R3. Conceited much?

Mr. Currin chooses to constantly remind us that he is a “big deal”. He says it so much, how could we possibly forget that? However, in this blog he wants us to depict whether or not it is a true or false statement. I think this is very controversial. Mr. Currin thinks he is a big deal, I can’t exactly tell you how long he’s thought of this or has wanted to be a big deal, but he won’t let you forget that he’s a “big deal”. He’ll make sure that that’s the first thing you know about him, then he’ll make sure you never, ever, forget it. It will keep replaying in your head and haunt you. No, but really, Mr. Currin does make this class extremely fun. Luckily, this class is my last class of the day so it keeps me awake as the day approaches its end. I’m still a bit unsure on whether or not he is that big of a deal. He still has a few more days left to prove that to my fellow classmates and I. Good luck, Mr. Currin! Maybe if you keep repeating it to us we will eventually believe it, or maybe we won’t, who knows! One thing we can all agree on is that this is honestly the best class ever. This class doesn’t compare to any other. The unbelievable amount of laughs we all share per class is too much for other classes to handle. I do need to add that Mr. Currin does know how to entertain a bunch of juniors and seniors at the end of the day as were all tired and don’t want to be here. I don’t know if that makes him a big deal though. It’s debatable. I guess you can say, any teacher that posts pictures of cats around the room to “keep us busy” is a big deal. Not going to lie.

R2. Write, write, write, write, write, write.

Hmm, what I love writing about, that’s a difficult thing to answer. There are a wide variety of things I enjoy writing about; however, I’d have to say all the different upcoming events that I look forward to or have had in the past are my favorite topic to write about. The reason it’s my favorite topic is because it’s something you can easily write. It’s something you can make vivid and put feeling into. If it’s a topic you don’t like or don’t know anything about then the writing doesn’t mean as much. Even if it means nothing to others it still means something to you. I enjoy writing about things from the past or future to come because I have control over it. I can make it mine. When you’re able to put experience, opinions, feelings, and much more into writing it makes it so much better. Some events I have written about were camping, graduation, dances, basketball games, medical and art jobs, etc. These were all easy for me because they mean something to me. I think everybody would agree with me. It’s just way too difficult to write about something you don’t know anything about or have a strong dislike towards. I’ve also experienced that when you do write about something you don’t have knowledge about or a liking to, the writing isn’t strong. It tends to bore readers and not capture their attention as much as something of the opposite would. Overall, in this class I have had to write about things I don’t know or don’t like, but in the end I prefer topics of my liking. I like being able to express my opinion and feelings in whatever it is that I write about. It makes me feel at control and it makes me feel like I actually did a good job on my writing. The more you put into it, the more you get out. If there isn’t anything for you to put in then you get nothing out of it and neither do other readers. To me, that’s why choice blogs weren’t too bad. It gave me a wide variety of things to choose from. It wasn’t as if you were forced to write about something you didn’t want to. It put you in control, that’s what I like about my writing.

R1. The end approaches, goodbye Alden.

The best part of the end of the school year would be summer vacation, of course. However, being a senior it’s difficult to pick the best part as the school year approaches its end. The Bulldog’s very own, Emily Zuchowski, had a similar discussion with me this morning while we snacked at Tim Horton’s. We both agreed that all of the past years we looked forward to summer, however, we knew we’d be coming back. This year it’s different. We will be going on summer vacation but no longer returning to Alden High. I don’t really know if that’s the best part of the end of the school year or not. If anything I’d have to say summer is all I look forward to at the end of the year, but this year I look forward to a well spent summer. I want to spend as much time as I can with friends especially though. This is basically my last hooray before buckling down as an adult and starting college.

 Honestly, I don’t fully know what I look forward to. Part of me does look forward to summer vacation but part of me doesn’t. It’s the start of my new life, a start of something completely different than what I’m used to. It’s hard to fully pick what you look forward to and what is the best part of the end of the year because there are so many mix emotions right now. I do have to say that summer will be a blast. I’ll be able to lie out and tan, swim, have bonfires, go camping, work the fairgrounds, four-wheel, hang out with friends, go to family parties, graduation parties, have cook outs, and so much more. I know this is going to be a very busy summer so I’ll be able to fit in a lot of things before college starts up. Although my feelings are mixed right now, I think I’m ready and I’m definitely looking forward to the start of summer vacation.  

Majority of this summer also will be spent preparing for my future. I’ll be freaking out as college approaches closer and closer. In all honest, it’s depressing knowing I won’t be returning to this place. Reality has set in, I won’t be seeing these teachers, and I won’t be seeing a hand full of my fellow classmates. I do look forward to college just as much as I also fear it. Inside, I’m really going to miss Alden Central School. This place isn’t just a school, yes there have been times I just wanted to leave this district but in reality, this is my home. I’m going to miss it but I know I have bigger and better things ahead of me. Alden will always be a part of me, but it’s my time to move on from it.

Q5. "You're gonna want this back."

As many of the seniors will agree, this year has flown by quickly. It’s already May which means only twenty-three more days until exam week. Graduation is coming up fairly quickly which means us seniors are beginning to worry about many things such as schools, scholarships, awards, etc. It’s going to be a big change for us all but I know we can all face it. It honestly feels as if it were just yesterday that we started out as seniors. When people say senior year’s flies by and you will want it back, I finally understand now where they are coming from and just what they mean. This year has flown by and I can’t believe it’s basically over. Right now, I wish I could go back to the beginning of this year because I know that within a couple of days, high school will fully be over with. There won’t ever be a time to get those days back except relive those memories. I’m well prepared to get emotional the day of graduation. Not going to lie, I’m excited for college but there is a big part of me that is nervous. It scares me going to a new place from once being so used to another. Especially when you will know barely anybody there or your way around, change is good but it has its downfalls. Many people say they strongly dislike this school but in all honesty, I don’t. This school is what made me. It’s all I’ve known. I’ve been around these people and these teachers since I can remember. No doubt about it, this school made me who I am to this very day. Although this years gone by very fast, there has been times that I’ve felt it’s dragged on. Therefore, I’m looking forward to summer vacation. It just will be fairly different returning from vacation and not returning to Alden High. I know for sure that I’m more than ready to take on this change and big step to come. Alden will always be a part of me though and I think it’ll always be a part of others as well. To those that aren’t seniors just yet, trust me, senior year truly goes by before you know it. Make it the best year ever because you won’t ever be able to return to moments like these.

Q4. My icon, my grandma.

The person I would say is my icon isn’t famous or popularly known. The person I’d have to say is my icon would be my grandma, also known as Nana. The reason I admire her is because she’s strong. I don’t mean physically strong at the moment, but she is mentally, spiritually, and emotionally strong. She has been through so much that I admire the way she makes it on in life. Although she has a lot of difficulties that she faces everyday due to her medical condition, she still makes the best out of everything. She’s one of the only people I know that is so easy going. It doesn’t take a lot to make her smile or make her day, just the simplest things will do. This I admire her for because I feel like now a days, people “need” too much of something in order to make them “happy”. Unlike others, she doesn’t need anything to make her happy. She’s naturally happy with what she has and what she was blessed with in the past. To me, this makes her an iconic person because she teaches a good life lesson to me and the rest of the family. She shows us that life isn’t easy and it’s not meant to be, things get thrown at you that you don’t expect, but in the end it’s okay. Because of her, I’ve realized that love goes a long way and it can make anything better even if it’s something that can’t permanently be fixed or undone. She’s lost so much in her life but she’s still going on, not just for herself but for those people and for others still here to this day.  I personally don’t need someone who has muscles, a ton of fame, a lot of money, nor has their face displayed all over tabloids. My iconic person is a little old lady with a big heart, and I’m proud to say she is my Nana.

Q3. "Love is how you stay alive, even after you are gone."

The best book I’ve ever read for an English class would have to be Tuesday’s With Morrie. We just finished reading this book in class yesterday and ever since we started reading it, I was hooked. Right from the start I was intrigued by the story line of an old college student reconnecting with his old professor. It interested me because in order for them to reconnect something drastic would have had to take place. I enjoyed this book because of the different life lessons you can walk away from it with. It also really makes you think a lot about the people around you along with forgiveness, life, death, love and so much more. After they reunite again, they make it a daily habit for every Tuesday just like it was when Mitch took Morrie’s class. This book made me interested in reading the chapters to follow because of the fact each chapter consisted of one topic that Mitch wanted to discuss with Morrie. The things Morrie told Mitch opened up us as readers. This book really hits home for people that read it because of the inspiration it gives you. The topics were something you could relate to in some type of way. A few of the topics that hit home for me were family, forgiveness, and death. Family is super important to me and I would be nothing without them. It opened my eyes because although Morrie’s family experienced some difficult times, Morrie still made sure he raised his family the way he wish it would have been for him. Family is something that you can’t ever truly get rid of, they will always be there. Forgiveness also struck me because people do make mistakes. Some of the mistakes do cause you to hold a grudge and not forgive somebody but in the end, sometimes you should. Not everybody is perfect and grudges can weigh you down. You just don’t need that weight on your shoulders and neither does that other person. Death was important to me because you always wonder who will miss you when you’re gone. Therefore, you need to make something of yourself before that time comes. You want to have done all you possibly can along with saying things you can while you have the chance. This book was definitely my favorite because it fills you with a ton of knowledge that occurs every day. It also gets you thinking. When Morrie dies, it made me really think about those I’ve already lost. Especially those that I felt were similar to him in a way. This book overall made me want to spend much more quality time with those I love and care about whether it be friends or family. It made me want to do and say as much as I can to them because you don’t live forever.

Q2. Summer, come soon!

What are my plans for the summer? Gosh, there are a lot. This summer is going to be one of the busiest for my family and I. The month of June only consists of graduation and a cousins wedding. Both events I look forward to because they are life changing. Once July hit’s my summer is cut short basically. The fourth of July is the first day we get busy. For that event, my family either goes to a relative’s house for some food and fireworks or we head to Allegany State Park for a day at the beach and a night ending with fireworks. A few days after the fourth of July, I will be heading for a week to Allegany State Park. There we go camping every single year with my dad’s best friend’s family. One thing I enjoy about camping is being able to get away. My parents allow us each to bring one friend which also is quite the entertainment. This is one of my favorite things about summer because we get to go fishing in the boat, hiking, swimming, tanning, bike riding, everything! As soon as we come home, we have only a week or so left until August begins. In that week we all become super stressed out. We have a total of four birthday parties back to back along with a lot of graduation parties including my own. Also, we have my sisters birthday party. Another reason why we get super stressed is because my dad has to get prepared for the Erie County Fair. My dad has had a booth there for his business for years upon years. My grandparents also used to own a restaurant at the fair where my sister and I waitressed at. In between the time the restaurant closed and us starting to work for my dad at the booth, my siblings and I would show some of our animals at the fair. Either way, my entire family is at the fair 24/7 from opening time to closing time for the entire two weeks it’s open. So if any of you come, look for us! This is definitely the most stressful, chaotic part of summer but I wouldn’t trade it for the world. This is another thing I definitely look forward to besides camping. By the time the fair is over, I literally have only a week and a few days until I start college. My summers are always full but I enjoy being busy all the time. It’s well worth it in the end and I strongly look forward to it all.

Q1. One choice done, one to go.

For my first choice blog this week, I don’t have much to write about. The only thing that is truly coming up would be prom. I, as well as many others, am excited. However, the stress is still continuing and will continue until prom is over. This entire week is going to be going by so slow since everybody has been looking forward to this one specific event for a while. The only other thing I am also excited for would be tomorrow. Being in 21^st century communications, we were told that at some point in the school year we would be going over to see the little kids to do a group presentation for them. We have to do the presentation twice for them and the first day is tomorrow. Being that it is the fourth grade class, I’m not too worried but I am a tad because that’s around the age where they roughly have attitudes. Therefore, we don’t know what to fully expect. At the age we are at, you don’t fully think, you just react. If any of these kids give attitude we will need to stop and think so we remember their age and the purpose of us being there. It’ll be all about blocking out negativity and unnecessary distractions that the little kids may bring. This will be a difficult thing for some of the other kids in my class. Our group presentations need to be based on Rachel’s Challenge. We are given a total of five kids in our own group that we will present our own activities to that deal with this topic. One worry my group has would be holding the kids attention for the amount of time of our presentation. We don’t want to bore them, we want them to have fun but also be educated by what we are saying and doing. However, I am looking forward to it and I think overall it will be a good experience for us and them.