left and right,

thrust and drag,

sun and sunscreen,

gravity and buoyancy,

wavecrest and shoreline,

paddle rhythm and birdsong,

cloudless sky and clear reflection.

It was a good start to summer.

peeling dried glue membranes off your fingers; sounds, words, hypercuriosity.

First grade was

doing your best to avoid cooties; word searches, cubbies, snowpants.

Second grade was

taking on chapter books; spelling tests, Jolly Ranchers, recess adventures.

Third grade was

cranking through long division; kickball, capture the flag, Harry Potter.

Fourth grade was

solidifying friendships with playdates; imagination , neighborhood nightgames.

Fifth grade was

having a double-digit age; concealed crushes, sleepovers, close friends.

Sixth grade was

embracing video game addictions; discomfort zones, new friends, advanced math.

Seventh grade was

understanding the importance of deodorant; projecting, humor niche.

Eighth grade was

unleashing adolescence; unrestricted energy, long hair, skateboarding.

Ninth grade was

getting settled; wonder, Socratic seminars, talent-building, implicit competition.

Tenth grade was

setting standards; anticipation, stress, finding role models, speculating.

Eleventh grade was

refining the resume; testing, hard work, volunteerism, identity, goals.

Twelfth grade was

 reflecting on the past; laziness, indestructible friendships, claimed futures, farewells.

In the next few days, I’m giving my last high school PowerPoint presentation, turning in my last French quiz, taking my last Mo Pro test, surviving my last DiffEq test.

By the end of this week

By Thursday, I will have had my last high school lunch, my last awkward shove match with people blocking the hallway, my last game of dodge-the-Gatorade-puddles.

It will be the last time I think to myself, “Freshman are getting shorter every year.” It will be the last time I tell myself, “it’s okay to sleep in Mo Pro.” It will be the last time I ask myself, “does this matter for college?”

These next three days will be highly concentrated with lasts. I’ve come this far, I’ve lasted. It’s the bottom of the bottom of the ninth, the home stretch of the home stretch. Let’s put a “they lived happily ever after” and a “the end” on this thing.

Happy Memorial Day!

Ivy Insiders offers an SAT and ACT preparation program designed to give you an inside edge on test prep.

It is taught by instructors who beat the test first-hand and now attend the most selective schools in the country.

Ivy Insiders is more effective than your typical prep program like Kaplan—and I should know. I took SAT prep courses from both during high school.

As someone who never really had a built-in test-taking strength, I relied on continuous, directed practice. It might not be for everyone, but for me, a course was a worthwhile investment. And Ivy Insiders was more worthwhile than than any other.

Why?

The instructors are currently-attending students and graduates of America’s top schools. Nearly all are Ivy Leaguers that have their own, idiosyncratic tips ‘n’ tricks alongside standard strategies. These people are masters of the tests, gurus, scoring in the 99th percentile and well-equipped to help you do the same.

The curriculum actually works; take it from someone who scored in the lower 1900s on the SAT before Ivy Insiders, and consistent 2350-pluses after. The course book was written by a council of Ivy Insiders themselves and offers a unique dimension of preparation that you won’t find in other books.

What is that “unique dimension?” During my time with them, it became clear that Ivy Insiders is designed to help students that are already motivated, not students that are looking for motivation. One of the more subtle differences between Ivy Insiders and Kaplan is that Ivy Insiders assumes you’re capable of getting that coveted 2400/36; it’s more focused on making excellent scores out of your decent scores, than simply helping you manage a better score.

Ivy Insiders has better value because it offers more. Students can enroll in group courses, online courses, semi-private tutoring, and private tutoring. Instructors become mentors not only when it comes to test-taking, but throughout your college application process. They’re the best resources because they’ve recently been through it themselves, know what works, what doesn’t, and are willing to share. I’m still in regular touch with my Ivy Insiders instructors, who are peers just as much as they are mentors and role models.

If you’re interested, I highly recommend Ivy Insiders–and not because I’m getting paid or endorsed to write this, because I’m not. With my own experience, I’m convinced that Ivy Insiders is one of the best, if not the best prep program out there. Without it, I wouldn’t have gotten the SAT score or college acceptances that I did. If your aims are high, Ivy Insiders won’t stop at pointing you in the right direction; it’ll take you there.

If you decide to enroll, use the following code when prompted to receive a $100 discount: MN8XWayzata

For those near Plymouth, MN, check out these free events:

with Melissa (ACT)
with Eddie (SAT)

Harvard
Princeton
Yale
MIT
Caltech
Stanford
Columbia
UPenn
Johns Hopkins
UC Berkeley
Cornell
WashU in St. Louis
Duke
Northwestern
Carnegie Mellon
University of Minnesota – Twin Cities
Carleton

See also: About Me

2. bumper cars times a million

3. loud lights and bright music

And it was fun.

After four rewarding years, today’s my last day. I would say something like “it feels as if I signed up just yesterday” in a nostalgic way, but 1) it doesn’t, because 2) volunteering here has become such a routine, memorable part of my life, and 3) I’d like to avoid clichés.

Hopefully, you’ll never have to reach the level of familiarity with a hospital I have after working as a gift shop cashier for a year and as a patient dispatcher for three. Health care is great, but it’s better not to need it.

Anyway, being part of hospital operations regularly for so long has given me opportunities, experience, and a chance to make myself a better person.  But none of it would have come without learning a few things along the way. So, unsolicited, and partly in celebration, I’ll impart to you some knowledge.

1. The cranky old man stereotype is mostly true.

I don’t blame them.

2. Hospital food isn’t bad.

At least at Methodist, volunteers get a free meal from the cafeteria each day they work. You’d be surprised at how good the food is. Given how many patients I’ve asked about their hospital stay, very few have complained about it. The few that did are referred to above.

3. Sundays are the quietest.

Not many people are admitted to the hospital during weekends in general, and not many people leave either. Visitors who have someone they know in the hospital for multiple days or weeks comment on how busy the weekdays are relative to the weekends.

4. Everything is highly systematic.

While it may not seem like it while you’re told to wait 20 minutes for a prescription to be filled at the pharmacy, hospitals are more machine-like and efficient than you might think. Everything is kept track of, recorded. Even when I get a call to discharge a patient, there’s a chart to fill out and a carbon copy to write on. For nurses, schedules and computerized data are a necessity. In a hospital, the disorganization quota is zero.

5. Decor is strategic.

Earth tones and subdued warms make up 50% of the difference between a hospital and a prison. Methodist’s main floor has a ton of nature paintings, mostly of breezy grass fields and peaceful idylls. The walls and wood paneling are honey colored. Decor plays a role in healing—it’s as functional as it is aesthetic.

*                                           *                                           *

It’s not often you hear someone say they’re going to miss the hospital. But I am. The people here at Methodist are top-notch care providers—which might have something to do with why it’s a nationally ranked hospital in that regard. The staff are friendly, practical, and genuine. The volunteers are many and it’s easy to make friends.

I’m really, really going to miss this place.

See also: Easter morning at the hospital

2. plan everything beforehand

3. be willing to spend multiple limbs

not using capital letters is kinda liberating.
also, the 12 list items for class of 2012 was totally intentional.