The Final Blog

With only one blog left and our last day of high school over, I cannot but feel a roller coaster of emotions. So as we all go on in different directions, I wish everyone the best. I know everyone will accomplish great things. I have really loved being in this class with all of you. For my final words, I will leave a list of quotes about life as we take on the next chapter in our lives. (11 quotes for class of '11)

1. “Don’t let what you can’t do stop you from what you can do.”-John Wooden

2. “Yesterday is history. Tomorrow is a mystery. Today? Today is a gift. That’s why we call it the present.”-B. Olatunji

3. “To live is the rarest thing in the world. Most people exist, that’s all.”-Oscar Wilde

4. “You don’t get to choose how you are going to die. Or when. You can only decide how you are going to live. Now.”-Joan Baez

5. “Dream as if you'll live forever, live as if you'll die today.”-James Dean

6. "The most important thing is to enjoy your life—to be happy—it's all that matters." —Audrey Hepburn

7. "Do or do not. There is no try." -Yoda

8. “In three words I can sum up what I’ve learned about life: It goes on.”-Robert Frost

9. “If you want to be happy, be.”-Leo Tolstoy

10. “Some people want it to happen, some wish it would happen, others make it happen.”-Michael Jordan

11. "You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You must do the thing which you think you cannot do."-Eleanor Roosevelt

This Is Just To Say Farewell

Dear fellow AP English classmates,

This Is Just To Say

We have survived
English
class with Ms.
Serensky

in which
she was probably
expecting
some to fail

Forgive us
we were too clever
so smart
and so brave

Top 10 Reasons to Take AP English

1. You get to spend time complaining about homework and over exaggerating the difficulty of things with nerds just like you.

2. For majority of the time, you sit in desks arranged in circle. This makes people watching way easier.

3. You get to run around the school frantically shouting out quotes from books. The weird looks are always entertaining. And you don't ever really forget them.

4. People bow down to you. Seriously.

5. Ms. Serensky writes inspiring and entertaining quotes on the board everyday.

6. You can analyze pretty much anything and use fun words like "juxtaposition."

7. The list of the quotes you receive at the end of each quarter. Best day ever.

8. Even if everyone in the school hates you, there's an elite group who doesn't. And if all the AP English students hate you...well, sorry.

9. You actually become smarter. In multiple ways. And you don't even realize it's happening.

10. You learn from the wisest in all the land. The one and only, Bobbie Jo.

Observing the Struggle

Amy, Harding and Lady Bracknell watch as I struggle on the AP exam. Unfortunately for me, they do not offer much help and instead just watch in horror at my failure. They simply have a cup of tea and sit as I write furiously on the prewriting for the first essay. Needless to say, we do not remain close friends. They seem to question my every move as they watch me.

Harding: “Now would that be wise? Would it?” (Kesey 64).

Amy: “Want to try that one more time, kid? Start over. Go slow” (Currie 87).

Harding: “‘The quickest way to get it fixed is the best way’” (Kesey 190).

Amy: “But it’s really too late for that” (Currie 93).

Lady Bracknell: “The whole theory of modern education is radically unsound” (Wilde 13).

Harding: “‘You are right…about all of it’” (Kesey 59).

Lady Bracknell: “[She] seem[s] to be displaying signs of triviality” (Wilde 54).

Amy: “[She] should be smarter than this” (Currie 100).

Harding: “‘I’m disappointed in [her]…very disappointed’” (Kesey 59).

Lady Bracknell: “I confess I feel somewhat bewildered” (Wilde 14).

Amy: “I feel genuine pity” (Currie 201).

Everything

Ron Currie Jr.’s Everything Matters! was by far my favorite book of the year. Just ask anyway not in AP English 12, because I have most likely demanded that they read it. Really, I could not say enough positive things about this book and Currie’s writing. For me, this book encapsulated everything I love in a story. There was love and there was heartbreak, there was drama and there was humor. Although the book is really science fiction, Currie makes everything so realistic and the characters very relatable. In addition, I find Currie’s message refreshing and inspiring. Currie recognizes that not everything in life is good, and that is good. He encourages you to “welcome Everything, the good and the bad alike” (292). In the story, Junior spends too much time stressing over everything, much like us. As Ms. Serensky frequently reminds us, we tend to “over exaggerate” our work load and almost ask for “pity.” But everything we go through only makes us who we truly are. Like Junior and his choice for the alternate universe, we “chose…to risk suffering” and because of that we grow as people (292). Currie takes the reader on an emotional roller coaster throughout the story, often times leaving you angry and frustrated with the outcome. But that’s life; you never know how your choice will affect something. Currie advises that “the key [is] to relinquish control” (299). This advice has stuck with me since reading the book. I find that I often stress over things that I cannot control. However, as Currie proves, that will not lead to happiness in the end. This book has made me appreciate the good and the bad, the small things and the large things in life and provided me with laughs along the way.

The Top Ten

10.Othello Collage- Ms. Serensky informed us we would be doing a fun activity that day- making a collage about one of the characters from Othello. Although other groups groaned, Mary Beth, Carolyn, Jillian and I (better known as “Toast”) could not contain our enthusiasm and we wanted to “enjoy this time! (Currie 3). Especially with our character Iago. The best part of that day was not even that we ended up winning for our collage, but rather when we found the quote about inception. (Cue Carolyn whispering, “Inception!”)
9.AP Physics- Now this may seem an odd choice, since many know I hated that class. But having a class with Mr. Roberts was most definitely worth the struggles and pain I went through. I may not having learned much about projectile motion, but I have also never laughed so much in one class, after all, “you have to laugh at the things that hurt” (Kesey 250). I’ll never remember the formulas we learned in that class, but I’ll never forget Mr. Robert’s obsession with licorice and the craziness that ensued when he had some.
8.Multiple Choice Game Winners- I am sure everyone knows who won the third quarter multiple-choice game. If not, you apparently never look at my blog or Jillian’s and you missed the parade Dr. Koons arranged for us. Too bad, because it was awesome. Of course, the thrill of winning the game with Jillian, Mariel and Kathryn was amazing; it was “like we were conquering heroes” (Kesey 255).
7.Uplifting comments from Mr. Brownlow- The normally angry man actually paid me a compliment. As the third child, I frequently am compared with my brother and sister, especially when a teacher has had all three. So, when Mr. Brownlow told me that he thought I was smarter than both my siblings, I was extremely flattered. Especially when he said that I did not seem to work as hard (which he was not trying to compliment me for), to which I must say, “I cannot deny it” (Wilde 39). Smart while being lazy? I’ll take it. Thanks, Brownlow.
6.Completion of the Othello Data Sheet- After hours of working, no longer even being able to keep my eyes open, my first data sheet was completed. “I felt like I was flying. Free” (Kesey 324).
5.Receiving two stickers at once- The passing back of papers always causes anxiety. You sit there, nervously waiting your own paper and watching others, trying to gauge their reactions. So, as we got our Act Two notes on The Importance of Being Earnest back, I sat there, thinking, “This suspense is terrible” (Wilde 52). Then, I saw it. Two stickers. Sure, they were small, hardly the size of one respectable sticker even when combined, but still-two stickers.
4.Getting a 5 on AP English 11 Exam- After months of preparation and stress, the day of the AP test had finally come. We all realize “there is no escape and never was” as we sit down in the desks and open the exam (Currie 302). Then, months later, with the pain in my hand finally gone, the scores arrive. Five.
3.Cum Laude- The day I received my letter for Cum Laude, I thought back on all my years of hard work in high school. Along with all the excitement, I felt that my induction into Cum Laude “makes everything that you’ve suffered to this point worthwhile” (Currie 261).
2.Editor-in-Chief of the Yearbook- Ever since my freshman year, I had my hopes on one day being the editor-in-chief of the yearbook. Then, at the end of my junior year, Mrs. Hoffmann announced that I would in fact be the editor. I looked forward to the task of taking control of the yearbook; “What more could one desire?” (Wilde 48).
1.Acceptance Letter from University of Michigan-It probably does not come as a surprise to many that I wanted to go to the University of Michigan. So, I would consider the day that I find out that I got in my most thrilling academic day. It proved that all my work had paid off and now I could go to the school I always hoped to attend. I look forward to my future at Michigan and I know that “anything, anything, anything is possible” (Currie 302).

No Worries

My favorite poem this year was “Chester” by John Koethe. I like this poem because Koethe really emphasized the importance of enjoying the simplicities of life. People often end up too hung up on everything in life having excitement and seeming extraordinary. Instead, Koethe recognizes that “The true soul is the one that flickers in the eyes/ Of an animal, like a cat that lifts its head and yawns/ And looks at you, and then goes back to sleep” (Koethe 24-26). I think that the ideas in Koethe’s poem really parallel to my favorite book we read this year, Ron Currie Jr.’s Everything Matters! Like in the poem, Junior learns to appreciate the simpler things in life in the alternate universe. He could have chosen anything for his alternate universe, including possibilities that did not seem possible. The voice tells him, “pick a self. Any self” and he chooses to go back to his own life, but change just one thing (Currie 262). Even as the world comes to an end, Junior recognizes that “there is joy…greater joy and love in just this one last moment” (Currie 302). Junior finally realizes, like Koethe discusses, that you cannot control everything in life. There is no use in stressing over everything because “Nothing is guaranteed” (Currie 264). So, rather than suffering, why not just enjoy what you have? I admire both Koethe and Currie’s attitude about living the life you can enjoy over the life you think you must have.

Winners

We all know what the most exciting day of every quarter is: the multiple-choice game. This day also brings about stress, fierce competition and dirty looks. For the third quarter, “Team Toast” could sadly not be together. Instead, Jillian, Kathryn, Mariel and I put our heads together and took on the other teams, which did not include the self-proclaimed “Dream Team.” As we stressed over questions, not sure which answer to use when we had various one, we came to quick conclusions, knowing that “Hesitation of any kind is a sign of mental decay in the young” (Wilde 45). Then, Ms. Serensky revealed the answers; everyone could see that it was a tight race. Each team had already missed a couple. Our group tried to remain enthusiastic and cheerful, even when we missed one, because “you have to laugh at the things that hurt just to keep yourself in balance” (Kesey 250). Finally, it came down to the last question and our team won. All I could think about were those ten extra credit points. We could hardly contain our excitement, ignoring the unhappy faces of our fellow classmates. Our victory was made even sweeter with the fact that the “Dream Team” had only come in third place in the other class. Of course, “anything, anything, anything is possible” (Currie 302).

An Explosive Meeting

On a sunny day one August afternoon, Lane decided to take a break from obeying Algernon and take a stroll in the park. While wandering, he came across a man in a wheel chair. The man had dropped something and he struggled to pick it up, since he only had one hand and no legs. Always one to help, Lane rushed over to the man to help him. The man introduced himself as Reggie, but insisted Lane call him “The Fox” and the two began to chat.

Reggie: So, Lane, right? Lane, I ain’t ever seen you ‘round here before.
Lane: Well, I normally am off running errands for Mr. Moncrieff. Actually, I should be doing that right now. He needs cucumbers from the market. But, “there were no cucumbers in the market this morning…I went down twice” already today (Wilde 8).
Reggie: That Mon-whatever guy sounds like a real jerk. You should ditch him and hang with me instead. I could actually use some help myself.
Lane: It appears that way. If you don’t mind my asking, what exactly happened?
Reggie: It’s a long story, really. Just a word of advice: Don't mess with your boss.
Lane: Pardon?
Reggie: Forget it. Listen, you want to help me out or not?
Lane: What exactly do you need help with?
Reggie: You know the social security building on West Madison? “I’m-a blow that...up” (Currie 109).
Lane: Excuse me?
Reggie: I think you heard what I said. And if you’re not in, then leave now and forget this conversation ever happened. So, you in?
Lane: “Yes, sir” (Wilde 1).
Reggie: I had a feeling you would say that. Now listen, I have all the explosives we need. So, let’s head back to my place and put this plan to action. Now, don’t freak out or nothing, but let me warn you, I’m gonna get real weird with it. Can you handle that, Lane?
Lane: Yes, sir. I think I can.
Reggie: Alright, good. “We got [work] to do, here” (Currie 42)

Lane's Worst Class Ever

Sigh…it’s just another day in AP English. No one ever seems to listen to what I say. Everyone always focuses on Chris Lange, the most popular kid in the class. He thinks he is so cool when he says things like, “High Stile is definitely going to be my new street name.” I begin to talk and bring up a brilliant point, but again Chris interrupts me. “Shut up, Lane” he barks at me. “Yes, sir” is all I can manage in return (4). I cannot exactly argue with the most popular kid in the class. He continues on about how he and Carolyn will form a rap group together. Carolyn just smiles and laughs. I find myself drifting into a slow sleep and I mumble under my breath, “[this] is not a very interesting subject” (2). Then, suddenly, everyone stops talking. I open my eyes to see what happened, Jillian and Lizzy probably threw a pen into the middle of the circle again, I think. However, when I open my eyes, I find everyone staring at me- especially High Stile. In fact, he is giving me quite the dirty look. Even Carolyn’s smile has disappeared. “What did you say?” she asks through her teeth. Wait-did I say that out loud before? Oh, no. By the look on Mariel’s face, I know I said it aloud. Now I have made myself the enemy of the most popular kid in the class. I try to think of a way to save myself; I quickly mutter, “That was in consequence of a misunderstanding between myself and a young person” (1). I add in a quick “sorry” for good measure, but when I glance towards Chris and see him shaking his head and punching his fist into his palm, I know I am done for. I slump down in my seat and eventually the discussion starts back up. I suddenly wish everyone ignored me again. Worst English class ever.

Dear Junior

Dear Junior,
AP English 11 really is a funny thing. For the most part, you sit there in a state of stress, occasionally crossing into a state of pure fear. However, there are times where you think, “I am, God help me, in a state resembling happiness” (196). Sometimes you just cannot wait for class and once there you find yourself smiling and laughing along with everyone else. Even Ms. Serensky. Although, those moments are always ephemeral; soon enough, you find yourself thinking fondly of the fetal position. I remember walking into the room on that very first day. As expected, all the joy and confidence that comes with the status of being an upperclassman quickly left me. I found myself looking longingly across the hall into Mrs. Ashkettle’s room. English freshman year…a world without SOAPSTones. I would “always expect the worst” and because Ms. Serensky “has never, not once, taught me to expect anything different” I learned to come prepared for any challenge she had for us (196). We became more used to the workload as the year went on; although I often found myself thinking, “I’d like one of those for myself. A life,” as I browsed other people’s Facebook statuses about having fun while I continued to put off my work (186). Still, unbeknownst to us, we actually were becoming smarter, better writers. She is a sneaky one, that Ms. Serensky. As the year went on, the fear began to subside (well, a little) and we worked harder than ever before. The end was in site-the AP test- and more than anything, we wanted to conquer it. Eventually, we all realize that the lingering fear may never go away and we must learn to accept it. With that acceptance comes determination. We may not be able to change the class, but we can certainly change ourselves. You might know a feeling like that.

Your friend,
Kelly

The Joys of March

Living in northeast Ohio, March tends to feel like a very long month. Everyone is ready for winter to be over, but snow still lingers on our lawns and temperatures remain low. Overall, I do not think many look fondly on the month of March. November has the first snowfall, which still gathers excitement each year. December has the holidays and the cold temperatures still gain appreciation. January still seems acceptable for a snow-covered car, but when February comes around, everyone hopes that the little old groundhog will bring good news. Then, March comes, and though the store windows say spring, the weather outside tells a different story. However, I like the month of March, and here is my list of reasons why:

Reasons Why March is Awesome:
1.My Birthday-My birthday is in March. (Not that I am one of those people who get overexcited for their birthday or anything…)
2.Melting Snow-The melting snow of March serves as a constant reminder that spring is just around the corner.
3.March Madness-Every year this tournament brings excitement, upsets, and plenty of smack talk. Even money sometimes, since my family bets on it each year with our brackets.
4.St. Patrick’s Day-This fun holiday is always a nice break from the gray days. Plus, on this day, everyone is jealous of me for actually being Irish.
5.Aquamarine-For those born in March, like myself, the birthstone is aquamarine. Personally, I think this is one of the prettiest stones and love that I have it.
6.Spring Shopping-The bright colors and lack of chunky sweaters always brighten my mood as I shop in March, looking forward to Spring Break and warm weather.
7.OGT Week-For all upperclassmen, this week is definitely one of the best weeks all year. Sleeping in everyday (while the underclassmen take an often times ridiculous test)? Yes, please.
8.Warmer Temperatures-This brings about two things I love. First, I do not have to scrape snow and ice off my car. Second, I love the people who wear shorts in 45-degree temperatures-the same temperature that, just months ago, forced us all into pants and winter coats.
9.The Fourth Quarter-In March, we enter the final homestretch of the year. Suddenly, you realize how fast the school year has gone by and summer is in sight.
10.Spring Break-At the end of this sometimes-dreary month, there appears a light of hope. A ray of sunshine. Beaches, sun, hot temperatures, relaxation- and after a long Cleveland winter, it is the only thing that keeps us sane.

Feel the excitement.

No More Need for Speed Dating

In class on Tuesday, we did a little celebrity speed dating. Each of us had a different person, all of whom were part of some famous couple. For example, there was Romeo and Juliet, Beauty and Beast, and so on. I was Jack, from Titanic. The first person that came to talk with me was Ms. Serensky. First, she asked me if I was a man. Then, after receiving the answer she was hoping for, she asked if I was a hairy man. I told her no, and we both started laughing as she struggled to get her third question out: “Do you like to suck blood?” Again, I told her no. Jokingly, she then said, “And people wonder why I can’t get dates- it’s because these are the questions I ask in speed dating!” This activity made me wonder what kinds of questions people ask in speed dating, or what information they put their profiles on online dating websites. So, I decided I would make up a profile for Ms. Serensky. Here is what I think she may put on her profile, if she had one.

Name: Bobbie Jo
Sex: Female
Interested in: Men

Looking for: A man who gets her sarcastic, cynical humor, but also has a soft side- someone who wants to take care of her when her back hurts
Occupation: English teacher
Likes: Reading, writing, dancing, making fun of teenagers and/or making children cry
Dislikes: Cats, stupid questions, stupid people
Favorite Music: Anything that is not on Thomas’ ipod
Favorite Movies: “The Namesake”, Anything with Leonardo DiCaprio
Favorite T.V. shows: “Modern Family”, “Parks and Recreation”, “The Office”
Favorite Books: NOT Twilight, Ian McEwan novels, the Harry Potter series
Weekend Activities: Shopping at DSW, grading papers, blogging, hanging out with Josh Maas and Shannon Beach

Love At First Sight?

In creative writing, each student brought in a favorite song to listen to and read the lyrics. After listening to each song and discussing the lyrics, we would form two journal topics, based on the song, which you could write about. One of the topics asked, “Do you believe in love at first sight?” When posed, it seemed many had contrasting viewpoints. Personally, I do not believe in love at first sight. I think the idea of it is cute, like Santa Claus, but it is highly unrealistic, also like Santa Claus. In my opinion, you cannot simply see a person and fall in love at that instant. I think there is lust at first sight, but definitely not love. Can anyone honestly say they saw someone and thought, “Wow, I want to marry that person.” I do not think so. And if a person did do that, they are basing it only on what they say. They have absolutely no idea what that person is like. Still, the romantic in me loves the idea of love at first sight. Like one of the characters say in the movie “He’s Just Not That Into You,” there are rules when it comes to love, dating, men, and women. But, he notes that there are exceptions to every rule. So, maybe it is a rule that you do not fall in love at first sight, but there could always be an exception.

For all you believers, I found a couple quotes (Ms. Serensky, please note that your future husband, Leo said both quotes…looks like all you have to do is walk past him):

“Love at first sight? I absolutely believe in it! You've got to keep the faith. Who doesn't like the idea that you could see someone tomorrow and she could be the love of your life? It's very romantic.”-Leonardo DiCaprio

“With Romeo and Juliet, you're talking about two people who meet one night, and get married the same night. I believe in love at first sight-but it hasn't happened to me yet.”-Leonardo DiCaprio

^There is still time, Ms. Serensky.

I Like Stickers

I just want a sticker, please.

Inside the Music

This week in Creative Writing, we have listened to songs that each student brought in and analyzed the lyrics. It surprised me how many of the songs had deeper meanings in their lyrics. From majority of the bands, this was unexpected. Songwriters tell a story in their lyrics, just as authors and poets do in their own writing. In fact, I find it even more impressive because they are able to tell a story and make into a song as well. After listening to so many great songs with meaningful lyrics, I decided to look through my iTunes library for more. Then, I found myself more interested in listening to songs I loved when I was younger and laughing at the ridiculous lyrics; the lyrics I used to sing along with as loudly as I could and most likely felt like I could totally relate to. Here are some of my favorites:

1.“Candy”-Mandy Moore
After you get through several “yeah, yeah, yeah”’s, you find out that Mandy really misses her man. She sings, “I'm cravin' for you / I'm missin' you like candy”
I guess she really likes candy…

2.“Aaron’s Party”-Aaron Carter
Then there is Aaron Carter, giving everyone a look at the life of a high school kid. He really opens up about all of his concerns as he throws a party while his parents are out…the crazy kid. “Then walked in/ The girl I'm crushin'/ And the kid spilled juice/ On my Mom's new cushion/ I turned around and / Another kid broke the lamp”
Spoiler alert: He gets caught.

3.“No More (Baby Ima Do Right)”-3LW
Of course, this song will be deep. I mean, “Baby Ima Do Right”-does not get much more personal. My favorite part of this song is when the girl who looks like she is at least 18 begins to rap: “A you promise me Kate Spade/ but that was last year boy in the 8th grade/ and you ain’t biggie baby boy so no it ain’t one more chance/ when your friends around you don’t wanna hold my hand”
Of course all eighth graders are buying each other Kate Spade purses. What exactly does “you ain’t biggie baby boy” mean?

4.“Baby”-Justin Bieber
Thank you, Justin Bieber, for keeping the lyrics for young girls everywhere exceptionally meaningful. This song has too many gems to choose from. First, he sings, “My first love broke my heart for the first time”
Biebs, you are fifteen. Relax.
Then, Ludacris, a rapper known for many songs, all featuring profanity, comes in. He raps about his first love, at age thirteen, of course. He says “She woke me up daily, don't need no Starbucks”
Points for a hyperbole? Hey, Ludacris, stop hanging out with Bieber.

Best Friends

I hope you enjoy these lyrics and I encourage you to pay closer attention to the lyrics of the songs you listen to!

Procrastination

Procrastination is such an ugly word. I prefer to think of it as some mind-stimulating activity that does not involve schoolwork whatsoever and causes one to stay up later than they really should. Who doesn’t want that? But seriously, everyone could use a brief study break every once in a while…or every ten minutes. So, for you struggling to find ways to distract yourself from the beloved poetry papers and are tired of creeping on Facebook, here is a list of entertaining websites perfect for distraction.

1.Find amusement in the technologically challenged generation our parents make up? Then check out: http://whenparentstext.com/. This website features funny mess-ups of parents, and occasionally a just a funny parent.

2.For those of you who feel too guilty to really let loose, try out Bananagrams. You can find this game on Facebook. This game is similar to Scrabble, where you make words with the tiles you have, but there is no board and you are timed. Fellow classmate Sam Schiferl currently holds the fastest time with twenty-one seconds. Bravo, Sam.

3.Another entertaining site is www.dearblankpleaseblank.com. On this site, anyone can submit there own personal “Dear Blank, Please Blank” and you can read all the ones on the site, which includes various topics. Here is an example of one on the site:

“Dear person reading this,
You're here because you're actively procrastinating or avoiding real work, aren't you? It's OK...me too.
Sincerely, I'll work tomorrow”


4.Then, there is my current obsession: www.stumbleupon.com. Stumbleupon brings up various things from the internet, from videos to articles to jokes, based on your own interests. You can select topics you are interested in and then just stumble away! It even allows you to like or dislike a page by clicking a thumbs-up or a thumbs-down; this allows it to better choose pages for you in the future.

I hope you enjoy these websites and if you have any to add please comment with them!

This image is from stumbleupon. Click to view it larger.

Second Semester

The first day of the new semester is always interesting. Everyone hurries around from class to class, wondering who will be in each one. In my opinion, English is particularly interesting. From day one of this year, we have become accustomed to our class. When it comes to discussions, it seems we have finally found a comfortable ground. We all know who will argue with whom, who will talk often and who will not say anything at all. So, on that very first day of the new semester, we all enter English anxiously, curious about who we will find. We all wonder if we will have to face another semester with the self-proclaimed “Dream Team,” and sigh with relief as we realize we do not (sorry third period). Then, it begins. New seats, some new faces and for all, new beginnings. With the new class comes a chance to declare a new role while in discussions. New classes cause the personality of the class to change, and sometimes, as the wise Mr. Maas said, “the personalities of the people change.” So, as I looked around the room the first week of the new semester I wondered if anyone’s personality would change with this new class. Would Henry suddenly become quiet and agree with everything everyone said? I highly doubted it. Still, I wondered what this new class would bring. Would Ms. Serensky change? I struggled to fathom a day in English class without hearing the words “Dear Journal” as I noticed the absence of Thomas Donley from eighth period. I guess I will just have to wait to read his journal on my own someday. For now, I look forward to seeing the changes that may occur as the semester goes on and the personality that this new class will have.

Students in class

A Song to Blogger.com

“Say Goodbye”-Chris Brown

“Look we gotta talk
Dang I know
I know it's just
It's just...
Some things I gotta get of my chest alright....
Yeahhhh...
Whoa, whoa, whoa, oh, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, oh, whoa...
Listen..
Baby come here and sit down, let's talk
I got a lot to say so I guess I'll start by
Saying that I love you,
But you know, this thing ain't been
No walk in the park for us
I swear it'll only take a minute
You'll understand when I finish, yeah
And I don't wanna see you cry
But I don't wanna be the one
to tell you a lie so
[Chorus]
There's never a right time to say goodbye
But I gotta make the first move
'Cause if I don't you gonna start hating me
Cause I really don't feel the way
I once felt about you
Girl it's not you, it's me
I kinda gotta figure out what I need (oh)”

The lyrics in Chris Brown’s song, “Say Goodbye,” parallel my feelings towards the blog project overall, and the end of it. Like in the song, my feelings about the end of the blog project are very bittersweet. In the beginning, I felt a mixture of excitement and dread for the new project. It was something unpredictable; I had no idea what to expect. But things began going well, once we, Blogger.com and I, got into the swing of things. As I got to know Blogger.com better, I realized Blogger.com could really be pretty fun. I loved how I could express myself, differently than I ever had in English before. Each day I learned something new. The blogs became more fun and spirited than the typical analytical writing we do in class. I began to relax and settle into the comfortable new relationship we had. I enjoyed getting the chance to see how others approached their blogs. I found the other blogs entertaining and informative. However, things changed. Like Chris Brown says, “this thing ain’t been/No walk in the park for us.” I began to grow frustrated with Blogger.com. It was always so needy. Blogger.com constantly needed my attention and time, during the week and weekends. I started running out of things to say. The initial spark and excitement disappeared. With the entire thrill that came from learning new things about Blogger.com gone, I grew tired of the whole thing. So, my dear Blogger.com, I know this may sound harsh, but I think it is time to say goodbye, “Cause if I don’t you gonna start hating me” and I certainly do not want that to happen. This does affect my grade, after all. I just do not feel the same way as I did before. I am ready to move on, try something new. I think you should, too. There are plenty of other bloggers out there, great bloggers, in fact. It’s not you; it’s me. You deserve better, Blogger.com. It really has been a great run and I appreciate everything you have given me. Without you, I never would have met Bobbie’s Blog Banter. Maybe we can still be friends.

Relaxing and Fun?

With the dreaded data sheet complete, all focus turns to finals. As this week approaches, amazingly enough, AP English is not the most stressful class this week. In fact, it may even be the least stressful. First, we do not even have to take a final. So, forget the usual stress and hand cramps that come along with the typical English final. Instead, we get to talk about our blogs for a few minutes. Talk about the best English final ever. But aside from not having a final, this entire week in English is stress free. First, we have our AP multiple-choice game for extra credit. Let the smack talk begin and the boys’ “dream team” lose...again. That’s right, Thomas, Alex, John and Sam, I said it. After all the intense anxiety as we await Ms. Serensky to read off the teams who answered the question correctly, we relax and realize we all earn extra credit anyways. Then, like at the end of every quarter, we finally get to see Ms. Serensky’s list of quotes from us all. We all wait excitedly in our sits to see what she has chosen for each of us and everyone else in her classes. The quotes always provide an entertaining end to the quarter as we reflect on all the laughs we shared in class, often times at the expense of others. As a result of all this stress-free fun, I look forward to English this week and will complain about all my other classes instead.

Leo Lovin'

Many have grumbled over the fact that instead of watching the Oscar-winning movie “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” Ms. Serensky has chosen “Shutter Island.” Although I have really enjoyed the movie so far, I too wondered why she chose this movie. Of course, as we watch more of the movie we notice many parallels between the movie and Kesey’s One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest. But I think there is more. It was not until I overheard some juniors talking that I realized the real reason why she chose this movie instead. The juniors were discussing how they were watching “Blood Diamond” in class. Another great movie…that also stars Leonardo DiCaprio. That is when it hit me. The real reason she chose “Shutter Island.” Ms. Serensky is in love with Leonardo DiCaprio. Some may even call it an obsession. It seems she has manipulated this whole week as a Leo love fest. Neither class read the book that her beloved Leo stars in, yet both conveniently read books very similar to his movies. She simply cannot resist those piercing baby blues. I cannot really blame her, though. I am definitely a fan of Leonardo Di Caprio and believe he is a very talented actor. The list of incredible movies he has starred seems endless, including “Titanic,” “Gangs of New York,” “Catch Me If You Can,” “The Departed” and “Inception.” He has been nominated for three Oscars, along with forty-eight other nominations and twenty-one wins. All by the age of thirty-six. So, not a bad choice, Ms. Serensky. Sadly, and I really hate to break this news, but Leonardo is not single. He has been with supermodel Bar Refaeli since 2005. But, that is only because he has not met you yet, Ms. Serensky.

For your viewing pleasure, I have included a picture of Leonardo. Just replace her face with yours.

2011

With the new year officially beginning, I cannot help but think how crazy this year is about to be for all of us. First, we take our last high school finals in a little less than two weeks. Then, come May, we finish high school forever and finally graduate in June. Everything we have ever known, these past twelve years of schooling, comes to an end and the next chapter in our lives begins. Then, we all head off on our own to wherever our futures may take us. Yet, as I look ahead into the exciting but somewhat daunting future, I do not feel nervous or scared. I feel prepared. This is because of AP English. Not many students can say they know what it feels like to write twenty-five pages worth of analysis on a book (twenty-nine if you are Thomas.) Few can say they have discussed novels on a daily basis with twenty other smart students. Who else can write a five-paragraph essay in forty minutes? Not to mention a good one. We have learned so many skills in this class that will help in whatever we do, not just analyzing books and writing essays. So, no one should feel any anxiety as they take their first steps into that dreaded first college class. Go ahead; look at the kid next to you who is a genius prodigy child from some other country and think, “I am just as smart as you.” (But do not actually say it, come on now, we are classy people.) Stare the professor with the funny mustache in the eye and just know one thing: we are ready. Besides, what can be scarier than walking into Ms. Serensky’s room not knowing what doom lies ahead?