Shiksha+Kohli

 "Do we have to go snorkeling?" I aggressively groaned as my parents purchased four tickets.  "Yes, you have to go. Now I don't want to hear a single complain from your mouth. It's everybody's first time, am I scared, or your dad, or even your sister, no," my mom said irritated. Now I'm twelve and my sister is almost sixteen, she's four years older than me. Besides, she's the audacious and thrilling type, but I'm the fearful and skittish one. Why doesn't my mom understand that? She always compares me to my older sister, Jiya because she's always excited to do these things and I'm not. It was around 8:15am and the snorkeling timing was at 12 in the afternoon. Since I was scared, I could wait forever to go, not only four hours. Unlike me, my sister kept bringing the topic up which made butterflies emerge in my stomach. Eating breakfast, I, thought about snorkeling, which just ruined my appetite. After eating, we went on the top floor of the cruise to play golf. Time passed by but the time to go came closer. It was 10:15 now and we went to the deck, for fifteen minutes to relax. After that, we decided to go out off the ship, since it has been docked for almost two hours now. I took my first step in Freeport, Bahamas. A taxi took us to a beautiful, nearby beach. There, just looking at the beach made a sour and bitter feeling come in my mind. At 11:30, we went back to the port where the cruise ship was docked. Over there, a bus picked us up which brought us to the other dock. The dock where the snorkel boat was located. Getting the shivers, the instructor told us to form a line with your party and go in the boat. As we approached closer to the boats entrance, one of the workers there handed us our shoe size flippers. "Go get your snorkel and goggles at the end of the boat," the instructor told us. My family and I walked to the back of the boat and gathered our equipment and walked to an empty bench. There, I tried the flippers, goggles, and snorkel. Everybody was getting ready around the congested boat. Ten minutes later, the workers handed out each of us a secure life jacket. As they instructed, they stated, “The life jackets you have to blow, although when you're in the water, the air might come out because you may push the pipe, which will take air out. But don't panic then, just take your snorkel off your mouth and re blow it by blowing into the pipe. So nervous, I didn't even understand half of the announcements and instructions. Suddenly, I felt something move, as I turned around, I saw the dock start to fade away.

 "Come on loser, stop staring out, we're leaving. Deal with it. In less than ten minutes you'll be snorkeling with fishes," Jiya grinned.

 "Ohh, just shut up," I bickered. There I was, sitting on the bench, not even making a little squeak unlike everybody else who kept talking about how excited they were. They were hipper, I was normal. "Come on, cheer up," my dad comforted me.

 "Easy for you to say, you're not even scared!" I shouted.

 "Nothing will happen to you as long as you're with your family and by the ways, there will be these instructors in the water to help you out and so many other people will be in the ocean as well, you won't be the only one," my dad said making me feel better. I smiled, trying to feel better. All of a sudden, the boat stopped moving, but my heartbeat started getting faster. To cheer up a little, I thought about tomorrow when I’ll be at Atlantis, watching, but not swimming with fishes. “Yeaa, we reached the spot, by the ways, the water isn’t that deep and most of you will be able to stand in the water, but don’t. You never know when that spot you’re about to stand on is deep or you’re about to stand on a reef, which may give you a small cut from its sharp edges. So swim, swim, and don’t stop for sixty minutes!” explained the instructor with a jolly smile on his delighted and thrilled face. Repeating the directions constantly, the instructor seemed as a parrot to me. Once the directions were finally completed, the instructor started sending people outside of the boat and into the ocean. “Form a line to get in the water one by one!” the instructor shouted so everybody could hear.  “I don’t want to go,” I shouted so loud that the people in New Jersey could hear me.  “Shiksha!” my mom yelled at me with a serious look on her face. That meant to be quiet, “I know you don’t want to go but please don’t create a huge scene.  “Sorry, it just slipped out of my mouth,” I replied. Soon, more than half of the boat was empty with the people out in the ocean snorkeling. We were next and now, I was exploding with nervousness like a bomb. “Okay, let me check your life jacket, snorkel, and goggles to see if it’s put on secure and properly,” the instructor said. My sister jumped in the front, as usual, next my mom. Looking at my sister and mom along with the other people safe and sound in the ocean made me feel a bit more encouraged and satisfied. “Okay, now step right up and then go down into the water. Don’t worry, everything will be fine,” stated the instructor looking at my fearful face.  “I’m going in!” I told my dad. Placing my hand on the handle, I took a deep breath and crawled down into the ocean. As my whole body was in the water, I felt the cool chill that any normal ocean would have. Now my dad came down and my whole family, but me was now looking in the crystal-clear water. ‘Shiksha, you should really look inside, it’s marvelous and beautiful. You could see the whole sea life,” Jiya stated.  “Fine,” I whispered in fear. I started to bend my legs but couldn’t do it fully, I was so scared. “Come on, you could do it. Everybody is now looking in the water, so you can too. Nothing happened to them, right?” my dad told me.  “Well I was about to go in but then you showed up,” I lied making him stop giving me harangues.  “Then go,” my dad said with a stern and staid look on his face. Be strong, I thought, nothing can happen to you if you’re family is with you, and instructors are also roaming around if we need them. Seeing me not move yet, my dad asked, “How about we do this, when I count to three, both of us go in the water?” I nodded and my dad smiled. My legs bent once again, but this time, they didn’t stop till my whole body was in an ocean. Although I was in an ocean, underwater, my eyes were shut closed. Since, you can’t speak underwater, my dad tapped me trying to tell me to open my eyes. Although from my point of view, it was different. Sticking my head out of the water, my dad came out and asked, “Why’d you not open your eyes?” “Well I was about to but then a fish came past me and touched me and that freaked me out, so I had to come out!” I answered.  “Silly you, that was me not a fish, I tapped you so you could open your eyes.  “Ohh, but you shouldn’t have” I replied calmer. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 14pt;"> “Now once again,” my dad said. Both of us went once again. Eyes open this time. At first, I was nervous, scared, and really frightened, but as I stayed underwater more, I calmed down. It was beautiful, unique, and attractive. As I came out, I said, “It’s so cool, let’s go again.” My family and I looked into the ocean water several times as an hour passed by. Not realizing the time, the instructor called us in. Whining, we had to go in. Going onto the boat, we had to take off our equipment. The boat started to float away as I stared out the boat, remembering every moment of one of the most best events in my life. The instructor handed out chips and drinks, which made me feel much better because I haven’t had my lunch yet. Throughout the snorkeling experience, I have learned not to be scared until I try. I learned even if they’re some cases of accidents, they’re one in a million. I learned to live life audaciously, like you’ve never lived it before. I learned you enjoy more when you are excited. When I was getting prepared and ready to go snorkeling, I spent so much time being scared but not being excited. If I was excited, I would have been so happy to go snorkeling, not that I wasn’t later, but I would’ve even been excited in the beginning. I was like a chicken when I first got on the boat and a brave girl when I came out. I guess trying new things can bring a new you! Soon, the boat docked on the port and we came off the boat and onto the bus. The bus dropped us to the cruise port and we went back on the ship, heading to Nassau, Bahamas. There it went, the day at Freeport flew by so fast it seemed as only ten minutes ago we just reached the Bahamas. I will never forget this thrilling, breathtaking, and exhilarating adventure I’ve ever had!

__ Author’s Note __ This memoir was about my first time going snorkeling which encouraged me more to write about this. I changed over time from the time when I stepped on the boat and stepped out of the boat. Being afraid is a common emotion, and I’ve experienced just almost a month ago, when I went snorkeling. I was very scared at first, but as the day passed by, I couldn’t stop time and snorkeling time approached. I had to go in the ocean and had to come out. Surviving! I wasn’t scared anymore and I tried. So just like me, you shouldn’t be scared till you try or else nothing can be accomplished. Some things people are scared of are such trivial things like rides, the dark, going snorkeling, and many more things. Just try, if you’re still not comfortable after trying, you won’t be forced to do it again. Atleast you will be satisfied that you tried. All I am trying to say is don’t be afraid till you try!!!


 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Droid Serif'; font-size: 24px; vertical-align: baseline;">__Less Homework__ **

=<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Droid Serif'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Dear Board Of Education, = = = =<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Droid Serif'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Homework. It has a simple and evident meaning, home work. Or known as work you do at home. These days, homework is everywhere and everything. “Hey Jack! Can you come outside today, we’re playing football. Come on, let’s go!” Max informed. Silent as a statue, Jack didn’t move. Finally, he replied,“ I’m sorry, can’t come. Too much homework.” = = = =<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Droid Serif'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> Upset, Max asked,“ Well then, what time will you be finished?” = = = =<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Droid Serif'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> Becoming agitated Jack answered enraged,“ Never! I’m going to have to stay up late tonight. Teachers give such abundant and bountiful amount of homework. They act as they are handing out candy which they keep handing and handing and students keep eating and eating!” Max smiled and trudged away like a laggard. “Ughh! I wish I could get done with this homework!” Jack bellowed. Now is that all you want to hear? Let me guess. No, right??? Well then, make teachers give less homework! Please! Homework is like thunder that keeps you up during night, which doesn’t allow you to sleep without finishing. Homework is like having parents that don’t let you go outside, where you have no time for any social activities or clubs. Homework is like your parents catching a lie, having too much pressure and nervousness. Don’t you even want our community to be a jolly and special one. Where you find kids in the park, playing games, or at activities and clubs. An ample amount of homework will never result into this. We don’t want kids to struggle to wake up early in the morning for school. We don’t want kids to have a colorless life with no activities and clubs. We don’t want kids to have too much pressure and then do bad on a test or quiz. We want the adverse. We want the opposite. = = = =<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Droid Serif'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> Do you find it aggravating when waking up early in the morning, whether it’s for school or office? Well think a little more, did you stay up late? If you did then, did you like it?? And if you didn’t, then imagine. Imagine how it would feel like to get only about five-six hours of sleep. It isn’t pretty. Struggle. That is what causes them to have troubles waking up early. Poor students, first sleep late and then wake up early. Did you know that a student needs at least 10 hours of sleep. Therefore, students will be sleepy in school. As a result, they will get bad grades. Since they will not be able to concentrate or focus, this will be the only outcome. Not only that, but kids will start to become lazy and sluggish. School will just become a torture that you can’t evade. Students will oversleep which will not be good because they have school. So do you still want to be handing out plenty amount of homework? = = = =<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Droid Serif'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> Activities are the reason a smile is shown on a face of a child. Activities are the reason students get happy. Activities are the reason a child looks forward to the day. Activities are very important and should not be taken away due to homework. When activities are snatched, kids will have no social time with people, including friends. They will not be able to connect to other lives or even hang out together due to so much homework. Completely simple and plain. Students will be filled with boredom, nothing else. Students will get unhealthy soon as well. If no physical activities are being held, then this will occur and students will not be healthy. And no social time will occur between friends. Then how will they hang out and talk. If activities are held then it will be like a beach without water. = = = =<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Droid Serif'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> Pressure can occur for anything, school, competitions, and even homework. Because of pressure, students and children may start failing tests and quizzes. They would be too caught up with homework. And they will worry and start getting tensed during the tests. Then, they will forget all the procedures and work taught and demonstrated to them. Instead of thinking, they will have bad and negative thoughts in their mind. Also, they will get more nervous. It is also bad for health, and will not be good if too much is occurring. Pressure causes your heart to beat faster and faster and gets you nervous. = = = =<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Droid Serif'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> Overall, having less homework would be a dream come true. “Hey Jack! Come on. Let’s play basketball!” Max exclaimed. Jack smiled like Max was a big candy bar just waiting to eat. “Coming! OMG guess what! I got only two pages of homework tonight!” Jack said as closing the door. Isn’t that such a perfect type of life. School, come home, homework ( less), play outside, eat, and sleep on time. This way there is no struggle waking up, many activities present, and no pressure! You can make this happen! Only you! = = = = = = = =<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Droid Serif'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> Sincerely, = = = =<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Droid Serif'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> Shiksha Kohli = = =