The Goal (Aka, Blog #1)

Please outline what you hope to gain from your upcoming junior year. What are your overall goals for the year?

Well, since you’d like me to outline my goals, I’ll make a list, and go into depth as the page progresses on.

1- Gain a more developed sense of independence
2- Understand and be more prepared for college
3- Get a good internship
4- Find an extracurricular or two
5- Dance like no one is watching.

1- Independence.
I guess the biggest thing I’d like to gain more of is independence. To be more specific, I’d like to gain a new sense of trust in myself that allows me to feel ready for college. Now, I don’t mean I want to feel like I can go to college right off the bat, but I’d like to be challenged to the point where I learn so much that I grow more mature and capable, which I guess is the main goal for every student, isn’t it? I’d like to push myself to really do my best in everything I do this year, because it seems like every year for the past year, there’s always been a few projects or assignments where I got a good grade, and thought to myself ‘I could have done better’. This year I’d like to think ‘it was worth it’. I want to be able to think about college, and know that I’ll be able to get through it one way or another. Basically, I’d like to keep my grades up. It would be amazing if I could get my first 4.0.

2- College Prep.
Over the summer, I realized that I really am not preparing myself for college. I’ve always had this goal to go to college on an English scholarship of some sort, but of course I can’t do that without putting forth more effort. I’d like to really get the grades that show I deserve a scholarship, and I’d like to challenge myself to the point where college won’t feel like too big of a change at first. Well, I know college will still take some adjusting, but I don’t want to be one of those kids who get all depressed and quit before the end of the first semester. Expanding my mind is the key, and learning how to cope with stress and organize myself better. I’ve got to learn to stand on my own two feet, and take initiative. But I don’t even know where to begin with college. I don’t know where I want to go, or what exactly what I want to do yet, and I think I should start researching that. Not only that, but I realized that I’ll have to take my SAT’s and ACT’s this year, and I’ve got a long way to go before I feel like I’m ready for that, so I hope to find a SAT prep coarse.

3- Internship.
I’d like to get an internship that really helps me understand myself better. Something that makes me happy, and allows me to create and share at the same time. I’d like to find an internship that would link to my college classes, whether those classes be big or small. For example, I’d love an internship with a photographer where I got to take pictures and learn to edit them at a professional level. Photography is something I really enjoy because it allows and challenges myself and others to see the world differently. Appreciate the little things, and think more about the big as well. Another internship I’d like to do would involve writing (preferably creative writing), because writing is truly my passion. Honestly, it’s the one thing that keeps me happy, hopeful, and dreaming. It’s like when I’m writing, I can be myself more without limits of page boarders. I feel like if I do these things, I can really help the world somehow. I’m not quite sure yet, but I know that I have a voice that could change things in some people, or make people think a little deeper. Becoming a writer and/or journalist is what I’m currently looking into, so of coarse gaining experience from an internship involving that would not only help me in college but also life. My dream job is to be a journalist that travels the world, taking photography along the way. Those people who go to Europe and wine taste, and visit old decrepit towns, and review hotels and such. A dream job, I know, but why not me?

4- Extracurricular activities.
Over the summer, it also became apparent to me that getting into extracurricular classes will not only help me in my college applications, but it will give me more to do, and more to learn. Expand my horizons, if you will. I’d like to learn conversational French, and find another extracurricular that’s more for fun such as Drama, Creative Writing, or Swimming. I’ve always enjoyed acting and theater, but I don’t know where to take classes. Better yet, I’d like to find an extracurricular that taught me how to play write. That way I’d incorporate two things I absolutely love. But once again, I have no idea where to start on the matter.

5- Dance like no one is watching.
This title isn’t so literal as the others. When I say “dance like no one is watching”, I mean learn to be more comfortable in my own skin, and not be afraid to be myself. I’d like to become a little more outgoing this year, and really become more of myself, if that even makes sense. Maybe I mean that I want to understand myself better to the point where being me and standing out isn’t so terrifying at any point in time. I’ve always been on the shy side, but that seems to be changing for the better at its own pace. So, here I am, willing to move on in life and do what’s best for me, and help others the way I’ve always wanted to. After all, we have nothing to fear but fear itself.

Tell us about what you hope to accomplish or learn from your experiences in this Humanities class. What do you hope to learn & what do you hope to develop?

I’ll try to keep this answer a bit more brief and to the point. Humanities class is where I’d like to challenge myself most, which is why I’m signing up for honors. I know it will be hard, but I know I’ve got a lot to learn, and honors humanities is just the thing to push me to learn it. I hope to gain a wider vocabulary, and improve my writing skills. I want to expand my mind and my horizons so I can know—I mean really know—what it is I can and want to do. I know the basic outline of what I want to do, but not much. I’m hoping humanities will help me not only understand myself better, but others as well. It has done so for me throughout my life, after all, so what could stop me now? Nothing but myself, and I’m thinking that I’m ready enough to get past that. The challenges may be excrutiating, but it’ll be worth it in the end. So…

Here. We... Go.

-D’Vaughn McCrae