(September 28, 2006) — It happens to every single one of us students. For some of us it takes five minutes; for others, 5 days. Either way it hits us—summer is over. Back to the hustle and bustle of Clark Magnet High School; as if being crushed while walking up the stairs isn’t enough to remind us of the beaches and vacations infinitely far behind us we are hit over our heads and crushed by the rigor of Clark’s academic programs. As if the pain in our backs from carrying separate binders for every class isn’t enough, we are discouraged by the unholy maiming of our ideal schedule. As if standing in front of the office like a sardine in a can isn’t enough we are nearly forced into tears by the fact that we took the wrong form to our counselor. That’s it my fellow Clarkies, say bye-bye to summer. But allow me to grace you with the tale of my revelation. Clark Magnet: day one. A beautiful sunny day. Granted, it was hot enough to fry on egg on any orifice of the campus –but still, a beautiful day. Everything seemed better than it was last year. Who needs a cold soda to cool you off when you have candy flavored milk? Who needs a candy bar when you can tie your appetite over with a tasty frozen confectionary? All the socializing, all the laughs and smiles, it was as if summer just kept on going. Not even the excruciatingly hot—in temperature of course—speech by Mr. Dall could stop, the first day of school from fitting right in with my summer experience. Alas, the change would come, and would hit me hard. As I stepped out the door of my first period class, and out into the blazing sun, I felt an urge to quench my thirst. I worked my way, trudging through the vast sun sprinkled desert the amphitheatre until I reached my destination: the vending machine. My lips longed for liquid. My dry lips urged me to take a dollar from my wallet. Obediently, I inserted the bill into the machine. Water! Water! Water at last for the parched student, ready to faint from the relentless heat! When, in a moment of seeming grace I saw it come crashing down: a sports bottle with blue liquid! Aha! A test from Clark Magnet! No blue liquid could ruin my day. I opened the bottle and gulped every sip as if it was my last. I drank too fast to think of anything else. As I removed the bottle from my mouth I realized I was horrified to find that as I was hit with realization that what I just drank had been…LUKEWARM! At once it came crashing down, like the Hindenburg being blown out of the sky—except much more dramatic and serious. It was gone; it took only two or so hours to hit me. Summer was gone, school was in and I was not ready for the battle ahead. Pure and utter poppycock.