Adieu

I've always had a fancy for the French language. It's soft and mellifluous. It's gorgeous. Adieu I learned from an old book, read to me in third grade, and one of my favorites. I have it to this day. The Tale of Despereaux. Adieu itself means farewell. Ah, childhood seems so far away now, but I connect it to today as I say adieu to Wayzata, to my friends, and to my teachers.

The path ahead of us splits, but I'd like to think we'll still be connected by ever-loosening-but-never-broken strings of friendship. I'd like to think I learned a lot in my 4 years in Wayzata, and I met some of the most wonderful people, but if I started listing the names and how each one influenced me, I believe my eye sockets would run dry and my afternoon would be gone. Damn, I didn't think I'd cry about moving again after moving so many times. Sorry for the lack of specificity, dear friends, but I have much to admire from each and every one of you, and I'd rather keep my eyesight today.

Life at Wayzata had many ups and downs. Everyone competed, but everyone cooperated. This led to wonderful friendships realized in torturous classes like Euro, Diffeq, AP Comp, or hell, one of the most torturous of all, Health. But behind this gang of friends rushing for college acceptance and battling for Ivy Leagues, I found a group of teachers always pushing us along gently and motivating us to be better. Wayzata has incredible teachers at each step of the way, and I can only hope my professors at college are the same. Each and every year, I had wonderful teachers to help me, to guide me. There aren't many Mr. Kilkellys in this world, but somehow, Wayzata just happened to gather a bunch just as good in all their departments. I'll miss talking to Mr. Motes, Skerbitz, Schmit, Prondzinski, Tuura and Mrs. Grack, Kottke, Tolle, Hagen, Decker, or McIntyre. They've all influenced me, whether it's through a wonderful little maxim, an eloquent speech which touches the heart while stifling my arrogance, or teaching me to have fun while still being under a heavy workload.

It's not Thanksgiving yet, but I'm very thankful for all the great teachers I've had here. I'm disappointed that I have to say farewell. I'd love to see them all again, listen to their lectures, and continue to learn from them, but it's time to face the future. It's intimidating, the future. I never know what can happen, but I think I'll keep a few things in mind as I head out:

1. You're not as great as you think you are. In the words of Sibi, "Don't believe your own hype." Pessimistic? No. More like keep your arrogance in check.

2. Integrity is worth more than any amount of money or points can buy.

3. Half as short, twice as good, twice as powerful.

4. Getting your ass kicked is good. Just adjust to it and learn.

5. Time management, time management, time management. You fucked it up in high school. Don't in college.

6. There isn't a grade you can't get. You're just not working hard enough.

And with those lessons in mind, adieu Wayzata. Adieu, adieu, adieu.

The Dark Knight Rises *Spoilers!*

Let us start with context. The Dark Knight Rises came out today. I watched the midnight premier as one of the last movies I will watch before heading off to college. The Dark Knight came out in 2008. I watched it as I transitioned into a high school I hardly ever knew. Batman Begins came out in 2005. While I did not watch that during 2005, that was the year people of my grade would enter middle school where I live. That was also the year I changed to an intermediate school I had never known before. The Dark Knight trilogy followed me through school, and The Dark Knight Rises is the perfect send-off movie for a fledgling college freshman.

Last Day

High school ended today. A somber, pensive mood finally set in. Perhaps it's melancholy. I love that word, melancholy. And you know what note it ended on? The Breakfast Club. Oliver said he didn't understand it, but I think I did. It is a beautiful movie to close high school.

Paying for Higher Education

As a graduating senior, the topic of paying for college is one close to my heart. As August gets closer and closer, there is the constant looming threat of $55,000. College is not cheap, and it is not getting any cheaper. Real costs for college grew 68 percent for students between 1986 and 2006 (McCluskey and Edwards, par. 19). College students' debts have skyrocketed, now overshadowing even credit card debts. Only the Higher Education Act of 1965 is here holding open the opportunities for prospective and future college students, but that, too, will be in jeopardy come 2013. Let us discuss this historical law vital to our future, and let us move to re-enact it in 2013.

Impaired Cognitive Functions?

Man, I never noticed how many typos I make after waking up at 3:30 AM to do an issues discussion. Second to last one though, almost done. Can't wait. 9 days of high school left. I can't wait until it finally ends. ^_^

On another thought, I still have to write thank-you notes to all my teachers along with some minor presents I think... anyone got any ideas?

This is a relatively short and not-well thought out post, but I'm posting at 6:44 AM. My brain isn't exactly working as well as it should, and I figure, no matter how hard I try, I will fall asleep in Diffeq. Sigh... And I actually should listen now.

Fond Memories

I recently heard that Toonami is coming back to Cartoon Network. I support this move. While I never watched Toonami much (no cable), I will always enjoy the fond memories of cartoons. But perhaps more at work here is the nostalgia for the past that we all experience. I look fondly upon my memories and sometimes wish I could go back, but I realize it's better to leave that time in peace and look to the future.

Politics, Education, and Communication

Every time a presidential election comes up, political issues come to the forefront. There's economic issues like debt, unemployment, inflation, and interest rate, and there's social issues like gay rights, abortion, stem cells, etc. I don't mind people discussing these issues, but when it comes down to it, I mind the discussion.

I'm done ^_^

I'm finally done with part III! ^_^

Part III

Is due tomorrow... I haven't started beyond my introductory paragraph. Here's to an all-nighter. Cheers.

Unproductive Weekends and Bruce Wayne

So uh, yesterday I slept at 3 am (don't tell my parents.) I blame Bruce Wayne. See, I've recently been watching trailers... yes... for The Dark Knight Rises. Here's the video if you haven't seen it (wtf, you haven't seen it?)

A good day.

I'm pretty lucky to get some of the opportunities I get. Today was one of those days. I walked into the Federal Reserve, went through the metal detector, swiped my card, and went up to the seventh floor. What do I get but an E-mail from my mentor saying there's a conference in the River Room with top economists presenting their research? Jackpot.

Close Calls and FUBAR

Close call - I almost forgot to blog today. Well, technically it's 12:47 AM, but it's still Thursday to me. I haven't begun to celebrate Friday yet. Nah, Friday doesn't start until like 5:30PM Friday because that's when I'm actually free to do nothing... except I need to study for AP Chemistry and write my Part III this weekend.

Dragging on

I can't believe it. I'm starting to watch the clock. AP Bio and Mo Pro are both just time sinks for me now. I appreciate the teachers, but I don't appreciate the class. I want it to end along with high school. I want to trick. I want to sleep. I want to have a blast with my best friends before we split and fly to the corners of the world. I want to go to college while hoping it never comes. I want to read my books without interruption or the noise of "learning" in my ears. I want summer naps, frappucinos, ice cream, Starcraft, B-dubs, and basketball. I want Part III to be done and Part IV to be erased. 

Am I being spoiled, or am I just a senior? Perhaps both.

Update

Recently, Sibi told me to blog again. His blog is here -> http://lhnf.blogspot.com/2012/04/girls-dont-make-sense-fact.html

To be honest, I'm not sure quite what to write about, so I'll just ramble.

College Admissions

I find myself endlessly repeating The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock.

How to Senior Slide

Some people say that there is no senior slide... nah, there is. They either choose not to partake in it or don't know how to. The following is a guide for how to senior slide *Warning. If you're not a senior, do not follow this guide. I am in no way responsible for ruining your work ethic, motivation, GPA, etc.*:

Accidental Experiments

I didn't intend for it to break. No, not at all. My first reaction was, "Oh ****. My dad's going to kill me." Turns out he didn't. Second thought, "**** me." Yeah, I swear a lot when things break. Call it heat of the moment. Turns out I'm just fine. Better than fine: productive.

Oh the Irony, Oh the Idiocy.

If you're in Mr. Schmit's Mo-Pro class, you've heard him say it. Back up your files. Email, flash drive, external hard drive, do it. Me, being like all other humans, thought no way this would happen to me. It happened to me. Yesterday, my laptop's hard-drive failed. Hahaha. Time to buy a new hard-drive. But this means goodbye my movies, my games, my musics, my books, and worst of all, my documents. This was after spending 2 and 1/2 hours in the library working on research for Part II with Matt. All that work, gone. Lesson learned the hard way. GG.

Worst part? I can't Starcraft at home. :( I was practicing for D-ranked Team League too man. T_T

The Essence of Mock Trial

     This was my narrative for AP Comp. I later revised it into my 1000 character college essay. It's not wholly true. It's not meant to be. It's true to spirit rather than fact. I loved Mock Trial, and I'm heartbroken that my final year's over. That is why I want to share the experience. Enjoy.

Good days

Today's a good day. Diffeq was much easier than normal, and I even caught up on a little sleep. Right now, I'm feeling like this V.

System of linear equations in Diffeq?

A Modest, Mathematical Proposal

Looking through the Anoka-Hennepin Registration Guide, bar STEP, I see a total of five half-credit mathematics courses. I will address the STEP issue later. The Language department has 29 half-credit courses with electives like Television Journalism, News Lab, Public Speaking, and Creative Writing. The Science department has 16 half-credit courses, and the Social Studies department has 23. Math is neglected.

Free time

I find myself procrastinating more than ever. I've started playing Iccup again. I've started playing random RPGs. Procrastination has reached a new peak as I sleep at one A.M. every morning after maybe an hour of homework max. Diffeq takes up the majority of at-home homework time. Chem is done in the mornings and Bio. Bio takes five minutes, max.