Getting out of the dark ages
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May 22, 2009 • written by Molly English
Filed under Senior Edition
Sign: Pisces
Favorite animal: fox
Favor colors: green, blue, purple
Biggest accomplishments: Passing Government, running a successful newspaper, winning Journalist of the Year, passing Biology, living in Japan, staying single, improving drawing and photography skills, making my teachers, peers and parents proud.
Future plans: A world-traveling journalist and photojournalist.
Quote to live by: “I would rather die on my feet than live on my knees.”
When I look over my last 13 years of education, I am quite satisfied with how I’m ending it. However, I overheard students expressing their love for their childhood, the innocence of it all and how they would do anything to go back. I shudder at the idea. I would do anything before I went back to live my younger days.
True, elementary days were innocent and carefree. We spent our time with crafts like crocheting, books like The Giver and games like Blind’s Man Bluff and Lightning. But we were naïve. Stupid. I was awarded “white slips” every month without understanding what I did wrong. There were a multitude of concepts I could not even begin to fathom or grasp. Life then was black and white. I was taught there was only ‘good guy’ and ‘bad guy.’ Thus, I arrived at middle school ill-prepared.
Middle school. The word makes me want to shout it with disgust. What horrible two years that was for most of us. When I began seventh grade, no one warned me that peers my age did drugs or that dressing like everyone was key.
Eighth grade was a turning point in my life for two reasons; I got popular, and I got boobs. Peer pressure was horrible, and drama was a plague. I never did figure out what girl was responsible for getting the rest to pierce their noises in the school bathroom.
Freshman year rings the familiar bell of laughter, crying and snotty voices. This was the year of my first kiss, party and concert, but it was the last year of innocence. Dressing up to shop at Hot Topic (and for cute boys), adrenaline-filled nights sneaking out the backdoor, and horrifying races on 13th Ave were the good times. However, I knew my days were empty in the sense that I did not know what I wanted out of life.
Tenth grade, reality set in that a world exists outside of my perception. Ignorance overran my decisions, and before I knew it, I made big mistakes and for the first time, enemies. Stupid sex, stupid drugs, stupid drinking tempted everyone. Many of us had the common sense to stay away, but many more fell into these foolish traps.
The truth is that I did not know better. This is what I hate about my younger years. I hate being ignorant. Being restriction-free may be easier, but it makes life aimless. Being unaware makes one defenseless.
By junior and senior years, students are much better prepared for “the real world.” We know not to trust a man who offers candy in his van as much as we know to be watchful when a parent is drunk.
My point is that I find it unwise to waste time wishing you could live in the “simpler days.” Things were simpler because you were not aware of life’s real challenges and blessings. Fourth graders didn’t care who the president was then, but now it’s suddenly worth looking into.
I’m anticipating leaving high school. Life is going to be a lot harder, but I would rather live an exposed life with up and downs, new friends, new memories and new challenges than a sheltered life. I could fall prey to fear like many fellow seniors, but I am anticipating living in this chaotic world more than I am dreading it.
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