Summer Checklist

Summer...Summer...Summer...Summer...

Okay, we get it...High School Musical II is really the only thing on our minds during those last minutes before the final bell rings and we are free for three blissful months.

Oh, COME ON (you know it's true).

So nine months of school are finally over. And three months of sun, surf and excitement are just around the corner. All of you high school survivors deserve to have a little fun. 

While the ladies are getting ready to get their tan on and the guys are cannon-balling into the community pool, here are a few must-haves for your handy-dandy summer survival kit. 

The Summer Survival Checklist

What to keep in your beach-bag

First off, you need sunscreen. Don't get me wrong, tans are great but burning is not and no one wants peeling skin.

Stylish shades are fundamental. Florida already means sunglasses are a must 24-7 (with UV-ray protection). During the summer they are necessary for survival. 

Swim suit! Even if you don't plan on going swimming, you should pack it. Once, I was out with the family and we were passing the beach. My parents were dressed in slacks and heels but that did nothing to stop us from grabbing our swimsuits and jumping in. You never know when these urges will show up and you might as well be prepared. 

Emergency towel: When out with friends, you never know whose pool you'll be jumping into.

Flip flops: I wear sandals all summer, but flip flops are best for the beach.

A hat: Who enjoys face burn? I doubt anybody does. If you do not want sunscreen on your face, a hat will keep you safe. 

Goggles. Swimming with the fish implies seeing the fish. Goggles will provide this freedom. Scuba gear also bestows this joy (and assists breathing).

What else should we add to the beach bag?

Looking Back On Freshman Year

It’s the first day of high school and although I am convinced that no nerves are negatively affecting me, as soon as my mother pulls up in the car loop, my body virtually transforms into the anxious and jumpy middle school child I was not too long ago. However, my mom assures me that I will do just fine and to keep my head up and so I would. As I stroll into my algebra II honors class (just a tad after the bell rings), I realize this is the beginning of my high school career… high school career… MY high school career.

In retrospect of my freshman year of high school, I recall being stressed, radiating joviality, at times feeling no interest of a social life, eating chocolate ice cream with strawberries as a power snack, and developing bonds and interests that are here to stay. Over the summer I had anticipated becoming involved in clubs (which have allowed me to meet congenial new people), excelling in my academics (which is rewarding beyond words), partaking in volunteering (which I become more fond of the more I do it), and so on the list goes. My goal was to be the best I could be and never back down from an obstacle solely because it was difficult to surmount, and so I did.

Yes, there were times that I asked myself Why are you putting yourself through this, is it even worth it? with tears brimming my eyes not having had a good night's sleep in a long time. I've come to find Yes, it is worth it. 

I can’t wait for the next three years of high school, and beyond that. I must declare that it is quite the experience. The years go by faster than able to be perceived. High school is what you make of it. I had a great time because of my school spirit and myriad of diverse ambitions (striving to achieve them... and achieving them). I’ve managed to get straight A’s both semesters, be class president, and win awards in JROTC, HOSA, yearbook, and more. 

There was a lot on my plate, and I loved every second of it.

Advice for anyone? Do your best, and never forget that you are capable of greatness when your heart is put into what you aspire. 

“We are what we repeatedly do. Therefore, excellence is not an act. It is a habit.” -Aristotle

Cheers to high school success and happiness, because YOLO. 

Summer Reading

Just when I think that I’m finally free from the bonds of required reading and headed to a blissful two months of no productivity, I get my summer assignments.

Every year, when I receive this fateful list, I rush to Amazon.com, determined to make this the summer that I actually finish the books before the last three days of summer. For the past three summers, I’ve started out with one goal: to start my essays in mid-July and finish nice and early before August even starts. I’ve written out reading schedules, told my parents to keep me accountable, even promised myself rewards for finishing early. Somehow as I lay on the beach and work on my tan, school sinks lower on my to-do list.  It resurfaces a few weels later with the panic of “oh my gosh I have five days to read three novels and 8 chapters in my AP Art History textbook.” So will this, my last summer as a highschooler, be any different? Probably not. But hey, a girl can dream.

Does anyone else have this problem? How did you overcome it

PATENTPENDING

School starts for me tomorrow...back to reality.

So while the chaos begins again - AP classes, SATs, volunteer work and clubs - I am looking forward to the music that keeps me as sane as possible.

Of course, this includes the basics - Coldplay, The Fray, TSwift, David Guetta, Jack's Mannequin, Eminem, Simple Plan and blink182 - the list goes on and on, and on.

While on YouTube I stumbled upon a band from New Jersey, Patent Pending. They're pretty cool.

Here is a link to their website and a YouTube video of one of their really awesome music videos.

http://www.patentpendingmusic.com/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oQkOhQjcW4Y

PatentPending is definitely a band to watch. And it is also going to be the band that keeps me sane until summer.

I Think the Worst is Over... Maybe?

My first quarter of high school was gruesome, filled with gut wrenching tests, unexcpected pop quizzes, and the occasional "bring your grades up or say goodbye to UF" speeches from mom. Overall, it wasn't that terrible, but I ended up not getting as many As as I would have hoped on the report card.

However, we're smack dab in the middle of the second quarter, and my grades are much better the second time around. In the first quarter, everything was so new, teachers included. It took me a while to adjust to such a big atmosphere, let alone the school work itself. I think I adjusted well, I've learned how teachers like certain things, and now, in the second quarter, have done a much better job than beore. (So far.)

Although, I have no idea how the next two quarters will be like, and I'm dreading Mid-Terms and Finals (just thinking about the AP Exam makes me sick), I'm proud of myself, and enjoying my grades as they are now, because you never know how things will end up.

Dear Awkward Middle Schooler...

What's small, eats a lot, and can't find its place in the world?

That's right. A middle schooler.

I personally prefer not to look back upon a time where I thought wearing big skater shoes would make me look cool (how wrong I was; they only made me trip on my own two feet.) This post, however, is inspired by a project I am doing with a club at my school which involves making "good luck" cards for the graduating eighth graders at a local middle school. Four years later after my own adventures in middle school, I am no longer that bundle of horrible fashion choices (at least I think) and awkwardness who was afraid of high school. Here's what I learned and what I wish I would have known:

1. The cafeteria food is better. There are way more options, but that also means you can choose to have chicken fingers every day. By last period, you'll find yourself struggling to fall asleep as your body digests all the fat chicken fingers has to offer. Try bringing a sandwich every once in a while.

2. There are tons of clubs to join. Pick three that really interest you (okay, and maybe one that just looks good on college applications) and stick with them. You may be president of a club within a year or two if you choose to be.

3. Don't stack up on AP classes your freshman year. Transition into sophomore year with one or two max, but don't over-do it. You want to enjoy high school outside of textbooks, too.

4. Know which teachers to be friends with. When it comes to recommendation letters, teachers will write killer letters if you've made an impression on them.

5. Get involved. It makes you feel like you're a part of the institution that keeps you locked up in sub-zero classrooms 35 hours, 5 days a week. In other words, being involved makes it less painful.

What advice would you offer to an eighth grader? What advice do you wish you received in middle school?

staying out of drama...

When you think high school, you think tests, quizes, homework, and DRAMA. & I'm not talking about the drama class, I'm talking about the "he kissed her while he was going out with that other girl"drama.

And lets face it drama, it's not all that great.

Especially if you're in the middle of it, but you will be.

How do you stay out of drama?

It's not possible.

Just remember, don't let what other people say get to you.

Goodluck!

Stress 101

Hey Stress, how are you?

Speaking about stress as if it is a person is just a symptom of high school overload. By now, we've all learned that things don't exactly go as planned. Sometimes, you just want to pull at the ends of your hair and yell into the dark, vast universe: "Just give me a break!"

Before you rip your hair out, here are some quick ways to calm down. Intense stretches and breathing techniques are not necessary.

1) Think to yourself: Will this matter in five days? In one year? In ten years? It usually won't, and when looking at the big picture, the problem will not seem like the end of the world.

2) Instead of dwelling on why it didn't work out, dwell on how you can fix it.

3) For a quick pick-me-up, check out www.thingstobehappyabout.com. Seriously. You will be surprised at the little things in life that can make you smile.

4) Go outside. Sure, a jog can relieve stress, but just fresh air can make you think straight.

5) Call a friend and plan something for the weekend. Having something to look forward to will help you get through the rest of the week and whatever problems may arise.

6) Chocolate. It's scientifically proven to boost your mood...need I say more?

7) Take a fifteen minute break and do something that takes your mind off of things. Dancing like a maniac to Lady Gaga, watching a funny Youtube video, or looking through old pictures are good activities that don't let your mind wander back to the problem.

8) Assume that even though the situation sucks, maybe there's a reason why it happened the way that it did. Maybe in two weeks, you'll look back and think: Thank goodness that ______ happened, or else _______ wouldn't have happened!

9) Think about the problem, but don't complain about it. Write down the problem and then reread it to see if you can get a perspective on how to overcome it. Or, talk to someone about it to get a different opinion.

10) Lastly, just breathe. Smile confidently at your reflection in the mirror. You're strong enough to overcome whatever life throws at you (even if it's lemons.)

So, how about some lemonade?

A reaction to the Broward County Schools lockdown

A little fishy.

Those are my thoughts after reading about the lock-down that occurred today, shutting down all Broward County Public Schools. The original threat is believed to be made through an email sent to a local radio station as opposed to the police department.

Anyway, after hearing about the news online, I contacted some Broward County students, since I go to school in Dade, to gather some information which I wrote up below:

On the day before guns were to be shot respectfully, an unidentifed man threatened to shoot his own gun, as all schools and government buildings in Broward County and Pembroke Pines were placed on lockdown around 9:45 am. "My mom texted me, it was a state of panic," Sebastian Padilla, 16, of Flanagan High School said. Students remained in their classrooms for the rest of the day amid concerns from parents and relatives. "I hoped it would be nothing serious," Stephanie Padilla, 18, of Broward College said. A crazy day indeed, does anyone have a similar story?

Backpack or Trashcan? QUIZ

Is your backpack a trash can?
My backpack is like a walking trashcan.
To maintain being a very unorganized-organized person I have to clean out my backpack almost every other day.
So, is your backpack a walking trashcan?
1. Do you walk to the trashcan to throw away loose leaf papers and handouts you don't use?
a. Yes b. No
2. Do you leave the empty bag of chips you were sneaking as a mid-day snack?
a. No b. Yes
3. Do you have a different folder or notebook for every subject?
a. Yes b. No
4. Do you have a pencil case?
a. Yes b. No
If you answered mostly A's you have a backpack.
For those of you who answered mostly B's have a trashcan. =p