I'm Graduating!!

    With Graduation being mere hours away, you are probably thinking "Well, Yeah, Of course you're Graduating! We already have your announcement!" Well, I am here to let you in on a little secret.


I didn't know I was graduating till moments ago.


All my life, math has been my vice. This is justified by the fact that I had to repeat Algebra 2 twice... and still got somewhere in the D range. Well, in order to make up that last math credit, I decided to take an alternative "easier" route; Accounting. Little did I know that although the math involved with accounting is easy, the methods were somewhat difficult for me to understand.


I have spent the last year puttzing my way through this class, scraping by with high D's and low C's. Well here it is. Term 4. A week from graduation and I am sitting at an F. Not just any F, but a very very LOW F. Crap. I worked countless days, and endless lunch periods to turn in missing work, and take missing tests, but alas.... I sucked too bad. My grade was still low. Heck, it was even low an hour ago! 


With a wing and a prayer and a lot of sucking up, I took my last test today and got 85% on it, and watched as my grade went from that low F to a D+!!! I was ecstatic! Mrs. Iosefa signed my pink slip saying I could graduate, and I did hitch clicks all the way to my counselor as he took it with a smile. Hello, world, I'm GRADUATING!!!!!!! 

This is a happy moment for me, however, not necessary. The stress and anxiety of the last couple weeks could've been easily avoided by staying on top of my assignments, and studying for tests and quizes. So, for those of you who read my blog (If any) Here is my advice to you:


DON'T LET YOUR GRADES SLIP AWAY FROM YOU!!! If you start at the beginning putting in the hard work you'd have to do at the end, you'd be much happier throughout. I have this saying that I've often used throughout my highschool years "Happy now, sad later." This often refers to me having a fun,  thrilling social life INSTEAD of doing my homework and saving it for the last minute. Well, I am here to tell you that that philosophy doesn't always work. A fine mix of the happy/sad is needed to get your work done, and turn it in on time. In the end... life is much better. Trust me. In the end, you will know weeks in advanced that you're graduating instead of hours before. Learn from my mistake, and work hard!!! I know I plan to take my own advice as I start college in the fall.


As for now- CONGRATS CLASS OF 2011!!!! We DID IT!!!!!!

My Graduation Speech!

Graduation

Lauren Loock

     Well, here we are, ready to Graduate. For some here today, you are here because you worked long into the night, making every aspect of your homework perfect and precise. You know who you are, because you have many multi-colored cords around your neck, as well as high honors and stature. For others, you’re here because you barely got that F up in accounting two days ago, and probably let your high school years slip by with the bare minimum work, and a lot of sucking up. The way you got here, however, is not important at this moment. The important thing is that you’re here, among your peers, in a maroon gown to the floor and a square hat on your head. You’re here ready to take your last steps of high school, and first steps of adulthood. You are here because of YOUR personal effort and ambitions- whether great or small. You’re here as the graduating class of 2011. What an accomplishment! Congratulations to each and every one of you!

     It seems like yesterday that we were in kindergarten- young and naïve, not having to worry about college, or stress about GPA’s. Those were the days when the biggest things to worry about were making friends, being happy, following the basic class rules, and what we were going to have for lunch.  Now we’re graduating seniors, seeing the world in a completely different light, but some things won’t change. We’re going into the world, to meet new people and create new memories. We’re becoming responsible for our own actions, and learning how to make the best of bad situations by having a happy attitude through the worst. We are each becoming our own independent person, and as our unique situations will vary so will out understanding of rules and what’s right or wrong. And most importantly, for the majority of us, we will have to worry about what we’re going to fix ourselves for lunch, or lack thereof. So you see, not much is going to change- really we’re all just going to be a bunch of big kindergartners out in this big world.

    Really though, this is a time to be proud of yourself. Although our graduating class may be large, it’s because of you as an individual for making the effort to be great. And we ARE great! We’re Vikings!! We are leaving behind our legacy, whether it lies in sports, music, academics, or all of the above. This last year will forever remain in our memories as being OUR senior year and no one can take that away from us. It’s the memories we’ve gained, and friendships we’ve strengthened that are going to help us take off into our dreams. I know you all have dreams. Heck, even I have dreams! It’s time now to take those dreams, add some dedication, and make something of yourself. Eleanor Roosevelt says “The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.” Dreams are attainable, and when is there a better time to to jump into it then your high school graduation. So do as Roosevelt says and believe in your dreams and believe in yourself, and soon you will find yourself living the life you've longed to live. Yes, to have me standing up here preaching about dreams isn’t very unique, and may come across as cheesy, But when I think about the future and each of you, I think about just that; dreams.
So here you are on your graduation day, the start of your future. I’d love to get up here and give you some wise advice, but I realize that that wouldn’t be the smartest thing seeing as I’m that one who barely passed accounting. However, I know each of you, and I know most of your dreams- I see them in your lives as you express them through sports, the arts, school, or just being the best person you can be. Senior class of 2011, I wish you the best. Start a new chapter in your book, turn over a new leaf, become reborn- however you express it, this is the time to start a new life.  Take what you’ve learned from the past four years of high school, and apply it to the future. You might think as you move forward that there’s no looking back. I advise you to disregard that. Look back at the memories from Viewmont High School, then take what you learned and achieve your dreams. Don’t be afraid to dream, Class of 2011—“Dream as if you’ll live forever, Live as if you’ll die today.”  James Dean said it right in that quote, and to expand on it, I’d probably say it wrong. So instead, I’m just thank you for the past, congratulate you for the present, and wish you luck for the future. We did it!!

  LAUREN LOOCK’S

BUCKET LIST

Revised August 16, 2014

FLY TO AUSTRALIA

BE KISSED IN 13 DIFFERENT COUNTRIES

BE ON BROADWAY

BE SOMEBODY’S HERO

OWN A HORSE

SHAKE HANDS WITH THE PRESIDENT

BE ON TV

EAT DOG

CHANGE SOMEBODY’S LIFE

LIVE OUTSIDE OF UTAH

HAVE A FLING WITH A FOREIGN BOY

FLY IN AN AIRPLANE BY MYSELF

MAKE A FORTUNE

START MY OWN BUSINESS

GET MY NAME RECOGNIZED

WRITE A BOOK

BE FAMOUS

BEACH

PET A BABY TIGER

JUMP IN BOUNTIFUL LAKE

KISS A CANADIAN 

 BE A BOSS

LEARN TO PLAY THE GUITAR… WELL

BE THE LEAD IN A MUSICAL

SLEEP UNDER THE STARS

GO TO MARDI GRAS

GET A STRANGER TO BUY ME A DRINK

MARRY THE LOVE OF MY LIFE

BE PROUD OF WHO I AM

READ ALL THE HARRY POTTER BOOKS

LIVE A WHOLE MONTH WIHOUT MY CELL PHONE

DO SOMETHING WITHOUT THINKING TWICE

KISS A RANDOM STRANGER

DRIVE ACROSS THE COUNTRY

WATCH THE SUN RISE ON THE EAST COAST, AND SET IN THE WEST COAST IN THE SAME DAY

BE FEATURED IN A CONCERT

GO ON A SAFARI

GROW MY HAIR OUT LONG

LIVE IN NEW YORK CITY

BUY A BRAND NEW CAR 

STAY ON THE TOP FLOOR OF THE TALLEST HOTEL IN THE WORLD

RIDE THE ROLLER COASTER IN LAS VEGAS

GET A PICTURE BY THE EIFLE TOWER

GIVE ADVICE TO SOMEONE IN NEED

BUY A HOMELESS PERSON A BIG DINNER

WRITE A SONG

COOK AN ENTIRE THANKSGIVING FEAST BY MYSELF

CATCH A FROG

SIT FIRST CLASS ON A PLANE

GO ON A DATE WITH SOMEONE FAMOUS

BE A BLONDE

RUN A MARATHON

MAKE PEOPLE LAUGH TILL THEY CRY

GO WHALE WATCHING--SEE A WHALE

GET A TAN

LIVE ON MY OWN

KISS AT LEAST THIRTY GUYS BEFORE SETTLING DOWN

TAKE A MUD BATH

MAKE SURE MY FAMILY KNOWS I LOVE THEM

DIE DOING SOMETHING WORTHWHILE