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11R Timeline
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Head Injury
I was three years old, and my mom had just left the house to go to the bus stop and pick up my older sister. Despite her constantly telling me to not tip my high chair, I was determined to absolutely not listen, focused on reaching the magnet of a Bob the Builder character on the refrigerator door. I pushed once again on the table, extra hard, and managed to reach the magnet, then immediately hit my head on the corner of the refrigerator. My parents took me to the hospital, where I got stitches. -
Seeing the Nutcracker
When I was much younger, my whole family would go up to the city before Christmas every year to watch the ballet The Nutcracker. It was always fun, even if I never really understood what was going on--but I have vivid memories of sitting in the theater, watching the performers dance on the big stage, getting excited over the Sugar Plum Fairy (she was my favorite), and admiring the sets and how they created a new world for us to see. I never got tired of the ballet, and probably never will. -
My First Camera
A year or two before, my older sister had received a digital camera for some birthday or holiday that I envied. So much so that I stole it regularly to run off and take pictures of things--people, things around the house, even create little scenes with my toys and dolls. It became such a problem (to my sister at least) that my parents finally gave me my own for my birthday, changing my life completely. Those two cameras are what sparked my passion for photography, and led me to where I am. -
Commanding at a Drill Meet
In freshman year, I was picked by ROTC's drill team commander to command a squad at Bethel High School. It only took a few minutes (maybe two at least) but it felt like it took a lifetime. While juggling my cross country practice and drill team practice, I managed to pull it off well enough, though I don't dare look at any video evidence to see, I much prefer leaving my success to my imagination and not putting too much thought into it. I fear it didn't actually go very well, -
Sailing in Newport
When my family and I go on vacation, we always pick an evening to go sailing on a local friend's boat in the bay. He let me sail for a while one trip, teaching me how to navigate and steer the boat. It made me feel weirdly free. I was in control of a WHOLE boat, and I was able to go anywhere I wanted in the bay, within reason. I saw a lot more than I normally would, though I was a little more focused on keeping the boat from veering off into a sticky situation. I learned a lot that day. -
Joining the Tennis Team
I have a history of joining a team or trying out a sport and ending up not liking it. So when I finally settled on trying out for the tennis team in sophomore year, I had no idea I would finally find both the sport and the team that suits me. I get along with my teammates, I actually enjoy the practices and matches (especially quietly heckling my teammates, in an encouraging way). The team itself is the place I've found that I really feel like I fit into. -
Seeing Starry Night at the MoMA
I had gone up to NYC with my best friend to visit the Museum of Modern Art. The museum was a bit crowded, and her sister was being loud and annoying, but we managed to make it to the display where Van Gogh's Starry Night hung. It was an impressive moment for us both, despite the large crowd also there to see the painting making it a bit hard to really appreciate it. I managed to get a picture of it when I noticed a gap in the crowd, and hope one day to be able to go see it again--really see it. -
15th Birthday
This birthday in particular is special because it's the first birthday I got to spend with my best friends. I'd never had a birthday party or really any gathering before then (though mostly because everyone is away around the same time), so it was a bit of a big deal for me. I spent so much time that day fooling around and having a great time. Though we missed the company of one of my other friends (who was at camp at the time), it was still a completely unforgettable birthday spent with them. -
Out Of My Comfort Zone
This summer, I somehow let my mom convince me to sign up for a writing workshop, run by local author Gail Carson Levine, which was an idea that terrified me. Part of the workshop included reading your work done during the workshop out loud to other kids, and that was something I was completely unused to. After thinking it over for about a day, I decided to simply take the plunge and let her sign me up. I'm glad I did, because it was a fun experience, giving me the chance to put myself out there. -
Visiting Rosecliff
My family visits Newport, Rhode Island for vacation every year around late July/August. This summer, we visited a few of the historic Newport Mansions, homes owned by Gilded Age socialites and businessmen. My favorite from the trip was Rosecliff, which also happened to have a small exhibit on Oscar Wilde and the Pre-Raphaelite Movement, one of my personal favorite revival periods in art history. Seeing so much beautiful art and history and architecture made it a trip that inspired me.
