I’m not skipping school because I’m a second semester senior. Does that make sense? Let’s break it down. Today, my schedule is E&I, Band, and Film. All three are electives. In fact, every class I'm taking this semester is an elective. I can do that, take these elective classes, because I’ve been playing the game called school for 11.5 years. At this point, I’m Shaun White before his second half pipe run, when he asked his coach if he should just snowboard down the middle of the pipe, because he had already won. I am snowboarding down the middle of the hallways of my high school.

Or look at it this way. I’m in this class because I deemed it necessary, because it’s interesting and therapeutic and thought-provoking, and because I like words. I’ll be in band because we have a competition next week, and I don’t want to let down my band; I want to win. I’ll be in film because I’m majoring in it in the fall, and if I can’t bother to go to the class now, how will I make it through four more years? And also because I can probably get away with chilling in the darkroom all block.

I’m in school because my friends are in school, and if I left, I would be alone drinking coffee at Starbucks and I’d probably be writing anyway. I’m in school because when it gets sunny, I won’t be. I’m in school because it takes minimal effort now that I’m sliding down the middle of the halfpipe, now that I’ve secured the gold. I’m in school because it would be stupid for me to fall now.