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The Smoke Signal
Dear Diary: 2018 Expectations By Kikue Higuchi Staff Writer
Nov. 29, 2017 Dear Diary, Today was our first late start Wednesday after coming back from Thanksgiving Break. Since it was late start, I stayed up late last night and I was so tired that I fell asleep in Chemistry. My first period! My teacher called on me and I didn’t wake up, so she tapped me on the shoulder. It was so embarrassing I almost exploded. I’ll use Winter Break to catch up on my sleep, so next year I won’t sleep in class at all! But until then, I think I’ll sleep in my fourth period instead. Dec. 3, 2017 Dear Diary, Yesterday my friends and I went shopping for our Winter Ball dresses. I got a pale blue dress that really made me look like Cinderella, which was perfect because of this year’s theme Magic at Midnight. This morning I woke up to find my dress absolutely destroyed. I guess my dog thought the dress was the biggest squeaky toy on planet Earth. He ripped it to shreds, but that’s not all. He peed on it too! I have no idea how I’m going to find another dress. I think I’m going to cry. I never thought my dog, my best friend, my truest companion, could ever betray me like this. My dress and my heart have been destroyed.
think 2017 might be the worst year to date. I had hoped that things would turn around in 2018, but I’m not so sure anymore. I think the best thing for me to do is bingewatch the new Stranger Things season, again. Dec. 20, 2017 Dear Diary, Today I have achieved victory against all odds, and it was glorious. Despite the biting cold and swampy track sucking my feet down into its muddy depths, I ran my fastest mile. 25 minutes and 12 seconds. That’s a whole two minutes faster than my last time! My classmates cheered me on zealously as I passed Mr. Marden, wheezing and sweating for the last time in 2017. I have triumphed over all the evils that have been thrown at me the last few weeks. Sleepless nights, double-crossing dogs, and bad grades can’t catch me now! I’m sprinting into Winter Break and into the New Year with gusto. I can see the light at the end of the tunnel, and soon I’ll escape the claws of this dismal year. Dec. 22, 2017 Dear Diary, Winter Ball was incredible mostly be-
cause of my amazing friends. We reminisced over all the fun times we’ve had in the past year and I’ve realized something. 2017 wasn’t all that bad other than the last few weeks. Sleep schedules can be fixed, my dog is still the cutest thing in the world, and I have all of next year to pull my grades up from the abyss. We spent the rest of the night dancing together and taking pictures. I am filled with hope for 2018 and so are my friends. This year is over, but life is not. Dec. 28, 2017 Dear Diary I came up with a few New Year’s resolutions and I’m going to stick to them. Maybe. Anyway, I’ve decided that in 2018 I’m going to: go to Starbucks at least once a week for a major study session, start using my planner so all those little red zeros on School Loop disappear from my life forever, use my free time to hang out with friends instead of watching Netflix, and buy my dog a new toy every week. In addition to those resolutions, I’m going to join a gym. I need to keep up my successes and cut more minutes off my mile time because 2018 is going to be a whole year of me being the best I can be. Or maybe just the best. ▪
Dec. 8, 2017 Dear Diary, Today my English teacher gave us our most recent vocab quiz grade. This is my eighth C in a row. My parents are going to chew me out like they’re eating an overcooked steak. I thought I did really well on this one too. Sophomore year is so much harder than freshman year; I have no idea how I’m going to handle this. My homework pile has doubled in size and so has the number of zeros on School Loop. My grades are in free fall and I have another round of tests next week. I
Thursday, December 21, 2017
SRO ROBINSON REPORTS by Officer Kelly Robinson HOLIDAY SAFETY TIPS Winter Break is upon us! Here are some Holiday Safety Tips from your fellow School Resource Officer, to ensure you and your family have a safe winter! • Keep all car doors locked and windows closed while in or out of your car. Auto burglaries increase dramatically during the holidays. • Beware of strangers approaching you for any reason. At this time of year, "con artists" may try various methods of distracting you with the intention of taking your money or belongings. • When leaving home for an extended time, have a neighbor or family member watch your house and pick up your newspapers and mail. • Leave a radio or TV on so the house looks and sounds occupied. Burglaries increase during the holidays; however, they are far less likely to occur if they believe someone is home. • Be sure to lock doors and windows when you leave the house, even for a few minutes. • Avoid riding in a vehicle with an intoxicated driver. Also beware of intoxicated drivers on the road. And last but not least, have a great Winter Break! Enjoy the holidays. See you all next year! ▪
GRAPHIC BY STAFF WRITER KIKUE HIGUCHI