Four years ago we were so young...

SING. SING is a show, competition, that my old high school puts on every November. SING has been a tradition at Susan Wagner High School for over thirty years. As a dedicated member of SING, let me explain to you what it is all about.

SING is a competition between all grades. The freshmen are paired with the sophomores because it is their first year and they need to have guidance, they do not know how the whole process goes yet. The juniors and seniors are on their own. Therefore there are three separate shows being put on. These shows are produced in all ways by the students. The students write their own scripts, write their own music, own lyrics, own dances, own backdrops, own sound systems, and of coarse, they act and sing. The SING season begins the second week in September and the shows are actually mid- November. These weeks in between are a combination of practice, hard work, fighting, and competition. It is an unsaid war between the grades to win the title of SING. It is a very big deal in Wagner.

Besides the show aspect of SING, SING is so much more than that. SING is a time of bonding, a time to make new friends, and share many laughs. It is a great way to make friends as a freshman, because through this process you will meet many people, some who will even go on to become best friends. One of my best friends today I met through SING. SING brings people together and forms bonds like no other. Although there are many fights, it is all out of stress, because at the end of it all, we always put an an amazing show, and everyone loves each other, and we all become so close because we went through everything together. You will never understand that bond, unless you do SING.

SING was the best memory I have of high school . It was the best time of the year that everyone anticipated in the Summer, and missed in the Winter. As I mentioned before the students write their own lyrics, but to known songs. For example, our alma mata last year was How to Save a Life by The Fray. We kept the song, but made our own lyrics. As this year SING approaches in two weeks, I cannot believe it has been a whole year since Senior SING Victory 2007. Until this day, I can hear How to Save a Life on the radio and tears full up in my eyes and I get the chills from the memories made during my high school years.

"Where did the years go? They flew so fast. But we have our memories to last. And we would have stayed in this school all night. It's senior SING saying goodbye..."

Charity

As a member of the sorority Phi Eta Chi, one of our letters stands for charity. This being said, we participate monthly in charity events. The month of October is breast cancer awareness month and the breast cancer walk is being held Sunday morning at Cloves Lakes Park. Myself, along with the whole sorority, which is about sixty girls, are all walking in this walk to support women everywhere. Participating in this walk shows our support to women everywhere. We also contribute a good amount of money for research. This will not be the first time I have done this walk. One of my neighbors died of breast cancer about two years ago, and the whole block started up a team for the walk and always raise the most money for the research. It is not a competition, because whatever money you can contribute counts, but it feels nice to know you will be helping a lot of women with all that money. Breast Cancer is a deadly disease among women everywhere. Every woman should contribute to this months cause, it is just the right thing to do.

Confusion

As mid terms are coming to an end, I have realized something. I am not enjoying what I am studying. Psychology is a very hard subject and I am not that devoted to it enough to work that hard for something that I am not even enjoying. There is no complaint in working hard, it is just that I am not interested that much to be working that hard. In high school was a member of the Institute of Law And Politics. I was very in to this program, and I was good at what I did. Always receiving high grades and always participating in the class room and outside the class room. I was also a member of mock trial team and moot court. I loved what I was doing, and it is now time to make a change. I have decided to change my major to Criminal Justice. I will enjoy it much more than what I am doing now. I have a background in this field, so hopefully my grades will be higher as well. As for a career, I am undecided. There are many options with a degree in Criminal Justice. It has been my dream to be a member of the FBI or Secret Service. To make that dream come true I will have to work very hard, but I am ready for the challenge. Once this change is made I will free much more at ease, because right now I am not comfortable with the grades I am earning in my studies. With this change, my schedule will be more enjoyable and more achieving!

Music in Me

Music has a hold on people. Music can bring people together; it can make people grow apart. Lyrics are even more powerful. Hearing one simple song on the radio can change your life. You can feel like that song was written for you, because you can relate to it. You realize you are not the only one with these problems. Music is so strong. It is not just about entertaining. Artists want their fans to relate to them. Their music reaches out to the fans. When you find a favorite song, no matter what point in time, no matter where you are you can remember the first time you heard the song, where you were, and what you were feeling. It is crazy that such a simple thing, a song, can have a power like that. Hearing that song, makes you relive everything from that time. Emotions spring from music, whether you want to admit it or not. Also, if you noticed, most music is about love. Lyrics are the artists’ way of professing their feelings, or their stories. You just happen to enjoy them and relate to them. Music can also be the key to someone’s heart. A song can mean everything to a couple, it’s their “thing” and it means everything to them. Also at parties, sweet sixteen’s, and such, friends come together for “their” song. It is just how it is. Music is a lot more important than you thought it would be. Music can take a toll on you; the emotions that take over you cannot be helped.

Someday

One day. Maybe. I cannot help but to think of what will be in the future. Many things are left unsaid in the present and you wonder if in the future you will get a chance to fix it and make it all better. As situations happen to you now, most of the time you do not have the strength to face them right away. Whether you care too much what people think, or you are just afraid of the outcome. I personally know I wish many things in my life were different. Do not get me wrong I love the life I live, I have a wonderful life, it’s just that certain aspects that I wish were there are missing. These missing aspects are on my mind constantly. I relive situations that have happened and cannot help but wonder if I did something differently, maybe things would be different today. I know you cannot think like that, but it is hard not too. People say you should not look back with regret, but to look back and be happy it all happened to you. As much as I try to tell myself that everything is okay and I am okay I know I am not. People come in and out of your life all the time; it’s just so hard when they leave. You wonder if they even cared the way you do. They probably do not, which is even worse. Only time can tell. What’s meant to be will be. One day. Maybe.

Happiness

"Happiness cannot come from without. It must come from within. It is not what we see and touch or that which others do for us which makes us happy; it is that, which we think and feel and does,
first for the other fellow then for ourselves” -Helen Keller

Many of us spend a lifetime searching for happiness. We chase ideal dreams, religions and even
other people, in hope that our emptiness would soon go away. What’s ironic is that only place we ever needed to search was ourselves.

Happiness is as simple as driving on a pretty road or hearing our favorite song on the radio. It can be watching the sunset as the wind blows through our hair. Happiness is having a “girl’s night” with our favorite girls. Happiness can be the feeling we get after the first drop on a roller coaster, or even lying in bed listening to the rain fall.

Our happiness may mean absolutely nothing to others, but the world to ourselves. Our happiness may consist of hearing a bird sing on a bright summer day, while others don’t find joy in such a thing. We may absolutely love being held by someone we care about, while others just do not find comfort.

Maybe we’ll always remember that “first kiss,” while other people just don’t seem to care. It’s not about opening hundreds of presents on Christmas day. It’s not about shopping with the money that grandma gives us every year. It’s about sitting around the table with the family. It’s about watching our family member’s faces as they open our gifts. It’s not about worrying about saying the wrong thing. It’s knowing you’ve done the right thing no matter what people think

Finding happiness is like finding ourselves. We don’t find happiness, we make happiness; we choose happiness. It’s a process of discovering our own inner person, who we want to be and paving the way to happiness by doing what brings us the most meaning in our lives.

My Bedroom

Comfort. What may one think when this word comes to mind? Security? Happiness? Some find comfort in other people, whereas others find comfort in a specific thing or place. It's funny, though, how the most insignificant things to other people could have such a positive impact on someone else. As I sit and think about where I am most secure, only my bedroom comes to mind.
My bedroom is a place where I can just relax and be comfortable. The smell of “Heavenly,” one of my favorite perfumes, is always in the air. I know I can always go there when I want privacy or when I feel like I have nowhere to go. I can just shut the door, maybe even lock it, and keep to myself for a while. When I am tired or feeling sick, my twin bed and huge feather blanket never fail to make me better.

My bedroom is a place where I can use any emotion. Never does anything argue with me and never does anything make me feel degraded. There is an essence in the air that always seems to agree with, and comfort me. Whether I’m happy, sad, and angry or overwhelmed, all I have to do is look around; look around at my pictures. My pictures with my best friends and stupid moments. My pictures of my grandfather who I admired very much before he passed away. Sometimes I’ll even blast my music or write down anything that comes to mind.

My bedroom is a place that carries more memories that any one can imagine. It holds many of my personal belongings which make me feel superior to the world. My dresser is full of things like jewelry, pens, hair ties and books. These are all things that represent who I am exactly. In my bedroom, I can just be myself.

We're Making Memories

A memoir is a piece of autobiographical writing, usually shorter than a complete autobiography. The memoir, especially as it is being used in publishing today, often tries to capture certain highlights or meaningful moments in one's past, often including a thought of the meaning of that event at the time of the writing of the memoir. The memoir may be more emotional and concerned with capturing particular scenes, or a series of events, rather than documenting every fact of a person's life. It is more personal than a typical autobiography.
A memory can be anything you remember from a past experience. It is the ability to retain and retrieve information. The definition of memory in my own words is recalling a certain fact, place, smell, scent, or story from the past that obviously has a meaning to you if you recall it. Memory can deal with school work, for example to remember facts for certain classes or tests, or it can refer to more personal matters such as remembering what song was playing when you realized you loved someone.

Friends, Love, Family

"Each friend represents a world in us, a world possibly not born until they arrive, and it is only by this meeting that a new world is born."- Anais Nin

Friends. Friends are the closest people to your heart besides your family. Sometimes your friends are your family and sometimes you love your friends so much, you consider them your family. Along with a new college life, comes along new friends. It is not that we forget or get rid of our old friends, but that we grow and make additional friends. I have met some amazing people this past week that I never would have thought I would become so close with. I have shared secrets and life stories with this group of girls that not even some of my closest friends know about me. I opened myself up to these girls and trust them with everything, and they have done the same. They have told me there deepest and most personal stories and the fact that they trust me means everything to me. I love them with all my heart and I would do anything for them. We have gone through so much together already and it is just the beginning, but it is the beginning of something great. Not only have I gained new friends, I have gained sisters, sisters for life. We share a bond that no one will understand. They have change my life and it has only been a week. I cannot wait to see what the future brings.

Hectic

In one of my previous blogs I had described the transition between high school and college. I mentioned how life has drastically changed and how I loved every minute of it. This week I experienced the meaning of hectic. My life was one big rush this week, between work, classes, papers, studying, school activities I just did not have any time to myself. This was the first true time where I had to master the art of multi -tasking. The meaning of rush had expanded beyond my horizon. I did not even know what to do first. I was so bombarded with everything, which once again, brought me to a panic. I took a second to breath then mapped out my days. It was also this week that my student planner came to be a huge help in my life.
Once all activities had been planned out I just took it step by step. First came school work. Classes, papers, and studying came in full force this week, seeing how mid terms are coming up. Next came my school activities such as volunteering at events for student government and Greek life events. Lastly came my job. I realize I have responsibilities at my job, but college is now my top priority, because I will not be working at a bakery my whole life and unfortunately my boss does not understand that. I have been so nervous to take off days at work for school events and that just is not normal. My boss has to realize I attend college now and I have more responsibilities than serving cake. I love my job, I have been working there for three and a half years, but it seems like it may be coming to an end because my boss is just not cooperative. He does not see my side or where I am coming from and that is very frustrating for me.
Hectic would be the perfect adjective to describe this past week. If I survived this week, I can survive any week after this. I am strong and independent and I am learning this more and more as days go by.