I graduated somehow? and other updates

This post is mostly for my future self looking back on the last month of high school, but you guys can read it too if you want.

Now that high school is over I have free time? What a concept. I just couldn't manage blogging when I was away from home for 10 hours daily and then had 4 hours of homework on top of that. I tried. I cried. It wasn't a good time.

(how to put on a mortar board correctly should have been a class in itself)

1. Senior Prom

Going to prom with friends was definitely the best route to go-- I won't have to look back at prom pictures with bitter feelings about some ex I went with. I had fun, and I felt like a real teenager for probably the first time in my life.

I technically had a date for the first time too, although I had to reassure my dad that we were just going AS FRIENDS™ so he wouldn't greet David at the door while polishing a rifle.

I forgot David's boutonnière, discovered I'm terrible at slow dancing, and was viciously attacked by the chocolate fountain. Ah well. 

I ended the night in PJs at my best friend's house with Netflix and snacks. 10/10

I don't know who I should credit this to because it was sent to me but I love this picture.

Not my photo either but at this point what matters?

¯\_(ツ)_/¯

My hair gives a cry for help

Sister: Nice hand placement.

Me: I didn't know what to do with my hands. I don't know how to pose with tall people.

Sister: It looks like your grabbing his butt.

Me: I aM NOTTT

2. Last Band Concert

Many emotions and wrong notes.

Guess we'll just conduct ourselves

Probably the last time in my life I'll be first chair

Cuties

3. Graduation Party

I'm not really a party kind of person, but my family threw me a pretty cool party and I didn't hide in the corner the whole time.

Décor

Brothers lurking over the food

mom are u ok

4. Award Night

At my school we do this kind of stupid thing where they refuse to tell you how much scholarship money you raked in until award night. Even if the scholarship committee for certain ones you applied for met in December.

Me in April:

"So can I know like the amount I got--"

Guidance Counselor: "We like to keep that as a nice surprise for your graduation week."

"I hate surprises."

"You'll appreciate this one."

"So I got money?"

"I can't tell you."

"I need to know if I should apply for more scholarships or if I'm good--"

"Wait for awards night."

via GIPHY

$1,500 plus $5,000 a year in renewable scholarships. Not bad.

via GIPHY

5. Graduation

I was in a very competitive class and I graduated third. You could say I'm a little proud of myself.

The highlight I'm wearing is called My Oily Skin

All of Knights Honors contemplates diving off the stage

Not too shabby. Only 1/3 of the class has dropped out since freshman year

I'M FREEEEE

 No one threw their caps and I'm honestly so disappointed. I was ready. You all suck

Reason #1 I didn't drop out sophomore year

Reason #2

Reason #3. Even if I did intimidate her in kindergarten, we've been friends ever since.

Nathan's shades are cooler than I'll ever be

Collecting Thoughts

What if you could gather thoughts the way you can gather pebbles on the beach? Or butterflies with a net? Or blossoms into a bouquet? And you could just line them up neatly and consider them one by one?

My thoughts never seem to collect themselves that neatly. They gather like snowflakes into a drift during a blizzard, or a waterfall into a teacup.

I've had a lot of time to gather my thoughts this past week. School has been out due to statewide teacher strikes here in West Virginia. All of my work is completely done, for once, and I can... breathe? Read books? Sit idly without worrying about something academic that needs done? It's an odd feeling. 

Especially considering that this time last week I was so stressed and sleepless from the 12+ hours of homework I had, I broke down and claimed a mental health day. Which I never do. In my twelve years of school, I have never missed a class without a valid reason. Until now, apparently.

So it's nice to not be panicking. I kind of hope the teachers keep striking.

I'm a mess most of the time, if you haven't noticed.

Over the past few months, I've brought back my old habits one by one. I'm journaling again, reading books, turning everything into metaphors.  I want to start blogging again, too. Consistently™.

So this is my hesitant hello. *waves*

You're Not Good Enough Book Tag

 

I got tagged for this a reeeeeeally long time ago by Abigail Lennah at The Ups and Downs of My Not-So-Average Life. I've had this post as a draft for forever and never hit publish, so let's go!

 

This tag is a character face-off. Here's the rules:

 

"Write down 30 character names on a individual slips of paper and toss them in a bowl (hat, dish, whatever). For each of the 15 question, select two names. From the two names selected, pick who you would keep and who you would say 'You’re not good enough' to."

1. You only have one more spot on your Spelling B team, who would you pick to complete your team?

 

Thorne (The Lunar Chronicles) may be dashing and have good luck, but Aunt Ruth (Emily Climbs) is the prim and proper kind of old lady who definitely reads the dictionary for fun. Sorry, Thorne. Aunt Ruth wins.

2. Both characters want to kill you, which one would you kill first so you have a better chance of surviving?

 

Hmm. Well, Miguel (Bone Gap) does that orienteering stuff with his family, plus he's got those crazy arms, so he's probably pretty good at assassination. Poirot (The A.B.C. Murders) is  kind of a brilliant detective though, so he could definitely track me down and make my death look like an accident. Poirot it is.

3. You’re on the bachelor/bachelorette and you’re down to these two characters, which one are you going to give your rose too?

 

PRINCE KAI PRINCE KAI PRINCE KAI (The Lunar Chronicles). Aunt Elizabeth (Emily Climbs) can't hold a candle. (Ahahaha irony. 😂 )

 

4. You’ve been chosen for the Hunger Games, who would most likely volunteer in your place?

Ze'ev Kesley (Cinder) for sure. Wolf is honestly such a self-sacrificing sweetheart when it comes to people he cares about. I really don't see Inspector Crome (The A.B.C. Muders) risking his neck for anyone.

5. You’re stranded on an island. Which character would you sacrifice to engage in cannibalism?

Nooooo why? How did I pick two precious cinnamon rolls for this question? Aawpoeihfpasdf I don't knowwwww this is hard. Honestly Cousin Jimmy (Emily Climbs) would probably sacrifice himself because he's old and doesn't think very highly of himself. I really couldn't kill Finn (Bone Gap) because I'm lowkey in love with him.

6. You’re the next DC/Marvel superhero (with your own tv show of course), who is your sidekick?

Cinder (Cinder) for sure because she's a CYBORG PRINCESS how much cooler could it get? I mean Mary (The A.B. C. Murders) did kind of help solve a murder but I don't see her being aggressive enough to fight evil. No. Definitely Cinder.

 

7. You’re a manager of an Avocado admiring company, who would you fire for lack of communication skills?

I would really like to fire Evelyn Blake (Emily Climbs) just because of her cattiness and poor treatment of Emily, but she definitely communicates well. But let's be honest, Sean (Bone Gap) really doesn't say more than necessary. I'm pretty sure he's a paramedic just because he wanted a job where he doesn't have to talk to conscious people.

8. You’ve just finished a book in which your favorite character dies, which character is most likely to comfort you?

Lol Queen Levana (Cinder) would comfort me by cutting out my tearducts and making me hold my own mouth shut. Aunt Laura (Emily Climbs) is a precious cinnamon roll who would make me tea and dry my tears and listen to me rant while binging ice cream.

9. Ugh, it’s high school. Who would most likely be part of the popular clique?

 

Hmm. Two untamed, isolated girls with crazy long blonde hair? Ilse (Emily Climbs) would probably be really popular at first because she's funny, but she'd undoubtedly fly into a rage and rip someone's Vera Bradley satchel to shreds at some point. Now while Cress (Cinder) is awkward and doesn't have many people skills,  she's still pretty and easygoing and is dating the hottest criminal in the galaxy, sooooo I'm going to give it to her.

 

10. The day has arrived; you’re finally a year older! Who would have the nerve to forget your birthday?

 

I feel like Priscilla Willis (Bone Gap) doesn't forget anything. Teddy (Emily Climbs) though, he's pretty absentminded. He's an artist. And clearly he's not that bright because he based his and Emily's whole future off a letter that he told her not to reply to if she didn't love him back. (*spoiler, his mom hated her and took out the letter before he mailed it so all she got was a newspaper clipping*) Now anyone who can't tell the difference in weight between a newspaper clipping and a letter is probably clueless enough to forget my birthday.

 

 

11. You’ve just found an upcoming booktube star? Who would it most likely be?

Megan Barnard (The A.B.C. Muders) seems pretty chill, but Iko (Cinder) is the ultimate fangirl and she would definitely be a very enthusiastic, popular booktube star.

12. Sleepover time! Unfortunately you can only invite one person, who would you invite?

 

Well, this is awkward. Two mediocre secondary characters from the same book (The A.B.C. Murders). Ummmm probably Hastings, since he's good friends with Poirot. We could stay up talking about his latest cases.

13. Bam, you’re pregnant. Who’s the father/mother?

 

More characters from the same book (Cinder)! I should have shaken up the basket before I drew these last ones. Hopefully Scarlet would be the mother, because Linh Adri would not be a very cooperative person to share custody with.

14. You’ve just written a super important text. Who would ‘see’ it, but not reply?

Konn Torin (Cinder). He's too busy advising Prince Kai to reply to the texts of peasants. Emily (Emily Climbs) would be waiting by the phone for a text from Teddy, so she'd answer mine because she's bored.

15. You’ve just woken up and it’s time for breakfast. Your mum’s been replaced by..who?!

 

Roza (Bone Gap), I would hope. She's loving and sweet and an amazing cook. If Perry Miller (Emily Climbs) was in charge of making my breakfast, it would probably be in my best interest to skip the most important meal of the day.

 

That was pretty fun! I'm not going to tag anyone specifically for this, but if you liked the tag and you haven't done it yet, go for it!

Have a lovely day

 

--Rebecca