The Trials and Tribulations of a 13 Year Old Ninth Grader

[Editor's Note: Hey guys, Sarah here. I wanted to introduce you to our teen spokesperson Cameron. He's just starting high school and since we think a lot of you may be in the same boat, it'd be nice to hear from someone who’s going through that same kinds of things. Cameron will be updating you weekly on what's going on at school and in his very exciting life. He’ll also be here to answer your questions about high school and being 13! So leave him some comments below!]

Obligatory first day picture.

So on September 10th^th at the ungodly hour of 7:45 am in the morning I recently started high school and it is a big milestone in my life. I mean think about it, straight from a little middle school where everyone knows everyone to a huge expansive high school where I feel like a drop in the ocean. Plus my school is under big time construction; they are making a fine arts department, and they just finished building the new athletics department.  So we have some classes in these shack-like portables which is just weird and they have us running all over campus to get to our various classes.  I’m already out of breath.

But hey, I’m not here to talk about how great of a job the “webuildschools.com construction workers” are doing. I have six classes, (in order) Honors English, Orchestra, Geometry, Honors Chemistry and Physics, Spanish, then Health (like in food health, not the one about STD’s – you know the nasty stuff). I am mainly working on creating a good first impression with my new squad of teachers but let me tell you about the first impressions some of my teachers have made on ME.

My favorite teacher is Mr. Kidd, my English teacher. HE IS SO AWESOME. In the classroom he talks kind of fast but mainly when he is being funny. He lets us know what annoys him and tells us that there will be a lot of work, but it will make us “brilliant people” in the end. He also runs the drama program, which I am also interested in, time permitting given my schedule is crazy over loaded as it is.

I play the cello in my school orchestra and my Orchestra Conductor is the same one I had for middle school, Mr. Adamo. He is also really cool. LOL he proves the stereotype that larger men really are jolly in real life. He makes a lot of jokes about himself and others but when it is time to be serious and crackdown on improving he makes sure we are all doing our work and consistent in practicing our instruments.

Then there is my Geometry Class. Okay okay okay, so you guys know that stereo typical high school scenario with the kids yelling and screaming and throwing things around in the classroom and the teacher caring less as he just quietly drones on through his boring lesson plan … “now turn to page 498 “ as a paper ball hits him in the face…, Yep that’s my Geometry classroom minus the paper balls but add some seriously bad attitudes. Seriously, you know the deadpan teacher Ferris’ girlfriend tries to endure from Ferris Bueller’s Day Off? (my recently discovered favorite new/old classic movie).  That guy IS my Geometry teacher Mr. Mann. Yes his name is Mr. Mann.  OMG!  He’s nice, but the majority of my classmates are little savages and I don’t think he can handle them.

Then comes my Chemistry teacher. AAAAAAHHHHHHH OMYGAWD STAWP. On the first day of school she scared the life out of me.  I THOUGHT SHE WAS A CACKLING DEMON WITCH. But today was different. I got to know her better so I worked through my fear of her “ AHAHAHA” cackle and scary speech pattern and she was actually more humorous then scary LOL. Plus I think she likes me, she called my “dear” at the end of class today.

I also have to take a language in High School so I picked Spanish so I could talk to most of the people living in the United States in their native tongue or at least know what I am ordering in Spanish at my favorite Mexican Restaurant.  My Spanish teacher, Ms. Reyes-Jech is really sweet even if she is speaking Spanish to an entire class of students who have no idea what she is saying to us.  On a side note – I am also getting ready for my Bar Mitzvah so I’m studying Hebrew and when my family lived in Toronto I had to learn French, so while I was in Spanish class I keep confusing my English, French and Hebrew with her Spanish – CAN YOU SAY SPANGLISH? OLA!

I am determined to have great grades this year so I can go to a great college and get a great job and live the American Dream like every typical American teenage boy.  But no pressure…and because I am a beast hey… that’s just how we do.  Oh and I forgot health class (this blog is getting very stream of consciousness….) yeah uh good? It’s a mandatory class so IDK what to think. When I look over at the girl sitting next to me in Health Class, she reminds me of one of the cast of Pretty Little Liars.  She is drawing in her notebook pictures of herself with the band mates in One Direction.  Last year weren’t all these girls Beliebers?  ….sigh not sure how I can compete with Niall, Zayn, Liam, Harry and Louis!

Yep, that girl.

Last word – I have to do like 20 hours of volunteer work as part of high school this year.  So I have a question for you guys! What are some cool nonprofit organizations for volunteer work for a 13 going on 14 year old guy like me? You can leave some suggestions in the comments section below!

Ok I’m outta here -

Peace guys see you next week

Cameron Miles Lavi-Jones is the official Teen Spokesman for Z!NG REVOLUTION aka MusicSkins.  He invites all teems to become Z!NG Rebels, blog about stuff they are interested in and get cool swag from Z!NG. Cameron goes to Shorecrest High School in the Seattle, Washington area. He plays Cello, Piano, Guitar and Bass and leads his band Gypsy Temple see videos HERE and HERE. Cameron also plays premium soccer as a mid-fielder for TyneCastle Football club.  Watch for Cameron’s weekly blog about his “so called teen life.”