College Essays

Some would describe high school as being an endless barrage of monotony and judgement. People complain about the cliques, the stupidity, the feelings of being an outcast and a loser, and of course, the homework. I do not share these feelings. Yes, high school isn’t always fun. And yes, there are many things about it […]

By reading the Article “The American Crisis: Number 1” written by Thomas Paine, an audience can easily recognize the authors purpose as well as the many other rhetorical strategies and writing elements cleverly used. In this persuasive piece his strong beliefs are echoed to people of this new country as a means of encouragement and […]

It’s 6:05 and your alarm sounds in your ear. You get up and go to your closet and pull out the same outfit you have been for the last four months of school. Gets pretty boring. Everyday all over the world students go to public schools trapped in uniforms. Its one thing if it’s a […]

“Get into groups of four or five,” my teacher says as we file into his classroom one by one. A collective sigh fills the room as we all sit down and take our seats, craning our necks to depict who to choose. All around me I watch the pairs begin to form, girls and boys […]

In a modern day society, the lack of appreciation for arts classes or the lack of funding in schools causes many music programs to be cut. Some schools are being forced to have these classes available only every other day, if they’re even available at all. Instead of starting to teach children an instrument in […]

It’s what every high school is. It’s what every job is. It’s what everything is. Cliques are everywhere, And what makes everyone so different. Walking through the doors, One won’t see a union, But rather: Jocks, Preps, Punks, Stoners, Band geeks, Broadway. What isn’t at a school like ******? In reality, Nothing out of the […]

Many people say that soccer is a non contact sport and is a sissy sport. I think that is wrong. I play soccer almost everyday of my life. In the game of soccer the TEAM make unanimous decisions about their gameplan. In my soccer games we play 11v11. A formation is the way your teammates […]

When you are in school you don’t think of the people you could be hurting or who you think of a good person or bad person. You judge by there look as money. Well I for one am not about to go and say i haven’t said anything rude or inconvenient to someone. That’s because […]

Give them attention ” She’s sleeping again.” “I’m so tired. ” *sigh* ” I’m bored!” ” Is this class almost over?” “I’m going to take a nap.” I don’t understand why students don’t do work during school. Why are students always saying that they hate school? Why do they say that they prefer to stay […]

Homework: Friend or Foe? I believe that schools all over the U.S. should put a limit on the amount of homework teachers assign their students each night. The majority of students in America have school five days a week and seven hours a day, almost like having a full-time time. On top of school, students […]

Wednesday on January 23, 2013 at 0600 in Phoenix, Arizona I had no idea what to expect and because of that, I was a little nervous. A classroom full of 5th graders isn’t a place you can just walk into confidently. It had been over 8 years since I last stepped into an elementary school […]

What would happen if I became one of them? Would I be prettier, would I be skinnier, or would I even have my old friends still. Here is some advice if you have these questions in your head. Be yourself. Don’t try to be popular, goth, druggy, or sporty. Be yourself. Start your own group […]

Many schools, like mine, refuse to distribute condoms, or teach students proper sex education. I am a Senior in High School, and I can honestly say that the only sex education I have ever recieved, was in my Health class, which spoke mostly about drinking and drugs; not sex. Kids are starting to have sex […]

Why are American teens so stressed out? This is a question I’ve heard asked dozens of times, though in different iterations. “Why are kids today such anxious messes?” Asked from teachers to students. “Why is applying to college such an awful process?” Asked from one senior to another in the hallway. “Why do I have […]

At my high school, teachers and staff push students towards their future and their careers. Their goal is to create the perfect student or, as some like to believe, the STAR student. But recently, the perfect, rounded student involves being the right character: a STAR student. But what exactly is a “STAR” student? Some administrative […]

Dear Teen Ink, I really like your nonfiction articles in Teen Ink. Your touching story about Newton was informational and had some pathos in it talking about the kid losing their lives. There is one thong I would like you to change. It is in the nonfiction part of your Teen Inks. I would change […]

Last year in 8th grade, I had the grand notion that, hey, I might as well take AP World History in freshman year of high school (I mean, why not?). Boy. That got interesting the moment I stepped into the classroom the first day of school. The rigor swept me away—I’d usually been pretty good […]

For as long as I can remember, there has always been technology in the classroom whether it is through smart boards or desktops; there has forever been some sort of technology present in our learning. Over the years, technology has rapidly advanced to the point where it is hard to function without it. Last year, […]

Homework isn’t good for students. Sometimes it feels like all I do is homework and studying. For what, to still get bad grades from spending way to much time on it. From my experience I have had way to much to a point where I would get home and not finish till 10 o’clock at […]

What does the word “special” mean to you? In the dictionary it’s defined as ‘distinguished by a unique or unusual quality’ but if you add the word education or ED people will define it with words like ‘retard, idiot, dumb, slow or stupid’ I think any one who thinks that is the real idiot! Special […]

My alarm rings each weekday morning at 6:30 AM., and then again at 6:35. It takes approximately four minutes for me to muster the strength to push myself out of bed, provided that I don’t immediately slip back into unconsciousness. I then pop out my retainer and commence my two-minute tooth brushing while simultaneously pulling […]

I don’t really use my phone in school, I do at lunch, but that’s about it. I see people use their phones all the time, I’m use to it now, so it doesn’t really bother me too much. My firend at Tri-Valley plays games, texts, and even calls people in school, they don’t care. Many […]

The numbers of multilingual youths have been growing in this world day by day. While many parents are concerned that speaking two or more languages can hinder and interfere with the child’s academic and intellectual development, the benefits of being multilingual clearly overwhelms any potential negativities. For youths to have advantages in future workforce, become […]

Saturdays are my days. I want to wake up and be able to go for a run. To curl up with my cat in front of a fire on a cold day. To snuggle under a blanket and watch a movie I’ve seen a thousand times. To relax and text my friends. I want to […]

Reading the poems “To My Dear and Loving Husband” and “Huswifery” a reader will analyze in their head how similar these poems are but at the same time how diverse they both truly are. Edward Taylor and Anne Bradstreet both use techniques that are alike while also branching into other forms of writing styles. While […]

Picture this is in your mind. You are getting looked at from all angles. There is one person in front of you. They are speaking to you while you are holding your breath. All of a sudden, your books are on the floor and your feet are off the ground. You can hear the whispers […]

School is tough. The pressure to be socially accepted is overwhelming. The need to be perfect is unbearable. The school year is a time in which you are enveloped in a realm of constant work, drama, and competition. Academics and homework are exertion enough. Socializing is work, too. In “the land of school” –so different […]

What time should high school start on average? This is a question that has come up quite a bit in the past few years. Both sides have been argued, but only on side seems truly beneficial according to medical professionals. Many of those that advocate for later start times do so in an attempt to […]

As students, we are all conscious of what it means to reach our full potential. We set high goals for ourselves and are constantly focused on achieving those goals. Striving to do well in the most challenging classes, landing the most leadership positions, or competing for state championships: these are the most common expectations laid […]

Never, up until the ninth grade have I been under the command of such a well rounded individual. An individual willing to take a leadership role over the students of a school after previously being the Director of Athletics, and I nominate that individual, Anthony Pullella to be the educator of the year because he […]