senior.

i'm a senior. when did this happen?
it doesn't feel right. i feel too young to..
oh well.
life moves on right..

IMMM OUTTT

Senioritis has oficially kicked into gear. I absolutly had a blast last night at Sr. Sunrise. Yet suppppppper tired. :(
SUMMER IS ALMOST HERE!
tata for now.

Sooooooooooooooo Done

Last night was Sr Sunrise and it was definatley a very fun night. I stayed up all night and didn't even take one nap once. I drank about 4 energy drinks. All my friends and I rode on the golf cart on the golf course, went in the spa, and had a very fun night. We all went to my house and had a great night. This morning the whole Junior Class made it to backside to watch the sunrise. I think Sr Sunrise is a really fun way to bring everyone together with no DRAMA. I can't believe the school year is already over and I am going to be a Sr !!!!!!!! I am so exhausted right now I can barely even type right now. Overall Jr year was one interesting year !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
BYE BYE !

Senior Sunrise

Well, that was eventful.



It's the dawn of a new age.
The class of 2010 is about to take over.
And this school is going to fall apart.

EXHAUSTED

Last night was Senior Sunrise. And it was a blast. Stayed up all night without going to sleep once. It wasnt what I expected it to be, but it was better. Went to someones house where the majority of the junior class was and then back to a friends to swim and ride a golf cart on the golf course at like two in the morning. Then went up to backside park to watch the sunrise with my whole class. Then got ready, went to starbucks, and now here I am...dead tired and ready to be at home in bed. Even though I can barely keep my eyes open, it was definitely worth it.

Summer timeeeeeeeeee

Yayyyyyyyy! It's here. The funny thing is that usually I'm ready for it. Usually I'm ready for the days at the lake, making money, and going on crazy vacations. This year, though, I feel like my whole last year has been a summer. So, I'm taking on a second job to mix it up. It sounds easy, but no one is hiring! My latest application is Target. So cross my fingers, my days will be filled with fixing braces and stocking clothes shelves. I'm hoping the pay check at the end will make it all worth it. I know it will:)
Then its off to college, worry free, debt free. Thats the ultimate goal. Work hard during the summer, enjoy the school year.

no free hugs?

Also:

I found this interesting. Apparently, hugging your friends is NOT okay....

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/28/style/28hugs.html?_r=1&hp

for the first time in a long time

I have time.

I have no deadlines, no homework, no meetings, nothing of real substance to do. I have the ability to go out with my friends and not worry that in the back of my mind there is an essay I need to write or those five math problems I need to work on.

However, now the question remains: what do I do now? Now that I have time to stop and appreciate the sunlight (and my very very pale skin), the time to relax and go swimming, or spend the afternoon getting coffee with my friends. Now I'll actually have no excuses for not reading all those books I've been meaning to read. And there is really no excuse for not finding a job finally.

I've been using my filled up schedule as an excuse for not being able to do things I should be able to make time for and needed to make time for. But now, I have no excuses. This summer is my chance to use the time I have to the fullest and this time, I'll have the time.

Newpaperrrrrr

It's almost here! Ahhh yay :) I'm so excited, this is the first issue that the new editors worked on without this year's editors, and I'm actually pretty proud of it! We really did try hard for this issue, so I hope you all really like it :)
On another note: SENIOR SUNRISE! We made our shirts yesterday and they are amazingggg. It's going to be so fun, besides the fact we're going to be extremely tired for the senior rally. Oh boy, here come the tears...

Baby

The yearbook is finally outttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttt!
I' have spent the majority of my senior year sitting in m5 working on this bad boy, and it is finally out. It's crazy town. I feel like it is my child. It's so weird seeing everyone look at it for the first time when I've read every single words multiple times. I'm happy it's finished, and now I just want to know what people think of it. Especially the cover. The cover is bomb diggity.

Sidenote: Two days before I'm done with Rocklin foreverrrrrrr. Nothing in the entire world could make me happier than that.

Je veux aller en France!

soooo..Madame Arino informed me the other day that she is taking another France trip in the summer of 2011. She said i am still welcome to go, even though I'll be old and wrinkly by then. haha just kidding..but who knows where i will be at that point. I wish i would have gone on the trip last summer, but none of my friends were going and it was a lot of money. After this year, however, I've learned how much i love learning the french language and how i want to continue learning it. I've never traveled abroad and France would be my ideal place to go first. And, i think it would be a lot easier to go with someone who knows there way around like Madame. Even though i may not know any of the kids going, i don't care. I don't care because i want to have an experience of a life time. Maybe i can be a chaperon or something haha. Who knows though, it's a long time from now. All i know is that i really want to go! hopefully I'll be close to fluent in french by then because I'm going to continue taking classes. Drinking wine at the top of the Eiffel Tower...sounds nice, yeah? I will be there, someday.

ahhhh

This past week has been CRAZY! Last Tuesday my mom went in for surgery. For about a month I've been dealing with the fact my mom has thyroid cancer. The operation went okay but after that everything got screwed up. The nurses gave my mom the wrong ivy, making her constantly throw up and unable to go home Wednesday when she was supposed to. She finally came home Thursday. With only two full school days left and having to deal with my mom's condition, everything is just ridiculous. I just can't wait to be done with all the school work that is so pointless!

end

This is the end of the line. Praise jesus. Ive had 14 consecutive years of school since I was 3, starting with preschool. Ive been to 5 different schools in california. and in a couple months ill continue for at least 4 more years at a different school. I have loved and hated high school. hated the monotony, the long hours, the drone, the punishments, the people most of the time, and the work. i have loved my days outside of high school with the few people ive met there, and the adventures, getting to know people, and the feeling of never knowing what the f*ck im going to do. Im not too sad that im leaving, because i know the time of my life is awaiting me in college. im more ready than ive ever been to flap my wingys and fly.

Goodbye forever

It's really weird seeing the end of my high school career get closer and closer. Two more days and I'll be checking out with the rest of my senior class. I'm very excited, and I can't wait to walk across that stage and get my diploma. I'm excited to finally start a new life and meet new people, instead of seeing the same people everyday that I've been going to school with practically my whole life. This year went by fast and I couldn't be happier about it. Leaving Rocklin High and never ever coming back seems like one of the best that could ever happen.

No more metal!

The long await is finally almost over. I get my braces off tomorrow morning at 9! Just in time for senior sunrise!

No more metal in my mouth, i really cannot wait. I am so scared im going to walk into my dentise office and he will say that i cant get them off today, but of course he wont say that, right?

To get my braces off, i was going to have to miss 2 of my finals and a secratic seminar in english. Luckily i got out of my spanish II final because i have received an A on every test. I still have to make up my final in math, but thankfully, im not worried about my math final for once.

But it will all be worth it, when i look in the mirrow and instead of seeing metal, i will see perfectly straight white teeth!

One Foot Out the Door and Learning to Do the Splits

On my way towards graduation, this is probably my last blog writing. It has been a pretty good senior year and I am looking forward to Kentucky U. There is a great deal of promise in the future because of all the opprotunity that the new environment creates. It will be hard leaving friends and family, but all in all it will be no big deal. Especially considering all the extra-curricular activities I will be invloved with. My commitment will be tremendous. I still don't know how often I will come back or if I will come back after my college years. I could start a career there, I would certainly miss everyone. Including my little bro and sis, of whom I will miss some of the best years of their lives growing up. At the same time, holding back because of others will delay my advancement. Anyone out there attending far-off out of state schools feels me when I say this, that indecision sifts because of all that will be left behind.
Then again, I want to get as far away from my house as possible-get out of the Rocklin community. There is more to this world. A lot more. Maybe I will join Peace Corps. where I can travel on an all-expenses payed trip to a country requiring volunteer services. I am sick of living under the rules and structure of others. So in a way, the reasons to leave sort of outway the reasons to stay. Anyway Graduation is on its way...

Graduation

Yes, this is another blog about graduation. Sorry underclassmen, but you should be jealous.

It doesn't really feel like the typical end of a school year to me. Maybe that's because I know I'm never coming back here. I look around and I see people like Jen Simmons, who I've known since FIRST GRADE. And now we're stressing about our FINAL stats final and talking about how bad the AP test sucked. The fact that I'm now graduating with people that I've known for twelve years kind of boggles my mind. And even though my mom cries pretty much every day now, I couldn't be more excited to leave and start this new chapter in my life. I decided that even though I'm not going to my dream college, I'm still going to go out and live my life to the fullest. Rocklin was a GREAT place to grow up and be a kid, but now I'm ready for something new.

If I could offer any advice to the underclassmen it would be to avoid the bullsh*t, smile, laugh, and keep in touch with the people you love.


and with that, I say goodbye to Rocklin High.





p.s. Nichols, your classes are amazing and i loved my three years in here. Once in a while, when you're rockin out to Clarence Clemons, think of me. I love Bruce too.

Hard to Believe it's Already Over

Maybe it's just me, but this year seems to have gone by extra fast. It feels like it only lasted a few months. I dunno, maybe I was just having fun, but it does not feel like the year should quite be over.
I suppose in many ways, it isn't. I still have several tests and projects to take care of. Some of those will very much decide my grade, so the stress isn't quite over. But there's not too too much to do, and I think I can make it the last eight days.
So yeah, this year feels as if it has burned by. Only 2 weeks left, and then I'll be a senior, which is an even weirder feeling. Can't believe I'm entering my last year of high school. Hopefully it will be a blast. At any rate, have a great summer everyone, I hope you have fun!

Farewell Address.

I'd like to use this last blog to say farewell to Journalism and this blog.
My last 4 years in this class have been an essential piece of my high school experience. Although it hasn't always been the easiest to be motivated, I got through. Even with the occasional whining.
I learned here that I could be a part of something that was, for the most part, unregulated. Student-run. And it allowed me the freedom to actually grow. I was treated like an adult here, in this class.
A person who will be considered an official adult within society in less than a month should be treated like one in class. Without the hand-holding rules that RHS so readily supplies.
I have none other to thank than Mr. Nichols for this class environment. The relaxed atmosphere, to me, was a motivational force far stronger than structured rules ever have been. Those just piss me off. Always have, always will.
Also I'd like to thank Nichols and everyone else for supporting my writing. It hasn't always been on the tamest of subjects, and my opinions weren't often very neutral. I know that was hard to deal with sometimes, but thank you for letting me go. Letting me pursue this type of writing, which happened to be my passion, was the main reason I loved this class. I love writing opinion pieces.
I often come to M5 for a break, as well. Just the room calms me down and allows me to escape from stifling RHS reality. When I hated people the most I had a place to run to, so I didn't feel like I was drowning in high school.
So now the end is finally here (after the end of next week, actually), and I feel like I've outgrown this place. To an extreme extent. And I'd like to dedicate my sanity to M5 and Nichols, as they were the primary reasons why I'm not completely bonkers currently.
So farewell, RHS Flash. It's time to move on to a new chapter of my life, and I'll never forget the experience you've given me within these puny 4 years of my life.
Time for bigger and better things.
<3

Took my Late AP Test

I am so glad I am done studying AP World. It is a major relief to be done with the test, especially because I started reviewing for the test over spring break. It was kinda weird to take a late AP test.

The reason I took the late AP test was because I had swim sections the same day as the test. So, me, and a friend who also swam at sections, took the test Wednesday AT school in a conference room. That's right, at school.

It wasn't that bad. Honestly, I was expecting the test to be much, much harder. It was a different test than everyone elses (including essay prompts). I did not know this, and so I told all of my friends to not tell me what was on the test. I wanted the test to be a total surprise.

I'm just so glad I survived my first AP class/test. Now all I want to know is my score...

GRADUATION...but not yet.

Ughhhhhh

As a senior, I wish I could coast through the last week of my high school career. But no...I have a calculus test next Thursday that I pretty much need to dominate. While I see all these seniors relaxing in class, I am extremely envious of their lack of stress. This is what I get for not dominating on my test LAST WEEK...bad mistake.

"wooohooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo" - tanya

See, this is my friend Tanya having the time of her life right now, while I wait for next Thursday. =(

one more week.

One more week until I'm officially a senior....uhhhh. I'm really excited due to the fact that this year will finally be over, but weirded out because I'm going to be a SENIOR. A SENIOR. which means after one year, I'll know where I'm going to college and I'll be leaving all of these Rocklin people behind. I'm not sure how I feel about all that. I'm excited to move out and have more freedom and meet new people but I'm not sure if I'm ready to leave EVERYONE behind.. there are a few people who's friendship I'll miss and hopefully I talk to them after graduation. but we'll see. It's weird though because when I was younger and would see high school seniors they just seemed so much more older than I feel right now. It's just a weird time.
But on the bright side, basically ten more days and this is over and summer can finally begin. The only thing I'm really looking forward to is on the evening of July 14th and I'll probably watch 87 more times after the midnight premiere like I did with the Dark Knight. I love summer movies. Oh! and I'm seeing Star Trek tonight, finally. hopefully it's everything everyone's been saying. I just love the movies. After two weeks I won't have to worry about stupid assignments or the SAT IIs. So I'm excited.

3dayweeeeeekend. I'm thinking HP marathon.

second job

So I’ve got a new job! I’m still working for the City of Rocklin Community Services and Facilities Department…but now I’m off over at The Old Republic Title Company as well. In regards to the city, it’s not like I work in Kids Junction or anything. I actually sit in a position where I post all the refunds for rentals that take place at the Sunset Center, Finn Hall, Community Center, and some of the other buildings around the city. Aside from that, I make the master calendar that show all the events, classes, meetings, etc. that go on. So it’s really important that I don’t miss a thing! Well, now I’m working at a title company! I’ve been really blessed and lucky to have had the opportunity to work in such great jobs. Being that I am obviously still in high school, I’ve now been given another chance to work a job that is typically NOT for anyone who hasn’t already been to college. Never having to work fast food…which don’t get me wrong, I do want to work at McDonalds at least once in my life just cause lol but especially in this economic struggle I am just really blessed to have such great jobs :D

ps,

VICTORIA CLARK just turned 17 yesterday!!


HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!!!!!!!!

dreams? more like nightmares...

so i've been having really unpleasant dreams the past two nights...
we did a unit on dreams and dream analysis in regular psychology earlier in the semester but i don't think that's going to work for these. i woke up with my face wet from crying both times because of the dreams. i was told bad dreams come from stress, which seems to be everyone's answer to everything, and could be a possibility but i really don't feel that stressed.
I dont mean to make this so sad, but if im going to write about having bad dreams i might as well tell you what they were about, right?
the first dream was really bad because i ended up watching someone really close to me "harm" them self, and in the second one i was forced to be the one to put my cat to sleep even though nothing was wrong with her.
not fun at all.
hope thats the end of them.

The mysterious case of the never ending library fine

Over the past 4 years I have probably paid somewhere around $150 in library fines. Okay okay so it's not really a mysterious case. It's actually quite clear why I've accumulated such a large fine. Somehow I have managed to lose various textbooks and library books, and other times I just keep books checked out for months at a time. But just when I thought everything was paid for (I just bought a book last month for $20), I get a phone call informing me of more fines. Now that is the mysterious part, because what more can they charge me fines on? I've already purchased half the library. Today I'm going at break to crack the code, solve the case of the mysterious fine...maybe they will name a part of the library after me

So Far

Do teachers not understand that school is almost over? I feel like we have to do more in the last 2 weeks than all year long. I don't want to be learning new information, taking more tests, doing more projects. I just want to wrap it all up and be done. NO MORE! More essential projects/tests just means more correctives to worry about and I don't know how much more worry i can take right now.Ahh! So close but yet so far.

Senior Year

Next year, I will finally be a senior and I am so excited. I will be taking more AP classes, but it will be awesome to only have 6 classes. I am a little nervous for AP English though, because it is not my best subject and I usually don't get A's on my essays this year. In Honors English right now, we are taking part in AP practice with seminars and I really enjoy that part of it. I just do not like the fact that I have to read 5 books over the summer. However, I know that I will have a lot of fun during my last year of high school. I am very optimistic for next year, and the experiences that come out it.

My Birthday :)

So tomorrow is my birthday. It's crazy to think about...17 years old. Yes still a kid and still young but WOW. I remember being a little girl dreaming about when I would finally be a "big girl", an image in my mind which consisted of being a teenager. I dreamed of the day that I could color inside the lines and making pretty pictures haha. Now that I'm "growing up" I have found that there is so much more to being a "big girl". Resposibilities, maintaining good relationships with friends and family, school, driving, the list goes on and on. And now, in a matter of mere hours I will be 17. Just one more year before I am officially an "adult" but what does that even mean? Yes you can vote, but I know a bunch of 18 year olds that don't act nearly as some of the younger teens I have met. Oh boy...so much to soak in. There's just this mentality that I have that being 17 sounds so much older than being 16. I don't really even know why. But all that matters is...HAPPY BIRTHDAY ME!:)

Blahblahblah

I feel like I have nothing to say, but that it truly feels like summer because of two things:
Heat and fresh watermelon.
The heat is relatively recent, hitting a high of about 108 degrees on Sunday (needless to say I spent most of the day indoors. I saw Star Trek. It was worthwhile). But I think the one that makes me feel like it's summer is the fresh watermelon. True, you can get watermelon yearround, but have you ever had watermelon in the winter? It's pretty disgusting and doesn't taste fresh at all. But now it's watermelon season and my dad is buying watermelon pretty much every week and it makes me want to throw a barbeque.
I think that despite whatever the calendar says, summer may officially start...whenever it starts, but there are certain little things that make the beginning of summer seem more official. Like when school gets out or you go swimming for the first time in the summer.
I'm really looking forward to this summer and hanging out with my friends and eating lots and lots of watermelon.

Retail

I've worked in retail for about 9 months and through various experiences in the clothing department I think I've gained a little understanding of the human condition

The Customer
Customers are people, but people who momentarily forget themselves in the sale. If you ever work in retail remember that when there is a good sale going on the store becomes a feeding frenzy on the nature channel:
-Customers have no problem looking through the clothing in your hands (even though it may seem a very heavy load to you)
-They also have very few qualms with putting their pile of clothing on top of your already existing mountain (when they've tried on all the colors and sizes of every shirt)
-Customers feel the need to explain to you:
For instance, there are always people returning gifts- like when a woman who wanted to return something and before I could get a sentence out she told me that it was actually her daughter-in-law who bought "it" and that "it" was something that she had absolutely no use for. Which was awkward when I told her that customer service didn't need an explanation for returned items.
What is also awkward are the mom's who are embarrassed because their sons happen to prefer the girl's pants (specifically an Avril Levenge line) and the mom's just can't believe the fashion these days and they are just so embarrassed to ask for your help. And what you will really want to tell the mom is that parents probably thought the style in the 70's were inappropriate too.

And now, a few tips for the employee:
-Think of keeping your bar clean like a game of tetris (that way you never take it too seriously, unlike me. I actually told my manager that I was getting murdered by the customers the other day. Colorful language that can only lead to embarrasment)
-When your really busy avoiding the customers involves a few key steps:
Don’t make eye contact
Walk very fast
(and since I’ve already made a video game analogy) think of it like a game of Pac-man (the customers are the ghosts!)

The Employee
Customers meet the employee, their job is to clean up after you and keep you happy (like a baby). They clean your messy fitting room, answer all of your questions and help you purchase and bag your items
Remember that during a sale
-Employee's probably haven't had a break yet which means they haven't eaten since they got there
-They are probably not the reason there is a long line and they are trully going as fast as they can
-Feeling pity for them when the clothing is everywhere is nice but it only helps them when customers clean up after themselves.
-This is, however, their JOB and they are getting PAID for their efforts.

This is one thing that in times of retail crisis I have to remind myself. I am currently saving all of the money I receive for college (so it gets hard to keep my morale going when I don’t actually see or use any of the money that I'm receiving...). When I'm in the store I get to feeling like it's my little world that I have to keep clean but then when I clock out a miraculous thing happens and it's over. As I walk out of the store I am a customer again- I don't have to pick up the clothing or smile and greet the others. I can understand again how important it is in this other world to have that last T-shirt even though it's buried in the back somewhere. But I'm also here with the knowledge that as people we sometimes try to fill a gap in our lives with stores and sales. Outside of the store I can remember that life goes beyond designers and registers. Outside of the store customers and employees live peacefully (at least until the next sale).
A little bit of understanding and perspective can make a shopping trip or a day at work a lot easier. Just something for you to keep in mind next time...

Fish

AP US Projects

The AP US Test is finally overwith. I"m confident that I at least passed it with a 3, but i am hoping for a 4.

Now of course, Mrs. Benzel isn't going to let us sit around in class and waste our time for the next few weeks until school gets out so she has assigned several projects.

The first one is the decades party, so when you see people dressed up from a different era you"ll know that its not cause they have no fashion sense its because of the project.

My group decided to do the 50s through 60s era. We got stuck with the more conservative side of the 50s and 60s. So being a girl i'll have to wear a dress or at least a skirt. It would be nice to find a poddle skirt but come on its 2009 and were would you ever find a poddle skirt.

Now for the decades party basically all you have to do is get up in front of the class and act something out and give a presentation on something important that happened in the era. Sounds pretty easy but i am worried about finding something to wear.

The next one is basically a timeline of our life. We are suppose to present influential experiences that has made us who we are today. I think it will be fun to do but i dont know how much about my like i want to divulge to the entire class.

The last and final project is the famous book review, which isn't to bad at all when you get a book with a HUGE preface.

That's about it and then the year is over. I am actually pretty excited about them but we will see what happens.

ohh..and yeah 2 more weeks from today until i get my braces off! Woot woot!

Almost Officially Seniors...

So Tuesday night, our junior class had our first SENIOR class meeting. Crazy Right? I can not believe that we are going to be seniors, let alone graduating in only a year. It is very weird watching this years seniors go to Marine World, go to Sr. Ball, sign up for Senior Picnic and Senior Brunch, talking in ASB about graduation, but the weirdest part was actually mailing out my brothers graduation announcments. Next year that will be me! And I will probably be crying and not wanting to leave.. but needless to say, I am so excited. Sr. Sunrise is in only in 2 weeks! Ahh... were almost there....!!!

Skin Cancer Scare

So today I'm going to the doctors to be checked for skin cancer. Recently I've been getting these blackish bumps in random places on my body like my stomach and legs. They seem to be a small form of skin cancer, but I wont know for sure until after I see the doctor. My mom thinks its from fake tanning, which I only do before dances. The scary thing is that it runs in my family, so I'm a little nervous. I even googled the symptoms and treatments because I'm so scared. Hopefully everything goes okay.

Countdown to Graduation

Two weeks and change left for us Seniors. Then we are out and it is Senior activities week. Even though RHS pumps us up for activites week, it is really just over hyped. All we end up doing is eating brunch and having a picnic which includes the dreaded graduation practice. When I heard about it, I was led into thinking we were going to do a new activity every day like Super Soaker day at the park or something. It is going to be in the 100s and we are doing major graduation practice in the heat. Ridiculous. All the routine invovled is giving me second thoughts about how excited I actually am for graduation.
On the other hand, I suppose once it is all over, it is over for good. Once we get past all the irritating practices, life won't be so bad. Graduation and Sobergrad should be alright. And I am hoping this case of senioritis dissappears before my first semester in college or I will be flailing.

farewell filthiness

Thanks to whoever cleaned up the moldy Dorito/Ramen noodle crumbs/gross pool of stickiness/possible chocolate smear in our pod. I'd like to think it was my amazing blogs that prompted someone to take action, but most likely someone else got just as tired of the mess as I was. Anyway, my sitting area is mostly clean now except for the watermelon rind sitting next to me on the floor, but I almost don't mind it there. It's like a cute little reminder of how disgusting people can be.

Let me start by saying that I'm proud of everyone who is actually stressing out about AP tests.
Needless to say, it was hard enough for me to just sit and take the test, let alone study the night before. So congratulations.
I guess I have just had other things on my mind...one being the fact of if I got into the St. George Marathon. The lottery only takes 30% of applicants, and I got in!!!
So why is this such a big deal? If I get a Boston qualifying time, which should be easy since its mostly flat, my dad said he would fly me out to Massachusetts for the Boston Marathon next April.
So, I'm now starting to train again, and just crossing my fingers. Boston here I come?

china, again

im spending my last month of summer before college in china. my aunt, uncle and cousin moved there in the end of february before i visited the first time. I plan to go out there after the cal poly orientation on the 4th and 5th of august an stay until september 10th, so i can move into the dorms by the 14th.
this trip is going to be a little different than my last. before i went there as more of a vacation and learning experience with my family. i did mostly touring and little relaxing. i didnt get the whole "chinese life" experience since i was staying in hotels and such. this time, however, im going out there and living in the house with my extended family for over a month. im really excited, especially since i havent my cousin in a while.
while im there im going to take a day trip to see the terracotta warriors. i have the option of a 1 hour flight or a 17 hour train ride. despite the length, im thinking the train. also, ill be staying in chengdu, which is "the home of the giant pandas" apparently. that means only one thing. panda visits.
oh yes.

AHHHHHHH YAY!

AP US TEST IS DONE!
I am soooo happy and pretty much done with school, but really wish there was no math test tomorrow, because my brain is goneeeeee. But we have dance show this week!
First dress rehearsal is today, so we'll see how these fun outfits work out haha. The show is on Thursday Friday and two shows on Saturday, and from what I hear TONS better than the Whitney dance show (to be expected :P). I am so excited, I'm in six amazing dances and the energy is awesome :):) there is great variety in the dances actually, so there's something for everyone to enjoy hopefully. It's just dance 2-4, the first time dance 1 has had their own show and hasn't been with the other classes. It's cool because there's the same amount of dances as if there was dance 1 in the show, meaning we get more dances per class and more specialties, which look really good. Come see Thursday Friday or Saturday!:)

who sits here?!

this is a follow up to my jam hands story. whoever sits at this computer needs to know how disgusting this is. now not only are my keys still somewhat sticky, but there is a pool of stickiness around the mouse area, and there are plastic straw wrappers and ramen noodle crumbs everywhere. i also just noticed a moldy Dorito in the corner, and that’s exactly where its going to stay until the person who left it there cleans it up. so please clean up your grossness. you're not the only one who has to sit here.

May...

So this month is always the most stressful of all, but this year, it just seems like too much is going on during the first two weeks. Last week, I had two AP tests, during all the tests and nonsense going on at school. Why do teachers assign stuff during these two weeks? We're only in high school, and everyone is taking it waaaay too seriously. Anyways, two APs, I got sick on friday, and Senior Ball was on Saturday which was a loooot of fun, but two things hindered it from being AMAZING: sickness, and the fact that AP psych is on tuesday and I'm not really prepared for it. Yesterday was basically, trying to get myself not sick anymore, and studying for AP psych, which is something i'm not confident about at all. To add to this, dance show rehearsal starts today. from 3 -6. soo yeah. Not really enjoying it. But it'll be fun once I can breath again.

Almost a senior. almost :)

Beauty in an AP test.

So... yesterday I took my first of four AP exams (English Lit) and I was really anxious because the whole year we kept doing practice multiple choice and consistently would not do well so I put a lot of effort into practicing it. The essays I wasn't so worried about.

Anyway, the last poem on the test had to have been my favorite. I didn't really fully understand it until I got through the multiple choice, but I think it's a lovely declaration of two people growing apart and a changing love. Interestingly enough, all the girls loved it and all the guys hated it.

To an Inconstant One

I loved thee once; I'll love no more--
Thine be the grief as is the blame;
Thou art not what thou wast before,
What reason I should be the same?
He that can love unloved again,
Hath better store of love than brain:
God send me love my debts to pay,
While unthrifts fool their love away!

Nothing could have my love o'erthrown
If thou hadst still continued mine;
Yea, if thou hadst remain'd thy own,
I might perchance have yet been thine.
But thou thy freedom didst recall
That it thou might elsewhere enthral:
And then how could I but disdain
A captive's captive to remain?

When new desires had conquer'd thee
And changed the object of thy will,
It had been lethargy in me,
Not constancy, to love thee still.
Yea, it had been a sin to go
And prostitute affection so:
Since we are taught no prayers to say
To such as must to others pray.

Yet do thou glory in thy choice--
Thy choice of his good fortune boast;
I'll neither grieve nor yet rejoice
To see him gain what I have lost:
The height of my disdain shall be
To laugh at him, to blush for thee;
To love thee still, but go no more
A-begging at a beggar's door.

-Sir Robert Ayton

Unsolved Murder

For my English class, I have to read non-fiction AR books, and so I found the book, Who Killed My Daughter. It's by one of my favorite authors, Lois Duncan, and it's one of the best books I have ever read. I just started reading it two days ago and I'm halfway through. Lois describes the actual events following the shooting of her daughter, Kait Arquette, who was only eighteen when she died. True, it is a very, very sad story, but at the same time, it is a great read. I totally reccommend this book for anyone who likes suspense, action, and mystery.

To this day, no one knows who killed her. http://kaitarquette.arquettes.com/

AP Test Week

Hello everyone,

I just want to apologize for not being at school during the major production and assembly of The Flash. AP Tests have dominated my life...I had AP Gov on Monday, AP Calc on Wednesday, and AP English on Thursday. I know that the paper is in good hands, and maybe it's a positive step for me to not be as controlling this time around:)

On a brighter note, I am happy with the way testing has gone this week. I have been to the Sunset Center too many times, but it makes me smile when I see the little juniors and sophomores freak out about AP World and AP US. Seeing underclassmen stress out makes me reminisce about how I was once in their shoes. I feel so old.

My philosophy on AP Testing: review books are so so so helpful. This time around, with five APs on my agenda, I have not stressed myself compared to last year...and I am being 100% truthful when I say that. It's weird, but I think it's just the fact that I know what matters is the material that I've learned...how these challenges have made me a stronger person. In the end a score from Collegeboard does not justify the journey it took to even reach the Sunset Center.

To those who have AP Tests next week...Good luck! To those who are already done...I AM JEALOUS. But nice job:)

Dance Show tonight!

In about 4 hours I will be on stage doing a hip hop dance to Blue Jeans, the opening song! The dance 1 dance shows are today, tomorrow, and Friday! And I'm in them! Yay? just kidding, yay is right but I'm still kinda nervous.  Oh well, I'm excited too.  I just hope that nerves don't make me mess up too much!  And yes, I'm a junior in dance 1... there's like probably a total of 10 juniors in dance 1.  I'm not really sure, but it's not that many.  It's mostly freshmen and sophomores, and it's pretty funny because when we do the finale at the end we bow w/ the other people in our grade and there's only three seniors!  

I'm in 3 dances.  My favorite is Goodbye Yellow Brick Road.  It's a modern dance that Mrs. Huber choreographed.  It's the one dance that I actually know all the parts really well.  The problem is at the rehearsals we've had on the stage, it gets super crowded in part of it.  For example there's this one part when I'm right up to the curtain and I still have to do a turn and travel like 2 yards.  And I'm not the only one who doesn't have enough room– someone scratched one of my friends because they were cramped.  Lots of people just can't dance full out because there's not enough room.  I wish Mrs. Huber would have us all spread out to the other side...  oh well.  thats pretty much my one complaint and now i'll stop complaining... anyway, i hope we all do well! =)

SAT suggestion

I tried to sign up for the SAT subject World History test in June, except it was all full. Honestly, it's not that big of deal because I will take several subject tests next year and history is probably not going to be my highest score. Maybe for next year, if at all possible, there could somehow be priority for those students who are currently taking the subject (especially if they are in the AP version) and there could be more advertising for signups. Does this sound reasonable?

Busiest, busiest time of the year

Studying my mind out or swimming my heart out-when I'm doing one, I'd rather be doing the other it seems. I've been consumed lately between studying AP World for my big test (eek!) and extra swim practice. The swim season ended with Championships over the weekend (in the rain!) for most of the swimmers. I got to swim JV (last opprotunity) for the first time, so I was really happy! A second and a half off my best time in my fifty free, I made consolations (top sixteen). In my other event, 200 free, I placed fifth overall, even though I was still five seconds off my best time (frustruating).

Anyway, my 200 free and 200 medley relay made sections (frosh-soph) and so I have two extra weeks of swim practice. I'm hoping it will bring me back to my fastest times (even at the cost of 1,600 yards of fly yesterday...)Sections practice means less time to study for AP World, but it means I have an extra FOUR DAYS to study. Sections (girls trials) is the same day as my AP World test so I am taking the test later, at school, with another girl who is in the same position.

I already started studying over spring break...everything just seems so overwhelming though. I've forced myself to become so disciplined that I HARDLY text until I'm done with my test and whatnot.

Let's see...what else makes this the most stressful time of year? I finally completed my tedious hiring process for the city and I cannot wait to lifeguard this summer. Oh, my little sisters are getting their First Communion and Confirmation this weekend and next weekend, so all of my family is coming up. Busy, busy, busy. Have I ever been busier? I seriously don't think so. Glad that my print story is done, at least.

I don't know how I'm going to survive the next three weeks. Best of luck to all those studying for their AP tests!

you know who you are

For the past 3 class periods I have had to deal with sticky keys on my keyboard, and not sticky like the keys stick when I type, sticky like jam hands sticky. There is someone out there eating a jam sandwich and then wiping there grubby little jam hands on my keyboard. Whoever you are, would it kill you to you some sort of napkin? Now I try to completely avoid the z key, which is the stickiest of all (and I just had to use it....gross). So that's pretty much the end of my blog, I have to go wash my hands now.

Let Down.

Okay I know that this blog is way late. But I find it much more effective to blog about something that has meaning than to force myself to blog.
Soo this weekend I went to San Luis Obispo to try out for cheer team at Cal Poly...and I suffered my first cheer try out let down. There were 60 girls trying out, and only 30 made it. But around the time that they were calling out numbers, I was feeling extremely confident that my number was going to get called. But it didn't. :[
I was seriously upset for the rest of the day...naturally!!! But I guess what's meant to happen happens, right? I mean, freshman year is supposed to be crazy and superrrr busy! So maybe it's for the best. I don't know, God likes to throw some crazy things at me.
Anyway, being at Cal Poly made everything a lot more real. Applying, getting in, and signing up for housing all seem so surreal as they are happening, but actually walking through the campus and eating lunch at one of the most popular pizza places just made me freak out. It was then that I really realized that it is going to be my HOME! I won't be able to count down the hours until I make the 6 hour drive back home...and my trip will be over.
It won't be a trip. It will be my life. I'm SCAAAREEEEDD!!!!!

sleep

I definitely need some of it. It seems like it has been far too long since I have gotten a full nights sleep. Even on the weekends I am forced to wake up fairly early for some reason another.
This last weekend I took the EPT and the ELM for the CSU's. It wasnt hard, just time consuming, and not exactly what I would have liked to be doing at 7 in the morning. I would have preferred a nice relaxing morning in my bed.
Now that I think about it, this was an extremely long weekend. Usually when I do a bunch of stuff over the weekend they pass really quickly, but this one dragged on, in a good way. Another day would have been nice, but we cants always get what we want hah.
Oh and, Star Trek comes out this weekend at my work. Senior Ball and Senior class trip weekend. What a beautiful thing, not. I already requested Saturday off, so its likely that I wont get Friday off for Six Flags, since we will be super busy at the theatre. YAY!

Can't Wait !

Last week was by far the worst week of my life. CST testing , SAT's on Saturday, plus the overall stress of homework and other tests. I cannot believe that it is already the month of May. So far May has been a good month and will continue to be a good month. For Memorial Day weekend my family is going to Disneyland once again. School is almost over and the only thing that we still have to stress out about are the finals and finishing our tests. Other thank that we have everything too look forward too, Senior Sunrise, End of the year rally, and so much more to get us ready for next year. This summer I am going to Chicago and New York with Ashley !!!!!!! This month will definatley be something to look forward to.

The Rocker

I recently saw the movie "The Rocker" and I thought it was pretty funny. It stars Rainn Wilson, from "The Office," Christina Applegate, and singer Teddy Geiger, along with a few other current Saturday Night Live cast members. The plot of the movie is that an 80s rock band drummer in high school (Rainn Wilson) is kicked out of the band and for the next 20 years has to hear about all of their success. Now, his nephew's band is need of a new drummer and they have no one else for the position. Throughout the movie, their experiences are comical and enjoyable for the audience. The movie turned out better than I expected, so I give it a 7 out of 10. If you like Rainn Wilson, you should watch it.

may sucks

ap exams suck. AP US this friday, AP biology the monday after. what do i have left to do?
ap us:
- finish the entire review book (almost)
- basically memorize all the review packets
- memorize the list of literature
- memorize the court cases

ap bio:
- finish the entire review book (almost)
- review online activities on the book's CD

yaaaaayyy.
also on my to-do list for the next three weeks is to find a job....at the mall. gross.
so far ive applied to:
citi wear
pac sun
charlotte russe
wet seal
delia's
gap kids
that one candle place
pottery barn kids
bath and body works
anchorblue
claire's
the disney store
aeropostale
spencers

wish me luck!

Testing

Last week was a week of chaos, for me at least. Everyday, I woke up knowing that all I had to look forward to was CST testing, which in my mind, is pointless. Being trapped in a classroom with the same group of classmates every day for an entire week, does not appeal to me. Nor does filling in bubble after bubble on the answer document. Although it evaluates our school, the CST test has no personal benefit to the students. It's not like it will help students get into college, further our career, nothing. I don't understand why we have to take these test evey year since elementary school. The only motivation that the school provides is a barbeque and free dance, which is not worth it to me. The dance after the football game, no ones usually goes to, and the barbeque is a good idea I guess, but after waitng in line so long, it becomes pointless. On top of having testing all week, I had to take the SAT's on Staurday. Another day of pure testing, but atleast this test will actually benifit me. Hopefully I did well. Anyways, after a straight 5 days of testing, I am definatly glad were done.

Oops

Yeah, I just realized that I forgot to post my blog yesterday, and I don't really know what to write about. I will say that there is definitely such a thing as being tested out. A week of CST and then an SAT2(which, btw,I learned will no longer be required for admission into UC's as of 2012, so it seems really pointless to be taking them) and then AP's starting next week...fun. On the other hand, once I get those out of the way, then Junior year is basically over. Sure, I have a few projects left to do, but those aren't exactly labor intensive.
And it's weird, because with the realization that Junior year is really nearing it's end, it is beginning to dawn on me that my life here at Rocklin is also entering it's final stage. It's a strange feeling. For instance, I'm going to Washington D.C. with my family over the summer, and at first, it does not seem like that big a deal, just a fun vacation. But then I realize, it's almost certainly going to be my last BIG family vacation, at least for a very long time. That's kind of exciting, the prospect of moving on, but at the same time it's really sad. I'm ready to enter the real world, I'm just not sure I want to simply give up the life I have known for, well, my whole life.
But, I still have a year and a summer left, plenty of time to enjoy myself.

I Decided.

I know this is going to be a very common topic over the next few days on here, but I've chosen a school. I'm going to be a UC Santa Cruz slug come fall.
And to me, this is utterly dynamic.

This is the biggest decision I've ever made in my life. I not only chose to move out of my parents' house and am launching myself into an alternate universe, but I took an uncomfortable leap.
I didn't follow all of my friends, which are all either going to Davis, SacState, or Sierra.
All local schools. They're all close enough for comfort and a weekend home with mom and dad.

I'm also aware of how trivial this sounds- that I even had an issue deciding because of my friends' decisions. But these aren't just friends. They're like my family. I've gone to school with them since elementary school, we share childhood memories together. We've milked Rocklin for all the entertainment it could provide for us over the last 18 years. And I expected them to scatter with their school choices, all over California. So I wouldn't be the odd one out.
However, they all decided on Davis or SacState. Don't know how this happened, but Davis seemed to work out for all of them. I'm the only one who's actually leaving home.
My friends are even rooming together.
This allows me to wipe a clean slate, and start over. But I've been second-guessing the fact that I actually want that, and its made this choice especially difficult for me to make, given its magnitude.
So this is a life experiment. We'll see how it turns out, and what kind of person I become in the process.