Tuesday, June 5, 2012

Remembering High School


    As I sit here today remembering high school and flipping through the photographs in my senior memory book, the main thing that stands out for me is that I was constantly busy with a plethora of activities and school work.  Back in the day I longed for close friendships.  I was acquainted with a lot of people, but not really close friends with any of them.   My high school years were filled with music, theatre, and art.  I have written before about my involvement with the school cross country team, but that was for only one season in senior year.  


      During my time in high school I attended every single football, basketball, and baseball game whether at home or away.  I remember going with my mom. She would head to the seating designated for the adult season ticket holders and I would find my way to the student section.  There I would immerse myself into the midst of my classmates and have great fun cheering on the team mimicking the cheerleaders bedecked from head to toe in crimson and gold.  Most people arrived at these sporting events surrounded by groups of friends.   I always arrived to the student section alone.  


       All three years I was an active member of choir.  I was in the mixed chorus my first year and then after auditioning was moved into concert choir as a junior and senior.  I loved to sing and especially loved how our voices blended.   I began choir as a first soprano, and by my last year my voice had dropped to 2nd alto.  In my last year all seniors were required to sing a solo for contest.  Except for that one occurrence, I always sang in ensembles or with the entire choir earning several gold medals during my time there.  I was always happier blending into the woodwork than being in the spotlight.


         Another course that I took every single year was Technical Theatre.  I loved what went on behind the scenes of the stage.  I busied myself painting scenery, helping to organize the costumes, learning how to apply stage makeup, and most importantly I began mixing the sound for all of the dramatic productions.  My first job actually involved me being in charge of all the sound production needing done for any of the professional groups that graced the high school stage during my time there from the production of Don Quixote to monthly travelogues. 





            When I wasn’t singing or backstage, I was creating art.  A big part of my day was devoted to art classes’ especially senior year.  During my last year in high school I was busy working on an advance placement portfolio for college credit.  I have always adored creating the human form and that was my thesis.  I created the human form in every medium imaginable that year from pastel to watercolor to sculpture.  My work was featured in the high school magazine, exhibited at the Midwest Museum of American Art, and included in a special exhibition at the local hospital.  I also was an active member of pep club and decorated an athlete’s locker on game day all school year long.



        In senior year I was inducted into the National Honor Society and added their meetings to my list of things to do.  Outside of school, I remained active in 4-H serving as an officer of my club for 5 of the 6 years I was an active member.  Thinking back on it now, it is no wonder that I was acquainted with a lot of people in school. I was involved in a lot of groups and it would have been hard not to be.


          Boys never knew I existed in high school.  I went to dances alone and met up with friends once there.  Occasionally a boy would ask me to dance a slow song, but there were never any big romances.  As far as the male population went, I didn’t exist.  I certainly wasn’t the girl they wanted to date or take to the prom.  I never went to any of those big formal dances.  I can honestly say I was never asked.  Being apart of the National Honor Society who hosted the Winter Formal, I remember going in as the last people were leaving to clean up the mess.  If that wasn’t a kick in the a$$ senior year, I don’t know what was.  It was right down depressing.  The drama club hosted a dance too, but at least that one wasn’t a formal and I had the great pleasure of creating a jungle mural in pastels for that occasion.


      By the time graduation rolled around I was anxious to shake the dust of Memorial High School from my sneakers and look toward the future.  I had given up on ever forming close lasting relationships with any of my classmates.  As I have come to know myself better over the years, I don’t blame my classmates entirely anymore.  Now I realize that even then I must have subconsciously held everyone at arm’s length.  I was shy and awkward then and always felt out of place.    High school was a rite of passage.  I survived with little desire to go back.  When the reunion rolled around last summer, I avoided going.  Since then I have had regrets.  I should have gone and gave them the chance they never gave me at least once more until next time when I give you another glimpse into the life of a trucker’s wife.



34 comments:

  1. Replies
    1. Claudia, thank you! So pleased you stopped in and liked what you found here. ♥

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  2. Wow..you have been an all rounder(a shy all rounder?)I don't think I've done even half of what you've done.Wish you had gone to your reunion,you would have been surprised to learn that many remembered all the stuff you did.You look very pretty too as a schoolgirl!:):)

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    1. Laila, actually I was astounded after the fact when the class posted the slide show they showed at the reunion to find my face in it!! Isn't that funny? I should have went. I kept busy and had my hand in just about everything. Thank you for your kind words and for stopping by to read and for your comments. ♥

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  3. You were such a joiner, I'm surprised you didn't have tons of friends! Loving the pictures. So very 80s! lol I was in National Honor Society senior year too but there weren't any meetings. You must've gone to a way bigger school than mine was.

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    1. JoJo, I know. It kind of blows me away when I looked back on it. At the time I don't think it even occurred to me that I was involved in so many things...but I was. LOL Our school was pretty big and our NHS met all the time doing some project or civic duty to make the world a better place. I remember we organized and put on the Winter Formal. Stuff like that. Thank you for stopping by to read and for your comments! ♥

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  4. I love seeing you as a teen! How cute! Those silly boys. I love hearing about your life and this is an area you seldom speak of, so it was a treat for me! ♥

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    1. Jo, Awww! Those boys didn't know what they were missing! LOLOLOLOL Of course I wouldn't have known what to do with them if they had paid me any never mind. I am so pleased you enjoyed my tale of trying to hard. That is how I see myself back in the day. I simply tried to hard, and maybe that is why it backfired on me. Thank you for stopping by and for your kind comments!♥

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  5. Oh, our histories are so similar; I too in HS wanted to blend into the woodwork, and I did. It was such a huge school, thankfully, I could. I had a lot of respect from peers but no close friendships and never went to parites. And never games. I too was involved in the theater -- painting sets back stage! And writing. .I knew I wanted to be a writer then so that was my focus. I wasn't unhappy, something it was hard to convince my parents of, as they worried I never went to parties on the weekends, that I was so content to stay home. But I was happy. Content. And no beaus either. Just a huge crush on Starksey and Hutch.:)

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    1. Sandra, Back in the day I only did what writing I had to for school and not one word more. Thank you for stopping by to read and for your comments. Thank you for sharing some of your high school experiences here. ♥

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  6. A lot of people felt shy and awkward in high school. It's just how it is. Being an honor's student is wonderful, and I enjoyed the sweet pictures. BTW, I went to the football games in high school too. During the entire time I attended the school, we never won a single game. LOL!

    http://joycelansky.blogspot.com

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    1. Joyce, I can't imagine how hard that would have been to support a team that never won!! Thank you for stopping by to read and for your lovely comments. I am so pleased you enjoyed it! ♥

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  7. Your newest follower :-) Have been enjoying your company and now wanting to read more about you ...

    Thanks for giving us the glimpse of your high school. Next reunion, go and broadcast about you. You have so much to offer. Your voice and your writing ... and many more. Now, can you sing for us?

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    1. Journey of Life, you know I should!! I should get it planned and make my husband go with me. By then my oldest will be old enough to babysit my youngest and we should be able to sneak away for an evening. Thank you for the follow. I enjoy reading your work also. Thank you for stopping by to read and for your kind comments!!♥

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  8. Very nice! You have such great knowledge. Nicely done.

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    1. Humor after 50, I am so pleased you enjoyed it. Thank you for stopping by!! ♥

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  9. What a paradox - to be so active, yet distant from friends. I was both distant AND inactive! :) Sounds like you did enjoy it though and what great memories you hae of the things you did and what they meant to you. Thanks for sharing your high school story with us.

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    1. Amy, I am glad for the memories. It is probably the only time that I truly immersed myself in all of the arts at once. Thank you for stopping by to read and comment. I am so pleased you enjoyed it!! ♥

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  10. First of all, those boys that didn't ask you out? Their loss. Second, wow! You were really busy in h.s.! I pretty much just showed up, did my time and got out. :) I love the pics of you. You're adorable! :)

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    1. Magical Mystical Mimi, I have always wondered why about the boys and just what the hell was wrong with me. I was busy. It helped the time march by quickly being involved in so much. Thank you for stopping by to read and for your comments. I am so pleased you enjoyed the pictures. Back in the day I thought I was ugly as hell, and was convinced of it. Now I look back at these pictures and realize compared to now, I looked pretty good back then. LOL isn't that ironic?

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  11. As much as I hate writing about myself, I love reading everyone elses history. It really gives you a glimpse at how they became the person they are today. Which, btw, I love the person you became.

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    1. KAT, I love reading about you too. You tell such interesting stories about yourself and your life whether you hate doing it or not. You are such a sweetie! (HUGS) Thank you for stopping by to read and for your kind comments!

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  12. You certainly did plenty to keep busy, to expand your experiences, and maybe that was what high school was for, for you. You don't seem as bitter, hold as much loathing for it as many others I have read, and that's a good thing. You didn't turn out so bad in the end *wink*

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    1. Mojo Writin, the big thing for me is that when all was said and done I felt I had done quite enough and everyone that I had went to school with had their chance to be my friends and in my view they passed. They chose to remain acquaintances. At graduation, that fact was what I was bitter about. I honestly loved doing all of those things and being involved. I just hated the fact that at the end of the day I had no best friends that cared what happened to me after graduation. It made me sad. I wasn't invited to any grad parties...zilch. Thank you for stopping by to read and for your comments.

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  13. It's interesting, but that is certainly one way of holding oneself apart from people - being super-busy. (Not that you were doing it deliberately.) Congratulations on all your achievements - despite being shy at heart, you got out there and did stuff. (And still are :-))

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    1. Beverly, I never really thought about it before! You are absolutely right. Not only that, whenever we had any time off school my mom whisked me away to see the Oak Ridge Boys. I was around, but never available. I did do stuff, that is for sure. :D Thank you for stopping by to read and for your comments! ♥

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  14. I'll bet that every generation--though each one dresses differently and listens to different music--experiences much the same things in school. There will always be the cheerleaders, the jock, the theater kids, the brainiacs. Love it or hate it, it's over in four years!

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    1. Word Nerd, well said! I bet you are right. High school never really changes, only the names and faces do. Thank you for stopping by to read and for your kind comments! ♥

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  15. just precious...as always..and still and forever YOU! Your children are so fortunate to have you in their lives...such a testimony of fortitude and love...and ADORABLE CURLY HAIR! muah!

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    1. Brenda, thank you for stopping by to read and for your comments. I am so pleased you enjoyed reliving my memories of high school with me. ♥

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  16. I think you look cute in the pictures. Maybe you were just to busy to notice the boys noticing you!

    I went to a couple high school reunions. The people I REALLY wanted to see (the "normal" ones)never seem to go.

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    1. Lee, I never really thought about it like that! Thank you for that new perspective! Thank you for stopping by to read and for your kind comments. ♥

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  17. Kathy, you're definitely a girl with spirit! Loved your pictures - so beautiful! I give your Mom credit for going to every game. That is so awesome!

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    1. Beachlover, I am so pleased you enjoyed my pictures and my memories. My mom was pretty awesome. Thank you for stopping by to read and for your kind comments! ♥

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