Last week of school!!! It's crazy to think but this weekend we graduate high school and move on with our adult lives. The day we never thought would come or come soon enough is finally here. So I have two questions for everyone and they are more reflective questions; What was something you have learned from your last year of high school ? And, If you could go back and tell your freshman self some advice, what would it be?

Something Iearn from this year was really making the most of everything and also being responsible and accountable for my actions with senior project. Of course with it being the last year of high school, every activity and event was even more special and had to be made to the best ability. I had some great time with friends and made some great memories from high school. With senior project, it was not an easy task. But what I loved and learned from it was the outcome was entirely up to me. How much I put into it would either make me pass or fail. It's some great quality to take into adulthood. As for what I would tell my freshman self, I would tell her not to worry. That everything would work out for its reasons and to just enjoy it, even the hard times, because in the end you're going to take more of the good than bad with you. 

Seeing as we're coming up to the final days of school, we've obviously seen the way this school functions, and to put it bluntly, it's not always great. School should be a place that people want to come to, and not always for just their friends. So if you were in charge of changing an aspect of school to make it better for up and coming students, what would you do?

Personally, I think we should have more classes for students to take. I understand that this isn't something that can easily be done, especially since we live in such a remote town, but it would be a nice change of pace. More classes would make students want to come to school just for that class, and it could possibly make your schedule less boring if there were different options from year to year. When I was a freshman, the only classes that motivated me to go to school were theater and ceramics, which, believe it or not, were not classes I could continue when I moved.

We are on the final stretch of our senior year, and soon we will be headed to college on our own. This thought is kind of intimidating, but for me, I am confident that what I am going to study is something I am passionate about. This leads me to wonder, what field are you guys studying and why did you choose it?


I am choosing to pursue pediatric nursing. For as long as I can remember, being around young children has been enjoyable for me. I have always had patience for them, and know how to communicate with them. Another aspect in my life is that I will always look for ways to help people. Pediatric nursing covers both of these criterias. I am so excited to become a pediatrician and help children’s lives.

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This next summer will be the first year of our college, as we jump into this stage, student debt follows. Which got me thinking of the prices, I had recently heard about people’s loans getting forgiven, this is of course middle aged people that have had debt for ten or more years. College is expensive and this is something that we all know, yet currently college is more expensive than ever. The average debt ranges from 30,000 to 100,000 dollars over four years, depending on in state or out of state tuition. Skyrocketing prices such as these are becoming unmanageable, the question is; should self-sufficient millennials and gen-xers have their student debts covered, or should incoming students have lower costs because of higher government aid?

​This may already be in action, but this topic puts into question why the government is not offering nearly as much aid to younger students compared to established adults. Now, I am not necessarily claiming that aid should not be offered to older generations, however, they are getting up to $10,000 dollars covered. Considering this, should students seeking secondary education receive more funding and grants? Or would that be unnecessary?

Graduation is around the corner and the reality is finally sinking in that we are almost done with school. For me personally, I am being hit with a wave of emotions from being excited to go and take the next step, and being very sad that there are so many “lasts” that have happened this year.


What is the final “last” you’re least looking forward to, or have done, and what is your favorite? For me, I’m not looking forward to the last day of school with everyone. As exciting as it is to graduate, I know that it is going to be bittersweet knowing it’ll be one of the last times I’m in school, and with my classmates. The one I’m most excited for is prom. I love dances and the chance to dress up for the night, and it’s always such a fun time with friends.

"For, while the tale of how we suffer, and how we are delighted, and how we may triumph is never new, it always must be heard. There isn’t any other tale to tell, it’s the only light we’ve got in all this darkness" (Baldwin, James. "Sonny's Blues").

In the quote above, the narrator of "Sonny's Blues" is experiencing a revelation about the music Sonny plays, as well as its function in Sonny's life and the African American community at large. Baldwin has also made this claim about his own writing, and there are undoubtedly structural connections between the jazz music Sonny plays and the story Baldwin writes. In fact the title itself, "Sonny's Blues," sounds like a song title, so the narrator, it seems, is essentially playing his brother's blues via the text.

​What do you make of the statement that "There isn’t any other tale to tell, it’s the only light we’ve got in all this darkness"? Do you agree that these are at the heart of all works of art? Explain. Do you think literature and music share elements of style, structure, and the ability to communicate? Why or why not?

Well, I hope everyone had a wonderful spring break. Now that we're on the other side, I'd like to hear the highlights of your spring break. Personally, I enjoyed spending time at home, recuperating a bit from the musical, and catching up on some house projects that had been put on the back burner. I didn't get nearly as much done as I had hoped, though. Is there anything you planned on doing but didn't get to?

Also, I'd be interested to hear your thoughts on having a spring break or just powering through and getting out of school a week earlier like Fernwaters does. Which do you think you'd prefer and why?

Finally after the three long, cold, slow months of the aftermath of Christmas are over and we are on our way to the warmer months. With that being said we have to push through one more week of school and then we are on our way to spring break! It's also crazy to think that when we come back to school, there are only two months left until graduation! Whatsoever, focusing on the here and now, what are your guys plans for spring break? And if money or travel wasn't a problem, what would be the dream spring break vacation?


Right now my dream vacation is to go somewhere warmer. Yes it is starting to warm up here but I am just ready to leave the cold winter behind. My family is going on a three day cruise and then spending a few days in Florida. And while I'm very grateful to be going, a dream vacation for me would be to either go to Hawaii, Greece, Ireland, or Scotland. I want to experience an adventure out of this country at least one time in my life and if money or time wasn't a problem, that's where I would be.

Mandatory age limits have integrated themselves into our society for years. It's a factor of life that we've become accustomed to being 13 for social media, 15 or 16 for driving a car and fighting for our country at the young age of 18. However, there's an age limit that's always been confusing to me: the legal age to drink is 21. The question I'm asking is, should the legal drinking age be changed? And if it should, what age should it be changed to?

I personally think the legal age to drink should be changed down to 18. It has never made sense to me that if I wanted to, I could join the military and fight for the USA, grab a gun, and do what I’m told. But I’m not allowed to take a sip of alcohol legally, and that’s just pure ridiculous. I think 18 is a solid age to lock alcohol behind, as we’re adults by law. The age for tobacco in most states is also 18, and it’s shocking that I can ingest one type of poison but not the other. Just overall, I think 18 should be the standard age limit, and alcohol should follow the other liberties we’re given when turning into an adult. 

Throughout the past couple decades, technology has improved immensely. Because of this, video games have become a very popular hobby for some people. However, not all video games are educating people, nor teaching morals and values. There are so many versions of violent games that people continuously play, and some say that because of the games, people are becoming addicted to violence. Do you think that the availability of horror within video games is transforming some kid’s thoughts and emotions?

Personally, I believe that this is true. There have been many studies done proving that a large amount of people who commit violent crimes have grown up playing harsh and graphic video games. In my opinion, parents should not allow their children to view horror content on phones, games, or any other technological device that provides violence, till they are a developed teenager. Children’s brains are not designed to see or hear information like that at such an early age, and it is changing the way they think and view things in the outside world. I believe bullying has gotten worse because of this as well, because kids are seeing different ways to react to certain situations. What do you think?