Journals

Journal #3 Write about one significant choice you had to make. Describe the factors that went into making that decision.

Journal #4 In your own words, define the word house. Now, define the word home. Do you have the same response for both? Why?

Journal #5: abhor: to hate or detest (verb) Identify something you abhor, such as a food, a behavior, a smell, or a noise. Describe it in a way that will encourage other to share your viewpoint.

Journal #6: adamant: firmly decided; unwilling to give in (adjective) What are some rules in your school or home that your teacher or parent is adamant about? Why do you think this is so?

Journal #7: ambition: strong desire to achieve something (noun) A person’s ambitions usually change with age. Brainstorm lists of ambitions for an infant, a child, a teenager, a young adult, and a senior citizen.

Journal #8: anguish: severe physical or mental pain (noun) Describe some situations that might cause a person anguish. What are some positive ways you can think of to deal with anguish in those situations?

Journal #9: apprehensive: fearful about what may happen (adjective) Describe a time when you felt apprehensive. What did you do in that situation? Can feeling apprehensive ever be a good thing? Explain.

Journal #10: belligerent: eager to fight (adjective) Imagine you have been hired to write a company’s employee manual. Write the page that teaches employees the best ways to deal with a belligerent customer.

Journal #11: candid: straightforward; honest (adjective) Is it a good idea to be candid all of the time? Describe some situations in which a person might not want to be candid.

Journal #12 compel: to force to do something (verb) How does peer pressure compel people to act a certain way? Is it ever a good idea to do something because you feel compelled by someone else? Explain.

Journal #13: confide: to share a secret with someone (verb) Describe the type of person you are most likely to confide in when necessary.

Journal #14: burden: a difficult responsibility (noun) Identify three things that could be considered both a blessing and a burden (such as intelligence). Explain why. Which of the three would you consider the “best burden”? Why?

Journal #15: contemplate: to think about or consider carefully (verb) Some people are “thinkers.” They like to contemplate all the options before deciding. Some people are “doers.” They like to act quickly. Are you more of a thinker or a doer? Explain. Brainstorm situations in which it is important to contemplate all the options before making a decision.

Journal #16: deliberate: done or said on purpose; planned (adjective) Describe three situations in which your reaction would be very different if something was accidental vs. deliberate (for example, someone bumping your tray in the cafeteria and spilling your food). What would happen if you jumped to conclusions in these situations?

Journal #17: diminish: to make smaller; to lessen (verb) Brainstorm a list of five situations that might make you nervous (such as going to a new school or trying out for a sports team). What are some ways to diminish your fears?

Journal #18: divert: to turn aside or turn attention from (verb) Imagine you are trying to sell a horribly junky old car. What are some funny ways you could divert a potential buyer’s attention from the bad parts of the car?

Journal #19: elated: lively; joyful (adjective) Imagine you have received a letter in the mail that causes you to become elated. What was the letter about? How will your life change as a result?

Journal #20: emanate: to come out from a source (verb) What would it be like if you had a magic flashlight and special powers emanated from it? What would these powers be? How would you use the flashlight? *Make sure to respond UTILIZING the word!

Journal #21: fret: to worry (verb) The common expression “Don’t sweat the small stuff” instructs people not to fret about unimportant things. What “small stuff” makes you fret? How can you avoid fretting? Is it ever helpful to fret?

Journal #22: frivolous: unimportant; silly; not worthy of attention (adjective) Write a short rhyming poem about a frivolous request, a frivolous purchase, or a frivolous hobby.

Journal #23: frugal: careful about spending money or using resources (adjective) Ebenezer Scrooge is an extreme example of someone who is frugal. However, being frugal can be positive. Describe how you could be frugal and cut your expenses for one week (or one month) to save money for something you’d like to buy.

Journal #24: grotesque: very odd or ugly (adjective) Describe the most grotesque Halloween costume you can imagine.