Finals Week

Towards the end of the first semester I didn’t know what to expect for finals week.  For the past two weeks I have been drowning in loads of homework and exams.  I am not used to having to manage my time on my own and decide when to do my work.  This is a complete shock to me and I have never really felt this stressed before about schoolwork.  All throughout high school I didn’t care about my schoolwork and I rarely studied for a test.  I was never one to get stressed about my work.  Now, I realize how important it is to learn how to manage my time and study.  I wish I had done more work in high school and paid attention to prepare for college because now I am a step behind.  Although it is fun to go out every night and have a good time, now I need to manage my time and stay in and actually do work and study.  There are no excuses in college as to why you didn’t do your work like you could do in high school.  I never thought I would catch myself sitting in a library doing my schoolwork until this year.  It is much better than I thought and it makes it easier to pay attention and get work done.  After all of these finals and essays are over with I get to look forward to going home for the vacation.  This makes it easier to get through the next two stressful weeks.  

My Freshman Year

            Before I came to college I was extremely excited to leave high school and start new.  During my senior year I looked forward to meeting new people and experiencing a new life in college.  I knew it would be very hard for me to leave all of my best friends and my family but I knew it would have to happen eventually.  Most of my friends went away to college also so I knew I wasn’t the only one leaving.  I never thought in a million years I would be homesick until I got dropped off at college for move in day.  This was a complete shock to me! The transition from high school to college was more difficult that I thought it would be.  The teachers are very different and they don’t treat you like a baby like I was used to.  This is good and bad in different ways.  This helped me learn how to read directions and pay attention rather than my high school teachers going over everything slowly.  For the first two weeks I was very homesick and made my dad go crazy.  I begged for him to let me come home, but he told me to stick it out for the first semester.  As I started to adjust to the transition, everything seemed to get a lot easier and I became less homesick each day.  I made a lot of new friends here, which made it a lot easier to get over being homesick.  Now when I look back to when I was begging my dad to come home I laugh because now I can’t imagine myself being home.  I would be so bored at home and would regret leaving here very much.  Being in college gives you much more freedom but it takes some time to learn how to manage your time with schoolwork.  Although I have to deal with my dad saying, “told you so” I’m very happy I listened to him and gave it a shot.  This is a huge step in everyone’s life and to not get the full experience of living alone and being independent would be a huge mistake.  

My Nationals Experience

Throughout my life the greatest influence on me has been my kick line team.  Starting at a very young age I was always into dancing.  When I got into middle school I tried out for the kick line team.  I made it going into sixth grade.  My team had around thirty girls on it.  We went to competitions every Sunday and competed against different schools in New York.  This experience has helped me learn a lot about working together as a team.  Being able to dance in front of a large group of people is very hard to do.  This helped me become a stronger person and I gained courage by doing it.  Our team got first place for the majority of the three years I was on it.  If not first place it was second.  Winning first place is not always what counts; it's about doing your best and having fun while doing it.  

When I got into ninth grade it was time for tryouts for either junior varsity or varsity.  I made varsity my first year in high school which was a total shock for me!  Five of my best friends and I all made the same team, which was amazing.  This was a huge accomplishment for me and a start of a new life.  Making this team was a dream come true for me; I also gained a lot of confidence.  Every Sunday we had competitions with various different schools in New York.  My team was undefeated for all four years of my high school career.  Every March my team went to nationals in Florida.  We stayed there for three nights at the Hard Rock Hotel in Orlando.  This is where all different schools from around the world came to compete against each other.  My first year at nationals was the most nerve wracking for me; I didn't know what to expect.  Nationals was the most difficult competition we have all year.  The feeling right before I went on stage to compete; is the scariest, but most exciting feeling I’ve ever felt.  I've never felt more accomplished then I did after I was done with my routine.  By doing this it helped me get over my fear and become less shy.  In ninth grade when it was time to hear the results all of the teams sat on the stage in eager to hear the winner.  At this point my stomach felt like I was on a roller coaster and I began to shake.  My whole team was holding one another as tight as possible.  After hearing all the teams place up to twentieth place we began to worry.  When the judges announced the third place winner and we didn't hear our school's name we squeezed each other even tighter.  They then announced the difference between winning first and second place was .0059 of a point. The judges then paused for ten seconds, which felt like an hour.  That then made every one much more nervous.  When we didn't hear our name for second place our team went out of control. Everyone was jumping, cheering, and crying out of happiness.  This feeling was the best feeling I've ever experienced.  We got a leather jacket for winning and a gigantic trophy.  We wore our jackets everywhere in 100 degree weather.  The heat didn't stop us for a second!  This proves that if you work hard for what you want, you will succeed.  

Nationals for the next three years was still very nerve wracking and exciting for me.  Each year I became more confident and helped me become a stronger person. We won first place for kick line every year I was on it.  I was thrilled to win, but nothing will ever compare to the feeling I got in ninth grade.  It was a once in a lifetime feeling and experience that I will never forget.  I gained a lot by this experience and learned if you put your heart into something you love, you will be rewarded. 

Response to Gabbys Response:"Facebook"

            I agree with Gabby, facebook is a great way to stay connect with friends and meeting new ones.  When facebook frist came out I never really understood wat it was all about until I got one for myself.  Now I can’t imagine myself without one.  Everyone I know has a facebook and is addicted to it!  This relatively new piece of technology is a great way to stay connected to friends and family.  Before I came to college, I joined a University of Hartford group.  Little did I know I’d find my roommate in that group.  It was awesome that I got to see her pictures and what kind of girl she was before I even got to meet her.  We exchanged information and met up before school started.  This was a great way to get to know each other before school.  I also got to meet some of the other girls in this group and we got together before school started also.  This was a great way to get a head start to get to know people before school started.  It’s a great way and quite useful in keeping up with my friends back home and at college.  I love looking at their pictures and seeing what there up to and seeing their new friends.  At times I get upset knowing that they have different friends, but I know that we will all be best friends forever.  Sometimes facebook gives out a little too much information and everyone knows everything about one another.  If there is a breakup between a relationship, everyone knows and comfronts one another.  But, for the most part, facebook is a great way to get to meet people and keep up with distant friends and family.  

Response to: "The World as we Know it"

As soon as I read Courtney’s first paragraph I knew I could relate to the same problem as she does. I agree with her, the world today does seem to only revolve around money, looks, and materials.  Usually, it mattered if you were a nice person; today the world sees a person much differently.  It doesn’t matter if you have a good heart, really all that matters is how expensive your car is and what brand clothing you wear.  This shows how people are judged by their appearance and not the type of person you were. 

I also first realized this was happening in high school.  I am from a decently wealthy town where mostly everyone judges you for what you have and look like.  If you were ugly, fat, didn’t wear nice clothes or have a nice car, most people didn’t like you.  In my school there were clicks between every friend group.  No one could like anyone if they were different from you.  If my friends and I saw someone getting picked on we were right there sticking up for them.  I hate it when people are mean to others because they are different.  When someone is making fun of someone it just shows that they are insecure about themselves.  This is problem in most high schools where they are too immature to accept others for who they are.  If someone is different from you, it doesn’t make him or her a bad person.  Most people don’t realize that, but eventually they will. 

Money is the one of the major issues and main focus today.  Everything is so expensive and taxes are much higher.  The price of gas went up to around $4.30.  This is extremely expensive and most people don’t have the money to spend 50 to 60 dollars on gas every other week.  Not only the prices of gas is going up but also food and other necessary goods.  The prices of stuff you actually need are going up and most people are buying really expensive cars and clothes that aren’t necessary to buy the most expensive of.  It’s a waste of money and isn’t necessary like gas and food are.  Most people are buying expensive materials to impress others so people like then.   

I agree with Courtney, most people do buy the most expensive clothes and cars just to impress people.  I think this is ridiculous and people should stop worrying about what other people think about you and stop judging people for what they have and don’t.  Sometimes people judge me and think I judge people on what they have and look like.  When I hear that it really makes me upset to think people think I am like that.  Although people may think I am that type of person I am not.  I do not judge people before I get to meet them and see what type of person they really are.  I don’t not like someone because of their appearance because most of the time they are really nice, caring people.  When I first meet somebody I am shy, but once I get to know him or her I connect to them really easily.  I love making new friends and learning about others differences.  If everyone were the same the world would be so boring.  If someone judges a person on their looks, they are usually the people who don’t have many friends and typically don’t like themselves for who they are.  This is a major problem with many high school students. 

I also believe that the world would be a better place if everyone stopped judging everyone for what they have and appreciate what you have.  If people stopped judging others for what they look like and how much money they have, everyone would have muss less to worry about.  There is a lot more to a person besides their looks and economic status.  People should appreciate the things they have and focus on other more important things in life.   

Response to: "My New Home"

I totally agree with Amber, going off to college was also a huge change for me, along with everybody else.  Being here for only a month, I also feel like I’ve been here forever!  The first two weeks I was here, I was extremely homesick.  I called my dad everyday begging for him to let me come home.  He told me it will eventually get better, it just takes time.  I didn’t believe him until two weeks went by, I finally started to adapt to the change.  Now I thank my dad for not letting me come home and to give it a chance.  I know that if I went home I would have regretted it. 

The first day of classes I met a group of girls who seemed to be just like me.  The nine of us get along perfectly and I feel like I’m at home.  One of them being my roommate.  Leaving my best friends was very difficult for me to do.  We’ve all been best friends since fifth grade.  Meeting these girls made it a lot easier for me to get my mind off of all that was going on.  I live in complex B, Stevens.  I also thought that I wouldn’t fit in and get along with the girls on my floor.  After I met them I realized I was wrong.  There are ten really nice girls that live on my side of the floor.  We all seem to have a lot of common interests.  Although we have many differences, that’s what makes us all get along.  Even though we don’t all hangout a lot, it’s always good to change the scenery in one another’s room.   We have fun together when we are just hanging out, eating till we get sick, or just watching a movie together.  I feel like I’m at home when I’m in my friend’s rooms. 

Living with a roommate and nine other girls was also a big change for me, but also a lot of fun.  I grew up with a brother and always wanted to feel what it was like to have a sister.  I never knew what it was like, and now I feel like I have ten.  Living with these girls makes me feel like I have a bunch of sisters.  It is very different sharing a room with another person.  My whole life I’ve had my own room and had no rules.  Now that I share a room with another girl not all the decisions are up to me.  At first this was kind of difficult to adapt to the change.  But now it’s a lot of fun.  Of course there are times where we don’t both agree about particular stuff, but that’s normal.  My roommate and I became very close over these past couple of weeks.  We go out every night together with the rest of our friends.  Sharing clothes and doing each other’s hair and makeup is very enjoyable for me.  It’s like having a sister I’ve always wanted.  When I get back from classes I also find at least one door open with people in the room doing something.  This makes me feel at home and is a lot more comforting.  This helps a lot in times like being stressed out and homesick.  We also share some differences as well as everybody else.  I agree that differences are good; it makes everything more interesting and fun. 

Being in college for only a month, I already feel like I’ve grown up a lot.  Having such great friends makes everything easier and takes my mind off all the bad.  I’ve learned a lot about living with someone else and how to deal with certain situations.  Even though at times I get frustrated along with everybody else, in the end everything always works out.  At times I get homesick and stressed, I know that everything will eventually get better, it only takes time.  

The House Bunny

The week before I left for college, a few of my best friends and I went to see, The House Bunny. This movie was a about a 27 year old playboy bunny named Shelley Darlington. She lived the lavish life at the playboy mansion.  Shelley and three other playboy bunnies lived with a very wealthy, old man, known as Hugh Hefner.  Everything was going well for Shelley until a jealous rival got her thrown out of the mansion.  With her having nowhere else to go, Shelley ended up at Zeta Alpha Zeta sorority house.  Since she was too old to live as a resident in the sorority, she became the house mother.  According to Shelley the sorority houses looked like "mini-playboy mansions".  This sorority was filled with the campus's biggest losers.  They were the complete opposite of beautiful and outgoing, Shelley.  In order for the Zetas to keep their sorority house, they must attract thirty more pledges.  For the seven girls this is quite impossible for them to do without Shelley's help.  She taught the girls how to solve their problem by; big hair, a lot of makeup, and the right amount of cleavage. Basically you need to be dumb and pretty to have any value in society.  The socially inept girls try to help Shelley on what their good at, having a sense of individually.  By all of them learning from each other; they learn to stop pretending, and start being themselves.  This movie set a perfect example that deal with many teenage girls who try to be someone their not.  Some people try to do things just to fit in with the "popular crowd".  This movie shows a group of girls who weren't popular, but still managed to fit in after all by still being themselves.  People who are popular aren't the only ones who can have fun, sometimes it just takes a little bit of reassuring and motivation. Being in college is not like high school; no one knows you and how you were in previous years. The best part about it is being able to start new and being who ever you want to be.  By the end of this movie I realized being the most popular isn't what's important, it's about being who you truly are and not what others what you to be.