My High School Life

I'm back from a great trip to Florida! I had a really wonderful time, both visiting family and catching up with old friends. I need to get my life together here, but I'll be posting a recap of my Florida fun soon.

In the meantime, how about taking that look back at high school me that I promised in my last post? I had planned to get this together to post while I was in Florida, but hey, I got busy. So we'll do it now!

My high school: Northeast HS Vikings

I have to say, I have mixed emotions when I think back to high school. I had a lot of fun, don't get me wrong. But it was also a very awkward time in my life. (Of course, isn't it for everyone?) I went through a lot of the normal growing up stuff, as people do - first boyfriend, first kiss, first car, first job etc. But I also had some heavy family stuff going on at the same time. My parents' divorce was finalized not long after the start of my freshman year of high school. So on top of those normal life changes every teenager faces, I was also adjusting to home life with just my dad and sister, and balancing visitation with my mom. It was tough, I have to say. But those challenges certainly don't define my four years of high school. I did have lots of fun. I was super awkward and unsure of myself, but I made some good friends.

I was a big-time band nerd. Before school even started my freshman year, I had spent a week at band camp, which actually was great because it enabled me to meet some people before the year started. And I loved band. I loved marching, I loved football games, I loved competitions. See? Band nerd. And in case that's not enough for you to agree with me, check out some of these old pictures from my freshman year (I can't believe I'm voluntarily posting some of these on the internet...):

The band room at my high school, during my time there. Since I graduated, they have completely rebuilt the school, so it no longer looks like this.

In all my band-nerd glory freshman year: Poufy hair, band t-shirt, spandex under my shorts so I could change into my band uniform in the band room. Wow.

Marching onto the field. I think I am the third one from the left.

The band at a pep rally. I'm the flute on the far left.

And my band-nerdiness continued throughout my high school career. What can I say? I told you I loved it. I participated in Solo & Ensemble Contest every year, either with a solo and/or as part of a flute trio or quartet. I marched in marching band every year (despite band director issues - we went through three directors during my four years). Football games were a blast because our football team was awesome - they won every single regular season game during my time there, so we also got to travel to some playoff games. I also got more involved leadership-wise as the years went on, becoming section leader my junior year (I think) and drum major my senior year.

Eating lunch with band friends Kristin and Cathy my sophomore year

Marching my sophomore year

Band practice my senior year, with my assistant drum major Karen

Karen and I leading the band to the football stadium my senior year

Conducting my senior year

Performing my senior solo at our spring concert

My senior year was also extra fun, because by then my sister was a freshman and she joined the color guard, so we got to do all this together!

Drum major and color guard, ready for a football game!

Heather and the color guard (Heather is fourth from the left)

Of course, I did do other things during high school besides band. I wasn't super involved in any other clubs, but I was a member of National Honor Society and Mu Alpha Theta. I participated in homecoming festivities (especially my senior year, when I even colored my hair black - our senior color - for spirit day!). I went to homecoming dances and band banquets. And of course, the summer before my junior year, I met my husband!

Dancing with Eric in my room not long after we first met. We actually danced to All-4-One's "I Swear," which I had taped off the radio! How's that for a blast from the past?

With my new boyfriend Eric at my junior year homecoming dance

At band banquet my junior year

Heather, Eric and me before my senior homecoming dance

I also learned to drive and got my first car. Oh, how I laugh when I think back to that first car! It was a 1986 Dodge Omni. It sounded like a lawn mower and stopped running when it rained. Seriously. I could be driving down the road, it would start raining, and oh hey, I'm not going anywhere anymore. My dog always knew when I was on my way home when I was still a block away because of the ridiculous noise it made. It also had purple tinted windows, but the tint was peeling off. I remember going to the drive-in movies with my friends and just sitting in the back of my car peeling the tint off my windows. Ah, it was glorious. (Sadly enough, I think that may actually have been one of the more reliable cars I ever had. I was not super lucky in the car department, that's for sure.)

I also got my first job, as a waitress at Steak 'N Shake. It was a pretty good job for a 16-year-old, actually. I made pretty decent money in tips, and a lot of other kids my age worked there so it was fairly enjoyable. I actually got my first job so that I could afford to pay to take Eric (who at the time was my new boyfriend) to my homecoming dance! I ended up working at Steak 'N Shake for years (as did Eric, Heather, and Eric's siblings Ronnie and Kelley), and even continued waitressing after college for a year (at a different restaurant, though).

Working at Steak 'N Shake with Heather (this was post-high school, but you get the picture!)

I also, you know, studied and stuff. I was in honors classes and I did pretty well. I think I finished eighth in my class, so not too shabby. I also spent a lot of time my senior year applying for scholarships and grants, and received several that helped me out with my college expenses. In fact, I was the first to receive the Meadowland Scholarship, given by my neighborhood association. There was an article in the paper about me and everything!

Receiving my scholarship from the Meadowland Association
(I'm sorry, I tried not to say anything because I am grateful for the financial help these people gave me, but I can't not mention it - doesn't the guy on the left have an absolutely epic mullet?)

I feel like my four years of high school passed pretty quickly. Before I knew it, my senior year was upon me. I loved all my friends and spent much of my free time out at parties with them, at the beach, and shopping at the mall. I had a really fun time my senior year! I also got my acceptance letter from the University of Florida and began to look towards my future. The year passed quickly, and then it was time for prom and graduation and all the fun that comes along with that.

Before my senior prom with friends Erin and Beth. Funny story - I asked Eric to be my date for my senior prom and he turned me down! I will never let him forget it.

At my graduation

Receiving my diploma

High school graduate! Next stop: University of Florida!

VIDEO: Vitamin C's "Graduation (Friends Forever)," which was popular around my graduation. Ah, memories! I would listen to this song and get all sad.

At the time, I was sad to see high school come to an end. Like I said, I really did have a good time and made some great friends. When I left for college, I had the best intentions to keep in touch with everyone, but as often happens, I didn't really keep up with that. I did keep in touch here and there with a few friends (especially now thanks to Facebook) but even still, years had passed since I had seen them...until this past weekend. So, it was really wonderful to get caught up with some of these friends once again! Stay tuned for that in my next post.

What are your memories from high school like? Did you love it? Hate it? If you could, would you go back?