The problem with our education system.

Yesterday, I had the biggest breakdown and the longest panic attack I have ever experienced.
I couldn't breathe for twenty minutes and couldn't utter a proper sentence for almost an hour.
My principal saw me and just shrugged.

I was in school, that's right.
and I was internally dying because of school, that's right.

Is it really worth it?

I really don't know.

But is it right? No. It isn't.


As a senior IB student with four HLs and a whole list of extracurricular activities, the stress is quite understandable. What isn't, though, is the ridiculous treatment we receive from the staff at our school.
Not only are they quite unwary of the effects their actions have on us, they are, quite frankly, heartless.

After having school from 7 to 3, "Here, only 2 hours of homework today! You can sleep early tonight" said my Math teacher, then 5 other teachers, summing up to 12 hours of homework everyday, never less than 5. But wait, to remain an honor student don't forget to join two clubs and sport teams! oh.. and don't forget that you have school SIX days a week and afterschool meetings. That's about it.
Oh, wait.
Let me just add a couple of tests that will include things you never learned in class, y'know, just to drop your grade a little more.
And of course, when you try to raise it back up I'll give you a pop quiz you were totally unprepared for, just to keep you as a permanent C-.
Also, let me favor my children that I teach and the kids that I've known for longer and can make me laugh.
I almost forgot! Let me give you detention and suspend you because you wore the right uniform on the wrong day, that's just about it, easy!

No. NO, this isn't right.
I'm devastated and outraged
I am clinically depressed and a massive reason for this is school.
NO, IT'S NOT FINE, IT'S NOT RIGHT that the longest sleep I get is 5 hours a day.
It's not right.
Prisoners get better food and sleep than we do.
Prisoners have a longer life expectancy than we do.
Prisoners have a more relaxed life than we do. Their life is punishment but not controlled by punishment which is a much merciful life.
So many of my friends have constant suicidal thoughts and we are all emotionally, physically and mentally exhausted (..its only the second month of school)

Never once has a teacher asked how we felt or how much other homework we have all 14 years I was a student.
Never once has a teacher *helped* us outside the hours s/he was paid for.
Never once has a teacher showed us compassion or understanding.

My nightmares used to be about getting murdered or my family dying, now they're death in the form of my planner, detentions, drowning in work and being chased by Internal Assessments.


Of course, a generalization  of all these teachers is outrageous. Some are kind and understanding and a sanctuary, but they are as rare as the stars in my light polluted country and usually are counsellors or  coordinators not actual teachers.

The problem with school is that we no longer go there to 'learn'.

We go there to cross boxes on our To-Do Lists and to submit paper after paper that we have bullshitted our way through.

We go there to get enough credits to graduate and get into college.

We go because we have to.

We don't go to learn. We don't go because we love to. We don't go because we are passionate to learn more about the world and people around us.

Not because we aren't passionate, but because school has suffocated this passion and killed the enthusiasm and seasoned our days with all forms of unrecognizable torture.

We don't learn. We just add pile of information to pile. We 'learn' how to add number to number then our calculator begins to do it for us then we 'learn' how to use a calculator and a ton of other things that, not only will we not use in the future and will be forgotten the minute we graduate, it just doesn't help us.

Why don't you teach us about society? about how to overcome oppression and to develop a strong personality? why don't you teach us first aid or how to choose a right partner for life?

Okay, If that is too drastic a change, maybe just go a little easy on us? Maybe give us a little less homework? Maybe don't give us detention because of reasons as ridiculous and trivial such as uniform?

Many do not have the privilege we do and would love to go to school, and I understand that. But when it gets this bad and slowly changes us into emotionless, depressed robots, Ignorance is truly bliss. 

Sincerely,
a tired 17 year old.

Life; A Passion.

In my opinion, I believe there are three types of people in the world.
The people that loathe life, the people that live life and the people that love life.

Everyone has a mixture of these days. Some may be good days that make a person love life, and some may be bad days that make a person loathe life. And some may just live life without really hating it or loving it. But even so, the majority of our days fit us into which ever category we believe ourselves to be in.

Those that love life are mostly the happiest. They find joy and beauty in the little things that make up life. They cherish and they care. They help and they protect. They're a natural beauty themselves, just because of the beautiful things they do that make them love life. And the most surprising of all, is that it really doesn't take much for you to love life. You just have to spread lots of love and joy around you, and watch how people and things rejoice around you.




Life isn't that complicated and as difficult as we make it seem. And that is the problem. We cant seem to enjoy life because we are way too busy trying to complicate it and worrying about it and complaining about everything. And that slowly kills all of us, because no one likes a problematic, complicated life. It is the reason behind all the loathe.

And for all the world, that's the secret to a happy life. You don't complain and you don't complicate, and you never worry. Because after all, life is a passion, and you need to love it. It is that simple.

Love the life you live, so you can live the life you love.

Till Next Time, Readers.
-Jessica xo

Lazy Sundays

Hello again, readers! 

It's worth the read!

Lazy sundays are, ..well - lazy.

Especially during summer break.

So I'm just going to sit here and talk to you about life. Partly because I have nothing else on my mind currently, partly because we all need a reality check.

Living in a world of corruption, abuse and dishonesty, it is very hard to find the right people, the right friends and just simply trying to lead a good life. We're all living our life in a rush, not waiting to stop a minute, let alone a second; to take in the dying beauty of nature, or anything else around us. We've all changed so much. We forgot the real meaning of 'life' and 'fun', stress and tension have replaced them. 

When did school become a pain to us? When did we all become depressed? When did our family mean nothing to us? When did eating what we want become so hard? When did our weight, or how we dress become such an issue in today's society? When did life become so complicated and difficult? When did we start getting judged for every move we make or every word we utter? 

Honestly, when was the last time you really had fun?

When was the last time you went a day without the death tool in your hand; your phone?

When did our idols go from saints or our parents to celebrities that appear half naked half the time? 

It all happened too fast and we never stopped to wonder who we've become or how we've changed! We started to follow trends -instead of setting them- without questioning them or wondering if it's even the right thing to do! 

This is why today's society has become downright unacceptable!

  This is basically how every social gathering is nowadays. 

We blame society, but we ARE society!

However, WE are society! We are getting judged, but we also judge others!

We are the ones that helped bring this generation to this point! 

We have a duty to help fix all this! We have a duty to restore faith back in humanity. And really, we don't have much time!

Between all the rush and change, we've also embraced the unpleasant virtues of greed and selfishness.

Generosity and kindness have ceased to exist in today's society. And we need to get that back!

We all talk about leaving a better planet to our kids / future generation, but what about leaving better kids to our planet?

Our generation needs us, so we don't end up as the worst the Earth has ever seen. Let's help others whenever we can, and spread happiness, so there would be more smiles than frowns on this place.

We don't have to follow the trends, we don't have to starve ourselves to please society, we don't have to be fakes. We need to be originals.. we need to be ourselves! because its okay to be different, its good to be you, society's had enough with copies, so be yourself and that will help us make a better tomorrow!

And in as Nico & Vinz say in the song 'Am I Wrong?':

Walk your walk and don't look back, always do what you decide
Don't let them control your life, that's just how I feel
Fight for yours and don't let go, don't let them compare you, no
Don't worry, you're not alone.

Till next time, readers.

Lots of love,

//

-Jessica xx