Siri Venkatagiri, Week 14: The Best First Year

    

                                                                                                                    (The bracelet in question.)


    Most people have peculiar bad habits they indulge in when they find themselves in a stressful place. Some bite their nails, twirl their hair, even pick at their eyebrows, or tap their feet against the floor. This morning, I opened my AP Biology textbook to chapter one for the first time in way too long, in the pursuit of studying for the biggest endeavor I am currently facing- the upcoming AP examinations.

    

After watching a plethora of Khan Academy explanations and seminars, I slowly examined the numbness in my fingers and nails as a result of the twisted and tangled black thread around the wrist of my left hand. I acknowledged my own unusual quirk as twisting the bracelet I had always worn in circles until it could not fit inside itself one more time.  


    I stared down at the untarnished, brightly colored sunflower pendant resting innocently amid the messy black thread. I smiled at how the bright yellows and browns of the bracelet did not match the color of my blue sweatpants or gray zip-up in the slightest manner. I thought back to freshman year of high school (when I first was given the bracelet) a time of such spontaneity and self-discovery in which, for the first time, I experienced limitless freedom and took part in countless new experiences. I thought of the day I met my forever best friend (who later gave me the sunflower bracelet that I look at with such enamor) at the freshman rally during Spirit Week.


    I thought of the community I found at this school that I had never found before freshman year, along with the countless friendships it came with. I thought of the first time my parents allowed me to go to the mall by myself, allowed me to buy my own clothes and snacks, and even let me go to Suju’s Coffee Shop every now and then to study productively with friends. It was a freedom that further fostered my desire to grow up faster.


    Although it was not my best year overall, freshman year taught me more valuable lessons than I ever could have imagined and changed the trajectory of my life regarding the connections I have made. I will be forever thankful to my best friend, the sunflower bracelet she has gifted me, and all the joyful memories it will forevermore remind me of. 

Comments

  1. Keshavi KanagalingamApril 28, 2024 at 3:04 PM

    Hi Siri!
    I really enjoyed reading your blog this week, and I genuinely think it is written exceptionally well. Your transition between the two main and seemingly unrelated ideas in your blog was seamless, as you were able to beautifully connect one of the things you do when you are stressed to several memories from freshman year of high school that have stuck with you until now! I additionally appreciate your decision to include a picture of the sunflower bracelet you talk about in your blog, as it allowed me to visualize what exactly you were talking about!!

    The ideas in your blog related to me on a personal level in several different ways. For one, I unfortunately indulge in several bad habits when I am stressed, which include (but sadly aren't limited to) twirling my hair, picking at my nails, and twisting my hair tie around my fingers. Doing these things definitely helps calm me down when I am stressed about an upcoming test, such as the fast-approaching AP exams. On the other hand, I was also gifted a bracelet by my best friend, although this bracelet has a butterfly pendant! Looking at this bracelet reminds me of all of the amazing memories I have made with my friend over the course of the last few years, and it makes me look forward to the summer and the months after AP testing when I will finally have time to make more memories with her!

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  2. Anushka ReddyApril 30, 2024 at 11:43 AM

    Hi Siri! I really enjoyed reading your blog this week. You definitely called me out on the bad habits you started your blog with (I am guilty of biting my nails and continuously tapping my feet although I try my best to quit). I noticed I am especially engaging in these habits more as AP exams are coming up. I also like how you transitioned your blog from bad habits to your bracelet and memories of freshmen year. I think it is very sweet how you still wear a bracelet in junior year that you received freshmen year. I tend to not wear bracelets as much as it annoys me when I am writing to write on paper in school (I don’t wear it on my nondominant hand as it feels uncomfortable for me). However, I do wear the necklace that was given to me by someone special everyday which I constantly fidget with. Freshmen year was also not my best year, but I still highly value the experiences, memories, and lessons learnt that year. Overall, I really enjoyed reading your blog this week as it was highly relatable!

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  3. Syrine Ben AyedMay 1, 2024 at 8:35 PM

    Hi Siri! I really loved your blog. I know this was mentioned in other comments, but truly, the way you transitioned from discussing stress-induced quirks to reminiscing about freshman year was so seamless and easy to follow. I enjoyed how you started with a relatable introduction of bad habits induced in moments of stress, immediately drawing the reader’s attention. To my surprise, I found myself struggling to pinpoint my own stress-response habit. Perhaps this has to do with the fact that such subconscious acts are often carried out absentmindedly. As I reflect on my behaviors in moments of stress, I guess my tendency to play with my right eyebrow is notable. While reading your first paragraph, I was curious about the relevance of the image above, and and my eagerness to discover the connection kept me engaged. Your description of twisting the bracelet around your wrist as a form of comfort illustrates how seemingly mundane actions can carry profound emotional significance, and similarly, how such simple items can carry so much meaning of past memories. Overall, your blog article felt like a journey, from reading your relatable opening, to the discovery of what your sunflower bracelet truly meant to you, to a subsequent connection of it standing as more than an object which you twist in distress, but more so, a treasure that holds heartfelt memories of freshman year and your best friend.

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