Constant

The big one eight.

On her 18th birthday, littlest Kardashian Kylie Jenner received a Birkin bag (usually around $11,000-15,000), performances from Fetty Wap and Post Malone ($25,000), a joy ride in a private jet ($5,000-12,000/ hour), and a Ferrari 482 Italia ($320,000). She also celebrated her party in the presence of  Zayn Malik and Joe Jonas (priceless!). This is the unrealistic version (clearly not for some people) I had of my 18th birthday growing up as a child.

“Hey! It’s your birthday next week!”

“No, its the week after”

“What? I thought your birthday was the 24th?”

“Oh crap, it is my birthday.”

The last time I got excited for my birthday was in elementary and since then, every birthday is constantly the same. This year, if it weren’t for my friends, I may have actually forgotten my own birthday. Unfortunately, on the morning of my birthday, I didn’t wake up feeling slightly more wise, I woke up to the sound of my dog barking two in the morning and that was the reality of becoming 18. Nothing changed. I blew some candles, ate my favorite foods, and got my birthday money just like any other birthday.

But there are still few perks of being 18. For starters, being able to say I’m 18 is pretty cool. Turning 18 before the 2016 election isn’t too shaby (this is sarcasm, it’s the best part). Also, I can buy the lottery (possibly become addicted) and buy packs of cigarettes (whoopie…). Well that about sums it up.

Favorite novel: Wings, Harry Potter, East of Eden, Ender’s Game, Percy Jackson, Great Gatsby, Joy Luck Club, Fahrenheit 451, White Fang, Hobbit

When we received the assignment of the month, I thought “Sweet, just need to choose my favorite book? That’s going to be easy.” Well, turns out, this assignment is harder than ever. As I sat down in front of my laptop, ready to get a head start on the assignment, I realized, I didn’t have a favorite novel. Usually, when I read a book and I enjoy it, it automatically becomes my favorite novel until the next one. But for the purpose of this assignment, I’ll talk about the Ender’s Game series.

Ender’s family life is… complicated, his sister Valentine wants to protect him and his brother Peter wants to kill him. But no worries, because Colnel Hyrum Graff is here to whisk Ender away to the most awesome destination after Disney World: Battler School. Basically, potential children are taken to Battle School in order to practice becoming strategist  in battle against buggers (giant ants). At Battle School (in space), Ender excels because he understands that there’s no up or down in space. Also because he’s just smarter than everyone, even the older kids. By the way, Ender is only six years old when he is chosen for Battle School (and twelve when he ultimately commits genocide). Back on Earth, Peter an Valentine are taking over the world by posting political opinions online (Although they were both smart like Ender, they didn’t get chosen since Peter was too violent and Valentine was too soft). Anyways, during a computer simulation, Ender wipes out the buggers, but it turns out to be a real war. Ender unknowingly commits an act of genocide and feels terrible. Valentine convinces Ender to go out to a new colony with her. There, Ender discovers that the buggers left him a message to say everything is cool, even though he kind of killed them all off. Except (plot twist!) he didn’t. The buggers left him a bugger pupa in a cocoon so that he can restart the bugger species. Nice way to end the first novel in the sequel.

Why do I love this book? Well first off, Ender is freaking amazing. I have always enjoyed reading a novel, starring a brilliant protagonist, since that keeps everything unpredictable and exciting.. Secondly, this is basically a better version of hunger games without the ridiculous romance. Even though they botched the first movie, I hope they make the whole series evertually. Everyone should go read this now!