S3. Online Publishing..

I’m very happy about my decision to take Online Publishing this year. Not many other electives are usually this fun. When it comes to us as a class, we know just the meaning of laughing. This is definitely one of my number one classes that I look forward to. This is mostly because everybody seems to get along perfectly in here, plus who else doesn’t like coming in and hearing stories about Fergie or clowns or my favorite of all, Angola. Mr. Currin leaves you with so many stories that will make you laugh and they never get old. Coming into this class, I wasn’t quite sure what to think. I wasn’t sure if I was going to like it or benefit from it. However, I was wrong. I ended up truly enjoying this class and learning so much more about myself as writer and as a person. Not only does Mr. Currin help you grow but so does everyone else in this class with you. Another thing I must add is that this elective never was boring to me. I’ve never laughed so much in one class then I have in here. Online Publishing offers you so much to help you expand you’re writing but also give you the opportunity to become yourself. I’ve become extremely good friends with many people here in this class and it’s going to be sad leaving some behind and growing apart from some. Looking back on all my articles, I’ve seen growth in every form possible. This class isn’t just about writing for The Bulldog, although that is a major honor, but it’s about expressing yourself. In here, I’ve felt that everybody has expressed their self in so many ways through articles, blogs, and jokes of course. If I could go back to the day I scheduled my classes for this year, I wouldn’t have changed my choice of Online Publishing. This class is the best.

S2. Top Five Online Publishing Moments

Choosing the top five most memorable moments of Online Publishing 2011-2012 is quite difficult because there is honestly so much I can talk about. However, if I did have to choose my top five, I do have some good ones that instantly come to mind. My first one just so happens to be our clapping. Whenever someone enters our room, everybody welcomes them with a clap. The first time we ever did this in class everybody looked around at one another in a confused manner. Now, we all do it as an instant reaction without thinking twice. My second moment would be some of the bickering between our fellow reporters such as, Rudy and Tara, Meghan and Mr. Currin, and of course, Mike and Brian. Some of the things they tend to say to each other definitely have kept this class entertaining. For my third one, I’d have to say Joe’s music that he plays. Now he plays music out of the blue for no apparent reason, but the most memorable times would be when he plays it as someone gets moved from seat to seat. I can’t even name the amount of times I have heard him play the same music over and over for the big effect of moving. The fourth moment is more than likely a favorite moment of everybody’s; yes I am talking about Austin’s fall. Being that I was lucky enough to sit next to Meghan at the beginning of this year; I was able to see the whole thing play out. Watching him struggle with his foot stuck between the two chairs and grab another chair for help as he falls, was the most entertaining thing I’ve seen in this class. Although everybody still hounds at him for this funny event, he should feel lucky to be in the top five memorable moments of Online Publishing by pretty much, everyone. Lastly, my number five most memorable moment is definitely involves Mr. Currin. When it comes to him all of his stories and comments are what made this class the best possible. His stories involving Fergie are definitely going to be missed along with his shout out at the beginning of class. Thanks to him, this class has been full of laughs and memories that no other class can live up to.

S1. Suggestions, suggestions!

Some suggestions I’d have to help make Online Publishing a bit better would definitely be more special features. For example, we all did an article for a certain teacher where we wrote about them and their influence on us as well as others. I enjoyed that very much and I felt that that was a very good way to show our appreciation for our teachers, especially when some may not know they are appreciated. I also enjoyed this because it does tend to get a bit harder when you have to choose topics that have to be Alden related. Sometimes there are only a selective few to choose from and those article choices get taken quickly. There were a few time I and some others had a difficult time deciding what to write our next article on. It also wasn’t fun when we didn’t know and got stuck with a topic that didn’t interest us. It’s much easier to write about something you’re interested in. Another suggestion would be to also expand our choices. There are some things that are going on outside of Alden that do interest us and others. I think that may help us out more when we’re having a tough time choosing from Alden related topics. Another thing would be to give us less choice blogs at the start. If you’re going to give us more do it progressively towards the end of the year when more is going on with the school and when we have a bunch of topics to write about. At the start and middle of the year, choice blogs became difficult to write about due to not much going on. Overall, I was very pleased with this class and I had a lot of fun being able to be part of this class.

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.