Last Day

Today I submitted my last high school assignment -- I'm really done.
Last week was too riddled with stress for me to let it sink in, but I can't believe I'm leaving this place.
It would be an understatement to say I'll miss it.

 I had five major assignments due that week -- a math exam, five biology papers, a philosophy debate, a Shakespeare project, and a philosophy project. Not to mention senior obligations -- such as Senior Supper, a night filled with thank-yous, humorous apologies, and the warmth that comes from toasting each other with non-alcoholic beverages. I don't regret going, even though it resulted in a frenzied all-nighter.

I pulled my first  (and last) high school all-nighter the night before my last day. There's a first time for everything, isn't there? 

The Last Day of School: Class by Class
Memory is a funny thing -- remembering things makes my grammar fly out the window, so here is an apology in advance for anyone trying  to read this. This is just me trying to remember everything I can.

May 15, 2015

1st hour: Philosophy debate
I represented Simone De Beauvoir in a sleep-deprived state. Surprisingly, I stayed awake long enough to respond to my colleagues Judith Butler and Helene Cixous in a manner I am proud of. Topics discussed included Beyoncé's "Partition" video, drag, and the being of woman. My last time feeling nervous and light-headed in philosophy class, and miraculously the first time I managed to say something pseudo-intelligent.

1st hour: Statistics
The last time I'll be Lucie's Stats buddy, spent freaking out because I hadn't  yet finished the Shakespeare and Philosophy projects. Lucie is the sweetest, and I will miss her dearly. Monday marked my last high school stats exam. No more pink flamingo textbook for me.

3rd hour: P.E.
My last P.E. class -- and last P.E. fitness tests -- height and weight.
The last time I will have my P.E. locker -- #141. I will miss you, old friend, we had a great 5 years together. Thanks for holding all my sweaty clothes.
Our P.E. teachers let me (and other seniors) out early to work on our plethora of assignments.
I ran up to the PC lab to finish my bio papers. I feverishly wrote to the sound of "Something Good" by Alt-J. Note to self: don't choose excessively advanced articles as topics for bio papers again.

End of 3rd hour/4th hour:
Working on Bio paper. Finding out about an angry letter left on lockers of Unique magazine senior and junior editors (including the nicest subbie around!), since someone didn't get their poems  published (and didn't respond to revision requests). I don't mind getting threatening notes on my locker, but it was unfair to put such a mean note on Hannah's locker, especially when she had nothing to do with it! I encountered Ms. M. in the hallway earlier that day, who told me about Hannah.
--Went back downstairs to my locker sometime that day (maybe after lunch), and Darren was kind enough to crumple up the note and throw it away, before I read its hurtful contents.

5th hour:  Last day of chorus, spent singing our favorites -- Phantom of the Opera, Beatles songs, "Skye Boat", etc.  Last day singing with Esther, Lucie, and Celia. Luckily, Celia's not going to be too far from me in college!

Lunch: Working on papers -- finished papers! Handed in to a wonderful teacher, who proceeded to say, "Don't leave me!" One assignment down, two to go. Ran downstairs to see if special lunch for seniors had any leftovers. Thanks to Donna's generosity, I received a burrito.

6th hour: Physics. We had a food party, complete with  store-bought cake, pretzel M&Ms, and a lone burrito. Some people hooked up speakers to their phones and played mariachi music (on different devices at different times -- a round of phone-iachi music!).
Obligatory group photos were taken.
Last time I would see Jackie's lovely chalk art. I wish I had taken a picture.

 7th hour: Mr. G created a lovely array of fruits and French cheeses in celebration. Le Grand Concours results were received. By a stroke of luck, I somehow achieved a perfect score (I have never done that on any standardized exam, ever.)
French class was my favorite this year -- I love the French language, as well as the many minutes I spent listening to Mr. G. wax poetic on food and French culture.

8th hour: Stressing out while people presented their Shakespeare projects . Mine wasn't done yet. Mr. R was kind enough to lend me an extension until Monday (today)

Awards Ceremony:
 Clapping and sitting, per usual. Watching some of my favorite people light up with delight upon receiving awards and being recognized for the spectacular people that they are.  Receiving some awards of my own.

Mr. R (math teacher, not Shakespeare) came up to me beforehand  and warned me against being too hard on myself in college. "Just relax and enjoy yourself -- it'll be the best time of your life."

~Last Bell~
Crying. Hugs. Fizzy drinks (apple juice -- this is high school). Silly string. We did it.

I'll never forget Donna hugging me and saying " I love you. You're so freaking*  amazing. I hope you find someone as freaking* amazing as you in college."

The next two hours or so were spent painting our handprints on the wall, in the halls we had walked through countless times. I put mine next to Immanuel's and Jackie's. Celia reserved a spot for her sister with a star. Someone (Carmen or Grace, I think)  turned their handprint into an ice cream cone. Eric smeared red paint above his locker, an eerie handprint that somehow captured his essence perfectly.  "The Jazz Boys" painted themselves a crest.

 Sometime into painting, Jackson shouted, "I GOT INTO COLLEGE!" , and his moment of victory was shared by all in a resounding cheer

This is the kind of moment that I will miss most -- being in a group of people and feeling completely at home, completely supported.

~~

Finishing this exercise in rapid recall makes me incredibly sad and incredibly happy. Nostalgia has taken its hold.

I don't want to leave this place, but I'm going to a new place that is so wonderful, a place I hope to love just as much.