Whether enjoying the festivities or working hard on college planning, Melanie Smith finds the ride that is senior year has only one speed: hurtling.
By MICHELE MILLER
Published October 15, 2003
LAND O'LAKES - While the kids at Gulf High were busy promoting the green and white for their homecoming, their counterparts at Land O'Lakes High were sporting the blue and gold for their school.
It was a welcome respite for college-bound kids like Melanie Smith who find themselves busy these days perusing the college fairs, taking entrance exams, trying to meet all those deadlines and working to get that extra cash together to pay for things like the senior prom.
In between "Nerd Day" and "Tacky Tourist Day," Melanie found the time to mail out her high school transcripts to the University of Central Florida.
Going to college has always been a given for Melanie. "It's always been my plan," she said. "My parents have always planned that for me."
With an older sister who just graduated from the University of Florida and another enrolled in Santa Fe Community College in Gainesville, Melanie said she had no problem stepping in line for the college route.
She figures she'll end up at UCF even though the Gators are her first choice.
"But I'd have to get my test scores up to get in to UF," she said. "I took the ACT - it's a killer."
Because she's curious about "how the mind works," psychology is her planned major for now. "I'm always asking people what they're thinking. I'm always wondering what's going on in people's heads," Melanie said. "I'd like to learn more about it." As for a career, "Who knows?"
"Right now I'm kind of nervous about moving away from home. There's so much I have to do with scholarships and stuff. There's so much I don't know that I need to know. There's so much out there."
Like others riding the senior year roller coaster, Melanie is trying to enjoy the ride.
Homecoming, with all the festivities, can be one the highs.
"Last night we had our pep rally. That was fun. Each class does their own skit," she said. "Tomorrow night is the game with the court and all the floats going around the track in the stadium. Nerd Day was great - some people really get into it. Tomorrow is Blue and Gold day, so I'll probably do something with that."
"I'm not going to the (homecoming) dance on Saturday night," she said. "I'm going to a concert with friends at Tropicana Field instead. We'll meet up with everybody.
"None of us had dates (for the dance), which is kind of sad, I guess, because it's our senior year. But we'd just have to get our hair done, get our nails done and buy a dress. This is just Homecoming. It's nothing like prom. That's extravagant."
