Don't want an ending

BONJOUUUUUUUR! :)

The last few weeks have quite honestly been the most hectic but most amazing I've ever experienced so far. I can't even begin to explain the exact chaos and amusement I've had to put up with since the end of May, but I will deeeefinitely try right now.

On Sunday May 31st, 2010 aka The Best Night Since As Far As I Can Remember, was Guildford Park's Prom/Dry Grad for the class of 2010!!!!!!! No words can really explain how amazing it was. EVERY bit of the planning and stress leading up to that day was all worth it. I want to start with the very beginning because it deserves to have a detailed documentation! Bare with me, this might be a little too detailed, HAHA.

Okay FIRST, I woke up at around 9 o'clock so that I could eat breakfast and tidy up before my 10:30 hair appointment at Aura. I got an up-do that included nice, tight culrs and a humble tease. 'Twas actually quite expensive but I was sooo happy with the way my hair was done :D After that I went early to my make-up appointment upstairs at the Body Shop! I got a natural look with soft tones, I also loved the way it turned out. My make-up artist did really well, I wish I'd tipped her in the end like I tipped my hair stylist.... they both totally deserved it!! After that, since everyone and a few parents were coming over to my house we had to make quick food stops so we could get baked goods and fruits and stuff for the guests to eat! And then we were off to my house to get zipped up into my perty dress and then wait for everyone!!!

I gotta say, my house is okay-sized when only five people are living in it, but there were like 20 people in it that day, an my house just seemed puuuuuuuuny. Like Genina put it, it was kind of a dream come true though. Likeee... all of our family and friends and the people we love in one place, it's like, something we've always wanted to happen, LOL. And it was just amazing. When we all took pictures outside of the limo, with our neighbours staring and everyone looking on at us, it was like being a celebrity! And we got some AMAAAZING pictures out of the whole thing (thanks to many relatives). When we all began to pile into the limo and saying goodbye to our parents I was actually getting teary-eyed. It was just really sad 'cause I actually would have wanted my parents there to experience the whole thing with me, but I could only say bye and that I loved them and stuff. It was just slightly sad to have to leave the people who got us there, ya know?

The first song we jammed to in the limo was California Girls, which was the best choice 'cause it got all of us pumped and happy. The limo ride was honestly so much fun. We took two stops to Queen Elizabeth Park (where there were a billion other Grads as well) and got pictures under the bridge and at the fountain, and then to Prospect Point, where the view was AMAZING. Like, NO other grads were there so it was all to ourselves, and since it's a regular eating and tourist spot, lots of people stopped to talked to us and ask what we were doing! We were actually late by a lot (mostly thanks to our food stop and the raccoon that distracted us for ten minutes or more, I swear) and had to rush it to the Pan Pacific Hotel (which btw is a five star International tourist hotel, probably better than every hotel any Grad class hosted theirs at, not gonna lie). By the time we got there everyone was already forming at the top of the escalators to take the Grad Photo. This was a bit of a good thing I however, because being late put us at the front of the photo and you can tell us out really well! :D

It took some time to get into the Crystal Pavillion, which by the way is the most beautiful ballroom in the entire universe. Crystals were literally dangling sooo beautifully across the entire roof, and with the perfect dim but yellow lighting, the room absolutely shined. I would have stayed there forever if I could have. We watched the Grad video and the Gr. 8 - 12 video, ate the best food that I couldn't finish because of the dress that held me back LOL, and pretty much danced the entirrrrrrrrrrrre night away. It was pretty much perfect beyond perfect. Closer to midnight, we had to end the festivities and get ready to board the Queen of Diamonds, so some people got dressed into regular clothes or cocktail dresses, however I stayed in my grad gown. When we were all ready, the buses took us off to the Plaza of Nations to board the Queen of Diamonds, but Bus B was late close to an hour, which seriously pissed the crap out of me. We were soo behind, the last bus to arrive to the Plaza of Nations and had to hurry up. Anyway, the cruise was da bomb. More dancing, a free and unlimited photobooth that I totally took advantage of, more amazing food and gambling. Woot woot! I actually took some of this time to take a nap.... HAHA. I was in and out of wakefulness but I had to take advantage of the comfortable place to sit since we still had to do our Amazing Race!!! We ended up getting off at 3 in the morning, at which time Genina woke me up and I was ready to go!!!

After the ship docked, we had to load the buses again and get prepared for the Amazing Race!!!! This took us to tourist spots all around Vancouver, and we had to take pictures of every task we had to do. Some things included us going to Gate 16 and pretending we were shooting a puck, going to the Tea House and getting proposed to or going to the Stanley Park totem poles and sitting on a boy's back, posing like a totem pole yourself. Some mystery tasks included a boy buying a tampon from 711 and a girl asking to use a stranger's cellphone. This was really frustrating since we had to strategize which places to go to and which places would earn us the most points, but I think we actually did verrry well :D

We were stopped from doing tasks at 5:45 and were back at the school by 6:30 in the morning for our waffle and everythin breakfast! It was here that we drew prizes, got some more free trinkets and then found out that my bus came in 3rd place out of 4 :( We woul've came in 2nd but we were down by 1 point. IT'S OKAY. Because every moment was worth it, even though EVERYONE fought and it was hard to sleep, and we had to do all those tasks in the pouring rain or in the really cold morning, every moment was worth it and I am soooo thankful to everyone who had a part in making it such an amazing night. Thinking about it now is making me so nostalgic and it was just last week. God. It was one of the best nights EVER.

And now it's all been school school school, and it's like we can't catch a break. Exams are soon, I feel the pressure of History on my back, and it's like nothing's gotten easier since then. And I've got my big birthday planned for Saturday which is even harder on me to make time for 'cause I pretty much have zilch time for anything. Can't wait until summer. But that would mean school being let out and I dunno if I could live with the fact that I'm no longer a high school student. The last three years have been so good to me, I know part of me, or all of me, hates to have to leave GP. I love that school so much. Not fair we have to go :(

Now that I'm done with the long description of Grad Night and the after math of it, it's now time to focus on the most recent of events.... School Writing Contest!! I once again, got 2nd place. Sigh. It's like 1st place is not in the cards for me, but it's okay. At leaset I placed, yeah? Anyway........ I now have two second place medals hanging on my bed stand, and they look pretty :)

A few weeks ago I also went to the banquet for the scholarship winners of the SFU Surrey Award. I got to meet a lot of other students who I might see next year in Explorations, and the other recipients of the award. We mingled with advisors and leaders or whoever, and were honoured later on in the evening by getting called up and getting some SFU goodies. Yeah, that was nice of them indeed!

There was this essay 'conteset' in my Film Studies class, where the students had to write a persuasive essay on a movie they want the class to see, and mine won! Well, it was a tie with another girl's, but it's because our film's are similar. I picked Emperor's Club which is very much a classroom situation, as well as History Boys, which is the other film that was picked. I actually have neverrrrr seen that movie before and wonder if it's anything like Emperor's Club at all.

I would personally just like to add for my own reflection that 1) I feel played. Thought this was a two-way street but I guess it's not. Doesn't feel like it is anyway. 2) It really sucks that I like you as much as I do. I know I probably shouldn't but I do and I probably will for a while. 3) Listen to the song Crush by David Archuleta. My song of the moment. That is all.

I'm trying to think of other achievements but I can't think of any at the moment. Honestly, all I'm really concerned about right now is school, my birthday party, and making the most of all that's left of high school, which is not many days my friends - not many days at all. Our time is numbered in every sense, but for right now it's just high school that's ending and truly, I'm beyond sad it's almost over :( I really do not want an ending to any of this. Never ever ever want to leave GP :(

I'll go before I get more upset. For your benefit and for my own personal reflection, here is a link to a video that pretty much sums up the awesomeness of Grad Night. Made by a former GP Grad, who documented the whole night for us to look back on....... it's beautiful. Just watch.

http://brellowproductions.com/2010/06/01/gp-grad-2010-dont-want-it-ending/

Make the most out of high school kiddos. Trust me. It goes by waaaay too fast.

Yours truly,
Gelina :)