A Month and Some Change

Top picture: What we do in class... instead of work.

Bottom picture: Where we go when we skip class, Hines!

Let's see. One month, and two weeks? A month and a half. 33 days of school. One card marking.

Who knew this part of the year would come so fast? Our teachers did. They told us on the first day of classes in September. "All you seniors, this year is going to fly by." Of course we didn't believe them. This year was sure to drag on, even slower than the previous 3.

Now, our teachers are sending the same message, only adding a few extra notes to the end. "A month and a half left, then you are done. I know it's going to be hard, but you have to keep going, keep trying, till the very end." They tell us this, because, at Franklin seniors are notorious for coming back from spring break and going crazy. Senioritis kicks in.

The main symptoms of senioritis include procrastination, lack of motivation, a drop in academic performance, and "coasting". I experienced these symptoms already, but unlike many seniors, it was in the beginning of the year. My class schedule was 4 ridiculously easy classes, and 2 challenging ones. The easy ones; Community service, LMC work, student leadership, and debate, I had no problem keeping A's and high B's in those classes, but the hard ones; physics, and pre calculus were a struggle to maintain a C average.

Getting a high B first marking period in physics, I believed that trying wasn't something I needed to do anymore. Instead, I would talk to my friends, read, text, and joke around with my teacher all hour. I also didn't pass a single test with higher than a 69% during the second card marking. And I ended up failing my final also.

My teacher, Mr. Britton, didn't have much to say about it other than, "Well you always look happy in class." So I promised I would do better second semester, and I have. I have kept an A in the class for this whole marking period. Therefore proving; senioritis may have it's affects, but only if you let it.

Pre calculus was a different story. I did decent first marking period, scraping by with a low B on the report card, and actually doing better than most my friends. Then we started unit circles. I even recently found a journal entry I had written on day in student leadership, the hour before pre calculus. It read:

"5th hour is the easiest. Run passes, sit around doing homework,
or taking a nap on the couch. Today I attempted to teach myself
about unit circles. And by attempted, I mean I opened my book
and screamed out in fear.
Pre Calc, 6th hour, is the downfall of my day. I do work hard, I
can hardly maintain a C. But senior year has taken over, and I
only want to skip classes. And that my friend is why I am teaching
myself about the unit circle. Because I have skipped the past 3
days of calc.
Back to the scary unit circle."

In all truth, I did skip a lot of pre calc. The fact that it was 6th hour didn't help any. Once I started doing bad, I decided I'd rather drive around and skip class than sit and be told things, told, not taught. My head refused to absorb anything further when it came to calculus. So in the end I failed that card marking, and truly believe that Mr. Mills only gave me a 60% on the final so I would still get credit for taking his class.

This semester has been easy, although I would say my courses are a bit more challenging. Literature appreciation, keeps me reading. Research techniques, keeps my writing. Statistics, keeps me thinking. Physics, makes me apply all my math skills I have acquired in high school. Sociology, I am always doing some kind of project. And Community service, keeps me helping others, which I love to do.

I am hoping the 5 A's and high B I earned on this card marking will bring my GPA back up to a 3.1. But yesterday, I could feel the senioritis kicking back into my system. All hour in research, me and some of my friends talked about the most random things. So I really need to focus. I have 5 finals this semester, assuming I will be exempt from my statistics final because I meet the senior requirements needed to excuse yourself from any math final. 2 of the 5, I could do them now if I wanted. And I think I might get started on one today. Community service. Make a portfolio, considering I still have last semesters, it shouldn't be that hard.

But, I think senioritis is in me to stay. Because, as they say: The only cure for senioritis, is graduation.


Important Dates (in my life at least):
April 28th - Blocking dance rehearsal.
May 27th - Prom!
June 2nd - Last day of classes/ physics, research, and lit. appreciation finals.
June 3rd - Senior breakfast, cap and gown pick up, commencement rehearsal, and senior's "Final walk" (basically, we all walk through the halls, following Big Willy, our fearless leader. He sees it as the seniors saying goodbye to Franklin's halls. We see it as our chance to laugh at the underclassmen, because they are stuck there for at least another year).
June 5th - Commencements and senior all night party.
June 6th - My cousins baby shower, where I will be eating and sleeping due to the lack of.
June 10th - Freshman orientation /: uh oh.
June 12th - Dance recital.
June 19th - Mothers graduation party.
June 26th - Fathers graduation party.

Then I get to rest.
Now, it isn't often that I actually stay on topic and go so in depth in a single blog. So enjoy.