Waiting to Hear

        A couple of weeks ago, I finally submitted my common application to college, and I am very happy to finally be done with the application process. However, I am far from relieved. I thought that I could finally kick back, and just enjoy the year as a senior without thoughts of my application planted in my mind. I did not think of this before, but the suspense of waiting for a decision may kill me. I won’t hear from any school until at least the end of December, and I won’t hear from two of my top schools until the spring. I would certainly feel very relieved upon finishing the common app if the waiting periods was a couple of weeks or so, but a couple of months is painfully long. Some of my decisions should come in around Christmas time, and I know what I want Santa to bring me this year; acceptance letters.
        Just waiting is extremely painful and I do my best not to worry about it but it is hard not to, this is my future after all. Thirteen years of schooling and countless hours of work will hopefully pay off. The only question is when will I know that it has paid off? I worked very hard to get to this point, and all my hard work has lead up to what will hopefully be a three letter word that starts with “y” and ends with “e” and “s” from all the colleges that I applied to. I just have to wait a few more months. I never thought that I would be this anxious as a wait for some mail.

Proofreading is Important

Today in class, on Ms. Baskin’s birthday (Happy Birthday!), we gave her the gift of helping her grade some old quizzes. My classmates and I were so excited to see what the process entailed, and also to avoid fondling the details of a new story, that it felt more like a gift for us. I have long wondered what it is like to grade any work in an English class. So much of what we are graded on in English is abstract and answers certainly can vary. Thankfully, this was not at full display today, as the quizzes were just reading checks with only one right answer. However, it is easy to forget that knowing the material you are reading is only half the battle. The other half of the battle is being articulate.

I was fortunate enough to grade the quizzes of two students who had neat handwriting, and, for the most part, strong grammar and spelling skills. There is not much you can do about the handwriting, as that had become muscle memory long ago, but I was amazed at some of the strange combinations of words that were passed off as answers in the tests around me. By taking a second to read over their answer, the student could have realized that the words on the page did not make sentences, and they could change it. The best way for an athlete to learn and prepare is to watch film, and I feel like, through this exercise, I was just watching some film to become a better student. With the deadline for the Winesburg essay looming large, I know that I have a ways to go. I must proofread my essay several times over before I hand it in. There is only a year or two of experience separating me from the kids I could chuckle at this morning, and, if I don’t read over my work, Ms. Baskin will be chuckling at me.

The Grind of the Celtic's Season

I have always been a very big fan of Boston sports teams, and the success our teams have attained has brought me a lot of happiness. However, I am no “fair weather” fan, and I will stick with my teams through the good, the bad, and even the ugly. With the Boston Celtics, a team that plays an 82 game season, this can be a grind. The Celtics are rebuilding after trading or losing every player on the 2008 championship team. Today, things are looking up after a 25 win season just two years ago, and they are projected to win up to 50 games. They have a lot of young talent, and one of the best and youngest coaches in the game. However, the NBA is a star’s league, and that is something the celtics do not have. Because of this, every single one of the 82 games will be close and interesting to watch. This makes it very entertaining, but also very stressful for the fans who care enough watch. I am emotionally invested in this team, and, when the game comes down to the last second every night, it is tough.

Just last night (Wednesday), the Celtics came up short by only one basket. All game long, they were down but remained within striking distance. By the start of the last quarter of play, the Celtics trailed by only one point, and they even took a lead here and there. Much like any other game, the last two minutes (a tie game at this point) were particularly stressful. The Pacers hit a three pointer and another two to go up by five with a minute left. Our bright young coach was able to draw up a play and Avery Bradley drained a three to make it a two point game with less than a minute. After a stop on D, and another AB bucket, it was a tie game with 30 seconds to go. The Pacers have the ball and go up two points off of a bogus foul call and, with 3 seconds remaining, the celtics have a chance. 3..2..(the shot is up)..1..(the shot hits front rim)..1...0. As you can imagine, those were a stressful three seconds and a disappointing ending for me. What is more stressful is that there are still 78 more games to go. Celtics fanhood is a grind, but I love it.