High School Life on a Balance Beam
From this point on, our lives will be almost completely occupied by scheduled activities. When life gets busy, there is always something or someone we turn to – to complain, to find comfort, and to find our answer.
I, personally, have many “escape buttons.” Some of them are 1) church, 2) music, 3) communication, and 4) Katie (my little sista). With a packed schedule, I believe it is necessary for everyone to find a time of short relaxation throughout all the craziness life offers. Christianity, my religion, is something I always keep close. In the midst of a busy week, I always look forward to the weekend. Every Saturday night, I attend the high school fellowship at my church.
It is called Oasis, because it is like a place where there is water in our academically busy lives, found within a desert (school). I feel as if it is my second home there because the people that go to the fellowship are pretty close. We are like a family. Our pastor and his wife are really great people. Something new I will be doing this year at my church is that I will be leading worship, which is singing. I look forward to it.
Music is another thing I can always turn to for immediate soothing satisfication. I enjoy making music and listening to it. Depending on my time frame, I will do both, more than twice a week. If I have some time to play piano, I will sit down near my baby grand and start playing. If I am on a tight schedule, I’ll turn on my iPod and listen to relaxing stuff, such as Norah Jones or Jack Johnson.
Hanging around with close friends and having a deep conversation always helps me slow down and take it easy. Sometimes, I get breakfast, play tennis, or go to Starbuck’s with one of my older friends from church. Having a good laugh and sharing a great conversation is like recharging my battery before I start to study again. My little sister, Katie, is the funniest and greatest child in the world. It’s wonderful that we get along so well because we are 8.
5 years apart. I love her to death. Some people say she is a mini me – which I definetely agree. She does reflect me a lot – especially in her laughter. I remember that when I was 3-7 years old, I had the “bowl haircut,” or “mushroom haircut/bob.” Katie has that cut today, but she hates it because ideally, every little girl wants beautiful long hair like Sleeping Beauty.
I hated my mushroom cut too when I was a kiddo. Just by reading a book, watching a few minutes of Spongebob, drawing, telling her a joke, or doing the old people dance (you have to be a Ye to understand…) with her makes us both very thankful to have each other in our lives. I LOVE spending time with her.
She calls me Chubster, or Chub. I call her Bubsta/ Bub. We have so many inside jokes. Obviously, we’re a funny bunch. These small things can boost a person’s energy and determination.
We always need to find that spot in our week to stop and rest. It is completely necessary and essential for us to produce an equation that will get you through high school – with relaxation on one side, and school on the other side. Put high school and your “stress release button(s)” on a balance beam today.
