Please tell me what you think of this article. Don't just say "it's good!" if you think that... give me some constructive criticism. Tell me everything. Tell me if I should let this go to print or not. I don't know... just please be honest and straight-forward.

"I'm sick of the human race," I said one day to my friend Grace as we were leaving Orchestra to go to second hour.

"Ohh... why?" she inquired. The idea of being sick of anyone was a foreign one to her.

"Because of the way they are, and the fact that they'll never change themselves to be better people."

I am a walking contradiction. A total hypocrite. Here I have written several columns during the year sayng accept yourself and others as they are, don't change yourself for anybody but you, and out loud I am saying I'm sick of an entire species for doing just that. Then I realized -I'm angry at them because most of them have done that, and I'm jealous because I haven't.

When I write, I write my ideals, my beliefs. I write what I want in my own life... like if I keep writing them they'll come true. I've wanted to be accepted, I've wanted to be heard, I've wanted to be happy. And these things have felt forever out of my reach. But I also have wante dto make other people happy. And after the first issue of the Magnet was put out I realized what a large audience could be reached, and what kind of canvas I was working with. People would read the column. Everyone reads the opinion pages, just to see if they've been mentioned in the polls and to get a laugh out of a possibly funny (or badly written) column. I thought if I could make just one person happy, if I could save just one person, I would feel better about myself. All the rest of what I wanted would just go away. But I am my own worst critic, and after each issue with my column would come out, I would beat myself up over it. I would remember that most people just don't care and it was wasted ink. I should have let someone funny and well-liked have the page. You're lucky you get four columnists this time!

I don't want this column to leave a sour taste in everybody's mouths, because that was not my goal. I just wanted everybody to know that everyone has flaws, including me. And I am aware that sometimes those flaws and worrying about them can consume a person's entrie life, including mine. I never wanted to appear all high and mighty and like I have everything figured out, because I don't. I really don't. I have no clue. And I suspect no one else really does either. And I'm here for every one of you if you need help getting in the right direction. I may be unable to help myself, but I have never had a problem helping otheres. To all 2000 students of the OHS: I'm here, you know where to find me.

Guy de Maupassant, a famous late 19th century short story writer from France, said "Words dazzle and decieve because they are mimed by the face. But black words on a white page are the soul laid bare." I have certainly laid my soul out this year. And though I may regret some of the things I said, I will never regret being honest and I will never regret being given the chance. Ever.

Thank you OHS, for everything you have given me. The good, the bad, and even the ugly. I will always remember you.

Especially you, Mr. Marschel. Thank you for giving me every opportunity to do this.