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H. O. B. Y.

H. Can’t hear you

O. A little Louder

B. That’s Better

Y. ‘Cause You Got It.

And Repeat.  This past weekend, I attended an event unlike any other.  Drumroll please….. Hugh O’Brian Youth Leadership’s Southern California Conference.  Around 200 high school sophomores from San Diego, Imperial, Orange, and San Bernadino Counties, and around 75 staff members that include a lot of alumni, but also a lot of people dedicated to spending their time to make HOBY an even more magical place than it already is.

It all started about a year ago, when I (a scared sophomore) arrived at Concordia University, with a ton of teenagers screaming at me from mere feet outside my car’s windows. “SMILE!” “You are going to have the BEST weekend of your ENTIRE life!”  These were only some of the phrases that were being screamed at me at decibel levels well past the threshold of pain as I settled into my new home for the next three days.

I proceeded to meet a group of around 10 people that I became extremely close with over the weekend.  Our group, “Black Eyed Peas”  ’repped our pride through cheers, songs, and just being really really loud.  This leadership conference was unlike any other that I had attended.  And I had been to quite a few by this time in my life.  I think for me, it wasn’t really the things we were learning, or the ideas that we were introduced to, but more importantly – the amount of enthusiasm that EVERYONE seemed to posses.

I left HOBY empowered.  I went home and proceeded to not only complete my 100 community service hours, but ended up with around 250 in a little less than a year.  I decided that I was going to be involved with HOBY for the rest of my life, regardless of where it took me, and this is where we flash-forward to today.

This past weekend I came back to the wonderful world of HOBY at Concordia, this time, not as a student Ambassador, but as a Junior Counselor.  And, as impossible as this sounds to me, I think that I have grown more as a person this time around, and I have learned, and been inspired so much by the amazing students that I have encountered.

I am amazed by how quickly these kids acclimated to the HOBY spirit, and how fast they realized that the only person not making a fool of themselves was the only one who looked like a true fool.  I mean after only 24 hours, every single person of the 200+ people that were there, were doing things like this:

and this:

I mean the truth is, that life is only more exciting if you are ALIVE AWAKE ALERT and ENTHUSIASTIC.  And that you can only do more good, and become a better leader if you truly put your all into everything you do.

The last night of the conference, almost every single ambassador came before every person at the conference, and shared a 5 minute story of their life, and how HOBY had changed it.  Their transformations were obvious and amazing in that people who two days before had been too shy to tell you their name, were in front of 250 people speaking most eloquently for more than five minutes.

As much as HOBY changed my life last year, and made me realize these things, this year, I am inspired to volunteer more, lead more, and most importantly – help others realize that they too can do all of this and much much more.

Finally. Junior year was, to say the least – difficult.  I mean after SAT, AP, Subject Tests, Finals, ASB Elections, Invisible Children, HOBY, and so much more, I am kind of burnt out.  Summer could not have come any sooner.  However, now the time comes to wait for the results of the test scores, to write the college application essays and a lot of other work.  However, summer is also the time to relax.

Though it has technically only been summer for like five days now, it feels as if summer has been for forever.  From beach, to running, to movies, and hanging out with friends, I honestly couldn’t be happier.  Yeah, I have to take tech, and I have to get ready for girls state, and my camp counseling position, but the awesome thing about it all, is that I get to do it on MY time frame – much like I would suppose college is going to be like.  I can’t wait to see what this summer has to offer: and I hope it will be good

It’s May, and that means Prom! And, probably more importantly, AP Testing!!

I just took my AP U. S. test on thursday, and I felt pretty good about it, however I realized that I circled the wrong question number for my second essay!  I am praying that it isn’t going to hurt me, because I really feel like I can get a 5 on this test.  I have AP Language and Composition on Wednesday, and I just realized that I bought the AP LITERATURE and Composition study book, and am consequently screwed.  I probably should have opened the book a little earlier, and would have avoided this problem altogether, but luckily the internet is sweet bliss.  I have already signed up with SparkNotes (which to all of you test takers out there – do it!  They have so many helpful applications, and not just with AP, but SAT, ACT, and even subject tests!)  and I have been writing essays all year long, so hopefully I will be okay.

In between all of this testing I just keep stressing to myself that this Saturday, May 14th, I have my Prom on the U.S.S. Midway in downtown San Diego!  I just got my dress picked up yesterday, and I am soooo happy with it it is incredible!  This is almost rivals  the excitement I had when I found out my SAT scores (but not quite!).

So just one more AP test to go, then I have Prom! Then going back to school ASB elections (running for president! Wish me luck!), and the last stretch to the end of the year with preparing for finals, a leadership conference in LA, and subject tests!  However, after all of that- summer, here I come!  Not to mention Girls State, a family trip to Florida, and an internship at the wonderful YMCA Camp Surf in Imperial Beach.

Oh life is good Or at least it will be

So there is good news out there for all you ivy-league hopefuls.  This past week Harvard and Princeton both announced that they will be bringing back their Early Admissions Early Actions programs.  Technically this means that if you really want to go to one of these schools, you are now able to apply by November 15th, and know whether or not you are admitted by December 15th.

Upon hearing this news, I jumped for joy, because my dream since I was super young has been to attend Harvard.  So the obvious thing for me to do is to apply early because it is my first choice school.

However, I spoke to my friend Thomas, who recently applied early to Stanford, but was rejected, and he put some new thoughts into my mind.  He basically stated that he wished he hadn’t applied early because he was up against such tough competitors by applying early.  He thought that he was up against people that had raised over 250,000 dollars for their causes and were getting 2400′s on their SATs.  This is a pretty scary thought for me, but even scarier is the idea that this is all so that they can recruit athletes.

But then again my mind goes back to the fact that Harvard is my first choice, and I want to show that, but I also want to get in, and want to make sure that I make the right decision when it comes to one of the most important things in my life.

But I have a couple of months before that time, so I guess I should just focus on the present and TESTING right now.  If you have any thoughts pleeease share them!

You better believe it.  Last night at around 10 the sky in little old Ramona California (which is on the outskirts of San Diego County) was filled with beautiful little white flakes.  Upon returning to our home, our cars were piled high with it, and my friends were sledding down the streets with none other than their boogie boards.

Waking up at 7:30 this morning and looking out my window, I saw palm trees covered in snow.  That’s not something you’re gonna see everyday.

* Will post pictures later.

So this weekend, I realized that I have so much on my plate right now that I need a system.  Between school, testing, family, my social life, volunteer work, working and a ton more, I am feeling frazzled, but don’t want to drop any of my commitments.  So after thinking long and hard, I have finally decided that GTD was the right way to go.  Only after visiting the Things site that is offered by Apple, was I convinced that this was the right decision.

Just a few moments ago, I finished “brain dumping” and organized my life into cute little boxes on my computer screen.  Already, I feel better about everything.  I currently am on the fourteen day free-trail of the program, and, if everything goes well, I will either be buying it for myself or asking my parents to help me out.  I really am excited about this, because I know that I am capable of doing more than I am actually outputting right now, and hopefully this program will be able to help.  I bought the iphone edition a couple of months ago, but stopped using it when my dad switched to Nozbe.

I will keep you all updated, because I think that the web needs a little more info on time management systems for high achieving teenagers.   Fo’ Real.

Finally.  1st semester finals of my junior year are over.  These past few weeks have definitely been some of the longest that I have gone through.  Studying for days on end, going to mandatory ASB games, and trying to keep some sort of sanity through it all has been slightly tough.  However, at the end of the day, success has been achieved!

A’s in all of my classes! Including the infamous Pre-Calc Honors, which is supposedly the hardest class that my school has to offer.  I feel accomplished, but at the same time, absolutely exhausted.

After having gone through both Spanish III Honors, and Physics finals, Chris Linder (yah, the famous rock-climber) came to good ol’ Ramona, and helped us go rock climbing in Mt. Woodson.  I had such a blast.  It is absolutely so much fun to be able to climb a face that you never would have thought possible.  It is so different from going to camp, and having all of the the holds completely project out from the face.  The feeling of accomplishment once you get to the top is absolutely amazing.  Not to mention the fact that being outside, at the beautiful Mt. Woodson, with a bunch of really chill people is the most amazing way to end a really stressful week.

But lets just say, that upon arriving home, all I wanted to do was sleep.