1

+

Erin Weisenbach May 2013

Meaning of Life

Senior Valedictory

“Happiness is only real

when shared.”

-Into the Wild

Evaluating my life by what I

have learned, achieved, and

gained through my

experiences.

Table of Contents

Reflections of People

two

Memories three

Achievements & Time Capsule four

Top 10 Favorite Movies

five

Magazines six

seven News

eight Art

Throughout my 18 years of attending school, playing different sports, and growing up with older sisters, I have learned a lot. No one ever knows what tomorrow will bring. Because of the unknown, we must live our lives like everyday is our last. As cliché as it may sound, living everyday to the fullest is the way to go. Nothing is promised; there is no way to tell who will even be here tomorrow. Treating every one with kindness and sharing your own happiness makes the world a better place to be in. Who knows, just simply flashing a smile or grabbing the door for the person behind you can brighten someone’s day. You may think you have it bad but no matter what there is always someone else, somewhere, worse off than you. We are lucky to live where we do so we must do our part in making this world a better place, all it takes is to share your happiness.

2

My Sister’s Influence Sitting on the couch, tear streaks on her face, my sister, Allison, had been staring blankly at the TV for

several days. Within two weeks, she had been dumped by her boyfriend of a year and a half, had moved back in with her parents, and had been let go from her job. Basically the worst-case scenario happened to my fun-loving, independent sister. I was extremely determined to make one of the worst times in her life the best. Having the ability to hang out with her during the second semester of my junior year was an unexpected, fortunate experience. Such a strong person was placed right in front of me to teach me life lessons I had not even known possible. The private conversations we shared about relationships, feelings, and aspirations are ones that I will never be able to forget. Throughout this difficult time she pushed through to search and apply for jobs. Not only was she planning for her future, but in the summer, she put her life on pause to take care of me and our mom after we had both been through invasive surgeries. Although she does not always show it, thoughtfulness and compassion shine through in the actions of my sister (208).

Reflections of People…

“The happiest people don’t

have the best of everything, they

just make the best of

everything.” -Anonymous

As a Daughter Many people say raising a teenage daughter

is a difficult task. In my opinion, raising a teenage daughter like me would be simple. 99 percent of the time my room and bathroom are clean and straightened up. Arguing about a curfew is unnecessary because I come home at a decent hour anyways. Wanting to keep my job is the only thing I have really argued about. I was just unable to do so because I was too stressed out with school and track. Although I make raising a daughter like me sound fairly easy, I am probably the most stubborn person I

know, unfortunately. When I think I can do something one way, I will not change my mind. My parents do not tell me what to do often but when they do it is still hard to listen. “Parents always know best” is not the way my mind works. I am 18 years old and my mom still makes my lunch for me to take to school while my dad still fills up my gas tank. Those could be disadvantages of having me as a daughter or it just shows they are great parents (195).

3

MEMORIES +

Nobody is Perfect All of the activities and sports I have

involved myself in have helped mold me into who I

am today. Ten years of soccer helped build my

character in ways one would not think imaginable;

it made me act tough when I felt weak. In contrast,

track gave me the wisdom to know when I needed

to back down, not only physically but mentally as

well. The friends I have met on this so called

journey have showed me to consistently be truthful

no matter what the situation may be. To hope these

characteristics show in my everyday life would be

an understatement. If my name gets brought up in

future conversations, I want my former classmates

and teachers to remember me as the girl who had a

hard outer shell but still a sensitive side, whose

wisdom matured her past her years, and who was

as honest as the day is long. To be remembered as

perfect is of course an overstatement but I want the

people in my past to forget my imperfections. I

would hope they could remember the positive

ways I had impacted others and hopefully even

them (180).

Oh, the Water Squished in the back of the van with my two

sisters and our luggage, we watched movies and played car games as my parents drove us to our favorite location. Dale Hollow Lake, along the border of Kentucky and Tennessee, is the most beautiful, relaxing, man-made place in the United States. Rolling hills, covered in trees surround the monstrous yet calm body of water. Heading down the steep, narrow, winding road to the marina we listen to the “Oh, the Water” song by Van Morrison which gets all of us excited. We unload all of our bags from the van, grab the water toys from the car-top carrier, and toss them onto the houseboat. Our speed boat is placed in the water and we are off. Every summer for as long as I can remember, we have spent a week on this lake. With family, feasts, and fireworks the week could not be any more fun. The sporadic islands and coves throughout the lake keep the area private. We seem to make it our own; it is our home for one week out of the year. I cannot imagine a summer without our Dale Hollow trip (198).

4

Time Capsule

What would I, a graduate of the class of

2013, put into a time

capsule?

- sodales.

The Achievement of Decision Making

Growing up in Fishers,

Indiana was not too tough. In a sheltered community where my parents are still married and we attend church as a family every Sunday, I am given anything I need. I was not forced to grow up quickly; I lived a long, happy childhood. I am not saying there is anything wrong with that. I am actually extremely lucky because the majority of the world does not live in the type of society that I do. A lot of kids were forced into the real world at early ages. I, on the other hand, still have my mom pack my school lunch at 18 years old.

It was unnecessary for me to make any important decisions that would affect me later on until my freshmen year of high school. Even though my parents wanted me to, I decided to not run track the spring season of my freshmen year. I did not play club soccer either. I simply took time off for myself. Although it may not seem like a big deal, it was the first decision that I was able to make that would truly make an impact on my life. From that point on, I knew my life was in my hands (208).

My Future Schooling and Family Life

For my future, I have

many aspirations. The future closest at hand deals with my college life. My biggest goal in college, other than not gaining the “freshmen 15,” would be to meet new people. Being trapped in the Fishers bubble for so long has made it challenging to expand my horizon. Not only do I want to try my best to live the college lifestyle but I also want to focus on school. Hoping to graduate with a degree in some type of medical field, I want to be able to help people of all different sorts.

A successful career is something I hope to shoot for but for my future, family is most important. Growing up, my family has been here for me every step of the way and I long to be able to do the same for a family of my own. With a husband and children to take care of, I cannot wait to be the best mom possible. If I could live up to how my mom took care of me that would be a goal well

An eco-friendly water bottle would represent how the times have changed. It would also show that I am always drinking water. Being “green” has been such a popular trend in my high school years

A soccer cleat would be a must-have in my time capsule. Soccer has always been a huge part of my life. Tearing my ACL in a soccer game before my senior season has taught me so much. The cleat would not only show the role soccer played in my life but it would also represent my athleticism.

Nail polish, on the other hand, would show my girly side. I love nails, hair, makeup, shopping, etc. Also, after a couple of days of wearing the same nail polish, I would always start to chip it off during class.

How would I have made it through high school without my assignment notebook? All my soccer games, track meets, work schedules, events, and friends’ birthdays can be found in my assignment notebook. I am always trying to stay organized. It would be a reminder down the road to open up the capsule and remember how busy I was.

My car key shows the freedom of growing older. I was overly excited to get my license at 16 and a half. Even the thought of setting my own radio stations excited me. I always wanted to grow up so quickly.

5

TOP 10 FAVORITE MOVIES

#1 - As a comical comparison to high school cliques, Mean Girls is a hysterical movie that is also quoted by me and my closest friends almost everyday. The memorable quotes are hilariously relatable to our life in high school. #2 - The Notebook is a classic romance movie. Being one of the first real romantic movies I watched, I fell in love with it and all romantic movies. #3 - As the typical “bad boy” falls in love with the sweet, innocent girl; we see the ups and downs of the movie. A Walk Remember brings me to tears. #4 – Pitch Perfect portrays an exaggeration of the sorority/fraternity idea in college with a cappella groups. Modern day songs and phrases were thrown into the movie making it hysterically relatable to my friends and me. #5 - Who doesn’t love Channing Tatum? Any movie were he gets to take his shirt off has got to be a good one. Seeing She’s the Man in the sixth grade with my best friends was a movie we could definitely not forget!

#6 - Not only was did The Help have amazing actresses but it actually showed how life really was. Bringing me to tears, this movie impacted the way I felt I needed to act. #7 -The “Bend and Snap” is a move from Legally Blonde that many girls remember. Elle Woods not only gets into law school but thrives and shows the girly, dumb blondes everywhere to follow their dreams. #8 - Watching Friday Night Lights with my football player boyfriend, we both laughed and cried. When the all-star on the team gets in a serious about taking things for granted; it shows to live everyday to its fullest. #9 - Just Friends shows an exaggerated high school friendship of a pretty, popular girl with an overweight, extremely nice boy. This playful movie shows to not be shallow and to simply be you! #10 - Napoleon Dynamite is a movie that is hard to not laugh at. When this movie came out, it gave my sisters and me a chance to laugh together.

6

Love Maegan is a blog that is updated daily that inspires women with style and fashion secrets, all types of DIY projects, hair and makeup tutorials, home decor, and a look into her personal life with her husband and dogs. Maegan Tintari, the blogger, is also a soon to be author. The readers of her blog learn new, exciting ways to try different things in their life. Implementing these creative ideas can help people, women especially, live happier lives.

Not only do I read this blog often, but I also follow the blog on Instagram. Fashion, makeup, nails, and Instagram are all things that catch my interest. For a teenage girl, that is not uncommon. However, the blog is not simply just for fancy things. Tintari hopes for the blog to be somewhat of a “lifestyle blog.” She has been dealt the card of infertility, which can be an extremely difficult thing for young married woman to try to accept. Like I hope to live every day of my life to the fullest, she is doing the same (178). http://www.lovemaegan.com/p/this-is-my-life-love-maegan.html "...love Maegan | Fashion DIY HomeLifestyle." ...love Maegan |Fashion DIY Home Lifestyle. N.p., 06 May 2013. Web. 06 May 2013.

Obviously, some teenagers are found to behave recklessly. In the article, about 11 percent of teenagers said they believe they would only have a 50-50 chance of making to their 35th birthday. The teenagers that were involved in more dangerous behavior were the ones found to not believe they had a chance of a long, healthy life. With the study, most youths do not share the belief of not making, but one in every seven teenagers did. That is fairly big odds for such a scary outcome.

On the other hand, I behave the complete opposite of reckless. Yes, this is the only time in my life were I could be reckless if I wanted to, but there is no need. It may be fun to be crazy but it is also fun to not be in trouble. Living a life making smart decisions is the life for me. If I want to live each day to its fullest, why would I put myself at risk for danger or risk my education. Trying to live life to the fullest does not necessarily mean the most fun way possible, it means living every day to the best of my ability (199).

http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1907750,00.html Sharples, Tiffany. "Why Do Some Teens Behave Recklessly?" TIME. Time.com, 30 June 2009. Web. 6 May 2013.

7

In current movies, television shows,

literature, and the pop culture of America, global

warming has been a growing idea. The article

discusses how the majority of Americans are now

aware of the idea. Global warming has even

influenced children’s movies, like WALL-E. Even

young kids can now understand the dangers of

waste. To reach the elder individuals, authors have

started using global warming as an additional

thought-provoking concept to their plot line.

Whether or not the authors or moviemakers agree

with the notion of global worming, they are still

putting the word out there.

In the AP Environmental Science class I took

sophomore year, we learned a great deal of global

warming. The article mentions the movie An

Inconvenient Truth that we actually watched in the

Environmental Science class. Although I do not fully

agree with the whole opinion of the

environmentalists and climatologists, I do find the

subject interesting. People should be aware of the

possible situation. Awareness would help them

implement eco-friendly tasks in their lives. Trying

to do what is best for the environment may not have

an effect on our generation but it will have a lasting

effect for future generations (195). http://www.dailytarheel.com/article/2012/11/climate-changing-pop-pculture "The Daily Tar Heel :: Climate Changing Pop

Culture." The Daily Tar Heel :: Climate Changing Pop Culture. N.p., n.d. Web. 06 May 2013.

+

On December 14, 2012, Adam Lanza

forcefully made his way into Sandy Hook

Elementary school firing shots at students and

teachers. Killing 26 total innocent women and

children, he then took his own life. Before he went

on his shooting spree, Adam Lanza probably did not

give thought about what the effects of his actions

would be. Families and friends came together all

over the country after hearing the news. School

security systems became tighter. The president’s

views on the right to bear arms changed. Adam

Lanza, had no thought of this, unfortunately.

Thinking solely of himself, he took the lives of 26

people. He gave up, confused and depressed, and

let loose.

To try and understand where his thoughts

were coming from is unfathomable. For someone to

feel that extremity of sadness and not be able to

communicate it with someone is not okay. Everyone

should have someone to be able to talk about

important things with. Yes, Adam should have been

put in a mental institute way before the thoughts of

the shooting even crossed his mind. Years ago,

mental institutions were everywhere. I believe if

there were more of institutions for people to live in

today, bizarre, life-threatening things like the Sandy

Hook shooting would not happen (210). http://www.countytimes.com/articles/2013/01/11/news/doc50f0ad9136592441036675.txt Melia, Michael. “Sandy Hook Shooting Families

Balance Grief, Gun Violence Advocacy.” Associated Press., 11 January 2013. Web. 15 January 2013.

8

Theodore Roosevelt once said, “Knowing what’s right doesn’t

mean much unless you do what’s right.” This statement seems so

simple. However, it is much more difficult to act this way in life; doing

the right thing is sometimes the hardest way to go. It is like taking the

road less traveled, although my friends may all by doing one thing

and I know it is not right, it is a test to go against the grain. Even

though it may be the norm to do what everyone else is doing, if deep

down I know it is wrong, I must do what I know is right.

This quote and picture also remind me of the relationship I have

with my sisters. Because they are both so much older than I am, they

have been through experiences that I am just now coming across. My

sisters have showed me right from wrong. They have lead by example

but also they have allowed me to learn from their mistakes. Without

my older sisters, I do not know what my high school years would have

turned out to be. I will always be grateful for them for everything they

have taught me over the years (202).

Liam Duddy has been a huge part of my life for the last five years.

Since the eighth grade we have had and on and off relationship. Trying

to talk to other people after we would break up never really seemed to

work; we always ended up coming back to each other. He has been

there for me through everything: when my childhood dog died,

disagreements with my parents, tearing my ACL, the death of my

grandpa, and soccer games and track meets. It seems like we have

basically grown up together. I could not ask for a better friend to stick

by my side through these high school years.

Watching him light up the field on Friday nights will be a high

school memory I will never forget. I absolutely adored him. Even though

we will both be attending Indiana University in the fall, it will be an

extremely different experience than high school. It is scary to not know

what the future will bring. I am just glad I had the opportunity to share

my high school years with him (183).