I am sorry to say that I have been affected with a very common disease. This disease strikes people aged 16-18 all around the country, and sadly, there is no cure. This disease affects your ability to hold in bouts of anger and hatred for the people around you. The lucky ones are motivated by this disease, others are less willing to go on and give up altogether.

This disease is known as "Senioritis", I caught it at Sea World Camp, and it started showing symptoms the first morning back to school.

Today was my first day back to school after Sea World Camp and it SUCKED. I don't think I've honestly said I hated school since 7th grade when I was going through my angsty-teen phase. Every profile I have on the internet will tell you learning is among one of my favorite hobbies. A favorite quote of mine is "Knowledge is Everything". The only thing that will get me through the semester now though, is "Do right while all others around you do wrong".

This morning in government, I accidently repeated a new event my teacher already mentioned five minutes before. He was nice about it, my classmates cracked up. I got over that though. My english teacher had us watch an episode of West Wing and told us to pay attention because there would be an assignment on it. So I did. The assignment was to "analyze the two speeches". Now let me tell you something, I PAID BLOODY ATTENTION. To the whole thing. And I coulda sworn there was only one speech. So after class I asked Ashley if she got the assignment. She said no, she also thought there was only one speech. I went to ask my teach, but she wasn't there. So after school, I asked Julianne.

I'm so angry and I haven't even typed her response yet.

Julianne: Just write an essay.
Me: *in my head* No DUH *out loud* I understand that part, but--
Julianne: Just answer the questions she gave!
Me: I UNDERSTAND that part. But I thought there was only one speech.
Julianne: There were TWO. LEARN TO PAY ATTENTION. I was half asleep and even I know what was going on.

There is nothing on this god-given earth that pisses me off more than putting in a hard day's work and then being told I didn't put forth any effort. Especially by a student who is a lot more stupid than me. (That is a TRUE assesment, as my GPA is higher, she's not in NHS, and she's failing a class.)

I can't believe that I, Chiuhiro, am about to brag, but here it goes:

I am the hardest damn worker at Empire. Hands down. I am the only senior who went above and beyond to do her senior project. I work hard, I pay attention, I do my homework, I get good grades, I do what I'm supposed to, I know what I want to do with my life. For a slacker to tell me to learn to pay attention is infuriating. I go to a school where nobody cares. No one cares about their future, their grades, or their lives. No one cares. And I hate the environment. I was confused when me and mom visited Georgie because strangers waved to you on the streets and men held doors open for ladies. This is the most hick town I've had the displeasure to know, and it's sad that I didn't realize it until I went to Sea World Camp.

You know how I've always said I wanna work with animals because I hate people? It's a rare opportunity for me to find someone I truly like, or actually WANT to hang out with. So much so that I WANT to live alone in an apartment for my life, and won't feel sad or lonely. The only people I can really tolerate for long periods of time are my family, Squishy, and Zach.

BUT I spent a week at Sea World, and was floored to find that I WANTED to be around my roommates. Me and Darcey were joined at the hip, I called Lindsey over to walk with us whenever I saw her, Brittney was so sweet, Samantha was outgoing, Kaylen and Dana were polite and courteous, Theresa and Jackie had a great sense of humor. It was the first time, save from my family, Squish, and Zach, that I WANTED to be around people. I was amazed. I WANTED to be with these people.

For a week, I had a taste of a better life that's only five months away. I saw what good, decent human beings were, I saw what it was like to be surrounded by people who care about our earth, I saw what it was like to live away from this redneck town and spend early mornings caring for animals who know no right or wrong, don't judge you, and love you for simply tossing a fish in their mouths.

And it's sad that my standards have so been lowered that I only realized what a rotten place my town is now. Only five months to go. FIVE MONTHS, and I will officialy be old enough to fill out an application for Sea World's Education Department. In five months, I can live the life I lived for a week, and thank god to senior project for showing me what life will be like in the future, and giving me the motivation to survive the next five months.

I am no longer afraid of growing up. My peter pan complex has been cured. Thank you Sea World, for showing me that being away from home isn't so scary. Thank you Senior Project, for showing me that thngs can get even better than they already are soon after graduation. Thank you Julianne, Jeremey, and all the little snots at my school, for curing my fear of growing up. I suppose even under the rotten attitudes of my classmates, I should be grateful that I'm no longer scared of turning 18.

PARTAY AT MY DORM ROOM IN JUST A FEW SHORT MONTHS!!