Wow. What a day. I’m writing this after spending most of the day watching the Presidential Inauguration. I was so happy that teachers allowed students to watch the events. Throughout the school, there was a feeling of hope and excitement for the future for both Republicans and Democrats.
Welcome to 2009 everybody! This is the last year I will be in high school and the first year I’ll be going to college. Seniors only have a semester of school left!
With only a week left of school in 2008, I cannot believe how fast this year is going. While the homework, tests, and papers make each week go by slowly, the months themselves are speeding by. Although I wanted to be finished with college applications by this time, homework and extracurricular activities — as well as procrastination and the need for sleep — have led to a slight delay. For those of you still working on your applications, pay careful attention to all deadlines. Some schools have early deadlines for applicants who want an alumni interview in their hometown. My experience with interviews has been really positive. It’s best to come prepared to talk about your interests and accomplishments and your reasons for applying to that particular school. Try to relax, be yourself, and keep the ‘likes’ and ‘uhms’ to a minimum.
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. (more…)
I’ve spent a lot of time during the past few weeks working on my Common Application. I made a lot of progress on my personal statement and list of extracurricular activities. I wrote several essays that were required for scholarships. That extra hour of Daylight Savings Time came in handy. I also took the ACT for a second time on October 25.
These past two weeks have been the busiest yet. Last week, our high school had its Fall Homecoming. Since I was one of the four people in charge of organizing the events, it was stressful. At the beginning of the week, all of Student Council stayed after school to decorate the halls in our Hollywood theme. We put up movie posters, hung hundreds (literally) of stars from the ceiling, and strung lights throughout the hall. We planned “class spirit days” and it was a blast, seeing everybody dress up in 1980s gear, sports jerseys, and Hollywood glamour.
Whew! The first month of school has flown by. It has been a challenge to juggle all of my schoolwork, college applications, studying for the ACT and other tests, and student council planning and activities. One helpful stress management strategy has been to make lists of things to do. This week, on the top of my to-do list, is getting teacher recommendations. I plan to provide my teachers with my resume to assist them in writing their letters of recommendation. Another priority for me is to make folders for each college that I’m applying to with all the deadlines and required materials.
My last “first day of school” was bittersweet. I can only imagine what my last “last day” will be like. I didn’t have to spend hours picking out my outfit because as a freshman orientation counselor, we had to wear tie-dye to be easily picked out of the crowd if anyone needed help. On that note, both orientation sessions ran very smoothly and it was very rewarding to see our hard work come together. (more…)
With 300 pages left of the Poisonwood Bible to read and about 25 more advanced calculus questions to work through, I realize that my summer has come to a screeching halt. I should really introduce myself before I complain. My name is Emily and I’m going to be a senior this year. I live in a small suburban town outside of Buffalo, NY. I like to consider myself a normal kid, but I also think that some of my interests are unique. For the past 13 years, my life has revolved around Irish dancing. I started when I was four and became obsessed. I have traveled across the U.S., Canada, Ireland, Northern Ireland and Scotland for both team and solo competitions. Dance has inspired and influenced my love of travel, so a good study abroad program is definitely on my list of must-haves for college. But enough about dancing.
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