My High School Report 9/9

[AlFrankenFan]

Ok I figured I'd write about my experience in high school so far. Enjoy I suppose.

I've been able to find my way around really easily. The only real problem is the amount of kids that go to the school. I hear tell there's maybe 3000 or more, 900+ in my freshman class. Also about 40+ kids per class. Probably what's been ticking me off the most is the lack of funding for these schools, like mine. Sure, it's nice. But it nearly made me cry when for our math test, we learned we'd be using the same Scantron sheet four times to save money...and they only cost 10 cents to put through. Also health and most language and math classes have only one set of books, forcing the students to carry them to and from school, as the school does not have lockers. I think if at all possible I'm going to find out how much money it'll take to pay for all the books needed and do a major fundraiser.

Personally, classes haven't been all that bad. Latin's just difficult because of all the tedious memorization of quotes, myths, and declensions. Concert band is fine, but with all the stuff we needed for a class that can't play a concert B flat scale in unison, it's seemingly a bit of a waste. Biology is fine, and even though science isn't always my favorite class it's pretty easy. I'm loving English because even though it's lots of work, we get to do an essay on a biography/autobiography, and I'm doing the Boston Globe book about Kerry. Algebra 2 is relatively easy, so far, but I fear the hard parts because despite math being a sort of strong point I hate it more than anything.

Well, except marching band. I don't know if it's the four hour practices every Thursday or the Saturday practices lasting for eight hours, but it's turning out to be a waste of time to me. I really regret joining, which I know is a shame because my music teacher last year told tales of how great it'd be. The older kids say it's better when we go to competitions. Well, I'll see. I have practice tonight and I haven't been feeling well lately...I've just been really depressed and I've had this feeling about politics and such that is just driving me insane...plus I'm always sick with my stupid IBS and that really helps. It's not that practice is hard, it's easy, but it's just the amount of time it takes up. And I hate our drill instructor. He's my enemy. :P

Good news though! There's a JSA chapter here (Junior Statesmen of America...I think) and I attended an introductory meeting today. There are quite a few conservatives (this being OC) and even the leader is a conservative, but to my surprise there are some liberal (and anarchists too heheh). Today the debate was on Bush. I had planned this whole list of things but instead of speaking I was more in utter awe of the fact that I'm not the only well-informed kid in the school. Also a kid noticed my friend (LiberalManiacfromOC) and my other friend's Kerry gear and signed us up for the local volunteer network. So I'm really excited about that.

Well, in about fifty minutes I'm leaving for marching band...oy vey. I can live ;-)

[JohnKleeb]

1. your school makes HHS seem small

My day today was 60% political discussion at school, from some in journalism to the end of the day young dems meeting, oh and our number has trippled, we're gonna kick ass, and have HHS young dems gear.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

2. Work hard

you'll find in the end that it is worth it. I think your idea of having a fundraiser for books, etc, is a great idea. Check with your local Dems-a candidate may want to help out, as this is a graphic example of how Bush is leaving Every Child Behind.

[UrbScotty]

3. What instrument do you play, if you wouldn't mind my asking? (nt)

[AlFrankenFan]

15. tenor sax

not at all :)

[OneBlueSky]

4. you're taking Latin? . . . didn't know it was still offered . . .

anywhere . . . I recall fondly my own Latin classes, in which I learned more about language than I did in English . . . amo, amas, amat y'all! . . . :)

[5thGenDemocrat]

14. My old alma mater, Saginaw (MI) Arthur Hill HS

Reintroduced Latin in the late '80s. I don't know if it's still offered, but I do know it wasn't an option when I was there (class of '75).
I was an altar boy in 1964 -- just before Vatican II screwed everything up. But all the Latin I remember is "Bennie sells all his dominoes," stuff like that.
John
Good luck to all the DUers starting a new school year. I suspect all high school experiences are about the same -- no matter where you went or when you went (although AHHS, when I was there, produced the only high school football team in Michigan history to go undefeated, untied and unscored-upon).

[JohnKleeb]

16. its offered just about everywhere now

I take it too, :shrug: I thought it was a common course.

[name not needed]

5. Ah... Freshmen

I can't stand em. No offense to you or liberalmaniacfromsomewhere, but they are pissing me off. The only one not pissing me off is my friend's brother.

[JohnKleeb]

6. hey how you think I felt about you twerps

:P
You guys were very bad, class of '07, call of '06 is great but class of '07 I dont like :D.

[SmileyBoy]

10. Man, I'm feeling old listening to you guys.

I'm class of 2001.

[Pithlet]

12. Shut up

I'm clas of 90! You whippersnapper.

[JohnKleeb]

13. hah sorry

I just taunted him, goddamn underclassmen.

[JohnKleeb]

9. Hah you made me do it

I pushed polled. Really, your frigging class made my last year of spanish nuts, and eh the freshmen this year havent bothered me........yet.

[LanternWaste]

7. Give it some time...

Given time, I think you'll find the marching drills kinda fun. It's very weird at first until you get to know the routines and the people, it's as if you're the only person who doesn't know what they're doing. But after awhile (if you concentrate on leraning it, that is), something will *click* and the whole thing will fall into place.

For the first three weeks I was in marching band, that was precisely how I felt. Four hours a day, every morning Mon - Fri in August and two hours when the school year started. Absolute hell for someone who sweats at the mere thought of physical exertion. It was as though I were the only goofball who couldn't march and play at the same time. And also as though I was the only person that didn't know how to make friends... It was a major frustration and I was close to quitting until the click came.

But, the click came and I figured out what I was doing and how to do it (and how to get better) and, after a few years when I finally became a semior, I became the Drum Major and all memories of that goofy kid I had been a few years before vanished...

[SmileyBoy]

8. That's pretty extensive.

About class sizes: The weird thing for me is that I went to St. Louis Park (MN), which currently has 1,400 students (about 1,250 when I went there), and it was (and still is) considered a "small" high school in the Twin Cities. And now that I go to a college where most of the students are from farms and small towns, 1,400 students is considered gargantuan to them. My best friend's graduating class was about 25 students. I told him that mine was about 300 students, and he seemed amazed that I was able to handle it. Yet 300 students in a graduating class isn't much in a big city like Mpls./St. Paul.

BTW, St. Louis Park is the high school that Al Franken went to. Also the Coen Brothers.

[Pithlet]

11. Your first paragraph

Was my first high school, except the locker part. We did have to share with a partner, though. I even had over 900 in my freshman class, too. I remember the teachers having to re-use ditto sheets. We just copied the questions and then answered them on our own paper. I remember in one class a few of the kids were sitting on the windowsill because there weren't enough desks. Your post brings back memories. :)

I moved my junior year and transfered to a much smaller one. There are some advantages to a bigger school, at least in my experience. The smaller one was much cliquier for instance, although it was in a much richer district, too, so it was a bit snobbier.