Well. Here it is. The end of senior year, my high school career, and my time here in College Station. Truthfully, I'm still processing my feelings, and part of me still expects to wake up at 7 AM Monday morning to head to school. But this, this is the culmination of 12 years of early mornings, all-nighters, and stress-induced breakdowns. Here I am.
I know this is incredibly cliche, but I thought I'd close the required portion of this blog (because I still plan to continue writing on here this summer/next year) with a bunch of thank-you's to those who have affected my life the most.
I know this is incredibly cliche, but I thought I'd close the required portion of this blog (because I still plan to continue writing on here this summer/next year) with a bunch of thank-you's to those who have affected my life the most.
To my parents: Thank you so much for everything you've done for me. I can only know a small fragment of the sacrifices and trials you two have gone through to help me get to this point. Mom, not only did you travel here all the way from China to make sure my siblings and I would have a better life, but you do so much for this family every single day even when we don't always express our appreciation as well as we should. Dad, you're such an inspiration to me (even if your cheesy jokes make me cringe daily). You've supported us through cancer and deaths in the family and so much more -- you're an inspiration to me and if I could have half the work ethic you do someday, I'd be happy.
To my sister Elizabeth: Hey you bootyhole. As much as I complain about you, know that I really do love you and am always looking out for your best interest. (You know what I'm talking about...) You're so funny and charismatic and YES YOU'RE THE MORE ATTRACTIVE SIBLING OKAY I ADMITTED IT. Thank you for talking with me about love, life, and our futures until 3 AM the night before school starts. Please call me next year if you need any advice or help; you know I check my texts constantly. Also, I'm always here if you need me to beat up boys. ;)
To my brother Justin: I know you will probably never read this because you're, like, eight years old, but I love you, you little booger! I'm so sad that I'm leaving you this summer and that school has always kept me too busy to spend as much time with you as I should, but I promise I'll listen (kind of) patiently to all your Minecraft stories this summer. You're so intelligent and also weirdly mature and the cutest little kid I know, so keep up the good work! I hope to see you at Oxford someday, so make me proud.
To my piano teacher, Werner Rose: Again, will most likely never see this because I need to keep up my reputation of being a good writer and this blog pretty much ruins that. I know I haven't always been the most dedicated student (the fact that I still have 1 1/2 songs left to memorize for my senior recital tomorrow is evidence of that), but you still come to every lesson with an enthusiasm and happiness that reinvigorates my love of piano. Thank you for telling me stories about your great hero Arthur Rubinstein, introducing me to Debussy (my one true love), and for waltzing with me through your living room. I don't know how I'm going to make it through my last lesson without sobbing.
To whichever University of Chicago admissions officer read my application: Yo, thanks. I'm really pumped to freeze to death next year.
To my friends: Ahhhh, squad UP! Thank you all for sticking with me through my crazy awkward puberty changes and for dealing with my hyperactive mess of a life. I'm so happy I ended up with y'all. Let's hang over the summer -- AND YOU GUYS BETTER KEEP ME UPDATED ON YOUR ADVENTURES NEXT YEAR OR I SWEAR TO GOD I WILL FLY TO YOUR COLLEGE AND FIND YOU.
To Ellen Li: How could I go through a thank-you post without thanking my homegirl, the OG, the girl who passed notes with me under Coach Radcliffe's watchful eye in 8th grade Geometry? You're such a sweet, beautiful, intelligent, and hilarious girl, and I'm sooooo eternally glad I can call you my best friend. I'm so sad about leaving you next year, but I know you're going to do so amazingly well at UT! Make sure you remember to give yourself a break once in a while, and if you ever hit up Chicago, you know where I'm at. ;) Love you. (Also, don't cry at graduation because if I see you crying, I will be done for.)
To The Roar Newspaper staff & adviser: Oh man. I've gone to hell and back with y'all, and I've enjoyed every minute of it (except for maybe the pre-deadline panic). You guys are some of the most dedicated, creative, and fun people I know, so never let that spark die down! Keep the Roar going, and I'll visit with cookies next year!
To all my high school teachers: After four years at Consol, there are too many teachers who have impacted my life to list them all, but just know that I've loved my time here, even if I complain 24/7 about the homework and tests. It must be difficult to spend 8+ hours per day surrounded by hormonal teenagers, but somehow y'all manage to do it every. Single. Day. Props to y'all. Keep on changing kids' lives.
To Lindner: I know I've already written a letter for you, but I thought it'd be appropriate to end this by thanking the person who's kept this blog active with (sometimes BS'd) blog posts these past two years. There's a reason why you're one of the most loved teachers at Consol, and it's because you put so much time and effort into influencing the lives of every single student that walks into your room. You've helped mold me into the person I am today and have totally changed my outlook on literature, writing, and life. Thank you for that. And you bet I'm coming back to hit up the Grumpy Cat table next year.
To my sister Elizabeth: Hey you bootyhole. As much as I complain about you, know that I really do love you and am always looking out for your best interest. (You know what I'm talking about...) You're so funny and charismatic and YES YOU'RE THE MORE ATTRACTIVE SIBLING OKAY I ADMITTED IT. Thank you for talking with me about love, life, and our futures until 3 AM the night before school starts. Please call me next year if you need any advice or help; you know I check my texts constantly. Also, I'm always here if you need me to beat up boys. ;)
To my brother Justin: I know you will probably never read this because you're, like, eight years old, but I love you, you little booger! I'm so sad that I'm leaving you this summer and that school has always kept me too busy to spend as much time with you as I should, but I promise I'll listen (kind of) patiently to all your Minecraft stories this summer. You're so intelligent and also weirdly mature and the cutest little kid I know, so keep up the good work! I hope to see you at Oxford someday, so make me proud.
To my piano teacher, Werner Rose: Again, will most likely never see this because I need to keep up my reputation of being a good writer and this blog pretty much ruins that. I know I haven't always been the most dedicated student (the fact that I still have 1 1/2 songs left to memorize for my senior recital tomorrow is evidence of that), but you still come to every lesson with an enthusiasm and happiness that reinvigorates my love of piano. Thank you for telling me stories about your great hero Arthur Rubinstein, introducing me to Debussy (my one true love), and for waltzing with me through your living room. I don't know how I'm going to make it through my last lesson without sobbing.
To whichever University of Chicago admissions officer read my application: Yo, thanks. I'm really pumped to freeze to death next year.
To my friends: Ahhhh, squad UP! Thank you all for sticking with me through my crazy awkward puberty changes and for dealing with my hyperactive mess of a life. I'm so happy I ended up with y'all. Let's hang over the summer -- AND YOU GUYS BETTER KEEP ME UPDATED ON YOUR ADVENTURES NEXT YEAR OR I SWEAR TO GOD I WILL FLY TO YOUR COLLEGE AND FIND YOU.
To Ellen Li: How could I go through a thank-you post without thanking my homegirl, the OG, the girl who passed notes with me under Coach Radcliffe's watchful eye in 8th grade Geometry? You're such a sweet, beautiful, intelligent, and hilarious girl, and I'm sooooo eternally glad I can call you my best friend. I'm so sad about leaving you next year, but I know you're going to do so amazingly well at UT! Make sure you remember to give yourself a break once in a while, and if you ever hit up Chicago, you know where I'm at. ;) Love you. (Also, don't cry at graduation because if I see you crying, I will be done for.)
To The Roar Newspaper staff & adviser: Oh man. I've gone to hell and back with y'all, and I've enjoyed every minute of it (except for maybe the pre-deadline panic). You guys are some of the most dedicated, creative, and fun people I know, so never let that spark die down! Keep the Roar going, and I'll visit with cookies next year!
To all my high school teachers: After four years at Consol, there are too many teachers who have impacted my life to list them all, but just know that I've loved my time here, even if I complain 24/7 about the homework and tests. It must be difficult to spend 8+ hours per day surrounded by hormonal teenagers, but somehow y'all manage to do it every. Single. Day. Props to y'all. Keep on changing kids' lives.
To Lindner: I know I've already written a letter for you, but I thought it'd be appropriate to end this by thanking the person who's kept this blog active with (sometimes BS'd) blog posts these past two years. There's a reason why you're one of the most loved teachers at Consol, and it's because you put so much time and effort into influencing the lives of every single student that walks into your room. You've helped mold me into the person I am today and have totally changed my outlook on literature, writing, and life. Thank you for that. And you bet I'm coming back to hit up the Grumpy Cat table next year.