Nates English blog

 Prompt Response: The film makes Chris feel more like a real person because you actually see his physical struggle and the brutal reality of the wilderness instead of just reading his deep thoughts. This visual shift reminds me of seeing a video of a storm versus just hearing the weather report, where the images make the danger feel way more urgent and terrifying. Seeing his actual decline on screen changed my perspective from judging his ideas to really feeling the weight of his isolation. Summary: We learned more about the story through the movie. Reflection: I learned more about the story.

 Prompt Response: My sister is the only person who actually gets me, kind of like how Carine was the only one who really knew what was going on with Chris. Even when I’m acting distant or stressed out, she knows exactly what I’m thinking without me having to say a word. We have this solid bond because we’ve dealt with the same family drama, which definitely mirrors the way Chris and Carine stayed close despite their parents. Having someone who truly understands your motives makes it way easier to deal with everyone else's expectations. Summary: We continued to learn about the book. Reflection: I learned more about the story.

 Prompt Response:  I picked the second question: How can being talented lead to overconfidence, and how does this affect Chris’s decisions and the risks he takes? Being naturally good at everything made Chris feel like he was invincible, which led to him thinking he didn't need to prepare like a normal person. Since he always succeeded in the past, he probably figured the wilderness would be just as easy to endure as a college class or a job. This overconfidence is why he took such massive risks, like heading into the Alaskan bush with barely any gear or a map. It shows he valued his own talent way more than actual experience, which ended up being a fatal mistake because nature doesn't care how smart you are. Summary: I wasn't in class. Reflection: I was on a field trip.

 Prompt Response: The movie makes Chris’s choices seem way more justified because the beautiful scenery and soundtrack make his journey look like a dream adventure. In the book, the lack of visuals makes me focus more on the cold facts, which makes him look pretty reckless and unprepared. The film uses close-ups of his emotions to help you side with him, but the writing makes his mistakes stand out much more clearly. Ultimately, the medium of film makes his search for freedom feel inspiring, while the text makes it feel like a series of dangerous decisions. Summary: We watched parts of the story Reflection: I learned how McCandless was portrayed in the movie.

 Prompt Response: Growing up, I used to think my parents were basically perfect, but getting older made me realize they’re just normal people who make mistakes like anyone else. This shift was pretty heavy because it made me look back at my childhood differently, realizing that some things weren't as simple as they seemed at the time. It totally connects to Chris in Chapter 11 because he’s dealing with that same kind of anger after finding out the truth about his dad’s double life. Just like Chris, once you see the flaws in your family, it’s hard to just go back to how things were before you knew the "real" story. Summary: We read new parts of the book. Reflection: I learned new parts of the book.

 Prompt Response: Chapter 1 stood out to me the most as it was where I learned the most from the book and where I was hooked. After reading the first chapter I felt like the book was very interesting and I was excited to read more of it in the future. The story of McCandles is like no other I have seen before and is why I am enjoying reading it so far. Summary: We took a test. Reflection: I learned how to apply my reading skills.  

 Prompt Response: Currently as a high school student it seems like success is defined by your SAT score and your grades. Being a junior and knowing that college is on the horizon everyone is either flexing their grades or sat score and I feel like that shouldn't be the only thing that measures your success. I think that success can be measured in different ways and not just about a letter on your transcript or a good grade on a test. Summary: We read new parts of the book. Reflection: I learned new parts of the book.

 Prompt Response: I have chosen to be independent when I selected my bracket for march madness. I was filling it out with some friends and there was one pick that I was the only one to select and it was VCU vs UNC. All of my friends picked UNC and I picked VCU. I went with my own pick and VCU ended up winning. That was one time where I went with my own decision. Summary: We read new parts of the book. Reflection: I learned new parts of the book.

 Prompt Response: The word I felt that resonated with the most would be timorous. I feel like this represents me because most of the time I am very timid and shy and that is why the word resonates with me. I feel like even on the basketball court I'll play timorous when I know that the other teams are better than us. It is probably something I should improve on as I shouldn't be timid for anything. Summary: We did vocabulary words. Reflection: I learned new words.

Prompt Response: After previously scoring a 1210, my new goal is to hit at least a 1350 to be more competitive for the top-tier southern schools I’m looking at. My first choice is Clemson University because the school spirit is unmatched and I’ve always wanted to be part of that game-day atmosphere in Death Valley. I’m also really interested in Auburn University because they have a great reputation for my major and the campus just feels like a classic, welcoming southern town. Finally, the University of Georgia is high on my list because it perfectly balances high-level academics with a social life that’s hard to beat anywhere else. Summary: We read new parts of the book. Reflection: I learned more of the book.

Prompt Response: The shift to daylight saving time is actually something I look forward to because it means I finally have enough light after school to get out on the golf course. While the first few mornings of waking up an hour earlier are a little rough, I find it pretty easy to adjust my schedule once I realize I can fit in nine holes before the sun goes down. My mood instantly improves with that extra hour of evening sun, and it makes me way more productive with my chores earlier in the day just so I can get to the driving range. Even though I might be a bit tired that first week, having the extra daylight to work on my game makes the whole routine change totally worth it. Summary: We read new parts of the book. Reflection: I learned more details about the book.

 Prompt Response:  Listening to Luke Bryan’s music has actually changed how I think about just enjoying life and not taking everything so seriously. His songs about living for the moment and appreciating where you come from made me realize that my goals don't always have to be about some stressful "big picture" stuff. I used to be really caught up in worrying about the future, but his message about finding joy in the simple things, like a night out with friends, shifted my perspective. Now I try to focus more on being present and making sure I'm actually having a good time while I'm working toward my long-term plans. Summary: We read the book. Reflection: I learned new parts of the book

 Prompt Response: If I had to give up everything like McCandless, I’d keep a high-quality tent and a sharp knife because you can’t survive long without shelter and a way to process food. I would also keep a thick sleeping bag since the cold is one of the fastest things that can kill you in the wild. The hardest thing to leave behind would be my phone, not for social media, but because it has a GPS and a way to call for help if things get bad. It’s scary to think about being completely alone with no backup plan if you get hurt or run out of supplies. Giving up those tools shows that "living off the land" sounds cool until you realize how quickly nature can turn on you. Summary: We continued to read the book. Reflection: I learned new parts of the book.  

 Prompt Response:  There was a time when I felt so frustrated with my golf game and the pressure of competing with my friends that I had to step away from the course for a few weeks. Taking that break helped me realize that I was tying my self-esteem too closely to my score instead of just enjoying the sport. When I finally went back to the driving range alone, I found that I could think more clearly about my swing without worrying about who was watching. This distance taught me that I perform much better when I focus on my own progress rather than constantly comparing myself to everyone else. Ultimately, the time away showed me that I actually love the game, but I need to keep a healthy perspective to keep it from becoming stressful. Summary: We read new parts of the book. Reflection: I learned new parts of the book.

 Prompt Response: In the first chapter, it feels like Chris McCandless didn't really get how dangerous the Alaskan wilderness actually is. He shows up with barely any gear and a tiny rifle that wouldn't do much against a big animal. Even when the driver tries to warn him that the mountains are unforgiving, Chris just kind of brushes it off like it's no big deal. He seems more focused on his own ideas than the actual reality of surviving in the middle of nowhere. It honestly looks like he was more in love with the thought of being free than he was prepared for the actual risks. Summary: We read new chapters of the book. Reflection: I learned more about the book.

Prompt Response: The words that were easy to do were the ones that I was already familiar with and the words that I didn't know were much harder to understand. Creating my own sentences were great because it really made me think creatively. I also enjoyed the fact that we could make it about whatever because I love being creative. Summary: We did vocab. Reflection: I learned new words.