Nonfiction Writing Blog Luca Zepeda

I think everyone has eavesdropped at least once. Whether intentional or unintentional is debatable, but humans are very curious creatures. In my case, I eavesdrop a lot. Restaurants, malls, libraries, hospitals, sporting events, or just out in the open, you name it, I've probably eavesdropped there.  Some might think eavesdropping is intrusive and rude, but as long as I don't say anything to those im listening to, I don't see a problem. I think of it as being curious and just happening to be in the middle of a conversation other people are having. I mean, they asked for it. They didn't have to talk about such juicy details in public. Sometimes, I can't help but eavesdrop. Let's say You're sitting at a booth in a restaurant, and a couple is talking loudly in the booth behind you. First of all, it'll be hard not to listen to their conversations because of how loud they are, and second, if you can't ignore them, you might as well tune in.   If we talk a...

It's a question that's been asked thousands of times. In most cases, people might try to tell you that "no, money cannot buy happiness because the best things in life are free." While this statement has a certain level of truth, I see a more practical side of the question that some people might avoid when thinking about it.  Yes, money  can  buy you happiness. For example, let's say you're very "hangry" (hungry and angry) one day. You forgot to pack a lunch for school, and your "hangriness" makes it hard to focus during class. Not only is your focus affected, but you're in a bad mood, and your friends can tell you're not acting like yourself. The moment the bell rings, you leap from your seat and sprint to the nearest food spot. As you approach the counter, the scent of warm food builds anticipation, tantalizing your nostrils. After placing your order, you hand the cashier your payment and await your receipt. As you step away from t...

The action of "doing nothing" is complicated. You'd have to get super philosophical to find the true meaning of doing nothing. I think for most people, it's just an expression for when they can't put a label on what they're doing at the moment.  For me, "doing nothing" has many meanings. For example, when I'm lying on my bed looking at my phone, someone calls or texts me asking, "Yo, what are you doing right now?" I tell them, "Nothing, what about you?" In reality, I  am  doing something; I'm scrolling YouTube shorts. When I tell someone I'm "doing nothing," it's usually because I'm not doing anything important. Typically, "unimportant" things include scrolling my favorite YouTube shorts, watching TV, listening to music, or playing video games, to name a few. Basically, anything not school-related means I'm "doing nothing."  Is it a good use of my time? It depends.  "Doing...

Unfortunately for me, procrastination has been a big part of my life. Mainly affecting my schoolwork, procrastination has put me in some tight situations in the past. However, it has been a good and bad aspect of my school life.  The best example I can give of procrastination positively impacting me was from my junior year history class. It was early October, and I was in my first semester of U.S. History with Mr. Leff. He had just assigned an essay on the American Revolution and its impact on the United States. This seemed like a pretty straightforward assignment, which, with plenty of preparation, should be a breeze. Fun fact: Leff assigned the essay exactly one year ago (at the time of writing). While my classmates were carefully drafting and revising their essays, I was under the assumption that I could whip this up in one night.  Boy, was I right.   At first, I thought I could go home after school and sit down for a couple of hours and "grind out" the essay. How...

  For as long as I can remember, I have been fascinated by Legos. They have been one of my many interests since I was very young, and they have shaped the way I see many aspects of life. In my earliest memory of playing with Legos, I remember building my first Duplo Lego set. It was only a small set of miscellaneous pieces, but with my imagination, they could become anything. This was my first life lesson that, at the time, I had no idea about. Legos by themselves are just a pile of bricks, and to some, it may seem like not much can be done with only a small pile, but that’s where I saw the difference. I learned, at a very young age, that when these individual pieces work together, they can make anything you want. I think that translates incredibly well to real life. Legos are how I learned about teamwork. I was able to see that when you have an idea, you can take the individual pieces and put them together to bring your idea to life. It wasn’t only the legos that worked well toget...

  Do you wish you could return to a moment in your past? I wish I could go back to 4th grade. Back then, every morning would be filled with excitement and intrigue about what the day would bring. As a 9-year-old, the world truly seems like your oyster, with every corner left to explore. Some kids enjoyed watching TV shows or playing with their favorite action figures, but for me, my backyard was where I found the joy in life. It could be anything I wanted: An unexplored planet, the scorching hot Sahara desert, a deep blue ocean, or a thick, humid jungle. I spent the best times of my life in my backyard. I can remember endless hours of playing all sorts of games.  While there were neverending games to be played outside, the first "game" started as soon as I woke up. Making it out to the backyard early in the morning was challenging if I didn't want to disturb my parents. My happiest memories are those when I would wake up to the sound of the birds chirping and the thin bea...