A day in the life — Photos
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Ana Ramirez
Kateri Town
Janessa Mains
Ana Ramirez
Ana Ramirez
Kateri Town
Becky Paulson
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Becky Paulson
Ana Ramirez
Ana Ramirez
Becky Paulson
Kateri Town
Kateri Town
Becky Paulson
Becky Paulson
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Evalyn Suarez — West Valley High School
Mornings are always hard, especially mornings when you have to get up at 5:55 a.m. and didn’t get to sleep until 2 a.m.
The thing that wakes me up is seeing my friends, especially Jazmyne. She’s a little on the overly energetic side and really doesn’t care what others think, so she often has random outbursts.
The bell always rings too soon. But, after awhile, it’s like you can feel the annoying thing about to ring. You seem to know when it’s coming.
Since math class is first, I can’t stay awake. I’m only really awake for about the first few minutes. My teacher is giving some kind of lecture that I should be listening to, but my head is resting on my hand.
I listen to announcements, or try to.
I walk to my Spanish class in the old, weird-smelling Building 3. I sit down listlessly in my seat. Group work is my least favorite part. I’m not very comfortable around people to begin with, though I can be if I have a friend or two there to give me support. One-on-one is OK, but groups of three, I normally get ignored or left out.
The bell rings and I leave for lunch, heading straight for the cafeteria after going through the laborious job of packing my backpack, which weighs close to 50 pounds.
Fifth-period Honors English is probably my favorite class right now. We’re reading “Jane Eyre.” I read the book when I was in seventh grade.
We talk about the book, take a quiz and get assignments before we leave to go home. Climbing on the bus, I look over my homework. I have a lot just like every night.
Tonight will probably be another night with little, or possibly, no sleep.
Chelsie Standfill’s Day — Highland High School
6:30 a.m. Why do alarm clocks create such an annoying buzz to wake you up? What’s wrong with a nice, calming sound, like chirping birds? Oh yeah, they’re still sleeping!
7 a.m. Time for my morning coffee, the only thing worth getting out of bed for. That and school, of course.
7:35 a.m. Walking down my driveway to the bus stop.
8 a.m. Still on the bus, trying not to doze off. Hitting every pothole in the road seems to be preventing that quite well.
8:25 a.m. Finally at school. I realize I didn’t do the homework for first period. Or second period. I feel a hurried panic coming on.
9:15 a.m. Sitting in first period, watching possibly the first movie ever made. And, to go with it, the longest video study guide ever written. Seriously, how many trees went into this?
9:42 a.m. Why did I sign up for a morning physics class?
10:22 a.m. Hamlet: Isn’t this supposed to be some Earth-shaking, remarkable, intellectual piece of literature? A play to enrich the mind and intrigue people? Frankly, I’m disappointed. Shakespeare is overrated.
10:40 a.m. Is Hamlet even in English?
11 a.m. Lunch, greatly underrated. Finally, some natural sunlight and fresh air. Oh, and of course all the new gossip, since this is the first chance I’ve had all day to see my friends.
11:09 a.m. On this short walk to the store, I have learned of two rumored pregnancies and a break-up, and have been informed that I didn’t complete the worksheet packet for fourth-period French.
11:14 a.m. Armed with a cup of coffee, some chocolate and a bunch of new gossip, courtesy of the mile-long store checkout line, I start the dreaded walk back to school. It seems to be a lot shorter than the walk to the store.
11:55 a.m. French is a lovely language. Really, it is. It makes beautiful music. Just take “Les Miserables” for example. But having to learn the past participles and parts of speech takes some of the glamour and mystique away.
12:25 p.m. I’m starting to appreciate French more now that pre-calculus is slowly approaching.
12:33 p.m. The teacher has left the classroom, so every cell phone in the room has appeared and is blaring inaudible music. And one kid is actually dancing.
12:47 p.m. Walking into my pre-calculus class I feel a sense of impending doom. I am possibly the most inept person when it comes to math. When it comes to going away to college and starting your life, most fear moving and becoming self-dependent. I fear college-level math classes.
1:22 p.m. Staring at my feverishly written notes, I again feel that sense of doom. I can barley read half of what I’ve written let alone understand it. Now I have a headache.
1:32 p.m. Walking to my last class, I hear giggling girls and foul-mouthed boys, scolding teachers and a stern principal. High school really is a cliché.
1:43 p.m. I wisely chose to be a T.A. my last period of the day for the entire year. Most people don’t understand why I would chose to spend an hour each day correcting papers, but it’s more entertaining than you’d think. Some of the answers I come across, especially on pop quizzes, could have come straight from Steve Martin himself.
3 p.m. Just stepped off the bus. I’m headed back home. Only 19 more hours until I start the cycle over again.
3:54 p.m. Just finished my mountain of chores: Laundry, dishes, sweeping. Now it’s time to do my homework so I’m not in a panic tomorrow morning.
6 p.m. Homework is finally finished.
7:12 p.m. Now I have some free time. This is probably the most amount of free time I’ve had all week. I think I’ll go zone out in front of the TV.
8 p.m. TV is making my eyes hurt. I think I might actually do something good for my brain and read a little — but only a little.
8:51 p.m. Brilliant idea! Yoga! The perfect relaxation technique before hitting the sheets. A little hot tea, a little meditation and a lot of sleep and I might actually feel awake tomorrow.
9:58 p.m. Feeling rejuvenated and refreshed after my mini yoga session. Well, it’s time to turn in! Good night!
Molly Scofield’s Day — Eisenhower High School
6:20 a.m. I get out of bed and stumble to the coffee machine to retrieve my first cup.
6:50 a.m. Get a second cup of coffee and hope to God I’m not late.
7:20 a.m. Tell my mom I love her and leave for school.
7:30 a.m. Arrive at school just in the nick of time and get on the bus.
7:40 a.m. Leave for a leadership conference in Ellensburg.
9 a.m. Listen to a motional speaker tell us how life changes and that we could be the change, that everyone and everything leaves a mark.
2:30 p.m. I’m home!
2:40 p.m. I turn on the heat and change into my pj’s.
3 to 5 p.m. I take a well-deserved nap to re-energize my sprits.
5 to 6 p.m. Study for A.P. U.S history test.
6:10 p.m. DINNER!!! El Porton, my favorite.
7 p.m. Shower.
8 p.m. I watch “Everwood” with my mom, and enjoy relaxing.
Kami Cross — Eisenhower High School
6:31 a.m. Wake up 30 minutes earlier than usual.
1:15 p.m. I sit and listen to the new music on my iPod, and text message one of my friends, three seats back on the bus. I sit with my sister. I am tempted to sleep.
2 p.m. I get home and begin to watch “Dawson’s Creek.” I put pajamas on and cuddle up on the couch, waiting for my friend. When he gets there, I finish the episode and then we hang out. It is fun.
7 p.m. I’m full because my mom just made me dinner. I head downstairs to do my homework.
9:30 p.m. I am in bed, reading “A Great and Terrible Beauty,” for the second time.
Kacie Cross — Eisenhower High School
6:30 a.m. Wake up and shower.
7 a.m. Get dressed.
7:30 a.m. Go to Ike and get on the bus heading to the leadership convention in Ellensburg.
8:30 a.m. Arrive in Ellensburg.
8:30 a.m. Listen to speaker.
10 a.m. Do group activities, meet new people.
11 a.m. Listen to speaker again.
12:30 p.m. Go to lunch: Taco Bell.
1:15 p.m. Arrive at Ike.
2 to 6 p.m. Take a nap.
6 to 7 p.m. Do homework.
7:30 p.m. Have dinner.
8 to 9 p.m. Go to dance class at Comotion.
9:30 p.m. Finish homework.
10 p.m. Go to bed
Alyssa Patrick’s Day — Eisenhower High School
5:47 a.m. My alarm goes off, a wonderful mixture of two radio stations and static. Naturally, I hit the snooze button.
6:05 a.m. The alarm goes off again. I lay there. Dad asks, “Are you getting up?” “Yes,” I grunt and roll out of bed. Then, into the nice warm shower.
6:15 a.m. I search through my sister’s closet for her red tights. I pull on a white skirt over that, and my leadership shirt — decked out in school colors for today’s leadership conference.
6:28 a.m. I scan the newspaper. My sister comes into the kitchen, eyes half-closed, searching for food.
7:05 a.m. I get in the car. John Mayer’s sultry voice greets me through the speakers. It is going to be a good day.
7:20 a.m. I arrive at school to a virtually empty junior parking lot. I go inside to a surprisingly empty school. I scan for those clad in red, white and blue.
7:25 a.m. Having found my leadership posse, I climb into the yellow bus which will be taking us to Ellensburg High School. Everyone is decked out in red, white and blue beads, and I snatched the sparkly patriotic tiara. It’s really going to be a good day.
7:35 a.m. As we leave the parking lot, I notice the groups on the bus. In the back are the seniors, tired and knowing what to expect. Toward the front I find the sophomores and freshmen who are new to leadership, laughing and excited, looking forward to a new experience.
8:45 a.m. We walk into the gym of Ellensburg High School, late, to the bleachers filled with leaders from nine other schools. There are reds, blacks, golds, greens, yellows-overalls, capes, and mascot heads all bobbing around in the mass of school spirit. A few schools start chanting “Ya, Ike!” and “Way to go Ike.” They recognize us, and are kindly letting us know they won’t resent us for being late. I smile, high-five a Prosser guy, sit with my school, and listen to the introduction of our speaker: Micah Jacobson.
9:07 a.m. A Prosser boy is down on the gym floor, yelling his name like a rock star. We all yell it back, scream, cheer, and smile for him; who wouldn’t love that much attention?
9:37 a.m. “Structure determines behavior” is a phrase Jacobson has repeated a few times now. A long-haired boy from Ellensburg forms the famous “rock on” symbol with his red-gloved hand.
10:32 a.m. Seven mascots, ranging from a Spartan to a Jack Rabbit, take the gym floor to compete in “The Mascot Olympics.” The Jack Rabbit’s ears ruins its chances at limbo, the Bear has trouble keeping his head on while shooting baskets, and all the other mascots cheer on the Cougar who is struggling to get his scooter going.
11 a.m. I’m with three students from three different schools, and so is everyone else. Most everyone is wide-eyed but smiling, learning how to work with people they don’t know.
12:16 p.m. The conference has come to a close. We begin to filter out of the gym, then “Man in the Mirror” begins to play over the speakers. All of us at Ike who had attended leadership camp immediately drop our bags and begin to do the dance.
12:42 p.m. As we all get back on the bus after finding food, I notice how much we represent typical American teens. Cheerleaders with Starbucks cups in front of me. Two of my friends sit behind me and share an iPod.
1:25 p.m. One of the girls across the aisle from me is sleeping.
1:32 p.m. I realize how much I love my friends as Laura rocks out to “I Want You to Want Me” behind me. I don’t need or want to be in any other group, the six of us are so comfortable together.
2:01 p.m. We arrive back at Ike to an empty parking lot. I get in my car and turn up the new mix Nicole gave me. I head home to change out of my red tights.
2:30 p.m. I leave home for the Yakima Herald-Republic, where I’m the student editor of the Unleashed section, now that I’m in the proper attire. Down Tieton Drive I go, passing the same buildings and houses I always pass, listening to my music. The scenery at this point has become another component of the music, the two work together, unwinding my mind as I make the 20-minute journey to the paper.
3:29 p.m. I’ve been at the paper for a while now, reading and editing in a little cubicle in the basement. I’m sitting amid the talk of journalists and photographers, sports guys and editors. This is a whole other world I’m lucky enough to be a part of and an experience like no other.
4:15 p.m. I get home and call my Aunt Cassie back. We talk for a while, about her wedding, school, and just life in general.
4:44 p.m. My mom and sister visit me in my room, taking me away from my history studying to talk about a much more interesting topic: junior high boys.
4:58 p.m. I attempt to get my focus back on history.
5:15 p.m. Dinner time! A simple open-face tuna sandwich.
5:50 p.m. Back to studying World War I. There is so much to remember! My mind is wandering.
6:30 p.m. Nicole calls, and once again I leave my history studying. We discuss our favorite topic of the past couple months: “High School Musical.”
7:15 p.m. I get back to studying for history. It is my only homework for the evening, a nice little perk I know won’t last long.
7:33 p.m. My attention span has ended. I’m done studying. I’m going to go make myself some chai tea.
7:42 p.m. I’ve been trying to finish “Wuthering Heights” since August, but I don’t have the time!
8:15 p.m. I sit down with my mom to watch old episodes of Jon Stewart’s “Daily Show” and “The Colbert Report.”
9:15 p.m. I get into my glorious bed. I have to catch up on my sleep where I can!
Mia Walsh’s Day — Davis High School
6 a.m. “Come on, Mimi. Time to wake up,” my mom says in an unnecessarily loud voice.
6:15 a.m. Thump, thump, thump. I hear my mom coming up the stairs to wake me up again. I quickly throw back my covers and run to the bathroom.
6:45 a.m. A red shirt and khakis, a sweater and jeans, jacket, no jacket. I hate this weather.
7:10 a.m. My dad is driving me to school. “Who is Charles de Gaulle?” I use the 30 minutes in the car to review for a history quiz.
7:45 a.m. Everyone tiredly waits for school to start by talking to their friends in the cafeteria.
8:10 a.m. I sit in English my eyes drooping from a late night. I watch the clock slowly tick.
9:36 a.m. 1.51, 1.52, 1.5… AH! Frustrated with stoichiometry.
11:15 a.m. Mmmmmmmmmm. I love almond roca americanos.
12:30 p.m. My sister and I talk to each other on the phone, sharing gossip and celebrity news. She tells me how excited she is for me to open up the birthday presents from her. I CAN’T WAIT!
1:45 p.m. Time to start my homework.
2:46 p.m. Snack time!
6:30 p.m. My stomach growls as the aroma of tomato sauce fills the house. I watch the clock waiting for my mom to come home so we can eat dinner.
6:45 p.m. As I hear my mom walk in the house, I quickly clear off the table and help my dad finish dinner preparations.
8 p.m. More homework
9:30 p.m. Yay! Tonight I can go to bed early.
Felicia Teter’s Day — White Swan
6:24 a.m. Crawl out of bed to turn off my alarm clock.
6:25 a.m. Lay back down and HOPE I get up before 6:50.
6:41 a.m. Get up, look at the clock, decide I need to start getting ready.
6:42 a.m. Lay back down and decide it’s too early
6:47 a.m. Get up and start getting ready.
7:12 a.m. Leave my house and hope the buses are running late.
7:15 a.m. Angelique and her mom pick me up halfway to school and keep me from missing the bus.
7:17 a.m. Get on the bus.
7:20 a.m. Try to fall asleep on the bus.
7:23 a.m. Give up on sleeping on the bus and listen to my iPod.
7:35 a.m. Bus arrives at White Swan High School.
7:36 a.m. Convince Angelique to go to breakfast.
7:37 a.m. Wait for my favorite breakfast (biscuits and gravy).
7:38 a.m. Eat chocolate muffins and applesauce instead.
7:56 a.m. Go the physics. Try not to be late.
9:35 a.m. Speculate who’s going to get kicked out today.
10:35 a.m. Marvel at the fact no one was kicked out.
10:55 to 11:02 a.m. P.E. “Run” six laps.
11:30 a.m. to 12:10 p.m. Wait for lunch because I’m INSANELY hungry. Try to fight my hunger and focus on math.
12:11 p.m. Hope for my favorite lunch, chicken nuggets.
12:12 p.m. Have my hope shattered but celebrate the fact that our lunch is chili and homemade rolls, easily my second favorite.
1:45 to 2:30 p.m. Enjoy reading newspapers and making posters.
2:30 p.m. Go to my locker to get my books.
2:34 p.m. Walk to bus.
2:40 p.m. Bus leaves.
3:02 p.m. Arrive home.
3:02 to 3:15 p.m. Enjoy a lovely bowl of cereal.
3:15 to 3:55 p.m. Clean the kitchen.
4 to 5:45 p.m. Watch Emily, my infant sister, while my mom goes to school.
5 p.m. Start dinner.
5:45 p.m. My dad arrives home and takes over watching Emily while I make the side dishes for dinner.
6:30 p.m. Serve dinner.
7:01 p.m. Arrive at youth group.
9:04 p.m. Begin homework.
9:13 p.m. Give up on math homework since it’s not due until Friday and decide to begin reading and journaling for English.
9:20 p.m. Take break from reading to help Natalie shower.
9:29 p.m. Resume reading and journaling.
9:47 p.m. Shower.
10:13 p.m. Go to sleep.
Samantha Knittle’s Day — Davis High School
6:45 a.m. I get to sleep in today! There’s no zero period at school.
7 a.m. Time for breakfast. I eat strawberry oatmeal, read the Yakima Herald-Republic, and find the funnies. “One Big Happy” and “Beetle Bailey” are good today.
7:15 a.m. I grab my clarinet, backpack and math book. Dad drives to me. (I don’t have time to get my driver’s license. Maybe later this spring.)
7:30 a.m. I try to sell a band fundraising coffee card to the vice principal. “Come back later,” he says.
7:45 a.m. I head to the band room and work on my Spanish homework.
8:05 a.m. I listen to the daily announcements over the intercom and keep working on Spanish.
8:20 a.m. I take out my clarinet and practice “Circus Bee” with the band.
Noon. I find paint in my hair from art class.
12:15 p.m. Finally! I’m done with Spanish homework, so I start studying for a history test on Friday.
1:25 p.m. I’ve been studying for this history test for more than an hour, AND I NEED A BRAIN BREAK! I stretch, go to the living room, and fall asleep on the couch.
4:50 p.m. I unload the dishwasher and set the dinner table.
5:20 p.m. Dad comes home from work, and dinner will be soon. I listen to him talk about his day.
5:30 p.m. Mom has dinner ready. She made a garlic clam sauce over angel hair pasta, one of my favorites. Our family eats dinner together, and we share about our day. We talk about the primary results and my brother’s math grades.
6 p.m. I excuse myself from the table and clear my dishes. Then I go to my room to practice “Circus Bee” on my clarinet with a metronome.
9:07 p.m. Go to bed.
