Through the Past Dorkily: Sign of Fire

Editor's note: Through the Past Dorkily is a recurring feature that looks back at the embarrassingly dorky diary I kept as a 16-year-old in 1984.

Friday, January 27, 1984

WAAF Top 5 at Five
1. Jump - Van Halen
2. Looks That Kill - Motley Crue
3. Sister Christian - Night Ranger
4. Thumbelina - The Pretenders
5. Sign of Fire - The Fixx

Well, the first semester is over. I can't say that it's been a good one for me as far as marks go. I got some bad news: I got an 80 on the Algebra final and 76 on the Geometry final. Now that sucks! I sure hope I make honors. I finished my College Lit and Geography finals today. I think I did alright, but then, that's what I said about Geometry and Algebra, too.

I don't have any homework this weekend, so I can sit back and relax for once. I do have to study that fetal pig manual because we have a test next Friday in Bi Sci.

Next term I have first period free and Prep for College in sixth.

I handed in that research paper. I should get an A on it.

Later,

The (relaxed) Barbarian

Postscript: Academically, my parents always had high expectations for me and usually, I didn't disappoint. It's not that I wasn't doing my work or understanding the material, but it was actually the fact that I was making friends easily and goofing off too much. Had I been more of an outcast and a loner, I'm sure I would have gotten better grades. Of course, I would have been miserable as well. Can't win 'em all, I guess.

It's funny how stuff like grades and homework can seem like the end of the world when that's all you've got on your plate. I didn't have to worry about paying bills or putting food on the table or really, anything other than doing well in school. Now it's all about getting the kids to school and keeping them healthy and taking them to their various activities, while also getting myself to work and doing a good job there. Makes all that school stuff seem like nothing.