Cheyleen Griffin
Bio
Stories (3/0)
My college life
In this big world with billions of people all of us living different lives, there is me. A struggling college student in America. My life seems to have changed as I notice how late I was running to a very important college exam. The night before I fell asleep studying after working the late shift at my town's local diner. It was a peaceful morning the birds were chirping, the light shining ever so brightly through my window. I lift up my head off the desk and wipe the drool running from the corner of my mouth. Stretching from a long night's rest I glance down at my clock to see the time is 9:30 am. I continue to stretch and yawn until it clicks. It’s 9:30 am!! I rush to my calendar and skim with my finger through to today’s date, it is May 19th, 2017. My calendar was marked for an exam at 10:00 am. Today was the last day of exams before the beginning of my summer break. I stumble to my closet tripping over months worth of study material in piles across the floor, jumping into a pair of jeans, and sliding on some old worn-out purple vans. I wore the shirt I went to bed in, there is too many to pick from this just seemed like the obvious choice to stick with what was already on my body. Putting my hair up in a messy bun I slide into the bathroom. After splashing water on my face and gurgling some mouth wash I rush into the kitchen. I grab a cold slice of last night's pizza and my bag then head out the door. I check my phone to see that it was already 9:45 am and it takes about 10 minutes to walk to school walking fast-paced. I sprint to school huffing and puffing, as I stop to catch my breath I see something from the corner of my eye a little black book hidden in the slightly overgrown grass propped up next to the edge of the sidewalk. I look around to see if it belongs to anyone and with no one insight I grab the book and continue my sprint to school shoving the little black book in my back pocket. It’s now 10:00 am and I finally made it. I go to take my seat when suddenly I am stopped by my professor. There he stood with his hand out. I pause to think of what he could be possibly be waiting for. My heart drops immediately, I swing my bag in front of me rummaging through the pockets. I clench my jaw and cover my face as I’m overwhelmed with stress. My exam ticket! I forgot it on my desk the only thing I was so sure I couldn’t possibly forget. I pleaded with my professor to let me take the exam but he states that without my exam ticket there is no way he can allow me to take the exam. Which means of course I’ll fail the class. I restrain myself from bursting into tears in front of him and everyone else, walking away devastated knowing that failing this class means that Ill have to pay the school back for this semester. Lost in thought I tripped down the steps at the campus entrance the little black book slides out my pocket in front of me, looking down I see drops on the pavement just to notice that it was me crying. Wiping my face I grab the little black book to see if there is anything that could take away this feeling even just for a moment. Opening the first page the book reads: Are you ready to start over? Are you tired of living the life you’re in right now? Continue reading to start anew and be provided with enough money to never have problems in your next future. Can you believe this? Is this real? My questions were soon to be answered. The wind around me began to pick up. A portal appeared out of thin air and suddenly sucked me in. On the ground, the book drops in front of me. Reaching for it I realize I am not in front of the campus anymore. Standing up I am shaken to see that I have landed in a meadow full of multicolored flowers with a sunset like no other. The breeze runs through my hair as fresh air seeps into my lungs. Taking in the paradise I notice out the corner of my eye, I see a glistening light. I turn to see all the money the book said it would provide. It looked to be at least $20,000 at least where I came from. I couldn’t help but smile. I pick up the black book from the ground and kiss it with gratitude. Raising it to the sky I think to myself. Is this where my life begins? Did this little black book really make all this happen? Clenching the book I shout “MY ADVENTURE BEGINS!”
By Cheyleen Griffin3 years ago in Motivation
Did you know..
Do you ever wonder why actors go ‘mad’ after casting as a character they played insanely well? Have you ever thought of how a actor can switch so easily between a variety of roles and still be themselves in the end. A good example of this would be the joker. The character joker from the movie Batman: The Dark Knight. This character was played by Heath ledger. He who in fact ended up committing suicide after filming his role as the joker due to the psychological stresses of the part. But he was not the only one this happened to. As an actor/actress when taking on the role as a character they have to suppress their true selves. When finished with the role many have been known to say that a part of that particular character stays with them affecting making it affect them psychologically. “Just as each actor leaves his mark, the Joker leaves his mark on them. As fun as the role can be, it's proven challenging for many, including forcing them to face physical and mental dangers. Heath Ledger's tragic death before the release of 2008's The Dark Knight is the most well-known example, as many still believe the role contributed to his death. But Ledger's not the first or last actor to put himself in harm's way to play the joker,(looper.com)”. The joker is such a challenging role to portray for any person. Just imagine how hard it would be to act as a psychologically crazy person and not come out a little crazy yourself. Other than the joker there are many more roles in-which have scared the actor/actress after due to their serious commitment to the role. If you were born in the 1980 to the 1990’s you may have watched the movie Roger rabbit as a child. The main character Bob Hoskins who only acted with imaginary characters the whole movie actually went a little mad because of it. He said, according to Express, "I think I went a bit mad while working on that. Lost my mind. The voice of the rabbit was there just behind the camera all the time, you just had to know where the rabbit would be at all times, and Jessica Rabbit and all these weasels. The trouble was, I had learnt how to hallucinate." His role in the movie may of ended but psychologically the characters from his role is still with him. Another well known character is pennywise from the Steven kings’ movie It. Although there is an older version of the movie, Bill Skarsgård who played in the 2019 remake of It himself was haunted by his own character from the movie. He told Entertainment Weekly that portraying the evil clown lead to the character showing up in his dreams every night, even post-filming.
By Cheyleen Griffin3 years ago in Psyche
America today
For everyone in America it is common to have a refrigerator in your home even a freezer. Restaurants have them as well and even hospitals. They even have car refrigerators. Well this is all thanks to an African American creator named Frederick McKinley Jones. Who exactly is Frederick Jones you may ask. Frederick McKinley Jones was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, on May 17, 1893 to a white father and black mother. His mother deserted him when he was a young child. His father struggled to raise him on his own, but by the time Frederick was 7 years old, he was sent to live with a priest in Kentucky. Two years later, his father passed away. This living situation with the priest after his fathers passing lasted for only two years. At the age of 11, with minimal education under his belt, Jones ran away to fend for himself. Jones had a talent for and an interest in mechanics. He would read extensively on the subject in addition to his daily work, while also educating himself in his spare time. By the time he was twenty, Jones had secured an engineering license in the state of Minnesota. He went on to serve in the U.S. Army during World War I where he was often called upon to make repairs to machines and other equipment.“(biography.com)” Even though he had a life of little education he was still able to change the world with his inventions. History.com stated that, “He received a patent for his invention in 1940, and co-founded the U.S. Thermo Control Company, later known as Thermo King. The company was critical during World War II, helping to preserve blood, food and supplies during the war.” Many people do not know that such an important necessity for daily life was invented by this African American inventor. Blackpast.org stated,”During World War II, there was such a big need for a unit to store things such as blood serum for transfusions and many types of medications. This led Jones to further his research into refrigeration. For this, he created an air-conditioning unit for military field hospitals and a refrigerator for military field kitchens. As a result, he was able to help save many lives. A modified form of his device is still in use today. Without this invention we wouldn’t be able to have weeks worth of food in our fridge or be able to save people on hand with blood at hospitals. The amazing part about this African American inventor is that the refrigerator is not the only thing he has invented. Frederick Jones has over 61 patents of inventions he’s created and black past.org says 40 of the patents are in refrigeration. Jones was a self-taught, African American engineer who pioneered the designs for mobile refrigeration. “A former race car driver and mechanic, Jones created the first mechanical refrigeration system for trucks in 1935. Some of Jones' other inventions were a portable x-ray machine, an air conditioning unit for military field hospitals, and a refrigerator for military field kitchens.”, Says Minnesota Historical society. He has even invented a ticket dispenser, air conditioning, thermostat, starter generator and more. I would like to acknowledge this influential entrepreneur for he has invented things that changed the world completely and even saved many lives. With his inventions he is able to help people everyday. I admire him because not only was he black and white like me but he was also able to change the world with little education. He was able to keep going even though his mother left him at a young age and his father passed away. It inspires me to want to be like him to change the world in my own way any way I can. Without Frederick Jones society would not be what it is today and that can be said about all the black entrepreneurs, inventors, and creators.
By Cheyleen Griffin3 years ago in Journal