Since my last blog entry, our country has experienced a great change. Whether you supported Barack Obama or John McCain, there is no denying that this was a momentous occasion. I missed being able to vote myself by a few months, but did accompany my mom, and pulled the lever– very exciting! I hope that President Obama can improve our economy, our domestic problems, and our foreign relations.

I’m planning on finishing all of my supplements over Thanksgiving. I’m looking forward to the break from school, especially because my sister is coming home. Usually I have a regional Irish dance competition, called the Oireachtas, held in Philadelphia over Thanksgiving weekend. Qualifiers from New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Delaware all compete for the right to appear at the North American Championships in July. It’s a hectic few days, but a lot of team bonding so I’ll miss that part. But this year I’ll be following my friends’ results from the internet and texting.  I’m excited to stay home, spend time with my family, and eat a great meal.

Speaking of finishing up applications, my parents and I are filling out the FAFSA form and CSS form. Make sure you know which forms are required by your colleges and send them asap. Some schools ask for your parents’ tax forms. Also, I have sent out score reports to my colleges, just to make sure they arrive; it feels good to have that part out of the way. Go on the ACT website to send out your score reports to your selected colleges.

This weekend, I saw Jon Stewart. He came to University of Buffalo as part of the Distinguished Speaker Series. Stewart is one of my favorite comedians and the host of the “Daily Show.” He spoke about responsibility and the past election. He gave great career advice: “Find something you love doing, be competent at it, and pursue it. Then you will be successful.”

I’m very excited because Mock Trial has begun. My school held tryouts for the few open spots we have on the team. I reconnected with my attorney advisor during the tryouts. My friend and I were even able to sit in on a few freshmen tryouts and observe the new prospective team members. I’m thrilled to be taking on more responsibility with the team.

I was recently elected President of the Latin Club at my school. So far, we’ve started planning for competitions called Certamens and our annual festival celebration, Saturnalia. Latin Club has become very popular over the past few years with over a hundred students involved.

I saw “High School Musical 3” in the theater recently and I loved it. I was able to relate to the movie because the seniors each had to decide what they wanted to do in the future. They realized that senior year should be treasured, and that it is important to slow down and enjoy it.

Although college applications can be stressful, I want to find something enjoyable about each day and to focus on all aspects of my senior year. In order to get the most out of your senior year and “ruling the school,” don’t let anxiety or stress bring you down. Spend time with your friends and family and make time for yourself. It’s important to savor your last year with your high school friends.

Well, I’m off to watch some Monday Night Football. Go Bills!