Reflection of the School Year By: Jenna Blandina

As I am sitting in my kitchen on my computer thinking about all the ups and downs of this school year, I am finding that this year was not as bad as I thought it was. This post will take you through each month of the school year, and how my experiences impact me today, 9 months later.

SEPTEMBER:

          September first was the start of the school year for me, because the very first football game of the season was this very Saturday. The theme was white out, and it was good to see some of the people in my class that I hadn't seen all or most of the summer. Later that night, was the annual Loewen Seafood Party at my friend Lily's house. This party is what I wait for at the end of each summer because there are over 100 lobsters imported from Maine, a live band, family, friends, and a lot of fun. The theme for the party this year was Hawaiian, and it was overall a great time because Lily and I hung out with our friends and her family and celebrated a great summer of 2018.
            Moving onto September second, I sent my brother to college at Rider University. I wouldn't say that I was sad that he was leaving because I knew he was only a 2 hour drive away, but it definitely was weird going out for dinner, asking for a table for 4.
            Here we are now, September 4th, two days before school starts, and I get a huge burn on my forehead from a straightener burning me. All I thought in this moment was great, school starts in two days, and everyone is going to be asking me what happened to my head. The first day of school comes, and this is exactly what happened.
                               Seafood Party 2018

  

OCTOBER:
        Moving onto October, I would say I was bad luck free, which was a shock to me. The only significant thing I can think of that happened in October was the homecoming dance. Personally, I was very excited for this because last year, there was no homecoming, only a freshman sophomore dance (that was not fun at all). Getting ready with all of my friends was so much fun, and taking pictures for hours was not fun at the moment, but I am glad now we took so many. Getting to the dance, it was fun. My friends danced and we had a good time, but once it got boring, we took a trip to the Sparta Diner. We ate after a long day, and allowed me to get closer with some friends I had recently met, and I am glad I call them my best friends now.
                                 Homecoming 
                               

NOVEMBER:
        November started off with me and my friends going down to Bethany Beach Delaware for teacher convention weekend. We had such a great time, even though it was not the summer. We went shopping at the outlets, went to amazing restaurants, walked on the beach, got professional massages, and ate crab (which is my FAVORITE). I had so much fun this weekend with my friends, and sometimes I wish I could go back to days like this where I had not a care in the world.
       Next up, me and my 3 best friends went into NYC to see Mean Girls on Broadway. My friends and our moms all went together, and it was a really fun day, as we also went to the sugar factory, and this was my first time being there.
      November is also my birthday month, and this year was my big 16. I was debating for months on whether to have a big party with all of my friends, or something small with just my closest ones. After a lot of back and forth, I decided to have a small party with just my best friends, where we got our nails done, then got ready, went in a limo, then had a fancy dinner, and lastly came back to my house for a sleepover. This was by far one of the best days of my life because having all of the people I love with me celebrating and having fun together was all I could have asked for. This day was very significant, because I knew I had found the friends I would be living the rest of my high school life with.
Mean Girls on Broadway 
                                     
DECEMBER:
     December had nothing that fun, except for Christmas which was a good time to spend with my family.

JANUARY:
     Looking on my phone at my camera roll for the month of January, I seem to be really happy which makes me cherish all of the moments I have described in this post. January was a month of trying something new for me, because I learned how to ski. I wouldn't say I was taught how to, but was rather just at the top of the mountain and had to figure out how to get down. After 2 hours on the mountain, I made it to the bottom. I definitely wouldn't say it was successful- because I ran over literally everyone on the mountain- but I did something I would have never thought I would have actually done.
                Skiing at Mountain Creek
                                                    
FEBRUARY:
          February was filled with fun times with my friends, and there were a lot of birthday parties I attended where I got even closer with my friends. We all hung out for the super bowl, (even though we know nothing about football) went to Perona Farms for brunch, hung out almost every weekend, went to Il Porto, and went to basketball games.
                     Friends At Perona Farms
                                                             
MARCH:
       In march, I had a very busy schedule. March is dance competition month where I would be competing in a different city each weekend. I went to Atlantic City with my team, and had a great time with my friends during downtime. I am very grateful for dance because I got a lot closer to my team this year, and I am going to be very sad when the seniors leave because I have formed an imbreakable bond with them.
       One of the funniest things happened in March, where my friends had to make a movie trailer for their marketing class. They decided to do Pitch Perfect, and all of my friends were actors in it. It took so many hours to edit and film, but the final product was hilarious, and will be something I will look back at in 20 years and laugh. 
                      Julia Starring as Fat Amy 
                                                            


APRIL:
       Almost to the end of the year, and I apologize for making this long.
April was one of my duller months because it was not cold but it was not warm, and it was always raining.

MAY:
   Finally, here we are. May was a month that started out with sadness due to the passing of my grandfather whom I loved more than anything in the entire world. His passing was a shock to me, but I had a life that I still had to live, despite he was gone. The day he died, I had an EMT shift at the ambulance building, and I knew he would want me to keep on doing what I loved, and not be sad that he was gone. So, I held in my tears, and was strong to save the lives of others because I knew he would want me to.
     The next day, I also had the Special Olympics, and I definitely could not not go. Being at the Special Olympics was just what I needed to make me happy. It was a distraction from letting my tears out, and seeing the athletes determination and happiness made me the happiest I have ever been. I hope everyone gets to experience one day what I experienced at the Special Olympics. This day, I felt like a leader. I felt important and loved. I was also proud. Proud that people with disabilities were able to achieve a medal for something they had been working super hard for.
                            Kevin and I at the Special Olympics
                                                             
JUNE:
     June is the last month of the school year, and I am certainly glad that we will not be going until the last day of this month. I do not know what the rest of June, July, and August will hold for me, but I hope it is filled with laughs, fun, and a lot of sun. I want this summer to be the best one because I am now suddenly realizing I only have 2 more summers to spend with my best friends before we go our separate ways to college.