All good things must come to an end.

Senior year was a very good thing, and it has come to and end, and so must this blog.

But fear not, dear reader! You haven't heard the last of me! That's right folks - I've started a new blog! It is called Delco Domer - that's me - and you can check it out right here or via the Daily Times blog page. You might have already checked it out, but if not, please do - I'll be blogging about my experiences as a student at the University of Notre Dame, which is going to be really exciting! 

It has been a real honor - and a lot of fun - to blog about my senior year, and I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did. 

One last thing - you can follow me on Twitter (@nicolemcalee) to get the very latest updates what I'm up to! 

Summer Update

Hello! It has been quite a while.

I've been thoroughly enjoying my summer so far. I had a blast in Disney World! My friends and I spent six days perusing shops, eating a multitude of hamburgers (thanks, Disney Dining!), swimming, arguing the pros and cons of commandeering the golf carts that seemed to be strewn all over the grounds of our hotel, watching fireworks, and, of course, riding the rides. Luckily, the four of us consider ourselves thrill enthusiasts, because we screamed like girls possessed on the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror, rocked out on Rock 'n' Roller Coaster, and jumped on Expedition Everest. Five times. In a row. It was awesome.

L-R Caitlin, me, Fiona, and Jen in front of the famous
18-story geodesic sphere in Epcot

After that, I hung out at home for a few days, did some college shopping (comforters, bed risers, and office supplies, oh my!), filled out and sent in my course selection form, and then headed down to the shore, where it was beautifully and brutally hot. I read books on the beach, I ate ice cream, I relaxed morning until night...it is, as the kids these days say, the life.

In a bit of unrelated but awesome news, my cousin, Stacy DiCandilo, is competing in Delco Idol tonight. Go Stacy! Do you want to help this fabulously talented girl win the competition? You can vote for her by clicking here, scrolling down to Stacy, and clicking the very self-explanatory "click here to vote for Stacy"!

The Graduate Diaries

Well, it's all over. I'm officially an alumna of Cardinal O'Hara High School.

Last night I celebrated my Baccalaureate Mass at the Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul (and jumped in the fountain afterwards, see below), and today, I had Commencement Exercises at Villanova University.

Words cannot describe the weirdness of it all. For a while, I said to myself, I'm ready. I've done all I wanted to with high school. I'm ready to move on to bigger things. I'm ready for college. Heck, I can't wait for summer vacation.  But suddenly, now that high school is a memory, I think, Wait, no! I'd like more time, please! Of course, as these things go, I won't get more time.

I wore the cap and gown, I got the diploma, I sang the alma mater for the last time. I walked into the Pavilion as a high schooler, and I left as a high school graduate. It's true that today is probably the last time that I will see some of my classmates, and that's sad. I wish we had more time to know each other. But the bright side is this: I am certain that those people who mean so much to me - friends and teachers and acquaintances - are people that I will meet again.

I'll need some time to sort out all the memories and emotions and experiences of the last few days. I want to think everything over carefully before I write my last love letter to O'Hara.  I want to do the place - and, most of all, the people - justice.

In the meantime, I have plenty going for me. I leave for Disney World (AHHH YAY!!!) in 3 days, 8 hours, 12 minutes, and 11 seconds at the time of this writing. And beyond that, I have two months to relax, read some good books, and rest my mind before Notre Dame. I plan to enjoy every square inch of summer vacation. I figure it's the best way to honor my hard work for the past four years, you know.

L-R, Christina, me, Caitlin, Fiona, and Jen. Best friends
splashing around in the Swann Memorial Fountain!

In other news, today I had the honor of being a guest blogger on Ms. Mary Ann Fiebert's awesome blog, Delco Daily Top 10. I penned a list of my Top 10 of Senior Year, which you can check out right here! Please check it out, and do yourself a favor and peruse Ms. Fiebert's blog because it's pretty great. A huge thanks to her for featuring me!

The Dome Away from Home

It is with great pride (and almost uncontrollable excitement) that I can announce to you, dear reader, the result of many months of researching, writing, checking and double-checking, mailman-hunting, and general hard work: my college decision.

I am thrilled to tell you that I will be attending the University of Notre Dame in the fall! GO IRISH!

I am confident that joining the ranks of the Fighting Irish is going to prove to be one of my best decisions ever. I'm so happy to continue my education at a school with such a rich feeling of tradition, scholarship, and community. Not many people can say that they're going to their dream school, and I count myself incredibly fortunate in that regard.

On a rather humorous note, I'm already handsomely outfitted with a variety of t-shirts, sweatshirts, and sweatpants from the Hammes Bookstore, but just for good measure, various members of my family have gifted me with car magnets, flags, flip-flops, and socks. Were I to layer all the Notre Dame clothes I have (and keep in mind I haven't even started there yet) I would be wearing approximately nine layers.

I can't wait to arrive in South Bend, Indiana in....approximately 81 days! I'm looking forward to a few weeks of summer vacation, but beyond that I'm jazzed for football weekends, trips to the Grotto, walking around St. Mary's Lake and St. Joseph's Lake, trudging through the snow to class, studying in the Hesburgh Library, chilling out in LaFortune Student Center, and just living life as a Notre Dame student.

My future home

I would love to continue my blogging at Notre Dame as a Delco emissary (if you will have me, Mr. Heron). But! In the meantime, I still have 12 days of high school to finish and plenty of other exciting stuff in the meantime! Stay tuned, folks.

Senior Prom!

Here is an abbreviated list of things that one cannot do well while wearing acrylic nail tips: one cannot button shirts, zip zippers, scratch itches, pick up small, thin objects like bobby pins, braid hair, flip the volume switch on the iPhone, open lobster clasps, or put one's fingers remotely close to one's eyes. I now know from experience, because I got acrylic nail tips for my senior prom. I mean, sure, my nails looked quite spiffy, but I haven't been able to use my fingers in any delicate capacity since Wednesday. When I complained to my brother about this, he reminded me that "beauty is pain." Wise fool, indeed.

But despite the acrylic nails (and the teetering high heels, and the necklace that was kind of chokey, and the 57 - I counted - bobby pins used to hold my elaborate hairdo in place), I had a blast at prom!  I got to wear a very pretty dress, and I got  gorgeous flowers from my good friend and prom date, Jim, and I  hung out with my friends, and I danced even though I have two left feet, and there was an ice cream bar! Major thumbs-up to the O'Hara faculty, the senior prom committee, and the Drexelbrook for making it a night to remember fondly.

Me, pre-prom

On another subject, today is, obviously, Mother's Day. There's not really much to say except that I have the best mom ever and I'm glad to celebrate her today! (Safe to say that hosting 40 people for a "picture party" before prom wouldn't have happened without her. Of course, that's not the only reason I like her. She's a really good cook, too.) So, happy Mother's Day! Especially to my mom!

Oh, and one last thing. This is a shout-out to my wonderful, awesome, crazily smart friend Caitlin, because she wanted one! Hey, Caitlin!

An Update

Things have just been a bit crazy (in the best possible way) in the last month or so, between Pippin and Easter break and school and everything. I haven't updated my blog as much as I wanted to, but I have a lot coming up so expect frequent updates! Here's the nuts-and-bolts of  what I've been up to (and have coming up).

This weekend was the official start of....Graduation Party Season. It's kind of like the debutante season without the fancy gowns and with a lot more cake. I attended three lovely graduation parties, and have have received approximately 22 more invitations. I shall valiantly try to attend them all!

Today was a graduation of sorts. Here's the story: In eighth grade, I won one of 50 Neumann Scholarships, a four-year full academic scholarship from the Connelly Foundation. Way back then, there was a lovely induction ceremony to welcome the new class of 2012. Today, we all came back together to celebrate with a Mass and a reception before we all part ways for college and beyond. I had the honor of giving a reflection speech during the Mass. I spoke about how important being a Neumann Scholar has been in my life - really important - which was awesome. And I met up with some old friends from Notre Dame Summer Scholars there, too! I missed those rascals. 

This week is (sigh) AP Exam week. I have four exams for my Advanced Placement classes in chemistry, psychology, calculus, and English literature. Sitting for AP Exams is kind of like sitting for the SATs several days in a row - and equally tiring. They're a necessary evil, though. If I get good marks, I might be able to earn college credit! Hooray for more electives and free time in college!

And as a reward for my hard-fought week of exams, I have my senior prom on Friday!! Expect pictures. 

Also, I graduate one month from today. HOW DID THIS HAPPEN?!

We've Got Magic to Do

So, there is a reason that I haven't been able to write in a while, and that reason is called Pippin.

Yes, folks, it's that time of year again: Showtime. If you've driven by O'Hara in the last two weeks or so, you might have seen a sign that looks kind of like this:

It's cool, right? Yes! It's advertising our spring production of the musical Pippin!

For the last week or so, my life has basically been consumed by Pippin rehearsals. Not that I mind at all, because a) I love being in the show, b) I love going to show practice, and c) I love Pippin.

Our story begins with a jovial trope of actors putting on a play about the life and times of young Prince Pippin of the Holy Roman Empire. Pippin believes he is destined for greatness, and led by the crafty Leading Players, goes on an exciting quest to find his destiny. After a few hilarious and horrifying wrong turns, the young prince finds fulfillment in the most unexpected of places.

Pippin has it all: A fantastic score by Stephen Schwartz (of Godspell and Wicked fame, and my favorite composer), plenty of laughs, clever dialogue, amazing dancing in the style of Bob Fosse, and a magnificent set created by our stage crew. I don't mean to brag, but if you've ever been to an O'Hara show, you know they're always a treat. So be there. For goodness' sake, people, I made a tutu specifically for this occasion. You can't miss this one. 

You can catch Pippin at O'Hara on Friday, March 23 and Saturday, March 24 at 8:00 PM, Sunday, March 25 at 2:00 PM, and Friday, March 30 and Saturday, March 31 at 8:00 PM! Tickets are $12 each ($10 for the Sunday matinee). Seating is assigned, so get your tickets now!!!! for the best seats!

If you're interested in buying tickets to see Pippin (and of course you are), you can buy them online here, or at O'Hara! If you want more information about our production of Pippin, click here!

"We've got magic to do just for you..."

A Quarter of a Year

You know what's scary?

Realizing that there are only three short months until you graduate.

That's right, folks. Three months from today, my high school years will be over. I only have one quarter of a year left! I know, when you look at it that way, it seems like a long time. But three months is a very short interval.

To put some of this in perspective, here are the major events happening during the rest of my high school career: Two weekends of Pippin at O'Hara (more on that soon), receiving college decision letters, Easter break, actually deciding where I'm going to college, AP exams, Senior Prom, final exams, Baccalaureate Mass, and then, graduation. That's all, folks. Talk about surreal.

I'm trying to find that balance between seizing the last days of high school and just relaxing and enjoying the ride. I don't want to look back and have any regrets - not that I'm planning to. The past four years have been the best of my life, and I will miss them dearly. But as the time winds down ever closer to June 6th, I get a feeling that grows every day - the feeling that I am finally ready to move on to the next part of my life. In one way, it's unsettling and uncertain and scary, but in another, it's completely awesome.

A Milestone Weekend

Another milestone of my senior year has come to pass.

That Fashion Show was quite a party, I tell ya. I had a grand old time dancing and singing and running up and down that runway, and I think my classmates has a pretty swell time as well. I'll be honest - I'm going to miss singing "The Chain," and I'm going to miss Wawa runs between practices, and I might even miss slipping around on the hardwood floor of the dance studio where we practiced.

I have some great memories from Fashion Show. Not only do I have choreographed dances to "Time Warp" and "Mambo #5" in my back pocket should the need ever arise, but I also have a great sense of camaraderie and friendship with those folks I spent so many hours with. You can't fall flat on your bum in front of a lot of people without becoming their friend. As the saying goes, the family that dances together stays together (I think).

And yet another landmark occasion came and went this morning: during first period, the seniors celebrated 112 days until graduation (though I have been informed that there are only - gasp - 106 days until that dreaded hour). It was fun to gather in the cafeteria, eat doughnuts, dance, and catch up. But in a way, it was kind of bittersweet. It's a reminder of the impending end of my high school career, a part of my life that I have loved and do love so dearly. It's a little scary to think that in less than 106 days, I'll be officially done with high school, I'll know where I'm going to college, and I will have gathered with all of my classmates together for the last time.

But now is certainly not the time to think about that. There's plenty ahead of me yet!

Seniors Own the Runway

Every Sunday since about Christmas (with the exception of one or two that I spent college visiting), I reported to a dance studio in Broomall. I spend one or two hours each Sunday dancing, a rather astonishing feat considering my absolute lack of expertise (or experience, for that matter) in that particular art form. Why, you ask? Well, it's Fashion Show time.

The O'Hara Fashion Show is a veritable and revered tradition among O'Hara's seniors. Don't let the name mislead you - though there is, of course, modeling of fashions from Zinni's of Philadelphia, Iaccobucci's, and Boscov's, the Fashion Show is much, much more than that. It's something of a variety show - the seniors get together to sing, dance, and perform skits. It's an all-around great time.

Tomorrow is the big day, the day of the Fashion Show. Tomorrow, over a hundred O'Hara seniors will strut their stuff for friends, family, and admirers. Tomorrow, our months of blood, sweat, and tears - okay, there was little blood and really very few tears - will pay off. I never though the day would come where I would get up in front of several hundred people and make a valiant attempt at cutting the rug, as the  young'uns say, but tomorrow is that day. Additionally, I get to sing a very pretty song by Ingrid Michaelson called "The Chain." I'm quite excited.

After an all-day rehearsal today, during which I got to watch every number in the show, I think you should be excited too. This lovely event takes place tomorrow at the Springfield Country Club. A limited number of tickets are still available for the 1 PM and 6:30 PM shows and can be purchased at the door. You don't want to miss this, folks!

For more info about the Fashion Show, click here! For a photo galleries of Fashion Show practices, click here!

Love Thee, Notre Dame

There are many words that come to mind when I talk about what it's like at the University of Notre Dame. They are all synonyms: wondrous, awe-inspiring, stupendous, terrific, marvelous, stunning...you know. It's just incredible.

I spent two weeks of my summer at Notre Dame as part of their Summer Scholars program. I basically lived like a college student: I woke myself up, ate my meals in the dining hall, went to class, had homework, and met new friends. I loved it. I loved the classes, I loved the people, and I loved the atmosphere. Leaving ND on a hot, rainy July  afternoon was one of the most depressing things I've had to do in a long time. I've been aching to go back since then, and finally, I returned!

My dad and I touched down in South Bend, Indiana on Sunday night and hopped over to campus, where I caught up with my dear friend Meredith, who is a freshman at ND. We walked around the campus at night, making stops at the Grotto, LaFortune Student Center, and the Word of Life mural, perhaps better known as Touchdown Jesus.

After that, my dad and I stopped for a bite to eat and then called it a night - we had a long day ahead of us. From an awesome "private" campus tour (we were the only people to show up for the 11:00 AM tour) to 12:10 PM Mass in the Crypt of the Basilica of the Sacred Heart (fun fact: John Cardinal O'Hara, the namesake of my very own school, is interred in the Basilica) to lunch at South Dining Hall (the frozen yogurt is to die for), we had a fantastic time on campus.

Around 3, I stopped by the gorgeous DeBartolo Performing Arts Center to catch up with one of my Summer Scholars teachers, who is a member of the staff in the department of Film, Television, and Theatre. Aside from being an amazingly cool guy, he's incredibly savvy and knowledgeable - I still use and remember so much that he taught me this summer.

From there, we made the sad trek back to the airport to catch our flight home. It really was almost painful to leave Notre Dame again - there's really no place like it. You can't know how truly special it is until you've lit a candle in the Grotto, or seen the sun glinting off the brilliant Golden Dome, or chomped on a Victory Waffle in the dining hall. More than the beautiful sights and tasty smells, though, is the overwhelming feeling that you're on hallowed ground. Notre Dame is a place of learning, of family, of tradition, and of excellence. Many thousands of people have passed through there before and their legacies and legends live on there. It's indescribable.

A statue of Father Edward Sorin, C.S.C., the founder of Notre
Dame, with the Main Building in the background

If they just had a Wawa, the place would be truly perfect.

Back to the Dome

Hello!

So, tomorrow (well, actually today, since it's 12:12 in the morning), I'm heading out on another college visit, this time to the University of Notre Dame! If you want to keep up with my marathon visit to lovely South Bend, Indiana, check out my Twitter (or better yet, follow me) right here! I'll be tweeting my observations about planes, trains, and Golden Domes for the next day or so! You might even see a picture or video update from yours truly so don't forget to check it out.

School, School, and More School

It's been a bit since I've had time to update this humble blog. Hello, internet!

I've been swamped by two weeks of exams and end-of-semester projects, 8th Grade Visitation Day, and a college visit!

I like school and all, but I'm not going to sit here and pretend that I like taking exams. As much as I study and study, it's still a bit nerve-wracking to know that I need to re-cram a semester's worth of material (for several subjects!) into my brain in a very short amount of time. That said, my exams went pretty well, all things considered. I'm especially proud to say that I aced my AP Calculus exam with flying colors.

8th Grade Day was quite a treat. While most O'Hara students had a day off last Thursday, I and many others reported to school to show some lucky 8th graders how great O'Hara is. Some folks gave tours, some worked booths at an activities fair, and some manned stations representing our sports teams. I and a few other members of my Media Production class armed ourselves with cameras and MacBooks to shoot and produce a video of the day's events. After filming, I quick-changed into my bright orange Footloose t-shirt to perform the Footloose finale one final time for the 8th graders. A few people talked about activities, and then all the O'Hara students gathered on the stage to sing the alma mater. It was a lovely day.

As for the aforementioned college visit, I hopped on up to Boston on Saturday morning (after numerous meteorological delays) to attend Admitted Eagle Day at Boston College. I was thrilled to get back to one of my favorite cities to visit, and I loved BC! It has a beautiful campus, a fantastic academic record, and some really swell students. Hopefully I'll have a few more admitted students' days to attend in the next few months...and then comes the time for the big decision.

Team iPhone

So, as I've mentioned before, I got an iPhone for Christmas. Well, sort of. My parents surprised me with...a picture of an iPhone, because they wanted to make sure it was something I actually wanted. Anyway, the iPhone finally arrived today, yay!

Ain't she a beaut?

My excellent experiences with two iPods and various encounters with the magnificent MacBook Pro have converted me into something of an iFan, so tickles me pink to read  that a possible prototype of the iPad 3 has been spotted at this week's Consumer Electronic Show. Since I've had to come to terms with the fact that I can't bring all these

with me to college next year, a certain sleek, white tablet e-reader is on  my purchase list.

But wait, dear reader! I know you're probably thinking, "Well, that's nice. An iPhone. What a nice thing for her." But do you realize the implications of my new iPhone? This means that I can blog, Tweet, and post pictures and video from absolutely anywhere! (Except on airplanes and at school, where phones are strictly contra legem.)

Speaking of Twitter, my updates should be a bit more frequent (and more interesting) now that I don't have to send those pesky texts to 40404. Follow me! twitter.com/@nicolemcalee

End of an Era

Today is a sad, sad day in Delco.

The Archdiocesan school closings, though somewhat expected, still managed to rock the county. The tradition of Catholic education is indelibly intertwined into the very fabric of life and history here, and it seems like today is the end of a long and happy age. How ironic that this sad news is announced on the Feast of the Epiphany, the day that tradition says the three wise men, bearing gifts, finally found the infant Jesus. What a terrible "gift" we received today.

That Delco will lose Bonner and Prendie, as well as Our Lady of Fatima, St. John Chrysostom, St. Cyril, Annunciation BVM, St. Francis de Sales, Holy Saviour-St. John Fisher, and St. Gabriel - contributors of such rich tradition in this area since their foundings -  saddens me deeply. Kids lost their childhoods today. Families lost their second homes. Rivalries, friendships, traditions - evaporated. Vanished. Gone. It kills me.

But most of all, I feel so bad for the kids. I can't imagine what kind of pain and shock they're feeling right now.
Sure, I go to O'Hara. Am I relieved to hear that my school is staying open? Absolutely. But if the shoe was on the other foot and O'Hara closed, I would be beyond devastated. O'Hara is my home and my family. The thought that one day it might cease to exist - maybe not now, but someday - petrifies me. Now, those kids - my peers, people I might have known well - have lost their home and their family.

Those who are joining the O'Hara family next year will no doubt be welcomed with open arms. Already, it warms my heart a little to see topics like #delcolove, #welcometothefamily, and #onation on Twitter. That said, it certainly doesn't mitigate the pain.

Today, we put the rivalries and the past behind us. Today, we need to be a family.

"Ohana means family, family means that nobody gets left behind. Or forgotten." - Lilo & Stitch