Congratulations graduates! The moment we have all been counting down to has finally arrived. After four years of new experiences, interesting classes, and making new friends, I graduated from high school last Saturday. The graduation ceremony traditionally starts out with the high school orchestra playing as the parents and families filter into the auditorium. Because I was salutatorian, I was the first commencement speaker and the first to receive my diploma. I enjoyed standing at the podium on the huge stage and welcoming friends and family. I spoke to the class of 400 graduating seniors about pursuing their dreams and finding motivation to succeed. It was a memorable ceremony. Most graduates and their families stayed around and took pictures outside the venue because it was such a nice day.

Graduation day was a great opportunity to remember high school experiences. Posing for pictures with my best friends from ninth grade, favorite teachers through the years, and advisors of the clubs I was so involved in brought back many memories that I will keep with me for a long time. I enjoyed seeing my classmates cross the stage and celebrate their successes during the past four years. I expected the ceremony to be bittersweet, but I was more excited above anything else. It was just a weird feeling of finality.

The day of graduation, I went out for lunch and gelato with my family and then I was off to grad parties. Grad parties are big deal in my area—almost everybody has one. The parties are a fun way to kick off the summer; my friends and I made it to about ten parties.

Since graduation, I have been relaxing, learning to use my new laptop, sleeping in, and finishing my placement exams. Now that I am completely done, I have to start getting ready for college. I think that for the Fourth of July weekend, I am going up to Boston, so maybe I will watch the fireworks over the Charles River. That will definitely get me excited for the move to Harvard in August.

In the next months, we graduates will encounter many changes. Those of us going away to college will have to get used to living with a roommate and being separated from parents, friends, and homes. We will be on our own, away from our sheltering high schools, and we will have to adjust to new, challenging learning environments. I am excited about how much there is to learn about the world and about myself. I’m looking forward to spending the next four years with interesting and talented people from all over the world.

As the school year comes to a close, so does my time as a blogger for ACT. I have enjoyed chronicling my senior year very much. I hope that some of my advice and experiences have been and will be helpful to those of you taking the ACT and applying to colleges in the future. I want to thank Dana Engelbert, Nancy Owen, and Scott Gomer for working with me throughout the year and advising me. For everyone who went through a similar process of taking these important tests, applying for college, and enjoying senior year, congratulations on making it this far. To everyone, good luck with future endeavors. I hope that you learn new things, pursue what you love, have fun, and fulfill your dreams.

Yes! I’m finally done. My classes ended on Friday, but I don’t graduate until the end of June. The last two weeks of school — as I predicted — flew by. This month has been a time of so many “lasts”; it is definitely sad. I loved high school, but I know it is time to move on.

My last band concerts went very well. I enjoyed speaking at the banquet and thanking our teachers. At our last student council meeting, the officers gave brief speeches to all the members. We presented each other with gifts and pictures. Leaving the empty lecture hall that morning was very sad for me. Student council was the club I was most involved in throughout high school, and it was hard to say goodbye.

Senior prom was a blast. It was such a nice day. Before prom, I spent the day at the senior picnic with my friends, looking through the yearbook and looking back on the year. Then I rushed home to get ready for pictures and a fun-filled evening. At prom, I enjoyed spending time with my friends and my boyfriend and dancing all night. After prom, we took the limo to post prom, a drug- and alcohol-free, school-sponsored event. It had a carnival theme, so everyone enjoyed playing games, seeing a magician, taking pictures, and winning fabulous prizes. I won a local arcade gift certificate; I know my friends and I will enjoy using that this summer.

For my birthday, my friends brought tons of food and baked goods to school. One of my friends ordered a cake with a Jonas Brothers picture on it for our National Honor Society Picnic. It was awesome! The day after my birthday was the senior awards ceremony. It was nice to come together as a class and recognize each other’s achievements, not to mention win scholarship money for college.

The last week of school was senior spirit week. It was one of the most fun weeks I’ve ever had in school. We played games, signed yearbooks, and reminisced about the past four years. Tons of seniors played small pranks. I even got to jump out the rescue window! On the last day of school, it was sad saying goodbye to all the teachers and underclassmen. It was not as bad knowing that I would see the seniors throughout the summer and at graduation. It was almost a surreal experience cleaning out my locker and then walking out of the building as a student for the last time.

We capped off the day with a carnival. The bouncy houses, band, and obstacle course made the end of the day a definite celebration. This past Saturday, our Latin club had its annual picnic. This was another opportunity to say goodbye to everybody and have fun.

Right now I have two weeks until graduation. I’m planning on relaxing, swimming, practicing my speech for graduation, and taking my online college placement exams. Make sure you stay on top of your college’s requirements and pay close attention to deadlines. Until next time, enjoy summer!

Eight. Eight days left of school. I almost cannot believe it. The number rings in every senior’s ears just like the bells at the end of each class. Everybody always told me that senior year goes by quickly, but I didn’t realize how fast it would actually go. After just getting back from a Coldplay concert, I would say that it has flown by “at the speed of sound.”

This week, I have my final (once and for all) band concert, which is a spectrum concert of all grades’ bands in my district. I finally get to turn in my band dress, which everyone dreads wearing for every concert. I have my final student council meeting, which is definitely going to be bittersweet. There is also the band banquet this week, where all members and their parents gather for dinner, awards, and celebration. I’m looking forward to these events because I am making speeches at them to thank our teachers and reflect on the year.

Speaking of speeches, I have to write my speech for graduation. As Salutatorian, I will welcome everybody to the commencement. I’ve been asked by the school administration to focus on success and self-motivation.

Tomorrow is a special day for seniors.  In all freshman English classes, students made time capsules to be kept with their teacher until senior year. Well, tomorrow is the day that we can finally open them. I don’t remember everything I put in it, but I know it has letters from friends and family, a CD mix of my favorite songs, and possibly a Beanie Baby.  It will be fun to see my freshman-year class and reminisce about the good old days.

Also this week, prom has finally arrived. Almost everything is planned. I have my dress, I ordered the boutonniere, and I have a hair appointment. I am excited for the pictures, limo, dancing, and post prom, an event our school holds till the wee hours of the morning. This Friday — the day of prom — is senior skip day. Instead of coming to school, seniors have a picnic at the town park, where we get our yearbooks. I can’t wait for all of these final celebrations. To continue with the celebrations, my eighteenth birthday is next week. I am so excited!! I am also happy that my sister is home for it.  I am in for a fun two weeks!

I hope all of you seniors are enjoying your last days of high school. Today I tried to talk to people in my grade that I have never spoken to before. It was strange to think that I have been with these people for four years and never had a conversation with them. I hope that all of you will consider doing the same in your class. I think it brings your graduating class (however large or small) closer together.

I feel as if a huge weight has been lifted off my shoulders: I finished my last test this afternoon. I’m so happy to be finished with all my testing this year. The end of testing means spending time outside in classes, playing Frisbee and Kan Jam (a game played with Frisbees and two cans). I’m really enjoying spending time with my friends and having fun in school. After a long four years filled with so much work, we finally can take a well-deserved break.

Even though the years of work seem long, I cannot believe that I am graduating in a month. It feels like this year went by so quickly, especially in student council, where we are starting to reflect on the year’s events. I still remember our first meeting and how cool it felt to be a senior. Speaking of being a senior and feeling cool, I have a few final projects for my work with the School Improvement Team. As a previous leader of orientation, I am going to different schools to learn about their freshman orientation programs to see if our school might want to adopt some of them. Also, the superintendent of our school district asked a few students to conduct a survey of our classes to see what people want in a principal, because our principal is retiring this year. So I am definitely keeping busy.

In the past week, National Honor Society and student council held our annual Senior Citizen’s Prom, which is an event where we invite all the senior citizens in our area for a night of eating and dancing. Speaking of prom, I still need to get a dress! Planning for prom is still going on, both on a large scale and small scale: getting the music list together in student council, making the limo list, and planning post prom with my group of friends.

Also last week, I attended my first official Harvard event. It was a reception and dinner with all alumni in my region. I really enjoyed meeting all the interesting people and also the admitted students.

Currently, I am at Bucknell University for my sister’s graduation. I’m so proud of all her accomplishments. I’m also excited because she is going to be living near me next year! It is strange to think that this is the last time I am going to be at Bucknell, and the next graduation my family attends will be my high school graduation, and then my college graduation. But anyway, I better get some sleep. Studying has taken the place of sleep for the past couple weeks and I need to catch up in order to fully enjoy the celebrations of this weekend.

Congrats seniors! If you’re a senior too, you probably have accepted a college’s offer of admission. Your four years of high school are coming to a close, and you are ready to begin your life as an adult. At least in theory anyway . . .

After much deliberation, I decided I am going to attend Harvard University. After spending time on campus for the accepted students’ weekend, not only did I come away with a bunch of Harvard clothing and merchandise, I realized I felt comfortable there, which was most important to me when choosing a college. After coming home after a fun-filled weekend, I enrolled in the class of 2013 online. Then I registered for the college email and set up an account. Other things to do before arriving on campus include completing pre-orientation programs, housing surveys, and advising forms. I also have to decide if I want a Mac or PC for school next year. If you are thinking about getting a laptop, you should first check with your school to see if they sell them. I think it’s more practical because if, during the year, your computer breaks, you can get it fixed by the school or get a loaner.

Right now, I’m in the midst of testing. All of this testing has taught me to go into tests with a positive attitude. After all, they’re just tests. You can think about all the students taking the exam who are nervous, just like you. I try to have this mindset before every exam, no matter what test it is.

Even though I am technically finished with school after next week, I still have a month of school left. I’m excited to have fun in relaxed classes instead of cramming before a test. Right now, because my school requires 32 hours of community service, seniors are scrambling trying to get hours in and approved. I want to have 100 hours of service to get a distinction on my diploma, so I have a bit more to go. I also have a couple more hours to complete for National Honor Society.

In the upcoming month are final meetings for clubs, Senior Prom, my sister’s graduation from Bucknell University, my birthday, and my graduation. It’s going to be a busy month of all fun events, so I’m looking forward to ending this school year with a bang.

It seems as though high school is coming to an end. However, my school doesn’t graduate until late June, so we have a while to go. This past month, I received a bunch of great news. I was accepted at Harvard, Princeton, Yale, Duke, Brown, Cornell, and many other great schools.

Now I have about a week to decide which one is right for me. Over spring break, I relaxed for about half a week and then went to the accepted students’ days at Princeton and Yale. This weekend I’m staying at Harvard with my best friend and her cousin, so I’m very excited. Hopefully I can make up my mind quickly after that, as most colleges need confirmation of enrollment by May 1st. Seniors, be sure to send your letter to your college of choice or follow the college’s online procedure.

In the past month, I’ve gotten the flu, travelled to Virginia twice, and finally received college acceptances. The next date for taking the ACT is June 13th and the last day to register is May 8th, which is right around the corner! For a small fee, you can also late register from May 9 – 22. Make sure you study and prepare and just relax on the test day. For me, it was calming to think that after about four hours the test would be over. Also, you are allowed to take the test more than once, so you can have a bad day, and it is still okay. Tell yourself that — although you should try to perform to the best of your ability on the test day, you will have more chances, and you will still get into college.

Our mock trial team made it all the way to county finals this year, where we placed second. Since we didn’t come in first place, our season ended. It was definitely bittersweet because for all of the seniors, it was our last time competing. Now, however, I have more free time. I’m planning on using that time in the next two weeks to study for my exams and to enjoy the nicer weather.

Once my exams are over, I have about a month of school left. Everything is coming to a close. I have my last band concert next week. There is a countdown for every club in school. It’s very exciting to think about graduation, but I still can’t believe how fast this year went by. I’m hoping to make the best of this last month of school and try to make more memories of high school. But for now, my to-do list includes picking a college, studying for exams, and enjoying being a senior — because I’m not going to be a senior again for four more years.

Whoever said that senior year was a breeze was seriously wrong. Over the past month, the work has been piling up, and the onset of “senioritis” has not helped. In most of my classes, we are starting to review for the advanced placement exams as well as working on final projects or papers. Also, most local scholarship applications are due at the end of the month, so it’s important to stay on top of all requirements and deadlines. The applications may seem like a lot of work — especially if you have to write an extra essay — but just imagine winning money, and how it will be so worth it in the end.

My scholarship competition the other week was a blast! Everyone I met was so nice and I felt very comfortable and welcome on the campus. My host was a single person living in a double room, so luckily I got my own bed! Since I am considering a major in Classics, I attended two Greek classes and got to speak to the professors. Also, since the other major I’m thinking about is psychology, I went to the Psychology department and spoke with the professors about classes, requirements, their department, and possible research. My previous college interviews prepared me for the ones during this competition. Overall, it was a great experience. I loved living like a college student: going to class, eating in the dining hall, walking around campus, and hanging out in the dorms.

I have another scholarship competition next week! Hopefully it will go just as well as the previous one. The more time I spend on college campuses, the more I love it.

For those of you who signed up for the April ACT, if you haven’t started already, I encourage you to schedule time for review between now and the test. Make sure you go over the topics in each subject area for the test. The ACT online test prep is really helpful. Try to take the practice tests with the same time limits you’ll have on the real exam.

Today was the start of Homecoming Week at my school. We decorated the halls with a circus theme so when students walk in the front door, it looks as if they’re under a circus tent. I’m trying to participate in all events, to make the most of my last Homecoming Week. The themed days are especially fun when everyone gets involved. A few theme days this week include jersey-day, tie-dye day, and comfy-clothes day.  I’m looking forward to the Homecoming dance and pep rally, because it is going to be the last social event before prom when the whole senior class is together. I think it’s going to be a lot of fun. Also this week is one of my best friend’s 18th birthday, so my group of friends has to think of something special to do for her!

As for Mock Trial, we’ve advanced to the final eight teams in the county. If we continue on our winning streak, we will have two trials on Saturday, and then county finals soon after. Wish us luck and I will keep you all updated. Happy spring!

March has come in like a lion. I’m surprised that it’s still so cold; I’m really looking forward to the snow melting and the flowers coming up.

Right now, I’m preparing for a three-day scholarship competition at a university in Virginia. I’m packing clothes, books, electronics, bedding, etc. It’s strange to think that I will actually be packing up my room in a couple months to move to my new home for the next four years. At this scholarship competition, the finalists spend the nights in the dorms, meet other people from around the country, attend classes, and have interviews with staff and students. I’m kind of nervous to fly down by myself and be on my own, but I’m very excited to experience college life and meet new people.

My school’s week-long break was much needed. I caught up on sleep and used the time to hang out with friends and relax. My friends and I had a special night, we went downtown to a fondue restaurant, and it was so delicious and fun. I also started to work on my Senior Thesis for English, which is due in a month. To start research, our teacher requested that we go to a college library so we could find books, work with a different database, and learn how to research using scholarly journals and periodicals. I’m thankful for this practice, although it was quite stressful at the time trying to find a specific book in a five-story library.

Now that the break is over, we have a solid six weeks of school until our next break. It’s going to be hard to not let senioritis get the best of me, especially with college acceptances (hopefully!) coming during this time.

Our mock trial season is heating up. The team has advanced to the next round because we won our competition last weekend. Although I prefer being a defense attorney, I was glad to have the opportunity to represent the plaintiff in our last trial.    I’m really looking forward to Homecoming, which is the week of March 16. It is my last high school homecoming, so it will be bittersweet. The activities planned by the Senior Student Council — decorating, “Mr. Clarence,” a pageant for senior boys, dodge ball, and a pep rally — are going to be a blast! St. Patrick’s Day is also approaching, so look for some local Irish dancers near you for a great show!

The past week has been surreal. I’m sure you heard about the plane crash in Buffalo, New York, on February 12th. Well, that plane crash happened about a mile from my house. I heard the sirens that night and smelled the burning fuel. Thankfully I don’t know anyone personally affected by the crash, but in my small community, everyone knows somebody who was. My dance teacher and a couple of friends were flying home from a competition in Ireland that day and were scheduled to be on that plane. Fortunately, their international flight landed early and they were able to change flights, so they arrived home earlier. I can’t believe all the strange occurrences. School was cancelled the next day so people could try to start the healing and cleanup process. The fire was contained that night, but all the rubble and destruction are still here. Roads are still blocked off.

I am extremely impressed by the community’s response so far. The emergency workers did a great job and there are already several efforts to rebuild the home destroyed by the plane crash and to raise money for the families affected. Our student council is currently brainstorming ideas for a fundraiser. In the community, there is also a huge effort to get the family who lost their home selected for Extreme Makeover Home Edition. Everyone has really come together. Please keep the victims and families affected by the tragedy of Flight 3407 in your thoughts and prayers in this time of need and sadness.

On a much lighter note, the sleep-out and my first mock trial competition were very successful. The sleep-out was on a relatively warm night for a western NY winter. It was still very cold, but my friends and I built a shelter out of cardboard boxes and were able to keep each other warm and get some sleep. However, I think I caught a cold by sleeping outside because I’ve been sick for the past week. Now seems to be the time when flu and colds are being passed around the school. So stay safe and healthy! Wash your hands and get your rest.

We won our first mock trial competition. Our team worked very well together, and it was exciting to give the closing arguments. Next up, we are performing as plaintiffs; I was assigned a lawyer role on that side too. That means I have a few more examinations to write, memorize, and practice.

Right now, our school has a week off for midwinter break. It is much needed to recover from midterms, my cold, and to rest up before the last months of school. Our school’s second homecoming is coming up in March and we have chosen a circus theme.

I am finished applying to colleges and am waiting for acceptances now. Also, there are a few scholarships that I am still applying for. It is really just a waiting period since most colleges I applied to send out notifications in April. So far, I’ve been accepted at two colleges, but I want to see where else I get in and the financial packages for each school.

Stay tuned for special events.

Midterms are over!! I am officially a second semester senior. January flew by. It feels like the months are passing like weeks. Before we seniors know it, we will have graduated and be taking out first steps onto college campuses. Now comes the waiting period…til April 1st. That’s when most colleges send out acceptances, rejections, or wait lists. I must admit, I’m getting very anxious and impatient waiting for those letters. I cannot wait to see where I’m accepted and to decide where I’m going to spend the next four years of my life.

These next few weeks will be jam-packed with extra-curricular activities. This Friday is our school’s annual “Sleepout for the Homeless.” More than a hundred students spend the night outside in cardboard boxes in our school’s parking lot to raise money for the homeless. While I’m not exactly thrilled to be spending the entire night outside in below-freezing temperatures, I’m excited for this event. It is fun and is a great fundraiser. During previous years, this event brought in more than $278,000 for donation to local charities.

Also at the end of this week, I have my first Mock Trial competition of the year. This time, we will compete on the defense side. As the lead defense attorney, I will perform the direct examination of the defendant, the cross examination of the plaintiff, and the closing arguments. I’m excited and nervous for the first trial — our team has a lot to live up to after making it to the state finals the past two years — and this is the most responsibility I have had on the team. I’m very excited about my role.

The past few weeks have been fun even with midterms. I had most midterms while school was still in session, so I had a couple of days off from school. Our largest Latin Club event was last Friday. We had a dinner celebration called Saturnalia (a Roman feast celebrating the dedication of Saturn’s temple) at a really nice restaurant, where we ate and played games. It was pretty geeky, but we had a blast. It was sad to think that it was my last Saturnalia, but as president of Latin Club, I got to MC the event, so it was a new cool perspective.

I only have two weeks of school until another week-long break, so I’m very excited. I’m starting to feel symptoms of senioritis, but I’m trying to remain focused. We’ll see how it goes.