Football!

Another January comes to a close, as does another football season. This year the Patriots started off amazing, winning their first ten straight. Injuries quickly slowed them down, losing their top two running backs and top 3 receiving targets in the last six weeks of the season as they went on to lose four of their next six games. Now usually going into the playoffs in that bad of form spells disaster, but for the Patriots it was quite the opposite. With Edelman, Ammendola and Gronk coming back the Pats looked like a solid contender. We cruised through our game against the Chiefs, winning by 7, although we had good control over the entirety of the game. The next hurdle was the Broncos, who we suffered a frustrating defeat to during the season (mostly due to crap refereeing).

            While our defense held fast against the fabled Peyton Manning, it was our offense that had the most trouble. It seemed as though Brady could not hit any of the receivers, but it soon became clear what the real issue was- the offensive line. While our running backs and receivers has a plethora of injuries, our o-line had even more, and that was what killed us. Every play the Broncos only needed to rush three men and they would be at Brady in a fraction of a second, not allowing him the time he needs to pick someone out and throw the ball. It was an exciting season that got frustrating because of injuries, but I’m confident we’ll come back even better next year.

Senya Slide

            As first semester comes to a close, I foresee a lot of free time in my future when the senior slide takes full effect (in every class except for English, obviously). With that in mind, I have started looking for things to fill my time. I’ve found a few Xbox games that seem fun, as well as starting a few new TV shows. I wanted one comedy and one serious show because sometimes I’m in the mood for one, while sometimes I’m in the mood for one while sometimes I’m in the mood for the other. For the funny show I’ve begun watching New Girl. I like it because it’s a sitcom, but with a different twist. The characters are all extremely uptight, and when they conflict it’s hilarious.

            The serious show I’ve begun is LOST. Partially because I’ve had lots of friends recommend it, and also because I just saw the new Star Wars movie, which was directed by the same director as Lost; J.J. Abrams. I’m only halfway through the first season, but so far it’s been an awesome show. For the first few episodes, the show has provided backstory for one of the characters by littering scenes from their past during the episode. Each character has a dynamic background, and it’s really cool to see them get used to their surroundings and each other, trying to understand the pasts and motives of each of the others. So far it’s a great show, and I’d gladly recommend it to everyone.

            So how do you plan to fill all your time when the slide is in full swing? 

Burnt Out

            The applications are in, and now the wait begins. After I sent in my last application, I let out a sigh of relief, believing I could throw it into cruise control for the next five months until graduation. The past three days have been a rude awakening for me. Rude as in peeing in your neighbor’s lawn, rude. My cruise hit an iceberg and sank the past three days. The iceberg took the form of my six teachers, who still have a job to do for the next 5ish months, determined not to let their classes slip. While this is definitely for the best; being lazy for the next five months would not set me up to succeed in college, and it is always good to learn more, I am going to have to switch up my mindset in order to not crap out second semester.

            What will keep me going the most is the promise of something new just around the corner. A new setting, new people, new classes. For those I will keep up with my work and not slack off. I am definitely ready for the next step in my life; high school is growing increasingly stale. The same teachers, kids, problems, lack of freedom day in and day out. I’ve been in the same small pond that I’ve been in for the past 14 years, and I’m ready to dive into the ocean (that metaphor was pretty cliché, sorry about that). Despite this, I am trying to enjoy the end of high school as much as I can because I know in the future I will look back on this time and think of how great it was, and how nice it would be to go back to it. I’ve had a great time in high school, and while I understand there’s still several months to go, I am definitely ready for the next stage in my life.