High school can be described as many things. Intellectually stimulating may be low on the list for some people, but I've found the top 10 best intellectual acheivements that I have experienced throughout high school.
9th grade:
10. Mrs. Ashkettle chose me to act as Ralph in The Lord of the Flies simulation in our classroom. Maybe because I was the only one in that class who talked (or at least was the only one awake during first period) but I thought of it "as a priveledge, a great honor" to be chosen not only as the leader, but the intelligent leader (Currie, 8).
10th grade:
9. Understanding reflections and refractions in AP Physics. I cannot to this day brag because my understanding of this subject is still a little faulty. It seemed like I saw everything "in a way that is not an acurate reflection of" itself (Currie 162), but I got the concept enough to get a 4 on the exam.
8. AP Tests in general. This is the first year of schooling I felt challenged and I realized it was for a purpose, not just "pure sadism on the staff's part" (Kesey, 189).
7. Completing the ENTIRE research project mostly by myself. No offense to my partners, they would agree, but with me, "they both guaranteed their trip was safe as pie, safe as pudding, not a thing to worry about" (Kesey, 209)
6. Using my Creative Writing notebook as a journal. I was used to writing without freedom, but "it [became] more than a moral duty to speak one's mind" (Wilde 37) as, suprisingly, I found out I have a lot to say.
11th grade:
5. Guiding my own teachings in AP Chem. In the period and a half, we had a lot of freedom, and I thought, "this world is good enough for me" (Wilde, 25) but I found that with freedom comes responsibility.
12th grade:
4. Finishing my data sheet before the Harry Potter 7 midnight release. I knew that without this project finished, "Idle merriment and triviality would be out of place" (Wilde, 21)
3. Being awarded with cum laude. I never felt praised for my academics, but it was nice to know that "I was obliged to be looked at, too" (Kesey, 277).
2. Getting the top Multiple Choice Score in AP English for the third quarter. Multiple choice has NEVER been my thing. I've always banked on my essay, which I guess "would simply be an easy way of passing our problem on to another" issue, so it's nice to know I have more brain power than I thought!
1. FINISHING. Guys, we have 4 real days of school left. I am the last person to admit to senioritis, I'm still quite motivated, but "there is is joy in this fact, greater joy and love in this one last moment than [we] experienced in the entirety" of our journey.
Emily, I really enjoyed reading your blog. I found many similarities to my own blog post. For instance, I too found great pride in th result of my 10th grade English project, even though I had a partner, I too feel as though I carried the majority of the work.
ReplyDeleteLizzy, I know exactly what you mean about AP Chem. Everyday we would end with at least a half hour left to just do whatever we wanted. I'm proud to say most days I worked fairly diligently to the bell. However, I'll admit there were some days I just didn't want to do anything and so I submitted to sporcle or just sitting there talking. Having that much responsibility in a class was definitely thrilling.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great summary of high school, I certainly relate to some of your choices, like AP tests/classes although I think that to characterize my understanding of physics as even "a little faulty" would be an overstatement so I have to admit I'm a little jealous of that one. I also really liked how you started with 10 and counted down, it reinforces how close to the end we are, which I didn't actually realize until you mentioned the four days we have left, great post!
ReplyDelete