[ Yeah, okay, so it's late o'clock in the morning and you know, people should go the fuck to sleep because there's studying and stuff to be done-- for all those suuuuper difficult exams.

Yusuf is straight up shaking in his khakis.

Except, not. He's got that four point oh (plus that extra online college class) on lock down, so he's really not bothered. Hence, why he's up and bothering people via text. Although, he may hit the wrong contact by accident-- you know how that story goes. ]


So whats up with tomorrow?


[ ooc: texting is my jam, even if you don't know yusuf TEXT HIM BACK- he probably whittled your number out of some contact or another ]

This nonsense again.

Don't bother asking if I will buy alcohol, do your term paper, lend a jacket, etc.,. Seek 'student aid' elsewhere.

Well, nothing's changed. As usual. No game room. No kick-ass pizza days. Though we still have classes. Joy. Man this year sucked for the most part. Though I do have to say that the absence of certain teachers is a great joy.

Oh wait, there's still the exams.  I should study...but I'm not. I mean everything'll work itself out in the end anyways.

Except maybe for that physical exam. Um, Mr. Pendragon? I'm not going to make it to your test, I kinda think I pulled  a muscle in my back. Like really, really, really badly. So I'm just gonna take off and recuperate, preferably around a bunch of cute nurses in candy striper outfits. But before that, any of you guy's up to hitting the spot later?


[ooc: Huey's the same slacker ass slacker and smartass he's been since the last two times the curse has hit, only now he's a senior. Also he's acting out more due to the absence of his life guide. Previous CR from the past curses are welcome.]

So final exams start tomorrow. I'm not worried. I've been doing the readings for class and sometimes in class, but no one really cares (half the time, anyway; the other half of the time I'm playing on the Network--@misterblackbird too, by the way, because I do like messages now and then).

That's all you need to do, really, if you've half a mind and can remember rote facts: pay a little attention, read a little, and have half a brain. Take note, everyone. If spend some time paying attention in class and a little time studying, you might not be in such a panic about finals coming up. I'm not panicked. I've a stack of books beside me on my desk, but I'm not panicked. They're only finals. I said the same thing back in those good old days at Ohtori Academy and I'll say the same thing now.

Besides, I've a few instructors who seem to think that 'final projects' are far superior to final exams. And that really is a thrill to contend with. No final exam, but just as much work. I've been working on these things for the better part of the semester and I'd just as soon finish with them and be rid of them. They're just pages and pages and pages long at this point. The group projects were all earlier in the semester--so thank goodness for small mercies. I don't think I could stand to deal with anyone else right now. Now it's just papers to finish off. And that I can do alone as I please.

Also, I hate lab reports and I think it's only fair to say so. I do. I hate them. I absolutely do. Mostly because they're tedious. It's not as if they're challenging either. I know the necessity of them. Of course I do. But that doesn't make them any less tiresome. And I seem to have more than a few still hanging over me. Maybe my instructors didn't get the message that exams start tomorrow and it would be good for the student body at large to not have these things to deal with so late in time. It's inhumane, these sorts of expectations. And I think I've a right to complain. I'm double majoring. So that means I have more of them.

I suppose the only good part is if the lab results are negative or unremarkable, I still pass. No result is no result and that's a genuine result. Which is better than what can happen in a literature course. I don't think those professors will let you get away with saying that there's no theme.

Anyway, it's all just a matter of thinking about it. All of it is, really.

Actually, on that previous topic, if I have to choose, I think my literature final will be the easiest. I read enough poetry and things before I came here--and, perhaps it may surprise you to hear, but I did enjoy quite a lot of it. That was all we seemed to do at Ohtori: read literature and write about it. Thanks to all that, I placed out of Freshman English here, and I heard that no one ever does that here at uni. So it's tiresome to sit through it all again. Uncle Neil would be appalled, I'm sure. Another year, more evidence that he's as provincial as they come.

But maybe I'm speaking a little too soon. Essays can sometimes be more work--more than, say, a lab report--but at least one can think rather than just recite. That was the real beastly part of early biology and chemistry classes: all the repetition of facts with precious little consideration behind them. I know it's all to establish a base of understanding on which to build later and on and on, but I think it nearly killed me. Or it made me want to go and major in literature or something--which is maybe not death but probably something like madness.

History really has too much memorization there to really redeem it. I've never been sure how much of a real education all this memorization and repetition is (Uncle Neil, do take note). I won't have too much more of that left to deal with, not if I keep on the medicine track (and, back to him and his opinions, I'm sure Uncle Neil is immensely proud of that). And, so help me, if I can swing a report so that it focuses on toxicology--somehow, some way--I will. You've no idea how fascinating the whole subject is until you look at it. For that matter, everything regarded as sort of 'morbid' over there in the biology department is fascinating. It's the other students who think it's all morbid anywhere. I say that if you want to understand the processes of life, you might as well understand the processes of death too. Otherwise you've only got half of it. But that's an absolute digression--as they used to say at Ohtori.

I intend to go out this afternoon, probably into town. The semester is as good as over, after all, the weather's far too good to stay indoors, and my uncle sent me some spending money. I only had to ask him about three times for it. It's as good as summer already, as far as I'm concerned. It's been a decent semester, and a decent year, but goodbye!

If anyone's up for doing something this afternoon that doesn't include either the library or studying, send me a message. I'm not staying in.

~C.

[Text Message to Rosella]

Has your brother taken out a restraining order on me yet? Or should I keep trying?

[//end]

[ooc: Whew. Okay. So Cain is a Sophomore, majoring in biology and chemistry--or some crazy combination like that--with the intent of going into medicine. This is because of, idk, his family or something. Maybe the Hargreaves family is the owner of, like, Hargreaves Pharmaceuticals or TAROT BioTech or something equally creepy medical/scientific. And they're still either genuinely nobles or they're just super-wealthy on account of drugs and medicines and technology and patents. Either way, Cain's going into the family business, more or less...

More importantly: he's in college and dating Rosella who is in high school. To summarize their relationship, it's very Blair Waldorf & Chuck Bass between those two.]

Oooooh S T U D E N T S~~~

Our session is zoom zoom zooming by! Soon it will be summer break.......

Faaa~aaculty~ need I be reminding you that high test scores will result in better equipment facilities materials? IT COULD BE CASH RIPE FOR THE TAKING!

[If there's anything worse than always being the new kid, it's being the new kid the day before exams and having to announce it to everyone else.]

Hi. I'm Sam Winchester, and I'm new. There's not much to know, really. I'm not sure what else to say. Does anyone having the English homework?



[OOC: Feel free to run into Sam in class, in the halls, in the lunch room, or walking home from school. Anywhere you like, even if you're not at Westerberg.

NOTE: Replies will come from seekingnormal for iconic purposes.]

Good afternoon, Westerberg sweeties! It's that time of year again. Yes, that time where I totally break the rules and risk my teaching career by offering you another way to scrape your grade up from the bottom of the barrel in the last days of school.

First up, if you've done your final project, congratulations. You don't have to take the final exam. Turn it in and I'll see you in the hallways next semester or on Facebook in your drunken college shenanigans. If you didn't, and you know I'm talking about you, Henry, I can't legally pass you. Again. However, I'd love to see your lovely face in these desks again next year with all your excuses of why you didn't do the little bit of homework I do give you.

Again.

I did say there was another option, right? Right. Here we go.

Using a superhero, cartoon character, or mythical figure as reference, create an overlay of the basic muscle groups. Dimensions are variable, but the entire thing shouldn't be larger than sixteen inches by twenty inches. Due Friday, noon, the latest. Short notice, yes, but teachers have social lives too.

That's it. Easy as pie. Can be done in one or two class periods if you feel the need to take some time for a private field trip. [Coughing and a whisper of Justin.] And before I forget, I'd like to thank all the students who didn't belong to me who took the time out of their busy class schedules to hang out in my classroom that didn't belong to them. You've made teaching a joy.

Miss Angela, out.


[ooc: Just your regular hang loose and fly free art teacher. Feel free to make excuses of why you were in her classroom even if she wasn't your teacher.]

[For anyone going to Saya's class today will see this sitting in the shop, hood up, waiting to be messed with]

Every year I outline very clearly the requirements to pass my class, and every year we come to this point where some people inevitably miss those requirements. For whatever reason, the schoolboard believes in second chances, and so here it is.

The final is worth 10% of your grade you've done all the work. If your grade is currently at a 50% or lower, it will be worth 60% of your grade.

In the shop is a Spyder 918, generously lent to the shop program by an anonymous donor. The review will encompass hybridization, which I guarantee you, will be on the advanced autoshop test. For the beginning and intermediate classes, if you show up to any extra review session, I can guarantee you that I will cover what will be on your final.

But no matter your level, you ought to come in. The Spyder is only here for a day. Consider it a gift from me to you for sitting through an entire year with me.

Otherwise, I'll see you at the dance. I'm a chaperone.

[Penny, currently seventeen and rocking a pixie cut, is digging frantically through a pile of papers (they're just off screen, but the odd piece of wrinkled notebook paper goes flying by). Judging from the background, she's sitting in the hall at Westerberg High.

And talking to herself.]

You know when people tell you to prioritize the stuff you should get done? I think I did it wrong, so I'm basically doomed for finals.

[Or maybe she's talking to the network. She shuffles papers for a few more moments before giving up, putting the papers down in favor of the network device.]

But you know what's worse? I'm too busy freaking out about finals to freak out about anything else like the twenty-four people who starve to death every minute or the seven trees an average American goes through each year or anything relevant. [pause] No, I guess I'm still worried about the usual stuff. But seriously, finals on top of that? I'm never going to need to know this stuff in real life.

[She pauses again, rethinking this.]

Unless, you know... you're a teacher and you're listening to this. Teachers, you're an invaluable part of the American workforce and it's completely not your fault that the high school students in Finland test way better than students in the United States. [If Penny didn't sound so sincere, that might have come off as sarcasm. It's not.] That'd be my fault. Not by myself, I mean--not even I can blame me for that--but students like me who could do better and never get around to it. Motivation issues.

[A sigh.]

Okay. I'm calm now. Ranting's good for the soul.

[And with that nugget of wisdom, she ends the feed.]


[ooc: Action/messaging/whatever, in school or out, is awesome. Feel free to have characters know Penny from any junior-level classes, art, or band (she plays violin, which... isn't important, but it seems worth pointing out). Replies will come from aprettypenny .]

You think it's done? All right—Kogarasumaru, rise!

[ the first snapshot: an open steel drum standing in what looks to be a rundown lot. for several lingering moments, the camera dwells only on the murky darkness of oil in shadow.

then.

gloved hands rattle the handles of the wire basket sunk into its depths and begin to lift it. slowly... slowly... a monster emerges from the deep, all breadcrumb (???)-crusted jaw and leering empty sockets.

the whole goat's pretty deep-fried, too, from the looks of it. the last few oil drops shake from the netting as it's pulled free, and the camera briefly frames a boy in a hat hefting the basket to consider their victim thoughtfully. ]

Huh. Maybe we oughta stick bamboo skewers on for horns. How many chicken nuggets can we fit in there, anyway?

[ ignoring his babbling, the camera pans over to a sign which reads simply: EPIC MEAL SERVINGS COMING SOON. 3 ORANGES PER PLATE. ]

[ ooc | a dumb teenage gang's idea of a bake sale. All replies will be in text. Credit where credit is due to Epic Meal Time! ]

[There is a vampire leaning by The Raven's entrance. His posture is like a snake's. Nothing stirring but a glint in the eye and a flicking tongue-tip. All gathered bloodlust waiting for its moment.]

The next brat to sneak in, will be summarily tossed out.

In pieces. 

[A smile. Bright, and entirely without warmth.]

Don't try it. And keep your pitiful bribes to yourself.


[OOC: Grrr. Noisy whippersnappers! NO DRINKS FOR YOU! By which I mean, anyone's totally free to come waltzing in - and stir up trouble. Just keep in mind, Karl may toss you out. His fondness for eating teenage girls notwithstanding, he has work to do, after all! Replies will be sporadic, as my internet is being a bitch!]

[Voice Post]

The weather's really getting nicer now, it's great! It's just kinda too bad that we can't really enjoy it. I mean, we've got a concert tonight, and swimming's great and everything, but it'd be really cool if we could do practice outside! We've only got the indoor one, though, and man, we need to practice a lot more before next week. Maybe I'll call off the one on Tuesday, we'll be running long the two right before the meet, anyway.

But all that isn't so bad. That's all dealable. It's just the tests! We have 'em all year, along with homework, quizzes, and projects, and now we need them at the end of the semester too? It sucks! Every year it's the same thing. Why do we keep having finals every time? The first couple of years is enough. I'm almost done with school forever, I don't need more tests! It's not like this last session is really gonna make that big of a difference! Just let me go, I know what I've gotta know for my degree.

Well, the not-boring stuff. [Siiiiiiiiigh.] I'm gonna go study.

[/Voice Post]

You know, it's odd, but I have a strange feeling that my students may already be experiencing some reasonable levels of stress. It's that time of year, isn't it? The culmination of your studies, and your knowledge put to the test as your school year's work is laid out for you in sheets of neatly printed questions.

And I by no means intend to demerit any final examination; all pursuits of knowledge are of the utmost value, but there are certain types of learning which are less quantifiable than others.

So, to arrive at the point. Students in my poetry class are expected to arrive tomorrow prepared to think and express those thoughts. No studying will be required, no papers will be handed out, and there is no review session. If you have listened to - and I do mean listened to, not merely heard - anything that I have said over the course of this class, you are already prepared for your test.

I'll look forward to seeing you all tomorrow - and I implore you all again, do not worry about my final examination. That is truly the best assistance I can provide to ensure your success on it.

And good luck with all of your exams.


[ooc: Teaches poetry at Westerberg! Feel free to put your student character in his class. He's here on the tl;dr post. Responses may come from asyouwail]

So uh...for the dance this weekend...it seemed kind of silly, because I don't think that many people here even know how to dance. But then I thought that a lot of people like music, and dressing up is okay, so maybe it's okay too.

[An awkwardly long pause]

Anyway, my friend definitely wants to go, and there's this girl he'd like to go with. But he doesn't know if she wants to go or if she has a date or how to ask. So I said I'd find out for him. What's the best way to get a girl to go to the dance with you?

It's for my friend.

i'm bored. why do i have to take these classes again? it isn't as though i don't know algebra.

ray. don't forget to pick me up from school again, okay.


[ ooc; so guess who's an eleven year old genius not allowed to take university level classes? yeah.

also raymond's her brother. worst big brother in the world. ]

When a teacher says draw anatomy... does it count if it's symbolic anatomy?

Artistic license and all that, right?

[ private: friends / TEXT ]

let me quote some sam cooke here and break it down

(not adele)

1)that's it
2)i quit
3) I'm moving on

(into a tattoo apprenticeship.

thoughts ?)

[ ooc: an eames as a delinquent, you say? replies will be from clip! Feel free to assume friendship among students and whatnot, I'm not picky. ]

[Rapunzel is in the Ohtori Academy library, surrounded by what appears to be a mountain of textbooks that focus on various sciences. And she looks nervous.]

Okay, so if you combine these two chemicals under a controlled flame...no, no, stupid, that's not right!

[She groans, slumping in her chair, smacking her face against the desk.]

I'm dead. I'm dead, I'm dead, I'm dying I'm dead. There is no way I can pass the Chemistry exam...Mom is gonna kill me...

[She sighs sadly, shaking her head and going into her book again.]

I'll ask Charlie for help at work. And then...I don't know, I'll pray or something...

I...am so bored. I don't mind working the mail desk...but it just gets so DULL after 4:00ish. Nobody comes in, no new mail...it's just shuffling and reorganizing...

[And playing Minecraft on the campus computers, but shhh, nobody knows about that.]

Who has the shift after me again? Because I think they might be late. It feels like I've been here forever...I have a history paper due tomorrow I need to...actually do...

...Hey, does anybody know anything about the influence of Machiavelli on modern politics? I think I was sick when we covered his influence on stuff. All I can remember is the 'love or fear' thing. And that is NOT gonna help me pass.

[ooc: Hanna is a college student at City University, who also happens to work the mail room.]