Guest Author: Marchelino Widarsono
I’m Marchelino, a scholar in New York. Follow along for insight into a typical day in my life.
Some people like to start their day with a fresh cup of coffee or refreshing tea, or maybe take in the view of sunrise over the horizon. All of this sounds quite nice, but seeing as I live one block away from my high school and often wake up right before school starts, my day begins with a healthy dose of note-taking and document analysis. This morning routine can be credited to my first class in the school day, AP World History. As the picture shows, my class is currently learning about World War I and the aftermath of the conflict.
Skipping ahead two periods, the next notable class that I enjoy is AP Biology. As shown in the image, my class participated in the annual March Mammal Madness tournament, a competition inspired by the March Madness basketball tournament. Like the basketball competition that spurred its existence, March Mammal Madness is a single-elimination tournament that pits various organisms from all over the animal kingdom against each other, using statistics and probability to see who would win in a one-on-one match. I placed my chances on the wattled jacana and capybara duo for the tag team section, along with the water possum for the waterfall section.
In the afternoon, I visit my English 10 Honors course, taught by one of my favorite teachers, Ms. Santana. Don’t mind the down-turned heads in the photograph, as my class was reading The Catcher in the Rye, by J. D. Salinger. It’s an interesting book, but what’s even more interesting is the psychoanalytical approach my teacher has decided to tackle the book from. We’ve interpreted the book through a psychological lens, observing how the author’s use of symbolism and plot devices relates to the Freudian theory of the Id, Ego, and Superego. The way my teacher has presented this book to us has captivated my attention and sparked my interest in the field of psychology.
The true highlight of my day comes from an extracurricular that does not relate to any of my current subjects. I attend the Citizenship Program at the New York Historical Society, where I learn about the history of how various groups gained their legal status within the United States. I also learn about what it means to be a citizen, the types of citizenship, and the process of gaining citizenship when immigrating to the country. I am given the privilege of exploring the Historical Society and its various exhibitions, along with talking to experts within American history.
That just about wraps up a typical day of learning and adventure. Thanks for following along with me!