our work when they're goofing around and annoying everyone.
Working flag football - I don't really like working flag football since the sun burns me and other leadership students, and sometimes a wasp would just fly around and scare us. Plus, we can't sit down so my legs would get tired.
Having a lot of assignments to do - I don't like having a lot of assignments to do, but when I miss some periods do go somewhere for leadership or some other reason, it piles up on the things I have to do and I just want to relax without worrying about finishing them.

Lessons learned

Paragraph 1: Academics, Focus, and Memory

Lesson Learned: I can still absorb and retain complex academic concepts—like writing repeating decimals as fractions and understanding endothermic/exothermic reactions—even when I feel like my memory is failing me. My brain is capable of learning, even if I don't always give myself credit for it.

Paragraph 2: The Challenge of Classmates and Focus

Lesson Learned: External distractions, like loud and obnoxious classmates, can be a significant barrier to focusing, but they don't have to define my academic success. I've proven that resilience and a persistent work ethic can allow me to achieve good grades despite a disruptive environment.

Paragraph 3: Art, ELA, Science, and Grades

Lesson Learned: Creative outlets and personal passion (like my Art class) provide an essential mental sanctuary and can be a powerful source of focus and good performance. Furthermore, I've developed an uncanny ability to self-manage your learning and maintain high standards even in classes I find difficult or distracting.

Paragraph 4: Leadership, GT Students, and Retreat

Lesson Learned: Being part of a Leadership group involves navigating exciting new situations, like integrating with GT students and preparing for a retreat. These experiences inherently involve logistical challenges, like fitting a lot of people into a small room, and minor concerns, like bugs; learning to manage anticipation alongside slight anxiety is part of growing into new roles.

Paragraph 5: Highlights - Social Connection and Personal Enjoyment

Lesson Learned: Positive social interactions and finding an enjoyable purpose (like leading my Period 3 group or curating the Working Music) are vital for boosting my mood and motivation. These small, reliable routines provide a necessary contrast to the stress of other classes.

Paragraph 6: Lowlights - Environment and Workload

Lesson Learned: Recognizing and articulating my environmental triggers (like the excessive noise or the heat/insects at flag football) is the first step toward finding solutions. Also, I've learned that time management is crucial—missing even a few class periods can quickly create a daunting backlog of assignments that cuts into my relaxation time.

Was this class what I expected? What met my expectations and what surprised me?

Was This Class What I Expected?

In some significant ways, yes, the class was what you expected, particularly in the sense that I was going to be learning new things and engaging my creativity. However, the intensity of the negative environmental factors—the noise, the distraction, and the piling workload—likely exceeded my expectations for how difficult it would be to focus.

What Met My Expectations

These are the areas where the class experience is largely aligned with what I likely hoped for or anticipated:

Academic Rigor: I expected to be challenged and learn new things, and that happened. I covered a wide range of specific concepts, from writing repeating decimals as fractions to learning about endothermic and exothermic reactions and Captain Cook's arrival.
Creative Outlet: I expected Art class to be a safe, enjoyable space for creativity, and it remains my favorite. The ability to "lock in" with my headphones and use my 9 years of drawing experience met my expectation of an easy and personally rewarding class.
Leadership Group Connection: I expected to feel comfortable and engaged with my Leadership group. This was met by my Period 3 group, who I describe as "funny, nice," and mood-boosting, making it a clear highlight.
Job Enjoyment (Working Music): My expectation that a specific Leadership task would be enjoyable was met by Working Music, where I get to control the speakers and vibe with my coworkers.

What Surprised Me

These elements were likely unexpected or significantly exceeded my expectations, for better or worse:

The Level of Distraction: The "loud and obnoxious classmates" seem to be the biggest surprise and point of frustration. While every class has some noise, the degree to which they "drive me insane" and disrupt my focus in both ELA and Science was likely a negative surprise.
Academic Success Despite Distraction: The fact that I have good grades in ELA and Science despite the noise, poor focus, and admitted memory issues is a massive positive surprise. I even state, "I don't know how, but I manage." This suggests I am more capable of overcoming obstacles than I might have thought.
Unpleasant Leadership Tasks: The lowlight of Working Flag Football was an unwelcome surprise. I didn't expect the sun, the wasps, and the requirement to stand for long periods to make the task so physically uncomfortable and unenjoyable.
Logistical Challenges of Growth: The upcoming challenge of integrating the GT students into the small A101 room is a surprise logistical hurdle. Dealing with the physical constraints of the classroom due to the group's growth wasn't something I'd have anticipated at the start of the quarter.