And we’ve finally made it! We’re officially “Class of 2009” alumni of our respective schools. Although many of us thought the day would never get here, the end is here and it brings a new, exciting beginning. Walking through the halls of Frenship High School for the last time as a student was very refreshing. I was able to recall countless memories that I will take with me from high school; now I’ll focus on new goals and aspirations that I have set for myself.
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The countdown of days has now reached single digits — 9. After next week’s classes, we will have the following Monday off, and the rest of that week is finals. It is so hard to believe that the end is finally near. It seems like just yesterday we were in early April talking about graduation and end of the year activities. Now they’re here. These last few months have absolutely flown by.
As most everyone knows, the swine flu has been the talk of the nation during the past week or so. Personally, I didn’t realize the grand effect it would have on me. The Texas UIL (University Interscholastic League) shut down all competitive UIL activities (athletics, academic meets, etc.) until May 11. Our baseball team had just finished district 8-0 and was playing well until we received the news. Also, the regional track meet has been temporarily cancelled, or postponed if nothing else. Hopefully we can rid our country, continent, and world of the threat that the swine flu has brought.
Lately, my attitude has fluctuated as often as the weather. Temperature-wise, one day it will be sunny and low 80’s, then in the low 40s only a day or two later! It even snowed a little one day. West Texas isn’t supposed to see snow in April; we didn’t even get much around Christmas! Like the changes in weather, one day I’ll be anxious and eager to graduate, but then I will find myself unsure and nervous about what is to come. Much of that is natural, I suppose. I just wish the weather and I could make up our minds!
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I’ve decided the creation of spring break was the work of a true genius! Who else had a great spring break? Whether you traveled to visit relatives, spent time working, or positioned yourself on the couch, I hope everyone had a very refreshing and useful spring break — I definitely did. I played a little baseball on Monday and Tuesday then drove to Arkansas for my grandparents’ 50th wedding anniversary. Congratulations to them on that remarkable accomplishment! Nevertheless, since we only had one week, the following Monday brought the familiar routine of school rushing back like a flood.
College scholarships continue to take up a large portion of every day. Over the past few weeks, I have filled out several of them. Many different scholarships have their own individual deadlines; some have already come and gone, so make sure you prioritize them according to their due dates.
Senior year is supposed to be the most enjoyable year of high school. Recently, I’ve realized it’s all about the attitude that you bring to each day. During the past couple of weeks, I’ve tried to stay positive and to enjoy everything each day has to offer. I honestly think this outlook has helped. As I mentioned in the last blog, a major portion of my English grade involved my research paper. Instead of stressing about it too much, I did what I needed to do and didn’t waste too much time worrying. Now it feels good to have it in the books.
Sicknesses have plagued me throughout the last few weeks. The longer school continues to drag on, the worse my case of “senioritis” becomes. However, last weekend it was accompanied by an upper respiratory infection, fever, and flu-like symptoms. As a result, I got behind in my schoolwork after missing two days. While physically I have made a drastic improvement, I am dragging emotionally. These next few days will be catch-up. (Seniors – As a side note, being behind and having to do twice the work while originally struggling to do my regular assignments is not a fun place to be!)
Studying and applying for scholarships seems to be all I’ve done in the past couple weeks. Does anyone else feel swamped with responsibilities and deadlines? I’ve found it helpful to stay as organized as possible. Perhaps you could make a list of all your potential scholarships and the requirements for each one; making a list for your colleges wouldn’t hurt either. While this process doesn’t automatically generate completed scholarships and applications, it does create less stress when searching through papers or documents for needed information.
Happy 2009 to everyone! Our incredible class is hitting the home-stretch. It’s hard to believe that 12-plus years of school have come down to this moment as we face the new frontier of college. To keep from being overwhelmed, I need to step back and clear my head from what was and what is to come. The Christmas holidays were very refreshing — and much needed — to me and many others, I am sure.
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