I just noticed today that my senior memory meme post has no question 12. I didn’t skip it. Eeyore didn’t have one either. At first I was going to be all boring and just try to find out what the missing question was, but then I figured out that this is the perfect opportunity for reader participation!
That’s right! You, my 3 lucky readers, have a once-in-a lifetime chance. 🙂 Drop in a comment that contains what you think should have been question number 12 about my senior year of high school. I will answer all questions from people I know (so don’t ask what you don’t want to know!), and I’ll probably answer even if I don’t know you. Just be sure I have your email address… I reserve the right not to answer publicly. 🙂
11 replies on “Senior Memories: Reader Participation!”
Ah, ha. What’s a regret you have from senior year? I say “a” regret instead of “the biggest” because I am not trying to get you to air deep dark secrets on the internet 🙂
I’m almost disappointed. I expected a much more devious question from you. 🙂
Hmm… That’s actually a tough one. I’m not conceited enough to say I don’t have any regrets, but that was actually a pretty decent year for me. I was getting ready to move into the rest of my life, and it was going well. One I can think of is that I didn’t ride into Florence with those friends at the pool party late that night. I was the first one to go home, and I should have milked that night for all it was worth.
What have you learned that you would go back and tell your high school self?
Oooh, Joyous had a great one. That is one I’d like to hear as well.
What was your typical style of dress or outfit during your senior year, and what was your idea of ‘dressing up’?
Gotta agree with Crystal. That’s a good one.
My first reaction was to say that there are so many potential answers to that question that I can’t choose. There are so many things that I have learned about myself and how I fit into the grand scheme of things in the time since. Knowing even one of them then would potentially have made things so much easier on me.
However, as a friend recently reminded me (*wink*), I am who I am now because of all those experiences along the way. What would happen if I went back and spared myself just one painful moment? Dealing with that situation brought learning and growth. I have come to some of the most satisfying moments and relationships in my life along chains with the most unexpected of links. If I short-circuited one of those learning opportunities, what or who would I end up losing in the process?
Now, I might be willing to tell myself that those loud print shorts weren’t such a good idea, but I’m not willing to risk much more. Is that really worth the trip? 🙂
In an answer that will surprise nobody…
Fashion was never my thing by any stretch of the definition. I didn’t hate the way I looked, but I also realized I wasn’t going to win any contests. I wore almost exclusively jeans and either tee shirts or sweat shirts in school. We didn’t get to wear shorts during the school day, but I did wear them during hot weather when I could (like during band camp).
“Dressing up” mostly meant Sunday church clothes: button-up shirts and slacks, and maybe a tie if Mom made me. Mom always made sure I had at least one jacket, dress pants, tie, etc. for more formal events. I think I’ve been in a tux exactly three times in my life, and once was that year (the “prom refugee” event I mentioned in the original post).
It amuses me how similar our “growing up” experiences were, and how we became good friends so long after all that. 🙂 We weren’t allowed to wear shorts during the school day, either. Girls weren’t allowed to wear pants. My typical school dress was a long denim shirt, a polo shirt, and if it was cold a flannel shirt or sweatshirt over that. We weren’t allowed to wear t-shirt (had to have a collar). The only time I wore shorts was during sports practices or at home. “Dressing up” was Sunday morning clothes – nice dress, dress shoes, hose, and jewelry. Sunday night was more like a school day. Why I still have the horrible formals I wore to our “Spring Flings” I don’t know, but once I find the appropriate charity they will be out of my life. I had absolutely NO concept of what was stylish and what looked good on me.
Whereas we WERE able to wear shorts during the school day (no more than three inches above the knee, although many a girl stretched that as much as she could) I was never a shorts-wearing person. We were taught in church that wearing shorts was just wrong! (Our preacher was so extremely conservative, let me tell you) so therefore, I did not feel comfortable wearing shorts “in public” – I wore them around the house all the time.
I just wanna go back and tell high school Crystal to Just Chill Out because of little stuff like that. 🙂
Eeyore:
*nod* Lots of parallels there (though you definitely had it stricter at your school than I at mine). Crystal (*waves “Hello!”*) went to the same school and the same denomination of church as I did.
The church dressing routine certainly sounds like mine in its level of formality, though. Sunday morning was more formal. Sunday night and Wednesday night were much more casual (but still never shorts).
I have to say that in the grand scheme of things, my church was really not extreme about things. I’ve heard stories from friends in other similarly-named churches that have truly frightened me. In a denomination known for legalism and inflexibility, my church was probably bordering on progressive… and it wasn’t even associated with a college campus (the normal reason for such liberal thinking *grin*).
You know… now that I think about it… they might have started that my senior year.
I know that a group of my fellow seniors circulated a petition and took it to the county school board that year. The more I think about it. the more I want to say that the board voted to leave it up to the individual principals. Mr. Miller was not happy about those kids trying to go over his head, but I want to say he might have allowed it. I probably still wore jeans, so I can’t blame it all on the school.
Speaking of which… I do remember in junior high there being a rule change or something that prompted lots of girls wearing miniskirts. There was a similar “x inches above the knee” requirement for those as well. One of the reasons I remember was that I think there were a few occasions of some girls I knew making a big show out of presenting themselves for measurement by at least one of the male coach-teachers. *rolls eyes*