Although I originally saw senior year as a sort of ending to my high school experience, after reflecting over this past semester, I realized that this wasn’t necessarily a period of stagnation. I still grew over this semester as a student, a friend, and as an individual. I learned how to be more organized with my time and have a balanced lifestyle between school and my personal life. Last year, I was taking more difficult classes and had to prepare for the SAT which often made things really stressful. However, this year, I’ve been finding more time for myself. I’ve enjoyed my classes more and appreciate the discussions I’ve had. I have also become more grateful for other people this year and for the opportunities I’v

e had since freshman year (and even since elementary school) that have shaped me as a person. Over my four years of high school, I always thought that being a senior would be full of anxiety and even dreaded it beccause, in a way, my “childhood” would come to an end and I’d have to leave a lot of people I loved and appreciated. But now, I’m genuinely excited for the next step of life, and I’m looking forward to growing as a person in college

I think progressing into senior year is especially different than transitioning into other grade levels because you become a sort of representative and leader for the school. I know teachers say this a lot and it’s become redunant, but it’s true that there aren’t any older students to look up to anymore, so we have to set the tone ourselves. To future seniors, I would say that it’s important for you to have strong habits for stress management but to also not slack off too much because you are still in the home stretch. Also, be nice to your parents and teachers because they have helped you along the way and have supported you on your journey to graduation. Also, for juniors right now, I’d recommend that they choose a fun yet

still slightly challenging class for senior year. Courses like AP Psychology (I took this junior year and it’s a really unique and interesting class), a new history class, or a cool elective would be great to end high school by doing something that interests you. Also, although it shouldn’t be the main priority when selecting your schedule, having classes with friends makes senior year a lot more enjoyable. Finally, try to start college applications in the summer. By no means do you need to have it finished, but even just a little head start like brainstorming ideas or working on your personal essay in advance can be a huge help so that you don’t feel behind. However, even if you procrastinate them, college apps don’t have to be stressful if you have a plan of how to finish them.

Over the last few months, I’ve been able to take more time for myself and thus value spending time not only on thingss that will help my future but also activities, events, and hobbies that I enjoy. By taking more time for my own interests, I have been happier and more positive overall. I have a more positive relationship with school and I am able to hang out and talk more with my friends. I now see things in a better perspective because instead of being hyper fixated on the past or anxious about the future (although these feelings are inevitable) I’ve been more focused on the present, which has grounded me.

Next semester, and hopefully in college, I’ll continue to maintain organization, and I hope to seize opportunities whenever they arrive. Since I’m going into my last semester of high school, I want to make sure to participate in the fun North traditions, join clubs, and attend events I will enjoy. Since I’ll be done with my college applications by that point, I will also have time to get out of the house more and make final memories before college (getting off the couch will also probably please my parents). I’m looking forward to the new year, and I hope to have a great final semester before college.

Ever since I was very little, I’ve always loved stories of all kinds, whether they be in books, movies, or TV shows. Although I might not have realized it, there were certain characters from children’s books/movies that I found especially interesting. Here are 3 characters from books and movies from my childhood that I was slightly obsessed with as a kid and why I found them interesting. 

1. Yzma – The Emperor’s New Groove

I see myself in Yzma. Is that concerning? Maybe. I feel like it could be alarming to most people since I seem fairly laid back whereas Yzma is a power-hungry maniac. However, when I first watched The Emperor’s New Groove in my friend’s basement, I immediately thought Yzma was so cool. First of all, her name itself is quite unique and memorable, but she also makes a very intriguing villain. In case you aren’t familiar with the movie, Yzma is Emperor Kuzco’s advisor and gets fired at the beginning of the movie. She then proceeds to try to poison him in order to gain control of the throne. Yzma is chaotic and extremely dramatic, which adds to her flair. As a kid, I was also obsessed with the color purple, and Yzma’s entire wardrobe and all of her accessories were purple. Most importantly, she has the mad-scientist-royalty thing going which are components of my favorite types of villains. Villains who are part of royalty are always so intriguing to me. Even some of the most famous plays such as Hamlet and Macbeth follow the moral corruption of individuals in positions of power. Like royalty, mad-scientists also make incredible villains like Dr.Jekyll/Mr.Hyde and Dr. Frankenstein. The idea of a scientist going mad with a hunger for knowledge is fascinating to explore. Although these two types of villains are present in famous works, the origins of my fascination with unordinary villains came from the Emperor’s New Groove, as weird as it is to say. With Yzma’s desire to be the new ruler and her arsenal of potions in her underground lab, she makes quite the villain.

1.  Violet Baudelaire – A Series of Unfortunate Events

Almost every one of my friends loved Hermione Granger when we read the Harry Potter series. It’s hard not to. She’s one of the first female book characters in children’s books who is intelligent, courageous, and independent. She often carries Harry and Ron with her unique intelligence and stellar abilities. However, when I first read the Harry Potter series, for some reason,I was a Ron person (No, I will not hear any Ron slander). The book series that was my “Harry Potter” was A Series of Unfortunate Events. I was extremely bored one weekend and saw a thin book on my shelf that I didn’t recognize. It belonged to my brother, who gave me almost all of his childhood books when he became too old to read them. I read the first book in the series, and it was the most peculiar thing I had read before. The series follows 3 orphans who try to escape an evil Count who wants to steal their inheritance. The author often speaks directly to the reader in an engaging and humorous tone, but he also actively discourages the reader from continuing on.

I read the series when I was around 11 years old and I strongly believed that Violet Baudelaire (the oldest sibling) was extremely underrated and deserved Hermione-level status. She’s extremely knowledgeable in physics despite only being 14 years old and she’s able to care for both of her younger siblings. Not to mention, Violet used to live in a rich mansion, joined a secret organization, and created numerous spontaneous inventions to evade villains under high pressure using her engineering skills. As a kid, I found her really inspiring becauseof her unique intelligence and inquisitive nature.

1. Rodrick Heffley – Diary of a Wimpy Kid

This one is hard to admit, but here it goes. I read the Diary of a Wimpy Kid Series when I was young after buying one of the books at my school’s book fair. My fatal flaw is that I read the first book and thought I related to Greg, although I now realize he might be an egomaniac. I used to despise Rodrick because he reminded me of my older brother. Rodrick frequently torments Greg and is pretty much the epitome of older brothers in general. However, as I got slightly older and watched the movies with my brother, I realized that Rodrick is actually somewhat entertaining and relatable. He is the most stereotypical depiction of a teenager I’ve ever seen. I mean, he plays the drums in a rock band in his parent’s basement and throws parties when his parents aren’t home. In the entire movie (and even in the books) he’s mainly doing his own thing. Sure, he’s fairly mean to Greg, but this could be due to Greg being an unreliable narrator (or maybe I’m reading too much into this because it’s literally Diary of a Wimpy Kid).

Perhaps I’m overanalyzing some of my favorite childhood characters by comparing Yzma to Macbeth and describing the unreliable narration of Diary of a Wimpy Kid, but I think it’s interesting to analyze why I liked certain characters as a child. Although I usually have a sort of unusual taste when it comes to favorite characters, I think it’s interesting to reflect on how certain characters we enjoyed in our childhood may have changed over the years or still hold true.