My mouth is doing pretty good from having my wisdom teeth taken out but my food choice is still very limited! Also, I got into first period and realized that I forgot my homework which sucked a lot! I'll bring it by her room tomorrow morning though and it shouldn't be too big of a deal. I'm starting to work on a bigggg anatomy project that I have to do for class where you "explore" five different medical career fields...its such a huge project! I have to interview five different people in five different medical fields to begin with. The only thing that frustrates me about the project is that they say they do it so that you know what kind of medical professions are out there, because they assume that's why you too anatomy; it's high school..I took anatomy because it seemed interesting...not because I want to be a doctor! haha! Oh welll..
oh yeah! and totally off topic..buttt I just watched Sleeping Beauty for the first time in years! It used to be my favorite when I was little! It made me realize how much I miss the disney classics and how they look so old and not 3-D like the ones now days do and they don't have like 3409324 sing along songs in them! haha! The original disney films are so pretty!
Until later,
Catherine Kellogg

This weekend was awesome because it was four days long due to teacher work days! I can't believe that the first quarter of school is already over!! Three more to go and then I graduate! INSANE! haha! By Saturday and Sunday were a lot of fun because I got to go out shopping with my mom, we got some new clothes for the winter and boots!! I'm so excited to wear them to school tomorrow! :) Then yesterday, I hung out with Ashley and we went to go see Paranormal Activity! We had heard a lot of things about it from friends, from it was really scary to it was really dumb but we wanted to see it so that we could at least have our own opinion..if you know what I mean. It was pretty good...at times it was really scary but knowing that it was fake really bummed out the experience

This past saturday night was so much fun! My parents, brother, his best friend, and two of my best friends went to Markoffs Haunted Woods! It is literally one of the scariest things I've ever done in my whole life! haha! This was my third year going and every year it's just as scary! On the way there, about 5 minutes away from it you have to take a ferry across a little river and it's really creepy and then when you get there you have to sign a waver saying that you won't sue them if you get hurt or anything. Once you get in, it's like a little carnival type thing that feels like you're in Halloween Town (Disney reference haha). Theres a huge bonfire in the center and then a whole bunch of little things around the outside like getting your face painted, and getting your fortune told. There's also this one thing where you put on a harness, and have to climb this tall rickety telephone poll, stand at the top, and jump to grab this horizontal pole that is a few feet away! haha! my brother and his best friend both did it! I took a video of it to post! Overall, it was a blast!

On friday during my last period, which is a seminar, I went to meet with my AP Lit teacher for some help with my essays. I had written up the majority of my essay for University of Maryland but I hadn't finished it up and wanted a 3rd party opinion. So, I went by his room and let him read it over. He gave me a couple pointers but for the most part he thought it sounded great, which was a huge relief because all I had to do was add about one more paragraph and it would be ready to submit! I was completely ready to submit both my University of Maryland and my Geoge Mason applications! Two down!! Six to go! hahaha!

I've had a rough past couple of days...nothing bad has necessarily happened they've just been cruddy..so I'm hoping that maybe tomorrow will be the beginning of some good days? That'd be nice! haha! But besides that, I'm about to work on my college personal statements and essays here in a minute. It's frustrating because all the senior English classes in my school do something called a College Portfolio project which is basically just writing a college essay but the teacher makes sure that it's perfect and teaches you how to change it to fit any essay question. The problem? Every english class started this at the beginning year except for my english class..we started it last friday. There's no way that will help me at all because I have deadlines coming up on November 1st! Gahh! Oh well..I'm gonna go now and work on my essays!

So, a little bit of personal information about me is that I broke up with a boyfriend of a year a couple months ago and it was the hardest thing I've ever been through. It made the beginning of the school year pretty rough but it's all started to get a lot better now! School is seeming a lot less stressful and I met a new boy a few weeks ago that I think I really like... I met him at a school football game near the beginning of the season, and we've been talking ever since! He's really sweet and hilarious! He's one of the first guys that I've felt fully comfortable around right off the bat! So, that's one of the most exciting things in my life right now But besides that, there's a hypnotist show at my school tonight at 7 that I'm going to with a couple of my best friends, Lindsay and Krista, and that guy I like, Ryan. haha! I can't wait because I've missed all of the other times that the hypnotist has been at my school! It's supposed to be really funny and both my friends want to get hypnotized...so if they get chosen it'll be hilarious! I really hope they do!

Finally it's Friday! It just really sucks that it's so rainy because it's the second day in a row where it's just been cloudy, cold and rainy all day straight! But I'm determined to have a good day anyways!! haha! I made cupcakes last night and brought them in my car to give to friends ....but I got to school with only barely enough time to get to class (which thankfully was the trailer closest to my car!) so I didn't get to give any cupcakes to anyone..haha..so I'll just give them out afterschool to whoever wants one haha tonight, four of my closest friends and I want to go to a haunted trail, but now were considering maybe not going because the weather is so bad...so now were trying to think of an alternative plan lets see..what else is going on? I have a hair appointment tomorrow...and I also have a whole bunch of homework!! I have four assignments for my AP Gov class, two for AP Lit class, and I need to write three of my college essays because I have two deadlines coming up on November 1st!

Ahhh! So much! haha! I'm determined not to get stressed though

On Wednesday, all seniors got to come into school late! Instead of being at the school at 7:30 like usual, we had to be at the school by 9 for Senior Panarama. So, there was no first period or anything, we just all went to the bleachers, sat down, and got the class of 2010 picture taken for the yearbook then we had a big senior meeting! During, all of this, all underclassman were taking PSATs...so by the time the picture was done at 9:30 we had to make our senior meeting last until 11 when the PSAT would be over. During the senior meeting, we had a guy from Jostons (the company that is in charge of all our graduation products) there to talk to us about everything that was for sale for seniors, as well as the process we had to go through in order to get our cap and gown. It's actually really simple, we just have to write down our height and weight so that they can give us the correct size and then we have to confirm it with them in a couple weeks after we've double checked our measurements and are sure we gave them the correct ones. It's all a lot easier then I thought it was going to be! By the time we were done going over all the necessary things, we still had about half an hour so we just had a dance off where anyone could go up on the stage..it was really hilarious! The only part that was really unfair, was that we had to go to class that day at all! After senior meeting we had two full classes....we're like the only school in the county that didn't get out early after all of the senior requirments (panarama and meeting). The school that my best friend goes to, West Springfield, got out at 11...that's when we went back to class! It was really unfair and made no sense because one of my teachers told me that early dismissal days were supposed to be county-wide decisions...so I don't know...haha! Oh well...I heard that on days when we get out early, they won't be so that it all evens out in the end

On Saturday, the day of the dance, my brother and I drove up to Maryland because that's where the lady who does my hair lives. It was the first time that I've ever had my hair done and I got it up all the way in an updo! haha! After that I drove home, finished getting ready really fast and drove to my friend Emily's house where everyone was meeting to take group pictures! Our picture group was huge and thankfully we split up into about three different dinner groups! haha! My dinner group was about six couples, all my best friends! It was the most fun i've ever had at homecoming! Well...besides the dance...because honestly the pictures, getting dressed up, going out to eat together, and the big sleepover afterwords is a blast! The dance? ...not so much! haha! They leave all the "emergency" lights on over the dance floor and it just isn't all its made out to be..thankfully we were only there for about two hours then we all went to Ashley's house for the sleepover! haha! It was the longest day ever though! haha! It took me all of Sunday to get all my energy back! haha!

The Homecoming game was against West Springfield this year which is always a lot of fun because my best friend, Savannah goes to West Springfield so she is always there but on the guest side! haha! The last time that South County played against West Springfield for our homecoming game was two years ago! I'm so glad that we got to play them again our senior year because two years ago, my sophomore year, we beat them by one point during the count down and they never gave us full credit for winning! Even though we so did! haha! So this year we decided to really prove that we were better and won 28 to 16!! WOO! haha! Winning the homecoming game always makes the dance and everything so much more fun! Also, one of my best friends, Alexandra, who moved to Washington this past summer came back for homecoming so she was there! It was amazing seeing her again because I miss her so much! All in all, it was a great last homecoming football game!

So, on Saturday I went up to Manassas with two of my bets friends, Lindsy and Katie. We went up to a fair that was going on, where Jackson Miller, running for Delegate, and Bob McDonnell running for reelect governor, had a big station set up in front of the Republican headquarters. We were there from 9 in the morning until 2 in the afternoon! But I would do that any day over knocking on doors or making phone calls! We got to blow up balloons (hundreds of them!) using big helium tanks and then take them around the fair and give them to all the little kids, as well as give out stickers--all advertising Miller and McDonnell. It was actually a lot of fun and I got to meet the governor when he showed up! The part that sucks is that I meant to take pictures but was separated from my stuff when I got there and then was go, go, go for the entire time so I didn't get a chance to! But on another note! One week until homecoming, so this week is spirit week!

P.S. I gave all my teachers the teacher recommendation information today! Check that off my list! haha

I meant to turn in my councelor recommendation information and the other teacher recommendation information near the beginning of the week and I still haven't turn them in! The only thing that I accomplished this week was turning in my transcript request-but at least I accomplished that! This weekend, I'm going to write up my resume so that I can give all my teachers their recommendation information by Monday! I have to get it in by then! haha! No more pushing it back! From there I'll be able to relax a little bit because all that will be left to do is fill out my applications and write my essays. This process feels so long!

So, for my AP Government class we have to do 5 campaign service hours and then write a report on it...which means that I have to contact someone that lives locally and is currently running for Virginia delegate...the two main people running in my area are Albo and Werkheiser, both of which I was really nervous to contact! But luckily, as of yesterday, I won't have to! Because one of my close friends, Katie, is family friends with another guy who is running for delegate (I think..could be running for something else, I'm not exactly sure) and he's going to be setting up a campaign booth at this fair that's going on, on Saturday! So Katie, Lindsay and me are going to carpool up there and help him from 9 in the morning to 1 in the afternoon! I'm really excited because I'll get to be with my friends, and I'll be at a fair--so campaign service hours don't get much better than that! haha! I'll tell you guys all about it on Monday!

Until Later,

Catherine

The beginning of another week, Mondays are so long! Yesterday I meant to start most of my online applications but didn't get to it because I spent the day out with my family and then realized last night that I had forgotten to do my Statistics project..which wasn't huge but still, I had to do the whole thing! So now, home after a long Monday I'm sitting down to get all of my online applications started and my recommendation envelopes addressed for teachers. Also, homecoming is on October 10th and the typical disorganized stress is arriving because our once small group of close friends turned in to a group of 35...including one my best friend's ex boyfriend and his friends...so were like no no..this will not do! haha! So were stuck trying to figure out what were going to do now, if we're going to break off from that group and start a new one or what. I did get a dress though! It's dark navy blue from cache and I just took it to get tailored this past Saturday! It's going to fit perfectly! I'm so excited! The dress is like the only part that I'm excited for because I have never had a good homecoming before ...haha...so we'll see how it goes this year...I'm not getting my hopes up.
Until Later,
Catherine

I forgot to tell you about my Mary Washington visit! So on Friday morning I got ready to go and left my house at around 10 aclock because it only takes around 40 minutes to get to Mary Washington from my house. My friend Julie's house, where I stayed, is really cute and only about a block away from campus! I spent the day meeting all of her friends and going out to lunch at a little place called Here and Abroad (a little place in town that I never would have even known existed on my own) it's a really cute sandwhich place (1004 Princess Anne St. Fredericksburg, VA 22401) if you're in Fredricksburg then you should definitely go! Julie and I spent the rest of the day walking on campus, taking her dog to the dog park, and hanging out at her house. Later, we went down to Central Park for dinner, it's a big shopping area only a couple of minutes away from campus that has all sorts of stores (not mall stores) and a bunch of different food places that are discounted if you show your UMW school idea.(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Central_Park_(shopping_complex) If you know any friends that are at schools you're potentially interested in, you should visit them because it's completely different when you get the students point of view, experiance what they do with their free time and know what the social life is like! I Mary Washington!

I'm really started to get stressed out with all of the college stuff because it feels like there is so much to do and almost no time at all! The most frustrating thing is that every college wants different things by different dates, so I started to make a spreadsheet of all the colleges I'm applying to and their deadlines and everything, hopefully this way I can focus on a few at a time. I have to look through all of them later and find out which colleges want how many teacher recommendations, if they want them at all, if so how many, and some colleges provide you with a form that they want one of your teachers to fill out instead of a written recommendations--its all really confusing! On top of that, some colleges want only a written statement, while others want two essays from their essay list...then I'm left like..."Okay, great, from your essay list...where is your essay list?! And then how do you get the essays?!" Because everything is done electronically besides what the school sends, I really doubt I have to send in my essays snailmail...but I have NO idea! Today, I'm going to have to sit down with my mom and figure all this out before I REALLY start to stress haha

I had a looong day today as I had to get ready to be out of school on Friday. This Friday I'm going down to Mary Washington and meeting up with my friend Julie, she's a junior there right now and has her own apartment so she's going to show me around, get me into a class to sit through and show me around Fredericksburg then I'm just going to spend the night at her place and come home Saturday morning! It's going to be a lot of fun! But in order to do that, I had to talk to all of my teachers whose classes I'll be missing on Friday and make plans for the work I'll be missing, one of which was a timed writing in AP Lit which I ended up doing today during my 7th period seminar--I was so nervous because I had no time to prepare and really wasn't expecting to write it today but I think I did pretty good...I guess we'll see! haha! After school I hung with some friends even though I was emotionally and physically exhuasted, and when I finally got home I let both of my dogs out, completely forgetting that their electric fence collars are dead so they both ran off and once I realized I had to run out and find them which was terrifying because I live on a busy road! Thank god they're okay though! Then I was finally able to take a nap and relax...the down side to taking naps in the late afternoon? Now I'm awake and it's almost 7:30 and I still have to do my AP Government homework

Hey! Coming to you from my journalism class room...haha...we started to get to work on the newspaper (which is my journalism class--we're just the newspaper staff) and we have spread planned out for the first issue, we decided to do it with the classic "Back To School" theme and to target the money problem that our senior class is having. Our class is having a bunch of fundraisers within the next few months because we need to raise a lot more money in order to have the graduation and prom that we all want! It always all works out in the end though, so I'm not too worried about it! haha! I can not believe that it is only the second week of school! It feels like we've been in school for almost a semester already! Getting through the six hour school day gets harder and harder everyday! haha! I can't wait till today is over so I can go over to my best friend Ashley's house and just hang out with her and a bunch of our friends...it's kind of a routine-haha. None of us ever plan to hang out because we always just know where to go and everyone is there afterschool just about everyday, it's the best way to relax and not think about AP work and college applications for a little while! Which reminds me, I need to log into blackboard-family connections to find out when the transcript deadlines are for all of the schools I plan on applying to, I'll do that tonight!

Have a great day!

Today was my second day of school! I've now had each of my classes and sadly, already received all of the text books! (Which in total, is 6...for 4 classes...yeah I have 2 books for AP Gov and 2 for AP Lit...lovely...haha) I can now officially say that being a senior really is a lot different! All of my classes, even my APs, are pretty relaxed classes and the teachers tend to joke around a lot more! (No more tense teachers trying to scare you on the first day!) My AP Lit class is fun because I had the same teacher last year for Creative Writing and I have that class with three of my friends! :) The one class that I was really worried about was Law in Action because none of my friends got placed in the same class as me, but it went surprisingly well because the teacher is hilarious and I found a girl in the class that I used to know back in freshman year so now we're sitting together! haha! It's so weird to think that at the end of this year I'll be graduating because it really does feel like I just started highschool! And that reminds me, I need to start working on my transcripts and everything if I intend on doing early action!! Ahh! haha!
Until later,
Catherine

A break from being serious...I want it to be known that while I walk you all through my college app process, I am also blogging about my senior year in general! So as far as my year goes so far, my schedule looks great! (I've always had really good luck, especially when it comes to getting the teachers and classes I want) I'm so relieved to find out that I have close friends in all of my classes and my senior year is set to be a lot of fun! I'm spread editor this year for my school paper and my parking spot is a lot closer than last year! Wooo! Everything is working out perfectly! The only thing that sucks is my school's new schedule layout, get this: Usually schools have odd and even days with one class this is every day, for us, that was 3rd. So we had:
Odd days: 1,3,5,7
Even Days: 2,3,4,6
Now 3rd period isn't everyday and we have a flex period instead, only on even days that will alternate through periods 1-7. So now it's:
Odd days: 1,3,5,7
Even days: 2,4,6, FLEX
It's going to be so confusing! But on a lighter note, our first football game was this past friday! GO STALLIONS! and GO SENIORS! (this whole being a senior thing is not going to get old! Haha!) :) On the topic of being a senior: the homecoming theme for this year is "It's All Greek to Me!", our senior theme is "Olympians", our senior dues are $125 (I need to remember to pay that at back to school night), and we graduate on...
JUNE 18TH! The senior spirit is really building up fast!

Now, let's start with the basics:
College...the word is built up ever since you were a kid and now that it's finally time to consider it, it may seem overwhelming. For seniors, it's had it's time to loose it's intimidation, but for the juniors, just the thought may be more than you can handle.
So start small, what are you interested in? There are so many majors, and you by no means need to know which one is for you yet. But try to think of the area of study you'd like to go into. Maybe it's engineering )like my brother who's been tinkering with things since he could walk) or maybe it's business because you've always dreamed of starting one of your own. For me, it's English. It's always been my favorite class, I enjoy classic literature and i was looking for a major with a vast amount of opportunities...I could go on to master in publications, communications or even go on to law school! Whatever you decision, it will become the premise to your college preference! Once you know this, start your college searching! And remember, don't procrastinate! Junior year goes by a lot faster than you think!

As the school year starts, we all have a lot on our minds! For juniors, you might be starting to worry about the SAT or what colleges you want to start looking into; but for seniors (WOO! GO SENIORS!), the real pressures sets in as we begin to rule the school and apply to the colleges of our choice! I'm Catherine Kellogg, a senior at South County Secondary School in Virginia. I know what it's like to not even know where to begin with the college process and I also know what it's like to start going through it, only to realize that it's not that bad, and that's what I'm here for. As my fellow seniors finalize their test scores and the juniors just begin, I'm going to offer advice, talk about my experiences and walk all of you through not just my college application process but my entire senior year!
Because if I've learned anything over the past year, it's that all this college stuff is not nearly as bad as everyone makes it out to be! And the stress of it does not need to take over your Junior or Senior year!
So here's to a great year, college stress free! And me being here to share it with you every step of the way!