9-11

By: Nikki Parsons

March 9th, 2010

After four long years, the walls, classrooms, and the teachers
all begin to blur. This year, in particular, I have been waiting on for thirteen long years of my life. As a senior, I have fewer than two months until I finally walk across the stage to graduate and receive my diploma. Even though at times I have despised the building known as Zachary High, the laughs have been worth the time spent here. As a graduating
senior, I have learned a few lessons that I would like to share with the underclassmen.

I remember as a freshman, being completely consumed in the social scene amongst my peers. The most common regret among the seniors is there was absolutely minimal focus
on grade point averages and test scores. Take the time to consider how your actions will affect your future. Even though it is mainly cliché, this IS the most important foundation of the next four years of your life. Focus on getting decent grades and achieving the highest honors you can manage.

As a sophomore, friend circles begin to shift and change. Do not be afraid to let go of your current friends, even the ones that you have had since your kindergarten days, and allow yourself to grow and evolve. Always be open to new friendships, despite people’s labels on one another. Sometimes the greatest friends you will ever find are the people you would never begin to approach at first sight.

Junior year is summed up by only one word: stressful. The assignments
begin to pile up and the college decisions begin to appear in the daily conversations in your classes. To the current and future juniors, do not forget to spend time with those you consider dear to heart and to begin to focus on the finer details of your decisions. Always try to get your assignments in on time. It seriously helps boost your grades.

To the class of 2011, I have a couple of pleas directed towards you. Do not make the mistake of procrastinating on anything you are assigned or would like to accomplish this year. If you procrastinate on college decisions, you will be in a complete frenzy when it grows closer to your graduation date. Also, take time to help the lowerclassmen become adjusted and accustomed to the changes in how things operate. They will never learn how to act if you do not show them how. A final thought that you should consider would be to have fun and to make memories.

The best part of senior year is definitely having the time of your life.
I will always look back on my days at Zachary High as days that shaped my views on what I wanted from the world. Even though I will miss the kids I grew up with as we part directions, I can not wait to start the next step in my life. To my fellow seniors, I hope to see you in twenty years as accomplished, happy grown adults. I pray that your dreams come true and you can face each day with a positive attitude. Have a wonderful life, Class of 2010, and do not forget to smile.

By: Brandon Guidry

March 15, 2010

As I walk down these non-hollowed halls of Zachary High, I am struck by a plethora of thoughts, and people who move way too slowly to be considered alive (seriously people, move in the halls). These thoughts range from the fearful to the hopeful. This odd arrangement, or juxtaposition, of my internal turmoils shows my exact feelings of Zachary High. I am not sure how to feel about my experiences, to be perfectly honest. Like everyone and their grandma, I have had a wildly volatile relationship with Zachary High. Some days we are *insert romantic couple name here* and on other days we are like one of those married couples on “Cops” who are trying to kill each other on their front lawn in only their underwear. Most of the time a normal nonchalant acceptance permeates our relationship with only a few dips into insanity. My main problem with my “experience” is the fact that I don’t think most of what I learned in high school will follow me. Sure, I will use it in college, but I highly doubt I will need to find the derivative of anything later in my life.

A lyric sticks out to me which states: “I’ve learnt more from toilet walls/than I learnt from these words of yours.” I am not saying that the teachers are bad, they are not, but I highly doubt fifty percent of what I am taught will still be in my brain ten years from now. Which brings me to my point that Zachary High did not teach me about subjects like English and Math (it did but just dispel reality for a minute,) but it taught me about…do not laugh…about myself. Through the constant lessons and interacting with other kids, both pleasant and not, I have learned more about myself as a person. Things like taste in music, books, best way to study, friends, foods, and life philosophies have been shaped inside, and outside, this teaching establishment. I did not have the insane life that some other kids had and I am ok with that. My life in Zachary High has been normal and low-key, which I would not have changed for anything in the world.

I hear a lot of people talk about how high school will be the greatest experience of their lives. I cannot wrap my head around this idea. To me high school is this little bump I had to get over to get on with my real life. I do not want to say high school is just the beginning, because clichés will make Mrs. Southall fly over to me on her Harry Potter Broom (she has one I swear) and beat me to death, but it is for me. I don’t want these four years to be the crowning achievement of my life. To me that would not be a life well lived. “Broke down laughing and screaming for more/But if this changed your life,/ Did you have one before?” bluntly expresses what I guess I am trying to say. High School will always be where I made some awesome memories, but I was ready about two years ago to make even better ones. My life at Zachary High has been one of just a normal existence. Barely any flares or pointless whistles and I am fine with that. I guess what I have been trying to say this whole time is that Zachary High did not make my life extraordinary, but just a tad bit extra ordinary. An action for which I will be forever grateful.

By: Mary Grimball

April 20, 2010

Graduation is right around the corner and it feels like I’ve been here forever. These four years here at Zachary High have actually been quite enjoyable as much as I hate to admit it. I’ve had my share of treacherous teachers and classes but all in all my time here has been great.

Freshman year I was frightened. Going to a new school that was three times the size of the middle school made me want to go home and never leave. But as the school year started, things began to improve. I started getting in the swing of things from changing classes to the upperclassmen. Freshman year had its ups and downs. I remember Geometry class being the worst subject in the entire world but the two people I sat by made it go by quickly. I miss sitting in there and laughing the entire hour and almost failing because of them. But I don’t regret it and I would do it all over again. Freshman year came and went in almost a blur.

Sophomore year was an awkward year. You weren’t really an upperclassman and you didn’t want to consider yourself a lower classmen. I don’t remember too much from this year. I was on the track team and I was getting pretty good at shot put. I had the best times on that field goofing off with people. Two of my really good friends were on the track team with me and everything we did made us laugh until our stomachs hurt and our eyes watered. But as life goes, I drifted away from one of my friends when she became a senior and I became a junior.

Junior year was filled with many trips to my best friend’s house. The trips were so frequent
I joked that I could get to her house with my eyes closed. Junior year was the best year of my life. The thing I remember most about junior year was seventh hour with Mrs. Blanchard. That hour was the best part of my day. The people in that class are some of the greatest people I have ever met. Every day was something new and exciting. We were always joking and having a good time. We even threw Mrs. Blanchard a baby shower filled with food, fun, and even baby shower games. This year was by far the best year of my life.

Senior year started out great. I was excited to be a senior and so ready to graduate. I started planning my future and deciding where I wanted to go to college. But somewhere in between all of this I lost my best friend. I’ve learned that nothing ever stays the same and sometimes it’s just best to move on even though it’s really hard. But I tried to make the best of this year with some old friends and new friends. My favorite part of this year is ZMed. I love going there and goofing off with the crazy people in that class. Now I cannot wait until the fall and start my new life. This fall I am going to be a Lion at Southeastern where I’m going to study nursing.

I am so thankful for everything that has happened here at Zachary High. The teachers are some of the greatest around, They have taught me a lot about life and education these past four years. This article could never fit all of the memories that I have from this school, some good and some bad but all that I will never forget.