Posted By Katie on May 14, 2012

Alright, not to go all political on you or anything, but I’m very left wing and very Liberal. However, the community I live in is the exact opposite. Which is partially what made my little “experiment” today hilarious for me and my best friend Torey.

Here’s where it all started:

As a joke, Torey (who is female, which is relevant for you to understand the reasoning) and I have decided we’re getting married. We’re both straight, but are very strong advocates for equal rights for everyone. Today while at Target we were just being normal teenagers, ya know, playing with the Star Wars light sabers, and putting on the Avengers masks, then we moved on to sitting on the patio furniture, the whole time joking about what we’d decorate our house with. That last thought led us to go look at the interior design section of the store, creating a funny little idea.

Me: I wonder how many dirty looks we’d get if we walked around holding hands.

Torey: Wanna do it??? [This folks is why we're such good friends.]

So there go Torey and I, walking through the aisles of Target hand in hand, totally comfortable and normal. People could not look away fast enough. The guys would look at us, then down to our hands and look away quickly, almost as if they had interrupted a private moment of some sort. Which isn’t the response you’d usually expect from males, especially teenage males. Trust me, there were several of those that saw us, too.

All in all we counted nine looks, and those are only the ones we could see.

Three women actually glared at us. Can you believe that? They conveyed a look of “How dare YOU show any affection in public!” It was completely disgusting.

We were actually anticipating someone making a comment or scoffing at us. Fortunately for them, no one said a word to us. Our only regret was not having someone there to record it so we could see everyone behind us as well as in front of us. The one thing those who did give us looks will never know is that as soon as we hit an empty aisle we’d bust up laughing at the looks we got. Not in a disrespectful way, but it was just interesting to see how much it upset people to see something so normal. Something each of them have done before.

At one point Torey and I tucked away into an empty aisle after getting some awkward glances, Torey commented: “That’s right, be uncomfortable in your homophobia!”

Yup, I love her.

Who knew people were so hateful towards something so happy and grand. Two best friends walking hand in hand through Target, laughing and having one of the best days. Who knew.

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Posted By Katie on February 26, 2012

Good friends are difficult to find these days. I’m lucky enough to say I’ve found some really amazing ones. It’s amazing how we fit together too.

Friday was one of the best days I’ve had in a really long time. Right after school my best friend Emily and I hopped into Torey (our editor)’s truck and headed to gather supplies to make The Hunger Games shirts for the premiere next month (look up at my super cool counters!). It always cracks me up how the three of us can have a million conversations in such a short period of time.

We made it back to Torey’s house and set to washing the shirts and printing out the iron-ons. Arnold Palmer was pulled out along with chips and dip, we were ready to prep for the next few hours.

Soon the shirts were done, with only one mess up..on Torey’s shirt..So we had to go get her another one before we headed to the school play, where Emily and I met up with our boyfriends.

That school play was probably one of the best I’ve seen. It was “The Musical Comedy Murders of 1940.” The entire cast was completely perfect and just hilarious.

After the play, Torey Emily and I drove around singing to all kinds of female power songs..Yup it was a great night.

I love my friends.

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Posted By Katie on February 4, 2012

There are times like tonight that make me smile.

Most teenagers would dread having to go to school on a Saturday, however, most of the teenagers that fill up my amazing Journalism class are not at all like that. We enjoy the Saturday works, for us it’s a time to get work done, while making wonderful memories and laughing through all the frustration. It does help that we have two amazing Editor-in-Chiefs. If they asked any of us to jump, we’d simply respond “how high?”

I’m not going to lie, we all absolutely love our editors, not that we didn’t love our editors last year too, we’ve just spent a lot of time with this years editors. We’ve been known to randomly go on trips to Yogurtland, make fun of each other, and occasionally attack a certain editors truck with post-its.

Tonight we got to watch as our editors did a beautiful, and very touching, duet of the Celine Dion song “My Heart Will Go On.” I’m not sure if we’ve ever laughed so hard. While we may have dealt with super slow computers.

We’ve got a great paper, with great editors and a great staff. But there’s nothing we could do without our amazing adviser.

Our Journalism adviser, Mrs. Swenson, is one of a kind. We’re all so lucky to be able to work with her. We learn daily, in a happy, comfortable, and fun environment. Swenson is one of the easiest people to get along with. I love working with her and being able to learn from her.

With such a great group of people to work with, it’s easy to see why we have no problem working on laying out pages for the paper from 10 am to 8 pm. Being able to spend time with friends, laughing and getting work done is the best way to spend a Saturday, I don’t care what anyone else has to say about it.

I love my Editors, Torey and Connor, I love our amazing adviser, Swenson, and I love our staff.

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Posted By Katie on January 1, 2012

New years is always a big deal in my family because New Years day is my little sisters birthday. So while we were awaiting the ball to drop on Dick Clark’s Rocking New Years Eve, my mom and I were outside pretending it was about 20 degrees warmer while singing and dancing to country music. Our favorite boys consist of Blake Shelton (who my momma and I are seeing in concert March 13th eeee!), Keith Urban, Billy Currington, David Lee Murphy, Zac Brown Band, Brad Paisley, Jason Aldean and so many more.

So when the ball was finally about 10 minutes from dropping my mom and I headed in to watch and wake my sister up and sing happy birthday, as per tradition. She didn’t fully wake up..

Mom and I had no interest in watching the artists performing so we headed up to watch Nero Wolfe. Unfortunately we didn’t stay awake for a full episode. Ha!

This morning we all got up, had a great breakfast and headed up to Glennville and Cedar Creek. My dad took us around Glennville telling us where he went to school and church. It’s always really fun to see where your parents grew up, at least I think so.

We headed off to Cedar Creek to begin the hike back to the big waterfall. That was an interesting hike… It was awesome for me being able to look and remember little memories from past times of doing this hike. But teaching my sister how to step carefully and cross over the creek was a difficult task. What made it really hard is she doesn’t grasp the whole “watch where the person in front of you steps” in order to get where we needed to safely.

However! We did get some really awesome pictures of the beautiful scenery and some great ones of us.

Over all it was really peaceful and relaxing. Nature on New Years day was definitely the way to go. Bringing in the new year with those who love and support me is the best thing I could have done this year.

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Posted By Katie on November 23, 2011

Winter is finally here! How’s everyone’s school year going so far? I bet we’re all ready for the breaks coming up.

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving. What are you thankful for? I know I’m really thankful for a lot.

I’m thankful for my family, for the friends I’ve got, the amazing Editor-in-Chiefs this year in Journalism, for laughter, for smiles, and for all that I have learned so far this year. Not to mention, I’m thankful for the breaks from school coming up!

I hope everyone has a fantastic Thanksgiving this year. I hope you all get to spend it with the people who love you and your family.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

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Posted By Katie on October 20, 2011

As teens, we don’t always realize it, but we love all the little things. The little things in life are the most important, the ones we should pay most attention to. They’re what keep us moving everyday, keep the world spinning.

A big little thing for teens is finding that there are others like us. Other teens who think like we do, other teens who buy the same products, other teens who do the same weird things. One of the weird things that I know a couple people do, is check behind the shower curtain before going to the bathroom. It may seem silly, but I always worry that there’s going to be someone who is going to attack me. (I’m a little weird, it’s okay to laugh)

I always love meeting those people who are exactly like me, with a few twists. It makes me feel so close to them. I have a couple people who are literally my soul twins. It’s really amazing. Makes me feel a little more sane.

Friends are a big part of life, but those who actually act like good friends and stick with you are the ones that we should all cherish most. Just thinking about those few in my life that are always there when I need them makes me smile. Those of you teens who think your life is so awful, take a second and think about all of these things in your life, you’ll find life isn’t so bad after all. “If you’re worried and you can’t sleep, just count your blessings instead of sheep” – Bing Crosby, White Christmas.

Hugs, smiles, laughter. Three very powerful things. Everyone needs to laugh everyday. We need to hug more. I know my friends are a very hug oriented group, we laugh all the time, and we smile at stupid jokes. It’s who we are. It’s how teenagers are. If we all spent more time doing each of those, life would be happier, lighter and more fun.

I can count on my last two classes of each day being the two I laugh the most in. While every class I will end up laughing in, it seems I laugh most in there. Mainly because everyone I sit by, makes jokes, and has fun with school. That’s how everyone and everything should be. “It’s okay to laugh, even at the serious stuff” my mom says that all the time, and you know what? She’s right. Laughter is the best medicine you can have. It will do a lot for your day and for your life.

We laugh at everything here, we spend our time making jokes about the serious stuff to lighten it, to make it better and easier to deal with. I know when my brother got sick we made jokes and laughed, it released a lot of tension and stress. Not to mention, we all need to smile a lot more, it does quite a bit for your moral. A really good family friend told me one day she knew I wasn’t really looking forward to school to smile because it would make everything better, she was right.

SO! Smile, laugh, hug, enjoy your friends and family. Everything is going to be okay. Even if it’s not today, or tomorrow, it will be. Things will always get better, things will always go up. There’s no doubting that. So smile, laugh, love and hug. With that, you will be happy. (:

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Find the rest of my series “31 Days in the Real Lives of Teenagers” here.

Find the other 31 Dayers here!

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Posted By Katie on October 11, 2011

“Friends” is such a broad topic, but a good one for today.

There is just sooo much drama between friends when really, there is no need for it. If we could be honest about things maybe it would limit it.

It always makes me laugh when people say that we’re losing our friendship because we never talk, when I have 3+ classes with you, in which I talk to you in all of them, about things going on with you and me. Just makes me giggle.

There is an exception to that. There’s a best friend I have (and they will probably know exactly who I’m talking about when/if they read this) who I have a few classes with this year, we used to tell each other basically everything, now I know absolutely nothing going on with them because they don’t talk to me in any class, and don’t eat lunch with me anymore and don’t respond to text messages anymore.

It happens, friends grow apart, that’s all fine and great, until you decide to point the finger at the other person claiming they haven’t been a good friend when you never tell them what’s going on with you so they can be there for you.

Now sure that is pointing the finger at them, but when you have tried many times to talk to them, and got no response, you get a little frustrated.

Teenagers deal with issues with friends way too much (obviously), it adds to stress we already have from school and there is just no point in it.

Parents, I’m sure you remember drama from when you were a teenager, it’s hard. I’m lucky because I have the kind of relationship with my mom where I know I can tell her what’s going on and get help with my situations.

I’ve come to a point where I’m done with the drama. From now on, I will try my very best to keep my self out of it. I came to a realization that I am soo grateful to have the best friends I have. They are all so supportive and do their best to make sure I’m okay. I love every one of them. They better know it too.

I am thankful I have the friends I do. I hope everyone who is my friend does know that if they need me, all they need to do is tell me. I am here to help (to the extent that I am able), always.

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Find the rest of my series “31 Days in the Real Lives of Teenagers” here.

Find the other 31 Dayers here!

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Posted By Katie on October 10, 2011

It always amazes me how many people look at me completely shocked when they realize I do know who someone is that would normally be considered “before my time.”

I grew up listening to all the old music, and by old, I do include the ’80s. Not that is really is old, but to teens now a days, it is. I listened to jazz, country, pop, rock, everything. I know who The Rat Pack is, The New York Dolls, The Ramones, along with numerous ’50s and ’60s artists.

I’m named after Katharine Hepburn, I’ve seen many of her movies. The Philadelphia Story is one of my all time favorite movies. I know who Spencer Tracy, Grace Kelly, James Stewart and Cary Grant are.

What I’m getting at is, even though we may be young, we have old souls. We connect to the old favorites, even some of the less famous ones.

I love when I find someone else who listens to all the old stuff. One of my really good friends and I the other day were talking about how her mom used to play classic rock when she cleaned the house when she was growing up. It was funny because whenever she would talk about the artists with her dad she said he would tell her “you don’t even know who that is!”

I’ve seriously had that said to me so many times, I’m not really sure why but it bugs me. I don’t try to BS knowing who someone is. Maybe I don’t know everything about them, but I DO know who they are.

The funny thing is, while maybe not all teens constantly listen or watch all the oldies, they do click with it and enjoy it a lot when they see or hear it.

I love being able to put together a playlist of music that not only includes all the new pop (which I do enjoy, its catchy don’t judge), but also a bunch of oldies.

“The worst thing about having your favorite band be an old one is: you’ll never be able to see them in concert because they’re either too old or dead,” my friend seriously spoke my thoughts.

That is probably the worst thing about loving Frank Sinatra, Bobby Darin, or Queen; I’ll never be able to see them live. Well at least not in this lifetime anyways…

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Find the rest of my series “31 Days in the Real Lives of Teenagers” here.

Find the other 31 Dayers here!

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Posted By Katie on October 9, 2011

“Let the punishment fit the crime!” (Couldn’t find the credit to this quote, Sorry!)

A lot of teenagers get grounded, but the thing is, are the punishments really equal to the crime?

Here are two different teenager’s stories about being unfairly grounded:

Teenager #1:

I have a unique situation in my house where I lose rights the second I walk in the door. This is because I am constantly grounded. The reason’s why I get grounded can range from anything to talking when I shouldn’t have, to getting poor grades. Those are understandable reasons, but the punishments are severe. I’ve asked many of my friends what it’s like when they get in trouble, and their responses range from getting grounded to a couple weeks to just getting a lecture.

I’ve been grounded since June 10 because of grades, and while it hasn’t always been severe, the feeling is akin to being on an incredibly short leash. I already have to do whatever my parents tell me, which usually includes odd jobs around the house, and I have to endure being yelled at and insulted all the time. It’s just a terrible environment.

I’ve been threatened, and I’ve had many of my objects that I’ve bought with my own money taken away from me. It’s so bad that I’m fairly convinced they hate me. I don’t have friends over, and I can’t focus on anything that doesn’t concern school. Everything is limited, my television, my computer, even video games. They draw the line at my phone, and thank god for it because if they didn’t, I’d go crazy.

All of this stress adds to what I have to deal with at school, and so it’s an act of God that I function as well as I do. I just sort of wish I could convey to my parents that they don’t have to treat me so harshly, when none of the other teens I know get this sort of punishment.

The saving grace? I know that when I grow up, I won’t treat my children this bad.

Now tell me, does getting grounded just for catching your parent in a bad mood, or accidentally talking at the wrong time reasonable? Not when it’s to the extent of losing everything. People are crazy.

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Teenager #2′s story:

I get grounded a lot! Even right now, I’m grounded from video games and my computer.

When I was little. I would do what most kids did and they grounded me for about two weeks.

Now a days it for months for stuff I don’t do. I have been grounded since last year. It’s almost been one full year. I was grounded because I couldn’t do my work for English and I failed the class. Here’s what really happened, my bitchy ass English teacher knew I was sick all first quarter. So when I came back with the completed work, she would say “I don’t take late work.” WHAT THE FUCK…

My dad asked my why I was failing and I told him the truth. He doesn’t believe me because I somehow became a known liar. The last time I had lied to them was when I was 8 and it was about eating something.

My dad then calls my teacher up and asks if I have turned in my work. I didn’t hear the conversation but it basically was no because I was then grounded that same day.

So instead if trusting someone he could see face to face, he listens to someone through phone call and email. And we all know you can easily lie because you don’t see her face expressions.

So basically I get grounded because I get blamed for stuff I don’t do. I’m known as a liar in my family. I’m actually known as the person who is blamed for others lies

My Dad’s favorite line is “You can’t bullshit a bullshitter”. Well Dad, guess you just got bullshitted?

Again, people are crazy!
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Find the rest of my series “31 Days in the Real Lives of Teenagers” here.

Find the other 31 Dayers here!

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Posted By Katie on October 8, 2011

“There’s so much good in the worst of us, so much bad in the best of us. It never makes sense for any of us to criticize the rest of us” – Find What You’re Looking For, Amy Grant

When I first started getting this post ready I wasn’t quite sure what I was going to write on, then Taylor Swift’s “Mean” came on the radio and it hit me, bullying.

Everyone deals with bullying. Sure it’s not always the stereotypical bullying that’s in the movies where the senior picks on the freshman or even the big kid flipping another kid over for his or her lunch money. It seems all the bullying these days is mainly from people who have such low self esteem that they have to tear someone else down too, or they just don’t understand something about the other person.

What I mean about people not understanding something about them is like if someone is a homosexual, has a disability of some sort, or even just because someone is Jewish or Mormon. Gay teenagers get the worst bullying ever. I know everyone remembers all the suicides last year that were caused from gay kids being bullied.

The bullying nowadays is manipulation and mental. There have been cases where it was physical. One of the physical cases that happened at my school was last year. This is what I was told: there was a boy with a mental disability and some older boys (I believe). The older boys either trapped or forced him into a bathroom and I’m not exactly sure if they beat him up but they either sprayed his face with Axe or sprayed it in his mouth. They did get in trouble and were either expelled or suspended. Not sure.

Girls manipulate each other all the time. We do it in really subtle ways, such as a girl coming up and saying “I like your dress, though, I wouldn’t wear it.” Little things like that are things that get under a girl’s skin and will roll around her head all day and all week. It will make a girl never wear the outfit again, purely from being self-conscious.

Cyber-bullying is a leading cause in suicides these days. Cyber-bullying is really a way for people who don’t feel good about themselves to avoid face to face confrontation, but still cut people down. A good example is someone had a picture of them and their dog with the caption “Me and my Dog” someone commented saying “Which one’s the dog?” While maybe giving people a chuckle, it cuts someone down and causes massive self-consciousness.

There is just no need for bullying yet everyone faces it at one point. No matter what, even though you are the big dog now, someone bigger will always come along and bullying one day will get you in a lot of trouble.

Mean – Taylor Swift

You, with your words like knifes, and swords
and weapons that you use against me.
You, have knocked me of my feet again,
got me feelin’ like a nothin’.

You, with your voice like nails on a chalkboard
calling me out when im wounded.
You, picking on a weaker man.
You can take me down with just one single blow.

But you don’t know, what you don’t know

Someday, I’ll be living in a big old city.
And all you’re ever gonna be is mean.
Someday, I’ll be big enough so you can’t hit me
And all you’re ever gonna be is mean.
Why you gotta be so mean?

You, with your switching sides and your
wildfire lies and your humiliation
You, have pointed out my flaws again,
as if I don’t already see them.

I walk with my head down, trying to block
you out cuz’ I never impress you.
I just wanna feel okay again.
I bet you got pushed around,
somebody made you cold

But the cycle ends right now cuz’
you can’t lead me down that road

And you don’t know, What you don’t know

Someday, I’ll be living in a big old city.
And all you’re ever gonna be is mean.
Someday, I’ll be big enough so you can’t hit me
And all you’re ever gonna be is mean.
Why you gotta be so mean?

And I can see you years from now in
a bar talking over a football game
With that same big loud opinion but
nobody’s listening

Washed up and ranting about
the same old bitter things
Drunk and rumbling on
about how I can’t sing

But all you are is mean

And all you are is mean,
and a liar, and pathetic,
and alone in life
and mean, and mean
and mean, and mean

But someday, I’ll be living in a big
old city. And all you’re ever gonna be is mean
Someday, I’ll be big enough so you cant hit me
And all youre ever gonna be is mean

Why you gotta be so mean?

But someday, I’ll be living in a big
old city. And all you’re ever gonna be is mean
Someday, I’ll be big enough so you can’t hit me
And all you’re ever gonna be is mean

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Find the rest of my series “31 Days in the Real Lives of Teenagers” here.

Find the other 31 Dayers here!

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