An Introduction: New Year, New Me

Hello, I am Ariel, it's a new year, so it's time to introduce the new me. I am now an 11th grader(junior) and my ultimate goal is to receive my Cambridge diploma for the chance of earning a scholarship.I've completed six AICE courses, so only one to go! I took AICE Media Studies because I needed a Cambridge credit and Media Studies intrigued me. Film is not something I would have considered in the past, but now my eyes have been opened. I was aware that there were many aspects to making films, but learning all of the details is so fascinating. Even just learning the basic film terms has caught my attention and I'm very excited for this upcoming project. 

According to my knowledge, it is a five minute short film. I feel as though I've watched too many short films throughout my life and now have too many ideas to dig through. I do have a history with Cambridge courses and I've taken very difficult Cambridge courses in the past. However, I have applied myself accordingly and done well. In this course I'm planning to do the exact same in this class and I hope it shows through my work. The work for this course is mostly project-based with blogs to record our progress. This format is very efficient and I'm grateful to be able to keeping up with the course. 

After completing my first year, I have gained knowledge that I could take into the world outside. Real-world application is extremely important and I'm glad this course has it. All the classes I'm currently taking do have some real world application, but this one especially. I'm also happy that I've managed to apply the skills I learned last year in AS Level Media Studies and recieve a passing score on the exam. It put me that much closer to my goal of earning my AICE diploma. 

Outside of school, my hobbies are playing piano and visual arts(painting, drawing and sketching). I used to have a formal piano education, but I want to get used to my workload for at least one half semester of school before I find a new piano teacher. In terms of my art, I tend to draw digitally and only on days off in order to maintain focus on my studies. Art and piano playing are very relaxing for me and serve as a productive way for me to express my feelings. I've also began reading a lot more, mostly nonfiction. My friends will call me a nerd because I read nonfiction, but personally, I feel as though the books I read are fascinating. 

Going back to academics, I have been in high school for 2 years now, and I can't believe it's halfway over. I'm taking four AP courses this year, and it's been a bit of a learning curve, but I'm confident and ready for a fun challenge! 

Pictured: A nonfiction book I read over the summer and in the beginning of the school year titled "Upending the Ivory Tower:  Civil Rights, Black Power,and the Ivy League."





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