From Cali to Kansas

By Micah Fabarez

 

 

                As this month’s theme is about transitions, I am going to be describing all of the moves I have had to go through as a child. As I am the only person in journalism who has moved repeatedly at an old enough age to remember it, it is fitting that I describe the process that I went through every time I got to a new city. When I was born in San Diego in 1994, my family moved a few weeks later to Seattle, Washington where we spent the first few years of my life. Both the move there and the move back I don’t remember, so they don’t really count towards the amount of moves, but my first memory was in my backyard in Seattle, playing golf, which fittingly enough, has started tournament play already this year.

                My real first home was in La Mirada, California. It was a yellow house on the corner of the street, and it had several big trees in the front yard along with a bricked-in garden. We would always go over to our neighbor’s house and pick fresh lemons from their lemon tree to make lemonade. It wasn’t in a bad part of the neighborhood, but it wasn’t in the really good part either. To prove this point, a dangerous criminal was cornered on the roof of said neighbor’s house and was actually gunned down while they were in the house!! It was a little alarming, since it was the across-the-street neighbor. We lived for a total of 7 years in California, not counting the few weeks after I was born.

                In 2005, I moved to Kansas and was introduced to a whole new world of opportunities. Although I also had some opportunities that were no longer available since I was no longer in a large urban environment, but I think the change was for the better for me. In California, it was common to have at least one fist fight every week and that was while I was in elementary school! I think that the environment is a lot better for a kid to grow up in the Midwest because you get the opportunity to learn more practical techniques like welding, auto tech, and carpentry. Back in California, my brother’s coolest class was one for ancient world history where they dressed in authentic Roman and Greek military garb. But I am also looking forward to the next transition in my life, going to college in Hays. It will be yet another new experience in the story of my life.

               

 

 

 

 

Reaching the Runner's High

By Courtney Monzon

 

Transitions can be tough and sometimes they aren’t much fun. Some people adjust better than others and handle the stress that can come along with change and transitions.  When I think of transitions I think of the transition between junior high and high school or the transition from a big move. However, transitions can deal with anything, even running.

 

                Have you ever heard of a runner’s high? The definition of a runner’s high is “a feeling of euphoria that is experienced by some individuals engaged in strenuous running and that is held to be associated with a release of endorphins by the brain." In other words, the transition from almost dying to feeling like you can run for days.

 

            Although I don’t experience a running high every time I run, when it happens it’s one of the best feelings ever. Sometimes I feel great and other times I feel like shooting myself. Normally when I begin running I feel fairly awful, but after a mile or so I start feeling a little bit better. It’s like busting through a brick wall. Suddenly you have a boost of energy that rejuvenates your soul. You feel the breeze against your skin and you simply forget about everything. You begin to forget about time and how many miles you’ve gone. For me, after about 6 miles my extraordinary journey comes to an end. 

From Non-Aunt to...Well, Aunt

 

By Siri McGuire

 

As many of you are aware, I became an aunt on March 14^th to a 9 lb, 6 ounce baby boy. The transition from non-auntiehood to auntiehood is perhaps understated, but one that includes many, many perks.

The most obvious perk is that there’s a whole other person in my family to love now. Now ‘love’ encompasses many things.  It not only includes all sorts of wonderful familial devotion and attention… butttt also a certain freedom to create endearing nicknames. For example: my darling nephew is a very active and restless baby, so he always has to do something with his hands. Sometimes this includes grabbing at the adorable little pudginess of his face, which we try to prevent him from doing because he could accidentally, you know, gouge out his eye. For some reason, this mannerism reminded me of something a pterodactyl might do (since it’s evident that I know all about the mannerisms and behavior of a species that died out what…. 7839204789478957289342 years ago?) Thus he became “pterodactyl baby.”

 

I’ll explain the advantage of auntiehood over non-auntiehood here through an example: Imagine the look you would get if you went up to a random baby in the park that grabbed at his or her own face and called him or her a “pterodactyl baby.” Do you think the mother would be concerned? That’s right she would!

Then again, my sister does still look at me oddly for it. Oh well. It’s okay because we’re related, right? I can hardly wait until he’s older, so I can compare him to some other extinct prehistoric creature. Forget all about the “terrible twos”- this little guy will be “The T-Rex Toddler.” Transitioning to an aunt allows me to nonsensically associate two completely unrelated things together. And what’s more fun than that?

Umm... I just realized something. I’m going to be the weird aunt. Oh well. Somebody has to do it, I guess.

My Childhood Lunch Box

By Leyli Beims

 

                Childhood is a time full of magic, wonder, enchantment, and everything good in life… until it ends. Growing up is the rudest awakening you will ever experience. All of the sudden, it’s not acceptable to carry around a Barbie backpack or watch The Little Mermaid. It happens to everyone, that day when you look around and it dawns on you that you can’t be a little kid anymore. I remember the exact moment I realized that time had been quietly creeping up on me, waiting for the chance to pounce and force me to grow up.

                It was a day like any other day in Mrs. Kraft’s class. It was a few weeks into my second grade year, and I was seven years old. We were standing in line waiting to be dismissed to lunch. I was at the very front of the line with my new lunchbox, which I loved. Then the kid behind me, let’s call him Shane, asked me the fateful question that would rock my young life.

                “Why do you have a Winnie the Pooh lunchbox?”

                In that moment, everything changed. Something in my head clicked and one thought shot to the front of my mind: “I can’t be a kid anymore.” I remember this sadness flood through me. Then, I got irritated. Here I was, having this life-changing realization, surrounded by a bunch of annoying second graders who were still completely ignorant to that fact that the clock was constantly ticking. Even worse, they were partially responsible. If my peers hadn’t been in such a hurry to grow up, I would still be able to walk to lunch, Winnie the Pooh lunchbox in tote, completely content. Stupid second graders.

I will never forgive Shane for opening his big mouth and letting those nine words out. I don’t remember what my response was, probably something witty and intelligent, like “Shut-up,” but it really didn’t matter. My childhood had effectively been ended. Seriously Shane, not cool.

In the months that followed, I changed. I didn’t stop being a kid all at once. I still played with my Barbies, watched a plethora of Disney movies on a daily basis, played dress-up and house, and loved Winnie the Pooh with all my heart. However, there was one big difference: I was consciously aware that I had to be careful.

Growing up is pretty much awful. However, there is always hope. A little part of me will always be Little Leyli, the Leyli that existed before Shane ruined everything. For the rest of my life I will feel like a princess when I wear a pretty dress. Even when I’m 64, I will nearly pass out with excitement when I see that The Little Mermaid is going to be on TV. And, yes, I will always be a die-hard fan of Winnie the Pooh, the tubby little cub all stuffed with fluff. Take that Shane.

Things That Make Me Happy

By Cody Schmitz

 

The goal for this month’s blog entries are to write about something that hits a little closer to home, something we couldn’t publish in our monthly issues. Sure, I could write another editorial over something I’m outraged with. I could delve into personal philosophies. I could write my opinion over current events both local and worldwide. But the world is already the worst. What’s the point in furthering the struggles of everyday life? Instead, I’ll simply write about the things that make me happy - big and small.

 

 

 

 

Things That Make Me Happy

 

 

 

 

Fresh, clean sheets that smell like Gain or lavender or something.

 

 

 

 

Breakfast foods

 

 

 

 

These include, but are not limited to:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Breakfast Burritos

 

 

 

 

Egg McMuffins

 

 

 

 

Coffee

 

 

 

 

Bacon

 

 

 

 

Omelets

 

 

 

 

While camping: The sound of tent zippers

 

 

 

 

Sitting Down in the Shower (Don’t knock it until you try it.)

 

 

 

 

Meeting new, fun people

 

 

 

 

Those days where it rains nonstop and thunder rumbles in the distance periodically. Mid-Spring or Early Autumn. It’s not warm outside but not too cold to open a window or two. These days should fall solely on Saturdays and Sundays and not a minute of them should be wasted on trivial pursuits like work. A minimum of two movies should be watched - either classic standbys from a personal collection or something that you’ve been needing to see for a while. Keep social contact to a bare minimum.

 

 

 

 

New and fun board and card games

 

 

 

 

Easter Egg Hunts

 

 

 

 

Stumbling upon a fantastic new TV series and watching EVERY episode

 

 

 

 

Creating something

 

 

 

 

Finding a new song that you can’t stop listening to

 

 

 

 

Puppies

 

 

 

 

Bonfires and perfect s’mores (Don’t know what perfect s’mores are? Have a bonfire with me - I’ll show you.)

 

 

 

 

Walking barefoot outside in the middle of a downpour

 

 

 

 

Going to sleep without setting an alarm

 

 

 

 

Stargazing

 

 

 

 

Situations that force you and another person to become closer

 

 

 

 

Examples:

 

 

 

 

Car troubles

 

 

 

 

 

 

Staying together in a cabin/hotel/RV

 

 

 

 

Extremely long car rides

 

 

 

 

Business Trips

 

 

 

 

 

 

Airport layovers

 

 

 

 

Stuck in an elevator

 

 

 

 

Sitting in a basement waiting out a tornado warning (Kansans will understand)

 

 

 

 

Asparagus

 

 

 

 

Clothes straight from the dryer

 

 

 

 

Travel

 

 

 

 

 

There are plenty more things I could put on this list. I believe there are an endless number of things that make me happy and I love that. And remember, happiness isn’t dependent on your situation, it depends on you. Just because it’s not raining doesn’t mean you can’t be happy. And one more thing, happiness really is contagious - try to be the catalyst.

Life as a Working Girl

By Amanda Lawrence

 

     Starting last year my mom began bugging me to get a job. I knew I needed one for many reasons. One, I really needed the money. I was going to begin my senior year so earning money for college seemed like something I really needed to do. Two, I spend most of my summers sitting at home doing nothing (I know, I know, I’m so interesting).  And three, it would get my mom to stop pestering me ;).

     So I set out to find a job. I had no idea where I wanted to work so I began asking around. Many of my friends worked at Sonic and said they liked it. However, I wanted to keep my options open. I applied at a few different places and waited a few days. Then, my impatience got the better of me. I went to Sonic and asked for an application. They were out of applications and the manager wasn’t there so they wrote down my name and number. Later that night, the manager called and told me that I had the job and could start the next day. I then hung up and began dancing around the room chanting “I got a job, I got a job.” (Ok, seriously younger me, who does that?)

     So in July of 2012, I made the transition from jobless to working girl and I am very glad I did. I love my job at Sonic and it has taught me many things such as responsibility, people skills and problem solving.  My life is very different in other ways too. I am home much less than I was before but I love being at work. It is also nice to not have to ask my parents for money.

     While the transition may have been a little challenging, I am very glad that I have my current job.

South America to North America

By Fernanda Santos

 

When you start thinking about being an exchange student, everyone tells you how hard it is going to be to go to a new country that has a different language, to stay away from your parents for such long time, and to deal with the cultural difference and all of these. Thanks guys, that helps a bunch!

 

       Despite what everyone thinks, I can honestly say I have only had five days of serious homesickness in the ten months I have spent here. It’s hard to think about home when there is so much going with new sports, new school, and new friends. You will only sit there miserable missing your old life if you don’t engage in creating a new one. I never even thought that coming here would be hard. It was my dream and I decided to make it the best year of my life. I’m proud to say I have succeeded, at least I have so far.

 

      The hard part it will be going back home. I do miss my family and my friends, but when I got on that plane eight months ago I knew I was headed back June 1st no matter what. When will I be back? When will I ever see these people again? If everything goes as I plan, I should be back in one in a half year, but deep inside I know that I’ll never see some of these people again. All the faces that are now known and dear to me in the hallways will be gone in less than two months and I’m afraid that in the transition I’ll lose myself too.

 

     It will be the worst flight of my life and considering how I lost my passport on my way here and I’ve been in a plane which the breaks stopped working minutes before landing, that’s pretty intense. I’m not looking forward to it but it’s just another transition that I can’t run away from.

 

Jr. High to High School

By Janae Champlin

As a sophomore looking back at Jr. High, I see a big difference in my appearance, knowledge, and maturity. In Jr. High school it was like you were in your own little world. In seventh grade, you were the underdogs and the eighth graders were your role models (well, most of them). Then, when it was your turn to be an eighth grader, it felt like you were on top of the world. You had bigger privileges and thought you were the coolest kids on the block.

Then in the summer before freshmen year things started to change. I was outside more so I became very sun tanned and clear skinned. I had gotten contacts and the bulky black glasses were to only be worn at night from there on out. My style had changed and my personality became more outgoing. I started going to the high school youth group from our church and hanging out with the upperclassmen occasionally in the evening. That’s when it all changed for the better. I let my bangs grow back out and started wearing makeup. My whole appearance changed.

When I started my freshmen year, I decided to keep spending more time with the upperclassmen. This really taught me to act older and be more mature about situations. I realized that being with older friends made me feel more grown up (even though none of us acted like it). On occasion I would spend time with the girls in my class but as the months passed I grew farther away from them. Now that I’m a sophomore I have noticed that I need to get the girls in my grade more involved in my other friend groups so that they don’t have to miss out on all the fun.

            Though Jr. High was fun and exciting, I am much happier being in high school and being open to new experiences.