Your 17-year old self

Today's sermon at church was about dreams. Vern posed the question--what did your 17-year-old self dream of becoming or doing? Are you fulfilling those dreams and living them now?

This got me thinking--I was 17 from 2002-2003, spanning my junior to senior year. I can't really recall what my dreams were. I think mostly I wanted to leave northwest Ohio and go to college. I wasn't sure where yet, and I didn't know what I wanted to be, but that I would probably major in biology. My other dreams weren't really about the future. They were about wishing for a boyfriend and wishing for my friend problems to end and wishing for my 100 meter dash time to improve in track.

I was an avid blogger in high school. I started my first blog on Teen Open Diary at the end of 2001 as a junior in high school. So tonight I looked at some blog entries from age 17, and decided to share a few excerpts. Enjoy!

(names are all changed to first initial to protect the innocent/guilty)

January 2002:
"you know, i've actually begun to tolerate all the seniors i used to "hate". i can deal w/ M now, and i've actually been having fun with T and E lately. i guess i've just come to be able to accept everyone for who they are...and at least try to deal w/them. i guess i'm just one of those ppl that can have fun w/ whoever they're w/, which is a definite good thing!"

February 2002:
"homecoming was on friday, and i GUESS it was ok...no guys ever dance w/ me...i HATE that!!!"

February 2002:
"first of all, i have the lead in the musical. all the seniors are made at me. i hate ppl. everyone is annoying. i failed my chemistry test today. i have a huge crush on M that i thought i was over, but i'm not. i'm never going to get him. school sucks. i don't want to go back. i hate my life. i want to go crawl in a hold and just not talk to ppl anymore, except M of course :)"

Yes I was real band nerd--August 2002:
"marching band is important to me, it's something i can take pride in. i LOVE the feeling of being cheered for EVERY SINGLE TIME we go on the football field. we're instant celebrities...ppl go crazy when it's our turn at the fair show...we're the best band in the county! i can't even describe the adrenaline rush i feel during and after a band show. i can't understand not caring about this at all."