May 2007 - Special Senior Issue

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2 The Oakwood Times May 18, 2007 As I sat down to write my last column for The Oakwood Times, I thought about everything high school was. It was exciting, fun, stressful, interesting, difficult, and most of all memorable. High school is the perfect opportunity to make memories that will last you a lifetime. I know a lot of underclassmen are thinking about how much you hate OHS and how the girls are mean and the guys are jerks. You think you can’t wait to get out of high school because college will be so much better. Likewise, I know a lot of seniors who can’t wait to graduate. They have complained about OHS for four years, and their time to get away from this place is finally here. I think anyone who thinks that is crazy. I love high school, and I think it is what you make of it. If you go to school everyday thinking it is the worst thing that has Don’t Worry, Be Happy! Loud and Clear By Ashley Sermak 26 I’m really going to miss high school ever happened to you, of course it is going to stink. But, if you go to school trying to make the best of something you have to do, it will turn out much better. I know there were days when I didn’t want to go to school and didn’t want to get out of bed, but I tried to make the best of my high school experience. I got involved, made a lot of really good friends, and made memories that will last me forever. I will never forget my first Homecoming pep assembly, and being in complete shock when the gym sounded like it was going to explode, or junior pep assembly when everyone knew that we were the REAL winners. Although school at times was very stressful, I tried my best to make it exciting. Like the first time I got an “A” on one of Mrs. Anderson’s tests, oh wait, I never did. But it was still a good experience. Mrs. Steffen, although on her own planet, made sophomore and senior English something I will never forget. Can anyone say parmesan The great times out of school are just as memorable as the great times in school; like getting pulled over by the police and never telling my parents. Well, they eventually found out a few months later, but by then it was too late for punishment. I will never forget going “forking” in a yard the size of Texas and not getting caught. I will admit that I am ready to graduate, and continue on with my life, but I am going to miss high school. I will never forget the memories I’ve made, and I hope that college will be just as great. I hope all of you who dread coming to school everyday find something that makes school a little better. Whether it is playing basketball or taking an art class, there is always something you can do that will brighten your day. I hope you make the best of what is left of your high school career, because it will literally be over before you know it. “There’s a big world out there. Bigger than prom, bigger than high school, and it won’t matter if you were the prom queen or the quarterback of the football team or the biggest nerd. Find out who you are and try not to be afraid of it.” — Unknown Just listen to the lyrics and enjoy life as it comes Bobby McFerrin once wrote a song entitled, “Don’t Worry, Be Happy.” The closer it gets to graduation, the more I believe ol’ Bobby knew what he was talking ‘bout. You’ve probably heard this song on numerous movies and commercials; you’ve probably even had the tune stuck in your head: Ooo-oo-hoo-hoo-oo Ooo-hoo-hoohoo-oo-oo and etc. But have you ever actually thought about what he’s saying In the first verse, he notes that everyone will have problems in life, but when you worry too much about those problems, they become worse. I have done a lot of learning in the past 18 years – the majority of that being in the last two. Teenagers overcome, or try to overcome, a massive amount of stress throughout high school. Whether it be from home, work, school, or even friends. I think too many kids today are worrying more about their problems than having a fun and fulfilling life! For example, a few of the seniors went on a trip to Indianapolis as a reward for being geniuses. While we were there we decided to go paintballing! Before we had gotten to the massive warehouse named “Dark Armies,” all the girls were orry- worried, because the boys had already made up plots about who they were going to shoot and where. None of us knew what we had gotten ourselves into. After the paintball war was over, everyone concurred that despite the minor welts and bruises, we all had a good time. Now that I think back on it, the girls I think too many kids today are worrying more about their problems than having a fun and fulfilling life! complained quite a bit about being scared, but in the end we all had fun! I think this a lesson for everyone: Quit worrying about everything and just have fun! Even Brandy (remember that popular artist in the 90’s Yes, her.) sang a song about being happy, entitled you guessed it, “Happy.” Hohn, Solo This song talks more about a guy making her feel happy, but I don’t think anyone needs the opposite sex to make them feel happy. As I’ve grown into the mature, brilliant, wonderful, astonishing, (OK, I’m done) young woman that I am today, I have learned that only I can make myself happy. If I am not happy with myself, how do I expect someone else to make me happy I can’t. So the only question is: are you happy with yourself If not, you need to be. :] Don’t worry about what other people By Meghan Hohn say about you or what they do. Do what you want to! Don’t live an unhappy life for any reason! You never know what you could be missing if you just took the chance. And if you have a bad day, it is okay. It won’t be your first, and it certainly won’t be your last. When something gets you down keep enjoying your life and live it to the fullest. Remind yourself about the good things in your life. It could always be worse! Keep good ol’ Bobby’s lyrics in the back of your mind and remember “Don’t worry, be happy!” :]
May 18, 2007 From the Lips of Laura Recently, while I was sitting at my computer thinking about just anything that popped in my mind, I thought of my future and man if it works out how I planned it, my future is going to be amazing! I started out thinking about what I’ll do after I graduate. Well, the first week of June I’m going on my first everfamily vacation, and I mean family vacation. There are 17 of us going to Cape Cod, and that’s practically every member of my family. After we get back I’ll do the usual and get a job and attend DACC this fall. Now here’s where it get’s really exciting. After a year at DACC, I’m going to move to California. I’m going to be one of those “struggling whatever’s”. After five awesome years of living there I’ll start to realize that I’ve lived the “California Lifestyle” a little too much. I will tell a few of my friends, Lindsey, Paris, and Brittany, goodbye and we will spend our last night on the town shaving our heads and getting tattoos. Then I will give up my job of selling maps to celebrity’s houses (which probably lead you to run off a cliff or something like that) and return home. Laura By Laura Lucas 27 When I arrive back home my parents are going to be happy to see me. I’ll have lots of little brothers and sisters running around because my mom always said when I left the house she was going to a third world country and adopt lots of kids. I’ll call up a couple of friends, Ashley Edington (ED), Chelsey DeYoung (ChelDog), Kyle Paul Collom (Kypalcom), Josh, Dixie, and Megan Beck (Betty), and we’ll go to the OTP and I’ll tell them how California was amazing and how I want to go back. I’ll stay at home for four months, unemployed of course, because I made a million dollars selling maps, and I’ll be talking to ED one late night. We’ll discuss some inventions we thought of at Pizza Hut during a Journalism competition. We decide that we could really make a lot of money off our inventions so ED will move back to California with me The Oakwood Times Look around seniors because we’ll never be together again Now I don’t want to write another sad farewell column, but I would like to reminisce on my high school years, and offer my advice for the underclassmen to take or to leave. My high school experience was, well … interesting. I am not going to say I loved every second of high school, but I definitely didn’t hate it all either. High school is a learning experience that should not be ignored. I look back at the Homecomings, pep assemblies, long discussions about life, cheerleading, late night truck stop visits, and my life-long friends that I am soon going to leave forever. I have had a blast being my funny self thoughout high school. It has definitely hit me that it’s all about to come to an end. I will always remember what my grade school music teacher told us once in a music class. She said that when you guys are seniors in high school on graduation day look around. That day is going to be the last day ever that your class as a whole will be together. We have reunions, and all of that, but people will die, move away, or just not come back. If you think about it, it’s scary to think that some of the kids that you have grown up with all of your life you will never see again. All the teachers and students at OHS are unique individuals that I am very glad that I’ve gotten to know. I’m going to miss everyone and everything, but I’m ready to grow up. So to all of the underclassman, make sure you make your decisions wisely. Don’t let the little fights with your friends ruin your friendships. High school boyfriends and girlfriends aren’t a life or death situation. Be careful about the decisions that you make not only in school, but outside of it also. I never thought that I was going to care if I was going to get to go on the Senior Picnic or not, but I had a blast. That was one of the last memories that I will have with some of my friends from OHS. As a senior, you get many privileges for the sacrifices that you have made throughout your high school years. When those last few weeks of senior year come around, all you want to do is spend your last few moments at OHS with the people that helped shaped your life. Though high school might not be the best years of your life, try to make the best of them. So although I am going to miss OHS, it’s time to move on. As the quote says “All good things must come to an end,” and it’s time for my high school years to end. My future has already been carefully planned out Little Drummer Girl along with Cheldog and Kypalcom. I can not disclose what the inventions are because you will steal our ideas and then we will sue you, but what I will tell you is that our inventions are so amazing. We will make billions upon billions upon billions of dollars. We will be bigger than Google and Donald Trump. Cheldog will become a famous actress and Kypalcom will be the President of the world. ED and I will eventually settle down. ED and Betty will get in a fight because ED marries Channing Tatum and that forces Betty to move back to Illinois. I will marry Josh Groban and live happily ever after. Yes, this column is pointless and so not true, BUT you should all take Journalism class your junior year. By Jessica Burress The Oakwood Times is a student-produced medium of information published by the OHS journalism class. The Oakwood Times will not be reviewed or restrained by school administrators prior to publication. Advisers may coach and discuss content during the writing process. Because school officials do not engage in prior review, the content is determined by and reflects only the views of the student staff and not school officials or the school itself. The editorial board and responsible student staff members assume complete legal and financial liability for the content of the publication. The Oakwood Times will not publish any material determined by student editors or the editorial board to be unprotected, that is, material that is libelous, obscene, disruptive of the school process, an unwarranted invasion of privacy, a violation of copyright law or services unlawful to minors. Letters to the editor should be 300 words or less and contain the author’s name and signature. All submissions may be checked for verification. Oakwood High School 5870 U.S. Route. 150 Fithian, IL 61844 Volume 22 Issue 9 May 18, 2007 Editors in Chief Managing Editor Copy Editor Business Manager Photo Editor Editorial Director Reporters Advisor Jenna Hazelbaker Erin Pouilliard Kimber Hawkins Brooke Eickhoff Ashley Sermak Jena Foley Laura Lucas Jessica Burress Eric Brazelton Ashley Edington Meghan Hohn Tucker Knight Joe Lewis Carly Wilson Mr. Tim Lee
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May 2007 - Special Senior Issue

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