A Final Thank You.

 As we reach the conclusion of our high school career I thank you my dear classmates.

What seemed to be like yesterday is now thirteen years ago. Where did the time go?! On the first days of kindergarten I could not wait to depart and go home. Now, on the last days of high school it saddens me that I HAVE to depart and go home and for this, I blame you. As the last days approach us I reflect upon the good times which bring a glowing smile to my face. I have witnessed the changes which you have gone through and I am sure you have seen the changes I have gone through as well.  Through all the changes and through each year, friendships grew stronger.

      

        Because of you I learned how a smile can be contagious.

  

I give tremendous thanks to you all for sharing your kindness with me and showing me what a friend should be. The person I grew to be over the years was due to the people I was surrounded by each day. I learned how wonderful it can be to share laughter with the ones that mean a lot to you. I now understand how hard it can be to stay goodbye. In a couple days I will be leaving the ones I grew up with and the teachers that held my hand along the way, and this seems to be difficult. I cannot be more blessed and thankful for the last thirteen years that the good Lord has provided me with. Teachers and classmates, I ask you take more pride in yourselves.  It is you that I will remember when I reminisce on the best times throughout my education in Holbrook.  Words cannot describe how much I will miss you and the impact you have made in my life.

I appreciate that you all have given me a reason to be thankful. A friendship is something that means so much and can be found anywhere. I am lucky to say that I found several of my first friends here. I just hope you realize how much I truly admire you all. In a couple of days we will be moving on and moving forward as we have a beautiful life awaiting us and a million incredible memories and experiences to reflect on.

Thirteen beautiful years comes down to Friday, May 25, 2012.

And to my seniors in the fast lane……

Closing timeee, every new beginning comes from some other beginnings end. <3

Goin' with the Flow!

It is COMPLETE craziness that graduation is less than seven days away. A week from now I will be laying around and catching up on sleep from the weekend with no worries but summer time. No longer will I have another year of high school to experience because it will over. EEE!!! 

Here we are on our last week. I already know that things are going to be CRAZZZYY! As we get ready for the big day I am getting excited and I have a couple things on mind....

1.       My camera better be charged at all times.  

2.       Water-proof make-up is going to come in handy.

3.       My Spanish needs some practice or I am going to sound like a fool in front of thousands of people.

4.       My body is going to need some serious recovery after the week is over.

5.       AND last but not least, thank goodness for graduation parties. They are a reminder of how happy graduation is.

I enjoy that the five listed items have nothing to do with school and the stress of finals! I have realized that there is no point of stressing my last couple days of high school. I am a smart girl so let the festivities carry on!  I look back and reflect upon the year and how foolishly overwhelmed I was. I guess at the time it made sense because the thought of beginning life on my own seemed like a blur. Now smiling and being happy makes the most sense. Without all the hard work and stress that I put into this year I would not be in the position I am now. It all fell into place and it was wonderful to have the "college" weight lifted off of my shoulders a little. I am so blessed for the financial assistance and scholarships that I have received. I went from a crazy mess to completely content on the how I have spent the last two months of my high school career.  Thank you dear Lordy!

I let it all out, took a breather, and just like that I was reunited with life as I was refreshed with my optimism.  I know I will look back and always have a sense of the stress that I felt throughout this year. I also know that there will be plenty more years to go that will include stress.  I am just grateful that I experienced what needed to be experienced this year. At least I know there are solutions and reminders of how blessed we are in life. I laugh at the fact that what I have on my mind now includes the fear of having raccoon eyes on Graduation night from make-up that is not waterproof. I am also happy that I can admit that I, Maria Garcia (Full-blooded Mexican) needs to practice my Español. Yes, what is on my mind includes silly thoughts. I love silly.

I give tremendous thanks to the great Lord. I have slowed down to enjoy the scenery and cruise on through the SENIOR LANE!

We Saved the Best for Last...Minute!

Procrastination: putting off or delaying, especially requiring immediate attention.

Well friends, it is true; I am a procrastinator! I think that over the past two years my ability to procrastinate has only gotten...well, worse. It kicks my butt every time but in the end I seem to get what needs to be done finished. At least I know that I am not alone.

Our class is known to be procrastinators. Doing things last minute is how we roll. I am pleased to say that there have been some amazing results due to our procrastination.  This is something that is usually frowned upon but in defense of my classmates it has been very good to us! Between homecoming and other projects throughout our high school years it has become clear that we work better under pressure.  Oh how I am going to miss it! I blame the extreme creativity and the ability to work together. Man, without the ideas of each individual in our class I don't think we would be able to pull our accomplishments off.

We begin something with such a vivid vision in our minds. How we get there is something I wonder to myself but all I know is somehow our vision becomes what we pictured it to be, if not more. I love the feeling of being apart of a creation so wonderful. One individual has what it takes to create something beautiful but when several gifted individuals get together and share their thoughts it can be breathtaking. I think I can back this up by experience. I am known to be creative and when I create something that turns out great I immediately take pride in the work that was put into it. When I am connected with my classmates to create something incredible the feeling of satisfaction is ten times better! Being able to share the joy of accomplishment with my classmates is priceless.

Alright, alright I guess we already know that the Class of 2012 is off the chain! I have learned that it doesn't matter what class you are in but being given the opportunity to work with any group of individuals is something to cherish. I have seen some of the best work done through groups throughout our school. Luckily I have been given the honor of being included in some of these groups. I have seen magic done around me. Working with talented individuals is something which I am very thankful for. It has allowed us to use the right side of our brains to create some impressive creations! Yes procrastination has surrounded my classmates and me several times throughout our high school years but I say that it has all been worth it. Through the grumpiness and butterflies in our tummies it has all worked out in our favor, thank goodness! Thank you all for giving me the opportunity to work with you!! It has been wonderful wonderful. :)

Celebrate Good Times, C'mon!

So I am sitting in a kitchen listening to my ma, Aunt Rosa, and Aunt Olivia brainstorm ideas for the Grad night party. OH MY GOODNESS, Grad night! Twenty-Eight more days till graduation, my friends! As I sit here listening to the ideas and planning of my family members I cannot set my mind to believe that the special day is just about here. AHHHH!

SO I have just been informed that Grad Night will be themed based on homecoming, making the party this year 80's. My aunts and mom continue asking me for ideas on activities and prizes for the night. For some reason I am clueless and I believe that maybe it is because Graduation night feels unreal to me. All this talk about celebrating is exciting but I also feel a little sad about it. Never in my life would I have thought that sadness would come in contact with celebration. By the sounds of the brain power sitting around me it sounds like the Grad Night party will be a blast and I have no doubt that it won't be. There is a constant reminder that the Grad Night party will be probably the last time several of us will be together all at once.

Over the past three years I have attended the Grad Night parties and they have been some of the longest nights of my life! Luckily this year it will only be going until three in the morning. The grad night party will be different for me this year though. The past three years my mom has kind of made me go to the parties but this year there won't be no force to go. I will be attending the party in the eyes of a senior (or a newly-high school graduate). I will want to be there simply because it will be one of the last times I will be able to enjoy the people I have grown up with. This thought keeps getting weirder and weirder, ee!

It was only a couple weeks ago that all I was doing was wishing for the year to be over. This feeling has gone, thank goodness! Our days together are limited. I appreciate these last weeks more than ever. It's funny how it took reality for me to appreciate what I have left in high school. I encourage the rest of you to finish the year strong and cherish our last days together. We cannot stop the days from passing us by but at least we have control over how we spend the days. I invite you all to spend the grad night party with me and celebrate the remainder of our “senior year”. Encourage your friends to attend the party too. Lets make the best of Friday, May 25^th.

P.S
It is said as often as it should be but thank you all for playing a huge role in my high school experience and the last couple of weeks. I owe it to you all. I love you, my friends!

CLOSING TIME!

MY DEAR CLASSMATES,
When you look back on all we've done I hope you're proud. When you look back and see how far we've come it was our time to shine, and nobody could hold us down. They thought they'd see us fall. We stood so tall and know we wont forget. Whenever you remember times gone by, remember how we held our heads so high.                                                                                                     (Carrie Underwood)

CLOSE YOUR EYES AND BREATHE
Just let it in, let your clarity define you, in the end we will only just remember how it feels, our lives are made from these small hours, these little wonders.                                                                                               (RobThomas)

OUR TIME TOGETHER IS LIMITED AND
As we go on, we remember all the times we had together and as our lives change, come whatever we will still be friends forever.                                                                                                    (Vitamin C)  

I BELIEVE,
I believe the world is burning to the ground. Oh well, I guess we're gonna find out.. lets see how far we've come, lets see how far we've come. Well I believe it all is coming to an end.
                                                                                                                 (Matchbox Twenty)
WHEN IT'S OVER,
I'll carry you home. Tonight, we are young so I set the world on fire we can burn brighter than the sun.                                                                                                           (Fun.)

WE WILL BE CELEBRATING THEN AS WE BEGIN OUR LIVES,
You're gonna miss this, you're gonna want this back, you're gonna wish these days hadn't gone by so fast......                                                                                         (Trace Adkins)

THE REMINISING WILL BEGIN.
 Oh man we were livin'. We didn't waste one minute. We talked, and drank, and danced and said goodbyes. We laughed until we cried.                                                  (Jason Aldean)

THE BIG DAY IS GETTING CLOSER AND
Although we have come to the end of the road, still I can't let go.                  (Boyz 2 Men)

I ASK ONE THING FROM YOU ALL.
Don't you forget about me, don't, don't, don't...                                           (Simple Minds)

FRIENDS, IT IS ALMOST HERE.
Closing time, every new beginning comes from some other beginnings end.    (Semisonic)

LIFE IS FILLED WITH ADVENTURES AND
Time grabs you by the wrist and directs you where to go. So make the best of this test and don't ask why. It's not a question but a lesson learned in time. It's something unpredictable but in the end it' right.  I HOPE YOU HAD THE TIME OF YOUR LIFE.       (Greenday)                                                                                                     

LOVE ALWAYS, MUD ♥
P.S. Who needs one class song when we can have several? :)

Cupcakes of Love!

“Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around.”

-Leo F. Buscaglia

Our eyes lit up when we saw chocolate cupcakes sitting on Mrs. Caffey’s table Thursday morning. Food NEVER fails at winning a place in our hearts, especially sugar! Along with the delightful taste of the wonderful cupcakes, Mrs. Caffey provided our class with a small note saying “Pay it forward”.  She smiled as she hinted the small note that held those meaningful words towards our beloved peers in fourth hour. So here I am tonight writing my blog as the “Pay it Forward” cupcakes are in the oven!

How did this rivalry between Mrs. Caffey’s third hour and fourth senior English classes begin? It is a tad silly if you ask me and I am referring back to my six words from last week which stated, “I’m a lover not a fighter.” Don’t worry third hour, Mud has got your back. Not only will fourth hour be surprised by cupcakes but cupcakes on a Monday. Now if cupcakes on a Monday don’t lead to forgiveness just remember I will still have your back!

Well I would love to sit here and talk about cupcakes all night but I am aiming to get a message across rather than the loveliness of cupcakes…

When we pay a kind act forward we think of it as effortless. Truthfully, a small act of kindness has more meaning than we know it. When a kind act is performed to another individual it results with a smile and a beautiful feeling inside of us. We realize that there are people who care for us and aim to put a smile on our face which make us feel content. I have learned throughout my life that “happy” is the right place to be. There have been several times in my life where I have done things for others and not expected anything in return. Knowing that I have been able to be beneficial towards others and help out in any way is payment in itself. It is crazy to think that there are people in this world that think of this as strange. Luckily, I am surrounded by people every day that I can look up to for inspiration to perform kind acts for others. I am proud to say a majority of these people are my classmates and teachers who I admire for setting an example for me.

My family has done an unbelievable job at raising me and guiding me to practice amazing morals. Doing kind acts for others is one of the most meaningful values I have learned throughout my life. I inspire my classmates to continue “paying it forward”. Putting a smile on someone’s face is one of the best things we can do.

P.S. Fourth hour loves us! They better after these cupcakes. ;)

The Senioritis Fever...

It has reached that time of the year. All I know is that there is a severe case of senioritis going around, and I have this specific illness badly. As I have felt the effects kicking in I have witnessed classmates dragging just like the school days have been. At this rate ten weeks feels like a good distance away but I know when the glorious day of graduation is here I will be wishing that time would have dragged longer. Although it is getting tougher to stay focused in school each day I try to remember to finish the year strong.

Over the past week I have seen some of my classmates and very close friends suffer from the “fever”. Whether it has been the fever or simply just an abnormal funk it is evident that these close friends of mine have been acting strangely. If only a magical cure could be created to get rid of the illness we call senioritis but every senior experiences it the second semester of senior year. For my two buddies who have been in a funk, life is not over so finish strong.

Friend #1,

ISS is not the best place on earth. I understand that basketball ended roughly and not the way that you had hoped but there is a grand world of athletics beyond high school. Throughout the fours years that you were in involved in basketball here in high school I have seen a tremendous development in both your skill and desire. One of my best high school memories was sitting in the stands at the Jobing.com arena in 2011 with a huge smile as I watched a reflection of myself go crazy in the jumbo tron. You were a part of that state championship team and you should take pride in this grand accomplishment more often. With your superior talent, you can accomplishment even greater things. Snap out of that funk boy, your on your way to incredible adventures in life but only if you decide that there are better places than ISS...


Friend #2,
Thank goodness for Mrs. Caffey and her incredible motivation talks! It's true my dear classmates, dropping out is lame. I see a load of potential awaiting you in your future my friend. You are a talented young man with hopes of attending college in the fall and keeping contact with the next level of athletics. You played an outstanding senior season of basketball and did a great job of illustrating leadership skills on the court. Just smile and reflect on the unforgettable memory of the state championship title you helped win in your high school experience. Take that knowledge of yours and make it useful. This funk must go! I enjoy your spirit and your ability to make me laugh. Ten weeks is short so make beneficial decisions.

P.S. I wish nothing but the best for you Jalen and Rashaun. The potential is there waiting for you. One bad game is not the end of your world. Reconnect with your desire and open the doors to your future; you will be amazed by what is there.