What It's Like to be a Senior - Leyli Beims

Senior year is a huge landmark in a high schooler's life. It’s what we look forward to and plan for our freshman, sophomore, and junior years. Twelfth grade is the grand finale in the fireworks show of high school, the cherry on top of the high school sundae. It doesn’t seem possible, but here I am, a high school senior. While most of it’s great, there are a few unexpected drawbacks to being top dog.

It's awesome not to have to answer to anyone, but it kind of sucks to be the person in charge. All of these underclassmen see you as a higher authority, someone who knows exactly what they’re doing and has this whole life thing down. Hate to break it to you guys, but I have no idea what I'm doing 99.9999999% of the time. Seriously, my dearest youngsters, don't look up to me; I'm a hot mess. This pressure to have it all together and be a guiding force is sometimes difficult to handle.

And talk about responsibility! I love floating around in my own little world while others take care of me, but senior year doesn't want me to be happy. Senior year wants me to become a responsible adult and make important life decisions, blah, blah, blah. Knock it off senior year! I don’t want this!

Also, everything has this bittersweet taste, because while I’m so excited that I’m almost out of here, I will never experience many of these things ever again. This causes this pressure of having to make absolutely everything count, which can drive a girl crazy.

All of the sudden, my future is staring me in the face. It’s always been some distant concept that could be easily dismissed. Well, not anymore. It’s a very present and imminent force that demands to be dealt with. For me, the habitual procrastinator, this is not fun. 

While many of the challenges senior year presents seem scary and difficult, I know that my classmates and I will conquer them. I’m positive that this will be the best year of high school yet. Class of 2014, we’ve got this!

They Save the Best for Last - Zoe Walsh

Since fall of 2004, the Walsh girls have played an active role in the CHS Panther Newspaper. As the last of three girls, I have the opportunity to wrap up the nine year stretch of Walsh words. If that isn’t an honor in itself, I am also the only third sibling from one family to ever write for the CHS Panther.  But let’s not focus on me.

Let’s flashback to nine years ago, it was an edgy day in journalism class as all the students were engaged in their own conversations and not listening to their wise teacher, Mrs. Watson. Editor Lindsay Walsh sat at her desk and felt Mrs. Watson’s pain. There was a lot to be done. Mrs. Watson decided to step out of the classroom to take a deep breath, but before she left she reminded her students that by the time she got back they’d better have stopped talking and started working. But to Mrs. Watson’s dismay she returned to a situation not every teacher can relate to. A male student had taken two Oreos and placed them on his bare chest while other journalism students were taking pictures of him with the journalism cameras. Needless to say, Mrs. Watson was furious. To this day, Lindsay remembers this moment in journalism vividly. Looking back it’s a humorous story to tell for both Lindsay and Mrs. Watson. 

Fast forward about four years to Haley Walsh, sitting in the same classroom as her older sister Lindsay. As many high school students know, the Walsh girls don’t tan. Somewhere in the genetic combination we missed the boat of beach tanned skin.  Anyway, as the students were creating nicknames, an annual ritual in journalism, they reached my ghostly sister. They didn’t even have to think twice, Moon Beam Walsh it was. My sister Moon Beam, forever known for her white skin.

Today is August 29, 2013. I, Zoe Walsh, sit in the journalism classroom. Mrs. Watson’s memories of my sisters still linger. I haven’t been deemed forever pale by my nickname, nor had any absurd experiences with Oreos… not yet anyway. As Mrs. Watson skims my blog entry, she’s already laughing by the third line. She’s always told me that both my sisters were great writers, but I don’t think they’ve ever had her laughing a mere three lines in. What can I say? They save the best for last.

Contact Cross Country - Isaac Sprague

The CHS Cross Country Team is made up of high society individuals, the upper class. My seventh grade year, for instance, included charismatic individuals such as Casey Carlgren. When I think of Casey I think of short shorts, a care free attitude, and the “Hop on the Truck until Coach Notices” method. Casey was also inspiring because he could accomplish making Coach so mad at him for messing around that he would run two miles on the track before we even started our practice run. Once Casey left, the team had to grow new leaders such as Creighton Leif with his road side massacre and Nathan Koeber with the jokes of a lifetime.

Cross country has been considered to be a dangerous sport to participate in because cross country members are often hurt. For instance, Daniel Longfellow, a cross country veteran, had his pinky finger cut off during cross country. This loss of appendage may have also resulted in a loss of cross country morale, causing the guys team to once again lose its spot at state. Another story of dangerous proportions is when Olivia Leif, a senior this year, was frightened by what we believe to be a vicious squirrel, causing her to topple over and sprain her ankle.

My teammates aren’t the only ones who have been affected by the perils of cross country. I, too, have experienced the danger. If it is ninety degrees or above during practice, the cross country team goes to the park. When we run in the park there are many Parkour opportunities that the guys on the team cannot resist. So I, being a hardcore Parkour enthusiast, tried a trick that required me to run over a pole in hope of missing the pole. But the heat had really affected me that day and I was not at my usual hardcore Parkour level. I ended up hitting the pole and cutting my leg, leaving me disabled and unable to run. So there’s one thing all of us on the cross country team have learned: don’t do cross country.

In loving memory of Bailey, Daniel, Garret, Micah, and Katherine

Football Managing - Madeline Hoard and Chelsea Martin

Sweaty shoulder pads, pounding adrenaline, and the sound of the nearby marching band all signify the start of another Concordia Panthers football season. These young men wait all year to stand under those Friday night lights with not only their teammates, but their brothers. Together, these men set out to carry on the legacy those before them have left behind.
 

Contrary to popular belief, football managing has its perks and its drawbacks. From keeping the players hydrated to gossiping on the sidelines, we take pride in being part of the Panther football family. Sharing in the exhilarating wins and the heart breaking losses gives us the chance to bond with the players in a way that no one else can. We girls truly feel as if every August we each gain thirty new big brothers.

Being in the center of all the action can cause tempers to flare and patience to wear thin. On some occasions the coaches and players feel as if we aren’t doing our jobs to their liking, which ends in a thorough butt chewing or a few choice words. Tape seems to disappear left and right, due to many “serious injuries” such as jammed fingers and gaping blisters. On the worst days, we can find ourselves dodging tackles, flying water bottles, and escaping the wrath of angry coaches.

Whether the men like to admit it or not, without us none of them would be entertained or hydrated. Without us, the sidelines would be void of gossip. Without us, the smells of the shimmels would be unbearable. Without us, the coaches and players would have no one to tease. Without us, the players wouldn’t have anyone to wait on them hand and foot. Even though our hard work usually goes unnoticed, we are proud to call ourselves Concordia Panther Football Managers.

 

This Years Tennis Write-off - Julie Gross

This year, tennis practice is as amazing as ever. There’s only one problem: it’s so hot outside on the tennis courts! I swear it’s at least ten degrees hotter when you’re standing on the courts. It always seems like the temperature begins to climb as soon as tennis starts. I had to go out to Wal-Mart to buy a new water jug because my half gallon one just wasn’t cutting it. I suppose part of that is because Allison Redmond always forgets to bring her own, and she puts on an innocent smile and says, “Hey Julie, can I have a drink of your water?”

Despite the unbearable heat, we still manage to have fun. Just last week Siri McGuire came back to watch us practice. We all miss her tons! Our team is super small this year. We only have ten people out, which isn’t even enough for a full team. I’m on varsity this year, though. Yay!

I‘m not a big fan of singles, so I play doubles. The game is just more exciting with a partner, and you get to go up to the net and smash the ball more. I’m not sure how our tennis team will turn out this year, but we have some pretty talented people out. Hopefully we can get someone to state. Danielle Timme almost went to state last year, and we all hope she makes it this year. Our next meet is this Saturday. I can’t wait, but I’m nervous at the same time!

Marching in the Spotlight - Olivia Leif

Every fall, the city of Concordia bundles up against the crisp night air in the bleachers of Harold M. Clark Stadium to watch the Panther football team in action. Though the game is always enjoyable, I consider another type of play on the field to be more interesting.

The CHS Marching Panther Band is something to see. Yes, I am the Drum Major, making me a bit biased, but I believe that coming to the game just to see the band is worth the cold toes no matter who you are. This year especially will be a show that you won’t want to miss. The Marching Panthers are performing the show Grease: The Musical. It is a fun and energetic show that everyone will love. After only two weeks of school, the band has all of the music down and they sound great. The trumpets are loud, the saxes are sassy, and the piccolos are right in tune. On top of that, the Color Guard routine is coming together wonderfully and the girls are excited to show off their official “Pink Ladies” jackets while the Drum Line struts their stuff as the “T-Birds”.

If you are not into the football scene, that’s fine (I really don’t understand it enough to be either). Come to the game anyway. Support the team, cheer when everybody else does, and go back in time to when Grease was the word.

5 Reasons I Won't Own a Cat for a Long, Long Time Once I Leave Home

I like cats. I really do. I've lived with them my entire life, and that's part of the problem. When you live with a person for eighteen years you learn every little thing you don't like about them. It’s exactly the same with cats. The things you love about that person or animal quickly become the things that make you want to “accidentally” drown them. I kid, but there have definitely been days...

1. Cats don't understand food boundaries

This happens all the time. Breakfast cereal is theirs. Soup is theirs. Cheese is theirs. EVERY food is theirs. It doesn't matter where the food is. Cats will jump onto counters, beds, and tables to find anything they want and ruin it.

2. Cat hair

Oh Lord, the cat hair. It's everywhere. It gets on EVERYTHING. There hasn't been a day in my life that I haven't picked cat hair off of me. People judge you for it, too. Let me say it here: IT'S NOT MY FAULT I HAVE CAT HAIR ON EVERYTHING I OWN. I didn't know cats could produce hair in such vast quantities. It never ends.

3. Vacuuming

You could vacuum every day and your house would still look as if it hadn't been vacuumed in weeks. This ties in to Complaint #2.

4. Litter Boxes

Sure, it's nice that you don't have to take cats out to poop. However, this doesn't change the fact that you have a box of poop sitting somewhere in your house. In our case, we have two huge boxes of cat poop in our home. And let me tell you, no amount of Febreze will ever disguise the smell of cat poop.

5. Cat Vomit

There is nothing worse than stepping in cold cat vomit. Nothing.

Although I have these specific grievances with cats, I'm certain I will own a cat or two again someday. I just need a break; I can only take so much.

Sumertime Sadness

Every spring, about two weeks before school gets out, most high schoolers begin planning out their "awesome" summer. Our expectations of summer can be deadly. We expect so much, assume that we will do it all. We make plans to take shopping trips, travel to Rome, become master quilters, and participate in all sorts of shenanigans (such as late-night skinny dipping). We make so many plans, all destined to fail.

I don’t know about you, but I always plan a great expedition with a group of my friends. Unfortunately our get-a-way trip never ends up happening. Just this summer, my friends and I planned a trip to Kansas City. We wanted to stay in a hotel (because we are old enough to reserve a room by ourselves), go shopping, and maybe even go to Worlds of Fun. Did that happen? NO.

I honestly believe the problem is Pinterest. You may ask why. Well, Pinterest is a website where you can post and see different ideas of events, your interests, or different hobbies. You follow fellow pinners, re-pin the things they pin, blah, blah, blah. The problem is you see all these cool things that you want to do, whether it is a craft, a cute outfit idea, a delicious-looking recipe, or a fun activity. We get so obsessed with doing all of this awesome stuff. So, yeah, I am blaming all of my summer failures on Pinterest. Hopefully Summer 2014 will break the chain.