1. The color Red

 The color red has no definite meaning. Red can be expressed in many ways such as the siren of a fire truck or by the beating of a teenage heart in love. Red is explosive and contains a sense of determination. Red is my favorite color and it has shown me many aspects of life. Sports use the color to define individualism and integrity in one team. The feeling of being in pain and having the warm liquid flow down your arm or leg has the quality of red. Red is my motivation to be unique and keep my confidence high. Red is the opposite of self control, yet the uncontrollable forces it creates can be used for the greater good. Other colors can create colors, but red alone has a self inspiration to make a difference where ever it is being used. From the flag of the United States to the flag of China red is interpreted everywhere. Most importantly Red is Light. 

2. Competition

Competition is a contest between individuals or groups and it arises whenever two want a common goal which cannot be shared. Competition occurs naturally between living organisms which co-exist in the same environment. Our society is influenced in many ways in order achieve certain goals or tasks at hand. Competition I believe to be important in our society. I believe that the biggest competition someone has is themselves. It functions in way that it creates a sense of urgency and adds importance to the task at hand. For example in order to achieve a spot on the team, earn a raise at your job or be top of your class you compete by doing more than your colleague. As much as competition can be healthy it can also be unhealthy. Competition can bring out a different side of someone once a challenge has been presented. Some people do not take well to competition. it can be taken to serious can cause people to lose their morality by cheating stealing or sabotaging your competition. Competition can also bring out the best in people, a sense of achievement and gratitude to accomplishing a goal or task. There are plenty of things my friend and I agree on; unfortunately that is not always the best thing. There was a girl that created a competition among us and it started to get unhealthy to the extent that we decided she wasn't worth our friendship. Competition can be seen everywhere in our society from sports, the corparate world and even inside the class room. 

6. Don't do it!

Two years ago my cousin thought of committing suicide. He was thirteen years old and his parents had divorced. To make things worse he was an only child with no one to turn to, but me. I was his big brother and his go to guy for any problem. My family has always been there for me in a heartbeat even to the most dismal troubles. I lived three hours away from my cousin. I had no chance of seeing him except on the holidays. One night while I was watching television when call comes in and I answer to a cousin’s somber tone saying “Hey, I hate my life. I don’t feel good, I just this torture to be over. I’m going to kill myself.” I wished he was joking, but to the poignant tears that came after his rigid words my heart sank. Making his life seem barren he continued to explain that he felt alone with no one to talk to and a deep pain inside his heart. I knew I had to take this matter into my own hands or else my little cousin would have no other choice. Knowing what he felt with the divorces my ethos of being a part of three myself, I was able to explain how he might be able to avoid feeling so terrible. Sports were the first thing I mentioned to him. It was a way to have fun and relieve stress. Articulating the good results of exercise, he started to consider joining his school’s soccer team. He then started to feel detached of not having anyone to talk to about his feelings, but me. My brothers had always had girlfriends and I too was always feeling detached. So I thought a girlfriend can be the solution or it can cause more depression. Something had to be done now and I couldn’t wait so I mentioned getting a girl friend. Surprisingly he did say he was getting close with a girl in class. Sugarcoating the way she looked and how nice she was I felt better that he was already in the position to get in a relationship. Two weeks passed and I called to talk to him since the terrifying night. He answered with the happiest tone saying he was at Disneyland with his new girlfriend. I felt great that I started to dance. I had saved my cousin’s life and every time I see him he always says thanks.         

8. “Failure is simply the opportunity to begin again, this time more intelligently.”

This quote by Henry Ford relates to me in a variety of ways.  Since I began striding for improvement in sports, education, and relationships this quote clarifies my confident attitude in life. Sports are all about improvement and the competition that comes along with it. In all my workouts for whatever sport I was in either Soccer Wrestling, or Cross Country failure was only the beginning. My first year of Cross Country just ended and I had many hardships throughout the season, but with the help of my teammates, I worked on my form and my failure had improved into a Varsity patch. Soccer my native sport has influenced my abilities for my other sports as well. I couldn’t score in any of my games, but I worked hard and ended up winning our last game with my stats being two assists and one goal. I was amazed on how much I improved and I ended the season with a Varsity patch. Wrestling, one of the most difficult things I have ever joined had set my failures to a maximum. I went in each match trying to come out the winner, but I ended getting slammed and once bleeding through my nose. Two matches left in the season and I took the initiative to win these last two meets. I trained with my heart and this time more intelligently I watched my opponent’s matches before I faced them. I saw weakness in the spots where I had improved. I ended the season winning the last two meets and I had received a gold medal, a Varsity letter, and Patch. Besides sports, failure was shown in my tests and the inability to receive straight A’s. Last year my goal was to get a 4.0 and with English being my weakest link I didn’t have a good possibility. I studied and studied; even with my concentration on Wrestling I was able to get my 4.0. My first relationship had ended due to the failure of being myself. It was my first time being out in the field and I had lots to work on. Advice from the brothers helped, but a coach can only do so much. I was anxious of how well I was doing, I forgot to have fun and appreciate what was in front of me. Now for any challenge that presents itself, my “failure is simply the opportunity to begin again, this time more intelligently.” 

9. Soccer Day

My holiday would be Soccer Day! Everyone would dress up in their favorite team uniform and school would be canceled. I would choose soccer because I love the sport and I have never had a day to just relax and play with friends and family. According to your favorite team, teams would be made to play in the annual Soccer Tournament in each school. After the tournament there is a festival at each major city in the states. The festivals would have plenty of food and music. Fifa 12 would also be played at the festivals and tournaments would be held for that too. The winning team of the whole tournament and the winner of the Fifa tournament would get a trophy with a picture of them. Then the pictures would be placed in a new museum created for Soccer Day. The museum would also include a wax section where people can see their favorite players and take a picture with them. There would also be history of the World Cup victories and pictures of the best players to step on the earth. The best part of this day is when at the end festival everyone gets around to watch the fireworks go off as they explode into their favorite team logo. Soccer Day would be on October 5 and the world want to join us for the compassionate sport that has influenced us all.  

10. Best Advice

The best advice I have ever received is “Always be you and no one else.” I grew up with three brothers telling me this piece of advice which has led me to make decisions for myself instead of following what everyone else wanted me to do. I applied this advice into sports, where I had a passionate and aggressive experience. My brothers allowed me to train with them and always helped me beat the competitor in front of me. Sports were  one factor, but school is where the advice really had a deeper connotation. Everyone has a different personality and reputation. For some people their reputation wasn’t good enough and they decided to change themselves to get friends. I have seen this shocking and common mistake in movies, shows, and sadly to one of my best friends. I was first told this advice by my brothers who had made remorseful mistakes and had a hard time being themselves again. At first, I didn’t really know what the advice meant. I thought to myself “How can I be anyone else besides me?” Until my best friend changed to impress his fourth grade crush. Everything was going fine until one day he changed his clothes, his hair, and bought these weird sun glasses. When class started I thought he was absent, but he then walked over to me and said “what do you think?” I was astonished to see my friend change for some girl that treated him poorly. I didn’t know what to say, he was a whole different person. I stood up and said “Dude, I don’t think she likes you. I’m sorry, you are better off without her.” He was furious and walked away back to his seat. I told him the truth, but I lost him as a friend. He thought I liked her and that I wanted her to myself. I tried to explain but it was too late. Never be ashamed of who you are because it’s your true characteristics that will help change the world. Looking up to my brothers I changed myself, but I always reminded myself that being who you truly are is what matters. Girls will come and go; there is no need to worry. True friends will understand and always be there. Reputations may be bad or good, but never let it control your future.      

11. Should we have Video Games in the world?

I chose this question because as a gamer myself I have realized the true impact of video games. Teens all over the world have been exposed to all sorts of entertainment and today most money is spent on video games as well as the consoles they come with. Hours add up to days, days add up to months, and then people have wasted most of their money and almost a quarter of their lives. I believe that the world is better off without video games. Life is too short to have it wasted on games that will only waste our time and or our money. The newest Call of Duty just came out and do you know how much money was made? The game produced a total of 186 million dollars, just with America and Britain combined. The rest of the world as well influenced more millions. These Millions of dollars could have been used to help or save millions of lives in need of food, shelter, and medicine. I personally have wasted money on games which have led me to miss better life choices for my family and myself. Influenced at a young age it seems hard to ignore the technology that’s innovated to draw the audience in. Besides money is the poignant effect of the time wasted. Time can never be reversed as well as the results of our actions. Video games have kept us from spending family time together, doing homework, and maybe missing work. Time can’t be rewind; this time could have been used to help solve problems instead of making them. Many Companies would go broke and many people would be out of jobs, yet those intelligent people can have a better use for their power. Having fun is a necessity, yet the praise of video games is too much. Research has proven that video games have caused depression and more kids end up having glasses by their early twenties. Business is what our world revolves around, but money and time is more important in actual provisions. Technologies are a drug and the more we read books, play sports, and spend quality time with our families the drug can cease to exist.                                                                       

12. Keep Moving Forward

It's a dark night the year is 1997 and the carnival is in town. The next thing you hear is a cry for help no one to be seen just a man running, people far behind trying to catch the man. No one has a chance, but my cousin takes charge and cuts of the man off before he could get into his car. My parents coming from behind finally catching up, the man starts to panic and drops what he was carrying. With no hesitation the man shoves my cousin, quickly gets into his car, and drives away. My mom's cry loud, sister feeling blame, and me having no clue what was going on could have been seeing a world from a different perspective. Three years later and I have my Coconut hair cut on my first day of the first grade. Wishing to make friends and enjoy what I knew was my school until we had to move after the first grade. Then the bitter yelling began, although it wasn't because of me at least I hoped not. Weeks pass and my mom seems depressed, I tried finding my dad, a no show. My parents had divorced. I began seeing my dad on the weekends, having a morose tone as I spoke. Two years after the divorce I had began playing soccer with the most amiable attitude on the field. I was now in the third grade and the year began with a Bang! I get to school early on a beautiful day. Minding my own business as I walk up to the breakfast line which was always open before school. The line is not that long and I wait my turn. The next thing I know is this kid with the up-most flippant attitude cuts right in front of me. I was starving and I wanted my Frosted Flakes. I was outraged especially since the line wasn't that long. He had a pony tail, which I grabbed and pulled him back. The next thing I know is that i'm on the floor getting ridiculed and kicked in all the wrong places. We both went to the office where he got in trouble and I didn't, but he did walk away the winner. Never make any rash decisions due to impious activity.

13. Roommate Letter

Dear Future Roommate,

             Hello, my name is Carlos Curiel and I look forward to attending Oregon university. I'm from the San Diego, California and have lived in California my whole life. I decided to go to Oregon because I felt like I needed to experience something new. I'm the youngest in my family with three brothers and two sisters and the only one that is going to a university. I feel great, yet nervous since it's up to me to show my mom that I won't end up as failure. I love sports, particularly soccer and football. My favorite soccer team is Manchester United and my favorite football team you might have guessed are the Chargers. I grew up with my Mexican heritage influencing my favorite foods and way of dance. I love to party, but I don't drink or do any drugs. I have been to Oregon with family during winter breaks back in high school and I enjoyed the natural surroundings. Everything so green, so fresh and plus there is no sales tax. The only thing I didn't like as much was that there was always a possibility of rain. I like the cold, but I need the sun as well. Besides the weather there is nothing that might get on my case. Music is also a big part of my life which has helped me as a musician and as an athlete. I play the Piano and the Saxophone. I prefer the piano, but the saxophone is more uncommon so it excites more people. My favorite type of music is R&B and I also listen to some rock. I'm also into video games which since I was little has been a big part of my life. I'm a huge SONY fan and I dislike the idea of Microsoft making video game consoles. The XBOX 360 will never beat the PS3, but that's my opinion and I will always stand by it. Well I have nothing else to say, but GO DUCKS! See you later.  

                                                                                          Sincerely, Carlos Curiel