Assignment 24- Sara Anderlich

    My junior year was nothing like I expected it to be. February, as a Sophomore, I was getting so excited for it too. We were going to perform our 2020 Marching Band show at the Bands of America Grand National competition, I was getting weekly private saxophone lessons with my band director, I was getting ready for my CKYO Jazz Concert, and I truly felt like I was getting somewhere instrumentally, and with the rest of my life. It may sound strange, but I intertwine how I think with how I play. I was so happy... I had never felt so confident...and then everything changed. I think it's impossible to talk about my junior year without mentioning the pandemic, no matter how much people may be tired of hearing and reading about it. The pandemic hit and I had no idea what was going on. My lessons stopped immediately and within a few months, I was hardly practicing at all. I just couldn't bring myself to, even if all of my school stresses flew out the window. I absolutely loved that my grades couldn't drop, as I was convinced that without the pandemic, I wouldn't have had an A in Pre-Calculus. 

    But anyways, as this transitioned to my junior year, I really didn't know what to think. Everything was so still Up in the Air (marching band inside joke hehe) and we didn't know when we would be coming back to school, or even if we would come back at all... For me though, this uncertainty wasn't awful. I was sad about band and not getting to meet my teachers, but I don't think my work ethic got any worse. If anything, it got better. I have never had a year where I didn't procrastinate until this year. I just didn't. Sure, it happened on occasion, but for the most part I planned out all of my assignments and did everything by the due date or significantly before it was due. Specifically with my APUSH Key Terms, I started doing at least seven every day. It was difficult to train myself to do, but eventually it got to be really easy and I really feel like it taught me a lot of self-discipline. I may not have given myself a detailed practice regimen for band, but in every other class I truly believe that I thrived. It was weird. All this time alone, and I managed to motivate myself. Sure, it may have been initially triggered by anxious habits and fear of guilt if I didn't do my work, but I still did it. I even started doing my homework with friends, which did help a lot for accountability... I don't know, it was just really cool. This year was the first the year that I was ever able to actually sleep, and I think that that helped a lot too. I just felt like a person, you know? Because I had complete control over my schedule, I was actually living in my own life, rather than walking around in auto-pilot. I really liked it. 

    I think that the hardest thing for me was just getting distracted, not with my assignments, but in class. I feel like some of my teachers really didn't know how to be engaging over zoom, and that made it really hard to learn. I still struggle, but I'm doing my best to always take notes/screenshots of the lectures so that I can be successful in all of my classes. I think this will be an easy fix for next year. I assume my senior year will be in-person and at least semi-back-to-normal, and that's really all I need. I like seeing everyone. Though I get really tired around a lot of people, I'm an extrovert at heart and seeing everyone makes me really happy. Now that I'm vaccinated, seeing more of my friends this summer is something that I'm excited for too, assuming that COVID cases start to go back down again. I don't know... it's just going to be really nice to have a break from school so that I can focus on things that I'm really passionate about. For example, now that I know I want to go into Veterinary Medicine, I'm excited to apply for some kind of job/internship at a veterinary clinic. I think that would be a lot of fun. I also plan to really crack down on myself and actually try and learn how to play piano. I have a keyboard and multiple beginner/intermediate books, and I really think that I can do it if I put my mind to it. I have a friend that's going to do it too, and we're going to use each other to stay accountable with weekly check-ups on our progress. Marching band should happen too... so with that and the normal relaxation time, I think that's all I want to do this summer. 

    As for senior year, I think I'm just going to take it as it comes, and make the most of everything that happens. All I want is to be happy and experience everything that I can, so that's going to be my goal. I want to spend time with my friends, build quality relationships, and do my best to work towards scholarships for the University of Kentucky. I know it will go by fast, but I plan to relish in everything that happens.