Forever-Lasting Friendships comparison of themes from The Lion & The Mouse and The Funeral by Sarvessh Senthamarai Kannan

 Forever-Lasting Friendships

Imagine having a heart-warming and everlasting friendship where it is just impossible to feel sad and depressed while being left alone? That is the theme of the two stories called The Lion and The Mouse by Aesop and Funeral by Ralph Fletcher. Portrayed through a chain-locked friendship where one is symbiotic and one is natural, these lifelong companions may have met in an unexpected way but are never ones to let each other down. These two stories contain many similarities and differences in their theme, but even through an unexpected friendship, true friends will never forget past memories. In short, these two stories and fables represent a relatable theme but represent them in different ways.

The story about The Lion and The Mouse and the Funeral both share one big theme, lifelong companions never let each other down due to their sincere recognition for each other. In the fable called The Lion and The Mouse by Aesop it states, ““Spare me!” begged the poor Mouse. “Please let me go and some day I will surely repay you.” The Lion was much amused to think that a Mouse could ever help him. But he was generous and finally let the Mouse go. Some days later, while stalking his prey in the forest, the Lion was caught in the toils of a hunter’s net. Unable to free himself, he filled the forest with his angry roaring. The Mouse knew the voice and quickly found the Lion struggling in the net. Running to one of the great ropes that bound him, she gnawed it until it parted, and soon the Lion was free.” This proves that the mouse which had been spared by the lion had come back to save him even at the cost of his own life. To further explain, this showcases an unexpected occurrence in terms of friendship, even though the mouse knew there was a sure risk in saving the lion, he bypassed all that just because of one simple act of kindness from the lion showing his true recognition for the generous Lion. 

Similarly, in the memoir called Funeral by Ralph Fletcher it explained, “Ralph Fletcher was a good friend. Last year I had to do summer school. He came by every day to walk me home.” “He was a good friend,” Larry agreed. “About a month ago, John Berkowitz tried to beat me up, and Ralph told John, ‘You’ll have to beat me up first.’ So, John Berkowitz punched him instead. He was a brave friend. Stupid, but brave!” Everyone laughed, including me. “He was a good friend,” Andy began, then stopped. I lay on the pine needles, eyes shut, smelling the mix of the piney smell and the good, rotting earth underneath. I waited for Andy to continue, but he didn’t say anything. Then he whispered: “He was the brother I never had.” This proves that even though Ralph is moving away from his friends, because his friends are so true to him, they even go as far as organizing time to praise their friend’s accomplishments in his “past life”. To further clarify, this is what truly makes a true friendship and strong relationship, even if one leaves the pack all the others must do something about it. To sum up, the theme of everlasting friendship which is shared between the stories The Lion and The Mouse and  Funeral explains that a simple act or kindness will always come back in a true bond of friendship.

On the contrary, even though both stories resemble a reaction to a life-long friendship, it is portrayed quite differently in both the story and the memoir since both occurrences have a different type of sentiment. For example in the story called The Lion and The Mouse it explains, “You laughed when I said I would repay you,” said the Mouse. “Now you see that even a Mouse can help a Lion.” This explains the sentiment of this action is more towards the serious and proving side. Even though the Lion and the Mouse are now friends, it develops more of a serious tone in the story rather than a loving and soft friendship. To delve deeper, since the Lion and the Mouse are both realizing the trust in each other and it shows a friendship portrayed through the action of realization and recognition. On the other hand, in the memoir called Funeral by Ralph Fletcher it implies, “Then he whispered: “He was the brother I never had.” “He was a member of the Four Stooges,” Larry said in a husky whisper. Then they all said together: “We’ll never forget him.” My eyes started to water. I tilted my head so they wouldn’t notice, and stayed quiet. Nobody spoke. I thought of all the things I’d done with these guys. Staying up late listening to the radio while the DJ counted down the top ten.” This means that the sentiment in this strong friendship is more of a remorseful and loving one since it is the last meet of five life long friendships. To further clarify, even though the theme can be the same between two stories, the sentiment is a big contributor and in this case a breaking point of a bonding friendship is definitely a more remorseful sentiment. This means that even though these two stories have a similar theme, they are portrayed differently through sentiments. 

To conclude, even though the fable The Lion and The Mouse and the memoir called the Funeral both share the same reccuring theme called life long companions never let each other down due to their sincere recognition for each other, they are portrayed through a different sentiment which is influenced by the tone and setting of the respective scenario. To conclude, if it weren’t for true friendships and strong bonds, love and recognition would be very scarce in the world making it a very boring place to live in.

Analysis of The Bad Case of Stripes by Sarvessh Senthamarai Kannan

 To start off, the theme of the short story The Bad Case of Stripes is to be yourself even

through criticism because only you know yourself best in and out. In the fictional story The

Bad Case of Stripes by David Shannon it states, “Camila Cream loved lima beans. But she

never ate them. All of her friends hated lima beans, she wanted to fit in. Camila was always

worried about what other people thought of her.” This shows that even though Camila knows

she deeply loves lima beans, she is afraid of what others might think of her. This triggers a

precautionary relationship between her and the lima beans; she wants to eat them with all her

heart but she is too occupied with what others think of her.

To further explain, a confident person is always someone who believes in themselves

and doesn’t listen to others' criticism. Being a confident person is the only way to pursue your

own dreams without obstacles. However, Camila is too focused on the other’s opinion and

thoughts about herself. This exposes Camila’s unconfident exposure and weak mindset which

collapses under others' negative pressure. To add on, in the story The Bad Case of Stripes it

also stated, “Camila wanted a big, heaping plateful of lima beans more than anything, but she

was still afraid to admit it.”

This proves Camila, who is diagnosed with a “contagious and harsh skin disease” even

now still doesn’t want to admit she loves lima beans more than anything. This shows that

even though Camila knows her situation is worsening she still wouldn’t take a lima bean

medication.

This exposes a very vital trait in Camila, the only reason she isn’t eating the lima beans

is because she is afraid of how others will interpret and judge her unique actions. To explain

further, even at a time of almost certain life and death, Camila is still precautious of what

others will think of her actions. This implies that she has a very low level of confidence and

assertiveness. To conclude, everyone should be assertive to themselves and not back down

for something they believe in because only they know best about themselves.

Too Very Thoughtful (a book review of Thank You Ma'am) by Sarvessh Senthamarai Kannan

 Too Very Thoughtful

Imagine being so thoughtful that you even invite a pick-pocket who tried to steal your purse for dinner? This is a perfect resemblance of Ms.Luella Bates Washington Jones in the meaningful story called Thank You, Ma’am by Langston Hughes. In the story, Ms.Luella is casually walking to her house when a rather dirty and poor boy tries to steal her pocket-book. Instead of sending him to jail or punishing him for purposely stealing, she realizes his family situation and takes him home to take care of.

Considering this impeccable and rare deed, Ms.Luella is an extremely thoughtful person because she is considerate, open-minded, and attentive. To start off, Ms.Luella is very thoughtful because she is very considerate. It is not very often that a person invites a suspicious and vulnerable person over to dinner let alone when they are trying to steal from them. However, Ms.Luella recognized that Roger, a poor boy, had no money, food nor proper sneakers. She deeply understood his financial status even though his actions were far from justified. In the story Thank You, Ma’am by Langston Hughes on page two paragraph seven it states, “Um-hum! And your face is dirty. I got a great mind to wash your face for you. Ain’t you got nobody home to tell you to wash your face?"

"No’m"; said the boy. "Then it will get washed this evening, said the large woman starting up the street, dragging the frightened boy behind her. He looked as if he were fourteen or fifteen, frail and willow-wild, in tennis shoes and blue jeans.” This proves that even though the boy looked suspicious and very suitable for a dark-hearted person, Ms.Luella took time to understand his situation physically and clean him up at her house. To explain further, Ms.Luella didn’t have to take the boy in to wash his face and take care of him. Even though the boy had attempted to commit theft of her pocket book, her thoughtful and considerate exposure made her take him under her wing. To add on, in the story Thank You Ma’am by Langston Hughes on page two paragraph eleven it explains, “The woman said, "You ought to be my son. I would teach you right from wrong. Least I can do right now is to wash your face. Are you hungry?" "No, said the dragging boy. I just want you to turn me loose" This implies that Ms.Luella is looking to help the boy and teach him the right way of life even though she knows it is not required of her. She even goes as far as asking him if he wants any particular things. To delve deeper, this shows her thoughtfulness and willingness to help others even if they are not the most convincing physically. That thoughtfulness exposes her very considerate mentality, open to always help others.

To summarize, because of the fact that Ms.Luella deeply considered Roger’s situation before criticizing him for his non-justified actions, Ms.Luella is a very thoughtful person because she is considerate of her options. Also, Ms.Luella is very thoughtful because she is very open-minded. As shown with her situation with Roger, she is always willing to listen to what others have to say. She knows exactly how important another person’s point of view is in order to come to a correct and reliable decision. In the story Thank You, Ma’am by Langston Hughes on page three into four it states, “Not with that face, I would not take you nowhere, said the woman. Here I am trying to get home to cook me a bite to eat and you snatch my pocketbook! Maybe, you ain’t been to your supper either, late as it be. Have you?" "There’s nobody home at my house; said the boy." "Then we’ll eat; said the woman, I believe you’re hungry—or been hungry—to try to snatch my pocketbook." "I wanted a pair of blue suede shoes; said the boy” 

This shows how patient and open-minded Ms.Luella is. Even with the fact that she knows this boy is unpredictable with his actions, she still takes the risk of letting him speak his heart out and justify his actions. This helps her determine a person’s character and intentions. To further clarify, Ms.Luella is risking her own property just to make sure that  poor and dirty Roger can live a better life under better circumstances. If she hadn’t taken that risk, it is possible maybe Roger would not turn out as a better person. Also coming from the story Thank You Ma’am by Langston Hughes on page four paragraph one, it states, "Well, you didn’t have to snatch my pocketbook to get some suede shoes said Mrs. Luella Bates Washington Jones. You could have asked me." " The water dripping from his face, the boy looked at her. There was a long pause. A very long pause. After he had dried his face and not knowing what else to do dried it again, the boy turned around, wondering what next. The door was open. He could make a dash for it down the hall. He could run, run, run, run, run! The woman was sitting on the day-bed." "After a while she said, I was young once and I wanted things I could not get." " There was another long pause. The boy’s mouth opened. Then he frowned, but not knowing he frowned.” This again shows Ms.Luella’s open-minded attitude. Even with the liability that this boy may do something bad, she voluntarily tries to fix the boy’s attitude with a kind and helping heart. To dive deeper, the action that Ms.Luella has taken is for sure a rare one, it is not likely that you see a middle-class person reacting in such a way that it even makes the thief cry and regret his wrongful actions. If not for Ms.Luella’s open-mindness, she would have never been able to understand Roger’s situation behind his dramatic actions. All in all, Ms.Luella’s kind actions towards Roger illuminates her heart and mind full of open-mindness.

Lastly, in Ms.Luella heart full of positive attitudes, she is also thoughtful because she is attentive. If she didn’t realize that Roger was in poverty, her thought process and attitude towards him may have been the complete opposite of what actually happened. In the story called Thank You Ma’am by Langston Hughes on page two paragraph seven it states, “Um-hum! And your face is dirty. I got a great mind to wash your face for you. Ain’t you got nobody home to tell you to wash your face?" "No’m; said the boy.” This means that Ms.Luella has noticed the boy's physical appearance. Not only has she noticed it, she used it to analyze the fact that he might not be financially stable and may not have a complete family to take care of him. Using this reliable and important piece of evidence, she changes her attitude towards the boy from questioning to understanding. To clarify, the only reason Ms.Luella changed her attitude towards Roger was because of her attentiveness. If she had not noticed his dirty face, she most likely would not have realized the type of person she was dealing with. However, because she carefully analyzed the situation with patience and attentiveness she was able to fully understand what was happening. Also, in the story Thank You Ma’am by Langston Hughes on page two paragraph ten it explains, “He looked as if he were fourteen or fifteen, frail and willow-wild, in tennis shoes and blue jeans. The woman said, "You ought to be my son. I would teach you right from wrong. Least I can do right now is to wash your face. Are you hungry?" This insists that Ms.Luella has noticed Roger’s rather out of order clothes. The fact that she even considered this is exceptional but the fact that she used it to determine his status and character is top notch attentiveness. To explain, the normal human brain thinks in small pieces, it breaks apart pieces of information to help it understand the situation in more context. However, Ms.Luella has barely used any time and yet she has analyzed Roger’s real inner character and intentions to uncover why he has attempted theft. To summarize, because Ms.Luella is so thoughtful because she is attentive towards others’ actions and intentions along with their physical appearance, one thing is for sure, she would make an exceptional detective.

To conclude, even though Roger may have looked like the classic inconsiderate pick-pocket to the normal person’s eye, because Ms.Luella is so thoughtful because she is considerate, open-minded, and attentive, she is able to completely deconstruct and analyze a person’s character and real intention behind an suspicious action. For sure she would make great friends with Sherlock Holmes.

About Me by Sarvessh Senthamarai Kannan

 Science has always been my greatest passion, and from a young age, I have

been fascinated by how and why things work. Over the years, I’ve realized that my

ability to work well with others, think independently, dedicate myself fully to any task,

and learn quickly has helped me succeed in science and school. Combined with quick

thinking, strong intuition, creativity, and a slightly photographic memory, these qualities

have guided my achievements and motivate me to reach even greater goals, like

becoming a NASA scientist. Teamwork has always been one of my strongest qualities

because I know that every successful experiment or project begins with collaboration.

Sharing ideas, communicating clearly, and combining strengths are essential to solving

problems effectively. During group assignments, I make sure everyone’s ideas are

heard while helping keep the team organized and focused. Working together allows me

to learn from others’ perspectives, build on their creativity, and contribute positively.

At the same time, I am very capable of working independently, which is equally

important in scientific discovery. My fifth-grade electromagnetism project best

demonstrates this, where I investigated how the movement of magnets in water could

generate energy. I designed the setup, tested different configurations, and measured

the electrical output, troubleshooting and refining my approach multiple times. This

project earned second place in my school science fair and strengthened my intuition,

creativity, and slightly photographic memory, allowing me to notice patterns and retain

key observations for analysis. Completing this project also showed that I am a fast

learner, quickly understanding the principles behind energy generation and adjusting my

experiment effectively. Beyond electromagnetism, I have explored other hands-on

projects, such as building a model rocket to understand thrust and balance, and

experimenting with plant growth under different light conditions. Each project required

planning, observation, and adjustments, reinforcing that independent work is about

thinking critically, exploring creatively, and taking ownership of learning. My ability to

solve problems efficiently and recall details allows me to approach challenges

effectively and develop solutions in unique ways.

Dedication is another quality that defines me and connects naturally to both teamwork

and independence because success in science requires persistence and commitment.

When I commit to something, I give it my full energy and attention. I do not leave tasks

unfinished or done halfway; I aim to understand every detail and ensure my work is the

best it can be. Whether preparing a science fair project or designing an experiment, I

put in the time and effort needed to succeed. Persistence turns failed attempts into

discoveries, and dedication drives me to pursue science and math outside of school,

deepening my knowledge and strengthening my skills. Ever since I was little, I have had

a strong interest in science and math, enjoying the challenge of thinking critically, asking

questions, and exploring new ideas. My goal is to become a NASA scientist, studying

space and expanding our understanding of the universe.

In conclusion, my ability to collaborate effectively, work independently, stay dedicated,

learn quickly, and combine quick thinking, intuition, creativity, and slightly photographic

memory makes me a strong candidate for the Science Olympiad team. My

achievements in science fairs, especially my fifth-grade electromagnetism project

exploring how moving magnets in water can generate energy, are just the beginning of

what I hope to accomplish.

A False and Junky Judgement (Book Review of Mr. Peabody's Apples) by Sarvessh Senthamarai Kannan

 A False and Junky Judgement

Imagine being judged and wrongly assumed when actually trying to be the best you

can. This situation occurred in a short fictional story called Mr.Peabody’s Apples by Madonna

where a man named Mr.Peabody spreaded kindness to his community all throughout, but all

he got was wrong judgements and thoughts full of hate saying that he stole an object. While

on the contrary Mr.Peabody actually payed the fruit seller(Mr.Funkadeli) in advance. The

theme of the story is to never judge a book by its cover, for the pages may hold a different

meaning.

To begin with, the theme in the story Mr.Peabody’s Apples is to never judge a book by

its cover since the most reasonable thought may not always be the truth. This is because in

the story Mr.Peabody’s Apples it explained, “Here Mr. Peabody would stop and admire Mr.

Funkadeli’s fresh apples. He would pick out the shiniest apple, drop it in his bag, and continue

on his way. Across the street, Tommy Tittlebottom watched with curiosity as Mr. Peabody

walked away with the apple.“That’s strange,” Tommy said to himself. “Mr. Peabody didn’t pay

anyone for the Apple.” Tommy got on his skateboard and rushed to tell his friends.” This

shows that Mr.Peabody, an innocent man is getting accused of stealing an apple when in

reality he is just admiring its shiny appearance and round structure. Instead of looking closely

at this, Tommy, a normal bystander, took a quick glance and wrongly judged the situation. To

explain further, Tommy should have looked carefully and should have considered his past and

prior knowledge of Mr.Peabody. If only he had remembered and had given himself enough

time to consider that Mr.Peabody is a responsible and respectable man, his thoughts and

judgements of the situations would have been drastically different. To add on in the short story

Mr.Peabody’s Apples it also stated, “Billy picked up the balls and bats, and Mr. Peabody set

off on his walk home. He waved to everyone he knew, and they waved back. Once again, he

stopped outside Mr. Funkadeli’s fruit market, picked up the shiniest apple, dropped it in his

bag, and continued on his way. Across the street, Tommy Tittlebottom and his friends

watched Mr.Peabody, and they were amazed at what they saw. Mr. Peabody had not paid for

his apple. They couldn’t wait to tell all of their friends, who told their parents, who told their

neighbors, who told their friends, in the town of Happville (which wasn’t a very big town).” This

thoroughly proves that Mr.Peabody is innocent because of how inattentive the townspeople

are. Even though they did not even see the event unfold, the townspeople are so quick to

jump to conclusions and judgements. To further clarify, it is not human to just look,glance,

process and judge. It is always the right thing to make sure you have the right information and

data before judging and publicizing a person’s actions since the thing that looks right cannot

always be correct. Sometimes looks can be deceiving and will invite you into destroying

another’s well earned reputation. In summary, not all that is white is milk, looks can be

deceiving and should never be used to quickly judge someone.

Also, another lesson that is in the story Mr.Peabody’s Apples is to never judge a book

by its cover since you might not always be fully right. This was proven time and again in the

short story Mr.Peabody’s Apples when it showed, “Oh dear, Mr. Peabody,” said Tommy, on

the doorstep. “I didn’t understand. I should not have said what I said, but it looked like you

hadn’t paid for the apples.” Mr. Peabody’s eyebrows went up a little, and he felt a warm

breeze blow across his face. “It doesn’t matter what it looked like. What matters is the truth.”

This proves that even though it looked like Mr.Peabody stole the apple and that the owner

didn’ notice, judging him from a far distance and saying that he is a thief is not the most

accurate judgment. This means that even though the evidence and situation are shining

towards a judgement, it is always possible to be wrong. To go in more depth, Mr.Peabody was

seen somewhat supposedly “stealing an apple” twice by Tommy. However even if the

evidence is shiny, bright and attractive to an intuitive judgement, it is still always possible to be

wrong because the human brain is always quick to make assumptions. The right step is to

always think twice and analyze a person’s character traits before judging them. To add on, in

the story Mr.Peabody’s Apples it similarly explained, “Aren’t you at the game?”“There wasn’t a

game today,” said Mr. Peabody, “and I was wondering if I could take my apple earlier than

usual?” “Sure, why not?” replied Mr. Funkadeli. “You pay for them every Saturday morning

when you pick up your milk. You can take them when you like. You want the big shiny one,

Mr. Peabody?” Mr. Peabody took his apple, smiled, and offered it to Billy.” This proves that

Mr.Peabody actually pays for his apples in advance and always picks them up at the same

time. Though on the outside it looked as if he didn’t pay Mr.Funkadeli for the apple, in reality

he was actually being responsible and paid for it ahead of time. In more depth, if Mr.Peabody

had not kept his cool and didn’t explain what had actually happened, everyone would have

naturally thought that he was a nasty thief who breaks other's trust. Instead, even with

knowing the others are wrong, Mr.Peabody calmly walked Billy over to Mr.Funkadeli to show

him what the real deal was. This proves that even though the door might not look right, if you

actually open it and look inside your judgement might change for the better. In conclusion,

judging a situation by its looks and evidence might be the right option, because there is

always room for a wrong and guilt filled judgment.

Lastly, another moral in the story Mr.Peabody’s Apples is to never judge someone since

the second hand information might not always be correct. In the short story Mr.Peabody’s

Apples it stated, ““That’s strange,” Tommy said to himself. “Mr. Peabody didn’t pay anyone for

the apple.” Tommy got on his skateboard and rushed to tell his friends.” This shows that

Tommy is going to tell his friends about Mr.Peabody with the wrong information, this will result

in them believing his wrong judgment and spreading false rumors themselves. This is a

foreshadow to a false accusation later in the story. To explain more, since Tommy didn’t think

twice before spreading his false and wrong information, false information about the very

respectable Mr.Peabody was revealed, leading to ruining his reputation. If the other

townspeople had not fully believed Tommy’s second hand information, no-one would have

falsely judged Mr.Peabody. This proves that second hand information cannot always be

reliable and can always have errors, it is always the right thing to cross-check it. To add on, in

the short story Mr.Peabody’s apples stated,“Tommy Tittlebottom and his friends said they saw

you take an apple from Mr.Funkadeli’s fruit market, twice, and they said you didn’t pay for

them,” answered Billy.

“Ahh,” said Mr. Peabody, putting his hat back on his head. “Let’s go and talk to Mr.

Funkadeli about it, shall we?”

They walked down the main street (which wasn’t a very big street), and Mr.

Peabody waved to all the people he knew, but now some of them did not wave back, and

some pretended they did not even see him.” This proves that everyone has been fools and is

believing false second hand information from a fool who isn’t sure about his judgment himself.

To lead into the false information about Mr.Peabody spreading like fire. To explain further,

since Tommy falsely accused Mr.Peabody of theft, Mr.Peabody’s rightly earned reputation

regarding respect and discipline was ruined. This means that though Tommy had the most

humanly thought, his evidence and realization was unreasonable. A man who is serving the

community with his heart will for sure not betray it for a simple apple.

In conclusion, the short fictional story by Madonna named Mr.Peabody’s Apples

explains the message of how not to quickly judge someone even in the most straightforward

circumstances. The character Mr.Peabody was a very respectable and disciplined man who

never thought twice to serve his community, however he ended up being falsely accused and

deserted by his own townspeople. Altogether, it is never the right thing to judge someone by

their actions at first glance since a book's pages might contain different information than the

cover.

Debugging a Tomato Plant: Why Gardening is the Ultimate Reset by Nandita Kamalakannan

 Debugging a Tomato Plant: Why Gardening is the Ultimate Reset

If you had told me a year ago that I would willingly spend my Saturday mornings digging around

in the dirt, I would have laughed. Gardening always seemed like a hobby reserved strictly for

retired people or anyone with way too much free time. But after spending most of my week

staring at screens and stressing over grades, I discovered that growing things is actually the

perfect antidote to high school burnout.

My brain is usually running a million miles an hour. Between trying to hunt down a single

missing semicolon in a Java project, calculating torque and angular momentum for AP Physics,

or grinding through calculus limits, everything in my life feels incredibly rigid. In school,

everything is pass or fail. Your code either compiles or it crashes. Your physics answer is either

mathematically sound, or it is completely wrong.

Out in the garden, the rules are completely different. You can't force a pepper plant to grow faster

by cramming an all-nighter, and you can't optimize a sunflower. You just plant the seed, make

sure it has enough water and sunlight, and then you have to actually wait. It is a massive exercise

in letting go of control, which is terrifying but also deeply relaxing.

When you are outside pulling weeds or trying to figure out why the leaves on your tomato plant

are suddenly turning yellow, you aren't thinking about college applications or standardized tests.

You are just completely focused on keeping this tiny, fragile living thing alive. It forces you to

log off, step away from the blue light of your laptop, and actually get mud under your

fingernails.

We spend so much time in an artificial, high-pressure digital world that we forget how to just

exist in the physical one. It turns out that getting your hands dirty and watching a seed you

planted actually sprout is one of the most rewarding things you can do. It doesn't look like much

on a resume, but it does wonders for your sanity.

THE AP MARATHON, a poem by Nandan Kamalakannan

 THE AP MARATHON

The syllabus drops like an anchor of lead,

A mountain of chapters to hold in your head.

The midnight lamp burns as the coffee grows cold,

A marathon journey of the brave and the bold.

You chart out the limits approaching to zero,

Hoping the friction won't conquer the hero.

You map the parabolas, finding the focus,

Praying the formulas aren't hocus-pocus.

There's torque and momentum that spin on a wheel,

And simple harmonic vibrations you feel.

Then over to Java, where objects await,

Constructing the classes and setting the state.

Compiling the logic with syntax so strict,

Chasing the bugs that you couldn't predict.

You graph out the shifts on the supply curve line,

As your marginal utility starts to decline.

You weigh all the costs of the choices you make,

When sleep is the ultimate trade-off you take.

The balance is brutal, the schedule is tight,

Between crushing a serve and studying all night.

You swing for the baseline and run down the court,

Then trade in the racket to write a report.

When May finally arrives with its bubbles and seals,

The ticking clock shows you how pressure truly feels.

But all of the rigor, the friction, the strife,

Is building the engine you’ll use in your life.