This past June and July I have been learning how to drive and take on the responsibility of driving a car. My parents, people on T.V., my teachers, and many other people successfully drive cars. As I have been going through Driver’s Ed, I realized at times driving is very risky, dangerous, and at times scary. However, even with the risks of driving, many people still turn the key and step on the gas pedal. While driving itself is not extremely significant in my life, I have been in cars with someone else driving at least once a week for my whole life, and a good portion of my life has been in a car. I may not have realized, but each time I sat down in the car I was in the hands of the person driving, and they were in charge of my safety. Learning how to drive has made me realize to be more alert in order to keep my passengers and myself safe. Driving has changed my perspective because I have another reason to respect anyone who can drive, including my parents. While I was driving I found it hard to do anything but drive and focus on the cars and people around me. Every day my mom has driven me to school, and on the way we have talked about many things. When my mom is driving, she is capable of having conversations with me and doing everything she needs to in order to drive us safely to our destination. My perspective has changed because of driving in a way I never thought it would have, but I now realize the skill and importance of driving.

Climate Change has been present in the world for many years now. Many people ignore the fact that Climate Change is a problem with many causes, and it needs to be stopped. In order to aid in stopping Climate Change, everyone must play their part and contribute. My mom is a large advocate for environmentally friendly bags, food processing, clothes, turning off unused lights, using cold water, and many other habits; her cautiousness has taught me many things and I have picked up many habits from my mom. One large cause of Climate Change is the overuse of plastic. Plastic bags, straws, cups, plates, wrapping, bottles, and many more plastic items are a large cause of Climate Change. However, instead of using all of these items, I use metal items, cloth bags, glass cups, china plates, and many other options that are better than plastic for the Earth. While using plastic is sometimes unavoidable, I try to stay away from plastic items. Animal food processing is one of the largest problems leading to Global Warming. However, using organic options, grass fed cows, and free range chickens/animals is the best alternative option to fast food and processed meats. My family and I cook our meals in order to stay healthy and use organic meat as well as other organic foods. Fast fashion is also known to be detrimental to the environment. Instead of buying the cheaper fast fashion clothes items, I save up my money and buy clothes that will last longer and are environmentally friendly. Many people overlook or do not realize how much water is used and wasted while making clothes; this is why it is important to buy well made clothes. The more people take actions to stop Climate Change the better the world will be.

Both of my parents have studied and love art, which has inspired my love and knowledge of art. My parents have taught me about many painters and sculptures, including Botticelli, Michelangelo, Vincent van Gogh, Monet, and many other artists. While many pieces of art have spoken to me, there are two Botticelli works that I have always admired above the others: The Birth of Venus and Venus. These two paintings are both graceful, feminine, and refined. The pose of Venus in each painting is soft and fluid. She is strong and captures your eyes once you first see the paintings. The poses of winds, Zephyr and Aura, are strong as well as graceful. The two of them together work as one and they show determination. The fourth woman is also beautiful and offers a blanket to Venus with kindness. When the four fill the frame together, they create a full story and thrive together. The colors of each painting also add to the refinement and beauty of each painting. In the painting of only Venus, she has dark brown hair and stands on a dark background, but her skin is a lighter color, which makes her innocent. The colors are clear and strong which add a fine contrast between Venus’s innocence and the darker background of the painting. In The Birth of Venus, there is a larger variety of colors. The blues, pinks, reds, greens, browns, and many other colors welcome Venus into her life and the season of spring. The colors are soft, but not muted and they add a sense of happiness to the painting. While there are many beautiful paintings in the world, Venus and The Birth of Venus are unique, graceful, and strong in character. I will always admire these two Renaissance paintings by Alessandro Botticelli.