The Blog Project
Day One: Let The Blogging Begin
"Class, please, take your seats," Mrs. Jay slapped her black EXPO marker in her palm as her red nails wrapped around it. She crossed the classroom, glaring at her wild bunch of students.
The juniors all collapsed into their desks, cell phones silenced and put in their laps as they opened up their books. Mrs. Jay locked her dark eyes with each student in the front row before speaking again. "Today, I am going to try something different. Since this course is supposed to give you some creative writing experience, I designed the perfect month-long project."
Everyone groaned. Helga G. Pataki started sinking lower in her chair and twirling her hair. She hated the way her teacher pushed creative writing on them. She still wrote her deep, slightly obsessive love poetry about a certain football headed boy, but she still didn't share it.
Mrs. Jay brushed her fallen brunette hair off her face and continued speaking, ignoring the whines, "Today is all about the Internet, so I figured that I'll assign something related to the Internet." She paused, hoping to see a reaction, but got none. "You all will have to blog, every night for a month."
Helga was the first one to react with a laugh, "A blog?"
"Yeah, you know, where you write about stuff and post it for everyone to see? Of course, you won't release any real names and only the class will be able to read it."
Phoebe Heyerdahl, the quiet Asian, smiled from the front row before raising her hand, "What do we have to write about?"
"I will be giving you a daily prompt, and it will be posted online after school. But you are allowed to blog about what ever you want, as long as you also do my daily prompt. Now that that is out of the way, let's start reviewing last night's reading." Mrs. Jay pulled out her copy of Moby Dick and began asking her students questions pertaining to the chapters they were assigned to read last night.
Arnold always thought he was lucky when it came to his English class. It was practically his fourth grade class smashed together like old times. Although, the books they read weren't always so exciting. Who wanted to read about whaling anyways?
He smirked at Gerald's doodle of a sperm whale eating Captain Ahab's other leg. Gerald Johanssen was Arnold's tall, dark skinned, athletic best friend of fourteen years.
Arnold smiled again before turning his attention to the right to stop an outburst of laughter. He found himself looking at Rhonda Wellington Lloyd. She was filing her nails, texting, and staring out the window. She didn't care that she was obvious about not paying attention. Her raven hair had grown long over the years, but she always styled it a different way each day. Curly sat behind Rhonda, still completely obsessed with her.
Rhonda and Lila had become extremely close. Both Rhonda and Lila were treated like popular socialites in the high school. They'd spend their weekends at parties and gossiping, but Nadine was still Rhonda's best friend.
Nadine, also made more friends and grew rather close to Eugene Horowitz, Sheena and Brainy. Everyone still looked the same as they had in fourth grade, with a few minor changes. Nadine kept her blonde hair in a ponytail and Eugene became slightly less klutzy, with only a few severe accidents a month. He also kept his red hair cut rather short and continued to sing show tunes.
Herald Berman, another previous classmate, was still a big boy. He was tall, muscular, and still slightly overweight. He was on the school's varsity football team and played as a defensive lineman and tackler. He loved the sport and his teammates, but still spent his time with Sid and Stinky Peterson. The two boys were still the same, Sid always wore his boots and Stinky kept his country drawl. The three boys were still up to their old tricks, but they sometimes had help from Brainy and the AV Club.
Brainy learned to control his breathing issues, lost the glasses and built some muscle. Out of all the friends, he had changed the most, except for one. Helga was almost unrecognizable to Arnold. Even though Gerald and Phoebe were dating, Arnold never saw much of Helga. He'd hear things about her from Phoebe, or Gerald if he could remember, but never saw her. She had become rather quiet over the years. She didn't bully everyone as much as she used to. Arnold figured she was smart enough to have realized that high school was nothing like middle or elementary school.
Helga lost the unibrow, the bow and the pink dress and replaced it all. Her blue eyes were always piercing and angry, even when she smiled. She had taken a liking to keeping her blonde hair down and she even put multicolored streaks in some of the under layers. This week she had dark blue.
Sometimes Helga would be seen hanging with Wolfgang and his crew of senior boys, and other times she was seen by herself. She always would have Phoebe, but Arnold couldn't help but feel bad. This wasn't the Helga he knew.
Helga sensed his eyes on her. She turned up from her book, which she found only slightly interesting, and glared at him. "What, Football Head?" she mouthed as she wrapped a piece of navy hair around her finger.
Arnold turned around and returned staring at Moby Dick until the bell rang.
"Check the school's website tonight for the link to your blog registration!" Mrs. Jay yelled as her students fled the classroom.
H-A!-H-A!
"Oh, isn't it exciting?" Phoebe smiled as she matched her stride with her best friend.
"What? Blogging? I could be doing way better stuff with my time."
"I though you still liked to write," Phoebe mused. Helga tried to hide her blushing cheeks. Phoebe never bought into Helga's lies, she knew Helga was still crazy about Arnold.
"Yeah, I guess. I haven't in a while, though," Helga lied before walking up the steps. "Talk to you later, Pheebs."
"Bye Helga."
As soon as she shut the front door, Helga ran up the stairs and into her room. It was her typical afternoon routine. She'd run upstairs and stay into her room until dinner time, then she'd wander downstairs and make herself dinner. If her parents were lucky, she'd leave left overs for him. If not, Bob would order take out for himself and Miram.
Miram and Bob began working together at Big Bob's Electronics when Helga started middle school. It improved their marriage and themselves. Bob stopped being so angry all the time and Miram stopped drinking her "smoothies". Helga couldn't believe it took her so long to realize her mom was an alcoholic.
Now that Helga was locked in her room, she turned on her laptop and went to Hillwood High's school website. She actually liked the idea of having a blog. It was almost like a journal, only people would read it this time.
There was a big, flashing link labeled: "SEVENTH PERIOD ENGLISH 11." She clicked it an a large pop up flashed onto her screen.
Hello, students! It's Mrs. Jay, and I would just like to welcome you to the wonderful world of blogging. The website I've created is password protected and will only allow our class to leave comments on the other blogs. Anyone with access to the school's website can read the blogs and comments, mind you.
I trust you to be honest with everything. Don't keep your feelings inside! Let any feelings out that you have, this is a nonjudgemental internet community.
Have fun creating your URL, designing your profile and creating a nom de plume (pen name) so your identities will be kept secret. Only I will know who your true selves are. If I read anything I like, I will probably discuss it in class.
I hope you all enjoy this month long project!
Helga rolled her eyes as she clicked the 'continue' button. A new screen appeared.
STEP ONE: What is the password? Helga rolled her eyes before entering the words 'Moby Dick'. They had been reading the book since the fifth week of school.
STEP TWO: What is your real name? Helga quickly typed her name and clicked on the arrow, opening up yet another screen.
STEP THREE: Time to create your URL and profile!
Remember: nothing inappropriate and the URLs are also unable to change. Replace Hillwood High with your own words.
http : / / www. hillwoodhighschool. blogproject .com
(You don't have to decide now. You can always come back later.)
Helga paused for a moment. She didn't have any idea how to disguise herself when her entire class knew almost everything about her. That's what she hated most about her English class. It was all of her old classmates.
Helga shut her computer and decided to try her other homework before Wrestlemania came on at five.
After making herself dinner, Helga returned to her computer. A new link popped onto her screen: SEE WHO'S REGISTERED.
She clicked the link only to be surprised that her entire class had registered and done the first prompt. Helga could tell who everyone was immediately from one simple glance at the URL / Pen name list.
14 out of 15 have registered at :
Mrs. Jay - MobyDickRules / Teacher
Phoebe -ShEEqualsMCSquared / Science Girl
Gerald - BballBoy33 / Shaq 2.0
Rhonda - RicherThanYou / Miss Popular
Lila - EverSoRedHead / Country Girl
Nadine - BugsNotBoys10 / Buggin Out
Sheena - PeaceHopeLove / Always Love
Eugene - SingingInTheRain666 / Sunny Side Up
Brainy - Wheezy
Harold - INeedFood / Lineman 18
Sid -PranksterInBoots / Superstitious Kid
Stinky -LemonPuddin16 / Play Poker In Pumpkins
Curly -FreeTheAnimalsForRWL / Stalker
Arnold -FootballHead / Short Man
Helga stopped at Arnold's name. He was using her nickname as his URL? Her heart beat was pounding in her ears. Why would he even. . .He knows it's unchangeable, right? she thought as she clicked on the 'next' button.
Day One: Write about your day.
Helga groaned but typed out a quick, short, boring response. "Woke up late. Skipped breakfast. Late to school. Boring day. Got assigned to do a blog. Went home and did my homework. Made myself dinner. Watched TV and went to bed. Just another exciting day in my life." She didn't bother reading her classmates responses. She was still to busy thinking about Arnold's choice of a URL.
She then gave up mulling over the idea for her pen name and URL and quickly typed the first things that came to her mind: PinkStripes / Always Anonymous.
Day Two Part One: Tell the Truth
"Can I please see my seventh period English class during first period? Thank you," Mrs. Jay got off the principal's intercom just in time to see Helga being dragged into his office against her will.
"I didn't do it!" Helga snarled, trying to get out of the gym teacher's grip.
Principal Mayson crossed his arms over his chest and glared at Helga. He rolled his green eyes and ran his hand over his balding head. "What didn't she do this time?"
"She refilled every dodgeball with some black substance and had them explode all over my freshman class!"
"Who plays dodgeball in homeroom?" Mrs. Jay asked.
"I do. It's my job to keep kids active," the gym teacher then threw Helga forwards and she rammed her hip into a chair.
"Hey!" she yelled. "I didn't do it!"
"Then who did?" Principal Mayson asked. Helga went silent. "Fine, if she won't talk, then I'll just give her an in school suspension."
"What?"
"She doesn't deserve a suspension, right?" Mrs. Jay rested her hand on Helga's tense shoulder.
"Oh, no, she does. She's been late since school started, hangs out with a misbehaving crowd and always seems to be the one getting in trouble."
"Because I don't rat out my friends!"
"Well, Helga, I hope you don't have any tests today because you won't be able to take them," Principal Mayson returned to his desk and adjusted his tie.
Helga's face fell. "If I get a zero on my math test, I'll fail the class! Report cards come out next week! I won't be able to bring it up in time!"
"Too bad, Miss Pataki. Now go to the learning center in the library, I will lock you in there for the rest of the day."
"What? You can't do that! What about the honor code? Don't you trust me?"
Mr. Mayson laughed. "No, I don't." Mrs. Jay didn't know what to say. Helga quickly fled the room and the gym teacher followed after. "Mrs. Jay, if you want to keep your job I'd suggest telling no one of my disciplinary actions. Good day."
Helga slammed her locker and grunted.
"What did you say?" Wolfgang asked.
"I'm not an idiot. I didn't rat you out." She rolled her eyes. "Sometimes I think you guys only hang out with me so you can get me in trouble."
Wolfgang laughed, "What makes you think that?"
"Every time you idiots do something I always end up being around when you get caught. And I get blamed! I got an in school suspension because of you!" Helga playfully punched Wolfgang.
"Don't hit me," he laughed and punched her back.
"Why can't you please, just this once, admit that you little fuckers did something wrong?"
"Woah, Helga, those are some angry words." Wolfgang laughed.
"Because I'm angry with you!" She punched him again.
"I normally don't hit a girl, but keep punching me like that and I will."
"Oh, can it, Wolfgang," Helga shot back and started walking away.
Edmund, Wolfgang's best friend, laughed. "Looks like someone's upset."
"That little bitch is getting too smart for her own good," Wolfgang growled before walking away.
Arnold quietly shut his locker, This isn't good. He quickly picked up his backpack and walked toward his English class.
"Hello, I'm happy to see everyone heard the announcement." Arnold and Mrs. Jay looked at the door, hoping to see Helga walk in. "I just wanted to let you guys know I set up a few rules for the prompts."
"Rules? Like what?" Gerald asked.
"Like you have to write at least one hundred words and you have to describe something. This is going to be creative writing, and I want you guys to actually try something creatively, okay? Write a story or a poem or something."
The class nodded. "Also, I can understand if you find discussing your blogs embarrassing, so I won't do it in class. And I'm going to give you time right now to write the next prompt." She handed out laptops to each student and returned to her desk.
Day Two: Write a story about someone who has a secret.
Arnold bit his lip as he looked back towards the door before typing a fictional story.