The Real Reason We Don't Understand Shakespeare By Sarah West

Our recent study of the play Macbeth in english class has been a challenge at best. The characters were confusing, the Shakespearean language might as well have been foreign, and the long soliloquies seemed to last forever. As it came time to work on our final project (a performance) I decided to reread a specific scene in the play.

Frustrated for the second time, I decided it would be best to look at a translation (though I always intended to perform the original lines) to make sure I completely understood what I was saying and how I should be acting. So, as one does, I googled the act and scene and clicked on the first link I saw. Immediately, as I read the first lines I was pleased with what I found. The play was translated, I could understand it, but key Shakespearean words like "'tis" and "doth" and "hath" still remained, making it feel more authentic. I happily scrolled through the scene, only encountering a few larger words that I could not decipher, yet I completely understood what was happening. I then decided to compare this version on my computer screen to my playbook, so I could connect what I understood to what I didn't.

But to my surprise and complete and utter shock, I found no difference between the two. I had literally just read the same exact scene I had struggled to read and didn't understand twice before, and I didn't even think twice. I'd be lying if I said this did not completely baffle me, and I haven't spent most days since trying to figure out what happened. Did the fact that is was on a computer screen appeal to my technology focussed mind?

This may be true, but I feel the real reason this strange phenomena occurred was because I was under the impression the text was a translation. I was definitely more relaxed, focussed,  and confident going into reading that text. Often when I picked up the playbook that I knew contained confusing language I could feel the stress spread to my whole body, dreading what I was about to do. In that moment of mistaken identity, I was free from all of the stereotypes that surround that book that, I have now found out, psyche me out of actually being able to understand what's written in it.

This had lead me to believe the negative perception of Shakespeare among high school students may be the reason his work seems to be so hard to understand. Maybe it is not the language, but the source it is from that is affecting our perceptions of his plays and poems. Though that is an increasing difficult philosophy to prove since those stereotypes, that date back decades, are not likely to dissipate any time soon. I just know I am forever more calm about, and open to the idea of Shakespeare's writing.

Benefits of High School Abroad by Carly Piniaha

    Doing things alone can be scary, whether it be something little like going into a store alone or as big as traveling alone. Though each experience we go through like these make us more independent and self-sufficient. High schoolers are at a point in their life where they are starting to learn what it is to have both these attributes. Studying abroad is a great opportunity for students to develop these skills. You have to rely on yourself rather than your usual home support system. Studies have shown that living abroad in high school increases both confidence and maturity. All parents want the best for their kids. To go out into the world and be able to thrive. By having the lessons you learned through your time abroad you can do just that.

   The inclusion of studying abroad on your college applications can also help in the time of college admissions. Admission boards love the words "leadership" and "global" and studying abroad can fit into both categories. Types of abroad programs can even be service projects that are student lead, which also shows community service. Studying abroad shows you possess knowledge of other cultures and can effectively analyze and solve culturally sensitive problems. Moreover, knowing a foreign language can make your application stand out among others. It shows you take academics seriously. And the only way one can become truly fluent is to be immersed in the language. How does one become immersed you ask? studying abroad!

   Not only can you boost your admission chances, you can receive college credits for courses taken overseas! Taking the initiative to get college credits while still in high school further show your respect for academics. Sure, AP classes are great to take to get college credit. Me personally? Well, I would rather get college credits while strolling through the streets of Spain or France than sitting through an AP exam I'm not even sure a college will accept. So what are you waiting for? The whole world is out there for the taking if you would just open yourself up to new experiences. Make new friends you would have never made without leaving the country! Try new things! Studying abroad will open doors in your life you never even knew existed.

Why Learning about Greek Mythology is Important by Emma Bova

Whether you're learning, or just going about every day life, Greek culture always seems to pop up everywhere we look. A lot of our English culture is based upon the ways of the ancient Greeks and Greek mythology, and some people may ask "why? They're just some silly myths." Greek myths are epic tales about Gods and Goddesses. They are meant to reveal a lesson, moral, or even warning in the end. They often reflect on humanity in the form of a parable. Rarely do they have a happy ending, and they are not exactly written for entertainment. They are written for a higher more important purpose, and are used to pass down lessons without being boring.

          Greeks myths were often told to people to help them realize what is right versus what is wrong. They are meant to help people control or influence their decisions. They are meant to serve as a warning and to inspire the reader not to make the same mistake as of the character in the myth. They may not be the most realistic, but they still portray a message and reflect on human life; then and now. The irony is, people often still choose the wrong thing to do and have to learn their lesson the hard way.

         By learning Greek mythology, one is not only learning about the culture of another country, but they can also apply this information and compare and contrast it to the cultural ideas of their own country. After all, a lot of our language and culture is based off of the Greeks. For example, government, art, many worldly languages, and ways of every day life. From a behavioral standpoint, it is interesting because even thought these myths were written thousands and thousands of years ago, by writers like Sophocles and Euripides, they still are an accurate representation of how humans act in the present day, and they captured humanity very well to the point where an abundance of stories are still relevant today.