Revisionist history refers to a branch of study that examines a historical event in context and either:
a) reinterprets it
or
b) investigates claims and debunks many historical inconsistencies
We are going to do a sample revision history on ourselves, so the first one applies more to this assignment.
First, pick a "pivotal" moment in your life--it should be one where there were more than one choice to be made.
Next, imagine yourself making a different and possibly opposite choice. Think about all the characters and events that became a part of your life, and think about how each of those people and events would be a part of your "new" life. Try to examine the events from an objective view point (which is next to impossible but who cares).
Write the story.
If you insist on asking "how long does it have to be" I will just shake my head at you, so don't do that. Just give me something good!
The pivotal moment that I chose to talk about is meeting Yarenice. “When Fernand was twelve years old he met a girl, she was really pretty. Her name was Yarenice. They would see each other around during sixth grade but didn’t become intimate until their seventh grade year. Fernand dumped his current girlfriend at the time for Yarenice because she was that awesome. Fast forward a couple years and they’re cool still, not together, and they’ve been through a good amount of shit together. But this is an alternate timeline, you see In this world these two sugar plums never went out, so we’re going to examine all the things that would change in Fernands life.
ReplyDeleteYarenice and Fernand never went out so he never got close with her family, which is sad because they became a second family to him. He’d never get to spend several days at her house during fourth of July, or become real tight with her older brother. Her sister would never get to make countless jokes about him, and he’d never meet her sweet grandmother. Her grandmother was a great cook, and so was Yarenice’s mom which made you question how come Yarenice couldn’t cook. These two would have never gone to the skating rink on January 28th, 2011 to share their first kiss or even go on their first awkward date with her entire family watching us on July 3rd, 2012. He’d wouldn’t be caught up on some girl for a good amount of time and he’d be in peace. At first he thought meeting her was a mistake but it turned out to be a really good thing and one of the best things that has happened to him so far in his 18 years of breathing oxygen.”
I can remember sitting on my porch with my dad to the left of me. We sat there in silence for a few minutes. He looked like he was hesitant to tell me something. But then he blurted out, “you are now a South Jersey Elite Barron.” The smile that spread across my face reached both ears and stayed there for hours. I couldn’t believe it. I couldn’t believe that my parents were willing to pay the enormous sum of $5,000 and that they were willing to drive me an hour up and an hour back from practice three to four nights a week. I couldn’t believe that I would be able to keep my friendships with my best friends. Like Lauren, Ashley and Mary Kate who were some of the only people to ever truly know me. I couldn’t believe that I wouldn’t have to watch from instagram as my teammates all succeeded in reaching their goals because I would be right there with them. I couldn’t believe that I didn’t have to give up the only thing on this planet that kept me happy. I couldn’t believe that my dreams were finally coming true.
ReplyDeleteNow, I’m eighteen years old. I’m committed to play DIvision I soccer at Florida Gulf Coast University. My signing is coming up and all my friends and family are going to be there. They are all so proud of me. My years of missing school events, grueling practices, and long car rides has not been for nothing. Everything is finally paying off and I have never been more proud of myself.
I can remember sitting on my porch with my dad to the left of me. We sat there in silence for a few minutes. He looked like he was hesitant to tell me something. But then he blurted out, “you are now a South Jersey Elite Barron.” The smile that spread across my face reached both ears and stayed there for hours. I couldn’t believe it. I couldn’t believe that my parents were willing to pay the enormous sum of $5,000 and that they were willing to drive me an hour up and an hour back from practice three to four nights a week. I couldn’t believe that I would be able to keep my friendships with my best friends. Like Lauren, Ashley and Mary Kate who were some of the only people to ever truly know me. I couldn’t believe that I wouldn’t have to watch from instagram as my teammates all succeeded in reaching their goals because I would be right there with them. I couldn’t believe that I didn’t have to give up the only thing on this planet that kept me happy. I couldn’t believe that my dreams were finally coming true.
ReplyDeleteNow, I’m eighteen years old. I’m committed to play DIvision I soccer at Florida Gulf Coast University. My signing is coming up and all my friends and family are going to be there. They are all so proud of me. My years of missing school events, grueling practices, and long car rides has not been for nothing. Everything is finally paying off and I have never been more proud of myself.
Trying to do this writing assignment, I find that in the past I often chose the path that didn’t seem where I would go and that made choosing a path that much more difficult. I played a year of softball and decided that I’d rather help people and manage a sport. I got cut from volleyball and fought for my spot back and after getting it back, I decided that they didn’t deserve me after all of that shit. I quit playing the piano because I needed more sleep during swim season. I make the life altering decisions so picking something that I thought would change my life drastically was difficult. If in the middle of my freshman year I never thought that taking a silly class under the name of Media 1, I would be quite different than I am today. If I took culinary or drama I would probably have stuck with it for the year and when it came time to pick my classes again I would have chose something different and maybe even more random. I may have taken dance or choir and maybe I would have met someone who would now be my best friend instead of the several teachers that I spend most of my time here with. So there I was freshman year, and I circled dance. Not media, not documentary film and photo, not film, dance. Freshman year comes to an end and I think nothing of it as I pack my backpack on my first day of sophomore year knowing I have dance 4th period. I walk into the room and feel welcome but awkward. By the end of the single period I fell four times. The sad part about it is that we didn’t even start dancing yet. I struggled throughout the entire year and when it came time to pick my classes, Alvarado was caught off guard when I refused to take a second year of the horrid dance. Junior year I took a class called culinary and hoped that even though I despised cooking at home that maybe it would be different because I was in school with all of my peers. Nope, the excessive downtime killed me and even when we did cook the only decent part was when we were finished and only about half of the time because a lot of the food that was made in there contained meat. Senior year I took a bunch of random classes and was on a half day schedule because it didn’t seem worth staying the entire day if I wasn’t going to be working or doing anything for more than period of it. I am media and without it I wouldn’t know my place in this school. This year, first, third, and fourth are the only periods in my whole entire day that I am not taking a mediaesque class. I wouldn’t have gotten nominated for a single thing because I don’t remotely fit another superlative category. I wouldn’t take film which has exposed me to so many movies that I wouldn’t have otherwise thought to sit down and watch. The teachers, especially the one who got me to fall for the class really made it what it was for me. Without media and the lovely little corner of Oakcrest that I call home I can’t even imagine what I’d be doing here each and every day. It was really strange to even try to imagine my years here differently because of how big a role media took in shaping me as a person. Thanks media.
ReplyDeleteThere have been many “pivotal” points in my life, but one of them didn’t happen by chance. It happened because I made it happen.
ReplyDeleteFreshman year I became a part of the 5 best friends that anyone could ever have. I spent virtually every waking moment with these girls who I eventually came to call my sisters. I spent days on the lake with them and nights sleeping on a trampoline. We would wander around town for hours and jump in bushes every time a car drove by. We even pulled a sign right out of the ground and ran it all the way home. I say “home” because that’s what it was to me. I’ve never felt closer to anyone in my life than I did to those four people. I was convinced I found my life-long friends.
Suddenly, the people who knew me better than I knew myself didn’t know me at all. They didn’t understand the things I was going through, and how could I expect them to? They were all going through their own problems but somehow mine felt overlooked. I suddenly felt like the outsider in the group, I wasn’t the prettiest, wasn’t the most athletic, I didn’t get the most boys. I had so many different interests that my “best friends” didn’t even know about. I took a look at myself and realized I molded myself to fit them. I strayed so far from myself that I didn’t even know who that was anymore. And that’s why I ended my friendship of four years.
If I didn’t end this friendship I would have been on the best buddies mural next to the four of them. I would still squish in a bed with them every weekend and try to muffle my laughter into a pillow. I would still be stealing signs with them and sneaking out of the kitchen window. We’d probably still sit and cry thinking about leaving each other at graduation, but say we’re going to have the best, most kick-ass summer before we all have to leave. I would still sit with them at lunch and still walk with them in the hallways. I’d know all their new secrets and they’d know mine. We’d probably still have dance parties and make chocolate chip pancakes in the morning. We’d probably still watch the Best Night Ever and compare our crazy friendship to theirs. My life would be exactly the same, I’d probably still feel like I was living in a shadow.
I’m not living in that shadow anymore. I’ve become my own person. I no longer associate with a group. Though I regret nothing from this friendship, and I still love each and everyone of them. People always ask me what happened, and I can never give them a straight answer, I never even gave my friends a straight answer. Everything that happened, happened because I needed to get myself to a healthy place again. Sometimes, no matter how much you love someone, you just have to let them go.
If I had the choice to relive an event in my life or change an event in my life I would definitely change a past event in my life. I may be young but I sure have made some horrible choices in my lifetime, I’d love to relive a meaningful event in my life but quite frankly I don’t remember any really good things that have happened over the course of my life. I don’t mean to sound like a martyr but I’ve dealt with lots of trauma in the past years. Aside from a long meaningless intro back to the main point; if I could change anything that I did it would honestly be dating my ex. That may seem like a dumb thing but it’s been hell dealing with all the repercussions after dating that vile creature. Dating her for starters was traumatic enough I always felt like an pathetic buffoon while I was dating her. She always told me that everyone hated me and my “friends” were just her own and they talked to me out of pity, she judged my every action and I was always under pressure wondering what she might call me out for or get mad about. Every single part of my personality was judged and for some reason I still called her mine. While dating her I was depressed, it was like there was no escape and I was stuck in a rut. If I left her I would be depressed and alone, yet dating her was even worse I couldn’t tell what I wanted but eventually leaving her was the best thing I ever could’ve done I was happier, old friends came back, my life was better. In all actuality if i never dated her in the first place I would’ve been happier all along. I wouldn’t have dealt with depression and heartache, I wouldn’t have lost so many friends or had to deal with every stupid thing that’s come along with it. I wouldn’t be stressed out walking past her in the hallways because looking at her the wrong way would send her straight to the principle over nothing. To wrap this up if I never dated that thing my quality of life especially in oak crest would be much better and I probably could’ve found a woman who i love that actually treats me well in return.
ReplyDeleteFreshman year was a tough time in my life. I completely isolated myself from my family and friends and would only hang out with my boyfriend. Sometimes I think about a decision I made and wonder if it would have altered my life in any way. My friend Olivia had asked me to join the volleyball team the summer before freshman year. I blew it off, never really asked when practices were and eventually agreed to not join the team. But, what if I went to the practices and joined? I would have made so many more friends and maybe wouldn’t have dated the boy I did. I think my priorities would have been different and I would have wanted my family to be more involved in my life. The friends I lost freshman year were the best friends I’ve ever had and maybe if I was more involved in the school like them, I could have kept them. Also, I didn’t want anything to do with Oakcrest and I maybe went to 3 football games. I felt out of place and like I didn’t belong mainly because I didn’t play a sport. My coach used to constantly tell me, “My only regret is not getting you to join the team your freshman year”. If I would have just fallen in love with the sport a year earlier I could have went to more camps, been a better player, and possibly have a scholarship to play in college. If I would have joined earlier I could have joined a club team earlier and met some of my best friends that I have now and played with them more. The sport of volleyball really saved me and taught me how to work as a team and be determined. Even though my life would have been different and possibly better, I wouldn’t even go back and change my decision as a freshman. I love my life right now and I am the person I am today because of the choices I’ve made in the past. I will be attending Temple University and playing volleyball there on their competitive club volleyball team and I couldn’t be happier!
ReplyDeleteEighth grade graduation is one of the first milestones a pre-teen/teenager will hit. Everyone in my grade seemed prepared and had a decision made on their high school. I was pretty dead-set on going to Oakcrest, I even tried out to be a cheerleader. However, my parents did not want any part of me in that school. My father had gone to Oakcrest, which was the reason he didn’t want me to go. My mother went to Hammonton, and loved every second of it. I was constantly told that I would be going to Hammonton High School come September, and I vividly remember doing everything in my power to not go there. I had no friends, and my best friend was a grade below me. I agreed to switch schools my sophomore year, when my best friend/cousin would be a freshman. Now, I’m a senior at Oakcrest and never took a class at Hammonton High. Looking back I am curious to just how different my life would be if my parents forced me to switch schools. I imagine being furious, and unwilling to make other friends. I would’ve been very closed-minded, considering I did not want to go to that school. I would be shy and to myself and would’ve never tried out for Cheerleading. I would’ve never joined crew and would have never had the boyfriend I had my sophomore year. Going to a different school, I would’ve never gotten very involved in my church since my best friend at Oakcrest got me involved there. I certainly would not have the amazing group of friends that I have right now and would’ve never met the fabulous teachers I’ve had. There is always the possibly that I would’ve made new, amazing friends in Hammonton and that I would’ve loved my new school and life. However, I wouldn’t trade anything I have done thus far, and have little to no regrets. Now, I only have one major choice left, college.
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ReplyDeleteThe year is 2014 i am exciting and unexpecting of what's to come in my next four high school years. Do i join clubs? Eh, that doesn’t sound fun. Do i do a sport? Thats a lot of work and i don't know if i'm for that. But i guess i'll figure it out once i'm actually in school and see what the activity carnival has to offer me.
So, i'm in school, and the activity carnival is the last period of the day. I have to wait all damn day to see what i could possibly be doing for the next four years. There are so many options. So many clubs and sports to choose from… and i don't like any of them. I left that activity carnival signing up for nothing. I don't think i would fit in in any of those clubs and i don't want to do the same things my brother did because everyone will think i'm copying him. He wanted me to sign up for drama but i wasn’t really feeling it. And even though i told him i didn’t want to do drama he still tried to make me go audition for this old show called, “The Crucible.” I think not. I didn’t audition for that show and i didn’t do drama and that’s that.
I spent the rest of my freshman and sophomore year hanging out with my friends and doing nothing after school and that was alright with me. I got more sleep than most of the people i knew did. My friends were kinda jerks and they were pretty boring but it was alright. I took the easy classes i planned on taking, some other people this class called AP lang but i would never take that class in a million years, too much work for me. I wasn’t really that well known around school but whatever it wasn’t a big deal to me. Even though i wasn’t in the drama club i still went to the shows just to see what i might’ve been missing out on. Final verdict: i wasn’t missing out on anything, i am happy with the decision i made and i don't regret it at all.
But as we know this is not actually the decision i made…
My freshman year i made the decision to join drama and audition for every show and it is one of the best decisions i have ever made. If i didn’t join drama i would not know any of the amazing people i have grown to love. Without drama i would be shy and not as outgoing. Drama and the people in it have helped me overcome so many things and if i never joined it i would not be the Jennie i currently am.
The summer going into Junior year, I finally came to terms with the fact that I hated ACIT and I couldn't bare to return. Although I was able to maintain a 4.0 GPA, I felt their classes weren't doing me much good. I felt as if I wasn't reaching my full potential as a student. I sensed that I was missing something more in my education. I also felt that I didn't any real friends there. Most of my weekends were spent at home. I didn't go out with any friends because I wasn't close enough with anyone to go out with them. And its not like anyone actually invited me any where. Among other things, the tipping point was when the one thing that kept me from leaving left. My best friend Hetvi moved to Baltimore because her parents got a new job. When that happened I said fuck it and transferred out of ACIT. It was a battle convincing my parents that this was best for my future. They were under the impression that ACIT was a fantastic school and that Oakcrest would only drag me down as a student. Let me just say that transferring out of ACIT was the best decision I ever made and I am so grateful that I left when I did. I wouldn't be the person I am today, I wouldn't have improved as a writer, I wouldn't have grown intellectually. My social life changed. Suddenly every week was a new adventure. I did things I never did before (not anything bad), I met the most amazing people that have taught me to be a better person. I've formed bonds that could never be broken. I had the opportunity to meet Bunje and I truly credit her for helping me to become who I am right now. My grades did fall however, they fell dramatically. There is no doubt in my mind that this greatly impacted my future. It certainly lessened my chances of getting into NYU, my dream school. So while I gained more knowledge than any year of high school, my grades went down dramatically for whatever reason. Still, I feel like even as a Junior in high school, there is more to learning than school and grades.
ReplyDeleteAssuming my life took a completely different route and I did decide to stay at ACIT, I feel as if I would only be a fraction of who I am today. My grades would have certainly been better off. That's because the classes at ACIT weren't challenging at all and the teachers were decent. ACIT didn't offer AP Language and Composition therefore my skills as a writer wouldn't have progressed at all. I wouldn't have been exposed to Bunje's class which gave me so much more in life to think about. I most likely would have spent my weekend indoors never truly experiencing life as a teenage girl therefore missing that part of growing up. Its just that everything would have been so different for me. Its hard to go into great detail over what would have changed. Everything that I mentioned in the first paragraph never would have happened to me. Every once in a while I do reminisce over where my life would be if I had stayed. Although my parents see my decision as a mistake, I see it as the most amazing thing that has ever happened to me. Thank God because I don't like thinking of the loser I would've been. I honestly believe that my life will go farther than it would have at ACIT.
The pivotal moment I chose was the decision i had when I was in 8th grade. The decision to go to either Oak, Acit or Creek. I really didn't know much about either three. I heard little compliments about Acit but nothing to jump at. Going to Oak was an easy choice. Their guidance counselors would come to us to make our classes and just that easily you have your classes picked out to start high school the next year. What really made decision easy to go to the Oak was meeting the first representation of Oak presented to me and that was Ms.Jones (Mrs Edmonds.) She was kind, humorous, and very honest with everything I asked about. After a couple of conversations with her I knew I had someone I could trust for the next 4 years to give me the best guidance and direction. I have no second thoughts on her. Anything she tells me I take serious consideration on. When all is wrong I know I can trust her to pick my head and tell me I'll be just fine. I really didn't notice how of pivotal of a decision it was to go to Oak until recently when I start to think about what college would I be going to next year if I would decided to go to Acit or Cedar. All in all I am very satisfied with my decision I made 4 years ago. I met a lot very great individuals. I can never say I didn't have good time in Oak, fortunately. I know I have to be realistic in the fact that I am blessed with that outcome. Not everyone goes through a pleasant high school experience. I do know that I will forever bleed blue and grey.
ReplyDeleteTo be honest, I've had a thing for her since last April. I was assigned a video PSA and I needed to interview and pair of students that were a part of the bio medical magnet program. I knew to go to Ms. Sarnese's room to find my two candidates. I walked down the long 400 wing only to find Kaylee and Kelsey. I interviewed then the first day and I continued to return to Sar's class everyday, second period for the rest of the year. What's funny is, I started to fail media even though I was "working on my video" every time I went to her class. I finished that video and handed it in the day before it was assigned. I kept returning because something had managed to pull me out of reality on the first day I went to her class. Her name was Kaylee.
ReplyDeleteLet's fast forward to June. Summer was near and I was still into this girl. It went down in the DM's at one point but she never caught the hint that I liked her. I haven't thought about completely giving up on her until I saw that she had another man. I'm not one to interfere with that kind of stuff so I backed away. I found myself backing up into a stray, an ex, and one other person. All of which were not her.
My determination started to fade and I couldn't see much of her in my near future. I was border line giving up on the life of relationships seeing that I'm leaving right after high school and all but, I had this feeling.
November came out around and I had gotten a little closer to her. We talked and made her laugh like I used to in Sar's class the year before. Sometimes I found myself living on the doubt that she'd never come through enough for me to put my efforts forward. I was wrong.
Now, guess what we've got? Probably the safest relationship I've ever experienced. It's equal in every way and she's honestly the closest thing to perfect for me. I guess I could said my turning point was when I forced myself to believe that there was still hope in relationships.
If I could go back an change anything about all this, I'd make it more obvious that I was interested in her or at least obvious for her to notice.
This question is honestly a tough one for me. I don’t ever like thinking about on my life and saying “if I only did this” (that may only apply to my food choices though). I believe if you try to look back on life you end up wanting to live in the past. Every choice I have made for the past 18 years has had a reason behind it. If I’m given plan A or plan B and chose plan A, I believe God has set up a destiny for me in that plan and if I didn’t choose plan A I wouldn’t be given plan C. There are times when I think “I wish I could have done this…” but I never want to actually change my choice. Every monumental moment in my life I choose and never went back on. That being said If I HAD to absolutely choose a time where I was given more than one choice and possibly decided to change my outcome would be...picking a college. I plan on committing to Montclair State University this Wednesday. Now if I had chosen Rutgers, Rider or William Patterson I probably would have a different college experience. Though I believe God has a plan for me that I will not know about until the time is right. He knows every choice I make before I’m even giving the options. He already has a set destiny for me and it’s just up to me find out what that entails.
ReplyDeleteWhen I was younger, I made the decision to date this no good guy. I was head over heels for this man for real. I gave him literally my all and all. Night and day revolved around that N word. I treated him with all respects and loyalty and all he did was treat me like a dog. He lied to me and cheated. That right there changed me. I became the niggas that played me. I started playing the same games and i couldn't tell the difference between real feelings and fake ones. So when guys would talk to me i wouldn't give my 100% anymore. If I didn't choose that guy, I could be very affectionate and caring today. Maybe my trust wouldn't be as messed up and i wouldn't play games. I wouldn't of gotten as hurt as I did.
ReplyDeleteWhen I was younger, I made the decision to date this no good guy. I was head over heels for this man for real. I gave him literally my all and all. Night and day revolved around that N word. I treated him with all respects and loyalty and all he did was treat me like a dog. He lied to me and cheated. That right there changed me. I became the niggas that played me. I started playing the same games and i couldn't tell the difference between real feelings and fake ones. So when guys would talk to me i wouldn't give my 100% anymore. If I didn't choose that guy, I could be very affectionate and caring today. Maybe my trust wouldn't be as messed up and i wouldn't play games. I wouldn't of gotten as hurt as I did.
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