Wednesday, April 23, 2014

College Visits and Spring Break

It's now the middle of the strangest spring break I've ever had. Spring break likely started Friday with it being club day at school. I managed to attended 2 clubs, Bible Club and FCCLA. I usually don't go to them because of the classes I'm taking, but we weren't doing much since it was the last day before break. I was very thankful for FCCLA meeting during my last class, band. We have a strange schedule with the band classes where juniors and seniors have band everyday, but the freshman and sophomores alternate band days and gym days. Were playing a piece requiring 2 piccolos, and I play second. The first piccolo is a sophomore. Friday just happened to be his gym day and also happened to be a day the band director wanted to play the piece. I'd usually stick through it, except there are 2 piccolo duets in which we stand out a lot. Solos aren't exactly my thing, and I almost always mess them up even after practicing. So you can imagine how nervous I was feeling even after such a great day. Halfway through the class we had almost reached the first duet, and the office announced that all club members were to be released for club. Friday worked out well for me, I managed to play the beginning of the piece very well on piccolo, AP bio was pretty much a movie day, we talked controversies in government, and we had a food day in english ending with Bible club and a great speaker.

Monday was the only day I got to myself, so I of course spent it sitting around watching movies. Yesterday was the interesting day where mom and I went to the local community college to talk to advisers, went to lunch downtown, went to the dentist, got smoothies, and got haircuts. The dentist was better than expected at first when they gave me a graduation card with a $20 gift card to Barnes and Noble. They also didn't mention flossing at all. But there was a catch to the kindness; I have to get my wisdom teeth out, all 4. I doubt it'll happen soon because of school, graduation, the AP exam, and trips, but I'm still not looking forward to it.

Today is almost to myself, but dad is home working around the house. I might ask a friend to meet me at the Burgers, Shakes, and Cream for ice cream, but apparently it's a but windy and cold out. I'm trying to relax before tomorrow when we'll be visiting Virginia Tech. I have another appointment with an adviser at the community college tomorrow morning, but then we'll be driving to VT for another appointment with an adviser. Friday will be another free day with dad home. Now excuse me to my scheduled tv shows and relaxation while I avoid AP assignments.

Saturday, April 12, 2014

A Poem About Summer

To me, summer starts when the first thunderstorm arrives;
summer starts when you can walk around at night without wearing a jacket;
it starts when coffee shops serve iced drinks again;
it starts when music festivals are selling tickets;
summer starts when the marching band schedule gets released for the first time;
it starts when the seniors’ caps and gowns arrive;
it starts when field trips become a weekly thing;
summer starts when churches announce mission trips for the youth;
it starts when summer camps send out fliers;
it starts when music can be heard anywhere;
Maybe this is why I love summer so much;
It promises new days where anything can happen;
there’s no specific order of events;
there’s always so much to do;and time to do it.

Meeting Old Friends

I’d say today’s been a pretty good and productive day. I haven’t done any of my homework, but I feel really relaxed and calm. I slept til 10:30 and had my second favorite breakfast, french toast. I also had my 2 cups of coffee while scrolling through pinterest.
My dad was working around the house today, so mom and I went to look for shoes to wear to prom as well as some straps for my dress. We went to an arts and crafts store to find the straps, and ran into a neighbor who had moved into town around 8 years ago. Her 2 daughters were my best friends. One is a year older, and the other a year younger than me. The oldest is currently at college as a musical theater major and part of an A Capella group. The youngest is a junior in high school as a proclaimed writing major. After we bought our stuff at the store, her mom invited us to the smoothie shop on the lower level. The youngest sister was there waiting for us, so we sat there with our smoothies for about 30 minutes catching up since we haven’t talked in person for 7 years. We've all changed so much in such a short few years. Not only did I discover my favorite smoothie, but I got to meet an old best friend again. And we talked as if we still lived down the street from each other.I really wish I'd gotten to visit them more often after they moved. They truly were my closest friends even though none of us were in the same grade. 
After we left, mom and I went to mall to get the shoes and check out the new stores at the mall. We got a really late 3 o’clock lunch at Sbarro. We went to Food Lion to get ingredients for lunch tomorrow. And now we’re home.

Sunday, March 30, 2014

Senior Year and Many Events

I just now realized how close graduation really is, I have a little over 2 months left of high school. The first of many senior meetings started Thursday on the topic of upcoming dates and the senior trip. We had the choices of: $115-Busch Gardens w/ lunch at Short Pump, $115-Dollywood w/ Ripley's Aquarium, $115-Baltimore shopping trip and Nationals v Phillies in DC w/ Cheesecake Factory, or $25- All you can eat buffet and carnival games at the local baseball stadium. The winner by 40 votes was Baltimore. We go there on a Thursday and get back at midnight. The very next day we have our senior breakfast, awards ceremony, and senior luncheon. We'll all be attacking the coffee machine at the senior breakfast conveniently scheduled the day after the senior trip. It'll be fun though, most of us have been to all the choices except Baltimore.

Last night was the start to many bonfires and birthday parties coming up. Last night was my friend Katey's surprise 18th birthday party at a local restaurant. Her family and a few friends were there, and we discovered how awesome her family is. Next weekend is my dad's birthday, so we'll be having the family over for supper that night. The next Friday I'm having a bonfire/game night with some friends, and it's also the night of the spring ball. The next day is Courtney's birthday bonfire at her family's farm. After that we have graduation parties to plan. May 31st is Relay for Life and the Blue Ridge Music Festival. Many things to prepare and so little time.

In other news, I'm probably attending the local community college for 2 years and later transfer to a university. This means I'll be getting a job to occupy my time I'd rather spend exploring a college town far away from here. One idea was being a waitress at my favorite BBQ place which is owned by my friend's parents. Another idea was being a freelance writer at the town paper. My favorite idea I'll only get to do in the summer, is being a counselor at a summer camp.

I've gone to a few summer camps, all of them being in middle school and high school. I've gone to many girl scout day camps, and two over night camps. I went to a church camp overnight for an entire week, the longest one I've gone to. I've gone to band camp 4 times, all of them being overnight for a week. Last summer I went with the juniors and seniors of my youth group camping for 2 nights. This summer I'll finally get to go to Student Life Camp with my youth group, that will be the longest camp I've been to once the week is over.

I'm interested in being a counselor at a summer camp because I love being around kids, and I love to teach. I've changed because of the camps I've gone to, they've made me who I am today, and I want to be a part of that experience for other kids. I never really appreciated summer camps while I was actually there, but after I left, the camp left something inside me that's stayed there. I miss going to camps, and I know I'm too old to go to a stereotypical summer camp as a camper, so why not be a counselor. I may be quiet sometimes, but I've learned that it's children that bring me out of my shell.

I've spent my entire weekend reminiscing instead of doing homework, and it's probably gonna stay that way. I'm so done with this school year and all the snow we've been getting.

Thursday, March 20, 2014

I'm Back

I know I haven't posted in a week or so, but I figured no one really reads this so... Anyways, we got an Excellent at State Assessment a couple weeks ago, since then we've been looking at music for the spring pops concert in May. This concert has always been my favorite since it's more relaxed, and because we're familiar with most of the music. In past years we've played things such as Hallelujah, which by the was the senior song which I'll get to later,Led Zeppelin, in which a senior saxophone had the best time of his life, and Star Trek, where we played around with the stage lights.  The senior song is usually the slowest piece we have at the spring concert, and throughout the piece we have the seniors stand one by one. 

This year we're playing Frozen, At A Dixieland Funeral, Stormchaser, Grand Serenade for an Awful lot of Winds and Percussion, Groove Music, and an undetermined piece which will likely be either The Incredibles or Reverberations. When us seniors were little 8th graders, we were supposed to play Reverberations with the high school band, but we couldn't handle it. It seems like we're gonna have a fun concert; the jazz band I think is playing Walk That Dinosaur, so it'll be fun.

Drum major tryouts are coming up, and one of the sophomores auditioning used to be one of the shyest people in the band. I remember when we met at auditions and we discovered we have the same name, and thus the friendship began. She's one of our best clarinet players now, and a great leader. Tryouts this year are gonna be tough though. The show music was announced today, and a potential show theme to go with it. The music is on inspiremusic.com and called Immortal. The show online is a vampire show, but we'll probably change it to be based off of Dorian Grey. It's so sad I won't be marching in it since I'm graduating, but I'm glad in a way that I'm leaving. I kind of burned out last year, and there's been a lot of tension between another girl in the section and I. The show has a flute solo in it, so the two of us probably would've killed each other.



Monday, March 10, 2014

Colleges, Biology, and Books

I know it's March, but I have this urge to apply to a couple other colleges. I applied to VT, but I'll likely go to VWCC for financial reasons. I have the opportunity to go to VWCC my first 2 years for free, maybe. There are 2 other places I want to apply to, but my parents aren't as willing to help me if I go there. The reason I want to go to the other places is so I can leave this town. I love my hometown, but I've never been away from it for more than a week or two every summer, usually just a few days at a time. My house, as I've discovered this year, is very distracting when I try to do homework. I know there'll be a lot more to do by going away to college and more to distract me, but there'll also be more places to help me concentrate. I have trouble studying at home and it's showing in my grades.

I have this need for adventure as well, I know I'll be doing plenty of exploring this summer, but living in a new place would be a wonderful opportunity. I could get to know a new place and discover it like I have home. I want to meet new people, not see the all same ones in a community college. I want opportunities, a job, friends, adventure, and so many things, but it's not about what I want is it? I'm not sure where it is God is leading me to go. I'm not sure how I'll know when He does tell me.

I did notice today though, that I seem to be trying to follow in the steps of a friend of mine, Grace. She's a year ahead of me but only 2 months older, she goes to VT and has been a mentor and friend to me for many years. As I was thinking about my path today, I noticed how similar a path I'm trying to follow is to her's. I don't mean to copy, but I think she's noticed and has distanced herself from me. Not that it's a bad thing, she has a lot going on and doesn't need me as much I need her.

You may ask how I so suddenly got to thinking about all this so late in application season, there are few reasons, all of which happened today. I saw Grace on my way home, my friend got accepted into his first choice, my band friends were talking of graduation cap decorating, and I received a magazine for possible applicants to JMU.

My overall goal is to attend VT, so JMU would be very hard to transfer from since they have a reputation of holding onto their students, in ways that range from love of the school to not enough math courses to transfer. A lot of my friends go to JMU, including my best friend, so I've considered applying there as well as another nearby university. Both are a but more costly than VWCC though.

Enough about college, lets go back to today. As a result of being sick all weekend, I didn't have a chance nor the energy to study for the test in AP Biology today. And because I didn't study, I could remember hardly anything, making me bs the entire thing. I gave the most sarcastic answers, the teacher will be rolling on the floor laughing, or crying of how badly I did. I'm not exactly proud, but I wrote an explanation, not an excuse, but a reason to why I did so poorly. So I'm hoping for mercy.

As for books, I've gone back to reading and watching Harry Potter again. I'm too busy to really get into any novels, so I'm reading some books that're good , but not enough to not let me go do things I need to get done, as well as some I can always fall back on.

No homework tonight, so I've got time to read and write, that's if my parents let me though. I got a desk in my room and moved my laptop in there, so I'm almost always in my room. My parents are complaining about it, but whenever I join them in the living room, it's just to watch tv or get criticized. I should probably stop typing before I fall asleep, cough medicine is making me a bit drowsy.