It was the second day of freshman year, first-period Algebra/Geometry. We had been seated alphabetically, so I was sitting next to somebody new. Mrs. Roesler asked us to open our notebooks so she could check our homework when my blond desk partner exclaimed, “Oh, shoot! I forgot!”. So, like the seating chart buddy I was, I gave her the homework from the previous day. Who would’ve thought that four years later I would be sitting in Panera right now, next to the same girl.
Us Freshman Year!
Since that day, Jordyn Marla Cleary and I have become friends. She no longer asks me for the homework she forgot, but she does ask me to go off campus for lunch. Looking back, much of my high school experience has been tied to her, and I would not be the same person had she not asked me for those homework answers. It was in Mrs. Roesler’s pairings that she mentioned Student Government to me, and it was her company (among our other friends’) that made swimming so much more enjoyable. To be honest, I have very limited memories of freshman year, but what I do remember is completing our first FERP together, campaigning for Student Government together, and when she kindly comforted me when I was crying because I had quit swimming halfway through my event at a meet (the most embarrassing moment of my life). At that moment she definitely thought I was an emotional psycho, but thanks be to god that she was kind enough to see past it. I also remember our tradition of going to breakfast on late arrivals on the birthday weeks of our swim friends- something we still do today.
Junior year is what I personally think of as our paleozoic period (I don’t remember anything about sophomore year); an explosion of memories and time spent together. We carpooled together, with Maizy, every morning. Each night we would claim a day to drive, and the next morning at 6:15 we would be on our way to fifth avenue. I cannot count how many Starbucks/Dunkin runs we made, and all the songs we sang and gas we burned. These mornings on fifth, what woudlv’e been a miserable time, were made better through their company and something I will always remember as a huge part of my junior year. On top of that, we had Spanish, Junior PE Leadership and lunch (because of Student Government) together. Looking back, we were very
disruptive in Spanish (sorry Sra. Ulrich!) and didn’t really speak in the class’s language often, but it was still a good time. One of my favorite moments has to be when I got Jordyn a saxygram for Valentine’s Day, or when she got a spray tan and combed all of her hair over her face so nobody could see. Once it is time to put all of my memories on paper, they all seem to leave my head, but I think this because I have so many small, micro-moments stored from these mornings and classes that I don’t know where to start. These are the moments, however, that make my memories of high school a little less stressful and blue, and a little more golden. Ten years from now, I know that I will look back on these times as some of my most carefree and happy.
The summer between junior and senior year was spent with a lot of time in conjunction; between
us collecting leaves!
swimming at Steeple Run, all of the nights we spent watching movies and tv shows in my basement, when we went to New Buffalo and Lolla, and all of the lunches and dinners we had. To me, it was so classically summer, leading up to all the endings our senior year was yet to bring. Obviously the pages are still being written and our final year in high school is wrapping up rapidly, but there is still so much to look forwards to. I am so excited to see where the Evans Scholar (CONGRATS!!!!!) decides to send her, and if it all works out so that we can also spend our college years together. It is crazy for me to think that she was the
person I cried to during that horrible swim meet, and now she will be one of the people I cry about most if we have to split ways. So, if you’re reading this Jordyn, thank you for everything and for sharing enough life with me that I am able to write an entire 700-word blog about you!
Hi Joanna, I love this blog post it is so cute. You and Jordyn’s friendship is so genuine and bright. Aw, I love how your guys friendship started when you gave her the homework and look at where you guys are now. Random, but what is your panera order? It is crazy how quickly high school goes by without us realizing. It feels like freshman year was two years ago, not three! I love how similar you guys are, and how you all have so many similar interests. It is those moments where you open up to someone, and they respond in such a genuine caring way that you realize how thankful you are for them and your friendship. I think it is so cute that you guys still go to breakfast on the late arrival days for your friends birthday weeks. Ahh I love how you guys carpooled in the mornings. I totally agree, hanging out with a friend during an unbearable time (like the early early mornings) makes things so much better. There is no better feeling than having close friends in your classes, it makes the day go by so much faster. Overall I love this blog post so much, it is so adorable!
Hi Joanna! I absolutely love your blog idea for this week! It is so cool that you and Jordyn have been able to go through high school together while building such a strong friendship. Also what I also thought was such a unique idea was when you both decided to write your blog posts on eachother. It was so funny to read the things you said about each other and being able to see the similarities in the blog posts. I also love how you shared that you were not only able to build your friendship just by being in class together but also because you were in the same sport as each other. I have been able to do the same with some of my teammates and I find that this type of friendship is so special. Being able to share your love for a sport with a friend who also gets the time commitment almost makes a friendship easier. I know you added that there is a possibility that you could spend your college years together. Where might that be? I really hope that works out for the both of you. One last question, if you were able to go back and relive one memory with Jordyn, which memory would you choose?
Hi Joanna! I loved your blog so much, and not just because it was about me. I thought it was funny that we both recalled similar memories in each of our blogs (just so everyone knows we did not read one another’s before they were posted). Also really? Did you feel it necessary to bring up the time I forgot to do my homework? You are really selling me out. I am also so surprised you did not add in anything from sophomore year. We literally drove to school together every day, just us two? Anyway I feel like I have never met anyone who understands me as much as you. We love the same music, shows, and somehow I always know what you are thinking. You truly are one of the best friends I will ever have. Your friendship is loyal and kind. I can always count on you to have my back and uplift me on a tough day. I can never thank you enough for helping me with close to everything I have ever done. I could not have made it through these past four years without you. Overall you made a magnificent post (we even used some of the same pictures, what a coincidence!) Love you long time Jo Cho.