Winter Break= Busy. Ironic, eh?

            As we are at the beginning of winter break, I can already tell it’s going to be busy one. Although I will have more time to spend with family and friends as I mentioned below, this extra time also means that I have more time to work. I work at a movie theatre, and our business is best when adults and children (or a lot of people) don’t have to work or go to school, especially on holidays. I have today and tomorrow off, but starting Tuesday, I work every day until the end of break, which is January 2^nd. It’s nice to keep myself busy, because I don’t have much else to do, but I wish I had at least a couple days for myself.

            I don’t have too much homework, just some reading and this blogging, but I need to work on an essay for a scholarship at UNI. I know I can do it, because the essay itself is not that complicated or long, but I just need to sit down and do it! My goal is to finish it by the end of break- it will only take like one to two hours!

            I just find it ironic, that “break” which is defined as “an interruption of continuity or uniformity” (in normal words means: a break from your normal schedule of work and school), means more time for other things. All in all, there is just simply not enough time in a day, but somehow we get things done and make it work.  (258)

Bonding Time

            To me, Christmas Break is not all about spending every blessed moment with friends, but with family instead. I had this realization Friday night during my work Christmas party. I had planned to go to the UNI men’s basketball game on Saturday afternoon with my Dad, but my Mom texted me while I was at the Christmas party saying that the game was postponed until Sunday afternoon due to weather and road conditions. This was a problem because I had asked for Saturday off at work, and not Sunday. When I realized that I had less than twelve hours to find someone to switch shifts with me, I realized how important this game was to my Dad and I. Something very simple, yes. But it was also the fact that we could spend time together doing the most simple things: driving to Cedar Falls and learning the route for next fall, eating at Sub City (my Dad’s favorite and an UNI favorite) on College Hill, and watch something we both enjoyed.

            Today, the same day as the UNI basketball game, my Mom drove to Ames to pick up my Grandma. When my Dad and I got home tonight, my Mom and Grandma were already there. We plan to spend the rest of the night watching a movie on TV, Evan Almighty, while I sit here and blog. Tomorrow is Christmas Eve and my Mom’s birthday as well, so it will be a very busy day. After church I think we are going out to eat, and then maybe we will open presents and play a game.

I think this break will be relaxing just like summer is, because during the hectic school year, you don’t always have time to sit around, talk, and relax because you have activities or homework. Now that we have a somewhat longer break, there will be plenty of time for that. Family is something to be cherished because they are always your closest friends and will always be there for you.  (337)

Snow Days: Pros & Cons

            The week before winter break always seems like it drags on and for the most part, is pointless. Maybe you’ll do something productive on Monday or Tuesday, but after that, it’s all downhill. You watch movies, do busy work, eat crappy lunches because the cafeteria is trying to get rid of their food before it expires, I mean even the teachers don’t want to be there. What makes it worse for me and many others is that I have a sister who is in college and break starts a week earlier and is much longer than ours as well. My sister happens to be in Costa Rica over her winter break. AWESOME. While I get to sit in a bi-polar temperature school all day, she gets to be in warm, sunny, beautiful Costa Rica.

About every other Wednesday, we have a half-day or early out, which means that we get out at 12:17pm instead of 2:45pm. I know what you’re thinking, why in the world 12:17? That sounds more like a tee time than a dismissal time, right? Well that’s just how CR likes to do things; always keepin’ it classy. I personally think that instead of early dismissals on Wednesdays, they should have late starts on Mondays. More people would come to school and we would be well-rested after a much too short weekend.

Well, we had a half day Wednesday, but there was also an anticipated snow storm scheduled to hit Wednesday night through Thursday afternoon with 8-12 inches, high winds, and blowing snow in our area. The closer and closer we got to the end of school on Wednesday, practically everyone believed we would have no school on Thursday. Even our principal said “it would be difficult to have school tomorrow.” That pretty much means no school, she rarely agrees with students’ snow day predictions. Needless to say, it means that we better not have school tomorrow or no one will have their homework done, be prepared for quizzes and tests, and everyone will be grouchy because the superintendent made them wake up, drive in horrific weather, and come to school instead of drunk sledding. Yup, I said it- drunk sledding. I certainly don’t partake in this activity, but practically my entire twitter was covered in the following tweets: “snow day!”, “text me if you wanna go drunk sledding tomorrow” or, “drunk sledding will be in full effect tomorrow.” Urban dictionary defines it as: When a snow day comes around and you want a little spark to sledding. Best when sledding 10 minutes after gulping down 10 shots of your favorite liquor. You won’t feel a thing. This really has nothing to do with the pros and cons to a snow day, but I was shocked at this new “phenomenon.”

I was hoping for a snow day too, but mostly because I wanted to catch up on sleep, and do homework so I wouldn’t have to do it over break. I also cleaned my room and worked on some college things, so it was a productive day. We will have to make it up, which is a bummer, but I would rather have a day off right before break so you get things done and it definitely made the week go by faster. Plus, I didn’t want to drive in a blizzard.

By Friday morning, it had stopped snowing and blowing snow, but it was extremely cold and the roads were still iffy. I wanted a normal day because I knew that the teachers would make us do the work we were supposed to do on Thursday and Friday, but in one day. If we had a two-hour delay, then the classes would be even shorter. We did indeed have a two-hour delay, and it was nice to sleep in, but the rest of the day was hectic, stressful, and there just simply wasn’t enough time! Some of the things my teacher had us do were very time consuming, and I had to stay after school to finish. That was a major downfall to the blizzard and snow day, but it wasn’t terrible and I survived.  (690)

Giving a Joyful and Hopeful Christmas

            This afternoon my youth group and I went shopping for a family in need. Through HACAP, a program called “Adopt-a-family,” we received a family that included a mom, dad, a seven year old girl, and a seven month old baby girl. Since I wasn’t in Student Government this trimester, I wasn’t able to do adopt-a-family with them, so it was rewarding to have the chance to do this, and it was more personal too.

            Before we went shopping at Walmart, we went to the Christian bookstore and bought a book for each child about the Christmas story. It was nice to give them something simple that would remind them of the love Jesus has for them. We split into three different shopping groups, one for the baby, one for the seven year old, and another for the parents. They had given us a list of some things that they wanted and sizes so we could appropriately buy for them. The parents wanted food, cleaning supplies, and other assorted home products such as toilet paper and Clorox wipes. The baby was size 6-9 months in clothes, size 3 in diapers, and we also knew that she was teething. The 7 year old liked board games a lot and wanted clothes. My group was the baby which was super fun because baby clothes are precious. We got her diapers and baby wipes because those are essential and also pricey. We picked out a butterfly rattle teething toy that you could also freeze if in a lot of pain. Then we picked out two outfits: the first was a set that came with pink leggings, a polka dot onesie, and teal shirt with a monkey on it. The second was a pink, purple, and teal plaid skirt with light pink leggings attached, a purple shirt to match, and then a pink fleece jacket to layer or for extra warmth. For the 7 year old, the picked out Candyland, a Crayola drawing board, and an outfit that you could mix and match.

            We wrapped the presents for the baby and seven year old, and then drove to their house to deliver the gifts and food. We got to meet the girls, and they were both so cute and happy. The parents were really grateful, and it was just so rewarding to see their faces light up and give them some Christmas cheer. It’s amazing to give someone a better Christmas and happiness, and be able to help families out.  (416)

"Drew Wall" Night & Dance Marathon

            Friday night was a big night for cancer awareness and fundraising. First was the girls/boys doubleheader basketball game verse Washington, and second was Kennedy’s first dance marathon.

            It was a “purple out” or “Drew Wall” night at the doubleheader. The girls game started at 6:00pm and it was a good game to watch, but they lost by one. In between the girls and boys game, we prayed for the families and victims of the Sandy Hook Elementary School due to Friday’s tragic shooting. Then Drew’s dad spoke to the crowd about has thanks, support, and love that we’ve shown as a community to Drew, their family, and cancer awareness. Both were really heart-touching and made you think about how precious life is and to live your life to the fullest and not let anything get in your way. This is what “Just Drew It” means. Keep persevering no matter what and stay positive and happy. It was really neat to see both Kennedy and Washington fans wear purple and both the Kennedy and Washington basketball teams wear purple “Just Drew It” t-shirts and purple socks. They gave purple bracelets out that said “Just Drew It” with “Joshua 1:9” on the back, Drew’s favorite Bible verse. The boys lost their game as well, but it was a great night regardless.

            Following the basketball games was the Dance Marathon. Kennedy’s Key Club put it together, but it was to raise money for the U of I Children’s Hospital. They sold t-shirts, tickets, stars to “cover up cancer,” had a bake sale, and asked for donations from local businesses, companies, and families. It was super fun! To current freshmen, sophomores, and juniors, go next year! Not only is it a great cause, but it’s the most fun I have ever had at a dance. Prom was very fun, but it was so nice to dance in comfortable clothes instead of fancy clothes. The DJ was awesome, giving a lightshow, variety of music: throwback, 90’s, current hits, and classics. He did it all for free and volunteered his time. There was also Zumba, which was instructed by Mr. Trout! It was so fun to be involved in real dancing to Latin and Hispanic music. It was a great group of people to dance with and Key Club even brought students from University of Iowa’s Dance Marathon to dance with us. I stayed until the end (midnight) and I officially survived the dance marathon and was a dancer for kids with cancer!  (418)

New Year's Resolutions

            Maybe it is a bit early to think about New Year’s resolutions. Some people have already started on their resolutions, others are wrapping them up since it’s the end of the year, some start them and don’t succeed, and then there are those who don’t really care/participate in this custom. Since there are about two weeks until the first of January, and only nine days until Christmas, I figured I would get the first “My New Year’s Resolutions” post under way.

            When I was a child, I always heard about adults giving up something and setting new goals. I never really knew what they were talking about, or how it related to holidays or events. Of course I know now that giving up something is for Lent, and has a religious connection and meaning. In most Catholic churches, you are expected or required to give something up, just like Jesus did for us when he died on the cross to forgive our sins.

            I guess you could say that giving up something for Lent is just like making a New Year’s resolution. You intentionally choose to make a difference in your life, but it’s not necessarily giving something up and Lent is only for a short amount of time. New Year’s resolutions often don’t last either; however some do and then last a lifetime.

            Last year, my New Year’s resolution was to give up pop. I had never given anything up like that before because my church doesn’t enforce the season of Lent. It was also very informal and I figured it wouldn’t work. It just coincidentally happened that I made a decision around New Year’s.

My reason to give up pop was because we get it for free at work and it’s very tempting to drink it. There are a lot of choices and you get to bring your own cup to drink out of. My resolution worked for about a month, but it really didn’t make me feel any greater or better about myself. Originally, I thought it would be better for my stress, teeth, and body in general, but then as I got further into the year I thought to myself, “Is it really worth it?”

            I came to the conclusion that for me personally, it was never a really big issue or concern to begin with. Instead of giving it up entirely and being depressed that I could never drink my favorite soda again, I decided that I would treat myself to it now and then. To this day I am happy with my decision and feel like it was worth a try, but wasn’t necessary.

            I am not sure why New Year’s resolutions are such a big deal. Can’t you make goals and changes throughout the year as well? With a new year, comes a fresh start; however I feel like your morale will be much better if you take care of yourself the entire year. In my opinion, New Year’s resolutions seem silly and don’t work for the most part.  (507)

Picture Day= Senior Bum Day

           Many people have different opinions on school pictures. Some don’t care at all, others dress up lavishly for them, others are more natural, and some are in between all of those extremes. Lifetouch has been the photographer for school pictures ever since I was in Kindergarten if I recall correctly. In elementary school, the photographs capture the cutest side of a child, in middle school, they often reveal the growing up/maturing process, and in high school, it’s about becoming an adult and changing each year until senior year. My parents have an 8x10 of each of my school pictures, beginning with preschool up to my senior pictures, which were taken by my uncle of Riggs Photography. So for me, school pictures were semi-important because I didn’t want a terrible picture of me hanging up in my house and my extended family’s houses either. I didn’t freak out about them, but chose a shirt I liked and smiled a natural smile. A cheesy smile isn’t really you.

            Since I took my senior pictures in October, I didn’t have to take the Lifetouch photo. They were never really a burden, but it kind of humored me on December 6^th (picture day for the rest of Kennedy High) because as I walked into school in my comfy fleece, jeans, and glasses, you could definitely tell who was a senior and who were juniors, sophomores, and freshmen. As I walked into my 1^st hour class, AP Chemistry, I discovered we had a lab, which means you have to wear super cute goggles that sometimes leave marks on your face. I was thankful that I didn’t have to take pictures later in the day, but I also felt bad for the juniors in my class, that would stink!

            I recently looked through all of my school pictures and it was fun to see how much I’ve changed, but also stayed the same.

 

P.S. - Underclassmen: please don’t forget the purple turtleneck sweater. No matter how much the administrators and Lifetouch dislike it, it is hilarious and harmless.  (343)

A Royal Baby!

            It’s official! Prince William and his wife, Kate, the Duchess of Cambridge, are expecting a child! This new baby when born, will be the third in line for the throne, after Prince Charles and Prince William, and could possibly be the first that would benefit from new gender rules on succession, if a girl.

Ever since their marriage on April 29, 2011, people have been speculating and wondering when they would have a child. With this exciting news, the wait is over and will bring some happiness, buzz, and anticipation into the media. Because Will and Kate are an attractive, young, and popular couple, it is almost guaranteed the child will be important to the British culture. Hopefully, this attention will not be unhealthy for Kate and the baby.

Kate was hospitalized with hyperemesis gravidarum, a rare form of morning sickness. During this time, radio hosts prank-called the hospital, pretending to be Queen Elizabeth, to get details about the baby and pregnancy. The rest of the world, including Prince Charles took this lightly and thought that it wasn’t a big deal. I’m sure even Prince William and Kate were not upset by it either. However Jacintha Saldanha, the nurse that had been taking care of Kate, who also let that prank-call through, was so embarrassed and ashamed that she unfortunately committed suicide. It was a shock to the world, and it is very sad to think that she took her life over something like that. I’m sure she was a wonderful nurse, even if she made a mistake; everyone does.  (261)

Winter Spirit

            Well folks, I think we’re experiencing what Arnold Schwarzenegger would like to call global warming in Iowa. As much as I hate the forbidden “S” word that starts with a S and ends with a W, it seems weird for it to be December 9, and we are just now experiencing our first snowfall. I wouldn’t even consider the precipitation we had today, snow. It was more like rain-slush. The ground was too warm and it pretty much melted when it hit the ground.

            Last year we had a pretty mild winter, with a few major storms sporadically in the picture. I was thankful the weather was somewhat decent because it was my first winter driving by myself. Once the snow had melted and spring rolled around, I thought to myself, “Bring it on, winter 2012-2013!” That was assuming we would actually experience bad Iowa winter weather. Now I’m not saying I’m dying to drive in an ice storm, but it would be nice to know what to expect and how to handle a situation so that next year when I’m in college, I don’t end up stranded somewhere. If this spring-like weather continues for much longer, I think the world needs a wake-up call in order to start reducing their carbon footprints.

Believe what you want about the theory of global warming; which my father informed me that some believe natural warming occurs approximately every 2000-3000 years? …. (That seems a bit unlikely in my opinion). Some also think that it is environmentally caused. This is a fact though: the North Pole is melting- meaning glaciers and ice caps melt, polar bears and other arctic animals are losing their homes and lives, and sea levels are rising. You don’t think this affects you? Well you’re wrong. Rising sea levels mean more potential hurricanes, tsunamis, and tropical storms on the east and west coasts. Since these storms are threats to our limited oil supply, gas prices sky-rocket everywhere, causing you to pay more money at the pump to transport yourself via car.

On a lighter note, my Friday was fantastic! Everything just went perfect and nothing negative occurred. To top it off, the winter pep assembly was in the morning, and I won a $100.00 gift card!!! If you sold 10 or more Benchwarmers, which is a fundraiser for all the athletics at my school, your name got put into a bowl for a chance to win a Kindle Fire, or one of two $100.00 gift cards. They drew the name for the Kindle Fire, and then another for a $100.00 gift card. One name was left to be drawn, and I was thinking, “What are the chances?” (The pieces of paper were tiny, too!) However I didn’t have much time to second guess before Mr. Stecker announced my name- I was very surprised, but happy. J

*Insert typical “I love the Christmas season!” blog post here.* Here you go: Christmas seems different this year. I almost struggled to come up with a Christmas wishlist this year, because I have everything I could possibly want. I did come up with some things, and whatever my parents/family members give to me this year I am already more than appreciative. Christmas seems relaxed and simple this year. Instead of spending time with friends this weekend, I spent it entirely with my mom and dad, except for a couple shifts I worked. Call me lame, pathetic, or a goody- it doesn’t matter to me. Isn’t simplicity and grace partly what Christmas is about? CHRISTmas has lost its meaning to the majority of society. The majority focus is no longer on the birth of Jesus Christ. Our society has made it all about gifts, deals, Black Friday, greed, jealousy, etc. Yes, it is nice to receive these presents and also show your appreciation to others by giving them presents in return, but there’s a point when people go too far. To tell you the truth, you don’t really need to make Christmas cookies. Use that time to volunteer, adopt a family to give hope and joy, or simply donate to the Salvation Army- food or money. Think about what you’re thankful for and appreciate what you have. Sometimes the simple things in life will bring the utmost happiness.  (715)

Migraines

            Many people are fortunate to never experience a migraine. You don’t really know what one is like until you get one or deal with them on a regular basis. I probably get them once every other week- sometimes more, sometimes less. I am lucky because I can kill one if I notice it soon enough and take Excedrin.  That usually takes care of it. However sometimes I just get a bad one and have to avoid the computer, any electronics, rest my eyes, and be in the dark. I have also found that if my sleep schedule gets messed up, I will most likely get a migraine. If I sleep in (anytime past 9am) or don’t get enough sleep, I should brace myself for a potential migraine. Although sleeping in is what every teenager would like to do, it’s something I have to accept and know about myself.

Everyone is different when it comes to triggers, the sense, and the feeling of migraines. My mom can sense when she is about to get one before actual pain comes, but I generally cannot sense them beforehand. For me, I can tell the difference between a migraine and a headache because during a migraine, my right side of my face and eye hurts. I can be thankful that besides migraines, I am healthy and have no major health issues.  (228)

Just Drew It

            As I sit here trying to formulate something that would even come close to describing the greatness, strength, inspiration, and hope that Drew Wall gave to our community, I keep failing. Writing and re-writing this first sentence for probably ten minutes now, I have come to the conclusion that no words come close to actually meeting Drew Wall in person. However, I feel like the rest of the world needs to know about this young man.

            Drew Wall was a sophomore at Kennedy High School that was intelligent and loved the game of golf. He battled against cancer for a good portion of his life, and defied the odds with his prosthetic leg. Drew was an extremely nice person and always had a big smile on his face. No matter what he was feeling or going through, he always stayed positive. He passed away peacefully on November 26^th, and is an angel in heaven with God. Although it seems unfair and way too soon for a sweet boy like Drew to pass, he is in a better and happier place where there is no cancer, pain, or other bad things.

Although I never personally met Drew, I saw him in the hallway a lot, and we read the speech he gave to the Iowa Hawkeye football team in my pre-calc class. His aunt is the head volleyball coach at Kennedy as well, and he came to the game and spoke about his story. This year the Kennedy men’s golf team wore purple shirts to the state tournament that said ‘Drew’ on them, and they got second place for him as well. On December 14^th, the double header basketball game verse Washington is “Drew Wall Night” or “Just Drew It Night.” All proceeds will go to the Wall family to help with medical bills and it is also a night to raise awareness and celebrate Drew’s life. Kennedy has sold a ton of ‘Just Drew It’ t-shirts so far, and they are also selling them at Washington and Jefferson as well. It is awesome to see our community come together and honor Drew. ‘Just Drew It’ is a motto to stay positive, have faith, and be strong, just like Drew did living his life.

Joshua 1:9—“Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.”

http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/drewwall

(401)

Take Care of Yourself

            After an entire month off from blogging, I have returned! I feel a bit rusty and uninspired for ideas, so bear with me here. It was nice to take a break from blogging and reading in order to prepare for finals and spend some time with my family and friends, but it’s nice to get back into routine. I make myself crazy when I have no structure or plans. It’s different when you come home from a busy day of school and just sit on the couch and watch TV, than when you spend an entire week sitting on your butt, surfing the web.

            Well, let’s just say my last week of school before Thanksgiving break was a bit rough. Most highschool-ers either A) study study study for finals, B) don’t study at all, or C) study for a little bit and then call it good. My journey to finals day were a bit different. I woke up with a stomach-ache on Monday morning and then babysat that night for a healthy boy and a sick girl. She informed me that she had a really bad sore throat and that she was going to stay home from school the next day so she could go to the doctor….. wonderful. An hour exposure to a sore throat couldn’t be so bad, right? Well I was wrong. Tuesday morning I felt decent, something didn’t seem right but I went to school anyway. At 11:15am or so I started to feel sick, tired, and a sore throat seemed to be forming. 6^th hour rolled around and it hit me about 2:15pm. I couldn’t focus, think straight, I started to shiver, my throat was throbbing, and all I wanted to do was sleep. The bell rang, school was over, and I walked as fast as I could manage out of school and to my car. The only thing that was running through my mind was: drive safe, get home quickly, take medicine, sleep. Awesome. I was now infested with a much worse strain of my neighbor girl’s illness. I was concerned because not only did I feel sick, but I didn’t think I would be able to go to school on Wednesday. Wednesday was a day that teachers didn’t want you to miss, and some specifically gave an incentive to the everyday “skippers” to come to school, such as note sheets for the final exam and review sheets. I also had to make up a test after school, and that was the only time I could do it. I went to school, and felt a little better after a nights rest, but still didn’t feel the best. My voice was all messed up on Wednesday, and by Thursday morning, as fast as my virus came on, it went away just as quick. I tried my best on all of my finals and I was happy with the outcome. I learned that sometimes you have to take care of yourself before worrying about that extra review. My body needed rest and water, and that’s what I gave it. God gave me a challenge, and I learned how to handle it appropriately. I knew that I had studied and worked hard the rest of the term, so one night off wasn’t the end of the world. I felt like I was the only one that was sick on finals, but it gave me practice on something that could very well happen in college. So what should you learn from this post? That sometimes things don’t go exactly the way you planned, and you honestly have to think about what’s the best thing for you to do in a difficult situation. Everything will work out for the best.

            Although I did not meet my portfolio expectations for next term for this week of blogging, I will get back on track next week. I do not want to start bad habits again, and it’s nice to know that the start of a new term means a fresh start on homework and grades. Guess what fellow bloggers? .....Only three more weeks until Christmas break!!!  (686)

"Keep Calm and Carry On"

            I am just going to be honest; I’m really stressed out. I have been hiding it for a while, but I cannot take it anymore. It seems like I am the only one that has homework! All of my work friends never have any. I guess they might just not do it, but they still have decent grades. Along with nightly homwork, I have so many projects, tests to study for, work, college related things, family and personal needs, and soon finals will be here and we have the great opportunity to take exams. Am I just being a big baby and complaining, or is this an epidemic that needs a cure? I feel like I’m alone and simply going crazy I can't imagine that I'm the only one that feels this way.

            First of all, I understand that every teacher has a deadline and schedule to keep on top of and that sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do even if it means pain felt by students. But why make the test large and so soon?

Second, please please please stop the busy work. We’re in high school for goodness sake. No kid really wants to sit at home and make and color a comic strip unless they are in an art class. This is certainly understandable and fun activity for elementary and middle school students, but i'll be the first to say 'no thanks' on the “fun and educational” crossword puzzle.

Finally, I have so much a large homework load and an extensive to-do list that I am always behind it feels like. This 1) requires me to skip lunch and work on homework in the library. Not eating anything for lunch is can definitely not be good for me. 2) I work on homework in the morning before school. It would be so relieving if I could be ahead in all of my classes for just one day.

Despite the enormous stress, I have some great people that are encouraging and are helping me through the last stretch of the trimester. I know that there’s a point where you just have to stop worrying about everything and take things one step and day at a time. Try your best; that’s all you can ever do. And finally, take care of yourself. Sleep is important and keeps you focused, alert, and feeling better, just like eating breakfast does.  (402)

Cougar Advisory Council Suggestion

           Cougar Advisory Council is a group of students from all different parts of our high school that meet together over lunch and discuss issues and events with our principal. These include topics that we feel are important, need to be adjusted, or other random recommendations that we have always wanted to tell someone. On Tuesday the 23^rd, Happy Joe’s Pizza, cookies, and bottles of water were served. It was quite delicious; however it was tough picking between Cougar Advisory Council and Lovely Lane. This is why Cougar Advisory Council should be on crappy school lunch days. Examples: Beef and Noodles, Hot Shredded Beef Sandwich, Fruit Plate, etc. Avoid Tuesdays, Tortellini, Turkey Gravy, and Corn Dogs. Those are the finest meals made by our marvelous lunch ladies. Of course it isn’t just about the food, just one of the greatest perks of being in this group. We meet once a month, and it’s based by your lunch shift. A and C lunch has it first, and then some other day B and D lunch gets to meet. Since I have B lunch, our meeting was Tuesday verses A and C on Monday. Certainly not the end of the world though.

            After Dr. W took attendance, she asked us to introduce ourselves to the group and tell her the class we look forward to most during the day and our most challenging course. I responded with AP Chemistry and AP Language and Composition as my favorite(s) and AP Spanish as my most challenging. Everyone in my AP Spanish class agreed, but it truly is my most difficult. Not because of the teacher, but because of the extensive and intense content.

            There wasn’t much time for suggestions at the end so I suppose I will share this with the group next time. I believe that we should rotate lockers every year. Although this will not affect current seniors, I believe that it is important because everyone should get the equal amount of locker privileges. The current senior class has lockers down by the gym and has been down there for all four years of high school. Long story short, those lockers are in a really inconvenient location. They are not near the majority of classrooms and not near the foyer or main stairways. My idea would be to always have the freshmen down by the gym. That way they would not block the hallways in the mornings, and it would be their own secluded area to make new friends. Plus, I’m sure a lot of parents pick up and drop off down on that end as well.

            The reason why I thought of this is because my locker is really inconvenient. I park in the North lot. This means that I basically walk from one end of the school to the other, just to put away my coat, umbrella, and what may have you. The biggest disappointment in my opinion was that my freshman year of high school, I had a locker just off the foyer. I was never really sure why my friend and I were put down there but we were and it was awesome. It was very convenient, especially when I fractured my ankle and my dad had to help me carry my backpack in on the first day back with my ‘boot.’ Then they announced that all lockers were to be relocated so that each grade could be together. My locker partner and I even wrote the counselor a note asking to keep our current locker on the last day of school. It unfortunately did not work. Either that or the message never got passed along. Well now here I am three years later and still strongly disliking the fact that our lockers never change, and we always had the near-gym lockers. If things don’t change, have fun with your lockers next year, Class of 2017….  (648)

Tennis Tuesday

            Tuesday nights are something to look forward to during the stressful, hectic, and “lack of sleep” school week. Tennis lessons at Elmcrest Country Club began on the 23^rd. The purpose of these is to begin hitting and practicing so that we are not so rusty when the regular season begins. That way we spend more time working on technique and improving specific skills. Sarah, Marisa, and I are captains this year so we had to get people excited about this opportunity so that we can continue our tradition to state and have a great and successful (for me, senior) tennis season.

            Our first lesson went well and it was fun to play again! I don’t think that coaches are allowed to coach players on the court before the actual season starts, so Coach isn’t at the lesson. Of course, there is a staff member that makes sure we don’t burn down the place. J Because Iowa is an arctic place in the winter and is known for its brutal winters and snowstorms, Elmcrest set up a bubble, which is placed over their outdoor tennis courts until it’s warms enough to play outside. However, it was 75 degrees on Tuesday night, and the bubble was quite warm because it wasn’t set up for those weather conditions. If it hadn’t been so dark, we probably would have played outside and it would have been nicer outside.

Marisa and I are doubles partners and we have been all throughout high school. We played singles against each other on Tuesday because there were 10 people at the lesson and the other eight were playing doubles against each other. The point of the lesson is to practice and improve on your own so it actually worked out well because you have to review and practice singles at some point. Marisa and I don’t like to play each other that much. This is because we know how each other plays too much and we are at the same playing level pretty much. Despite the cons, because of this, we continually learn from our mistakes and improve because we are pushed to play our hardest in practice. 9/10 times it will be extremely close, probably down to a point for a tie.

I am pumped for the spring season and ready to practice in the off-season. I am also eager to see what the season will bring and what we can accomplish with our hardest work and best effort.  (413)

"Rumors" Review

            This past Thursday night, I had the opportunity to see the play, Rumors, at my high school. One of my friends, also an actress in this play described Rumors as, “light, frothy, and fun!” It is a ‘farcical’ play by Neil Simon.

            The basic summary of this play is that four wealthy couples are invited to celebrate the tenth anniversary of Charlie and Myra at their home with a dinner party. When the parents of Charlie find that Charlie has accidentally shot himself in the head/ear, everything goes downhill from there. They try to cover everything up and come up with rumors and stories in order to avoid the police. Many complications arise and they end up digging themselves a bigger and deeper hole.

Although the final show was last night, if you ever get the chance to see this play in the future, go! It was incredibly funny, and in my opinion, what made it even more comical was the fact that we knew the actors and actresses. Although the cast was small, about ten to twelve, it was mind-twisting and had a strong plot. You always wanted to keep watching because it would be a shame if you missed any part. There is certainly a lot of conflict as mentioned before, which causes the majority of the dialogue to be arguing. All of these elements combined make Rumors go by fast. You will definitely be glad you went. Enjoy the show!  (244)

National School Lunch Week 2012

            This past week at school was National School Lunch Week 2012 in the United States, as declared by President Obama. From the Presidential Proclamation, “Our children are the key to America's success in the 21st century, and it is incumbent upon us all to ensure they have the resources they need to reach their greatest potential -- including access to healthy meals at school. During National School Lunch Week, we recognize all those whose dedicated work and care make good nutrition a reality for our sons and daughters.” –President Barack Obama 10/12/12

            Our school took action and recognized National School Lunch Week by creating new, different, and tastier lunches. I appreciate the time and care the lunch ladies took to prepare and create these meals; however some were more successful than others and some I am still unsure of. Will these lunches stick around, or were they simply to please the Obama’s?

            To start off, I didn’t eat school lunch very much this week due to working on school work and Lovely Lane lunch on Tuesday, so the only new meals I actually tried were on Monday and Wednesday. Otherwise I took other people’s words on what the lunches tasted like, and I judged from the pictures on Facebook and Twitter.

            Monday’s featured item was a Walking Cheeseburger. First of all, isn’t a cheeseburger already an on-the-go item? Second, is this supposed to be a spin-off of a walking taco? Well, it was a mixture of Fritos, cheese, hamburger meat, lettuce, and other ingredients. Innovative and there definitely could be worse meals…. Beef and Noodles for example. Gross.

            Tuesday’s featured item was a Breakfast Taco. I ate at Lovely Lane with my friends, so I can’t be 100% correct on this, but someone told me it was eggs in a hard-shell taco. I think they were stretching the truth a little bit, and that it really was a breakfast burrito, which we’ve had before, and is pretty good.

            Wednesday was ‘Fiesta in a Cup.’ Now when initially hearing that name, you second guess it and seriously wonder if this is a real lunch item. It ended up being similar to Mexican dip you can make or buy. This consisted of refried beans, sour cream, cheese, and salsa that was served with chips. It didn’t really seem like a healthy meal to me, more like a snack.

            Thursday was Ham and Cheese Toastie. A grilled ham and cheese sandwich with mayonnaise, honey mustard, and grilled peppers. Again, a description from a classmate, so correct me if I’m wrong.

            Friday was the lunch item I was most curious about. The ‘banana dog.’ Either a hot dog with bananas on top of it or a banana in a hot dog bun. I was hoping it would be the second prediction over the first, however it didn’t seem nutritious. It was indeed a banana in a hot dog bun with jelly, sun-butter (district substitute to peanut butter due to kids with severe peanut allergies), and honey. Similar to a peanut-butter and jelly sandwich, with a slight spin on it. Apparently, the Food Network has this easy recipe online, and it’s recommended as a kid-friendly meal.

            Overall, I commend the lunch ladies on creating new meals to try in our high school lunchroom. Sometimes it’s good to have different meal options, instead of having the same meals rotated every month. Although the names are a bit strange, considering we are in high school, I appreciate the effort and spin on otherwise boring lunches.  (589)

Practice makes Permanent; I hope.

            My Wednesday was hectic, frustrating, and rushed. I am not confident however that this diction does these incidents justice.

I woke up this morning at 6:45am, which is normal for me. Somehow as I was getting ready, time got away from away from me. I looked at my cell phone and realized it was 7:48am. 12 minutes before school starts. Where I have to be in AP Chemistry, ready to learn, and most importantly be alert. Luckily, I have knowledge of the stoplight from about 7:40-7:50am. I am aware of the time they’ll change, what time I need to be in the parking lot, and what time I need to be walking in the doors to get to class on time. My life would be done for if those “little people controlling stoplights” decided to change how long the lights would run to control traffic.

Running late for school probably isn’t such a great habit, but at least I have a backup plan when low on time. Today I was thrown off a bit when a little red Mazda decided to drive extremely slow on Townhouse. Good thing I have a north lot pass (means a guaranteed parking spot every day)! By the time I got out of my car and was walking in I felt frazzled and probably looked like a hot mess. Everyone involved in The Torch, including my AP Language and Composition teacher, Mizzay, was waiting for a bus to travel to Iowa City. I was happy to see her, but hopefully she doesn’t think I’m always like this.

4^thhour means AP Spanish. Using a recording program called Audacity, we practice speaking for the speaking portion of the AP Exam. Audrey and I were partners, and our first computer wouldn’t let us log on, and when we tried the second computer, it wouldn’t turn on. By the time everyone had done their recording, and probably had numerous chances to retry it, we hadn’t even started with five minutes remaining in the class period. Senora said we could use her computer and record our conversation once another group was done. Despite our technology frustration, we actually had a decent conversation. We were in the last part of our conversation when Audrey looked up and realized it had not recorded any of what we just said. Two and a half minutes of Spanish completely down the drain, wonderful. We attempted it again, and it recorded, but when we were done and saving it, it just closed and said system not responding. At this point, I was beyond frustrated. We had recorded at two times, and I was hoping I could still remember everything I wanted to say for the next recording. The third time was a charm (excuse my triteness) as far as technology cooperating. We tried our best and that’s all we could do. Hopefully our practice trials helped make permanent memory of the desired content. However if mistakes were made, I’m ok with it because I know I can’t be perfect. Sometimes things don’t go as planned and you have to go with the flow.

Take my advice: give yourself some extra time, be patient, and keep calm my friends.  (534)

The Amazing Race

            Everybody hates Sunday nights, or should I say the majority of students strongly dislike Sunday nights. It’s the typical and dreaded “school the next day feeling” that makes Sundays so awful. Whether it’s because you have to do a ton of homework teachers piled on for the weekend or because you can’t sleep in and therefore you have to wake up early for the equally crappy Monday. I think my friend and fellow blogger, http://shelbsc.blogspot.com/ would agree. Her posts and stories about Mondays are quite unfortunate. L However her blog posts are excellent! For me, I think it’s because Sundays are quite the let-down compared to Saturday and Friday night. Sunday afternoons aren’t so bad, going to church and then out to lunch with the family and maybe an hour or so of shopping occasionally is very relaxing. In fact, one of the most thrilling parts of the weekend was watching the Space Jump! I was flipping through the channels, and practically every other channel was of Felix Baumgartner in a capsule ascending to 128,092 feet (39.042 m) into the air. Then he jumped! 24 miles down to the ground, going faster than the speed of sound, and taking around 9 minutes to touch down in a New Mexico desert.

The only amazing thing about Sunday nights however is, The Amazing Race. If you haven’t seen this show, watch it! I would totally recommend it to all ages. Well, a toddler or newborn baby probably would have no idea what’s going on, but even elementary school children have fun with the road blocks, detours, following the teams, and experiencing and learning about the culture in each specific place they travel to. The Amazing Race is a race around the world for $1,000,000. Every Sunday night at 8/7c on CBS, teams race around the world in its newest 21^st season. A team is eliminated each week until there are three left, which is the final race to the finish line. Along the way there are different tasks they have to complete, and they receive clues along the way. The first team to the pit stop (end of the episode or leg of the race) usually wins a trip or money to look forward to after the race. This year, there is a chance to win $2,000,000. The first place team on the first episode has the opportunity to win $2,000,000 if they win the final leg as well.

One of my favorite parts of The Amazing Race is following teams. Teams consist of two people, and they generally have something unique about them. My all-time favorites were the cowboys, globetrotters, professional snowboarders, and the twin sisters. I generally find the dating couples annoying- all they end up doing is arguing and it’s no fun to watch.

I have watched this show ever since middle school and will not stop watching until they stop producing it! The best part and what makes it different is that it’s a race. Not reality, nor is it your typical doctor show. And if you’re a busy-bee, you can watch it online at your convenience if Sunday nights are filled with sports, extracurricular activities, and that dreaded homework you still are going to procrastinate.  (543)
 

Space Jump Video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Oq2Xl7oiws

Oreos vs. Homemade Chocolate Chip Cookies

            Everyone, in particular the Oreo commercial says that Oreo’s are “milk’s favorite cookie.” I would have to completely disagree with that assumption. I think my mom’s homemade chocolate chip cookies are best with milk; white skim milk specifically. I might be a little biased when I say that these cookies are the best I have ever tasted, but do please take my word on it. Everyone likes a homemade fresh cookie, over an over-processed cookie with a fun name of "Oreo." Oreo’s are indeed tasty with milk if you have no other homemade option, but if there is a “mom-made” choice, pick that over your typical processed cookie everyone in the United States has tried. The soft, chewy, and gooey dough mixed with semi-sweet large chocolate chips mix together and form heaven. The touch of oatmeal gives the cookie just the perfect bit of texture and unique qualities to make it my mom’s.
            If you were hoping I was going to give you the recipe.... you thought wrong. My mom’s chocolate chip cookies are top-secret business. That would also be committing Mizzay's "AP Lang cardinal sin" of lists and recipes for word count in a post. Take my word on this: homemade goodies will always taste better because they are made with time and love. Store-bought processed cookies are good if you’re on the go, but definitely will not have the same dazzle effect.  (234)

Political Madness

            I am so sick of politics. I have honestly had all I can take from the Election 2012. The future of the United States of America is important, but this particular election has been taken to a whole new level; a very excessive one. I am not sure if I am noticing it more because seniors, who are 18, in high school have an influence-able and important role as new voters, or if it has really been overdone this year. Is there anyone who actually likes all of this attention on Barack Obama and Mitt Romney? Sure it is important to know policies and goals of each candidate, but it is borderline crazy if you need to know every blessed pro, con, and update of each candidate. There will always be those “wannabe political experts” that think they know everything about politics even though they are 18 and fresh out of high school. However I speak for the majority of the US and say, enough is enough! Citizens need to go with the flow and make a decision from what you initially and really feel; not from the smack talk commercials that are probably inaccurate 5/10 times (granted that statistic was made up as well). You get where I am coming from though.

            They should enact a new rule that says you can only campaign for 100 days before the election. Back when we didn’t have the technology capability, it makes sense to campaign for a year or so, because it was harder to spread the word. Now Obama can take Airforce I and be in Oregon in the evening the very same day he was in New York in the morning.

Exposure in Government 1, Statistics, social media sites, newspaper, the news, TV, “personal” phone calls, and everyday conversations have overwhelmed my life and there is no way to escape them now. I’m trapped.

            In Statistics we learn about the manipulability of voting systems and the probability candidates will win certain states, in particular the “swing states.” We read articles from the Gazette, look up information online, and basically do math that is all based off of a formula, and should end up accurate. The class itself is interesting; however I find this unrealistic because no one really knows how the election will turn out. Not even when the results are coming in from the polls. The outcome will only be known when someone becomes president, Mitt Romney the Republican candidate, or the incumbent Democrat, President Barack Obama. It is believed that Mitt Romney has to win all nine swing states to win the election, and President Obama only has to win one of those swing states to block Romney from winning the presidency. Obama can focus the majority of his time and money in one state and basically win the election, or so experts believe.

            Government 1 is a totally different story. We learn about the foundation of our government, the different parts such as the House of Representatives and Senate, and basic rights every citizens needs to be informed of, and many other topics. It just so happens that Government 1 falls during election time so we have something else to talk about during current events. Although politics is a boring, or rather dry topic for me to learn, the connection between the election and information we read out of our books is really helpful. When information is released, I can actually understand and apply it now that I have a background base.

            However even though statistics and government 1 are helpful, it doesn’t stop there. What makes it over the top is the news, conversations, Facebook and Twitter updates, TV commercials, newspaper articles, and phone calls; all of the “social stuff.” Keep your opinions to yourself, people! I want to make my own decision. And yes, although I appreciate that personal phone call Mitt Romney, I really don’t want Project Runway, The Middle, Modern Family, and The Big Bang Theory interrupted. That means you can stop too, Ann Romney.  (674)

Donating Blood

            Donating blood saves lives and is a very worthy cause. About a year or so ago, I donated blood at my church for the very first time. I was kind of nervous and tried to do everything that the packet said would produce the best results. Despite my obedience and with my luck, the day of donation I woke up with a migraine. I took some Excedrin and by the time I donated in the afternoon, it was lingering here and there. For the most part it was gone, and I told myself that despite my discomfort I couldn't back out now.
            All of the nurses were so nice and concerned about me and how I was feeling throughout the entire blood donation process. I wish I could get the same nurse to draw blood the next time I donate! It also helped that I knew the people around me who were donating as well. That is one of the main reasons why I like donating at my church and not some random location the Red Cross asks me to donate at. Everything turned out well, the nurses told me I did an excellent job, and thankfully I had no “complications.” To get my blood sugar up and to prevent fainting, I drank cranberry juice, ate fruit snacks and some chocolate cookies. It felt like I was living the dream life of a child!
             Ever since I donated, it seems like The American Red Cross calls me every other week. They always tell me that my blood type is on a two-day supply. It always makes me feel bad, but I tell them that I will think about it and wait until they come to my church. The volunteers or employees who call are doing their job and a good thing, but I think that it is important that you personally feel comfortable, so that the donation process goes smoother on both ends.
            My church is holding a blood drive on Monday, October 22^nd. I haven’t signed up yet or told anyone I was going to donate for sure, but the idea of it is still floating in the back of my mind. I will follow up on my decision in a future post.
            If you have always wanted to save lives and do something for a good cause, try donating blood. It doesn’t hurt- the nurses do know what they are doing. If it doesn’t go well, then at least you know for the future and you can at least say you tried. Some people have hard veins to find, so it can be a little more difficult, but more often than not, your experience will go better than anticipated. It really doesn't help at all if you worry about it. Just relax and take a deep breath.  (470)

Taking Over the Senior Bench

            The senior bench at Kennedy High School has been a privilege for seniors for quite some time now. It is to everyone’s knowledge that the senior bench is for seniors only, don’t even think about sitting on it if you're not one.

            When I was a freshman and sophomore, even my junior year, I was afraid to sit on the bench. I remember freshman year I was helping at a bead fundraiser Mrs. Kollasch put on, and the tables were set up in front of the senior bench in the foyer. We had been standing for about an hour and a half, and when we were counting money, I accidentally sat down on the bench so I could focus more. No more than five seconds passed, and I shot up because I was afraid someone was going to yell at me and because I was embarrassed. I think I brought more attention to myself standing up so quickly than when I actually committed the awful crime of sitting on the coveted senior bench.

            All throughout high school, you look forward to your senior year and all of the privileges you gain. Sitting in the front rows for sporting events (especially football games), the senior bench for when you’re feeling lazy, and release times whenever you want. Plus the fact that everyone respects you ten times more, whether you deserve it or not. It’s not that your freshman, sophomore, and junior years are pointless, but it truly is an incentive to power and accomplish so much during your high school career.

            About twice a day, I walk through the foyer and see JUNIORS sitting on the SENIOR bench. Not even the same one every day, they’re random every time. What makes you so special over everyone else to sit on the bench? I think I have only sat on it twice this year; once on the first day of school, and another time when I was waiting to register for parking. I do understand that some people (ex: parents, younger siblings) don’t realize the significance of the bench, and sit there thinking it’s an open seating area. However, just because the rest of the school thinks the class of 2013 is completely lame, shows no school spirit and no leadership, some students of the “minority” you generally do not hear about are actually normal and have been waiting for their senior privileges.

            Show some respect and wait another year, two, or even three. Your time will eventually come, until you can finally partake in senior activities that everyone always tells you to look forward to.  (435)

Two Perspectives

                On September 29^th, I attended Kennedy’s homecoming with a group of friends, and last night I attended Linn-Mar’s homecoming dance with one of my friends from work. There were pros and cons to both events, and things that could be added that would only benefit everyone’s experience.

            The Monday after Kennedy’s homecoming was truly what the Monday after prom felt like. I was completely dead, probably a little behind in homework, and all of my teachers were too excited to get into “new and exciting material!” The one thing that made Kennedy’s homecoming memorable was dinner. Our group ate at Zio Johno’s and it was delicious. The rest of my group was frustrated that it took a little longer than ideal, but I actually enjoyed it because who really wants to be at the dance right at 7:30 and stay for three and a half hours until the end? I liked being “fashionably late.” If you ever get the chance to go to Zio Johno’s I would recommend the tortellini. You get a side salad and bread with it all for under $10. If I had to rate the dance, it would be average. Because grinding wasn’t allowed and people were getting kicked out, people were just standing around. I actually found it amusing because people didn’t know how to dance; they were completely lost without grinding. Also, the music choices were lame and it was not loud enough. Every other song was rap music and there was little variety. What it made really fun was the fact that I knew a lot of people and I reconnected with friends I had not seen in a while.

            Linn-Mar’s homecoming was completely different. When we first arrived to the dance, there were endless lines for pictures and coat-check. After pictures, we went to the gym for the dance. Because grinding is completely banned there as well and it has been for a longer time, people have realized and learned how to dance without grinding. Initially it was a bit awkward because I didn’t know many people, except for those who I work with, and no one was dancing at first. After about fifteen minutes though, everyone was dancing and having fun. The music was ten times louder than Kennedy’s and you couldn’t even hear yourself think. The DJ had a great playlist- he is a Linn-Mar teacher and does DJ-ing for a part-time job. The other thing I thought was awesome was that you could request songs simply through twitter. They projected the “@_____” on the wall, and at any time you could send in your request. I also think the dance was more fun for me because less people could judge me since I don’t go to their school.

            With two perspectives and experiences on homecoming dances, it is interesting to see how different schools put on their dance. If I could make suggestions to future Kennedy dances it would be: 1) Have the dance in the gym! I know everyone is worried about the floor, but Linn-Mar puts a tarp down on theirs, and it does not damage the floor. 2) Get new music and make it louder! No one wants to hear random side conversations during a good song. 3) Get over the fact that you can’t grind. And finally, 4) Create an easier way to make song selections so no one can complain post-homecoming.  (568)

Procrastination

            Once again, it’s Sunday night. This is usually how the situation plays out for a typical high school student. The following scenario is not entirely from my personal experiences, but partly from sad stories my fellow classmates have told as well. You drearily drag your backpack from your car, and try to think what you did on Friday that needs to be done for Monday. If you use a planner, you’re probably in luck; otherwise you’re probably not in such a good situation if you don’t use one. You try so hard to think about what was written on the board, what your teacher said, and what you discussed with your classmates, all to improve your recall. None of it seems to work. So, you dig through your notebooks, binders, and folders hoping that you have found everything that needs to be done in less than 12 hours. At this point your day gets pretty stressful.

To keep myself organized and on top of school work, I write in my planner and then think back to each of my classes in case there was something I forgot to write down. So far, this system has worked pretty well for me, and if you're a junior or sophomore you probably have your own method to this madness. If you are new to high school this year (ahem, freshmen), maybe this will work well for you too!

            Thankfully I didn’t have much homework this weekend, so the only thing I had left today was blogs! I don't know about the rest of you, but I love blogging so far. Free writing has become easier and more enjoyable now that I have done four weeks of it already. I can’t believe it is already midterm! Although I wish I would go back to my routine of doing blogs during the week, and not having to do them on the weekend, I feel like this will take some time to get back into the routine. Even though leaving my blogging to Sunday feels a little like (must I say it?).....procrastination, it actually feels like I make more progress because I have the whole week to reflect on, and I know I have to get them done. Definitely don’t take this post that procrastination is a positive thing, generally I would say it is bad. Since I have informally designated blogging to Sundays however, I am able to get all of my other homework done the rest of the week, and I know that Sundays are “blog days” to get the posts completed.  (429)

A supportive family that loves football

            Every family has their own way to bond and find things to do together. Mine seems to be football centered on my Dad’s side of the family. My grandpa, grandma, aunt, uncle, cousins, dad, and I are all football fans of many different teams. These include the Iowa Hawkeyes, Nebraska Cornhuskers, Packers, Vikings, Chiefs, and many more including high school teams.

            I was quite bummed that I could not go to the homecoming game. Two of my best friends were up for homecoming queen, and I felt terrible that I couldn’t go because of work. When I told them I wouldn’t be at the game to cheer with them in the student section, they were very understandable. I knew they were totally ok with me not being there, but I didn’t feel like a very good friend because I wasn’t there to see them, regardless if they won or not. I mean, there’s only one winner, so both of them can’t win. Plus, along with not seeing my friends, as a football fan I was disappointed I couldn’t see the team get their first win of the season, I’m sure they were ecstatic about their performance. Sometimes you have to make sacrifices for an even bigger opportunity in the future. Because I have a job, I will have extra money for something important in the future, I know that for sure.

            My family and I have a simple routine every game-day Saturday afternoon. We leave in the morning, tailgate with simple food before the game with some cards thrown in there, and then finally it is game time! I’m only superstitious when it comes to the seating arrangement in the stadium. To me, if you sit in a different order, your cheering and yelling might be thrown off. Yesterday was game-day Saturday, and I couldn’t go. However even though I couldn’t go this time, I was able to do something even more fun instead. Because I could either work the afternoon or the evening, I chose to work the afternoon so I could still go to Homecoming. There’s only one Homecoming dance left and there’s tons of game-days left in my lifetime. With a busy schedule, I have learned to prioritize and make important decisions.

            My family members understood completely and were glad that I could go to Homecoming. Without family I don’t know what I would do. They give me incredible advice and encouragement, along with immense support thus far. Even if you have a bad day, they will always love you no matter what, even if you don’t think so. That is exactly what family should be for. (441)

School Dances

            Homecoming was on Saturday, and that means the majority of the school dressed up, took pictures, went to dinner, and then the dance at school. Everyone has their own interpretation of homecoming. Dictionary.com defines homecoming as an annual event held by a college, university, or high school for visiting alumni.  Times have changed in many ways, and now it seems like homecoming is a decision on how much to spend, what to do, and where to go.

            I think that it is important to have at least one formal dance, especially for the underclassmen, since they cannot go to prom. I know that I definitely enjoy getting dressed up and going out with friends for a night. But to me, the formality that comes with Homecoming has become a bit too extravagant and overdone. If you feel that it is important to go all out on Homecoming, that's totally ok with me, but it is not a priority for me. I guess you have to think to yourself.... is it really worth $250 for a new dress, shoes, getting your hair done, and a mani-pedi for one night? Personally, I believe that you can accomplish the same look with a lot less paper or plastic involved. When you think back to high school and look through old photographs twenty years from now, we will all probably be nearing the big four zero. Will it really mater to you if you bought a designer dress and shoes, and spent hours on your makeup? By 2032, your kids will probably think everyone looked hideous, so why worry now?

            My Saturday plans were originally to go to the Iowa game in the afternoon (I am a dedicated fan), which would still leave me enough time to get ready for Homecoming once I got home. However, because I have a part-time job, that means that sometimes I can’t do everything that I want, when I want. Fortunately, my boss and I were able to work something out. I worked in the afternoon until five and had the evening off so I could still go to the dance. My friend Amanda is a swimmer and they had an away meet until 4:40pm and did not get back into town until 5:40. If any of you were complaining about not having enough time to get ready, try getting ready in less than 30 minutes!

            I think that WPA (Women Pay All) should be informal. It would be so much more fun if we actually had a theme for our dance like a “rave,” and everyone wore a white t-shirt with jeans, or whatever neon they wanted. It would probably be ten times more comfortable while you are dancing or grinding, whatever you prefer, and student government would finally have a reason to create a theme. Another high school in our area does that, and it seems so fun just from looking at their pictures. If the administration still wanted WPA to be formal because they are afraid girls would complain because they buy their dresses in advance, they should add another dance like Toga (dress in costumes) or a Dance Marathon (to raise money) that is specifically meant to be for fun, not who has the cutest dress.  (543)