My Final Goodbye

So today I wanted to get my blog done early so I could be done with high school work forever. I go to log on and blogger is down. What now? I start getting excited! No blog? That’d be amazing. I start texting around to make sure everyone’s blogger is down and it’s not just something weird with my computer. It’s not. Mary Beth confirms. Alex says he’s too cool to do blogs that early, but if both Mary Beth and I are having problems, I think there is an issue. We decide to e-mail Ms. Serensky. We’re thinking, there’s no way she can make us do a blog now! We finished school today, tomorrow’s spring fest, and we have no blog due tonight! But really, how could I have been so stupid and naïve? Of course we get an e-mail “if it isn't back up, the due date will be Friday by midnight.” Really? That’s upsetting... simultaneous disappointment at it’s finest. But really, how could I have thought Ms. Serensky was just going to e-mail something back like “Hey! That’s alright, we’re done with school…forget about blogging!” When I think of her actual e-mail, I cannot help but to think of my sister’s English class’ t-shirts…”You’re not done yet!” And don’t forget the huge face of Ms. Serensky on it as well. And this is true. The night before spring fest and I am still doing high school work. Every other senior at Chagrin- and probably every school in Ohio/the US- is done with schoolwork. Except us. In my last blog I talked about how I have a love hate relationship with AP English. I think this is a pretty good example of the hate part. But, it makes me wonder, will we ever really be done with AP English? I feel like this isn’t the end. I think while we are reading our summer reading books for college, we’ll be enjoying our books, but of course we will be actively reading and annotating in fear that Ms. Serensky will somehow sense it if we are not and will hunt us down. And, during essays in college, I feel like I will hear Ms. Serensky saying, “push the analysis!” “keep working!” and “five minutes left.” My point is, English has had a lasting effect on all of us and this class will be hard to forget.  

Bittersweet Farewell

                     This is the actual High Stile. It's a mountain.

Dear AP English 12 Classmates,

            After being together for two years, I have to admit that I am sad to say goodbye. Through the good times- laughter, triumph (Multiple choice game days!), good grades and the bad times- struggle, stress, panic attacks, and being yelled at, we still made it. As much as we all complain about how much work AP English is and how particular everything has to be on papers and such, we all know, deep down, that we love AP English. Actually, it’s kind of like a love hate relationship. Although some may not miss this, I am glad I cannot be made fun of again for mistakes like “Highstile”…oopsie daisie, among the many other times I was made fun of in the class. Plus, we all hate doing 20+ (30 for some people, or rather one person) and memorizing quotes, along with many other English tasks, but we love the good days of AP English. I mean who didn’t like seeing Othello? Who doesn’t love to laugh at “Bobbie’s Blog Banter?” And who doesn’t like being able to say they’re in AP English and feel smart? Plus, what will I do with all my free time now? I will not be reading, analyzing, writing pages and pages of analysis, and blogging anymore! I may actually have a life now! However, I believe that all the struggles we went through will pay off in college. I think our English classes will not be as stressful because of all the growth and maturation we went through in this class, which I am very thankful for. I can’t wait to come back to the 5-year high school reunion and see all that everyone has accomplished (No, contrary to popular belief, I will not be married with 3 children already, thank you very much). I will miss each and every AP English 12 student, and even you too Ms. Serensky! Good luck to everyone next year!

            Sincerely,

                             Jillian

Why wouldn't you take AP English is the Real Question

1. You have something to talk about. Anytime. All the time. Whenever there’s an awkward moment... bring up AP English and that’ll get the conversation going! Awkward date… English is a go to topic. Come on, you know it’s cool.
2. You can get stickers!! If you’re good, all the time, if you’re not so good, it’s an anomaly, but hey, stickers rock no matter what!
3. Pull multiple all nighters! Remember when we were little and we would have sleepovers and brag about our all nighters? You’re guaranteed all nighters on nights before data sheets are due.
4. Has someone told you that you need to get your heart rate up more often? You thinking of joining a sports team or exercise club? Don’t! Take AP English! That’ll make your heart race.
5. Multiple-choice game day. Yes, just these four days out of the school year should convince a sophomore to take AP English.
6. Do you really dislike a student that is planning on taking regular or honors English next year? Have them sit with you in commons and bring a bunch of AP English students to your table. You’ll annoy them in less than 5 minutes, which for you will probably be quite enjoyable.
7. You get to feel really smart, knowing you’re in class with some of the smartest kids in the school.  Or….it  could be the opposite and you could feel really stupid when compared to the other smart kids. But hey, you learn to laugh at yourself and your foolish mistakes. It builds character.
8. Snow days... so boring right? Like I want to do more work. Well, lucky for you, Ms. Serensky sends e-mails with extra work to do! Yay!
9. What’s the last subject related field trip you went on? I bet it wasn’t as good as our trip to see Othello. English field trips are the best.
10. Two words. One name. Bobbie Jo. 

That Doesn't Look Good

Emilia: “Oh God! Oh heavenly God!” (Shakespeare 5.2.215).

Algernon: “You are a perfect pessimist,” (Wilde 18).

Amy: “It pisses me off” (Currie, 92).

Algernon: “That is a great disappointment” (Wilde 24).

Emilia: “Poor lady, she’ll run mad” (Shakespeare 3.3.315).

Amy: “No s***. No s*** it’s going to be bad” (Currie 300).

Emilia: “O, fie upon them!” (Shakespeare 4.2.144).

Algernon: “to-morrow will be a fine day” (Wilde 18).

Amy: (to me) “you need to stop this, look at your mother for God’s sake, is that how you want to end up?”(Currie 103).

Algernon: “That is absurd” (Wilde 40).

Emilia: “Do not you chide” (Shakespeare 3.3.299).

Amy: (to me) “you should know better. You should be smarter than this.” (Currie 100).

Algernon: “what is to be done?” (Wilde 49).

Amy: “This can’t go on forever…At least I hope not” (Currie 282).

Emilia: “Let heaven requite it [the test] with the serpent’s curse” (Shakespeare 4.2.16).