5 Things I Learned in High School

Hello, you are reading the words of a new high school graduate!!! Over the past four years, I've learned a lot about, well, a lot! Today I thought I'd share 5 of those things with you!


1. If you want something done right, do it yourself
I cannot tell you how much I learned this lesson this year. Whether it's in a project, a lab, or a club, having an unmotivated partner happens to the best of us. It may seem like the end of the world, but think about this: would you rather force someone to do work and have it not be at your standard, or would you rather take on extra work and know it's done right? Probably the latter. People won't always care as much as you do, so you need to be a leader and step up!

2. It's okay to change
Change is okay! It's a good thing! Do you want to end your high school as the same person you entered as? High school is a time to understand who you are as a person, grow in confidence, and develop new skills. Being timid and naïve is fine as a freshman but isn't so great when you're a senior! If you're unhappy with who you are, you're free to become the best version of yourself!

3. You are successful
This has been the hardest lesson I've ever had to learn. The end of senior year is filled with students receiving awards and being recognized for their successes. Even if you aren't recognized, it doesn't mean you aren't successful. Personally, I have taken almost all of a certain type of class offered at my school and done quite well, but I didn't receive the award for that area. Initially, I was angry, but then I realized that I didn't need validation because I knew that I did well! Believe in yourself and know that you are successful.

4. Chase your dreams
After high school, it's up to you to put your dreams into reality. There won't be teachers or parents alerting you of certain opportunities and pushing you to do them. So take control in high school, push yourself to find opportunities. If you've always wanted to be in a theater production, go for it! If you've always wanted to take computer science classes, do it! High school is what you make of it, so find something you're passionate about and take advantage of opportunities!

5. Don't base your beliefs or wants off of what others think
This can be hard, I know, but you have to do what's best for you. If you don't hate someone all your friends seem to, tell them! Don't do things based on what others are doing. It won't make you happy in the long run. If someone's ripping on your favorite English class, shoot back at them and say everything that makes it special to you. You're not obligated to believe or need something just because others do.

I hope this was helpful for some of you guys! If you have anything you learned in high school that stood out to you leave it down below. 

Have a great summer everyone and congratulations to all those who have graduated!

Au Revoir!

"You are so close to the victory, don't you dare give up now."

Favorite Pride and Prejudice Spin Offs

In honor of the new Pride and Prejudice and Zombies movie, I have decided to compile a few of my favorite P&P spin offs for you guys! Can we pause a moment and think about the fact that Matt Smith is playing Mr. Collins? Oh my gosh, that is perfection.

The Youtube Version (With Book Accompaniment)

- The Lizzie Bennet Diaries (find the videos here)
  with The Secret Diary of Lizzie Bennet by Bernie Su and Kate Rorick

The Young Adult Tales
- Prom and Prejudice by Elizabeth Eulberg
- Epic Fail by Claire LaZebnik
- Prada and Prejudice by Mandy Hubbard

The Film Variations:
- Bridget Jones's Diary
  with Bridget Jones's Diary by Helen Fielding

You may have noticed that I did not, in fact, have the Pride and Prejudice and Zombies book on this oh-so-short list. That is because I didn't actually like it that much. I found that it dragged on and on and it wouldn't end! Maybe it was because I was in a huge reading slump or because it seemed to be lacking in the zombie area- I love graphic zombie scenes, and this didn't fill that void- but it just didn't live up to its praise from others. I wanted to like it, I truly did! Although that's not to discount the movie, I've heard that it is amazing!!!

Au Revoir!

"No ninjas! How was that possible? Five daughters brought up at home without any ninjas!I never heard of such a thing." - Seth Grahame-Smith, Pride and Prejudice and Zombies

Random Thoughts #1

Currently, I'm sprawled out on my bed reading posts I've never published, and writing strangely deep paragraphs about life. Every draft I've written has never made it to the real world because it has no meaning. It has no spark, no passion put into it. That's why I haven't been blogging recently. I had no ideas or motivation to write something worth reading. Maybe it's because I've just finished reading Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell, but there's something inside of me that's clicked. Recently I've felt like breaking out of my shell. It's like I've been holding myself back for so long now. Everyone knows that feeling. But I want to do something about it. I want to gain that confidence back. So 2016 marks the year where I will actually work on having a proper blog. No random posts with months in between. It's my challenge. Gosh, that does sound cheesy, doesn't it? 

So, in the spirit of Fangirl's Cather, I decided to write something. Yes it's quite strange, but hey, this is a post of random thoughts, right? Anything can be thought of.

I sat there on my grandparent’s lived-in couch, sandwiched between my aunt and my mom, just taking in my obnoxious, talkative family. We’ve all grown up so much. It seems like just yesterday I, the youngest of the bunch, was sitting on the floor playing Goblet with my oldest cousin. Now he has a baby of his own and I’m no longer a youngster. There’s always a group of relatives focusing on my newest cousin. Currently, it’s my aunt, grandma, and cousin-in-law, watching as the toddler stumbles and teases us with her new toys, all the while screaming shouts of laughter. So much has changed so quickly and I didn’t realize it until now. That’s life though, it truly does pass in the blink of an eye. I move my attention to my left. My aunt is rehashing her trip to Israel that she took with my favorite college. My mom's, dad's, and cousin’s attention is solely focused on her. I’m only half-listening; my thoughts have become preoccupied with college. The ex-youngest is now weighing her options, caught between the almost-perfect, the affordable and comforting, and the just-out-of-reach. It’s a constant battlefield in my brain. At times there is a clear winner, but then one of the others makes a comeback- a valiant effort to defeat the additional contenders. But those are thoughts for another day. Now it’s time to celebrate Christmas. My eyes drift to my brother and my second youngest cousin; they’re desperately trying to work the new-and-improved View Master. It’s no use. They’ve been at it for what seems like hours. McDonald’s Happy meals immediately pop into my head. Memories of pre-packaged toys and stuffed animals come flooding back. Polly Pockets, the Jungle Book 2, princess figurines, you name it, my brother and I probably had it. Drinks. Happy meals came with drinks, didn’t they? A question that once seemed trivial now seems impossible to answer. The rest of the family- my dad, uncle, and grandpa- are occupied with their drinks. Grandpa sips on the coffee that never leaves his hands- now it’s like blood in his veins, an addicting drug. I don’t remember the last time I saw him when he didn’t have a mug of the liquid attached to his palm. My dad and uncle are having small glasses of a minty melted-ice-cream-looking rum drink. It’s on the rocks, apparently that’s the way to have it (or so my dad tells me). They are dissecting the football team’s latest loss- today’s loss, it's still fresh in their minds. The running joke would be the miniscule string of game highlights the local sports networks will play. Then there’s me. Sitting, thinking, listening, observing. My normal habits. As much as I like being surrounded my outgoing, outspoken people, I have yet to find my voice. It’s buried somewhere deep inside my muscles and bones. Where do I fit into this family? This life? I’d sure like to know.

Au Revoir!

"Don't think about what can happen in a month. Don't think about what can happen in a year. Focus on the 24 hours in front of you and do what you can to get closer to where you want to be."