Pets

by Liam Rust

There are a lot of things in my life that are important, but after reflecting on it, my pets are some of the biggest ones. They comfort me, they care about me, they're cute and endearing in their own ways, and I think they've helped shape me into who I am today. So, in no particular order, here are my four pets and what makes each of them special.

Trish

Trish, holding one of her precious toys

Trish, capsized

Trish is one of our two dogs, and though she may bark at everything that comes within a 5 mile radius of our home (especially squirrels), she will roll over onto her back the second you meet her. She is very sweet, so sweet that if a dog toy makes a squeaking noise, instead of chewing it, she will protect it, keeping it safe from any other dog (and she will get very concerned if she accidentally makes it squeak). She also, like many dogs, loves food. In fact, her favorite food is, paradoxically as she is a dog, chocolate. She also likes to steal our beds and couches, either to sleep on or to keep watch for squirrels on. She's our big, sweet, lovable girl.


Raylan

We got Raylan about a year and a couple months ago, and he is... well... he's odd. He is a dog, but he has a lot of weird qualities. First of all, he likes to sit on things. He sits on normal things like other dogs (like the floor or a couch) and on weirder things (like chairs), and then...

Yep. He sits on me and even my chair. He likes to think he's a lap dog, but he is not. Trust me, I would know.

Other than the whole sitting thing, his tongue sticks out about 50% of the time (as you can see in the first image of him sitting in my chair), and if you don't pay attention to him when he wants you to, he will whine at you, sit next to you, and paw at you, getting steadily more insistent if you keep ignoring him. He's a weird one, but we love him.

Pumpkin

Pumpkin is the type of cat people think of when they think of cats. He isn't all that affectionate, and even when he is, at random, he will attack you and run off. He then comes back 5 minutes later wanting more love like nothing ever happened. When he's loving us, though, he is sweet and, for some reason, drools. It's weird. He likes to cuddle with Raylan for some reason, which freaks Raylan out because 1. he hasn't quite figured out what cats are yet and 2. Pumpkin kneads on him, which basically means that he gets poked with his claws, which spooks him a lot. Pumpkin also likes the family members who don't like him that much, which is counter-intuitive. So, Pumpkin is like a standard cat - confusing and a bit mean. We love him all the same.

Dalsa

 

l o a f

Dalsa is the opposite of the standard cat. She's very, very affectionate, and never swats us (unlike Pumpkin). Most of her time is spent in boxes or in polar fleece. She has especially loved me over the past week with my fever, snuggling up to me in my bed to absorb my warmth. She is definitely the laziest of our animals, and has gotten a little fat. It's quite pathetic, now. She can't make the jump from the floor to the counter anymore for food (She probably could, but instead, she makes one of us pick her up because she knows we will and she doesn't want to put the effort in), and she fails at other normal "cat" things because of her, let's say, "lack of agility." She makes up for it with her sweetness.

Small Important Things by Ula Bitinaitis

Small Important Things by Ula Bitinaitis

     I like appreciating the small details; the way my friends avoid stepping on the paw prints of cats in the snow, the nearby thud of a phone on the ground and the "aww!" that comes after, the dreamy sigh that comes after discussing "little things in life". I keep a Notes tab in my phone, dedicated to writing down the tiny things I notice, and I like how I scramble to jot them down when I notice something, because sometimes enjoying the world piece by piece is better than seeing the world as a whole. Stopping to smell a few roses as you trudge through life can be easier than appreciating the whole forest itself, where scarier things lurk that you might not want to think of. It may be rejecting criticism of the things you love, but roses can have thorns too.
     When I try and reach for anything bigger, I keep stumbling back to seemingly insignificant instances. So I'll write some more things; the graphite on the side of a person's hand after 40 minutes of non-stop writing, the puff of exhaustion that is released as they frantically discuss the answers and writing with confidence. I like dogged-ear pages of books or underlined sentences, showing the tracks of the previous owner and the writing that they loved, things that make digital PDFs lifeless. I like friends grabbing their shy friends' hands during dances, throwing them in the air to the beat of the music, and it's almost always followed by barrels of laughter that's almost always nicer than the music itself. I like the glint in someone's eye when they talk about the things that are important to them, and the way that their words overflow like a broken dam when they speak with such passion, with their smile growing bigger by the minute. I like overly warm classrooms, I like 3:00 AM rambles about life, I like when people show care when they don't mean to, and the small things I like are so important to me. I'm okay with thriving off of something small if it means I have something so discrete, yet so special.

Also, I think being wary of what's important to you is important, but maybe not as much.

Clash Royale By: Zachary Merold

So this months blog topic was to write about something important to you, and something that came to mind for me was this game on the phone that I have called Clash Royale. Now, before you judge, just hear me out. Clash Royale is a tower defense game where two players of equal skill must try and attack each others towers without losing their own. Each game lasts 3 minutes. Each player has a certain amount of elixir, which regenerates over time, and the amount of elixir determines what troops you can play to defend or attack a tower. Now that you have a basic understanding of how this game works, I can move on. I don't like this game very much, and I'm also pretty bad at it (you can ask any of my friends). In fact, most of the time I play this game I feel anger. The reason Clash Royale is important to me is that a large majority of my close friends play this game, and even some that I'm not as close with. Almost every single day during lunch we play this game and challenge one another to see who is the best player (it's Garrett). Anyway, a lot of memories with my friends have been surrounded by Clash Royale games. Below is an image of my own gameplay.

Drumming the World Away by: Luke Simmons

In the fast-paced life that every single person has to experience in the modern times that we live in, it is of the utmost importance to take time that you can have for just yourself. No other people, no distractions, just yourself. Many people would call it their "me time." In my personal life, I often forget to take time in my busy week where I can simply relax and be myself. Drumming has completely changed that for me.
Before I started drumming, I would fill my free time with Netflix and video games and other useless things that are a complete waste of time. Although I liked watching TV and giving my brain a rest, I never had a feeling that I had successfully used my free time well when I did the things that I did. Yet, once I discovered drumming in 8th grade, that completely changed. Instead of watching TV, I would grab a practice pad and practice my rudiments for classical snare drumming and drum line. Instead of playing video games, I would put on a playlist of songs and drum along to them on my drum set to help me practice my timing for jazz band. The best part about it is that I can always know that I am using my time well and I am accomplishing things while getting the relaxation that an hour of TV would give to me.
Drumming as a whole is something that means the world to me for multiple reasons. One of the most important ones is that it is something that I can do no matter what I'm doing or where I am. If I'm at home I'll practice on my drum set, if I'm at school I'll practice on a practice pad, and even if I'm out somewhere in public, it never hurts to practice rudiments by just tapping on my leg. That makes it so easy to do that I can't make excuses for not getting better at the instrument since it is so accessible. Secondly, and most importantly, I love drumming. There isn't much more to say than that. It's just what many people would describe as their thing. Drumming is "my thing." It just makes the world fade away and makes it so that it's just me and the music, and that is a beautiful thing that cannot be replaced.
Overall, drumming means more than anything to me. It allows make better use of my free time, and I enjoy doing it more than anything else. Oh yeah, I forgot one last reason why I love drumming so much:
It annoys my sister because of how loud it is, and all of the older siblings out there will know that's a plus.
The bottom line is that drumming means everything to me, and it is something that I will never give up no matter what. So I would encourage everyone to try any instrument (I'm biased towards drums but every instrument has the same feeling), it has really helped me become the person I am today. That's something I wouldn't trade for the world.
This is the style and color of drum set that I have, and the color looks even better in person. The color reminds me of a sunset and it is always so calming to look at.

What's Important to Me By Chloe Maher

When confronted with the question of what's important to me, so many things come to mind. Friends, family, my home. But at the forefront of my mind is my pets. There's never been a time when my family didn't have at least two family pets. My family's absolutely full of avid animal lovers, so they've instilled that love in my siblings and I. Especially, my mom. She's never met an animal she didn't immediately take to. In eighth grade she even tried to care for orphaned squirrels when they couldn't immediately be taken somewhere to properly be cared for. Though they ended up going to an animal sanctuary after a day of course! Currently we have six cats and a dog, all former strays. One reason I value my own animals so much is because pets can teach everyone so many important life lessons. Here are just a few lessons my pets have taught me, and that your  animals can teach you...

1) Forgive

Cats and other animals forgive and forget... they love their owners no matter what, even though you may have accidentally stepped on their paws one too many times, they won't ever hold it against you! Be like your dog, don't hold grudges, they'll only hurt you in the long run.

2) Self Care

Cats and dogs never decline to curl up on the couch and take a cat-nap when they know they need it. Make sure you're getting enough rest. Don't forget to take care of yourself!

3)Don't be afraid to stand up for yourself

My dog is constantly barking at passing animals, dogs especially. Though that's absolutely needless, she's taught me to stand my ground and not be so scared.

4) Loyalty

Dogs and cats will never leave your side. They won't betray you. Humans could learn a thing or two from them, be loyal like your pets, it'll make you happier!

5) Learn to Appreciate the Little Things

Cats and dogs know how to appreciate the little things in life. They get excited just seeing their loved ones, and are always thrilled at the prospect of a treat.

Don't forget to appreciate your pets!

My Phone by Emma Cerra

One of the many things that are important to me is my phone. I realize how that makes me sound--a bit shallow, to say the least--but I really mean it.
     Without my phone, I wouldn't be able to keep in contact with the friends I make doing programs over the summer, or during field hockey camps/clinics. I wouldn't be able to talk to my family that lives in England or Arizona. I miss them all too much even with my phone!
     I wouldn't be able to formulate plans of meeting them again over the summer or to just talk about day to day life whenever I'd like. Without my phone, I wouldn't get to see updates on social media about how they're doing, like seeing the cute videos of my little twin cousins toddling about that my aunt sends me or how my friend got into a dream school after four years of hard work (yay!!!). I wouldn't be able to text my mom if she was on a business trip or visiting her family. For this reason alone, I don't think I could stand to be without my phone knowing how far away so many people I care about are.
                 While the absolute number one reason why I appreciate my phone as much as I do is because I can keep in contact with my family and friends, it's so easy for looking up a quick question you have. Though it's not hard to fall prey to falsehoods that seem ubiquitous on the Internet, if you know how to properly navigate the web you'll be just that much more educated. I don't think I've really ever appreciated how cool the internet and one's phone is before writing this.

its not important by maddie dimarco

Important?

What does that mean?

Not this. Even I'm tired of my words.

My parents think my attitude is important

My teachers think my grades are important

My coaches think my skills are important

My mirror thinks my looks are important

My phone thinks my likes are important

↓ ↓ ↓

Are these important to me?

Food is important for my body. Water, shelter, sleep

School is important for my future. A house, a car, a college, a job

Learning is important for my brain. I collect facts and ideas and books and opinions

People are important for my heart. I collect laughter and memories and smiles and jokes

Important

Important

Important

                     

The more I say it, the more abstract it becomes

Am I me, or am I a collection of someone else’s desires?

How terrible has my rambling become?

Are you regretting clicking here?

Is that important?

Do I care?

m

a

y

b

e

These conversations are important to me.

It’s the diary I never had

It's a one sided conversation for me to explore, even I never think about it ever again
Even if its not important to anyone at all

I think,

I write in my pretentious little format

You read,

You judge my insignificant little words

But you; my mystery reader

Are you important?

What's important to you?

Is it my words? Is it the sunshine or your english grade? Is it the next trip to the movies or the endless expansion of the universe?

As selfish as it sounds, I think I’m important to me

I’ve got to spend my whole life with me, I suppose

I've decided I don't know much about me
But maybe I’m important enough to know

As for you, my enigma behind a screen,

Have you answered my question?

Have we come to the same conclusion?

There’s a question mark hanging above your head.

Is it an important enough riddle to solve?

Runner's High- By Nuala Hynes

     First of all, I know I've already talked about running during two blogs already but running has seriously become a main part of my life over the past three years. I've run distances as short as a 400 meter, but also reached distances as long as a half marathon. I spend a lot of time lacing up sneakers, sweating through all my clothes, and then having to peel those clothes off my body. Running is one of the most important parts of my life. I know I spew hateful language about running, but I don't know where I would be without running.
     First, I would have a lot less friends. Unlike other sports, running is a sport in which you can't hide your emotions from your team. You all do the same workout and there's no cheating that workout. You teammates have watched you cry through a hard workout on a bad day but they have also watched you crush mile repeats like nobody's business. Some friends I have made through running are seriously friends I think I will have for my entire life. We've been through so much together: sweat, blood, tears, all of it. But I wouldn't trade it for anything.
     Next, running has created a bond between my father and I. Neither of my sisters are competitive in  many sports so my dad puts all his energy into being competitive for me. I am competitive on my own, believe me, but it's also nice to have someone screaming from the side of the track, believing in me all the time. Both my parents are like this, but especially my dad who needs weekly updates on training and if I have any meets that week. My dad always wants me to do my best, and tries to make it to every meet he can.
     Now, for the runner's high. My biology teacher brought up this term earlier, mentioning it was a result of dopamine in the body. Although sometimes I don't believe the runner's high is an actual thing, other days I feel like I'm on cloud nine. Sometimes, finishing a workout is euphoric. Somehow, running creates an atmosphere where your body can be put through tremendous amounts of pain and still come out smiling.
     I hate running. I love running. I hate running. I love running. The love/hate relationship is a relationship I believe many runners can relate to. I wouldn't trade running for anythings. And I love the love/hate relationship I have with running. I LOVE TO RUN. There, I said it. -Nuala Hynes

What is important to me? Akshat Iyer

What is Important to Me?

I don't know what to write about. There are just way too many thoughts floating around in my head. If I try to only focus on one of these things, my brain will explode. This is why I would like a more confined topic, however, I suppose that what I am about to do now will suffice. This is going to highlight the evolution of me. This blog is going to talk about how I became who I am today. People will talk about the 1 thing, the 1 aspect of their lives that they cherish. I am incapable of doing that. Now that I have explained that, we can start the build-up to who I am today and the importance that everything brings me.

**BEFORE ANY OF YOU COMMENT ABOUT THIS OR SAY IT TO MY FACE, I WILL LET YOU KNOW THAT THE PURPOSE OF THIS BLOG IS NOT TO BE NARCISSISTIC, IT IS MEANT FOR HIGHLIGHTING THE EVENTS IN MY LIFE THAT MAKE ME ME**

Infancy (0 - 5)

I didn't really have much going for me for the first two years of my life, as I was still trying to develop the ability to speak. I was taught Hindi and English at a young age, however, I lost the ability to speak Hindi after I started going to school, which is unfortunate. By the age of three, my mom started teaching me math, which started my educational career, however, the more important thing that started in my life was my music. Music is one of the few things that I am talented in, and because of that talent, I hold music in high regard as one of the things most important to me. I started playing the piano when I was three, and I had the ability to figure out what notes to play and when to play them with whatever song I wanted to play (another moment of foreshadowing). Through this, my parents realized that I had a gift, and I had a private instructor attempt to teach me piano. This attempt failed, however, as I was not a fan of this private instructor, as she expected me to also know what letters were and how to name notes, both of which were way out of my league at that age. So I continued playing music by ear, and I still have the ability to do so today. Making friends wasn't really on my radar at that time, as I didn't really think that I would make any. I tried to be social at first, however, those attempts were futile and they normally led to me being too loud and getting in trouble by the teacher (Which is still a problem today, however, most of my teachers have accepted that there is no way that they can change me). I thought I did make one friend, however, he also tried to keep on one-upping me in everything that I did, making me feel inferior. This is a dumb example, but when I turned 5, I was so excited and I bragged to him that I turned 5, and he goes, "I'm 5 and 4 quarters." I was like, Whoa, 5 and 4 are two very big numbers. I think one thing that did make me somewhat socially awkward was the fact that I still had an Indian accent when I went to pre-school and kindergarten, which made me a little hard to comprehend. However, mid-way through my kindergarten, I moved to Sparta, because my parents had just bought a house there. Best. Move. Ever. Their schools were so much nicer, the people there were more sociable, and I felt like I fit in. I made a lot of friends in Sparta, and I was very happy that I actually got to know people. I met my best friend in Kindergarten, and even though we didn't talk, I still got to learn so much about him. The Sparta move concludes the infancy portion of this timeline, and so far, a lot of topics were knocked out. I found my love for music, I found amazing friends, and I loved my family.

Elementary School (6 - 11)

Nothing much really happened in Elementary school, except for the creation of new bonds and friendships. However, one thing that was major in Elementary school was the option of choosing an instrument in 4th grade. This was one of the best things that happened to me, as I dropped piano and I started "maining" violin. I still play piano, though playing violin just gave me more joy than hitting notes on a keyboard. The rest of Elementary school was spent honing these talents that I realized that I had in my infancy stage. I grasped the concept of mathematics and music very easily, and I was making more and more friends as I continued with school, which would then carry on into middle school, and one of the focal parts of my life.

Middle School (11 - 13)

Ah, yes. These years. The years that I first didn't know what studying was, and then realized that I have to actually try in order to do well. These years were known as middle school. I was starting the transition to becoming a teenager, and it was a crazy ride. The one thing that I did pick up in these years that would be very important to me, however, was chess. Chess is one of those games where it doesn't matter when you start because you can still get very good at the game if you put in the time. My brothers started playing chess when I was in 6th grade, and I was amazed that they could sit in a room for an hour just playing this game over a simple board with 32 pieces. Halfway through 7th grade, their chess advisor asked me if I wanted to join their club. I was a little bit undecided at first, however, when I went to one of their meetings, I fell in love with the game. I grasped the concept of attacking and defending with everything that you have, and I quickly climbed the ranks of the school to become captain, which is where I still remain today. I began to play for money, and recently, I won $150 for winning 1st place in my section at an International Chess Academy tournament. The beginning of my chess career started in this period of my life, and I am so happy that I am currently still playing this game.

High School (14 - Now)

High school was the start of something new. A world that I was not introduced to prior to these years. That world was the world inside an Integrated Development Environment. Coding class is giving me the stepping stones needed to do what I wanted to do in life: become a software developer for a major company such as Google or Microsoft. I loved the class, and I still love it. Coding class is the class that I look forward to daily, and while I am in that class, I can just let loose and project all of my ideas into a bunch of conditional statements and methods. High school is also where everything just clicked. Before this, I didn't consider myself a good writer. Sure, I was decent, I got into Honors English in 9th grade, however, my writing still felt weak. That all changed when I went into 10th grade. I just realized that I was doing everything wrong, and now my writing feels much more improved (My teachers may think otherwise, however, this is only my opinion and I do feel like I can write a lot better than I used to). The concept of chess also finally clicked for me. I found out what I was doing wrong, and the reason that I was hovering around the same ranking the entire time, and I completely revised my incompetent playstyle into something that has won me many games. High school has also given me the concept of setting goals for myself. The number of times I have berated myself because my GPA wasn't equal to or above a 4.5 at a given time might seem crazy to some people, however, that's just how I operate. I need to set high standards for myself so I can push myself to my fullest potential.

What is important to me now?

-Music
-Chess
-School
-Friends
And for those of you who are saying, "What about your family, you sick child?" I say that I do love my family, and I do hold them of high importance. I just assumed that whoever is reading this post knows that I love them, however, for some people, loving their family isn't taken for granted. There are some people out there in the world who do not love their family, and so I do appreciate the fact that I do have an emotional attachment to them. Them being there for me through every step of the way has really changed me for the better, therefore I hold them of the highest importance, and revere them as amazing people.

All of these things have made me who I am today, and I am very happy about having them. Without these things, I might not be the person I am today.

My Journey With Confidence-- by, Jenna Marie

I've put this blog post off for a very long time, because I had no idea what to write. I didn't want to be cliche with this topic of what's important to me, and coming up with an original idea was harder than I had anticipated. This was a chance for my peers to perhaps get to know me better. I dabbled in the ideas of music, or sports... maybe even success and its role in my life. But I knew that using any one idea wouldn't do the theme justice. I'm greater than a sum of my parts, and I wanted to catch a bit of my being. Sure, each thing I listed above has significance in my life. In fact, I wouldn't be who I am today without each and every one of them. But, I've come to realize that the people that I meet don't really understand who I am, or what I do. For example, my music teacher only sees how well I play the violin, not how fast I can run up a field. Or take my coaches. They certainly know how well I play, possibly my weak points in my game, but they don't know how I fair in school. Even fellow students only see this shy, tiny girl who is smart and, possibly to some, an obnoxious show off. So with this in mind, I decided that what's important to me isn't some specific topic, but to get who I really am across so that I am no longer misjudged. However, the idea of going over all that I do seemed a bit obnoxious so I'll spare you. Instead I'll focus on what's held me back, self-doubt, and how I've begun to deal with it.

I've always lacked a faith in my abilities. Since as long as I can remember, I always questioned whether I was right, whether I belonged. This could be due to a number of factors dealing with more personal reasons, but I believe the biggest one is my need for perfection, especially in instances of competition. No matter how well I would perform a movement in a concerto, how well I executed a pass, how well I did on a test, I could never get this feeling out of my had that it just wasn't good enough. I could do better was fine, but it soon became should have done better, which became why can't I do anything right. Thinking back on it, it's silly that I forced my beliefs onto others without their saying a single word against my abilities, but so it was, and it really was a doozy on the good ol' self confidence.  It got to the point that every time I got onto the field, or the court, or on the stage, my palms would sweat profusely and I'd begin to overthink. Joy was lost, because of my lack of confidence.

As a kid raised as a competitor, I knew a lack in confidence meant hesitation, and hesitation meant choking. Believe me I've heard many a time that I've got to go out there "cocky and play loose" (quote courtesy of my dad), but easier said than done. Especially when I know I can't get arrogant and make stupid mistakes. I have to be realistic after all. There's no room for idiocy when I'm on the field or playing a solo. At least that's what I told myself. And it really held me back. I realize that now, and with that realization came a change in mentality. Now every time I go out onto that field, I go over in my head that I belong. That I'm better than they know, because I've worked for it. I've really worked hard. Maybe I'm not the best, but I will contribute. Now I don't hesitate to call for the ball. I don't dread every minute I'm out on the field. Gone is the fear of failure, and it is replaced with a thirst for success. Perhaps this makes me arrogant, but I don't really care because for once I remember why I loved the activities I take part in now. I have fun again. And that's all I need to know that I made the right choice. To know that I beat self-doubt.

Whats Important To Me?, By-Garrett Neuschatz

  *I have already seen various blogs for this months topic discussing the importance of sports especially soccer. So at the risk of sounding redundant and because of the fact I truly believe soccer is important to me I am still going to talk about.

I live with a "Soccer Family". This means that everyone enjoys all the aspects of the sport whether its playing it, watching it or even coaching/reffing it. Both my parents played practically there whole lives (One still does). So naturally I grew up with the sport being a big part of my life (Allegedly I began playing at 4). Now after playing for many years I can definitely say its had a major positive impact on my life. Starting of with the something simple its a great way to stay active. Whether its just moving around during practice once or twice a week or brutal fitness during high school heat week. I can without a doubt say that id be in worse shape without it. Next, its a great way to connect personally with family or on a larger scale with friends. My grand parents love watching me and my sister play and its a great feeling seeing them on the sideline. Its created a strong bond between me and my father. Him and my soccer career are synonymous. He drives hours with me to every tournament and is always their for every game. Each year me and my family have a blast when we invite people over to watch the world cup. We all gather around the TV in anticipation and cheer when someone scores. As well we attend professional games, especially the NY Red Bulls (Basically our local team and my favorite one) which is always a blast. Finally the reason I feel its most important to me is the friends I have made. I've been on several different teams throughout my career. Whether it was rec. soccer, my high school team or club. On everyone one I can confidentially say I have gained some of my best and longest lasting friends. Even if I am no longer on their team or don't see them anymore, its always good to look back and remember the fun times we had playing the sport we both love. I often still talk to friends on old teams and its always great to see how there doing. Overall, soccer is definitely one of the best things in my life.

Forever Grateful by Jessica Steel

Forever Grateful 

A funny look in the hall

A goofy prank call 

A few laughs at lunch 

A lovely birthday brunch

Karaoke in my basement

Playful, chummy torment
You'll never win. Wanna bet?

I didn't do the homework yet

Yes we have a handshake

I borrow their food, I don't take

I'd go to prison for them

We've been together since we were ten

Being lazy on the sofa

Going into a food coma

I watch that show too!

Want me to beat 'em up for you?

Spilled the tea

Snaps for sister me

Jokes about being trash

Dancing to the monster mash

Their importance to me has no end

I'm forever grateful for my dorky friends

Cousins by Luke Kopco

To me, family is above all, but I'm sure we've heard that about a thousand times, so I'll do you one better: The relationships I have with my cousins are ones that will stick with me long after we've all left Sparta. To start, my cousins are triplets and are exactly one year and two days older than me, so we have been hanging out since we were babies. We have literally lived within 5 miles of each other since I was three. When there's a holiday, hanging out with them is a given, and summer is the best. Playing basketball in the either the pool or a driveway when we hang out is a family tradition. We are each other's biggest fans, whether it being going to one of their track meets, or them taking a quick peek at my basketball game when we play Pope John.
The addition of my baby sister has only brought us closer to together, and Gwendolyn, who is 11 and the same age as my younger brother, has a taken a vested interest in her especially. Every time we get together, it is so fun seeing these two huge families having fun and having 13 people in the house. Nevertheless, we always have a heck of a time, especially on road trips. Last year, my Aunt took my cousins and I to both Salem, Massachusetts and Brown University, and let me tell me tell you, those 6+ hour car rides were anything but boring.
My cousins are juniors, which means they have one full year left in Sparta before they go to college, and if you're asking if there's any possibility they don't go to college or go to community college, there isn't because they are all absolutely brilliant. Looking back on our childhoods and the experiences we've had, it's funny. We have actually gone through every part of our somewhat short lives together, and I find myself having absolutely zero regrets up to this point. I'm four years older than my next oldest sibling, so each and every day I have to be a mentor and a teacher and a role model for him. I have to bear the burden of being that shoulder to lean on. My three cousins, these three extraordinary people, are that are shoulder for me.

Lacrosse By: Lukas Hein

     I never would've thought in second grade, when I first picked up a lacrosse stick that I would be at the place I am now. For some people, lacrosse is just a reason to get out of the house, or kids are forced by their parents to play. It was never like that for me though. Lacrosse became an important part and played a pivotal role of my life. Lacrosse has given me the desire to never give up, and you could be down a million to nothing, but giving up is never an option. Everything I've handled in life that was challenging, I faced with that mentality. Whether it was a hard test, impossible homework, or other things, I've learned to keep my head up and keep going. This sport has become an important part of my life because it went from just a thing on the side to a huge focus. For me, it's not just another thing to do. Year round training, constantly playing, receiving emails all came from the hard work I put into the sport, and showed that if you work hard enough, the results will favor you.
     Growing up playing allowed for me to mature differently than anything else. It built a toughness, mentally and physically. You fall down, and you shoot right back up knowing that might've not been your play, but you just have to forget about it. Just like getting a bad grade in school. You forget about it, move on, and focus on what's coming up next. Being able to move on from things involving school is always hard, but lacrosse allowed for me to realize how easy it is to forget about it and rebuild the confidence to say I'll get the next one. I'll score that goal the next time, I'll get an A on the test next time. Lacrosse's importance in my life is something like no other, and the goals I set for myself and the achievements I've accomplished would've never been a reality had I never picked up that stick in second grade.

We Were Here by Liv Przydzial

We Were Here

by Liv Przydzial

Sad songs flowed from my guitar,
the same words I sang after fights with my parents,
after losing my dogs,
after leaving friends, sometimes for just a few hours, sometimes forever.

I was alone in this world now,
trapped in this cold, bitter loneliness,
while around me was just the opposite.

I had no one, so it seemed.
My mom and dad were far, far away,
my sister was long gone at some school in some town,
my dogs in the sky, out of reach,
my friends across the wall but not here, not with me in the present.

I was lonely. Quite lonely.

Perhaps a walk?
I stood from my nest of blankets on the shaky legs of a newborn fawn,
a nest of blankets I would normally have shared with Bentley and Sylvia,
her tired body lying across the length of the bed,
me in the corner,
and Bentley stretched out over us.
Those were the days in which, among the chaotic tornado of life,
I had forgotten to appreciate the cramps in my neck the next day from not sleeping comfortably.
Physically, maybe I hadn't, but at least I slept in peace, in security, in love.

'Twas too warm for shoes.
Why should I care what people think if I am still alone in their midst?
I clambered down the hot pavement, my feet burning only a little step by step.
What a day!
The fresh breeze brushed through my messy hair just as my mom once did,
and my ankles brushed the soft wildflowers that we used to braid into crowns together.
I gently plucked one from the root, just as mom had taught me,
and breathed in a memory.

Down the street, I skipped,
the symphonic chirps and chatters of the birds bringing music to my ears.
I whistled back, just as I did to my parakeets,
now long gone, but here in memory.
They were here!

Into the woods, I bounded,
just as I did with my sister every day after school.
A race, was it? Some sort of competition?
The memories had blurred in my mind,
but the feelings wage the same waves in my heart.
My sister is here. This is Sylvia.
We are here together, skipping into the woods,
jumping on rocks, leaping across streams, climbing trees.
We are here, at last.

Down the path I frolicked, the leaves leaving a patchwork of ever-changing shadows across my face.
I came to the point in the path in which I found mom.
She was here, in this archway of vines.
She was here, in the birds' nests softly embedded in the twigs.
She was here, in the berries she told us were 'gold for the soul',
when everyone else told us they were poisonous and that we shouldn't even touch them.
She was here, in the bright morning glories that she'd wake us up early to see.
She was here, with me,
here.

And from my enchantment, I burst into the open sun,
just as I did when we went on bike rides with my dad,
my tiny feet pedaling as fast as they could to get up the hill first,
my dad letting me win, of course.
There were the benches from which we watched the sun fade into the night in a dazzling watercolor display.
This was us. We were here.

Bentley used to race down the path to swim here,
used to soar into the water with one giant leap.
He was never happier. I was never happier.
As I stood here, a smile came upon my face.
He was here, one big furry ball of love and happiness,
so why shouldn't I be happy too?

And as I crossed, barefoot,
the pointy, sharp rocks dividing the bank of the water,
I came to the realization that this bank, this here bank of this pond,
was just like my family, metaphorically.
Most of the bank was beautiful, soft, caressing,
but these sharp, stabbing rocks,
where the scary spiders of my childhood lived,
represented our struggles.
Our family had never been perfect, but in that imperfection were the best lessons learned.
The bad must also be appreciated.

Once I crossed the prickly rocks, I bolted across the grass, kissed by the sun,
down this hill and right up the next, just as I would with Sylvia.
I came to the picnic table, where other families had sat and eaten together.
I used to watch them from the other side of the pond,
hidden from view on a tree arched over the water.
I had envied them,
envied them so so deeply.
But those were their stories, not mine.
In a way, though, those families were my families, just the same.
I was a part of their tradition. I was here with them.

As I ran, I passed the raspberry bushes.
Oh, grandma. All raspberry bushes remind me of her.
I used to race to her garden first thing every time we visited.
She had fields of raspberry bushes, so it seemed, and I would stand on my tippy toes just to reach the sweetest, juiciest ones at the top.
I'd always come back with red juice all over my face, scratches from the thorns down my arms and legs, and a full belly of berries.
And right here, she was with me.
We were here,
together.

Still further down the path, I came to the spot in which my grandpa tried to teach me to fish.
It was not really here, in this spot,
but in my mind, he was here.
This was us,
this was our spot.
We were here.
Are, here.

The woods opened up from here into a small clearing in which a stout little house stood.
A perfect little house, flowers of every color one could imagine covering the porch,
their radiant gardens overflowing with beauty.
The old grandma and grandpa had shared this garden with me,
teaching me how to smell the rainbow and showing me that snakes weren't all that bad.
They were my family too, in this sense.
They had shaped, molded, me.
They were part of my history, and now part of my present.
As I stood in their garden, looking at the dead flowerbeds and remembering what once was,
I watched the gardens immediately come to life in my mind.
We were here.

And as the path continued back into the woods,
I came to a place in which I found a piece of myself.
A turtle was it? Yes, there was a turtle on the path,
a few little boys my age there, tossing the poor guy around.
I stood, frozen, formulating a plan in my mind.
But it was quite too late. I was already in the middle of their circle.
Not a single of us spoke as I snatched the turtle from one boy's hands and ran to the bank of the pond,
gently setting him down and allowing him to waddle back in, unharmed.
This spot right here, those boys, and, for god's sake, even that turtle - were my family.
And they were here. We were here.

And finally, I arrived at a little rock.
'Just a big hop over from the edge of the water!' I would encourage Bentley.
I finally got him to jump over, and from that moment on, this was our place.
Standing on this tiny, tiny rock I realized that we were here,
just as we had all been in all these places around the pond,
just as we were back then.
I sat down, criss-cross applesauce, just as I did when I was a kid, and watched the fish in the water below as the realization washed over me:
Everyone was here with me. Maybe not physically, but they were here in mind and in heart. In memory, we were here.
And that is all that I could ever need, all that I could ever ask for.

My Dogs by Veronika Waltner

          When most people think about what's important to them, their family and friends usually come to mind first.  While something in that realm is what I think of first, it is amusing that it isn't technically my family that I think of first. You see, when I thought about this, the first thing to come to my mind is my dogs. While this might not seem too strange at first, at least to me, you must realize that I think about them over my parents and friends. I believe that part of the reason for this is that the importance of the others are obvious facts.  When I think about what's important, ideas that are cemented in my mind as fact do not come up. It's somewhat like when I'm trying to find new information and facts that are already clear in my head do not measure up to my standards.
         The other reason is most likely due to the fact that I see my dogs very, very frequently and spend much of my time taking care of them. I have to feed them everyday, play with them to let out their energy, and most time consuming of all, walk them. I think that the walking them is one of the most significant parts of this, my family doesn't have a fence and our neighbors' invisible fence conflicts with ours, so we have no choice but to do all the walking. Seemingly this is not much of a big deal but then you realize that we have two dogs, one of which is easy the other doesn't go unless the walk is long enough, and the fact that if you try to take them both they will go at different paces making the walk much longer than needed.  Because of all these factors, we walk them separately, one going the long side of two blocks and back, the other just walking in our yard. This normally is fine but its bitter cold in winter and neither of them want to go on the snow making the walks longer and more torturous.  Although this seems like a lot of work, the responsibility for their care is part of loving them, so I do, a lot.
         Overall though, I think of them as important is because I love them dearly and, as sad it is, dogs do not live as long as humans. This depressing fact is the main reason I can't take my dogs for granted.  I want to savor every moment I have with them so that when their time comes I don't regret wasting precious time. I have made this mistake with our previous dog Shylah, who passed away young and unexpectedly, I desperately don't want to make this mistake again. This also explains why I think of my dogs over my friends and parents, I trust them not to leave me.  I take for granted that they are there and its going to be a long while before anything happens to them.  It could be that loss intensifies appreciation, importance, and even love.