So here at "In Other News," I was asked to write a commentary about high school. Well, mostly about senior year. Usually things can flow through me like a muse, but I just couldn't do it. With all the crumpled up paper on my floor and even a Chinese restaurant menu I attempted to write on, I'd try to catch that creative wave, but something kept stopping me.
Finally, I realized that sometimes in life there's pressure to make something as perfect as it can be and this being my last story for ATMI, the sadness of finally having to leave kept creeping closer.
So, the night before I graduated I just sat and began to write about what was going on in that brain up there and this is what I realized: I truly built my world around high school, my second home as they say.
Submerging myself in more and more activities, it started to become a joke that I put in more hours at school than teachers themselves. I guess I did it because I naturally wanted to help my school; it made me feel empowered, and important as well.
It's been quite the transition from freshman year to senior year, with even a change in morning routine. It went from waking up an hour and a half before I left to curl my hair, and picking out just the right outfit to waking up 15 minutes before I leave and wearing whatever is comfortable.
Senior year is a big change, especially at my high school. A natural excitement goes through the mind of a senior, being the big kids on campus. The class of 2004 was looking for their moment to shine. I was the president of the school this year and I was especially excited to make this year different and the best senior year for the students at Bartlett High School. It seemed as if everything was in its place. Well, until you actually reached the school. Excited to park where those oh-so-cool seniors parked the year before, we approached the parking lot, but then were guided by security to park in the gym parking lot...a football field distance away from the school. Alright, that was fine. So, after about a 10-minute hike to school, I rushed up to senior hall to put stuff in my locker, until I discovered half of senior hall was missing...it was being made into chemistry classrooms.
And as I put my things in my locker, about a mile away from my classes, these security guards come running down the hall and shouting. Well, here I am thinking it's a fire or that someone has a gun in school. Nope, it was the threat off a boy with a hat on. Now, I'm all for following the rules, but bringing in the swat team to control the hats on teenager's heads is a bit much.
Weeks followed and soon we had student protests against our hat policy. Students dressing in white t-shirts carrying signs that said, "We believe in the first amendment" kind of made me chuckle. Wearing your hat isn't exactly your first amendment right, but hey, if they are learning their constitution, I guess that's good, right? Senior year did go alright, things were kind of rocky with all the transition at our school, but for the most part, just keeping our minds and hearts positive maintained our own success in everything we did.
I feel like I've seen a lot of the world illustrated within the walls of school. Relationships, trusts broken, friendships, fights, even the occasional pie eating contest...Well, ok so it was sort of the real world.
The thing I enjoyed the most was school spirit. I feel like through spirit the school came together. Some of the weirdest ways I encouraged school spirit was donning a toga and afro and starting the wave in the crowd at a pep assembly. Yeah, some of that you hope no one ever remembers. Like I wouldn't exactly like to sit at the table at the 10-year reunion with Andy, the football jock going "hey, didn't you like, wear a school fairy costume?" Instead of, "how are you, what is your career, are you married?" No, they'll question about a spirit costume. No doubt I had fun throughout high school, prom, yearbooks, the basketball game we only lost by one point at the buzzer can you tell I'm still bitter? So walking out of school, we chose to go the long way to the exit. And it was one of the weirdest feelings I've ever experienced...you look at certain places in the school and its almost a flashback, the memories are truly imprinted in your mind. When you walk out of those doors, it's surreal, it all feels like freshman year was just months ago.
By the time you hear this--I'll be a high school graduate, but today, the thought of the real world comes to mind. What exactly is it and how will I fit in it? And then, the thought of college? I can barely do my own laundry, so how exactly am I supposed to conform to this dorm life everyone speaks of. No doubt I'm scared, but also in me comes a hint of excitement. Being away from everyone, it's time to make my own future and set my own goals to achieve. I truly cannot wait for that. So in that sea of blue tomorrow night will be me, Hellen Fleming, a girl who loves life and can't wait to walk across that stage and take what the world gives her. So for one last time...for ATMI I'm Hellen Fleming.
Goodbye to high school
