Emily+T.

[|Senior 09: Flashback]

"Courage, it would seem, is nothing less than the power to overcome danger, misfortune, fear, injustice, while continuing to affirm inwardly that life with all its sorrows is good; that everything is meaningful even if in a sense beyond our understanding; and that there is always tomorrow."

This quote pretty much sums up my four years of Green Hope High School. There's been so many ups and downs -- inevitably high school drama. Sometimes I never would have thought I would make it this far, but with every downfall, I learned to shake it off and smile, because as the quote states, "there is always tomorrow."

There are many vital events in these past four years that have made me who I am, though not all are depicted in my video because I'm camera shy.

In freshman year, I was timid but I knew with great confidence who I was and the direction I was going with life. Needless to say, I was a very naive freshman -- bright-eyed and ready to conquer the world ... or high school at least. Throughout this year, I craved to find a place where I belonged and fit in. Fortunately, I joined the Green Hope Marching Band. This was without a doubt one of the greatest experiences of my life; to feel like I had a place and a part in something much greater than myself is an amazing feeling. I joined track, and I also had the most awesome gym/health/band class. I don't know how I would have survived freshman year without them.

Sophmore year was a blur, to be honest. One vital event that summer was my trip to Hawaii, Hong Kong, Thailand, and parts of China with my family. It opened my eyes to how fortunate I was; in the poverty-stricken parts of China, there are sights of horror beyond what you can imagine. Within this year, I got mixed in with the wrong people and things started going extremely downhill from there, creating a giant snowball effect.

Junior year was stressful, to say the least. By this time, the confidence that I once had from middle school had long gone, and I had forgotten who I was and didn't know up from down. Thankfully, my baritone section of the Green Hope Marching Band grew closer than we've ever been. We started becoming more of a family than anything else. For a while, they were the reason I went to school each day. Relationships were key in junior year. I started my second serious relationship this year, and of course, drama was the first thing that came out of it.

Senior year was definitely the craziest, insane-filled year of the whole four years of high school. Senioritis kicked in pretty early, and thus went my grades down the toilet. My parents and I have been at odds for years and though it has gotten a little better, it's also gotten a lot worse these last four years. My serious relationship was becoming to be too much and it ended a few months ago. My grandmother died this senior year. It was one of the if not the most life-altering events in my life. She was someone I looked up to and respected so dearly. She gave me my dad and my 12 aunts and uncles that I can turn to for anything. The night at the hospital and the controversy over "pulling the plug" was unbearable almost. A part of me died when she passed away. My brother's studying abroad program in Hong Kong was also an important event. I became more independent -- only having me to look after myself and dictate my actions. In addition, I started my first legal job in my senior year at La Farm Bakery. I met the most wonderful, amazing people there; I wouldn't trade it for the world. And of course ... what would senior year be without prom? Prom was no doubt awesome. Getting accepted to NCSU was one of the biggest highlights of this year as well. =]

All in all, these last four years in Green Hope High School has been crazy, but good. It's been a roller coaster, but who's high school career hasn't? Though high school was supposed to help you figure out who you are, I think it make me even more confused about who I am and who I want to be. It doesn't phase me too much, though. I've had fun with life, and if there's anything I've learned from these experiences it's that you can't take life too seriously.

<3 Emily Ta