The "Final" Blog Post

Here we are, 8 months after I've started this blog. I'm about to graduate High School and move to a different state, 5 hours away from my family, and more importantly, my dog.
There's something to be said to the fact that you learn from your mistakes, and I've made quite a few throughout my time in high school. I've failed. A lot.
In middle school, you showed up, you got a B. You wrote your name on the paper, you got an A. In high school, it was a whole new world, one where unless you worked your absolute hardest, you were not going to succeed. My grades in High school are not something I'm particularly proud of. They're not great, not terrible, but also, not a reflection of who I am as a student. I'm not going to talk about grades now though, that's another topic for another day.

Here are some things I learned in high school and hope to apply to my life in college:

-Join student government (I didn't do this and regret it!!)
-Talk to him, what's the worst thing that can happen?
-Work hard first, then reward yourself
-Block Netflix
-Make time for your friends
-Don't sleep your days away
-Kiss up to the teachers a little bit
-Running can be fun
-Put yourself out there
-Be loud

As you can see, I learned a lot in high school besides how to calculate the velocity of a watermelon speeding through space. Yes. I learned things that will help me academically next year, but I think that some of the most important things I've learned are more personal and will help me immensely in years to come.

If I had to choose one thing that I learned through out all four of my years in High School, it would be to put myself out there. Oddly enough, I've never been a very quiet person in the literal sense of the word, but I've also never been one to volunteer at a magic show or try out for the leading role in the musical. I have a lot of self-confidence, but I don't love the lime-light.
My junior year of high school, I was put in a situation that I could either take advantage of, or leave completely alone. After a few months of sitting quietly, I decided to take a chance. Long story short, there was a guy I liked in one of my classes that I didn't know very well, but ended up getting to know him a little bit better through working on homework and through music events. You can read more about it here in a post I wrote last year.
Moral of the story, it didn't work out, and it took me a while to get over the idea that I "failed" at achieving my goal. I would have so much more regret having not done something, as opposed to the regret I have towards the way the situation ended. As I mentioned in the post I wrote last year, some of my best memories were made because I put myself out there.

Although there are many things I regret about high school, I know that those regrets can be channeled into creating an amazing time in college.

Some Pinterest Inspiration:

I think this quote is my favorite

I'm not sure if I will continue blogging on this blog, but I know I will continue on my fashion and lifestyle blog, North Shore Proper, so be sure to follow me there to follow me though my journey at Bellarmine University!

NorthShoreProper.Blogspot.com

The Cost of Graduation

My senior year of High School is coming to a close. It's hard to believe, but there are only 51 days until graduation. Wow.

Background photo via

This year seemed to have revolved around money and finances. Paying for college, which of course includes paying for scholarships, calling financial aid offices across the country, filling out the FAFSA etc.

This year, I've tried to focus on saving money for college next year for me to spend, as well as trying to save my parents money because I know they're stressed out about paying for my education. I can deal with that. I don't mind saving some of my money because I know I can use it later, but the end of this year is getting VERY expensive very quickly.

Let's just do a quick cost break down of my second semester of Senior year:

AP Testing (I'm taking four tests): $364
Visting Colleges over Spring Break (lets include gas and a one night stay at a hotel): $160
Prom Bids (I'm paying for my date as they're coming from a different school): $140
Prom Dress: $90 (I'd say most peoples cost at least double this though. I found mine on sale)
Miscellaneous Prom expenses (sweatshirt, lakehouse rental, gas, boutonniere, etc.): $150
Graduation Dress (this isn't necessary, but I'm saving up for a specific one): $180
Senior Breakfast Ticket: $10
Grad Night Ticket: $45
Graduation Announcements: $70
Graduation Party (luncheon for the family with 20 people, $25 a person): $500
Graduation Presents for friends (lets say for 5 close friends): $100
College Freshman Orientation (Let's say two nights in a hotel and gas): $200

That comes to a grand total of......... drumroll please...............

$2,009

That is the cost of graduation. Of course things like Prom and a new graduation dress are optional, so with the necessary expenses of AP testing, college visits, graduation announcements, and a small grad party:
$1034

*Insert Crying Emoji Here*

So why is it that as we're preparing for the most expensive four years of our young adult lives, that we spend so much money? Some of these expenses are split between parents and students, but I would say that these are conservative estimates.
The average price of a Prom dress at our school most likely brushes $300, and if your college is in California, you have to add another $1000 for plane tickets.

I personally think that this is a bit silly to spend so much money on some pretty frivolous things as we're so stressed about maying for college, but that seems to be what our school system and community has instilled into our minds.

all sales final

Panorama taken by me at the local library

The week before finals is upon us. Fondly referred to as "Hell Week" at my school, students spend their time studying, crying, chugging coffee, and driving around looking for a parking spot at the library (aka me for the last 10 minutes). This week is one that is not taken lightly by teachers or students. Projects are assigned and collected, unit tests are taken, and (in some cases) online grades are updated for the first times in months.

The idea of final exams seem just that: final. The word lends itself to panic and thoughts of doom and destruction uncontrollable by the student. I know in my case, finals are when I realize just how important those five point assignments were back in September, or how little of AP Statistics I truly understand. Looking back on my first set of finals my freshman year of High School (I'm currently a senior) I suppose I thought they would only get easier as the semesters went on. Yet here I am, upon what I hope to be my last set of finals in high school, just as panicked as I was in 2012. I feel slightly more prepared, and slightly more anxious, but perhaps that's just the 3 cups of coffee I've had so far today.

Perhaps the most daunting aspect of finals is the idea that you're about to pull together five months of knowledge into one exam, project, or paper, and it's going to count as 1/5 of your semester grade. You have absolutely no control over what happens after you click send, or turn back your Scantron, all thats left to do is refresh the online grade-book compulsively until your pointer finger falls off. I promise it will be okay. Your fingers will not fall off (unless we get another polar vortex then I make no promises) and the world will not end.

Please join me in a toast (of a caramel macchiato) to kick off Hell Week right:

Here's to the late nights and near caffeine overdoses (yes it's possible, please be careful folks!). The endless typing, highlighting, and of course, perpetual fear that you're not good enough.

Cheers!