Seniors #1 journal Life is Beautiful (post before Tuesday)
One of the themes expressed in Life is Beautiful is the ability of man to find hope and beauty even in the midst of the most trying of times. Certainly that notion is personified in the character of Guido Orifice, and perhaps more directly, in the person who is Roberto Benigni, the actor who portrayed Guido and who wrote the screenplay for this award winning film. With a Schopenhauer will of steel and a heart of Italian gold, Benigni's Guido displays an imagination and undying hope in the most unlikely setting of the Nazi concentration camp.Benigni's Holocaust fable makes no attempt to realistically depict the horrors of the concentration camp. Instead, his film focuses more on the sudden change that was inflicted on Jews like Guido who were living the beautiful life one day but sent to the camps the next. The Tuscany period of the film is vibrant with colors, music, gags and goofs. It is Guido's spirit, though, his industrious imagination, that is behind every high note and funny caper. His abilities to make people smile (even a serious German doctor), make end runs around officious clerks and inspectors, and to woo and win a woman way out of his league are skills Schopenhauer could only hope to possess. His life is beautiful because he lives his life in a beautiful way, and nothing can deter him from making the best out of the whatever situation falls into his path.
Guido's beautiful life is put to the test when his family and the film are moved to the concentration camp. Faced with the potential loss of his family and his life, he doesn't despair, but with his comic spirit intact, he cleverly reduces the concentration camp experience to a "fun" game as a ruse to hide the cruel reality from Joshua.
But the true purpose of Guido's game speaks to us. We can win points in our own Game of Life by maintaining a sense of humor when confronted with arrogance and bigotry , by not "crying for our mommies" when the mean guys yell, and by being satisfied with a plain piece of bread when we'd really like bread and jam. If this behavior seems too submissive, too silly, too unmanly, well, let's consider how acting any differently would have benefited Guido. Likewise, when faced with challenges as daunting as his, do we always have to arm wrestle them to the ground? Sometimes, we can kill with kindness, too.
Guido jokingly uses Schopenhauer-like magic to get Dora to face him in the opera and to conjure dogs away from Joshua in the camp. In reality, there is no magic in Schopenhauer's philosophy, for he suggested that a great power can be gained from one's will. The brain can be mightier than the sword. Schopenhauer himself said, "Will power is to the mind like a strong blind man who carries on his shoulders a lame man who can see."
Guido's willpower to keep his family alive and intact represents "real" Schopenhauer willpower, not silly magical conjuring. In Tuscany, Guido shelters Giouse from the Nazi bigotry by joking about banning spiders and Visigoths from his bookstore. In the camp, Guido risks his life to pronounce his love to Dora over the camp loudspeakers, to play the Offenbach opera for her, and to save her at the end of the film before the Nazis can truck her away to her death. To the end, Guido winks, smiles, and goosesteps off to his death so that Giouse can continue to believe in his father's game .
Oh, no, you say. I could never be this heroic. Well, you could, and maybe you have been, especially if you have ever really cared for someone. Real heroes, like Guido, realize "life is beautiful" when they are willing to love and to take chances for others.
Consider these four situations that might apply to you and your beautiful "heroic" life.
Choose any one for your blog response (minimum of 200 words) that must be posted before class on Tuesday.
1. Describe a trying personal situation in which you were able to persevere, especially if you did so for the sake of someone else. How did you keep thinking positively and how did this help?
2. Relate a situation where you (or someone you know) were able to prevent a potentially troublesome situation from boiling over by using a good sense of humor or some other means.
3. Tell about a situation where someone (parent, sibling, friend, etc.) risked his own safety or reputation to protect you. Or vice versa. Whom did you save?
4. In your best imitation of a David Letterman Top Ten List, write a either a serious or mildly comic (but NOT mean spirited) Top Ten Reasons Why Life is Beautiful at St. Mark's High School. This option might not speak to your personal heroism, but it will make you consider the blessings you've been given already. Let's avoid "sarcasm," please. You can read my own Top Ten posted at Schoolsville as an example.
posted by JTF @ 12:00 PM
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53 Comments:
3. Out of my seventeen years of life on this earth, I haven't had the opportunity to witness the feeling of saving another person, or even risking my own life for someone. But... I've saved something else before, protected it from suffering. And believe it or not, it was a pelican. Animals are living creatures, just like us humans. So to me, rescuing a creature like that is a huge deal. Last summer, I was in Florida for a few weeks. One day, I went to the beach. There were some people fishing, so of course fishing line was set up. There was a massive amount of pelicans floating above water around 200 feet down. As I am lying down on my beach towel, I hear something. And it’s not a usually noise you would hear on a beach… I heard a screeching sound a type of bird would make. And the sound had pain and confusion written all over it. I sprung my head up and looked straight ahead, and saw a poor pelican strangled and tangled up severely by the fishing line that it has flown into. I immediately ran down to the shore. Never have I been so close to such a beautiful animal before. I understood its body language, it was as clear as a windex sprayed window that the pelican was hurting and was flustered as can be. A kind gentleman lent me a hand with helping the pelican. He held its beak so it wouldn’t snap on us, while I held onto the pelican as well to begin the untangling process. I will never forget the penetrating look of the pelican’s eyes when I first approached him. His eyes and sudden movements immediately told me how truly scared he was. Getting caught in fishing line isn’t part of a pelican’s daily routine, after all. After a few minutes, the pelican stopped fidgeting out of agitation and bewilderment. It looked like he knew that I sincerely was helping him. The fact that he knew I was trying to rescue him really showed how beautiful trust can be; that trusting can give hope to a troubled situation. It relates to Roberto Benigni’s movie, “A Beautiful Life” in a way because once I freed the pelican from the excessive tangling of fishing line, the beautiful creature literally stood still for a second, giving me a look of gratitude, and flew away peacefully. It even left me something, too. A feather from him was on the ground once he left; I took it and still have it to this day. I feel like his feather was a token of appreciation from him to me. It shows that out of true fright and disruption, something impeccably beautiful can result out of a terrible situation. Just like in “A Beautiful Life,” when Benigni convinced his son to believe the concentration camp was all a game, and when he risked his life for the sake of his son and his wife. Laughter, love, and beauty can always override fearsome situations.
Topic #4
10. St. Mark’s curriculum has well prepared me for college.
9. If there’s a steady snow on a Sunday night, we’re guaranteed no school Monday.
8. There’s always at least one week out of each month where we have a day off or an early dismissal.
7. Graduation is only 4 months away.
6. You don’t have to worry about what to wear when you wake up in the morning.
5. If there are big cookies in the cafeteria, it’s a good day.
4. Since the gym lobby is closed during free, it forces me to go to the library and study.
3. I burn extra calories every day by walking up and down the stairs.
2. If you’re late more than twice, they reward you with a detention.
1. I spend so many hours at school that I consider it my second home.
In the movie Life is Beautiful Guido had risked his life for his wife and son. Now i cant say that i have ever in my life done something that heroic, or anything near that level but i have helped someone else avoid getting in trouble. It was about freshman year and me and my brother were playing soccer inside the house. The next minute my brother kicked the ball and it went soaring through the air, over the couch and right into the desk, where my mom had put the brand new vase. Now you can tell where this is going, the desk rattled and the vase tipped over shattering into tiny pieces. Not knowing what to do we just left the pieces there and were gonna act like nothing happened. My mom came home and saw the pieces and she freaked, we tried telling her the dog bumped into the desk knocking the vase over but she didn't believe us. she was furious, and my brother was already grounded and on bad terms with my mother. so me being the good sister that i am, took the blame for breaking the vase and ended up getting grounded for a week. But it was worth it, because i know i helped my brother out alot. I know its very tiny but it still felt sort of "heroic" to me.
Top Ten Reasons Why Life is Beautiful at Saint Mark's:
1. I never have to worry about what to wear to school in the morning. Uniform all day, everyday
2. I could wear the same outfit two days in a row, and no one would notice.
3. The new fleece feels ten times better than that old potato bag I used to wear.
4. Main course, drink, and desert all for just four dollars – What a deal!
5. No other school makes chocolate chip cookies better than Cookie herself.
6. I have my own locker that holds all of my books and personal belongings. It really lightens the load.
7. I get a nice workout from running up those stairs every day.
8. No study halls – senior privilege
9. Last period free twice a cycle – I beat all of the parking lot traffic… and there is nothing better than having a last period free on a Friday!
10. I feel safe with former police officers, Mr. Maegerle and Father Cocco patrolling the hallways.
Top Ten Reasons Why Life is Beautiful at St. Mark's
10. Teacher meetings = 1:41 dismissal
9. The cafeteria has a wide variety of food.
8. The education has helped me excel, which I know will help me in college.
7. My mornings are so easy because I always know what I am going to wear, plaid skirt with a polo.
6. Homeroom is the perfect amount of time to get all of my work done that I didn't do the night before.
5. I love being at fan at all the different types of sporting events.
4. Entertainment is provided every morning with Spartan Morning News.
3. Being a part of the Blue-Gold organization has helped me embody humility.
2. Seeing the smile of Sister Sandy can brighten the worst of any kind of day.
1. I get my day's worth of exercise running to get to homeroom on time and at the end of the day running to the parking lot right at 2:41.
When we were young, my parents took us on vacation during the summer. Usually we just went to simple places, but this year we went to Los Cabos, Mexico. In this certain area, they were famous for their rocky yet beautiful beaches and swimming was done only in the resort pools, not the ocean. Every morning, my sister, dad, and myself would walk the beaches, hunt for shells, and climb some of the large rocks. My sister always acted like she had some Indiana Jones movie playing in her head, and would run off, up the rocks, into the water, and wherever else she could. As we continued down the beach we saw an older couple and somehow began talking with them. The husband had told us how he saved his wife’s life earlier that day because she was carried out by the vicious ocean’s under toe and could not swim in. The husband went in and saved her. We decided to give a beach a break and go back to the pool. That didn’t last long though, and soon enough we three musketeers were back on the beach. This time I came across a conch shell, perfect, just sitting there in the sand. As I went to pick it up, I called over my dad, and we were examining it closely. When we looked up, my sister was gone. At first, we figured she was off adventuring somewhere, but when we looked out to the ocean, there she was. She was struggling to swim and was surrounded by all the sharp rocks. My dad wasted no time diving into the water to save her, and didn’t think twice about the under toe or rocks. He swam horizontally to the shore, as you do with under toe, and brought her in. The first thing he did was joke, saying, “guess all those years of life guarding and baking in the sun every summer paid off!” His jokes and laughter turned an extremely scary situation for a seven year old easier to get over. When we all look back on the situation, we are not scared but we laugh about it because of him.
Top Ten List for Saint Mark’s High School:
1.I always know what I am going to wear the following day because of my uniform.
2.I have the privilege to leave school early on C and F days (last period free).
3.I have the senior privilege to choose whatever classes I wish to take.
4.I love having someone here at school to talk to whenever I need them (Sr. Sandy and Father Cocco)
5.If I forget to pack a lunch, I can buy food from the cafeteria.
6.Seniors end school earlier than the rest of the school.
7.Saint Mark's High School has great spirit that is brought to sporting events and activities.
8.Saint Mark's High School has so many clubs and activities that welcome any newcomers.
9.The cafeteria is the best place to find giant cookies.
10.Saint Mark's High School gives me the freedom to be myself in any activity or event that I participate in.
1. When in doubt, last year's green slip will always come in handy on your way into homeroom after the bell.
2. How fast would you actually to run to get out of the parking lot at 2:41?
3. By the time you get your spicy chicken, you'll only have half a lunch period to eat it.
4. Everyone knows frees are not used for getting ahead on tonight homework, they're usually for procrastinators cramming for a test next period.
5. You have to own a whole dresser full of only St. Mark's clothes so you can dress down throughout the whole magazine drive without being labeled an "outfit repeater".
6. But really, we're all "outfit repeaters". Uniforms are so low maintenance.
7. You know it's going to be a good day when Cookie makes her famous giant cookies.
8. Teachers always say they are here to help before and after school, just no one knows where "there" is.
9. Everyone loves working up a sweat trying to beat Swasey in ping pong during gym class.
10. We love the magazine drive for two reasons - prizes and candy.
1. If you have any type of body ache after practice, Calvin is there to give you “stem and ice.”
2. Not a week goes by without a 1:41 dismissal, mass, or an assembly which all shorten your classes.
3. If you venture down the 160’s, you will find yourself swimming with mermaids and fish.
4. I will forever remember Kristina Cassidy and how she gave me the chills when she sang the “hallelujah” during mass last year.
5. Students never have to worry about what to wear in the morning due to the set uniform.
6. You don’t ever have to worry about looking up rules in the handbook because Dr. Shaff will be sure to call you out if you break one.
7. Fries and Pizza are always sold at lunch, a teenager’s guilty pleasure.
8. If you happen to be a senior and have last period free, you are free to leave 41 minutes earlier than everyone else.
9. In a week’s span, you can be sure you will color at least once in your language class.
10. Being at the first Friday night football game at St. Mark’s was truly remarkable and breathe taking.
1.I don’t have stress over looking good because we all wear the same things.
2.We never have a week where we have all five full days with no interruptions.
3.Our fans might not cheer at all, but at least they’re not obnoxious like every other school.
4.There are only a few teachers who are dress code Nazis, everyone else doesn’t seem to care.
5.Mass means that we only have 31 minute classes.
6.Teacher meetings mean the same thing.
7.Your senior year you get to choose between AP Chemistry and forensic science.
8.Our cafeteria has more options than some restaurants.
9.Homeroom has just enough time to finish the homework you “forgot to do” the night before.
10.There is no need to exercise, because just walking to and from the parking lot, and up and down the stairs is enough per day.
Top Ten Reasons Why Life Is Beautiful at St. Mark’s
10. I have no idea how much anything besides the $1.00 objects cost in our cafeteria because I use a card for lunch every day.
9. Whenever Father Cocco brings candy to us at practice it is always right before we start, which gives us an excuse to be lazy.
8. The bare minimum of selling just enough magazines so you can dress down for a week and half is exactly what we are supposed to do.
7. The Deacons are the most similar and dissimilar brothers ever.
6. The teachers disappear from school faster than the students do at 2:41.
5. AP classes teach you that just because you think you know something, there’s still a good chance you don’t know hardly anything and that you need to study better.
4. You couldn’t find an English teacher who is more obsessed with reading than Ms. Healey.
3. Kids don’t have to be afraid of going to school.
2. We have at least one shortened day almost every week.
1. Where else could you learn about wolves and how to love them in a Theology class?
Last February I spent two and a half weeks in a home, school, town, and country that were half way around the world. All I had to remind me of the life I left at home were the pictures in my head and the items packed in my luggage. I’ve never been to a foreign country, let alone in another country without my family. I knew this experience would test me as a person, but never in a million years would I have thought it would have changed me the way in which it did. The reason for my absence was the German exchange program in which I was a part of. I was going to live the life of a typical German teenager for half a month. After living with my partner for a few days, I began to realize we had nothing in common and did not get along in the slightest bit. Nighttime was the hardest part of my days. Having to call home and hear my mother’s voice threw a knife into my heart every time. All I wanted to do was hop the next plane out of Germany and head back home, but I knew that wasn’t an option. Instead of taking my situation and letting it control me, I grabbed it head on and made a change. I knew there was no way of saving my relationship with my exchange partner, but there were many other members in the group in which I got along with. I spent the next two weeks growing closer to the Saint Mark’s students participating in the exchange and with the other German students. I realized that when I was laughing and smiling I wasn’t thinking about my family and how much I wanted to go home. Laughter became my medicine and before I knew it, it was time for us to pack our bags and head to Berlin for the next four days. The exchange program was the best experience that I’ve ever had, and I would never trade those memories for anything in the world. Even though it was extremely tough for me to leave my family behind, I looked past my feelings and made sure I enjoyed every moment of my trip. I know understand that when you’re laughing and smiling nothing bad can happen, and I truly believe laughter is the best medicine for anything. This was a tough personal situation for me to overcome, but when I finally did, I had the time of my life.
Top 10 List: St. Mark’s Life
10. Oh no you forgot a calculator and there’s an important math test…don’t worry the school store has basically everything imaginable!
9. 2:41 calls for a mad dash to the parking lot, with 600 students and only one way out you learn to be a good driver fast.
8. We have enough school spirit to make St. Mark’s a trending topic on twitter…what other school can say that?
7. The seniors are pretty upset about the no exemptions rule this year, but hey at least we had it for three years more than the freshmen.
6. It is very hard to get lost with St. Mark’s easy floor layout, they even have a map at the top of each stairwell with a *here you are* marker to make it that much more helpful.
5. Oh no, did you miss watching Pretty Little Liars last night? Well don’t you worry because St. Mark’s not only has a TV in every classroom, but they also have brand new flat screens in AND outside of the cafeteria as well as in the guidance lobby, the gym lobby, and the main lobby. Now that’s a lot of televisions!
4. You don’t have to worry about not knowing the rules when you have them all conveniently in the front of your complementary St. Mark’s High School planner.
3. Remember when they used to sell sushi at lunch? Now that was good stuff.
2. Who else can say they go to the high school that the current vice presidents wife attended?
1. We rarely ever have an entire full week of school…man, you teachers sure do have a lot of department meetings!
To persevere is an accomplishment in itself. I accomplished this in 7th grade when I got through a difficult time of being bullied by some close friends. Who would have thought that one email can change the way you look at your entire life? In the midst of entering junior high and having uncontrollable hormones; who knew that the ones that I told all my secrets too would be the ones to hurt me like no one has ever hurt me before? In 7th grade after being bullied I felt betrayed and alone. That was until my parents and one friend opened my eyes to the truth. They told me that I am who I am and that no one can change that. My friend proved to me that although there are people in the world who unfortunately wont like me, there are those few that will truly love me for me. My family and my best friend were the only ones who could talk me down from the ledge. They told me that my persevering on through this difficult time I would prove to the “monsters” that nothing can interfere with my dreams. Thinking about my future dreams and a new world in high school and having the support from them telling me that I am not a failure, and that I can go on to follow my dreams I got through the tough time. Now I look back and laugh at the trials and tribulations of the 7th grade unnecessary drama; but it shaped me into the person that I am today so I am glad that it happened.
Top Ten Reasons Why Life is Beautiful at St. Mark’s
1.) Lights out? Have to get dressed in the dark? No problem! When your only choice is between green or white polo you’ll be sure to get it right!
2.) If Cookie says its big cookie day you better hope you have early lunch.
3.) There’s nothing I love more than getting to school at 7:30 every Thursday for club meetings!
4.) Does your clock say 2:50? Take your time; you’ll definitely get stuck behind the buses.
5.) Stopping for coffee in the morning? You’ll be sure to see plenty of plaid skirts and khakis at your local Dunkin’ Donuts.
6.) Need some extra exercise? Having a homeroom on the third floor will do just that.
7.) Flurries in the forecast = prayers for no school
8.) Mass = shorten periods
9.) Late to homeroom? You’ll always be welcomed with a smile, and maybe a detention.
10.) Bored on a Friday night? There’s sure to be a sporting event with spirit filled students!
Being in high school, drama isn't so much a unexpected tragedy as a inevitable annoyance. However, even though it is really never worth the trouble it causes, it has the potential to tear apart near anything. My lunch table is filled with those people who say they hate drama and never cause it, and we all know those people. In actuality I have never heard of more drama going on than at that table. These people are my friends, I have just learned to accept this as a design flaw and look past it. Fights caused by one misinterpreted word are the norm and I have become accustomed to dealing with it for the most part. I typically eat my sandwich without really participating in anything. Every once in a while I witness the conversation take a nose dive into a pool with no water so I step in and save the day. As my friends were yelling at each other one day, I'm not quite sure what I did that warrented such a reaction but I just let out a wail that made everyone forget what they were yelling about and stare at me. So now whenever the table starts heading south for the winter the fight is abruptly stopped by a ”GAAAAAAAHHHHH” from the end of the table and its over. This doesn't make my life any better, though it is good for a laugh, I just do it for them. I let myself be the fool so they can still be friends.
10: Constantly looking out for the deans keeps me alert and my senses sharp.
9: I get to see Mr. Fiorelli and Mr. Fiorelli's mustache every day.
8: Flamingo tie friday.
7:Ugly tie thursday.
6: I get to witness the awkward hilarity of my best friend trying to woo my brother's ex girlfriend.
5: The feeling of ”sticking it to the man” that my dicky (fake shirt) provides.
4: Growing a beard (due to severe medical problems) when noone else is allowed to.
3: Because of number four being able to show off my manliness in the ability to grow a beard.
2: The constantly changing and unreasonable rules prepare me for adversity in the future.
1: Chili cheese nacho day.
Top Ten Reasons Why Life is Beautiful at St. Mark’s
10. The school is so big and diverse that it is easy to fit in and find your group of friends.
9. Last period free twice a cycle gives me a much needed nice little break and an avoidance of the parking lot chaos.
8. Our sports teams are very successful and I am proud to be a part of them. We have won numerous state championships as well.
7. The different phases allow you to be academically challenged at your appropriate level. They try to make students successful and prepare them for the real world.
6. We have a wide range of great well-known clubs to be involved in.
5. Everyone is extremely caring and wants to see the best come out in everyone. They always use the power of prayer to get through a situation, good or bad. Sister Sandy is also always there if you need her.
4. The campus is beautiful and provides a lot of open space, fields, and gyms free for the students to use.
3. If we were to get a snow day, seniors would not have to make them up.
2. When teachers aren’t cramming you with tests, they try with their best effort to make high school fun and enjoyable for all.
1. We have the opportunity to be taught by amazing intelligent teachers like Mr. Fiorelli!
. Just recently I have had a trying personal situation. That was studied for my exams during my midterm week. When I studied the whole entire time I was thinking how I could be doing something better and that this isn’t worth it. I kept persevering though, I did it so my parents wouldn’t get extremely angry with me if I failed all of my exams. I kept thinking to myself that if I fail , It would not look good on my records , and I would probably upset my parents are especially my mom mom. I overall did pretty decent, I feel I could done better though. I am glad that I did well , and if I did not study during the time that I did I cannot imagine what I would have gotten on all of them. Instead I kept pulling through and studying when I didn’t have too. I have been accepted into the colleges that I have applied for, but I know that they still ask for your 3rd quarter grades so I am glad that I kept up with it, I don’t want my grades going down because of me not studying for my exam.
#4
10. I get to listen to "phone tap" on 96.5 on my ride to school every morning.
9. I save a bundle on clothes during the school year, considering I am wearing the uniform 5 days a week.
8. Mass= shorter periods and longer lunches, not too bad!
7. I can now say the Hail Mary in my sleep.
6. I can get the usual prognosis of "ice and stem" at the school trainer after practice everyday.
5. Every once in a while I get the pleasure of almost getting trampled by the freshman with the large book bag trying to be the first to class.
4. I get some exercise for the day sprinting out to the parking lot at 2:41.
3. If there is at least 2 inches of snow on the ground on Sunday night; I expect to still be in my bed at 12:00 the next day.
2. I get to experience the most fun and heartwarming event of the year- Blue Gold Fashion Show.
1. I get the opportunity to make lifelong friends and memories.
In life we sometimes face the most trying situations. These situations test us. They test our ability to think, cope, and perservere when the going get's tough. Everyone faces problems, and the way we will deal with them determine how everyone and ourselves feel. Guido from Life Is Beautiful was a very special man. Most could never deal with a situation like his, and especially could not make fun and laughter out of it. It takes a special person to make others happy in the worst of situations. In my life, I have only met one person like Guido. My grandfather, although he was always so sick, was the happiest and most positive man I have ever known. Everyday when he was alive was a new challenge. For a few years he also never knew what day would be his last. This is why he lived life to the fullest. Although my grandpa had such a rough few last years, that did not stop him for making me feel better. He would always sit down me with for hours and just talk. He would ask me how I was doing, and try to help me with my problems. My grandpa never once focused on himself. He never once talked about his situation. He cared mostly for everyone else around him, even if my problems were not nearly as terrible as his. Any problem I had was a big deal to him. I have never met anyone so loving, and so caring for everyone around him. He reminds me of Guido in these ways. He prevented many situations of mine not to boil over. Even in his bad health condition, my grandfather helped me with my middle school problems. Every single one of them. And he did not complain one time. My grandfather was a unique man. Most are not like him. He could make anyone smile, or make anyone laugh. People like this are one in a million.
About two years ago during my brother’s spring baseball season, I was in a hurry to catch the last few innings of his game. As I was running from my car I could hear loud screams and cheering coming from his team’s dugout. Now I was sprinting to find out what was happening and the score. Finally, I arrived panting like a dog, and a fly ball was hit over the backstop and was heading towards the playground nearby. The tiny five year old sister, Alyssa, of one of the players was a standing target for the baseball. Already exhausted, I begin another race to move the innocent child out of the way. Once I reached Alyssa, I lifted her over my shoulders and continued to run in the same direction. Fortunately for me it was towards the ice cream truck. I look over at her mom and gesture to her that I was going to get her some ice cream. Looking back at the situation, I feel a little impressed with myself. I didn’t plan to be a hero; it just happened. Thankfully she wasn’t too far away from me or else I wouldn’t have been able to save her and she would have been nailed right in the head. I don’t even think Alyssa knew a ball was gunning right for her, but she got her ice cream and was a happy child.
#4
1. There are so many options in the cafeteria, that every day I waist 10 minutes of lunch deciding what to eat.
2. Being in chorus with mrs deascanis helped me get into Allstate chorus the past two years
3. I can sleep in until 650 because school is 15 minutes away.
4. My biggest decision in the morning is "white? Or green?"
5. Students can actually trust their teachers and have relationships with them
6. You can count on having fun classes (like fio's, ms Ohara and Ingram) and get great lessons in a fun way
7. You can count the days until graduation
8. The entire school comes together for mass
9. I'm prepared for college and I'm confident in what I've learned
10. There's an unspoken pride in being a spartan that even people in other schools see.
4.
Top Ten Reasons Why Life is Beautiful at Saint Mark's:
10. I don't have to worry about to wear thanks to the uniform.
9. There is always one day a month where we have shortened periods.
8. Have a variety of classes to choose from.
7. No gym senior year.
6. Having just enough homework to do half at home and have during homeroom.
5. Getting the education to be prepared for college.
4. I get my days worth of laughter in class.
3. I have time to participate in band, chorus, and drama all year.
2.I have the best friends at St. Mark's.
1. St. Mark's is my second home.
10. St. Marks has helped me get into 7 colleges.
9. The same teachers my mom had when she went to St. Marks are also teaching me.
8. Last period free.
7. The Grilled cheese A-line is the best I've ever had.
6. The execrcise I get walking from one side of the building to the other.
5. Being part of the St. Marks Swim team (2nd in the state!)
4. Getting to leave class to talk to the Dean because he is my coach.
3. Only having to drive 10 minutes to school, whereas some people have to drive all the way into Wilmington.
2. Knowing what you're gonna wear everyday.
1. Being part of the St. Marks family.
1) Last fall I volunteered for a political campaign as a project for law class. For the project, we had to have volunteered around 15 hours to get a good grade. For the next two months all my Sunday afternoons were spent walking around neighborhoods, sending letters, and tallying information for Chris Coons. As I was volunteering, I realized how hard this job actually was if you did it right. Although I was stuck outside in pouring cold rain or in the simmering sun for multiple hours, I started to recognize the hard work and effort that goes into each and every single campaign. The last time I signed out for my hours, one of the volunteer managers came up to me with a smile, asking if I was coming around the same time next weekend too since it was the busiest and last weekend before the polls (which he asked if I could take part of as well). Normally I would have turned down the offer since I was busy with school and sports, but I agreed and came back the next weekend. Volunteering helped me realize that everyone needs help somehow and that everyone can help in some form or another. Since I wasn’t at the legal age I could vote at, at the time, I was shocked about how much I could actually do. I persevered through the hard freezing rain the next weekend for multiple hours to help a politician that represented my community. The fact that I could help in any form was amazing, but to be able to see who I was helping and the response that his campaign workers got every time I signed off on my hours showed me a lot. They were grateful for the hours I spent, and I was grateful for the opportunity given to help someone so involved in politics. During this campaign I started thinking positively because if I was having a bad day, I would just remember that I helped a politician make his way to the White House. A simple class project turned into an extraordinary experience to help an important person in our community become an important person to our country. The thought of being involved with the election process kept me volunteering that last weekend.
My sense of humor is what I rely on when in difficult or awkward situations. It's normally my way out. My friends don't normally get into fights. So I don't have to use it with them normally. However, my sisters are a completely different story They don't get along very well and never have. I remember in the summer of 2003, my family and I went to Italy. We stayed in a villa with it's own pool for a few weeks. One night, my parents went for a walk while my two older sisters and I were all in the pool. They started to get into the twentieth fight they had that week. It was so trivial I can't even remember what it was about. Most likely it was on what television show we would watch that night. Which makes no sense because all the shows were in Italian, and the only word they knew was Ciao. I swear they'll fight about anything just to annoy the other. I couldn't take it any more. So I did a belly flop in between them while I sang the lyrics "why can't we be friends?" Then when I realized they were done fighting I sang "Reunited and it feels so good." That annoyed them, as I knew it would because I'm a terrible singer. Then they switched from fighting to holding their hands against their ears begging me to stop.
Topic #4
10. I do not have to worry about what to wear in the morning (sorry it has been overstated but it’s true).
9. Saint Marks has a wide variety of teachers like two emts, a former police office, a priest, and two sisters.
8. The slightest amount of no means no school.
7. The cafeteria food is almost always delicious.
6. A large amount of state tournament teams which makes for good competition and school spirit.
5. Senior sweaters over blazers any day, there so much better.
4. Having to wear ties for the past four years has let me perfect the perfect triangle knot.
3. The difficult curriculum and wide variety of classes provided me with a plethora of knowledge that has prepared me for college.
2. This is the only school I know of that has “Free” periods.
1. Seniors get out in May, enough said.
Top Ten Reasons Why Life is Beautiful at St. Mark's High School.
1.) Even though the hallways are very crowded you can always count on overhearing interesting conversations.
2.) The lunch selection for the day can change a students whole mood. Spicy chicken= great mood!
3.) The feeling you get when you say hi to Mrs. Allessandrini and she replies with, “Hello, you are beautiful.”
4.) Who needs to look out the window when we have a number of lovely birds on Mr. Fiorelli’s walls.
5.) Having the privilege of being vice-president of Z-Club has taught me leadership, responsibility, and the importance of community outreach.
6.) The toughest decision I face in the morning is whether I should wear a white polo or green polo.
7.) There is something for every student to enjoy through out the year. There really is “a lid for every pot” at St. Mark’s.
8.) St. Mark’s pottery class has taught me that making clay bees is my specialty.
9.) I do not know any other school that has a fish hallway like ours...
10.) I look forward to our circle time in english class everyday.
There are many times in my life where I believe I had to act as if everything was alright, just so my family member would think positively. I think the most recent incident in which I had to act positive for another person is when my grandfather was first put in a nursing home. Obviously for my mother it was a terrible and saddening event to see her father be put in a nursing home. My whole family was upset about the situation that was occurring and I thought as a good younger son that I had to show a positive attitude. I was able to talk to my mom and tell her that everything will be alright. My mom is very religious so we really looked to God for advice. I told my mom that God has a plan for everyone and it will all be for the best. I started to help around the house a lot more because I could tell she was really upset about the situation. I think the most important part of making my mom feel better is focus on all the good memories we had with my grandfather. We tried hard to focus on the good and not the bad.
1) One personal situation that I had was when I first started high school. I was excited to be finally getting out of my grade school since I had gone there for nine years and be starting high school. My friends and I could not wait to start at a new school where we could be more independent and meet new people. My friends were all going to Padua while I decided to attend St. Mark’s. I was nervous that I would have a hard time meeting new people. My first day at St. Mark’s was extremely nerve racking. I did not know anyone except for some of the people coming from my grade school. I met some people during homeroom and in my classes. My mother suggested that I try a sport so I decided I would try field hockey. I was nervous that I would be the only one who had never played. I was happy when I found out that majority of the team had not played before either. It was a fun way to meet new people. After a couple of weeks, I was finally starting to feel more comfortable and started talking to more people. In conclusion, I was very nervous to start high school but I am glad that I decided to go to St. Mark’s or else I would not have met some amazing friends.
Top Ten Reasons Why Life is Beautiful at Saint Mark's:
1. Everyone knows everyone’s birthday due to decorations on the fence and lockers.
2. “Normal” days don’t happen too frequently ensuring that you don’t have to sit through a 41 minute class too often.
3. I have one free a day; homework at night unusual.
4. There’s hardly any service in the school you don’t have to be distracted by your cell phone.
5. There are always familiar faces because every teacher sits you in alphabetical order.
6. You can always find someone to listen to you.
7. Teachers realize “fun days” are important just as much as you do if not more.
8. The cafeteria has a lot of options for lunch and if they aren’t open, there’s always the book store!
9. No need for jealousy... everyone has to take midterms and finals.
10. Movies can ALWAYS be tied in to lessons. Teachers are willing to prove this.
With peer pressure on the rise in teenagers, it’s often hard to make good decisions if everyone’s doing the wrong thing. We teenagers have the overwhelming desire to fit in and be accepted by everyone else, even if that’s not who we really are. Almost two summers ago I was forced into a situation I didn’t want to be in, with my reputation on the line. I was out with a girl who my friend had introduced me to, and she invited me to go bowling with her and a bunch of her friends. They weren’t the nicest kids I had ever met, but I didn’t really care at the time. I just wanted this girl to like me. They started off talking badly about some kids that they didn’t like that were bowling down at the other end of the alley as teenagers often do, but they soon got over it and moved on to the other people in the lanes close to us. This is where I started to feel really uncomfortable. There was this group of older women who looked to be about in their late sixty’s or early seventy’s who were all part of a bowling league. Every time one of the women went up to bowl, the teens would make some extremely rude comment or mock their style. This went on for about ten minutes before I saw one of the women walk off with tears in her eyes. One of the teens had just yelled asking her where her husband was, and all they did was laugh and mock her even more. I had had it at that point, and I snapped and took out all of my anger on the group I was sitting with. How anybody could act that immaturely and disrespectfully to anyone, let alone a group of old women is beyond me. Of course the teens then all directed their negative attention towards me, but I didn’t care anymore. I grabbed my stuff and I left, but not before walking over to the group of women and apologizing for how rude the kids were and offering to pay for their next game if they wanted to just leave that one. They declined but did end up leaving, and I’ll never forget the level of gratitude the woman who was crying showed me, blessing me with all her heart and making her feel so much better that even out of a bunch of teenagers, one had the courage and the nerve to do what was right.
1. Even if there is a little snow on the ground we’re almost guaranteed at least an hour late. Thank you novice drivers,
2. Getting at daily dose of Super Smash Bros. in the senior lounge.
3. Getting to watch great movies in C&C Writing.
4. Wearing a uniform makes mornings so much easier.
5. Cafeteria has way better food then other school, or so I’ve heard.
6. Being able, for the most part, to pick classes you want to take.
7. In Spanish, everyday starts with a game.
8. Not winning the “Spirit Stick” senior year teaches our class humility.
9. Having a spacious locker so I don’t end up with a freshman book bag.
10. I feel St. Mark’s education has set me up to do well in college and the rest of my life.
Reasons Why Life at St. Mark's is Beautiful
1. Being a senior basically means you get to do whatever you want.
2. Since there are a LOT more people in my grade that do stupid things, the stupid things I do never get noticed.
3. There is rarely ever a full week of school.
4. Getting to laugh at all of the new drivers in the parking lot.
5. Unlike most of the school, I actually like the cafeteria food, even if it is really bad for me.
6. Most of the teachers are friendly, and nice people to talk to in or out of the classroom.
7. I get to see my friends for 6 hours every day.
8. I don't need to buy AS much clothes due to wearing a uniform every day.
9. I get to have some much needed time away from my parents every week.
10. Getting to see the freshman come in and think that that is what we were all like four short years ago.
Ten Reasons Life is Beautiful at St. Mark's:
10 - Being a senior means you can tower over everyone
in the hallways (except other seniors)
9 - After four years, I've only ever had a locker on
the 3rd floor
8 - St. Mark's offers plenty of opportunity to access
a computer to do homework or print a paper, as long as
you beat the crowd trying to launch firefox simultaneously
7 - The parking lot isn't nearly as full as it was in years
past, but it still takes just as long to empty out
6 - We have Flat Screen TV's all around the school, but
class rooms still have the tv box sets from the 80's
5 - No more study halls, but since the gym lobby is closed
most people end up in the library to study anyway which is way more
productive than study halls were
4 - Prices in the cafeteria rise every year like a graph of an exponential function,
good thing we all learned our Algebra 2 right?
3 - Instead of playing the older and wider variety of Spartan Morning News
Intros, they play a select few over and over. But then again what can
beat the Spicy Chicken Rap or the Blues Brothers?
2 - Wearing the senior sweater is like having a hall pass on you at all times,
teachers just assume you have a free and you're on your way somewhere.
1 - Spicy Chicken, the underclassmen have no idea how important those two words
were four years ago. Along with the much nicer fry containers filled with hand breaded fries
and the more frequent big chocolate chip cookies, they don’t know what they were missing out on!
In Life is Beautiful, Joshua's innocence played a big role since was too young and innocent to know what exactly was going on. Joshua's father turned it in to a game so he wouldn't have to deal with the horrible truth. When I was little I would believe anything that somebody would tell me. I was about 7 years old when this tragic day happened. My grandparents had lived with me my entire life since my parents work the night shift and were like my second parents. My grandfather and I use to hang out all day after school either having a catch or watching gameshows. He was the jolliest and happiest man that could always brighten your day. One day I came home from school just like any other day but there was something wrong. "Mom, wheres Pop-Pop" I asked. "Hes in the hospital." my Mom mummbled. My grandfather has had diabetes almost his entire life. He ended up having one of his arteries being clogged and had a heart attack. He needed surgery right away if he had any chance to live. Now, as we rushed to the hospital, I had know idea what was going on. When we arrived in the waiting room, I asked my dad, "is Pop-Pop ok?" and dad just started laughing and replied, " Of course he is havent you ever heard of the game operation." I immediately had a big smile on my face since that was one of my favorite games. "Your Pop-Pop's fine, he just wanted to play doctor's to see how good they are at the game. Haha silly Pop-Pop." I felt so relieved. My grandfather ending up surviving the operation and continued to live with us. Because of my innocence, I never knew how lucky we were that our grandfather was still alive. My dad shielded the truth from me just like Guido did to Joshua so that I wouldnt have to deal with the fear of lossing my grandfather. I never realized what my dad did for me up until a few years ago and glad he was there to protect me.
1. Detentions are easier to get and arent as bad as demerits
2. The rules are somewhat fair but debateable
3. The teachers treat you like they care what happens to u like your one of there own
4. Overall saint Marks contains good sportsmanship when it comes to athletics
5. The senior class looks up to the faculty and staff
6. Tryouts for athletic teams are fair and gives everyone a chance
7. Bullying is not really an issue at st marks
8. The students overall stand together as a school
9. The food is expensive and occasionally worth it
10. The tough courses and no matter what phase your in theirs always a place for you at saint marks and It will be your second home hopefully not your first home
Sometimes when you are in a bad situation the only way to comfort someone or help them get through it is to lie to them. For instance when 9/11 happened it was a very traumatic experience. My little brother kept asking what happened and why everyone was in such panic, my parents assessed the situation and saw how afraid he was and realized that telling him the truth would only make things worse. So they lied to him and told him that an accident had happened with some planes but everything was fine and everyone was ok, no one was hurt. They didn't lie as much as Guido did to his son but in both situations the parents are trying to protect their sons from the terrible truth. Eventually my parents told my little brother what actually happened, just like I am sure Dora eventually told Josua what happened. In both cases I feel the parents did the right thing because telling the truth could have greatly hurt both children and could have traumatized both of them. If I was put in either situation I think I would have done the same thing. If my child asked me something I could not bear to tell them because I knew telling them the truth would hurt them I would lie just like my parents did. I applaud the parents for protecting their children and I completely agree and understand why they did what they did.
1) The teachers all treat you like equals.
2) The Seinors all treat underclassmen with respect and dignity.
3) Even when you get a "questionable" detention, it's teaching to abide even the most superfluous rules.
4) The faculty and staff set a great example for the students here.
5) The bell schedules are easy to follow and not confusing on strangely scheduled days.
6) The food, though expensive, is pretty edible.
7) You can join whatever club or sport you want and don't have to worry about being condescended upon.
8) The pep rally is fun, exciting, and really unites the school.
9) The prestige of this school immediately catches the eye of college admissions.
10) We have many great traditions like Senior Week, Senior skip day, Senior Assassins, and Mole Day
10. The school is full of teachers that actually care about my well-being and want me to do good in their class.
9. The school has many extra-curricular activities so there is something for everyone.
8. We have many sport teams so everyone can make a team.
7. There is a lot of school spirit and many students go to the sporting games to cheer on their classmates.
6. All teachers are very friendly and most know me by my first name.
5. The uniform makes it very easy to get ready in the morning.
4. The tough curriculum prepares us for college.
3. We have the opportunity to pray together as a family at least once a month.
2. The student council plans many great activities during the school year.
1. Everyone is treated with respect and as an equal.
1) The cafeteria staff knows and and greets almost every kid with their first and last name.
2) You surrounded by kids that care, and push you to your full potential.
3) St. Marks contains state of the arc computers, which are always available for use.
4) There is a place for almost any kid, on one of our many sports teams.
5) We through one of the best spirit weeks in the state, always ending it with a crazy pep rally.
6) We have many activities that unite the senior class, like senior skip day, senior week, and senior assassins.
7) There is a tough curriculum, which prepares me for college.
8) We have a great student council, which plans out numerous fun events.
9) We have the opportunity to pray together and for others at least nine times a day.
10) We only have four more months until we graduate.
#4. Top Ten Reasons Why My Life Is Beautiful at SMHS
10. Having only four minutes to get from my last class on the first floor to my next class on the third floor, I have learned excellent time management skills.
9. Extra frees during school mean less stress and homework and more time to do what I want.
8. There are vast service opportunities that serve as wonderful college essay topics.
7. I’m able to challenge myself in all my classes, and work at various paces, depending on my academic strengths.
6. Muffins are less than two dollars, and there is usually at least one banana nut one.
5. I get greeted by practically all of the Saint Marks faculty as I pass them in the halls, regardless of whether I have ever met them.
4. Not being able to print more than 10 pages out in the library saves paper and the environment.
3. The school store is basically the Room of Requirement-anything you could ever want or need from school is there, and for a pretty low price.
2. I don’t have to worry whether or not my outfit looks alright and is acceptable to my peers, because they’re wearing virtually the same thing.
1. I get to be with my friends each day in one way or another because we’re all in the same grade/academic level.
Top 10 reasons why life is beautiful at St. Marks:
10. School doesn't start untill 8:15, unlike public schools
9. Wide selection of food to eat in the cafeteria
8. I don't have to worry about what to wear to school because we have a uniform
7. There are many different clubs to be involved in to make new friends
6. Loving and caring teachers and faculty
5. Great school spirit
4. Challenging classes to help prepare me for college
3. We are able to pray at the beginning of each class
2. We are lucky enough to have mass told by the bishop during school hours
1. 1:41 dismissal when there is teacher confrences
There are many reasons for why life at St Marks High School is beautiful. One of the most important parts of our school and perhaps the most beautiful part of all is the fact that we are all one family. I myself know mostly all the people in my class and am friendly with them all. Since we are all a family, everyone is very friendly and always there to help. Besides having very nice people, we also have vary diverse people here. Since the people are all so nice, and since they aren't all the same, this creates some very unique situations for everyone. None of the situations are bad, but we still learn how to act in certain situations. Another great part of our school is going on right now. Catholic Scools Week is a great way to bring everyone together and celebrate all of our blessings at our school. One of the things we celebrate during this time is our wonderful academics. We are constantly challenged to do our best and strive for excellence. Also, the wonders of our school don't end at dismissal. We have numerous sports teams and clubs, and basically have something for everyone. Life is truly beautiful at St Marks.
There are 10 things that make St Marks beautiful.
1) The big screen televisions around every corner
2) The pasta...its breathtaking
3)The long driveway that allows for many snow days.
4)The uniform. Never have to worry about what to wear.
5)The parking lot. The security guard will never allow anyone to park when not allowed.
6)The teachers. They help me learn to my fullest ability.
7)The students, everyone is nice and kind and are like me.
8) The cafeteria. The food is great and my table is awesome.
9) The desks. Although I am a lefty and many desks are made for right handed people they have minimal damage.
10) My friends. They help me through the day and through my hardships.
1. A very devastating and traumatic event in every family is when any member dies, whether it be from old age, accident or other means. Last year my family experienced the death of a young woman, my cousin, who had just become a mother. The cause of death had involved both drugs and alcohol, an overdose. We haven't heard whether it was suicide or not, and that's probably because the family doesn't want anyone to remember her for less than she was. It was difficult to hold a smile on for her giggly two year old daughter who couldn't understand what had happened at all. Though not in the mood, smiling for her wasn't the hardest part. Looking at her playing and being carefree, we could almost forget why the whole family was together for the week. We could pretend nothing had happened. The most difficult part was talking to my younger brother about what had happened. He knew that she had died. He had just turned eight and had known about death for a while. He was confused, however, as to why she was so young and what had happened. He had never heard that she was sick and nobody was speaking about why she had passed away. My parents stuck with saying that she had made 'bad decisions' and that he shouldn't ever do what she did. As I had to entertain him when he got bored, being surrounded by mourning adult family members, it ended up being the question for me, "What did she do?" I didn't find that it was my place to tell him, and I didn't think he should know yet. I smiled and talked about how nice she had been, how much fun we had with her and how pretty she was when we had last seen her. Surrounded by mourning grandmothers and aunts, my little brother and I laughed about how much fun we had when we saw her last. He forgot to ask again what she had done wrong. Though I know that he has probably found out by listening in on conversations since that day, I know that the memory of her when she was happy will stay that much stronger in his mind. I believe that my memories of her will also be more happy after taking the time with my brother, ignoring my grief, to force and smile and talk about happiness.
Top Ten Reasons Why Life is Beautiful at St. Mark’s High School:
10. Public school kids aren’t as friendly as St. Mark’s kids.
9. Getting dressed in uniform cuts down half of the time it takes me to get ready on a daily basis.
8. The entertainment of spirit week; wearing pjs to school and ending the week with “No Freshman in Gym”.
7. The joy of seeing my glorious face on Spartan Morning News.
6. Passing teachers in the hallway I don’t even know and receiving a happy greeting.
5. The fact that Child Psych students get to bring in babies to school!
4. Having a last period free on C and F days and being able to go home early.
3. Taking chorus which gives awesome benefits such as going out of school to sing and raising my gpa.
2. Knowing that I don’t have to go to the gym, seeing that walking up and down the stairs is enough of a workout for me,
1. Coming to school on grilled cheese day is the happiest day of my life.
1. Although AP classes may be miserable, ending a month early is awesome.
2. Being able to tan outside during free once it gets sunny.
3. Never picking out my clothes.
4. Senior privileges - senior lounge, no study halls. Even if we didn't win the spirit stick.
5. The monthly early dismissals.
6. Cant beat the spicy chicken A line.
7. Having homeroom on the third floor every year because you have an "S" last name. We should have an extra minute to get to homeroom.
8. Seeing my teachers and coaches more than I see my parents.
9. Spending tons of money on gas driving to school, home from school, back to school for practice, and then home again.
10. The wonderful Spartan morning news intros.
Top 10 Reasons why Life is Beautiful at Saint Marks
1. School starts 45 minutes later than it did at my old school, so while my old friends are already in homeroom, I’m just hearing my alarm to get out of bed.
2. Whatever you happen to be craving to eat that day, our cafeteria is almost guaranteed to have it
3. You feel an underlying sense of unity throughout the entire school, especially through prayer.
4. There are plenty of understanding faculty members that are more than happy to help you reach your full potential in any way they can
5. On top of not having to waste time picking out what to wear in the morning, our uniforms are generally pretty casual and comfortable
6. There’s a club for anything that spikes your interest
7. We have one of the most upbeat and fun pep rallies out of any school I know.
8. Our exceptional sports teams bring school spirit and impressiveness
9. Detention is only 45 minutes
10. Because our school is so big, there’s plenty of opportunities to bring us together and create life long friends
1.Last period free… by far my favorite thing because while other people have a complete full week of school, I’m out of school 2 of those days at 1:56.
2.People say they hate having a uniform, but I love it. Next year I’m going to have to pick out what to wear every day which will be terrible.
3.Tortellini. Best lunch ever. Cookies. Best cookies ever.
4.Sperry’s are so comfortable and I love wearing them every day.
5.When it starts to get warm outside in the spring and we get to sit outside during free.
6.Leaving my house at 7:50 getting to school by 8:11 walking into school takes 3 minutes, and walking into homeroom as the bell rings.
7.Magazine drive, fun freshmen year then you figure out no one ever really wins the money so you just give up and hope you at least win some tootsie rolls.
8.The classroom with fish and turles and whatever other animals... ive always wanted to have a class in there but i never have.
9.Lacrosse season because I become so much closer to the people on my team that I don’t have classes with or don’t usually see.
10.Those days when you come into school and figure out we have 1:41 dismissal AND last period free and it makes your week.
#4
10. Prayer & Mass always kills a little class time
9. The food is so bad I save money by not eating it.
8. The freshmen make me laugh
7. I've learned to sleep while still looking quite awake.
6. Graduation is oh so close.
5. I've learned to navigate through the smallest hallways with the most careless walkers.
4. Free periods. Enough said.
3. I can wear a tie without looking over dressed.
2. I can actually get work done when I have detention.
1. Excessive amount of days off.
1.I guarantee our cafeteria has the best food of any high school. Unless it’s a Friday in lent, I can basically have a cheese steak every day, and when it is a Friday in lent I’m still not complaining because I’m blessed with popcorn shrimp and mozzarella sticks.
2.We have carpeted hallways, apparently this is a luxury because every time I have friends from other schools at St. Mark’s they freak out over the fact we have carpet, it makes me feel high class.
3.Our day doesn’t begin until 8:15, most of my friends from other school are in class before I am even out of bed on a normal day, and that is truly beautiful.
4. Our school did not give into the block scheduling trend, I can just imagine how insane my ADD would drive me if our classes where an hour and a half long and not the lovely 41 minutes they are currently.
5. Watching some girls turn a mysterious shade of orange in the winter is always a good time.
6. On a clear day, the view out of the window on the corner of the 350/340 hallways is actually pretty gorgeous.
7. Detention is borderline entertaining at St. Mark’s when Dr. Schaff is proctoring and someone he dislikes is in it.
8. There is no greater feeling then the feeling of relief when Winter dress code I finally over, and the sweater can finally be retired.
9. If you end up as lucky as I have, you will meet the most incredible people who will touch your life and change it for the better. People at St. Mark’s will constantly surprise you with how quality their character is, how interesting they actually are and how your friends will come from the most unexpected places.
10. The fact that the teachers here actually care, and put so much effort into helping their students achieves their best. A few teachers at St. Mark’s have changed the way I look at the big picture, and made me think in ways I did not even know I could; and that is what makes life here so beautiful.
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