I Lied To You!!

Please Note: This is a very nerdy post and if you're not into science or space or whatever then read with caution. Also credits go to my father for the balloon analogy thing.

Alright, let's talk about the size of the universe.

I know I've written about this before, considering that space is really really cool and I basically center most of my blog posts around the topic of the galaxy. But I think I lied to you.

The universe is not infinite. This is something that I've stated many times before which makes me feel slightly stupid and uneducated, but hey. I never really know what I'm talking about, anyway.

So how big is the universe actually? It's a difficult question to answer, as I've discovered. Here's what I know:

Although the universe is 13.8 billion years old and nothing travels faster than the speed of light, the universe is actually bigger than 13.8 billion light years. (A light year, by the way, is the distance light travels in one year). This is because space is actually STRETCHING.

Imagine two dots on a balloon that's blowing up. Even if the two dots try to stay still, they will move apart from each other as the balloon expands. That's just how it will happen, because the balloon is getting larger so the dots are spreading apart along with it.

Two ants walking away from each other on a balloon
Courtesy of my amazing photoshop skills
Also this balloon these ants

Now imagine two ants on the balloon walking away from each other at 5 miles per hour. The ants' relative speed will be 5 miles per hour plus the speed of the expanding balloon, which overall will be faster than 5 miles per hour. Basically their walking speed is added to the balloon-expanding speed.

In this same way, the universe has grown faster than the speed of light to be about 91 billion light years in diameter.

In other words, the universe is not actually infinite, nor is it's size simple to calculate, because space is ever-expanding like a giant balloon. I think this knowledge is ridiculously annoying but also extremely interesting. It's sort of relevant to the idea that the Earth is always moving around the sun and rotation around it's axis simultaneously. We're all moving. We're all spinning in circles, we're all tracing repetitive yearly rings around a giant ball of fire, and we're all inflating with the universe.

The universe isn't actually infinite. Sorry about that.

Inertia Is A Property Of Matter

To Bill Nye,

My English teacher recently required that I complete this assignment, wherein I am supposed to write a blogpost in dedication to someone I admire. So I've chosen you, the man whose name all children praise: Bill Nye, The Science Guy.

Though Science was never my absolute favorite, I've chosen you for many reasons other than your amazing theme song. I grew up with my classmates howling giddily every time the teacher rolled in one of those old televisions, knowing that your face would soon flood our vision. Your show made me not hate science. You were able to entertain and educate children simultaneously, which is a very challenging task. You taught me how to tie creativity into my schoolwork, you taught me that it's possible to enjoy something I thought I disliked, and you taught me that science RULES. You're a huge part of the reason that I am curious about the world around me. I question things because of your influence, so I'm dedicating this blog post to you, Bill Nye.

You started your career by acting on a local sketch comedy TV show in Seattle, then managed to build your way up into writing a New York Times best selling book. After participating in an animated series, you began your career as Bill Nye the Science Guy, creating exactly 100 episodes of a beautiful devised show. You then went on to do amazing things, including making friends with Ellen Degeneres (read Elise's blogpost about Ellen here) and having a portion of the Walt Disneyland theme park honor your excellence.

Bill Nye on Dancing With the Stars
Source

You also participated as a contestant in Dancing With The Stars. I find this extremely awesome considering that I attend dance classes 5 hours every day after school. And for you, Bill Nye, to do something so spectacular at age 57…that's amazing.

William Nye, you have achieved more than I even dream to do in the future. And now that you're old and retired, you've written a legendary book about evolution, the first sentence of which is, "I think it started with the bees."

You are humorous and educated, and though I've never met you you are one of my favorite people. Because of you, I have written this blog.

So to you, one of my personal heroes: Thank you for everything you have taught me about the world, about science, and about myself.

– Abbi

How To Survive High School

Perhaps the title of this post sounds overdramatic and childish, but it's not supposed to be like that. When people hear the words "How to Survive High School" it often sounds like a chapter book that you'd see in a middle school library – one with pathetic advice and explanations for your first crush.

The thing is, there are people who actually don't survive high school.

I'm only a freshman and I already understand this. I'm in all honors/AP classes this year, and it gets extremely overwhelming sometimes. I will write/have written countless posts about the reasons the education system should change, but for now:

I'm making this list. And throughout the year, in developing blogposts, I might add to it. Here are some things you should do to help you survive high school:

1. Befriend your teachers. Though this seems pointless at first, it can come in handy. Maybe it seems cool to be the offhand rebel student that talks back and makes jokes, but this is such a bad idea. I've gotten A's on projects that others in my group have failed simply because the teacher likes me.

2. Make a list of your homework and add to it throughout the day. It's SO EASY to forget about things you have to do, and then you're failing a class because you've neglected a few assignments.

3. Keep a single homework folder. I used to have multiple binders to lug home every day, which is a very terrible thing. Hold on to one folder. That way you can flip through pages and everything is right there and it's all handy and neat.

4. Have a pair of headphones with you at all times. For those of you that take extra curricular classes like art or CTE, music is a lifesaver. Along with tuning out teachers that talk for too long, it's also a very non-controversial way to tell someone you don't want to engage in conversation.

5. Pretend to pay attention. This is helpful for accomplishing #1. If you want to actually pay attention, that would be a better option, but if you hate a teacher too much or can't handle listening anymore, play games in your head. Count the amount of times they say "uh" or "um" or "mkay?" (I've done this so many times. It looks like you're taking notes or deep in thought.)

6. Schedule time for your homework. When you're on the bus or in a nonproductive environment, take 10 seconds to consider when you're going to do your homework.

7. Eat breakfast. This sounds so stupid, I know, but I have so many friends that don't eat breakfast and it really confuses me how they manage to function. Force feed yourself some Cheerios. You need food to churn your brain gears.

A portrait of me at school
Photo courtesy here

I normally hate blogposts like this. I don't blame you if you scoffed the entire time while reading this, because what would I know? A fifteen year old freshman telling you how to get through high school seems a bit inapposite. It's not like I know how anything works in high school – hell, I'm still in a building with a bunch of 8th graders.

Also, I've always thought advice blogs/columns were disturbingly stupid. Receiving guidance from a person who doesn't know who you are is and doesn't know what you need to hear…it seems unnecessary.

Still, I feel like everyone can agree that high school is not easy. Everything is sometimes hard to manage, and often it feels stressful and tiring and useless. It's not, though; education is actually a really great thing to have. You just have to learn how to survive it.

Settle For Less

A student comes home with their final report card, disappointed in some aspects but somewhat proud. They've received mostly A's and B's, along with a single D but that doesn't really bother them. They worked hard this semester and are fairly pleased with their good grades.

The second they enter the kitchen their mom/dad asks to see their report card. As a parent, their eyes go directly to the D. Their first response is immediately "You got a D in History?" because that's what they see. That's what doesn't fulfill their expectations.

As a student, their parent's retaliation seems heart crushing. The student didn't think it was that bad. One D, they thought. My other grades were all good, they thought.

It's disturbing that most adults focus on kids' failures as opposed to their successes.

This is true in all situations. This is the reason that adults constantly ridicule the younger generation for everything; technology, for example, is not appreciated for being impressive and revitalizing – it's scoffed upon for being distracting. This is the reason that kids don't feel appreciated for their hard work.

This comes up on Google Images if you search "parents clipart"
Photo Courtesy

It's not just parents, either. Everyone does this. All people subconsciously focus in on the substandard things rather than admiring what they have achieved. All people work a harder to become something more; all people strive to be good enough.

So, is it ever going to be good enough? Or does everyone keep reaching for a report card…an approving smile…a lifestyle…that's unachievable? If the student works hard enough, will their parents ever look at them and say they're perfect? And if they say it, are they lying? Of course it could be better; it could always be better. No matter what it is, you could achieve more.

For some people this is inspirational. If you can always improve, then there's always something to reach for. This is a form of motivation.

For others, however, this reality is immensely defeating. No matter how hard you work, how fast you climb, or how hard you try, you'll never reach the absolute maximum of human accomplishment.

So settle for less. Do everything to your best ability, and be proud of yourself for it. Look at your report card and think, hey, I worked really hard on this. Don't ever deride yourself for not being good enough, and don't let anyone degrade you for your pride.

Flaws In The Education System #2

You Aren't Learning Anything Beneficial

Around 55 million kids in America are enrolled in elementary or secondary schools. Every day, approximately 55 MILLION American students sit in classrooms. Yet, according to Ecudemic, the United States isn't even one of the world's top 10 education systems. So what is everyone in our country doing? To sit in classrooms (1,680 hours each year, by the way)…does that even benefit us at all? Are we learning the wrong things?

Half the things you're taught in school don't help you succeed.

Everyone has wondered this. Everyone has sat in a classroom and groaned internally, knowing that this curriculum would never be used outside of the school walls. This is a question commonly asked by a confused math student: "When are we ever going to use any of this?"

Upon being asked this, I've found that most teachers respond with one of two things:

1. They'll list a specific job category that uses this curriculum (sometimes minimally), and often it's something that no one wants to grow up and pursue. For example, "Construction workers use this all the time!" or "My husband's sister's daughter majored in ophthalmology, and she uses this every day!"

2. Either that, or the teacher will sigh and make the student feel guilty for asking the question. I have a theory that this is just a ploy to get out of the situation without answering the question at all. They'll say something like, "This is the worst question. I hate this question, I absolutely hate it. I'm just…I'm going to pretend that you didn't just ask that. Wow…" Then they'll pause, let everyone wade in the uncomfortable silence, and say, "Alright then, let's get on with the lesson."

Teacher being a teacher
Photo Courtesy

But the thing is, school doesn't really teach you anything worth knowing.

We're not taught how to get to know people or how to make someone laugh. We're not taught how raise a dog or how much to tip the waiter at a restaurant. We're not taught how to manage 4 hours of homework after 5 hours of schoolwork, and we're not taught how to cope with the stress or the anxiety or the pressure. We're not even taught how to pay taxes. I have no idea what a mortgage is. Instead, we're taught the plot of Greek literature and the history of Israel's wars. We're taught how to formulate arithmetic sequences and how to label the protons and electrons of a Phosphate. We're taught such unnecessary things. And what do we learn? I don't know about everyone else, but so far I've mastered how to befriend teachers and how to bullshit three-page essays in under an hour.

School is supposed to be a privilege. Kids are supposed to wake up and want to learn things. Our education is being sucked out from under us, and now we are confused high schoolers with monotone answers to questions we don't care about.

Look at us. We're learning nothing useful. 

Aliens Exist

The universe is infinite. I'm not entirely sure how, but the science nerds over at NASA have proved this. When you look up into the sky, you're gazing into everlasting space. There is no "end" that has been discovered. The universe is infinite.

What most people envision
when they hear the word "alien"
Photo Courtesy

Knowing this, I don't understand how people don't believe in aliens.

For some reason, when the word "alien" is mentioned, people immediately think of little green guys with heads that are too big and two fingers. Often they look something like the image to the right.

When you think of it like this, it seems fairly improbable. I don't know where this idea came from but it's strange. Most people take aliens as a joke.

The reality is this: aliens exist.

Maybe you think I'm insane – a fifteen year old girl trying to tell you that there is life outside of Earth doesn't seem very convincing. But, as I said before, the universe is infinite. And if there are thousands of life-forms on Earth (our tiny planet within a solar system within a galaxy), there must be more out there.

Our solar system lives on the edge of the Milky Way, a long disk-shaped collection of millions of stars, planets, and other space things. Everything that you learn about in elementary school – from Mercury to Pluto – exists within our solar system.

This is an image of our sun in relativity to the Milky Way
Picture Courtesy

I've already posted about how huge the universe is (click here if you want to read it), so I'm not going to talk about that. Still, keeping in mind how massive everything is, do you seriously believe that our pathetic little planet is the only thing to contain life?

No, there has to be something more. The universe is too vast for us to be alone.

This proposes other questions: What kind of life is there? Why don't we know about them? Will we ever be able to contact other living things? Is there another Earth?

Maybe there's another planet identical to ours. Maybe it's just located on the complete opposite side of the galaxy. Maybe the galaxy is just a reflection of it's self; maybe the galaxy is symmetrical. Maybe there's another planet like ours, but backwards, called Htrae (that's "Earth" backwards). Maybe there's another version of you, but backwards. Maybe there's an abundance of other life in places that we didn't know about.

When you think about it this way, it feels pretty obvious. There is life somewhere that's not here.

Aliens exist.

Flaws In The Education System #1

I plan on writing multiple posts about things that are wrong with our education system. Welcome to the first of (hopefully) many.

Education or Grade?

Photo courtesy

A student walks into math class feeling entirely normal. She/he has just finished conversing with a friend about the geography test next period, something that everyone seems to be stressed about today. He/she takes a seat where he/she is assigned and glances forward. On the white board is written, "TEST TODAY. NO CALCULATORS!"

She/he mentally panics, immediately filling with terror. With the biology test last class and the geography test next class…he/she completely forgot about this one. Math.

The student's eyes scan over the bold words again. No calculators. She/he hadn't practiced multiplying matrices at all. He/she was relying on the use of a calculator in order to pass this exam. So he/she snatches one from the basket and holds it in between their thighs, smiling warily as the rest of the students enter the classroom.

No one seems to notice him/her cheating, but they're very cautious. Sure, he/she feels awful about it, but they have good reason. The teacher doesn't let them retake tests! And the student knows their grade will not be an A after this.

At some point he/she realizes that they have absolutely no clue how to perform this equation. The person sighs, glances up, and glimpses at another students' work (Not even to cheat! They just want to see how far behind they are) only to realize they're on the exact same problem. And his/her neighbor, unlike his/herself, actually has an answer written down.

You may be thinking: How is this a flaw in the education system? It seems like a flaw in the teacher's awareness. However, this is the issue:

The reason students cheat on tests is because their grade matters more than their education.

Why is this, exactly? I think the answer is sort of obvious. From the moment students start receiving grades, the entire idea of them is exaggerated. Once you reach high school especially, everything revolves around your GPA. It's not about being knowledgable. College applications don't look at your brain activity, they look at your transcript.

Maybe I'm wrong, but I'm pretty sure that the original point of school was to educate kids. The emphasis on learning feels like it's been decreased. To me, it's as if the entire point of high school is to get good grades, get into a good college, and get a high-paying job. I don't just want to succeed in school; I want to be intelligent. The idea of learning and knowledge is really awesome, and school takes that away from us.

So screw the grades – aim for intellect. Set fires with brilliance, break hearts with capability, and learn.