Another Life
Being a teenager is all about learning from your past, living in the present, and looking towards your future. Summer gives you time off (some might argue a little bit too much off, we should all do year-round school) to just sit and think (and then act the fool). It's the perfect time to just vegetate and really answer those tough life long questions we all have. What's the purpose of what I'm doing? Am I on the right path? Who the heck am I? Who did I used to be? This is another life.
High school - looking back, I can wholeheartedly understand why it's the most tumultuous time in people's lives. It's a hot a mess and a half of angst, melodrama, and longing to fit in. That place is a hot bed of disaster waiting to erupt. This week I went to visit my sister at school and to see some of my old teachers. I signed in at at the office and just walked in like it was NBD. Instantly, I was returned to those feelings of being sick to my stomach, unbearably nervous, and feeling insignificantly small. I literally had to verbally remind myself that I'm in college, that I graduated, and that I more than matter. The place just has this effect on people. I saw my favorite principal (we had three) Mr. Burnside still being his goofy self, and it was in to yearbook where almost all my favorite times were had. Countless hours spend designing, writing, checking, interviewing, taking pictures, and making sure everything was perfect. 12-15 people on the staff for a school of just over 1,000, it was the craziest ish like ever. I spent all my time there and that's a major reason why I'm so good at all the stuff I do now (writing, social media, graphic design, advertising, leading a group). Upstairs I went past crowds of caustic pimple ridden adolescents, knee high socks with Nike's on the jocks, and alternative kids with they're wannabe hipster style. Everyone was so easily defined simply by one thing they participate in or how they dress. I went to see my chemistry/forensics & student council and prom committee teacher/advisor, Mrs. Contratto. She will forever be one of my all time favorites. Not only did I actually understand what I was supposed to learn in her class, but student government was my first brush with event planning (which I am now the king of) and student government. On top of that, she actually talks to students like they're real people and carries conversations with them. She still remembers everything about me (probably because my year was hands down the hardest working for prom stuff) and that's a true testament to one of the bright spots in my high school experience. I checked in with my first year biology teacher, Mrs. Snell (I still call her Tam-Tam or Ms. Putteet *before she got married) who was more than done with her class (6 days left for them). Last but not least, Mrs. Wheeler, the person who helped me discover my gift for writing and the power that words and conversation could have. My passion for journalism, and pop culture all culminated in the two years I had her class. Very few people have had an impact on me like that. I sat and talked with her for like half an hour and didn't even notice. She told me that she missed students like me because she could actually talk to us unlike pupils nowadays. It was an interesting experience to say the least. I see not very much has changed. It's all still about cliques, and popularity. What I learned from high school was to get involved, use my gifts to make a difference, be myself and forget everyone else. Some people are destined for greatness, I without a doubt, am one of those people. It's like it was another life.
*Enjoy some throwback picture of me from senior year - braces and all. All I have to say is, thank you puberty, you have been good to me #latebloomer
So high school was ultimately a hell hole of fake everything and everyone. You found your few good friends and chucked the deuces to everyone else. But you have to take something from all your experiences, even it feels like another life.
High School Rules to Live By:
*If TV taught us another it's that high school is drama city. There's a reason most TV shows take place in high schools (well there's hospitals, and police precincts too but whatever). BH 90210, Saved by the Bell, the OC, PLL, TVD, Glee etc. - anyway, I just wanted to shoutout Men at Work this TBS comedy that has actually made me laugh. Funny cast, quick wit and all the twenty-something adult work humor you and your friends wish you had. Check it out.
Being a teenager is all about reliving your past to make sense of your future. You have to know where you're coming from to figure out where you're going. We all have a past, whether we like it or not. It's complete with all the embarrassing moments, dramatic upsets, and the crazy teenage antics in between. But those events, instances, and memories have made us who we are today. Never forget, in another life.
My blog post question for the day is ... what was your most embarrassing high school moment? I would have to say freshmen year, I let this kid have my unfrozen Go-Gurt (yo, those were the days) and when he opened it sprayed all over my white turtle neck (let's just say I was not as stylish as I am now) in the cafeteria and I blew up.
High school - looking back, I can wholeheartedly understand why it's the most tumultuous time in people's lives. It's a hot a mess and a half of angst, melodrama, and longing to fit in. That place is a hot bed of disaster waiting to erupt. This week I went to visit my sister at school and to see some of my old teachers. I signed in at at the office and just walked in like it was NBD. Instantly, I was returned to those feelings of being sick to my stomach, unbearably nervous, and feeling insignificantly small. I literally had to verbally remind myself that I'm in college, that I graduated, and that I more than matter. The place just has this effect on people. I saw my favorite principal (we had three) Mr. Burnside still being his goofy self, and it was in to yearbook where almost all my favorite times were had. Countless hours spend designing, writing, checking, interviewing, taking pictures, and making sure everything was perfect. 12-15 people on the staff for a school of just over 1,000, it was the craziest ish like ever. I spent all my time there and that's a major reason why I'm so good at all the stuff I do now (writing, social media, graphic design, advertising, leading a group). Upstairs I went past crowds of caustic pimple ridden adolescents, knee high socks with Nike's on the jocks, and alternative kids with they're wannabe hipster style. Everyone was so easily defined simply by one thing they participate in or how they dress. I went to see my chemistry/forensics & student council and prom committee teacher/advisor, Mrs. Contratto. She will forever be one of my all time favorites. Not only did I actually understand what I was supposed to learn in her class, but student government was my first brush with event planning (which I am now the king of) and student government. On top of that, she actually talks to students like they're real people and carries conversations with them. She still remembers everything about me (probably because my year was hands down the hardest working for prom stuff) and that's a true testament to one of the bright spots in my high school experience. I checked in with my first year biology teacher, Mrs. Snell (I still call her Tam-Tam or Ms. Putteet *before she got married) who was more than done with her class (6 days left for them). Last but not least, Mrs. Wheeler, the person who helped me discover my gift for writing and the power that words and conversation could have. My passion for journalism, and pop culture all culminated in the two years I had her class. Very few people have had an impact on me like that. I sat and talked with her for like half an hour and didn't even notice. She told me that she missed students like me because she could actually talk to us unlike pupils nowadays. It was an interesting experience to say the least. I see not very much has changed. It's all still about cliques, and popularity. What I learned from high school was to get involved, use my gifts to make a difference, be myself and forget everyone else. Some people are destined for greatness, I without a doubt, am one of those people. It's like it was another life.
*Enjoy some throwback picture of me from senior year - braces and all. All I have to say is, thank you puberty, you have been good to me #latebloomer
So high school was ultimately a hell hole of fake everything and everyone. You found your few good friends and chucked the deuces to everyone else. But you have to take something from all your experiences, even it feels like another life.
High School Rules to Live By:
- Being well dressed is always important. What you wear is your outward expression of who you are. If you look a mess, don't be surprised when people treat you like one (it's superficial as heck, but that's the way the world works)
- All publicity is good publicity, unless it's bad publicity. That is, if people are talking about you, spreading rumors or constantly following your every move, it's most likely because they *admire (I use that term loosely) you. In other words, why are you checking for me when I'm not checking for you. Irrelevant until proven relevant.
- Friends are the people that are not afraid to call you out, and you accept their criticism. No one else gets to point out your mistakes and flaws and socially lives to see another day. If we're not friends you don't get that privilege, that's just a plain insult.
- Connecting with someone older, or a teacher/professor/advisor is essential. Listen to those with more years than you, they usually know what's up. Bring them down to your level and talk to them like real people - it makes all the difference.
- When you let (notice that word let, as in giving people power) get to you, that's when you've lost the battle. Don't allow unnecessary things or people bother you. You don't have to be offended, hurt, put down. Evaluate what role you play in every situation and don't give people the satisfaction. You are stronger than you think in every way.
*If TV taught us another it's that high school is drama city. There's a reason most TV shows take place in high schools (well there's hospitals, and police precincts too but whatever). BH 90210, Saved by the Bell, the OC, PLL, TVD, Glee etc. - anyway, I just wanted to shoutout Men at Work this TBS comedy that has actually made me laugh. Funny cast, quick wit and all the twenty-something adult work humor you and your friends wish you had. Check it out.
Being a teenager is all about reliving your past to make sense of your future. You have to know where you're coming from to figure out where you're going. We all have a past, whether we like it or not. It's complete with all the embarrassing moments, dramatic upsets, and the crazy teenage antics in between. But those events, instances, and memories have made us who we are today. Never forget, in another life.
My blog post question for the day is ... what was your most embarrassing high school moment? I would have to say freshmen year, I let this kid have my unfrozen Go-Gurt (yo, those were the days) and when he opened it sprayed all over my white turtle neck (let's just say I was not as stylish as I am now) in the cafeteria and I blew up.
Comments
Post a Comment
Share you answer to the blog post question of the day