The Agenda

F I N A L E
T H E M O S T I M P O R TA N T T H I N G S
I LEARNED IN HIGH SCHOOL
Lizzy Elkins
List style is simple and straightfor- dealing with this, but the best way is to just
ward. So, here are some of the most impo- not care and then to think its funny that they
rant things I learned in high school and other put so much effort into disliking you. Some-
nuggets of pseudo-wisdom I feel like sharig times people are prompted, or feel com-
about my daily modus operandi. pelled, to act petty, fake, or put out a front,
1. If you dont feel like going to a depending on who theyre with. Just shrug it
class once in awhile, then dont. Success- off.
fully skipping class is probably one of the 5. Having a few best friends is al-
best feelings on Earth, but you need to learn ways better than having a huge friend group.
to balance that with your actual workload. 6. Learn when to stop trying and
Know when you need a day, or week, off. learn when to keep trucking. If a teacher is
But then be ready to go back to the grind and telling you how to do something, and youre
put 110% of your effort in. Also make sure not following their exact directions, dont be
your parents are cool with it. surprised if you dont do well. I was doing
2. Teachers like you if you treat my own thing with FRQs my first semester
them like people. Because they are people! of AP Lit and I was upset that I wasnt doing
Also being a kiss-ass doesnt hurt. Some of better. Then I just did, literally, exactly what
my favorite people Ive met at BHS are the Munly said. Dont spend too much time on
teachers. Asking questions, learning about the intro, write a solid thesis, use transitions
S O L O N G , FA R E W E L L , A U F

their past, and having real conversations like furthermore and thus, and write as
much as you can. Once I started doing ex-
actly what she said, I started getting As. WIEDERSEHEN, GOODBYE!
7. CHILL OUT. Literally everyone Parting thoughts and parting shots
needs to chill out. Go with the flow.
8. Accept your awesomeness. If Lizzy Elkins
Instead of working at you know youre the shit then accept it! So this is it. The last page. I used we dont address it nearly enough in the US
Some people havent come to terms with to have a kids book when I was little called or worldwide. Someday I hope to work and
something for reward their awesomeness yet and it makes them The Monster at The End of This Book, and associate with women like Michelle Obama,
Malala Yousafzai, and Rachel Maddow. Of
or recognition, work at uncomfortable.
9. You will only feel a sense of
the star of the whole book was Grover, from
Sesame Street. My mom would read it to me course, I love physics and chemistry too.
it because it feels good, community somewhere if you actively at- before I went to sleep and I thought it was so Especially quantum mechanics and nucle-
tempt to find that community and contribute funny. Every time you turn a page, Grover ar chemistry. Theyre beautiful, inspiring,
and at the end youll feel to it. I feel a community at Beaverton. I love gets more and more pissed off/confused/flab- earth-shattering, amazing... I could go on. In
my Beaverton family. I didnt feel this sense bergasted that you kept reading. Hes illus- conclusion, I have some ideas about what Id
good and proud of what of commradery until I tried to find it. trated so he is holding the pages apart, really like to do, but who really knows.
youve accomplished. 10. Nonfiction isnt boring or lame. breaking a sweat, trying his hardest to keep This time in our lives, in my life, is

Seriously, I should have gotten into it way you from advancing. My mom would read it one of the best, I think. I know the next few
earlier in high school. Its all I read now. I in this weird Grover voice. It was awesome. months Im going to look back on eventu-
spend all my money on nonfiction books. Its I cant remember what exactly happens at ally and wish that I could relive them. Its not
a problem. But also, fiction is pretty great the end of the book, Im assuming that Gro- the moment specifically, but the cumulation
too! If youre stressed out, the best way to ver is the monster and Im pretty sure he says of moments. Looking back at September, I
before/after class with the people that teach escape from the world is either a) going to something sweet, but Im not certain. wish I knew how much fun I was going to
you will improve the quality of your educa- the movie theatre, b) reading some horribly That brings me to this paper. The have in October, December, and so on. And
tion tenfold. Teachers dont like me because written romantic novel (Rainbow Rowell, Monster at the End of This Paper. Much like I know its the same right now and its the
Im smart. They like me because I like anyone?) or c) eating three times your sug- The Monster at The End of This Book, Im same for you, too. There are so many amaz-
talking to them, I tell them whats going on gested daily caloric intake in one sitting (my not really sure how this paper ends, how it ing things to come in life, and I have NO idea
in my life, and I work as hard as I can. A lot suggestion, Taco Bell). is supposed to end, or how the future ends what theyre going to be. When Im having a
of the time, if youre buddies (not sure if this 11. Dumbing yourself down wont for me. But lets hope its sweet. Thats re- rough time, thinking about that doesnt help,
is the appropriate term) with a teacher, and get you anywhere in life. Let your talents, dundant - of course I dont know how the necessarily, but it makes me nostalgic.
you dont get your work done or if you slack passions, and brain-power shine. future ends. But, its fun to speculate My Maybe my anxiety magnifies this
because youve had a rough week, theyll be 12. My friend Noori said it best future? Right now, I want to be involved in feeling, but do you ever just wish you could
understanding. when discussing Beaverton and being genu- go back and be a kid again? With the blind
3. A lot of hard work goes unno- ine at the second semester leadership retreat. devotion to your parents, one-dimensional
ticed. Instead of working at something for He said, Im me, and Im awesome. And I views on things, simple pleasures, no stress,
reward or recognition, work at it because it think thats a good mantra. Embodying that and you could crawl into your parents bed
feels good and at the end, youll feel good type of positivity will help you not only in after you had nightmares. When I was in
and proud of what youve accomplished. your own self happiness, but also just feel- kindergarten, when we had snack time, we
4. People will get mad if you have ing fufilled and making friends. People like were given hand sanitizer and then we had
an opinion on anything. If you dont like people who are happy and self-assured. You animal crackers and milk. Now, everytime I
something and youre verbal about it, people may not be like that all the time, but just feel- smell hand sanitizer I get the taste of animal
will get pissed off. Just ignore them because ing like that once in a while is a great way to crackers and milk in my mouth and I get a
they are often irrelevant. If someone doesnt boost your mental health and validate your- flashback to watching Stellaluna in some
like you, there are a few ways to go about self. cramped Arkansas classroom with a big win-
dow on one side.
MORE THANK YOUS & SHOUTOUTS At times, when I think of all the
Christmases and Fourth of Julys, Birthdays,
Thank you to #ASBlessed for Cherry, and Colin Crandal for be- Spring Breaks, etc. that I have yet to live
being amazing. Thanks to the Class ing once-in-a-lifetime people. Thank through, I get exhausted thinking about how
of 2017 for being the best class ever, you to Logan McRae for being a little much stuff I have left to do in life. Thats
on the face of the Earth, and through- sunbeam. Im so excited to see you as pretty contradictory to my desire to go back
and relive some parts of my life, but I bet
out the span of time. Im so excited to a senior in a few years. You are going you can relate. I was watching some Trav-
walk down the center aisle to go so far! Thanks to Jason el Channel show recently that was talking
at the Chiles Center with Sarmiento for being you. I look about ancient conservative Buddhist beliefs,
you on Graduation day, and forward to watching you give and one of them was that, life is just cycles
I could not have asked for a Ted Talk someday. Thanks to of suffering. I thought that was accurate,
but bleak and disheartening. But also its
better people to spend the Autumn Sevy for helping with Photo courtesy of Wikipedia true.
past four years with. Thank this whole project so much! some humanitarian aid work. Of course, my On the contrary, life is beautiful.
you to Andrew Evans for Thanks to Lauren Peterson mind could (and probably will) change, but The beauty makes up for a lot of the suffer-
teaching me everything I for talking with me about this right at this moment, I dream of working ing. That and the food. The simplest beauty
know about journalism and journal- project and getting excited. Thank with disadvantaged and illiterate women in that I enjoy on a daily is just driving with my
poor countries and helping them get an edu- sunroof open and listening to music by my-
istic style. I wrote this whole thing in you to Holly Munly for introduc-
cation. Ive written and studied a lot about self, especially when its sunny. Toni Mor-
Lizzy style, but just know, I didnt for- ing me to Toni Morrison. Thank you how womens education, specifically, helps rison once said, at some point in life, the
get! Thank you to Claire Arnold for for taking the time to read this! Im countries and societies progress and it is worlds beauty becomes enough. You dont
being my rock throughout the year. a little apprehensive showing this to something Im extremely passionate about. need to photograph, paint, or even remember
Thanks for doing everything for the some people, especially because con- Catch me in the hallway and Ill go off about it. It is enough. Ive been working recently
it. Id either like to work in that field, or so I can get to the point where it is enough.
Shadow Program when I gave up cealed inside are some deep thoughts
work with women after their liberation/es- Maybe Ill get there soon. So here it is. The
on life for two weeks. Thank you to and radical beliefs. But I figured you cape from prostitution. Human trafficking is Monster at The End of The Agenda - uncer-
Trey Lusk, Willow Rakoncay, Noori only live once, so its whatever. a huge problem (I-5 corridor, hello!?), and tainty. Thanks for reading.