The school is now a room sized pressure cooker and a mass murderer. Its system hasn’t changed over years ever since and now, it’s getting worse. The school system may not literally kill a person, but it is eating the student’s everything. Parents and teachers may be wondering why students are now praying for suspensions, typhoons and everything that may cause an interruption and cancellation to the classes. Furthermore, they are blaming students on how lazy they are now. But, is it the entire students’ fault? There are perhaps, reasons why and how it affects them to what they are acting these days. Possibly, they can’t handle the school works that are taken home, the grading systems and the sectioning that’s pressuring every individual in a class, or just the recent K-12 Curriculum?

First and foremost, the assignments and projects that are being given to the students are too much for them to handle. Most of them are showing up signs of depression due to the stress they are getting from the school. Some may speculate why there is numerous suicide cases because of the education, but it really happens and it was all simply because of the assignments that teachers thought it was trouble-free, but it isn’t for students. Youths can’t spend time with their families and almost don’t have time for themselves. There are five days for school and two days for rest but the teachers would still give those masses of home works. The time they spend for studying is more a lot than they spend for leisure. Instead of resting to prepare their selves for tomorrow, they are using those time for doing home works that hassles them. Some countries like Switzerland and Singapore have shorter schedule for school and no classes on Fridays for the students to rest. Surprisingly, they are one of the excellent performing schools in the world. They give time for the students to enjoy and rest so that they can be more ready for classes. Any work could be a piece of cake, but not if there are heaps. Literally, most of us can only eat a piece, but can’t if it’s more than one. It also applies on the home works and projects, the student can only handle few at once, however it will be devastating for them if there are tons but given at the same time. It was also said in a study that with lack of sleep, students have a limited ability to learn, to listen and to concentrate. This also affects the mental and physical health of a student since they can’t spend time to relax and rest. They need to finish load of works given to them and maybe, they have not enough time to sleep or worse, they didn’t got the chance to sleep to finish everything that causes lost of concentration and lessen their time to listen and learn. The teachers will scold them for being sleepy without knowing the situation of the student. Never did they accept reasons of lack of sleep when it happened because of them too. They’ll suggest sleeping early and students already know that! They would if they can but couldn’t because of the take home tasks. Instead of motivating them, the students might be insulted with insensitive words as if they can do everything then receive every judgment like robots. Aside from studying, students might have other responsibilities that make them unable to do something at a teacher’s expectation. All of these stressing ‘little’ things will result with the ‘only’ solution of ‘stupid’ suicide for them to be free and let go without being understood. “Put a grade on an assignment and the learning ends. Give feedbacks and start a dialogue instead.”

Next is the grading and sectioning system. Grades are now the basis of success and mastery that even the most honest child can turn into a cheater to pass. They don’t want to be ashamed of the scores they got so they choose to cheat. Standardized tests are one of the necessity for our grades and they determines the student’s future instead of his/her abilities. The essence of learning is now changed into passing. And, what’s the point of sorting students from higher to lower sections? You may say encouraging words to those who are in the lower, but it is imprinted on their minds that they are stupid, noob, idiots, and etcetera just because of them being sorted to the lower. Their self-esteem won’t get any higher in any way. And the ones who are in the higher/pilot section? They will feel too much pressure and burden. It’s also cruel and unfair being on the pilot because of the difference in teaching, approach and treatment when all of them are just the same, a student. The students from the lower one are not motivated to study because they already know that they can’t win on the higher ones so they are not motivated to study because they already know and think that they can never win with those who are in the higher section so they never try. It creates an invisible division of the inferior and superior. When in fact, they are all persons breathing the same air, sharing same lessons, having their own talents and living in the Earth. The only difference is their individuality. Each person has unique capabilities, talents and intelligence that they are geniuses of their own but the system is restraining it. The school is now a competition of grades that are based on tests instead of collaborating individuals for a better and well-balanced school. According to a quotation, “Testing students in only one diminishes their natural capacity for growth and excommunicates what they know and can do.” Just imagine a doctor giving one medicine to all of his patients with different case; its result would be catastrophic! And another one, “A zero has an undeserved and devastating influence, so much that no matter what the student does, the grade distorts the final grade as the true indication of mastery.” A zero in test, assignments and projects would affect a grade as if it is what and how their potential measures. The grades doesn’t measure the capabilities, intelligence and talents of a student, there are many ways to have an effect on changing it, still it holds your future. It may not kill a student, but it kills their individualism and abilities inside them.

And lastly is the non-ending issue about the K-12 Curriculum. This further complicates the school system for now in our country. This curriculum was rushed and even if there’s a budget allotted for it, it is still not enough to support every student in our country. The government isn’t financially and materially prepared for the addition of two years. Most senior high students said that the books and other equipment needed are not enough or still none so both teachers and students do not even know where to start. Parents saved up for their child’s college but are instead, now being used for the Senior High. Not all are fiscally stable, even if there’s a voucher that may lessen and help for the tuition; the needs of the students while studying are getting larger that sometimes they still can’t afford to pay. Even if they study in a public school, the requirements and projects are still a burden for those who can’t find the money to pay additional expenses. Moreover, some of the first batch senior high students were not properly oriented when they were in junior high and most of them are mistaken with the tracks/strand they have chosen that they have to face consequence that is not supposed to be faced by them. The K-12 Curriculum must be fixed immediately or else, there will be a lot of complications that will arrive not only for the government and schools, but the students who are the most affected in this. Don’t let the K-12 flop and be a waste of two years for the student’s school and personal life.

Home works may be stressing but it still has the benefits on having it. Assignments help the students to be mindful with a certain topic and they may improve writing and critical thinking skills. They have tons of time in their home to fix most errors in it that improves their writing skills. It can also help a person’s critical thinking skills because they can fully concentrate on a task since they are at home and can easily find their comfort zones that allow them to think with lesser efforts. They can also understand a specific topic that was already discussed or will be discussed as they were doing it or reading something at home. Grades can help the student to be motivated on studying, hardworking and be active on any aspects of studying. Grades are the “salary” of the student and the “gasoline” of a vehicle. They can do everything to have it as high as they want and help them to run their own engine to start studying hard that’ll start to run and go to the next level. The K-12 Curriculum may be a huge burden for now, but it will be an enormous beginning of a student to his/her future. This is where the specialization of their abilities starts. Grade 11 and 12 prepares the student for their college life and our country could be on the same level as the others in terms of education internationally. According to some college students, they are really thumbs up onto having this curriculum because they wouldn’t be shocked anymore by the advancement of lesson from 4^th year to college. The students are now being taught by the basic and can be mentally and physically geared up for their college life. Nevertheless, these three are still a huge burden for the students that they are mercilessly facing at the present time.

These are just some of the flaws of the current school system. There might be tons of disadvantages, but of course it still has an advantage that can help the students to learn. There is nothing perfect in this world and balance is needed so that both negatives and positives can be used to improve and be at advantage. The school system has a fault too on why and how the students’ behavior is like nowadays. The assignments may be little but it can kill, the grading and sectioning system adds the pressure and the K-12 further complicates. Let’s not wait that everything is all about competition on every individuals rather than collaboration of each one’s talents. Someday, there will be a time where everyone is not going to pull each other down and climb up together as one.

153, I LOVED YOU.

Heartbreak? Feeling isolated? You might wanna listen to LANY’s songs. Have you heard about that band?

Los Angeles New York, commonly known as “LANY” an indie pop band formed in Los Angeles back in year 2014. The band is composed of three people, Paul Jason Klein, Jake Gross and Charles Leslie Priest

The band has lots of mainstream songs like, ILSYB (I Love You So Bad), 13, Hericane and from their new album, Malibu nights. But the band has more a lot to offer than their mainstream songs. You might want to sit tight, relax, pull out your earphones and listen to their fantastic stuff.

Here are the list of their albums:

I Loved You (2015)

• 4ever!
• Youarefire
• Someone Else
• I Don’t Care

I Loved You era was dope, their songs were all chill and they’re best for a night out road trip with the windows down while the moon shines exactly how it supposed to. 4ever! is my favorite from all of their songs, despite all the new songs they’ve released, no one tops 4ever! This was also the era where I was able to discover them, I started to admire their talent.

Make Out (2015)

• ILYSB
• Walk Away
• Bad, Bad, Bad
• Made In Hollywood
• BRB / Kiss
• ILYSB (STRIPPED)

Make Out was probably their opening to the world, ILYSB became famous, most of the people know this song and started to adore the band. My favorite songs from this album are ILYSB, Bad Bad Bad and Made In Hollywood.

LANY (2017)

• Dumb Stuff
• The Breakup
• Super Far
• Overtime
• Flowers on the Floor
• Parents
• 13
• Hericane
• Hurts
• Good Girls
• Pancakes
• Tampa
• Purple Teeth
• So, Soo Pretty
• It Was Love
• Pink Skies

This album named LANY was probably the most productive year for the band, they started touring around the world and spreading their craft. Most of the known songs also came from this album, Hurts, Pink Skies, Flowers on the floor and 13 are my favorites.

Malibu Nights (2018)

• Thick and Thin
• Taking Me Back
• If You See Her
• I Don’t Wanna Love You Anymore (IDWLYA)
• Let Me Know
• Run
• Valentine’s Day
• Thru These Tears
• Malibu Nights

Malibu Nights was all about the pain and struggle that the lead vocalist, Paul Klein, experienced after his breakup with the famous singer Dua Lipa. Paul wrote the whole album in 40 days, the album was a total hit and made the band extremely known all over the world.

The band conducted a tour all throughout the year, they even had 3 shows here in Manila. Luckily, I was able to attend the 2nd night, July 24th this year in Mall of Asia Arena. The boys are so warm and talented, they kept on saying that Manila was the best. Fans are singing along with every word, their song just hits differently in our hearts.

Los Angeles New York, the only band whom I think is worth to stan. Their song shares a part of our pain, it shares and stays with our very own painful thoughts and events. LANY, Paul, Les and Jake, three people, one band and millions of people admiring them, I am one of them, I am a proud stanbase.

This is an example post, originally published as part of Blogging University. Enroll in one of our ten programs, and start your blog right.

You’re going to publish a post today. Don’t worry about how your blog looks. Don’t worry if you haven’t given it a name yet, or you’re feeling overwhelmed. Just click the “New Post” button, and tell us why you’re here.

Why do this?

• Because it gives new readers context. What are you about? Why should they read your blog?
• Because it will help you focus you own ideas about your blog and what you’d like to do with it.

The post can be short or long, a personal intro to your life or a bloggy mission statement, a manifesto for the future or a simple outline of your the types of things you hope to publish.

To help you get started, here are a few questions:

• Why are you blogging publicly, rather than keeping a personal journal?
• What topics do you think you’ll write about?
• Who would you love to connect with via your blog?
• If you blog successfully throughout the next year, what would you hope to have accomplished?

You’re not locked into any of this; one of the wonderful things about blogs is how they constantly evolve as we learn, grow, and interact with one another — but it’s good to know where and why you started, and articulating your goals may just give you a few other post ideas.

Can’t think how to get started? Just write the first thing that pops into your head. Anne Lamott, author of a book on writing we love, says that you need to give yourself permission to write a “crappy first draft”. Anne makes a great point — just start writing, and worry about editing it later.

When you’re ready to publish, give your post three to five tags that describe your blog’s focus — writing, photography, fiction, parenting, food, cars, movies, sports, whatever. These tags will help others who care about your topics find you in the Reader. Make sure one of the tags is “zerotohero,” so other new bloggers can find you, too.