Time of Change

I am beginning my senior year of high school. I expected another year of stability before my entire world turned upside down and I went far away to college and to see the world with my own eyes. I have been in a state of anticipation waiting for the moment that it would feel like I grew up. I wanted to feel the world shift beneath my feet, maybe a tingle run down my spine. I expected something magical. In all this excitement, the real world crept up on me. It tapped me on the shoulder and whispered, "I'm here". I barely noticed. But now, when I look around the world isn't what it was a few weeks ago.
I noticed how much more confident I've become. I've given myself the permission to start living and I have lived. I've decided not to live the rest of my life the way I did in high school. I decided I didn't have to wait until I got out of high school to change this. I am going to carry myself a little higher. I'm going to learn that love starts with your own heart. I've also noticed how everyone else treats me. I feel respected in my classes a lot more. It's no longer classmates pitting against each other, we're all slowly growing up. We've learned to tolerate each other. We've learned to be kind and it shows. I hear the eighth-grade bullies compliment someone having a harder time than them. My peers have learned to love, even if they aren't all the way there yet. My teachers also treat me like I am someone growing, rather than someone they must shape. I am given a lot more freedom to learn in a way that promotes growth, rather than overbearing teachers that stunt it. I am being surrounded by positivity and excitement.
I feel like senior year is going to be a good one. I didn't see it coming,  but it managed to sneak up on me and change everything. I am growing in ways I didn't know I could and the world is shaping around me. I'm ready for the future and it is coming.

Misinformation

The most exciting news these past few weeks has been the upcoming solar eclipse. It's a unique opportunity to see such an unbelievable phenomenon take place right in front of your eyes. The United States has been in a buzz in anticipation for this event. There’s resources for watching online, schools are close and people have been stocking up on solar glasses. Even those uninterested in science have been talking about it; what to expect, when to look for it, safety measures, etc. With all these people talking, however, many things can get misconstrued.
Scientists are warning people not to look directly at the sun without solar glasses. This message has become more and more exaggerated as the anticipated date draws nearer. There is a large amount of people who believe the sun will get brighter during this time and even an accidental glance will melt your cornea. They believe that if they do not get access to these glasses they will have to shut themselves inside until the eclipse is over. Just like any other day, the sun is too bright for our eyes and will damage them. Staring too long without result in damage on any average day. The difference is that without a warning not to look at the sun during the eclipse, our naturally curious minds will be drawn to watch.
There are also warnings from people about keeping pets inside until the eclipse has ended. The issue with this is that an average dog is uninterested in an eclipse. They will not be drawn to the sun and are unlikely to look up. Our pets are smart enough to know the sun hurts their eyes and the eclipse does not mean enough to them to override this natural instinct. If your pet is running in the yard as the moon passes the sun, they are no more likely to lose their vision than any other day you allow them to play.
With the internet, everyone now has a stage to share their thoughts. One person’s fears suddenly becomes mass hysteria. These issues are small and the unnecessary fear will likely protect many people, but I worry that they will cause some to miss this once in a lifetime opportunity.