Sean P

A Wonderful Life of Music

Growing up, music played a big role in my life. My family was very musical. Since a young age, I have been surrounded by music. When I was little I would listen to my dad play the guitar. Later in fourth grade, I started guitars lessons and was actually good, but after feeling that I was not putting enough time into practicing I quit. Although I quit, I had not given up on music and in sixth grade started to play my favorite instrument, the saxophone.

    I was excited to finally leave the elementary school and be a “middle schooler.” My first class of the day was band and I eagerly awaited to play the saxophone. On the first day, we had to pick an instrument, but the choice was easy for me. The next week I came to class with a Selmer Liberty Alto Sax. It was mix of brass and bronze with silver keys. The coolest thing about the instrument was it had all sorts of engravings on the bell. I was anxiously waiting for the first day we would actually play. I could not resist the urge to play my instrument at home and could already play simple songs. My enjoyment in music was just starting to take place.

    Throughout my sixth grade year, band became one of my favorite classes. Our band practiced the same time as the seventh grade band class, so we practiced in the choir room. The whole band area slightly smelled of mold and the floor lowered like an amphitheater. Another thing I thought was cool was a vending machine that had instrument maintenance parts in it.  I would go to the band room a little before the bell so my friends and I could dabble on the piano. As class went on, my saxophone playing improved, and I would play things with my friend David Jeremiah who was also a saxophonist.

    As the years progressed into seventh and eighth grade, I was able to join the jazz band where I was introduced into soloing. As the lead alto, I had to do many solos which made me nervous. Even though I would be able to play the music right I wasn’t loud enough. Slowly I was able to play loud enough to be heard.  I enjoyed jazz band more than concert band and started to become more outgoing. I recognized my talents and had found something I had really enjoyed doing. By the end of middle school, I had a new saxophone and was learning how to do improv solos which I would make up on the spot. When I started playing solos, I would be complemented by my friends and people I did not even know. This led me into the world of jazz, which I was only just grasping the concept of its sound.

     One of my favorite performances was when the middle school jazz bands would go to the high school to perform. The first year I had a lot of fun. At the end of the concert both middle school jazz bands and the high school jazz band would combine. We played a Chicago tune that remains my favorite song that we have ever played, Twenty Five or Six to Four. In eighth grade, I was looking forward to this event in hopes that it would be as fun as the last one. We had started rehearsing the piece we were going to play with the “high schoolers.” I would practice for hours and play the other parts on piano for fun. Our band director, Mr. Elliot, informed us that we would meet in the morning and rehearse the piece with the seventh graders. Since the piece had a solo section and I had been practicing with ideas, I asked Mr. Elliot if I could do an improv solo.

     “You can try since I know you and your dad improve at home sometimes,” replied Mr. Elliot.

     “Okay, I’ll give it a shot,” I said, becoming slightly nervous.

     I stood up when the time for the solo section came and astonishingly played pretty well. People around me told me that I had played amazing, awesome, and more. This became a defining moment for me because I realized I could actually play well. When the concert came I played my solo and was even better than some of the “high schooler.”

    Now that I am in the ninth grade I am able put style and tone in what I play. I am also learning piano and still playing some on the guitar. Music may be one of my favorite things in life and it weaves its way into my life every day. Along with playing and improving my own musical ability, I have learned to appreciate all sorts of genres of music. Music has helped me in my life by giving me something which makes me feel: talented, not nervous, and outgoing. It provided a niche for me.

    Music has opened my mind to new possibilities and ideas allowing me to become a better well rounded person. Having something I am good at and a way to express myself has bettered my life.

Christian G

-The Night of Nights -

            It all started in ninth grade, which came at the speed of light and finished with the speed slower than a turtle with no legs. In high school, I was like the salad at a McDonald’s menu, I exist, but no one ever chooses me. That was until homecoming came along. I was your typical teenage guy, skinny with a rebellious attitude. When homecoming came, I didn’t think much of it, until I saw that just about everyone in my group had a date. Why I’m here is to tell you not to make the same mistakes that I did. Number one, just because everyone else in your “table” has a partner to go to homecoming with, doesn’t mean you need one, don’t let them influence you to make decisions you do not want to make.

            Once I found out the news, I needed to find out whom to “attempt” to ask for homecoming. Choose wisely, like a lion stalking his prey. Don’t be detected, or the opportunity will be forever lost in the void of love. For reasons, I will not refer to my ninth year homecoming date with her real name, I will call her… Isa (That is not her actual name). I had a one class with Isa throughout the whole year. This isn’t enough time to get to know your target, I advise to try and talk to her in the halls ALONE. If you try to talk to her in front of her friends, you’re basically first in line for the electric chair, frying all hope of you going to homecoming with her.

            After you have gotten to know her (which I hardly did with mine), start to think about how to ask her to homecoming. Make it CLEVER and UNFORGETTING (in a good way). Do not do what I did to ask her out. I ran out of time to brainstorm any slightly clever idea to ask her to homecoming with, so I did the stereotypical way of asking someone out. I waltzed right up to her door, with my Mother trailing right behind me, making me swell and churn with embarrassment, and rang the doorbell. I had the basic things in my hand, a small piece of chocolate and an enthusiastic mood to go along with it. When she came to answer the door, my heart thudded against my chest as loud as a bass drum, found in any typical band room. Don’t make this mistake as well. Be calm, and be cool, don’t break a sweat when you ask her. Simply say, for example: “Isa, since I’ve gotten to know you, you’re a great person with an amazing personality. Will you go to homecoming with me?” That’s what I said to ask, and afterwards she promptly said yes. It’s good to know I did at least one thing right during the whole experience.

           

Once I returned to school the next day, the fact that I had asked her and she said yes spread around the school like a wildfire, spreading to all the plants until no more remain. Expect this, because high school is full of the utmost prestige type of drama. Unfortunately it is impossible to escape drama in high school; it is always in the atmosphere and will never go away for all of eternity. People bombarded me with questions, they whizzed by my head like bullets, over a soldier as he runs towards the enemy. “When did you ask, where did you ask, who’s group are you going with?” Now, if you want people stalking you and watching you through all of homecoming, then go ahead and answer them. If you want a nice time, with no intrusions and interruptions, then I would ignore them, or tell them to find out from someone else (Which no one else but you and your date knows about). Once you survive that school day, every day from then on will be less chaotic with questions, until it dies out completely.

Once homecoming day came, I was a nervous wreck. Since I was in band, we played at the homecoming football game the day before, and that wasn’t the most calming event either. Make sure to calm yourself before the day of homecoming. It will be exiting, but it will be tough to control your nervousness and eagerness. When I hopped in the car, my mother drove me to Isa’s house to go get ready for pictures. When we arrived, I hopped out of the car, and approached the door with the flower-homecoming-thing that you have to give your date, and she has to give you one too. When the door opened, I was greeted by a beautiful face, with a smile. I smiled back, and we started to talk about the schedule and how great we looked. After that, both mine and Isa’s mother came and told us to exchange the flower-homecoming-thing that I still cannot remember what it was called, and took out their phones for pictures and videos. I must warn you; this is the part of the date where I could barely hold back my nervousness. Take deep breaths, and think about the date. After the flower-homecoming-thing ritual was finished, we came over to my car and drove off to one of the other group’s house to take pictures of all of our groups. This part isn’t too hard, all you have to do is smile, and always smile.

Once the pictures were over, we headed to our restaurant to grab dinner before the homecoming dance itself. When our whole group arrived, 2 third-wheels arrived and sat down with us for dinner. If any third-wheeler comes to your dinner, treat them as if they have a date, just without the date-part. The food took a long time to prepare, but once it was there, it was very delicious. Do the same thing I did here, be cool, talk about yourself, and ask many questions. Most importantly, always be interested! Unfortunately during the whole dinner, at least six or so parents were super protective and sat in the booth about 4 feet away from my date and I, including my mother.

Once dinner was over, we headed for the school, to the actual homecoming dance. Don’t make the car ride awkward, be talkative and loving, and don’t forget to open the car do for her! When we were dropped off at the front door to our school, we handed the tickets to the ticket keeper, and made our way inside. When we stepped inside, we placed our belongings inside of your assigned bag, and only then can you carry on to the gym, where the real action starts. When we stepped one foot into the gym, our mouth’s dropped in unison and our eyes bulged out of their sockets. We expected dancing, but what we got was a hideous display of bodies moving back and forth to the deafening “music”. Right there and then, did I question whether or not to gouge out my own eyes and never see such a horrific sight in my life again, but then I realized that I might need them for the rest of my life. We cautiously made our way inside the gym, trying to avoid making eye contact with anyone we didn’t know. Then the music suddenly stopped.

Once the music stopped, it cut to a very slow and romantic song. Now’s your opportunity to dance with her. Don’t be shy and act awkward, leaning backwards and avoiding eye contact, look into her eyes, and smile, leaning forward. Unfortunately for me, the song ended abruptly and jumped back into fast music and more hideous dancing. We both looked at each other and sighed, smiling. Once we had enough of the dancing and music, we went back into the bag room and gathered our items and called for my mom to pick us up. She came and dropped my date back to her house. Now, this is one of the most important parts of the whole event. Open the door in the car, and hold her hand all the way to her door. Once she’s at the door, look at her in the eye and tell her that you had a very great time with her.

Basically, during the whole date there are about three rules to follow, don’t be nervous, be you, and be talkative. I was as silent as the deep sea, no sound what so ever in the depths. On the way home, I talked and talked and talked about how great of a time I had, about the dance, about the restaurant, and about how great she was the whole way through. And on that day, I earned the milestone of love.

Sarah P

Moving to Roanoke

 

            When I was in eight, my family moved from Wisconsin to Virginia. My mom got a job offer at her alma mater, Roanoke College. My parents thought it would be a better experience for us as a family to live in Roanoke. I remember the words coming out of my mother’s mouth, “We have decided to move to Virginia.”

“Why?” I asked

“Because I was offered a better job in Roanoke.”

My sister was devastated but because I was so young, I did not mind leaving, in fact, I wanted to go. As I look back on that experience now, I believe that I would have been a completely different person if we did not move. I have had more opportunities and better relationships with people here in Roanoke than I think I would have had in Wisconsin.

I remember driving across the border of Virginia. It was fall and the trees were changing colors. I thought it was beautiful! I had never seen mountains up close and I had certainly never driven through them. It took a little getting used to; those Sunday drives in the mountains did make me car sick at first! I look back when we drove into Roanoke and I still see the huge rainbow in the sky! I said to my mom, “That is a sign that we should be here!”

 My sister and I were jamming out to the High School Musical Soundtrack- we were eight and ten years old. After we got settled into our new house, I remember my mom saying, “What if I made the wrong decision?”

My dad and I- we were the ones that wanted to move- said, “We like it better here!”

Even my sister eventually said that she was happy that we moved here!

            If I did not move here, I do not think I would have started to pay soccer because it is very popular here, but no one that I knew of in Wisconsin played. Soccer is my passion and I would say it takes up a majority of my life next to school, family, and friends. I am almost positive that if I still lived in Wisconsin I would not be playing soccer, and because it is a big part of me, I know I would not be the same person that I am now.

            If we did not move, I would not have met the amazing friends that are in my life now. The people that are in my life now are such a positive influence and are the type of friends that I know I will keep. When I lived in Wisconsin I did not have really close friends, but I do now. When I first moved here, I had trouble fitting in because I was the new girl, but I have found friends in Roanoke that I will have forever. My old friends have made different choices than I have, and if I was still in Wisconsin, I think I would have made the same choices as them.

I also think I have received a better education in Roanoke than I would have in Wisconsin. From what I remember of my old school, the teachers and classes were more relaxed and not as fast paced as the ones in Roanoke. My old friends do not consider school a priority and their schools do not challenge them like the ones in Roanoke do. When I first moved here, it took a while for me to get used to how the classes worked and I remember myself always trying to catch up to the rest of my class. I can still hear my third grade teacher in Roanoke pulling me aside and saying, “Sarah, I know it is a change, but you need to try harder in this school!”

I have only been to two schools in Roanoke, but they both challenge me to learn and work hard. Although school is sometimes frustrating with the amount of work that goes into it, I know I will later appreciate the education that I am receiving here in Roanoke, unlike the “easy” education in Wisconsin.

            All of these factors contribute to the person that I am and who I am becoming. At the time, it seemed like just a move, but if I look at the type of person I would be if I stayed in Wisconsin, I have realized that it has changed who I am. My life in Wisconsin would not have been bad at all, but it would be nothing like my life in Roanoke. If I was still living in Wisconsin, I would not be playing soccer, I would not have the close friendships that I have now, and I would not have the education that I have now, in Roanoke. Although I still have many flaws, I am happy with the person that I have become in Roanoke compared to the person I could have become in Wisconsin. The move from Wisconsin to Virginia was a huge milestone in my life, and I am happy that we made that change!

Dallas K

Baseball, Live it! Love it!

            Baseball, America’s pastime, is my favorite sport to play, watch, and think about.  One of my most important goals in life is to play college baseball and play professional baseball for the New York Yankees.  I have worked very hard since the age of seven to realize this goal.  My baseball career began in Little League and continues today on the Hidden Valley Junior Varsity Baseball Team.  At other times I have also played AAU travel baseball as well as school ball for Hidden Valley Middle School.  Baseball has been my sport for eight years and has helped me grow and mature both as a student and athlete.  I respect the game and will work very hard to achieve my dream of wearing pinstripes for the Yankees.   

            My life-long journey as a baseball player began when I was just a 2^nd grader at North Cross School.  The situation was tough for me because nobody at my school played baseball.  I had no choice but to play Little League Baseball with a bunch of kids who went to Roanoke County Public Schools.  At age seven, my first of Little League team was a machine pitch team called the Cave Spring National Little Giants.  Thank goodness for the machine because seven year olds don’t pitch too well.  I didn’t know any of the players on the team but soon became good friends with all of them.  Many of my teammates from the Giants and other machine-pitch teams remain friends of mine to this day and play baseball for either Hidden Valley (Go Titans!) or Cave Spring.  One of the highlights of that first season was a team bus trip to see the Orioles play the Yankees at Camden Yards in Baltimore, Maryland.  It was my first bus trip to see professional baseball and I hope that will be repeated many times on college bus and plane trips.    I suspect the Yankees fly in style!

            The next level of my baseball experience began the following year at the minor league level for Cave Spring National Little League.  I was put on a team called the Dodgers.  My coach (Keith Custer) was a familiar face as were some of the players from my Giants’ team.  Coach Custer was very intense and he loved to win.  At this level, kids begin pitching to each other. At first, it was a bit scary because, occasionally, a player would get hit by the pitch.  I have to admit that when you are only eight or nine years old, anything that hits you is going to make you cry.  I got “beaned” a few times and did, in fact, cry.  Getting “beaned” feels like getting stung by a huge bumble bee.  Ouch!

            After minor-league play I was drafted at age ten to play at the next level at the major league level for a team called the Roanokers.  This team had the two of the best coaches any kid could ask for, head Coach Jerry Ellis and his assistant Coach Bob Guthrie.  When I played for them they had over 65 years of combined coaching experience.  They loved the game and, more importantly, they loved us and treated us like we were their own children.  Coach Guthrie, in particular, is someone I will remember for the rest of my life because he always had something positive to say and usually gave me a great big bear hug whenever I saw him.  I was always small for my size and he would always say to me: “little boy can’t hit the ball very hard.”  I was always determined to show Coach Guthrie that I sure could hit the ball hard, and would often say to him “little boys can to hit just watch coach.”  By challenging us in a positive way Coach Guthrie was always able to bring out the best in his players. 

            One of the other great things about Little League is being able to play All Stars.  I was fortunate enough to be a starting pitcher and second baseman on the major league All-Star team. All major league All-Star teams have the same opportunity to try and play in Williamsport, Pennsylvania at the Little League World Series.  All-Stars play begins at the end of the regular season by being selected by the major-league coaches as one of the best players in the league. I had the honor of being chosen to play on an All-Star team for four years which was every year I was eligible.  Traveling around the Shenandoah Valley representing Cave Spring National Little League All Stars was one of my happiest childhood memories.

            During my time with the Roanokers I began to work on my game with professional instructors.  I got to know two of them quite well: Coach Ricky Gregg and Coach Dave Christiansen.  These two men are the coaches who really got me started toward being the player I am today.  Coach Gregg is very laid back and always had extra time for me and even allowed me to come to his facility and hit after hours.  He was my first real hitting coach.  Coach Gregg had a great sense of humor and was a big University of Kentucky fan.  One time, a friend of mine came with me to a lesson wearing a Duke t-shirt and Coach Gregg made him put duct tape over the “D” and the “e” to make sure we in the “Wildcat mood” as he used to say.  Coach Dave Christiansen also played professional baseball and continues to be my hitting and pitching instructor.  I’ve learned a great deal from Dave about the mental aspects of the game such as controlling my emotions and focusing like a laser beam when I pitch or hit.  Dave really has helped me take my game to the next level: to help me face better pitchers and to become a better pitcher myself.  Baseball, even when played well, is a game of failure.  The best hitters in the pros only get a hit about three and a half times per ten at bats.  Dave has helped me get a better handle on understanding this concept.  Coach Dave always says “baseball is a game of failure even when you’re doing well.”

            Throughout my entire major league career, I have also played on AAU travel baseball teams.  My first travel team was the Roanoke Badgers.  This was a great opportunity to play on a travel baseball team because you would get to play teams from all over Virginia.  Right now I am on a travel baseball team called the Valley Venom and this upcoming summer, I am going to play on a team called RTG Baseball and play in showcase tournaments in Virginia and the surrounding states.  RTG stands for “Respect the Game.”  The RTG team will be coached by Randy Boone, who is a pitching coach at Hidden Valley High School.  Coach Boone knows a great deal about the game and especially strategy during games.  He always tells us to respect the game, respect each other, and to “pick up” our teammates when they are down.  He never yells at us and is always encouraging.

At this point in time, I am playing on the Hidden Valley Junior Varsity team.  Our team appears be very good and everyone gets along well with each other.  I expect us to win almost all of our games.  I love the three coaches we have.  They all understand that yelling at the players isn’t going to make us better and that the game is bigger than any one player.  Whenever we do something wrong, they always encourage us to do better next time.  This method of coaching is what I imagine Derek Jeter, the Yankees great shortstop, would adopt if he ever coaches.  Jeter is known for his respect of the game and I admire him greatly.  

In conclusion, the start of my baseball career began as a 2^nd grader and I continue to play and love baseball to this day.  I have made many friends because of this wonderful game and part one of my life goal/dream is to play baseball in college at either the University of Virginia or the University of Oregon.  Part two of my dream is to wear those amazing pinstripes worn by the New York Yankees.  Come to think of it, getting the privilege to play for any college or Major League team will be fine with me.  Play ball!

Rachel W

Switching Schools

I went to the same school my entire life.  Every single morning it was the same routine. I would wake up, get my uniform on, and have my mom drive me off to school. This was what I had always done and I didn’t know anything different.  But one morning my whole life got turned around when my mom woke me up and told me that I was switching schools.

            I had been going to Faith Christian School since I was five years old, and I stayed at that school until I was twelve. It was a private school with strict teachers and navy blue and khaki uniforms everywhere.  There were all twelve grades plus kindergarten in one very cramped building.  It was a very small school and there were only about 30 kids per grade, which means there were about 390 kids in the entire school.

            When my mom told me that I was switching schools, at first I was overjoyed.  Mostly because, as much as I liked Faith Christian,  I had been looking for some kind of change for a while.  My mom pulled my out of the school mid-year in sixth grade.  So on my last day I got everything out of my locker and never went back.  I remember hating having to say goodbye because some of those people I haven’t seen again.   But in the long run it was worth it.  I ended up not having to finish sixth grade because I tested out of it but it wasn’t long before seventh grade began.  My mom went back and forth between putting me in public school, another private school, or homeschooling.  And unfortunate for me, she went with homeschool.

            All of seventh grade was torture.  I couldn’t leave the house all day, I didn’t understand half of the material, and most importantly I missed my friends.  So eventually I got up the  courage to talk to my mom about how much I disliked being homeschooled and she said to me, “As much as I like you being here, I want you to be happy.”  So the next year I was sent off to the wild and dangerous Hidden Valley Middle School.

Starting at a new school is one of the hardest things that I’ve ever done.  I went to a new place with tons of new people, and some of those people weren’t the nicest.  I went into that building only knowing one person in the whole school, but left knowing quite a bit more.  The year got easier as it went farther but I still struggled with trying to fit in.

            Now, I’m a freshman at Hidden Valley High School, and it’s never been easier.  I have so many more friends and I actually look forward to school every day.  All of the harder times in private school, homeschool, and middle school was definitely worth it to get to where I am today.

Jonathan G

Audiences Applaud

I have a pet peeve where I have an extreme annoyance to people who clap after the end of movies. This questions my thought on humanity, whether they know reality and fantasy, and if they know that it is not real. Knowing that the directors of the movie are not even benefiting from the audiences clapping, all the directors care is the high ratings a payments for watching or buying the movie. Also knowing that people would clap at the end of the movies, it influences me to not go out and watch a movie because of how irritating it is to my opinion. Due to this irritating expression of enjoyment of a movie, I feel that people should not clap after a movie is finished.

            There is one thing clapping onto a real theatre, where real actors perform, but applauding a projecting screen with literally nothing there is just utterly annoying. This socially awkward person who has no awareness to his or her surrounding of others must be notifies immediately. These pestering people who claps regardless to whatever it is, bothers me to my full extent. I try to watch and enjoy a movie for entertainment but people who clap to every scene they show is just idiotic and ruins my pleasure of watching a movie. I remember awhile ago, personal experience, where I was watching the movie “Michael Jackson This Is It.” As I was watching the movie, fascinated by his life and fame, I hear clapping from a distance in the room to every scene they have shown. Knowing, during that moment, that the movie was around an hour and fifty minutes long and knowing that the person will continue to clap every scene, my sanity was diminishing by moments. But because I’m a genuine and caring person, I insisted to not ask the person to stop clapping, no matter how much I wanted to. After the movie was over, with my sanity completely depleted, I took and long glance at the person when he wasn’t looking, remembering that the person will always be hated by me for the rest of my entire life span.

            Directors and actors, in reality, love the audiences applaud when finishing their amazing performances on plays, but in movies it is completely pointless to applaud something that is not physically there. Directors, who create movies, have no benefits to when people applaud to movies once finished. The only thing that will help benefit the movie is to purchase the movie, so the directors and actors can receive their salary. So, clarifying that there is no point to clap to a movie before, during, or after a film. Also, directors do not need applauding to know whether to possibly create sequels to the movies for extra money, the ratings and how many people spent for that movie is the only thing that would legitimately help the directors for his or her film making.

            Influences is an important part of people going out to watch the movie, which is why they release trailers to give certain details on why people should watch the video. But when irritating people who clap in movie theatres, it just makes my enjoyment more mediocre and makes me reconsider going out. It may also affect movies as well because of how people who find others clapping in theatres annoying may prevent not one me but others from going to movies as well. This can also enrage others and maybe possible arguments just by clapping.

            My pet peeve is something that must go global so it may stop for not me but for others who may also have an aggravation to this senseless action. People must realize that they are not the only people in the room and should have some consideration toward others who would like to enjoy the movie without any distractions.  Some people may not take this quick lightly and maybe enraged by theses gestures. Obviously my pet peeve needs to be heard outside of the world to prevent these annoying occurrences.

Noah L

Smoke Isn’t A Joke

            The one that gets on my nerves more than anything is when people smoke. The smell the feeling and the look of it all drives me crazy. It especially bothers me when people smoke rate outside of restaurants, malls, stores, and other places where people walk in and out. For example you have gone to your favorite restaurant and you have had a good time and you’re laughing and goofing around and as soon as you walk out of the restaurant boom it hits you like a brick wall. The potent odor of that cigarette. It surrounds the area for what seems like miles and the worst thing about that is that you are breathing in second hand smoke.

            Second hand smoke is one of the many byproducts of smoking. For one it can cause ear infections, respiratory infections. And also an estimated 150,000–300,000 new cases of bronchitis and pneumonia annually. For nonsmokers, breathing secondhand smoke has immediate harmful effects on the cardiovascular system that can increase the risk for heart attack. Nonsmokers who are exposed to secondhand smoke at home or work also have a higher risk for lung cancer. 

            In this day and age there is no excuse for not quitting. There are numerous ways to quit. For example the patches that are proven to work, E-cigs can reduce the nicotine to nothing (which I do have a friend that used that method and it worked). There is medical treatment, and many many other different ways to quit. The only way that you can quit is if you want to and if you have any self-control.

            Another bad byproduct of smoking is the pollution. It causes air pollution and also the cigarette butts that are everywhere. If you had a can you wouldn’t just throw it out the window so really it is the same concept. The air is shared by everybody and everyone has to breath it, no one wants to breath nasty smoke. 

            So all in all nobody likes the smell of smoke and it just stinks up the whole area It also hurts the environment. So if you don’t really care about other people’s well-being, think about the environment and the future generations that will breathe the same air that you are polluting.