Fill this out about your SENIOR year of high school! The longer ago it was, the more fun the answers will be! (The real fun would be making up what you can’t remember.)

I’d like to say I was surprised how much I do remember, but unfortunately I’m not. The emotional memories of high school have taken a long time to fade, and come back up pretty easily for me, like it or not; the factual memories seem to come right along with them.

1. Did you date someone from your school?

Not until two weeks after graduation…he eventually became my ex-husband. But I really didn’t date anyone in high school – not that counted as “dating,” anyway.

Yes. See #3.

2. Did you win anything in Seniors ‘Who’s Who’?

No…I don’t think I was enough of a “who” even to be nominated for anything.

Yes. Most likely to die a virgin.

3. What kind of car did you drive?

My dad’s station wagon – but not unless he was in the car too, since I only had a restricted license. I didn’t get a full license till the summer after graduation.

4. It’s Friday night…where are you?

I wish I remembered. The fact I don’t is due to the fact I probably wasn’t anywhere interesting, not that the time was lost in an alcoholic haze. I might have been at home, at the movies, or at a friend’s house; maybe at the mall. During the fall, I was probably at a football game, believe it or not.

In #3 trying to #1

5. Were you a party animal?

Not at all. I didn’t even find out about most parties. My sister and I gave the only parties that were actually known for the food. She had ambitions for a catering career at the time – and her parties are still known for the food, even though these days she mostly gives them for her kids’ birthdays. On a side note, my parents owned a package store (Connecticut term for a liquor store) for several years while I was in grade school; had that been while I was in high school instead, I might have been much more popular…

No. I just smelled that way.

6. Were you considered a flirt?

Not as far as I know – more of a smartass, really. Still am.

Is a flirt someone who mumbles and sweats? In that case, absolutely!

7. Were you in band, orchestra, or choir?

Chorus, we called it – for three out of four years. I was booted out during ninth grade and welcomed back the next year – Mr. Smith was always desperate for people who could carry a tune and would put up with him. I sang first soprano; I probably should have been a second, but found harmony a bit too challenging.

No, thank God. I was cool, I was in Art Club!

8. Were you a nerd?

Without a doubt. I just didn’t know then how to take the pride in it that I have now.

Is a Vulcan’s blood green? Does Tatooine have 2 suns?

9. Did you get suspended/expelled?

I don’t think I even got detention.

Nope. I never got caught.

10. Can you sing the fight song?

“We are the Barons, mighty and proud,

Onward toward our victory we’re bound,

Standing strong in unity

Our spirit will always be (hey hey hey!)”

To the tune of the Notre Dame fight song, of course (like hundreds of other Catholic high schools, I’m sure)

We didn’t have a fight song. It was hard enough to avoid getting punched without trying to carry a tune.

11. Who were your favorite teachers?

My Spanish teacher, Mrs. Hartley, and a couple of the English teachers, Mrs. Gregg and Mr. Wolstenholme.

Mr. DeSanto, my art teacher. A jolly guy who didn’t take crap from anyone.

12. Where did you sit during lunch?

It depended which of our buildings I was in at lunchtime. I preferred to sit outside at one of the picnic tables rather than in the cafeteria, whenever possible. In Florida, it was actually possible pretty often.

Outside at the lunch tables with several girls whom I knew from Civil Air Patrol, but, we were just friends, dammit!

13.What was your school’s full name?

St. Petersburg Catholic High School. It had been formed about ten years earlier from the merger of Bishop Barry (boys’) and Notre Dame (girls’) high schools in St. Petersburg, Florida.

Miraleste High School (Palos Verdes, California). It’s Latin for “lest of the mira.”

14. School mascot?

Some sort of knight on a horse – the Baron, I guess.

Yes. The Miraleste Marauder. Yet another positive symbol for our youth.

15. Were you on homecoming court?

No. I don’t think I even went to the homecoming dance that year. Also, that was the only year I didn’t work on my class’ “Victory Hall” decorations for the homecoming game, and we came in dead last in the contest. Coincidence? Probably, but I’d like to think not entirely. I was pretty well-known for my drawing in those days, so without me, they were just not up to it. 🙂 I used to sketch almost as much as I read back when I was in school, but I haven’t done any serious drawing in years. I think it’s been supplanted by writing now. I did marry an art major (the second time), but it hasn’t really encouraged me to start sketching again. It’s more the opposite – that’s his domain. Plus, he’s trained and very talented, and I’m really neither, so I don’t pick up a pencil all that often.

No. That was for the uncool kids. I felt sorry for them.

16. If you could go back and do it again, would you?

I’m reliving it through my kids. That’s quite close enough, thank you. Talk about a time-travel experience you’d rather not have…

Yes. This time I would invest my allowance in Apple, Microsoft, and AOL stock. Plus, with the experience I have now (to take back with me), I would be king of the nerds.

17. What do you remember most about graduation?

I lost a contact lens when the tassel on my mortarboard hit me in the eye at the Baccalaureate service – but I also won the foreign-language award for Spanish, so it wasn’t all bad. I rode to the ceremony with a guy who was becoming a friend again – the same one I started dating two weeks later. I was the second person to receive a diploma – we were lined up by height. (My best friend Teri and I were at the head of the lines – we’re the same height, or lack of it, believe it or not.) I didn’t get invited to any of the parties.

That I was allowed to.

18. Where did you go senior skip day?

I mentioned it was a Catholic school, right? What is this “skip day” of which you speak? We weren’t even allowed off campus during lunch.

I didn’t skip. I already had enough trouble with bullies.

20.Were you in any clubs?

Let’s see, I already mentioned Chorus…school newspaper, drama club, International Club, and National Honor Society. I think that was it, and I really don’t want to dig out my yearbook and check. And speaking of drama club, I’m actually a two-time high-school-musical dropout.

I was Art Club Vice President!

21. Who was your Senior prom date?

Tony. He was a tenth-grader from my church youth group – a really nice kid. I went to prom just to go, though. The real fun was Grad Night at Disney World. I went with my friend Rick, and that was a good time.

Marcia. But, more importantly, I got to borrow my Dad’s 1978 Corvette!

22. Are you planning on going to your 10 year reunion?

At this point, I’ve missed the 10th, the 20th, and the 25th – I guess that one was last year. So, apparently not. 🙂 Jeez, I’m old. I’ll probably blow off the 30th in 2012, too.

Um, that would have been 18 years ago.

23. Do you still talk to people from high school?

Other than my ex-husband, not really. I’ve moved on geographically – across the country, a couple of times – and in many other ways as well.

Yes, with my best friend Larry (he was a car-guy too, but he also had girlfriends… how did he do it?).

THINK BACK TO 9TH GRADE…

– Who was your best friend?

Donna R.

Television.

– What sport did you play?

None. I was – and still am – a certified non-jock.

– What was your favorite class?

English. I was skipped up to the 10th-grade class.

Art

-Did you go to the dances?

Yes. Must you remind me of that? I’m trying to put it behind me..

Only once. That was enough rejection to last four years.

-Did you think you were cool?

In my more delusional moments, I think I actually might have, although that was certainly nowhere near the truth. I don’t think that’s really changed much.

-Describe your outfits.

We still had school uniforms during ninth and tenth grade: navy blue or burgundy skirts or pants, and conservative shirts or blouses – no T-shirts, no sleeveless.

– Did you even have a cellphone?

A what? That was science-fiction stuff back in 1978, folks.

No, but I would have sold my soul for a communicator (http://store.startrek.com/product/show/29982).

– What was the best about 9th grade?

The fact that it wasn’t 8th grade. It was a new place, and there was that sense of possibility… And I liked being able to pick my own classes.

– Do you miss it?

Not in the slightest. Does anyone ever get nostalgic about being a freshman?

Who doesn’t miss acne, awkwardness, bullies, and rejection?