On the first day of seventh grade, I was as scared as a cat in a dog pound. Actually I was MORE nervous than that cat. I was ready for seventh grade to be absolutely AWFUL.

I walked into the loud, crowded seventh grade hall ways prepared for the worst. But the worst never came! All my teachers and class mates were super nice. Seventh grade was going to be a challenge, but it was going to be a fun challenge. The seventh grade teachers give a TON of homework. After a bunch of late nights of studying, I figured out the key to seventh grade: TIME MANAGEMENT!!! By October, I got most of my homework and studying done at school. When I got home all I had left to do was a little studying and a blogpost!!

I’m actually sad this school year is coming to a close. Seventh grade has been a BLAST! I’ve learned how to write am expository, all about Texas’ history, a little bit of Spanish, and everything I need to know about the human body. I had so many great teachers and met a ton of new friends! My advice to next years to work hard, manage your time well, and have FUN! Oh, and stay out of the girl drama…there’s a LOT of that in seventh grade!!

“Oh. My. Gosh. Did you hear what she did?!?!” Gossip can scar a person for the rest of their life.

To begin with, gossip can completely destroy friendships. Last year, my best friend and I got into a huge fight. We told other people rumors about each other, just to get revenge. This was NOT what friends were supposed to do. This ruined our friendship forever. Gossip can get in the way of any friendship- no matter how close you are.

Something else to keep in mind is that most of the time, gossip isn’t even true. Often times girls make up things to feel better about themselves. For example, someone said that my friend had “skipped class”, but she was actually home sick. Another example is that in Hollywood, a Star’s entire career can be destroyed by one innocent text or one cover story. Rumors spread quicker than wildfires, tearing friendships apart and ruining reputations.

“Oh. My. Gosh.” The next time you hear rumors, you might want to second guess them. Not everything you hear is true. In conclusion, gossip can be harmful and it can add more drama to your school life. Don’t start the gossip conflagration… Extinguish it!

Girls wore sparkly dresses, boys wore tuxedos, and everyone wore an expression that protested “I do NOT want to be here.” I guess I wasn’t the only one who’s parents had forced them to come to the dreadful class of Cotillion.

“… And 5, 6, 7, and 8” the dance teacher yelled over the roaring classical music. Her voice echoed in the empty, spacious room that reeked of many types of perfumes. She began to dance so fast I could barely see what she was doing. Her feet were flying. She showed us the dance only one time. I was expecting her to break it down and show us what to do, but instead she turned the music on and started to count. “Small steps,” she nagged. “Stand up straight,” she commanded. “Eye contact,” she yelled. “Focus,” she exclaimed. Her corrections were endless. We couldn’t do anything right. I kept tripping in the 4-inch heels I could barely walk in yet alone dance. I was as graceful as an elephant in ballet shoes performing the lead in the nutcracker.

Cotillion pushed me well beyond my comfort zone. It taught me so much more than how to ballroom dance. I learned that sometimes you have to do things you don’t want to at the time because they will help you in the long run.