My year.... 2013

In the year 2013:

January

January was a rather quiet month as it usually is. I spent most of it working to keep up with senior projects for English, my three AP classes (Psychology, Biology and Statistics), and any final work I had for the one semester economics class. Indoor track was on in full speed and I had spent most of my time training either as a middle distance runner or a hurdler, many times both. I think the most interesting part of last January was for the first time I spend New Years not at home. I went with Cody, my boyfriend at the time, to his aunts house. It was definitely different to not be home with just my parents on new years but an experience I will remember.

Later that month Cody and I did break up. And yes looking back now I know it was the best thing that could have happened however in the moment is was one of the toughest things. I owe a lot to my great friends for helping me. There are two instances of great friendship, Rachel coming over the night we broke up and just keeping me company, talking to me and helping me see sense in what happened. But what I think moved me most was on a Monday morning (we were off from school) and Allison just showed up at my house, all she did was give me a hug and say you shouldn't be alone. While it does not look like much I would say it was one of the best moments to know that someone cared enough about me. I love having friends like that and these two are definitely amazing young ladies, I can never thank them enough.


February

February is always an interesting month for me. It is the meeting ground I would say of the winter and the spring. But what I think is most interesting about February is that it is the shortest but also always seems to be the most busy.

School wise February was full of the rush of AP classes now starting to truly pick up pace so that we have crammed enough information into our heads before the major tests the first few weeks of May. Another thing with school is that February draws to a close the winter season of indoor track. That means that events like the relay meet, sectionals and state qualifiers take place. This year was a rather full year in that regard. Myself and three other seniors, Karli, Megan and Abby, broke the school record in the Distance Medley Relay. This record was set in 1995 before any of us were born, interestingly by teammates of our coach.

One not so common event happened in February. I attended an overnight at college and was able to see more about what the school had to offer. This allowed me to meet with faculty and see a class so that I was more able to make my decision about which university I wanted to attend in the fall.

February also brought along my 18 birthday on the 28th. While it is not my golden birthday yet it was definitely a good day. Also in February is my brothers birthday on the 23rd.

March
March brought more schoolwork and less time. One thing about March that always makes me happy is the start of Dance Troope at Genesee Country Village and Museum again. Every year we take off January and February so that everyone can relax after Yuletide, but by March I always seem to be itching to dance again. Another event that comes up in March at work is the Maple Festival something that I look forward to working every year since I volunteered for it in 2009. This year I was able to spend two days in the maple camp and the other two working Heritage Chocolate with a co-worker Sam.

April

About all that happened in April was school, and a lot of work coming from school. However April was also Allison's birthday.

May

May brought a lot; APs, the end of my senior track season, my last dance recital.

I will always remember my last dance recital. Being in advanced pointe, African and modern as well as the opening I was in all three recitals. Including rehearsal  I had four chances in which I jumped out of a hat. And while I did enjoy the opening to Magic and African based on the Lion King I think the most moving moment and memorable moment was my senior solo. A pointe solo done with a Celtic theme to a song called Dulaman by one of my favorite groups, Celtic Woman. Now what was really cool about this was that I had choreographed the whole dance myself so it was really special for me to perform it. I will always look back at the fond memories than I have through dance and at A Time for Dance.

May also brought the start of my second season working at Genesee Country Museum.

June

Two things happened this past June that really stand out to me. I graduated from Churchville- Chili Senior High School. I am now an official high school graduate which means the start of the shortest summer ever and the start of my future. In addition to graduating from high school I also had my college orientation conveniently all in the same weekend which really shaped the whole idea of the ending of one chapter and the start of another. While I did have the summer as a six week gap between these two adventures.

July

Beyond the birthdays of my father and sister, the biggest event in July for me was being able to spend a week camped at the sesquicentennial of the Battle of Gettysburg. I could write or talk for hours about Gettysburg and never truly do it justice. I am thankful for the experience which in many ways was a reverent one. I was able to go out as a field nurse or ice angel during four battles including Picket's Charge. I can still remember the feeling of watching the charge an imaging what it would have been like to really be there 150 years ago. There was another moment when I was able to go a see the actual battle fields and there's that moment when you are sitting on Little Round Top or Devil's Den, you can't help but realize what happened there and how many brave men and maybe a handful of women gave their lives. Beyond the reverence of the week it was a great adventure of friendship and yes stressful but I will gladly do it again. I owe a huge thank you to the 2nd Texas. I met so many amazing people, Captain Tom, Sargent Zack and Kaite, Cornel Shane and his wife Amy and their sons, Lieutenant Chris, and really the whole 2nd Texas. Thank you for all the help in camp and one of the most memorable weeks of my life.

August

I left for college and started the adventure on my own. It is definitely a different experience being away from home. Having to live with people you really don't know and taking classes that are much harder than anything you've done. While yes there are not that hard yet there is a lot of work involved in college classes.

September

I joined the Ultimate Frisbee team at school and with practice 3 times a week and tournaments it has been an awesome learning experience. I have met so many great people. Ultimate is played like a mix of soccer and football though it has a lot of its own rules some of which look similar to basketball.

October

I had fall break which meant that I could come home for a week. In that time I was able to go to a dance troope practice. That was cool to come back after a bit off. I was also able to work as a spook for two of the nights of spirits.  It was different than last year with Stephen and more of the guys but it was cool to spook with Lydia and Rachel.

November

My first semester at college is starting to draw to a close and there is a lot of work involved with school. I am beginning to notice that everything always seems to fall in the same week.  I was home for Thanksgiving and attend the last of the weekend Yuletide rehearsals. But the big thing I did over thanksgiving break was run the Turkey Trot with my family. It is a 8K race on thanksgiving that we have run as a family my aunts uncles cousins and my family for the last few years and its a lot of fun to do since thanksgiving we usually spend with the other side of our family.

December

This was a busy month at the end of the semester. I had a lot to do to get ready for finals and all I can say is that finals at college are definitely everything everybody makes them out to be. But I did survive and finished my first college semester with a 3.8 GPA!

Being away from school I was not able to be a part of Yuletide like I was in the past. This year was sort of a building year for me in that way that I spent part of the Friday I was home for shadowing a very experience tour guide Michelle. And then on Saturday I was able to do my own tour with Michelle observing me and then by events out of my control I wish asked to take someone else's tour as my first tour solo. While I was not an official tour guide this the experience was enjoyable, and I am now trained enough that I will be able to tour guide next year even though I am younger than what they normally allow.

Christmas was a great time with family. From my parents I got a piccolo and instrument I will be able to use to broaden my musical knowledge.

What a year 2013 has been and in a few hours I will put it behind me and head on to 2014. Its crazy to think that I have grown up and how fast time has pasted. I learned a lot this year but especially in the last few months. I learned that even though you move on to the future your true friends will still be there for you regardless of how you grow up and what adventures you take on. I learned that it is time to take responsibility for your future, meaning that the work you put forth will get out for you what you want. I am not saying that it will be easy but I'm saying that if its what you are called to do it will be worth it. So for 2014 my one goal for myself is to do better and being what I can be. That may mean in classes or in life but just to be a better me.