Graduation: Sapere Aude

The title of this post, Sapere Aude, is Latin for 'Dare to Learn' which is also the motto of my high school. I love our motto for so many reasons- which I will not get into now. 

My sister graduated from high school yesterday. I already wrote about how great my sister is and how proud I am of her. Seeing her graduate and reflecting on everything she has done and how much she has grown in four years...let's just say, I have the most amazing sister in the world.

One of my favourite moments from the night, was right at the end of graduation, before the graduates left the building. The grads all stood and sang the Alma Mater. I love the Alma Mater and I can't express what it was like to hear our newest alumni singing it.

 

During graduation, my sister was given the Peer Tutor Award. This award is given to a graduating student, who is nominated within the school, for the work they do with their peers who have special needs.

My sister was also the recipient of the Community Living Scholarship. This is awarded to a student who is dedicated to working with and enriching the lives of people in the community who are living with special needs.

Did I mention that my sister is an Ontario Scholar as well? An Ontario Scholar is an award from the Ministry of Education and is based on academic distinction. Basically, my sister is a pretty smart cookie.

It was bittersweet watching my sister graduate. She is the last one in our family to graduate from this school- my dad, uncle, brother, two cousins and I are all graduates. While it's the end of an era, it's also exciting to welcome her to the Alumni Association and share the Alumni experience with her. 

Up next for my sister? A 6 week University program in Quebec (which she earned a full scholarship for) before heading to another one of my Alma Maters (she earned an entrance scholarship), where she will pursue a double major.

See? I really do have an amazing sister!

Sunday Social- Lets talk about those awkward years:

Another Sunday, another weekend coming to an end- but it was a fantastic weekend!! Last week was a short (thanks Family Day) but busy (thanks work and social life) week. The highlight of this weekend was an Alumni event held at a Niagara Winery. So. Much. Fun! I had such a great time at the event and getting to know other Alumni...I can't wait for the next event!

1. Biggest Middle school fashion mistake
I can't think of anything really...They must have been so horrible that I blocked them from my memory...lol.

2. Who were your best friends in hs?
My best friend (who will remain nameless as we are no longer friends...just grew apart during university...and I don't know how she'd feel about being named on my blog) and I did so much together and had a lot of fun. The majority of my memories from high school involve her and I know my high school experience would've been VERY different (and likely not as much fun) without her.

3. What was a typical weekend like for you in hs?
Oh gosh...I seem to think I usually worked on Fridays, but can't say for sure. I would usually go out (as in doing something where you spent money) either Friday or Saturday night, rarely both. If I wasn't going out Saturday night, I would do stuff during the day with friends and then either have friends over or go to someone else's house.

Sunday was the best part of the weekend...hockey! The Junior B team had home games every Sunday night, which the best friend and I ALWAYS went to. So we'd spend a couple of hours at the arena. The night also included going out for dinner and going out for coffee- we'd do one before the game and one after.

4. Did you have any boyfriends/girlfriends? Tell us about that
I had two guys I dated on and off throughout high school. In respecting their privacy, I don't want to go into too much detail. While our relationships were typical of high school (drama filled) and typical for me (complex to others but worked for me), they are both great guys.

5. Did you have any secret codes with your friends? Spill your secrets!
No...I guess we weren't cool enough =)

6. If you could relive one day/moment/experience from middle school or high school, what would it be?
Oh gosh...SO many great experiences, it would be hard to pick one. I have a million memories running through my head at the moment. I would love to go back and relive grade 12. To answer this question, I wanted to say prom, but I feel that's a boring answer. So I'll go with this: Graduation.

I worked four years to make it to graduation. The actual ceremony (where I was given not only my diploma, but Catholic Student of the Year) was fine. But afterwards, me and the BFF were in my car and trying to leave the parking lot. Two male friend was walking towards their car and we asked them what they were doing. They were going out for chicken wings and we asked if we could go. They said as long as we didn't mind being the only two girls, we were welcome to come. So we went.

We spent the night tucking napkins into the guys shirts, so they wouldn't get wing sauce on their shirts and ties. The wings were great, we laughed a lot and it was just a fun night. The night came to an end when one of the guys asked who was going to the school the next day to get final marks- which could be done between 8:30am and 9 or 9:30am (plus, prom was this night). We all got quiet, looked at each other and said we should call it a night.

The BFF and I stopped at Pita Pit on our way home and got pitas. While eating them, went over our game plan for the next day- getting our marks, going tanning, timeline for getting ready, having pictures taken and leaving for prom.

It was the after grad stuff...which I guess, technically because we had just graduated, we were no longer high school students...that I would go back to (for the purpose of this question and just having an answer).

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LOL & Sunday Social

I have decided that weekend pass too quickly! This might be because I was so used to working Tuesday-Friday, having a 3 day weekend, and now I work Monday-Friday. It was too cold for the beach yesterday, so I did a little DYI project, which I will feature on my blog later this month...I'm pretty excited about it! Something else I'm excited about? My social life! I barely had one when I was living in rural Ontario but living in a City (again) has changed that. 

Anyway...saw this on Facebook:

1. 5 items you can't live without on a daily basis(water, food, shelter, and clothes dont count)
Blackberry (sad, I know), Kindle, Car, Laptop and my bed! 

2. All time favorite book? Why?
I have a couple of favourite books, so I'm just going to pick one randomly:
Prep: A Novel It's just one of those books I can get lost in. It's about Lee's four years of high school, at a boarding school, where she is a scholarship student. This book addresses so many society issues (social class, racism, etc), it makes you think. Also, I loved my high school years and reading this book makes me go back to that time of my life. 

3. Something you'd like to accomplish before the end of 2012
Hmm...get settled in my apartment!  

4. If you could go back and relive any year of your life which year would it be?
I've had many great years in my life, a lot that I would love to go back and re-live. I'm going to pick my last year of high school, As mentioned, I loved my high school years and my grade 12 year was by far the best year. There was drama, of course, but the fun, good times far out way the dramatic. I have so many great memories and I had so much fun! 

5. What do you wish people knew about you without you having to tell them?
I am so much nicer, friendlier and more fun than I actually look/come across.

Hey! It's Ok

Idea taken from Amber at Airing My Dirty Laundry One Sock At A Time

To feel old. I was at my high school's graduation tonight, presenting an award, when it hit me that I graduated 10 years ago! That's a whole decade. Double digits. It's ok that I was transported back to memories of my own high school grad and wish I could go back to those last carefree days of high school.

To start to feel stressed out about this BBQ on Thursday. I invited people over and have never BBQ'd in my life. I'm not sure what I'm going to do or what I'm going to serve them. Deep breath.

To be reunited with a Summer Friend! I meet Daniel 2 summers ago when he was in town working for the summer. He didn't work last summer but he is this summer. I got a surprise call from him Saturday night saying he was in town...can't wait to spend time with him this summer!

To be uncertain about things. I'm not sure that this job is for me (just started week 3). It's not what I thought it would be. I'm not sure about some relationships in my life...where they are heading, what I'm supposed to learn, if they are supposed to end or if I'm supposed to fight to save them. I just don't know.

To be be going to see a medium on Friday because of the above mentioned. I've gone to her in the past (this will be my 4th reading from her) and she is really good. It's not so much that I want to know everything that my future holds...I just need some guidance in my life.

To be unsure how I feel about the Glass House. It's basically just like Big Brother except the walls are glass. I love Big Brother and I for sure love it more than the one episode of the Glass House that I saw...but I'm not sure if I like it or not.