Missing Ms. Serensky

When teachers tell us that they won't be in class, as students, we instantly feel a sense of excitement and relief. Knowing that the day will be unordinary and usually much easier, everyone LOVES when teachers are absent. However, when Ms. Serensky made the announcement that she would not be in school Monday, I didn't get the giddy feelings that normally comes after such great news. Then I realized, it's not great news. Unlike most classes, AP English is not more enjoyable when the teacher isn't there. What are we going to do at the beginning of class when we don't hear the weird theme song of Bobbie's Blog Banter? I'm nervous I'm going to be looking around the room to a bunch of hysterical twelfth-graders curled in the fetal position, rocking back and forth in their desks, singing the BBB jingle. The truth is, with a substitute teacher in the room, something just feels...off. Especially because we still feel the lingering presence of Ms. Serensky in the room, whether its because of the quote on the board in her handwriting, or her silver water bottle that's still ominously sitting on her desk. Also, substitute's just don't understand. AP English 12 is in a whole other league. Last time we had a sub, instead of letting us start out in-class writing, she had us solving riddles. Normal students would have loved this. Us AP English-ers were ready to chase her out of the room with torches and pitchforks, so we could finally start our writing. Ms. Serensky, hopefully you find this flattering, and not concerning. It just further proves your genius as a teacher. We will all be anxiously waiting to see you on Tuesday! That is, if we make it through tomorrow...

Acid Test: My House! Be There or Be... Sane?

After we talked about Ken Kesey's "Acid Test" parties, I could not stop thinking about them. The idea that groups of people got together with the intention of having a party with LSD in the addition of black lights, fluorescent paint, and strobe lights completely blew my mind. I can't even imagine why these parties don't exist any more, they sound like such a great time! I wish to host one myself, so I did some more research so I know my Acid Test will be one to remember (or not.. I mean, there will be a lot of LSD).


It seems that in order to host the perfect Acid Test I first need to make a poster so that everyone can be informed when this completely illegal event will take place. That's logical, right? When Ken Kesey hosted these parties flyers actually were posted telling everyone the date, time, and place. Some examples of these flyers:

                                                  

                                                 

Here's my Acid Test flyer: 

Ken Kesek's Acid Test parties also gained a second name; The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test. They received this name because for drinks, the crazies drank out of baby bathtubs these of Kool-Aid spiked with LSD. Since Kool-Aid is involved, feel free to invite anyone under the age of 12 to this bash. Upon entry, everyone will receive a Kool-Aid Jammer. We will fill the straws with powdered LSD, and as you poke it through the juice box, they'll mix! I feel this is a better option because it's a little more sanitary than the bathtub. And I know it's on top of everyone's list of priorities to have a sanitary drug party.




People at these parties received "Acid Test Membership Cards:"

                                                                


Upon entry at my party, everyone will get this new-age "Acid Test Membership Card:" 

These cards should help everyone out of any sticky situations. 

Ken Kesey also charged admission at his parties, and even he paid this charge. The admission price will be $3. This $3 includes entry into the party, your membership card, endless amounts of Kool-Aid and a good time. 

WARNING: If you suffer from chronic seizures, you may want to hold out on this party. There will be a lot of strobe lights, in addition to many other "psychadelic" decorations! 

RSVP as soon as possible! Hope you can come! 

p.s. this is 100% a joke. I know since we're all AP English 12 students everyone will understand. But you can never be too careful! 

Amish Dinner 2010

Every year my family attends our annual "Amish Dinner." A group of our family and friends travel to an Amish family's home where they prepare us a REAL home-cooked dinner (It seems weird when describing it like that, but it actually is very normal, hosting dinners is what they do for a living). A prime example of AP English seeping into our everyday lives, the whole night when I should've been enjoying mashed potatoes, homemade bread, and pie, I was wondering if the host family felt the same way the Gangulis and Jhumpa Lahiri felt; like an outsider in their own country. This seems so sad, but I don't think it's all that far-fetched. This particular family lived less than ten minutes away from a normal house, one with electricity and cars, yet they lived a completely different lifestyle. It must be extremely difficult living in a technologically forward world when that represents 0% of their lives. I wondered if Amish parents receive the same despise Ashoka and Ashima felt from Sonia and Gogol because they were forced into a culture that they didn't wish to be a part of. A quote that stuck out to me in The Namesake was when Ashima described being a foreigner as "a sort of lifelong pregnancy" (49). Ashima described the constant stares and pity she received from strangers, and I can't help but think that Amish people also receive these things. Sometimes when I'm out at the movies or shopping and I see an Amish person I know I often do a double-take, unintentionally alienating them from myself and the other people around me. If these Amish people truly did feel the same way Ashima did, I can't help but feel ashamed knowing I had some part in causing these feelings. It's sad to think that society can cause this separation simply because of a difference in lifestyle choices. I hope now that I have acknowledged this I can work harder and make sure that I am not contributing to this segregation. 

Daily Discussions: From Friendly Conversations to Cut-Throat Competition?

Last year, I vividly remember enjoying the casual conversations we had in English class; whether we talked about our current book or other random findings, the atmosphere was always great.  So at the beginning of the year when Ms. Serensky informed the class that this year the daily discussions would be graded, I thought “Great! An easy way to boost my grade!” I felt I always participated in the discussions last year, so I would have no problem getting my points. This also excited me because I knew now our relaxed class discussions would happen on a regular basis, making English class very easy to look forward to. However, I’ve realized that this year’s discussions are NOTHING like the discussions we had last year in AP English 11. Sometimes they are casual while still being intelligent and thoughtful, but sometimes these discussions are downright SCARY. They bring out sides of people (people we’ve known since kindergarten) that we’ve never seen before. Lately, even during the short amount of time before the discussion that is spent talking to our writing groups I don’t think I found the atmosphere “casual.” I do really enjoy the time spent analyzing our books, I just want to know; why has this happened? Why, when discussing with our writing groups, does looking at another group automatically mean you’d like to steal their ideas, therefore their grade? Last Wednesday, I took a glance around the room and happened to make eye contact with a member of another group (I won’t name names). As soon as our eyes met, said person stopped talking and just stared back. I heard another member of their group ask why they stopped talking, and the person said, completely deadpan, “she was looking at me.” Really? Why would looking around the room mean I’m trying to snatch other people’s ideas so I can reproduce them as my own? Another comment I overheard from a classmate, after I made a point to my writing partners when we were in our small groups, was a very hateful “that’s what I just said.” I could not believe that a person in another group would believe that I stole their idea and repeated it to my group. Like I said before, scary. And all of these things happen before the discussion even begins! During a discussion one can expect awkward tension between friends as both start talking at the same time, neither with an intention to stop followed by unhealthy glares as someone is cut off. Even when one finally does get the spotlight, looking around the room you feel like piece of meat as surrounded by ravenous dogs, knowing that everyone is just waiting for you to finish your sentence. So what is it that has changed an intelligent group of teenagers into these frightening monsters? Is it really the grade? If so, I guess I should be grateful it’s only a five-point grade.