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Here’s our chat thread! I thought I would just go ahead and make it, hopefully that is alright with you <3
What sorts of things did you do at school this year? Any classes that were especially fun, or clubs you joined? I joined some clubs at school and was mostly involved in the music and theater programs; I also did cross country and track. I made a lot of friends this year and had a lot of fun! My classes are hard though. Unfortunately I have a really bad teacher for history — she hardly grades anything and yells at us all the time, and we don’t learn very much. My other teachers are good, though, and I am doing well in all my classes. The year is almost over, and though I’ll miss my friends during the summer, I’m also relieved, because I’ve been so busy!
Can’t wait to hear about your experiences this school year <3
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Well that’s funny, I replied this morning but it doesn’t seem to have gone through. A glitch, I guess. Here goes again…
I’m excited to talk with you! Thank you for starting the thread:)
Yes, I got involved in a couple of clubs this year! Turns out there’s a Latin American one – I joined mainly because they have such fun activities. I also got involved in the gardening club, though I didn’t actually join yet… oops… They mainly potter about with various plants, and it’s kind of a low-key, peaceful group. I wanted to join the theater club, but I never got around to that, mainly because their meetings are at a time that didn’t really fit into my schedule. Maybe next year! Aside from clubs, I also went to a couple of informal dances (fortunately it was really cheerful and low-key – there was no alcohol or anything like that). And all my classes were fun, even math! The math teacher explained things really well, and occasionally he told a funny story to make things more enlivening. (And whenever he tried to write on the board and the marker didn’t work, he would toss the marker elegantly across the room, which was very amusing.) History class was also quite nice this year. It’s so cool that you’re in the music and theater programs! Were you in any performances? Cross-country and track sound really fun too.
Oh dear, your history teacher does sound kind of formidable… Hopefully you can have a different one next year. At least your other teachers were nice, though! Did you have a favorite teacher or class this year?
I’m glad you were able to make friends, that’s wonderful <3 Congrats on nearly finishing the school year! I feel the same way about finishing – it’s sad to say goodbye to everyone, but at the same time it’s so nice to rest and have some free time. Do you have any summer plans?
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just trying to update the “last reply” section…
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Sorry it took me so long to respond! I’ve been busy; as we near the end of the year teachers are throwing tests, projects, and the like at me. I also had my choir concert last week and had to miss class for the rehearsal, so I had makeup work to do.
Anyway, I’m just delighted to hear you had a good time at school this year! I knew you’d like it once you got used to the change. And yes! I knew you would love school dances. My school has a couple, but I didn’t go this year. I might go next year, if I feel like it.
Yes, I believe I was in a total of six performances total this school year — two school choir concerts, two local choir concerts, one school play, and one school musical! They were all a lot of fun, and I made so many friends.
Yeah, I liked my graphic design class a lot. Whenever I was having a bad day, graphic design would cheer me up. We learned about making logos, posters, and the like. I even made my own zine, which is sort of like a newsletter. The graphic design teacher is pretty cool, but he said some sort of anti-feminist things that I found icky. How about you? Any favorite classes?
I’ve got lots of summer plans! I’m going to visit family in Oregon, and I have an interview this weekend to be a counselor-in-training at a local theater camp. I will also be participating in yet another choir and my family is hoping to make some fun day trips. What are you doing this summer?
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Hi! Don’t worry about taking a little while to respond; it’s always great to chat with you, but I know life can get busy. Take all the time you need <3
Wow, your performances sound really nice! I did Irish dancing before the pandemic, and it was always super fun when we got to perform (although it could be nerve-racking too!) Actually, I was just remembering that I also used to be in a choir myself, years ago, at my local church… Singing is just so much fun:)
Ooh, graphic design must have been fun! And zines yayy! A lot of the people at my school are into zines, which got me thinking about maybe doing one of my own. I’ m sorry your teacher was anti-feminist, though :/
All my classes this year were pretty great, but definitely the history class was among my favorites – I also really liked an elective I took which was all about cultural heritage. The teacher was super nice – she’s from Lebanon, and she was always telling us about Lebanese culture – and we had really interesting assignments, like doing presentations on our own cultural heritage or analyzing how heritage is portrayed in the media. I’d love to work in the field of cultural heritage/museums when I’m old enough. Do you have any idea of what you’d like to do career-wise?
Your summer plans sound lovely!! I went to Oregon (Portland specifically) when I was like four years old? I don’t remember a ton about it, but I really liked the hotel and the zoo. I think it was called the Oregon Zoo. Have you ever been to it?
For my summer plans, I was thinking of maybe taking driving lessons, but I feel a little nervous about actually driving lol. And I’m looking forward to trips to the state park that my family likes to go to:) My area has a lot of really lovely nature areas, so it should be fun to re-visit those (it’s always too cold and dreary in the winter to go outside very much…) And of course reading, reading, and more reading is one of the highlights of any good summer vacation:) Do you have any favorite books?
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You should totally make a zine! They’re so much fun — it’s awesome to hear that people are your school are making them! Nobody at my school even knew what they were, lol. I had the best time making mine, and you can make them about all sorts of things. Let me know if you want any tips!
Your classes sound really cool! It’s really interesting to hear you say you’d like to work in that field, because although I can totally see how it would suit you now that you mention it, I recall you were more interested in a career in agriculture before. I definitely feel that my experiences at school have played the biggest role in my idea of what I want to do as a career. Do you feel your new experiences at public school have given you more ideas for your future? How would you say your classes this year shaped your vision of your life ahead?
Yes, I have some idea of what I might do career-wise, although I’m a tad indecisive! I love music very much and could definitely see myself becoming a music teacher or something similar; however, I think I could also be an art teacher or maybe go into design. Also, this year in history class, we did a project studying artists of the Renaissance and educating each other about them, and I had so much fun with that I wonder if I might like to become a museum educator. I know that whatever I decide to do, creativity needs to be involved, and writing it out now I also see a pattern of teaching and education — how many times have I used a variation of the word ‘educate’ in this paragraph? Haha. The world is just so big, and I’m so interested in so many things. I try not to worry about not being too sure yet. I am sure as I go on in school, the path will become clearer, and I still have time to decide what I want. It would be fun, though, if we both went on to work in museums! Maybe someday we will work at the same museum.
I’m not sure if I’ve been to the Oregon Zoo, but it’s possible and even likely, as some of my family is in Portland specifically. My aunt and uncle like to take us around Portland, and their daughters love animals, so we often end up at zoos and aquariums. We visited a goat farm once and got to meet baby goats! That was my favorite. We don’t spend too much time in Portland, though, as the rest of my family lives in a different town. Having family in the Pacific Northwest means I’ve had the opportunity to venture all over Oregon and see the Pacific Ocean, which I think is a true blessing. It’s beautiful over there. I can try to attach pictures, if you like — I’m very into photography and am sure to take many photos of Oregon each year when I visit.
Your summer plans sound like lots of fun! Summer is such a rejuvenating time, and I think it’s great to spend lots of time outside. I think my favorite book at this moment might be To Kill a Mockingbird. We read it in English this year, and I was very fond of it. I also love The Outsiders. I have some other favorites, but a few of them get into topics that are very heavy, and I don’t think I would be allowed to mention them in the CB. How about you? Favorite books?
By the way, I am still getting used to using the italics setting on here, and it appears that it may have messed up my paragraph formatting. I tried to fix it, but in case I was unsuccessful, you have my apologies. I am sure you know by now that I would never create a post with no paragraph breaks.
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Ack sorry I’m late to respond! Things got a little busy…
Making a zine sounds really fun! Is there a specific format and style they should have, or can you just make them any way you want?
Yes, that’s true, I was sort of thinking about a career in agriculture – it feels so long ago now lol. I think I was mainly interested in how it can actively help people and society in general. I’m still really interested in its potential to do that, especially since it seems like society is changing so fast, but now it seems like museums would be a better fit for me. I really like how they have the potential to educate and entertain people. And from what I’ve seen, the type of work you can do in a museum is quite varied and interesting. There are museums of all different sizes and about so many topics, which I like since I have a lot of interests, and it seems to me like exhibits are a way of storytelling. I think I just like the flexibility and potential to do/learn lots of different things! Plus, I’d love to work at the Metropolitan someday… Do you have a favorite museum?
Yes, I think school has definitely helped me figure out a lot and given me tons of new ideas for the future. I met so many new people and did a lot of new things. I think making connections with people was one of the biggest things that might shape my life further on, because making a community of classmates and teachers and potential friends really has a big effect on my social world. After all, some of those connections might last for years to come. And doing and learning about new things (like going to the dances or learning more about cultural heritage) helped me get more experience and figure out more of what I enjoy doing. How about you – has school shaped your idea of your future in any particular way?
Your career ideas all sound lovely – I could definitely see you working in any of those fields! And yes, it would be so fun if we both ended up working at the same museum:D I feel like museum work would actually be a good fit for a lot of CBers.
*gasp* baby goats!! How cute! And the Pacific Ocean… that must have been lovely. I’d love to see pictures:)
Lately one of my favorite books has been Agatha Christie’s autobiography! She spent years writing it, and it’s full of her favorite memories from her life. It has this humorous British tone that I just love. The downside is that Christie occasionally didn’t seem very understanding of other ethnic groups – but she was was born in 19th-century England, after all, and most of the book is just super vivid and enjoyable. I also really enjoyed The Patron Saint of Second Chances, it’s kind of quirky and original.
I’ve never read To Kill a Mockingbird, but I really should. The Outsiders looks very interesting. It sort of reminds me of a story I was reading for English class, which was very… grim so I probably shouldn’t say the title on here (although the teacher had us read an edited version that wasn’t so dark, for which I was very grateful). What are your favorite genres to write or read?
It looks like the formatting went through okay, thank goodness! The new site does take some getting used to. But such is life…
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I am. So sorry.
I’m not sure if you’d even still like to chat at all, but I’m very sorry I was gone for so long! I have been SO busy but I missed you and I’d still love to talk!
Zine making is the best! There’s no one “right” way to make a zine – you can handmake it, print it from the computer, or anything you like. It is just about using your creativity and expressing your ideas! There are lots of videos about it online, including ones by my personal favorite zine creator who gives great advice. I doubt I would be allowed to name her on here, but you’ll probably stumble upon her videos if you look into zines anyway.
I have had the privilege of visiting numerous museums all over the country during my lifetime, so it’s hard to pick one favorite. The Metropolitan Museum of Art is amazing, but I am also very fond of The Whitney. I just saw an Amy Sherald exhibit there a few months ago, actually. I also love the Guggenheim. Beyond New York City, I love Grounds for Sculpture and Newport Art Museum. I also had an awesome time at Boston’s Museum of Science, and each year I visit Oregon’s High Desert Museum. My family is very big on museums, as you may have guessed.
Hearing the way you are talking about your experiences at school brings me so much joy. I think you have learned a lot there. Is that alright for me to say? You just have a different lens on the word than you did a few years ago. I remember you saying that you wouldn’t mind just living with your family and not really interacting with new people, and now here you are talking about all these experiences you’ve had and these connections you have made. I would just like to say that I am proud of you. There’s nothing wrong with the way you were before, but I am impressed by your ability to try something so new and really get the most out of it. I think you’ve changed a lot, for the better. I hope you don’t mind my saying that.
School has definitely contributed to my ideas of the future. It is making me really see that I want to create real change in my community — not only that, but I want a leadership role in doing so. Right now at school I am working on big projects to try to make it more inclusive to students at my school who are part of the LGBTQ community like I am. It is hard sometimes, but I created a successful campaign all about queer history, and that went pretty well! It’s hard to understand why people don’t all actively want to help with this cause. I don’t think anyone can really afford to not be helping with it, but a lot of people don’t really care. Sometimes it’s disheartening, but I know my love and joy will always win out over the hate of some and the sheer ignorance of others. The experience has made me realize that activism is important to me!
For me, I really liked writing/reading character studies. I like stories that do a deep dive into people — why we do what we do, why we become what we become. I also like stories with lots of emotion!
Anyway, what are you up to now? I’m mostly busy with my activism, like I said before, and also with my music. Singing is so much fun! I got into the a cappella group at school and I’m in an honors choir class, where I made some new friends. I’ve been having a pretty great year so far! I hope you have too and I can’t wait to hear about it <3
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Hi Peri! Don’t worry about having been gone for a while, I know things can get busy. I’ve also been on the CB less because there’s so much to do… Anyway, yes, I’d love to continue chatting, and it’s great to read you again!
Thank you for the info on zines; a few weeks ago I actually did make a few! I decided to go with printing them from my laptop. It was fun; it feels satisfying to create something that expresses your ideas. I was thinking that Little Free Libraries could be a great way to distribute zines. They’re these miniature libraries where people can drop off books and take home new ones. Sometimes you can find really interesting books there.
Sadly I haven’t been to many of the museums you mention, but I did a quick internet search for some of them and they look really interesting. My family is very into museums too lol – whenever we travel anywhere, we always go to museums. When we went to Montreal a few years ago, we visited the Biodome; it’s a really original type of zoo, where the animals roam around in areas that imitate their natural habitats, and you can walk among the animals instead of just seeing them in enclosures. Apparently they have a variety of plants too.
No, I don’t mind hearing your opinions at all! I have to say that in the long run, going to school was a wonderful change. I’m glad you’ve been finding your own path too. Activism is definitely a really worthwhile cause, and it’s really admirable that you’re able to keep a positive attitude about doing the things that are important to you. Have you thought about branching into other areas, like environmental activism?
A cappella and choir must be great! I was in a choir when I was younger, and I remember it was really fun. I’m glad you’ve been pursuing something that’s meaningful for you! In terms of what I’ve been up to, I’ve mainly been busy with my classes and assignments – recently my teachers have been giving really complex assignments, but it does help me learn a lot. I’ve been taking French, which is really fun because we get to have conversations and practice speaking in French, so it’s basically just socializing with nice people. But alas, we have to do oral presentations!! I usually don’t mind them, but when I have to do one in a foreign language, my mind goes really slowly and refuses to remember whatever I was supposed to say. It’s rather nerve-racking. In dance class, on the other hand, when we had a quiz, the teacher literally sat there and told us the answers. She doesn’t believe in quizzes and only gives them because she’s required to. So that was nice and un-stressful, if a bit unconventional. Do you have any favorite teachers this year?
I’ve also gone to various club meetings; it’s a really great way to meet people who share your interests. At the latest meeting we just played games and chatted and had a lovely time. I’m also planning to submit some work to the school literary magazine again. I still have to actually decide on which pieces I’m submitting, lol. And of course I’ve been listening to a lot of music, and I found a song by Ed Sheeran that I really like. I always thought I wouldn’t like his songs, but then… I was pleasantly surprised:)
Also it’s fall! When the weather is nice, everything looks super pretty right now, the trees are turning colors and it’s just beautiful. Are you doing anything for Halloween?
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We’ve got a few Little Free Libraries around my town, and I agree that they’d make a good way to distribute zines! I think they are used that way sometimes.
Montreal and the Biodome sound so cool :0
Yep, I’ve been an environmental activist for some time now. If it’s good for the environment, I am all about it. Lately I’ve been trying to spread the word about how AI is super bad for the environment, because a lot of people don’t even know that. Generally, I am into activism about a number of things. I think a lot of people believe you have to pick one or two causes to care about, but I disagree completely. I do have a few “focus areas” where I am an extra conscious activist, because nobody can be a perfect activist about every single cause, you know? A few of my focus areas are LGBTQ+ rights, feminism, and environmentalism, I would say.
French sounds neat, but hard! I’m taking Spanish 2 this year and the teacher is such a character. He’s from Columbia, and he’s super funny. Today we got a presentation in Spanish class from a Mexican woman about the Day of the Dead. She talked about how the holiday was very different when she was younger than it is now — more somber and private then, and now a much bigger celebration. She said it’s because of pop culture, but she didn’t seem upset about it. I think she actually appreciated how it had changed and simply wanted to create meaningful discussion about it. She also talked about how the movie Coco was created based on her hometown in Mexico, which I think is pretty cool. She really liked the movie and talked about how the artists did research to make the art in the movie accurate to real life. Oh, and she also talked about Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera. I LOVE Frida Kahlo, so that was awesome.
Dance class sounds cool! We don’t have anything like that at my school. What’s it like?
For favorite teachers, I have to say that this year is just sort of meh. I like my music teacher, but he’s not new; I had him last year. We have a cool student-teacher this year who I also like. My English teacher is sweet and does a nice job making the class challenging.
It’s cool you guys have a school literary magazine! We have one too, but unfortunately the teacher who runs it has been on maternity leave so I didn’t get to do it last year :/ hopefully this year though! And speaking of music, I have a few song recs for you! “Not the Tremblin’ Kind,” “Little Bit of You,” and “Queen of the Coast,” all by Laura Cantrell. Let me know if you listen to any of them and what you think!
Yeah, I love fall too! It’s been really beautiful this year, here in New Jersey. I don’t know if I’m doing anything on Halloween, but the day after I’m going to a night market with my friend, and I’m really excited about it! How about you?