The Centennial

Sentinel

A New Chapter in Life I have started volunteering and driving as well. I would definitely say this is a “new chapter in my Erin Simberlund life” that I will have to experience and go through, A piece to connect with a reader going through a but I am excited and confident to where I am change/starting a new chapter in life.

heading. I know that I have my friends and family With 2021 ahead of us now, many people will be place of beaming lights that welcome you with open supporting me which is a big motivator for me to moving into new experiences in life that will affect how they arms if you can climb your way out of the new artists. However, many issues still need to be talked about how work through everything, so I am glad that they livewe goingtreat those forward who… makelike a thenew music chapter we inlisten life ifto you in our will . This day to day lives. are there. could be getting a first job or getting a new job, moving house

A piece of information that will help you is or moving state, and just anything that will change your day to

that change is not bad, and change can eventually day.

bring good… and yes, it may be hard to adapt or to I know that many teenagers in high school were understand, but it will be good. I realized this a probably planning on getting their first jobs last year, and due couple years ago after something happened to me, to COVID-19, they had to postpone that ambition and maybe but things did get better. I embraced the change, postpone hopping into that new chapter in life.

and I flourished in the end. So, a new chapter in

I can use myself as an example; I planned on getting my first life maybe what you are facing up to now or in the job last year in 2020, but after the virus hit, I had become busy near future, but don't let it intimidate you or make and sidetracked with the changes in schooling and the changes you back away from a dream or goal in life, with my family’s schedule that did not allow me to properly because it gets better. look and apply for a job . This year , however , I have applied ;

about it. Finding common interests can be as Making New Friends

simple as sparking up a conversation over

by Dara Cohn something on them. For example, if someone is

wearing a shirt from your favorite band, you can Amidst the pandemic, forming new friendships can be very say, “Hey, I love your shirt!” That can be the start difficult. Coming from someone who just moved here and is of a brand-new friendship! It may seem awkward at doing virtual, finding new friends seems nearly impossible, but first to spark up a conversation with someone new, inserting myself into different clubs/activities and finding but doing so can be very rewarding in the end. common interests has helped overcome the boundaries.

Clubs/activities are a great way to make new friendships. I interviewed Naya Cortelyou, a high school student in Tampa,

Florida. She said, “I joined American Sign Language Honor You do not have to be a member of the staff to submit work; send your Society as a way to meet new people, and it helped me gain essays, articles, poems, stories, photos, heights in the club, which led to meeting even more friends.” and original artwork to

This is a perfect demonstration to show that clubs/activities [email protected] Thank you for reading us! help open doors to new friendships and learning about yourself. Clubs/activities are structured, so there it is a more comfortable atmosphere to introduce yourself to others. There will be an adult there to introduce everyone and it is a comfortable way to get to know one another. The great thing about clubs/activities, is that you choose the ones you want, and most people there already share a common interest! Stay motivated and be less scared of whatever change you’re facing: Even if you do not want to join a club/activity, you can still “All of us every single year, we're a different share your common interests in the classroom. My English person. I don't think we're the same person all our lives.” teacher, Ms. Dietderich, asks us a question of the day whenever Steven Spielberg we have her class. The question of the day allows us to find - common interests inside the classroom environment. We find S t someone who answers similarly, and we can chat with them e v e n S

This is the second chapter in a series by Stormy the middle of the room. They Rose strapped me down, but I was

Idle Town too deep in thought to think about it. I didn't bother to "686," one of the Doctors struggle; I wanted my last called, scanning the room thoughts to be about Derek, before spotting me. He looked not fighting that wouldn't get at the guards, and nodded his me anywhere. I was just staring head toward me, signaling I at the wall while they lifted my was next. I looked at Derek hair and scanned the barcode with sorrow in my eyes. He was on my neck. Out of the corner the only thing crossing my of my eye I saw the doctor nod mind. This was our last to the nurse. Then I felt a sharp goodbye, and he couldn't even pain on my wrist, just like the hold me one last time. A single pain from when the barcode tear ran down his cheek as the was put on me; it made me guards picked me up. "It's wince. I shut my eyes trying to okay," he mouthed and tried to relax myself. I took a deep put on his best fake smile, but breath, but before I could open we both knew it wasn’t okay. "I my eyes, they injected a needle love you," I mouthed back, into my arm. This was it, my blinking tears from my eyes, last few seconds, last few and before he could say it back, breath, and my last few the guards carried me away thoughts- an overview of every through the double doors never memory ever. I felt it hit, and to see him again. my eyes felt heavy. Wanting to They brought me into this all- just curl up, my reality faded white room with bright lights away to darkness. and medical equipment and sat ~ me down in the single chair in

"This Town Will Never back that turned our attention

Change!" startled me awake to it. " Ow...," the groggy male followed by a psychotic laugh in voice groaned. I looked down, the distance and a pounding and there he was... Derek. I headache. I rubbed my eyes shot up from my seat, by- and looked around what passed the others, and knelt appeared to be a run-down, down to him, really, it's him, it's beat-up school bus; half the really Derek right in front of my seats were ripped up and face. Derek groaned once more rusted. "Is this what Hell looks and slowly opened his eyes, like?" I heard a deep male voice and I stared down into his, but groan. From behind me. I it took him a minute to process turned around seeing five it was me. others. The male behind him "Maddie?!" his voice was was rubbing his temples, and filled with confusion and behind him a girl with short emotion as he lifted his hands brown hair crossed her arms up and cupped my cheeks. and rolled her eyes, " Alright, Tears of joy filled my eyes, and I no one said being dead is was at a loss for words, taking painful," she scoffed. Across his hand in mine I nodded. He from her a boy chewed on his sat up and quickly snaked his fingernails, "That's what you’re arms around my neck. His complaining about?" he touch made me feel safe again. laughed, " That's the least of The one male who was sitting my worries!" “Can all of you behind me cleared his voice, " please stop talking?" a female Softies," he faked A cough, and voice spoke softly across from I immediately sprung up and me, curled up in the corner. All looked at him. “Watch it!" I of us were startled when hissed and clenched my jaw; hearing a deep thud in the way Derek took my hand from

behind me for comfort, but the "you're telling me that I'm boy just rolled his eyes. The alive?" He let out some more brown-haired girl scoffed and creepy laughs and shook his got up, " Yeah, this definitely head, “Impossible." He placed can't be my afterlife stuck with his hands on his hips. Then the morons." She combed her other guy stood up. "Heather fingers through her hair. Her may have a point here... the pity party was annoying, but I Mayor said six of us," he added had to agree with her, this just in, but his words confused me, didn't add up. I looked around and I shook my head at him the group taking a headcount. "Heather? my name’s not There were six of us including Heather." My tone was slightly Derek and myself. It was just bitter; I wasn't too fond of him so odd though; it took a minute so far. Prissy party over there to sink in. "I-I think we were the rolled her eyes again, " He chosen ones," I said out loud to means The Heather, the myself. The group looked at 'Prettiest' of Generation Why" me as if I had two heads. "The... she made air quotes with the chosen ones?" The quiet girl word 'Prettiest' but how could I spoke and lifted her head out possible be that known? " So, of her knees and tucked a piece like a Heather Chandler?" of her long blonde hair behind Derek spoke making a musical her ear. reference like always, making "The Mayor..." Derek mumbled me laugh silently to myself. and we exchanged looks. He at "But more of a Veronica," least has some common sense Blondie spoke up, taking Derek like I did. The nail biter stood by surprise. up making me snap my head in "People Come and go! It's his direction. "Wait wait all the same!" the same voice wait...," he let out a giggle, spoke in the distance, taking

all of us off guard. That voice: it “Fear defeats more people than any sounded familiar... but how? other one thing in the world.” ― Ralph and who did it remind me of? I Waldo Emerson let go of Derek's hand and Our staff. walked out of the plie of sheet Roselyn Cardenas melt that was a 'bus'. Everyone Emily Carvajal came following behind me as I Dara Cohn looked around the Erin Simberlund surroundings: an old abandoned strip of stores running down the same path of a wide dirt road. I heard a laugh and started down the road seeing a tall figure pace back and forth. There were more people here? I looked back at the group and back at the person all the way at the end of the road before heading towards it. I heard footsteps follow behind me, "Hey where are you going?" I heard Derek speak behind me, but I kept going. I got to the end and froze in my tracks. It was him... Ethan; alive and hotter than ever.