“All that I see now… is not the same. All you remember… is gone away. But you’re still standing here.” -The Light of Hope, from the Sonic Forces OST
Welp, this is my last article for the paper. Yeah, that’s right. It’s my last one. I’m officially signing off. I only wrote, oh what, four articles? But I’ve accomplished a lot in those. I’ve done an interview, a couple of op-eds, and my pièce de résistance, the article on wolves. “Wait, op-eds?” you’re probably wondering. Well... I may have reviewed you guys and I may have put out that article on being introverted. I may have done that. No hard feelings, right? 🙂😊😃
As I prepare for college, I want to leave behind 27 lessons I’ve learned throughout school. Some are tips for the students still here; others are just from my own personal reflection. Why 27? Because. Now, I may get cynical or political here and there, so if you disagree with me, please feel free to politely post your opinions in the comments. Before we start, I want to give a big thank you to this video that also taught me some valuable lessons. The tips I learned in that video will be marked with a (V). Now, without further ado...
1. This is the most important one: College Board doesn’t want you to know this, but…
The ACT is much easier than the SAT. Yeah. It’s true. They just want people taking the SAT for the $$$$. In fact, the “which choice provides the best evidence” questions don’t even exist in the ACT. For good reason! Cuz, lowkey, this is literally what they are like:
Now, I have not taken the ACT, but I wish I did. It looks easy enough to get a good score! Am I suggesting y’all to not take the SAT? No. It’s still good to practice supporting claims with evidence. Is it better for your sanity? Yes! Big time!
2. It’s okay to struggle.
There are times when you feel as if you can’t keep going on. Having suffered from senioritis, I can definitely say struggling can be a pain in the tails sometimes. Whenever you’re having a hard time, just take it easy. It will only be harder for you to find your answer if you’re upset. Even just taking 5 minutes to yourself can be what you need to solve that math problem, write for your essay at 4 AM, and so on.
3. No one should have to deny your expertise on a subject.
But they do. Why? Sheer ignorance. First off, know that they’re wrong. Even if you don’t know every little bit about wolves (but you still know way more than the rest of your school), you’re still an expert in that topic. Learning is a continuous process, and no one has the right to stop you from learning. In my opinion, exploiting knowledge gaps is a way to show that you don’t respect someone, and for people like me, that kind of stuff can hurt us. Those words are more than just insults. They are insensitive and baseless lies that everybody agrees with. It takes the right people to understand and empathize with you, like Gregg did with me when we chatted last month. Has our school become a political playground? Probably. 🙄
4. “It’s not selfish to want to escape the noise.” (V)
Honestly, I wish I had learned this earlier. I’m an introvert, and I just wanted to be alone most of my high school life. Yet I kept getting dragged into every little small chat ever. Ugh… If this sounds like you, then I’m here to tell ya that it’s okay to be alone. My advice? Find somewhere where you can enjoy some peace and quiet and get your work done.
5. You will feel like you don’t have a voice sometimes.
I just can’t debate well. Another weakness people found to exploit. I wasn’t up-to-date on everything in the world cuz I got so caught up with homework and my job. Literally, a third weakness exploited. But then again, what could have I done? I’m just a lonely, little dragynx. If politics is your thing, then by all means, use your voice to make things worse for other dragynxes. But everyone has a voice, no matter how muzzled it may seem. I ask you, use your voice to elevate those who need a voice themselves.
6. Don't take easy classes taught by hard teachers. Instead, take hard classes taught by easy teachers.
Wut. Put simply, don’t choose classes that are hell! That's why I strongly suggest you use Rate My Professors in college. It will be a lifesaver. Thanks to this video for this lesson!
7. Personally, I find “Lullaby for a Princess” the right song to listen to when I’m frustrated.
Really, any song or artist can help you feel better: Imagine Dragons, Green Day, or video game OSTs. Keep these songs on repeat for a while until you feel well again.
Here’s the song I’m talking about.
8. It’s okay to like rap.
Personally, I think all rap sounds the same. However, some rap songs are actually pretty dope, but then again, it’s only, like, 10 songs. 🤷🏽♂️
9. Senior year is not what you think it is.
Yeah, this was a big one for me. I thought that we would take senior year very seriously, since we would be off to college soon! But we were still being our child-like selves and made the most out of our final year. However,
10. You still had trouble respecting others.
C’mon, Class of 2023! We could have done better! But, no, we pulled fire alarms and talked smack about teachers. Not only does it hurt them, but it also hurts others who are more sensitive to harsh comments and piercing noises!
11. Keep a planner or agenda, or make a virtual one with Google Calendar.
Planners are lifesavers. Especially when you reach junior year. Keep a schedule to keep track of assignments, quizzes, exams, meetings, college application deadlines, and other important dates. Your agenda will become your best friend once you reach college.
12. The best college app advice I can give you comes from the MIT admit himself: embrace yourself.
I’m gonna quote him for this one: “Embrace your voice. Yeah, this is college, but include your unique perspective and voice. That is much better than something too generic or formal. Do not spam your essay with SAT words. Rather, include something in your native tongue!” Essentially, embrace what makes you unique. This betters your chances of getting into good schools.
13. It’s okay to be a furry!
Oh boy, I’m getting myself in hot water, aren’t I? Well, I’m here to say that: a) a furry has been writing these articles (uWu), and b) it’s okay to be one of us! Furries are just people that have a fascination with anthropomorphic animals. Unlike what some people think, we are a very welcoming community and love drawing and dressing up as cute, fluffy animals!
I get it: people give us negative reps for being “weird” or “immature”. Some may say that. I feel like you would only know negative things about us. Instead of believing whatever you hear, I’d recommend you spend some time researching what furries really are.
Here’s Fluke Husky (right), Telephone Dutch Angel Dragon (middle, brown one), and other furries playing UNO at Anthrocon, one of the world’s largest furry cons. Source
14. You are an artist, no matter what others say.
Yeah, I know. You’re probably denying this right now. But bear with me. Your art style is unique, so embrace it! It’s the same thing with dancing, writing, and singing. It’s your style. Your job is to just be yourself, not try to please as many people as you can.
15. Dodgeball. Ugh…
The worst sport ever... 😣 In middle school (cuz it’s always middle), whenever we had dodgeball in PE, I always ended up on the weakest team. All the good players always stuck together, and the teams I “joined” had little to no dodgeball experience. Half of my “team” was eliminated in 30 seconds flat. Meanwhile, here I was, trying to not get hit, stay close to the wall as possible, and escape. However, the PE teachers never let me leave mid-game, and my “teammates” pushed me to “save the team.” Then, in just 2 minutes, I was always the last one. I had one ball, while everyone on the evil team prepared to mercilessly and ruthlessly take me down. Yet, my team “encouraged” me to try my best and stay alive. HOW COULD I HAVE DONE SUCH AN IMPOSSIBLE TASK??? TELL ME! HOW COULD I HAVE DONE SOMETHING LIKE THAT?!! I hated being in this situation so much that I quit every single time and didn’t even bother to try. I knew I’d get demolished, and I didn’t want to risk injury. Worst part? I couldn’t switch teams, leave mid-game, and dodgeball games were mandatory 99% of the time.
Now, this does sound exaggerated, but bear with me: 3 years of my life in a situation that I truly hated and couldn’t avoid? That is hell right there. I’m so glad we didn't do it in high school. You may disagree wholeheartedly with this. If extreme, dangerous sports are your thing, be my guest. But I’m never going on that field again.
16. Handball on the other hand…
WAS SO MUCH MORE FUN!!! I mean, come on. That was the elementary school sport. Forget kickball, tether ball, foursquare; handball was all the rage. (Sorry, Apparatus, but you’re a close second ¯\_(ツ)_/¯). It was just fun being engrossed into the match and seeing the two best players go head-to-head, hitting the ball as high or as low as they could (or even over the wall!)
Also, wasn’t it just fun telling others “No buts, no cuts, no coconuts!” when someone tried to cut in line? Of course it was! It’s an elementary rhyme that has never left you. C’mon, admit it. You giggled right now. There was also that one time in elementary when someone hit the ball to a nail. The nail tore through the handball. We were all just there, wondering what the heck happened, and the next thing we knew, we found the handball deflating and shared a good laugh. Truly a memory.
If y’all never played handball before, then I’m sorry, but you missed out. Plus, if you have no idea what the heck I’m talking about, just look up “handball elementary school” and let the nostalgia run through you.
17. The FitnessGram PACER test is a multistage aerobic capacity test that progressively gets more difficult as it continues.
The 20-meter pacer test will begin in 30 seconds. Line up at the start. The running speed starts slowly but gets faster each minute after you hear this signal. *beep* A single lap should be completed each time you hear this sound. *ding* Remember to run in a straight line and run as long as possible. The second time you fail to complete a lap before the sound, your test is over. The test will begin on the word start. On your mark, get ready, start.
PS: What was your highest PACER test score? Mine was 51, somehow… ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
18. Don’t take everything seriously.
I want to thank everyone in 9th, 10th, and 11th grade for this one. Your energy and youth made me want to live my junior and senior years to the max I could. This year, the seniors were more serious about their studies and just didn’t want to have a good life. But life is better with fun and energy. The more light-hearted you are in life, the more you can enjoy life’s treasures.
“Tonight, let's… live while we're young”
-One Direction, 2012
19. When you have something like a meeting or an interview, set two different alarms. (V)
The first alarm is the normal alarm that you snooze. The second one should be the one that wakes ya up, so put something energetic and make it louder than the first alarm.
20. Don’t do things for attention. (V)
In other words, don't be that one "cool kid,” or try to become one. Sure, it’s nice when people know who you are, but it’s honestly not fair to the unsung heroes of the school. I mean, look at George from Arthur: he’s shy and reserved, but doesn’t care about popularity. Plus, he’s a very smart and relatable character in the show. In my opinion, he’s the unsung hero of Lakewood Elementary. I would advise finding the right places to "rise to stardom”. Sometimes, all you need to do to become likable is to just be yourself.
21. Put your leash on and walk yourself. (V)
90% of success is just taking the first step out your door. But the remaining 10% of success is the actual walking. Go out there and achieve your dreams. Take all the necessary steps to reach your goals. If you don’t take that first step out the door, you’re never going to reach for the stars.
22. Don't be so critical of yourself. (V)
You should know you're beautiful just the way you are. And you don't have to change a thing. The world could change its heart. No scars to your beautiful. We're stars and we're beautiful.
- Alessia Cara, 2015
23. Sarcasm. Oh boy…
If you’re using tainted sarcasm just to make jokes about others, then you’re a menace.
As a dragynx, I don’t take tainted sarcasm well. For me, tainted sarcasm is more than rude, hurtful quips. Sarcastic remarks can ruin my day. But does the Class of 2023 seem to understand? No. They think it’s absolutely justified to make a dragynx’s life miserable like this. Just cuz I’m a dragynx.
As per the younger generation, you learn to adjust to their pure sarcasm since it’s more playful and fun! This kind of fun sarcasm is the type that makes your classes all the better! What I’m trying to get at here is this: pure sarcasm excites your classmates and helps you make new friends, while tainted sarcasm ends old “friendships” in a heartbeat and makes your life a miserable hell.
Plus, Princess Twilight Sparkle agrees. She literally said, “No one likes sarcasm, Spike.” Don’t believe me? Castle-Mania. Go to 16:32 up until 16:44. 😊
24. Call your friends and family. (V)
Those small gestures mean everything to them, especially as you grow older, go to college, find a job, and become an independent person. Checking in with them every now is the kind of love and friendship that never dies.
25. When you’re frustrated, go outside. (V)
Yeah, I know. Covid’s still here. Maybe you’re sick as you read this article. But simply going for a walk will help clear your mind and calm you down. It’s a good way to feel better when you’re not yourself.
26. Things always get better, even after incredibly stressful weeks.
Boy, I remember having so much work to do during my senior year. College apps, APs, my job, and perfecting these articles took up much of my free time. However, the day I finally had nothing to do, it was worth it. I got my dream school, and now I’m ready to begin a new life, and become the person I want to be. Things got better for me, and they will for you, too.
And finally, be yourself!! You are an amazing person who has gone through so much. Embrace who you are because you know that there is only one of you.
I bet you're wondering. Who are you, anonymous furry who accused the Class of 2023 of ‘teacherism’, called us out for getting no sleep, claimed we hurt you with tainted sarcasm and dodgeball, and muzzled your voice?
A dragynx never reveals her secrets. For now, I’m saying goodbye. Until next time…
Keep calm and howl on!
-Jerocinea
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