TOW 30: Letter to New APELC Student

Dear New APELC Student,

First off, I would like to commend you for being bold and deciding to take this course. Based on the reputation this course has, you have probably heard that it is tough. While the course truly was one of my more difficult courses, it really does a great job in preparing you for a life full of essay writing. This class, although quite challenging, provides you with the resources and skills to succeed in future high school classes, college, and whatever profession you intend on pursuing. This course, if you put in the work to truly improve your writing, can really help bolster your skills and help you in life. 

The first bit of advice I would give to you is to not get hung up on the grade. In terms of myself, I, like yourself, had aspirations of coming in and getting an "A" for the year. I felt as though a single "B" would ruin my college aspirations, and ultimately be the end of the world. However, in reality, it's not. One of the main lessons I learned from this course is to not let a grade define yourself. If you have not yet understood this lesson, this course will teach you that. In a self-evaluation of myself, while I may not have gotten the "A" I had aspired to obtain, my writing skills improved immensely and with college essays now staring at me this summer, I don't feel like a deer in headlights, but instead one who has already made it across to the other side of the street, ready to frolic with other smart deer. While it is important not to let a grade define you as a person, you also need to stay motivated, and not "accept a B" too early. I have seen students who started out with 84's and 85's rise up to get A's by the end of the year. So moreover, the moral of this lesson: Don't let grades define you, but in the same breath, don't be complacent with low grades.

In terms of a method to being successful in this course, one of my main suggestions would be to conference with Mr. Yost and Ms. Pronko as often as possible. Some of my worst essays were ones that I wrote without discussing them with anyone, and after these setbacks I learned to always talk with both teachers to make sure I was on the right path. Both of them are extremely open to reading and discussing your essays with you, and the benefit of this is that they are the ones actually grading your work. So in essence, you are getting the grader's feedback before you even submit your essay. By the end of the year, I was writing much better papers simply due to the fact that I discussed my ideas and really fleshed them out with both Mr. Yost and Ms. Pronko.

So while you have probably come into this course thinking it's going to be difficult, which it is, if you persevere, get help, be diligent, and be in it for the learning, you will reap the benefits of this fantastic course. This year if chalked full of fun times like TOGA DAY, heated class discussions, and of course the mock and final AP Exam! Reflecting on this year as a whole, while I may have gotten a "B" in the course, I thought I was extremely well prepared for the actual exam, which is really what matters. This year, while it will be challenging, is only helping prepare you for college and the world. Don't forget to have fun with Mr. Yost and Ms. Pronko as they are truly great people and possibly know how to have fun :)

Now Senior,

Aayush Sanghrajka

TOW 29: Documentary- Jiro: Dreams of Sushi

      We are often told that if we work hard in what we do, we can achieve greatness. In the documentary, Jiro: Dreams of Sushi, we are shown a perfect example of this adage in action. Jiro, an 85 year-old sushi specialist doesn't want to even take a vacation as he thinks that he continually has to perfect and better his sushi. The taste, smell, presentation, and aesthetic of the restaurant are continually being assessed for future betterment. While Jiro has obtained the most honorable prize for a culinary artist with 3 Michelin stars, he continually sees room for improvement in order to become a better person and sushi artist. In our own culture, we can see this lifestyle is often overlooked however, in reality, if one sets their mind to something, anything truly is possible.
      In my own life, I have seen just how hard work and dedication can pay off. My family friends' son, Anshuman, was diagnosed with cancer at age 12 and while his leukemia did infact go into remission, he relapsed just one year later. At the age of 14, his family flew him to CHOP and had him taken care of. At the point of entry into the hospital, the doctors gave him a <1% chance of survival. The amount of heart he showed, determination, and drive to beat cancer showed through as if you had met him on the street, besides his glowing bald head, you wouldn't be able to tell that he had cancer. Anshuman was a trooper, and his doctors were generals. In an attempt to help Anshuman, the doctors tried a new process of curing cancer which was still untested, however with much drive and perseverance the doctors were able to cure Anshuman, send him back into remission, and give him his life back. His hard work, as well as the doctors' show us that hard work truly does pay off and while many people overlook hard work and think it is hopeless, it truly does pay off in the end.
     While there are several other less severe examples like riding a bike, learning how to bake a cake, and studying for the SAT hard work does actually pay off and a perfectionist mindset can be quite beneficial. Like Jiro, I am a perfectionist. While it may not show through my schoolwork and the mess in my room, when I make music through DJing, I do not accept subpar work. I picked up DJing last year and while I don't DJ large parties, I still put out mixes online for others to hear. Through my search for music, I am constantly sorting through music, making sure it's perfect for a mix. While it does take extra time to sort and evaluate every song, the methodical way of finding music and making sure it appeals to a crowd has allowed me to become a better DJ and closer to someone who can play large parties.
     Jiro: Dreams of Sushi truly showed that perfectionism, hard work, and dedication can help propel a person to a whole other level. So while hard work is often overlooked and categorized as luck, in reality, hard work is one of the main things that makes a project successful.

TOW 28: Documentary- Jiro Dreams of Sushi

      Food is what brings everyone together. Food, no matter what part of the world you are in, serves as the uniting ground for cultures, people, and ideas. The best food, however, doesn't always need to be in the fancy expensive restaurants that many visit to get their fill on special occasions. In the documentary, Jiro Dreams of Sushi, we are shown that great food is art, and can be found in the smallest of places. In this film, viewers are taken to Tokyo where they are shown how an 85 year-old man has perfected the art of sushi in a small train station shop. Jiro Ono, the owner of this establishment has been working his entire life to perfect the art of his sushi, and as a testament to his creations he was awarded 3 Michelin stars, which is the highest culinary honor for any restaurant. The documentary delves into how Jiro is extremely hard working as to despise holidays because they are too long, displays the precision of creating each piece of sushi, and shows why this restaurant is truly a masterpiece. While the premise seems quite simple, this documentary opened my eyes as to how culinary masterpieces should be created and showed me that there is always room for improvement, no matter what field you are working in. This documentary was crafted for the common man who doesn't know much more about sushi than anyone else and by targeting this audience the filmmakers are able to provide much insight into the art of sushi. One of the main points the film harps on is the precision Jiro uses to make his sushi. Constant taste tests, quality assurance at the fish market, and serving his food at the correct temperature are all just some of the routine things Jiro takes into account when crafting his sushi. In the film, a man comes into the store to see if they have menus, and in response Jiro simply says that they only serve sushi and what is right on that specific day. Simple tasks like making rice even take a ten minute portion of the film as to show that something that in the US we take for granted with grocery-store sushi is, in other places, something that takes years to perfect. Even the interns who work at Jiro's work for 15 years with no pay, however once they obtain their training go on to make quality sushi in their own restaurants. Overall, this film takes the viewer through the daily life of Jiro, show how he crafts wonderful sushi through his precision, quality assurance, and drive to constantly improve.
      Sushi, while to some may seem a trivial topic, is documented in this film in order to show how hard work and accuracy can create greatness. Throughout the film, people around Jiro constantly talk about how he works non-stop, lives his life through his work, and doesn't serve anything subpar. This kind of mentality of one who works hard and doesn't take no for an answer is one of the main themes presented in this film. By using quotations from both close and distant people to Jiro ranging from his son to the fish market vendor, the film is able to truly show what people think of Jiro. Through quotations from the fish vendor saying that because Jiro is such a perfectionist he only sells the toughest rice that has to be cooked in a particular manner to Jiro, one is able to see just how much quality is important to Jiro. Therefore by using other quotations from various people in Tokyo, the film is able to show how through precision and accuracy, one is able to achieve much more than having substandard levels.
     While one message portrayed is one about perfectionism, one of the main challenges of the filmmakers is to show the audience how something is perfect. With food, the viewer cannot taste what is being shown, and therefore it is the film's job to portray flavor through images. In order to invoke taste, and even have myself drooling during the film, the producers use extremely high quality cameras, and whimsical music in order to take your taste buds on a journey through the TV. When each piece of sushi is being made, the filmmakers first show the process for each individual piece, and then once Jiro leaves it on the plate, the film takes roughly 5 seconds to zoom into and around each piece of art. By displaying each piece as its own masterpiece with high quality cameras, one starts to taste and feel the extravagance placed on the plate. In addition to zooming in to each piece of food, the film uses whimsical, classical music that picks up right when each piece is shown. So while the piece is being prepared, there is a build up in music and once the sushi is placed on the plate, there is an explosion of music that takes the viewer to a different musical state. Through the mastering of zooming, HD cameras, and musical supplements, the film is able to accurately make the reader taste the greatness and thus verify how hard work and precision pay off into a masterpiece.
     Overall, this film was a delight to watch as it told a great story about hard work and determination and showed that even at 85 years old, one can still make their life exciting and masterful. I highly recommend this film for anyone, and because of it, I'm going to go grab some sushi. While it may not be as masterful as Jiro's dream, I think it'll do for the moment. 

TOW #27- TOW Reflection

Through this course, I have not only grown as a student, but also a writer. Simply reading through my TOWs and seeing several of my boring, lackadaisical pieces of writing, I have truly seen how I have, "Started from the bottom, and now [I'm] here," (Drake the rapper). TOWs, although I originally thought they were mundane, truly have helped my writing grow. In terms of a progression of writing, through my TOWs I think I have substantially improved my introductions, as well as found my voice in my writing. Previously, I had thought of writing as formulaic, with a question-hook, thesis, and then 3 body paragraphs however through TOWs I have been able to intertwine my own style and rhetoric into a cohesive, much more interesting piece of writing. This progression of my own style is apparent in my TOWs as originally I had not really paid attention to style or opening statements, but now I spend a lot of time mastering my own rhetoric. In addition to improving my own style, I think that I have learned to be more concise with my writing as previously I would make the same point several times in order to get a point across. Through continual, weekly writing, I have been able to grow and work on my repetitious self. In terms of mastering skills, I am not one to believe that I have mastered something. In saying this I mean to say that there is always room for improvement, and I am continually using my skills to progress and grow as a writer and a student. However, if pressed to squeeze out an answer, I'd have to say that I have mastered the art of obtaining solid, relevant information. Often times, I try to shove too much information into a piece of writing simply because I think it is all relevant. However now, I've learned that the cliché that "less is more" truly holds true for much of my own writing. As noted, I feel as though I can continually improve my writing. More specifically I think I need to still work on my conclusions, and thesis statements. Throughout my TOWs I have continually ended them by saying that the piece helped changed my perspective, or gave me a new outlook on some aspect of life. While this holds true, in terms of style, these conclusions are mundane, and "cookie-cutter" as they didn't lead to further discussion or inquisition. Going along with the theme of junior year, there were many highs and lows with my TOWs. Quite frankly sometimes I just wrote without giving much thought to them simply because I had so much other work to get done. However, the other times where I put thought and effort into these TOWs, I was able to refine my comparatively crude style of writing. So while on one hand TOWs were, on occasion, simply done for completion, for the most part, they were a true aid to the growth of my writing and style. 

Get it? Its a TOW-truck

TOW 26 (Visual Text)- Apple's "Powerful" Commercial

Today, technology companies are always trying to get ahead. One of the main outlets through which companies like Apple and Microsoft utilize is the power of television. Last week I saw an advertisement called "Powerful" by Apple on TV and it really moved me as after watching I even said to myself, "Wow that was a really good commercial" and therefore I decided to write a TOW on it. In the commercial, Apple shows many musicians and artists using their Iphones to do very interesting things. One of which even includes taking a picture of a sign in Spanish and having the phone translate it into English! Apple nonchalantly shows the versatility of the Iphone by showing how people can all use it for whatever they deem important. Ranging from a microphone for a band to a camera for a child's playtime, Apple makes the Iphone seem extremely versatile and capable of empowering people to do what matters to them. While the commercial shows the versatility of the device through various scenarios, Apple does a good job in making it not seem like a commercial trying to sell you something, but rather just an interesting video. By not even showing any sort of text until the last 10 seconds of the advertisement, Apple allows for the viewer to just enjoy the video and not feel like they are being sold anything. It is only until a simple, "Iphone 5s" and Apple logo show up on the screen, making the viewer feel less pressured into buying the product. All Apple is trying to say through this ad campaign is that Apple devices help empower people to do what they love, and by writing "You are more powerful than you think" at the end, Apple shifts the focus to the consumer and not necessarily the product. With advertisements constantly "screaming" at the consumer through new offers and low prices, Apple just makes a subtle statement about their product that can be universally understood no matter who you are. In addition to the subtlety of the ad, Apple has music in the background in which the lyrics say "Gigantic" in order to send the message that the phone is important, empowering and in fact gigantic. This advertisement overall was able to silently show consumers the versatility and empowering capabilities of the Iphone by using minimal words, not hounding the consumer, and using lyrics to its advantage. As a result, this commercial is extremely effective as it shows users and consumers the greatness of the product. After watching the commercial, I didn't even know that the Iphone could do some of the things that were advertised, and even went out to buy some new apps. Overall, I think this ad was very effective due to its mastery of rhetorical devices. 

LINK TO VIDEO:
http://www.apple.com/iphone-5s/powerful/#video-power

TOW #25 (TEXT)- The Drinking Age Is Past Its Prime by Camille Paglia

Ever since the legalization of recreational marijuana in certain American states, the public eye has shifted from alcohol policy to that of pot. Following the public, many teens have also shifted from alcohol abuse to much harder drugs like "Molly", meth, etc. In her article, "The Drinking Age is Past its Prime" Camille Paglia discusses the bad effects of this shift and proposes that the drinking age of 21 in America should be reduced. In order to convince her audience that the drinking age should be changed, Paglia uses anecdotes, and the dangers of harder drugs in order to create a logical argument for the change in drinking age. Paglia refers to the fact that in other nations, drinking at 18 is normal because at this age, people are taught how to handle alcohol. She mentions how in her Italian-American culture, "children were given sips of my grandfather’s home-made wine. This civilized practice descends from antiquity," This personal anecdote shows readers how in other cultures, alcohol is not seen as complete taboo, but rather a part of growing up. In this way, Paglia tries to demonstrate how if children can sip wine, then 18 year olds should be able to drink responsibly. By using this anecdote, readers understand that alcohol is not as criminal as society has made it, and therefore we should reduce the age limit. One of the main arguments Paglia makes is the fact that with such an old age restriction on drinking, kids are starting to turn to much more harmful, untested drugs. She writes, " Club drugs — Ecstasy, methamphetamine, ketamine (a veterinary tranquilizer) — surged at raves for teenagers and on the gay male circuit scene." This quote shows that with the high alcohol age, kids are actually having a much worse effect on the "harmless" alcohol. I think that by showing the repercussions of the high alcohol age, the readers realize that the drinking age indeed has caused problems and therefore a change may be required. Overall, I think Paglia does a great job in forwarding her purpose in formulating a strong argument to change the drinking age from 21 to 18. By using anecdotes, and comparing alcohol usage to much harder drugs, Paglia appeals to the readers' sense of logos, and furthermore makes a valid argument. 

IRB Intro Post #4- Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything by Steven Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner

   For the next 4 weeks, I have chosen to read, "Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything" by Steven Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner. This book brings new light to somewhat boring topics and reveals hidden aspects about them. The book essentially targets how we study the relationships that underlie the events and problems that we encounter and hear about every day. The book is broken down into chapters in which the authors take topics such as comparing education to sumo wrestlers, and the economics of drug cartels and simply analyze them. I was recommended this book last summer and although I read the start of it a bit, I did not finish it because I didn't have the time to read it. Looking back, the book was very interesting and therefore I thought it would make for a great TOW. Since I am very interesting in business and economics, I think that reading about "Freakonomics" would be a great choice for an IRB. By reading this book I hope to gain a better understanding of the way the world works, get insight into economics, and expose myself to a different type of non-fiction book. Moreover, I hope to expose myself to a new genre, and learn about economics from reading this book.