Sierra Dellenbaugh Blog 14: The Good Ol' Days

 Week 14

(The Good Ol’ Days) - 4/6 [6:55]

“I wish there was a way to know you’re in the good ol’ days before you’ve actually left them.” This quote was brought to us by the legendary Andrew Bernard from The Office, and I could not agree with him more. I would consider fifth through sixth grade to be my good ol’ days. I was on good terms with practically everyone in my grade, I had met my best friends at that point, and I was living the life any eleven year old would want. I think our generation is pretty lucky, considering most of us had fun childhoods and we got the opportunity to grow up at a reasonable pace. My experience in sixth grade was extremely different from my sister’s. She’s extra self-conscious about how she looks, she has more enemies than friends, and (as I’ve mentioned previously) she uses questionable language and gestures that sixth grade me didn’t even know about yet. I guess I’m just really lucky to have had the experience I did, but at the time, I probably thought that things could be better. 

I’ve learned a really important lesson now that my “glory days” are over; never take your time or experiences for granted. Looking back, I had it so easy, and my life will probably never be that carefree again (thanks to APEng). If only I’d known those days would become some of my most cherished memories. 


graduatedgamer.blogspot.com



(This one takes me right back to 5th grade; my music taste has really evolved. Who's That Chick? (feat. Rihanna) - David Guetta: https://open.spotify.com/track/3FrX3mx8qq7SZX2NYbzDoj?si=73730e09e4c946c1 )

Comments

  1. Sean WangApril 11, 2022 at 6:34 PM

    Hi Sierra,

    Sometimes, when I hang out with my friends from elementary school, we bring up memories that the rest of us had never thought to revisit. It always ends in a bout of laughter, and I always join in halfheartedly knowing that life will never be that simple again. All of my classmates always look forward to adulthood; I do not, because from now on, we will have more things to worry about.

    Sincerely,

    Sean Wang

    ReplyDelete
  2. Faith QiaoApril 12, 2022 at 6:59 PM

    I know for sure that I am living my so-called good ol' days right now because life isn't going to get any better as an adult. Right now, the only thing I am responsible for is being a good student and a good daughter. I don't have to worry about taxes, feeding myself, and earning my own wage. I can't imagine one day where food becomes a concern—when I have to consider every dollar I spend. I think before I go to college, I should take a job and really understand what it takes to earn very little for the time I spend. But as the person writing this comment, the seventeen year-old me looks at preschool Faith with envy. That girl had nothing on her mind and I don't even think she was conscious of the conflicts between her parents. It was a good time, but still not a time I would return to nor do I want to be that person again. There is no such thing as glory days because if there was a point like that you wouldn't change past it.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Anwika PalleApril 13, 2022 at 6:26 AM

    Hi Sierra,
    I spend more than enough days during the week reminiscing on the good old days, which I also consider to be anytime before the sixth grade. I definitely agree that compared to kids now, social norms have changed, and life must've been a lot more "carefree" and childish when we were elementary students. I remember coming home and taking naps every day, only to see my best friends at soccer practice every week while my only worry would be finishing a couple assignments due at the end of the week. This makes me feel sad, because as I feel bad about not enjoying the good old days, I realize that I could be living in my future good old days now, so I often try to make the best of my high school life.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Yi-Kuan CApril 13, 2022 at 6:16 PM

    Hey Sierra,

    I can agree with your sentiment of missing "the good ol' days." However, I am here to tell you that that type of thinking will never get you anywhere. For the longest time, I thought I peaked in 6th grade too. However, a little while after, I thought 8th grade was the best year of my life and I would never live up to those same highs. Little did I know that in sophomore year, namely the second semester, I would truly be the happiest I have ever been in my life. That euphoric happiness has since ceased, but if I have learned anything, it's that while it's healthy to look back on your memories fondly, never stop looking towards the future. Perhaps in the future you may find yourself in the happiest situation ever, working and doing what you love for a living or living with someone that you enjoy spending your everyday with. Or perhaps that future doesn't exist, but if we just put our foot down now and say "I will never be as happy," then exactly that will happen. Keep your head held high and keep looking forward--you never know when you might find something worth looking towards.

    Yi-Kuan C.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Krish ParikhApril 13, 2022 at 8:06 PM

    Hi Sierra,

    Like you, I'm also nostalgic for the past. Eighth grade Krish really had his life made! However, I think that after a couple of years, you'll also look back on your high school years as glory days. The grass is always greener in the past, and it's important to cherish the present. In the words of Master Oogway, "Today is a gift. That is why it is called the present."

    Sincerely,
    Krish

    ReplyDelete
  6. Sophie Minh Thy C NguyenApril 13, 2022 at 8:51 PM

    Hi Sierra,
    To be honest, middle school felt like a fever dream. There were some very bad moments. But there were also a lot of really good memories as well. Overall I would chalk up middle school to be a learning curve for me. Somewhat off topic, but I feel like a lot of the sophomores and freshmen did not experience that learning curve. Anyways, I don't believe there has been a year yet where I have "peaked." I feel like each year I grow a bit more from the last. As the years go by, I find that I am more and more different as I look back. But I look back at myself and am glad to see how far I've come.

    ReplyDelete
  7. RaymondApril 13, 2022 at 9:35 PM

    This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  8. RaymondApril 13, 2022 at 9:36 PM

    Hi Sierra,
    I think that it's better to have a mindset of a hope-filled and bright future. While realism is needed, optimism is even more so. Nostalgia is an extremely potent and poignant emotion, and although it has its place on many occasions, we are still students that have yet to chart strongly defined courses in our lives. I like to think that if we can take a step back and review our lives, they have only become more meaningful and developed. The golden future is ours if only we can see and seize it. Enjoy life!
    Sincerely,
    Raymond Yu

    ReplyDelete
  9. VivanApril 13, 2022 at 9:42 PM

    Hi Sierra,

    I remember how back in middle school and Freshman year (and zoom school especially) I would just relax, procrastinate on everything, and get meh grades. It was "the good ol' days" for me. But then, APENG comes into my life. This class really got me to destroy my habit of procrastination, which I would say is great for me because i really did it a lot.

    Sincerely,
    Vivan Waghela

    ReplyDelete
  10. DeetaApril 13, 2022 at 9:47 PM

    Hey Sierra!
    I love that quote too; I remember liking it so much my first time watching that I literally wrote it down as a potential Yearbook quote (definitely not an option anymore). I think its so true that you don't value how good things are at a certain point in time until they are gone. I am super nostalgic and constantly think back to better times or times when I was happy or in a better place. I also totally agree how quick newer generations have been forced to grow up. It is so sad to see in a way. They know things, act like, and dress like we have just started to. That is so crazy to me and it sucks that they do not have the same carefree childhood as us. As usual, thank you for the cool music and thank you for sharing queen

    ReplyDelete

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