Valhalla's Very Own Carpe Diem by FAISAL AL SHAMAA https://padlet.com/301224/owbg1lv6l49r my senior reflection en-us 2017-05-31 17:14:12 UTC 2024-01-31 05:57:54 UTC hello@padlet.com 1. My Special Group of Best Friends 301224 https://padlet.com/301224/owbg1lv6l49r/wish/174917356 My best friends in high school, have created the most significant memories in my life. Fadi, Rafi, and Santiago are more than just my best friends, we are a family, we are nothing short of brothers. They have taught me that family does not necessarily have to be related by blood, that one is not bound by genetics to whom they have to love and have to support no matter the circumstance. They have forced me to step out of my bubble since the beginning of highschool and continue to this day. They force me to go outside, whether on adventures through the hidden areas and passageways at La Jolla, or to get a McDonald’s ice-cream cone from down the street before dropping me home. These brothers have given me the craziest memories to remember as I reminisce in college about my past years. I don’t know how I will move on and how I will find people that are as great as them in my upcoming years at UCLA, and how I will adjust to their absence. Santiago also happens to be my next-door neighbor and we have been spending nearly everyday together for the past four years. It is unique finding someone you can spend time doing absolutely nothing with, and still be fully satisfied and having fun. I will miss that presence, but I will never forget it. I have never experienced betrayal by this family, and never a dull moment. We shared interests and went through phases together and simultaneously. I have watched them grow into respectable men, and they have watched me in excitement as my hard work paid off and I was recognized  the salutatorian of my class. I will always remember how they would cover my bills, and wouldn’t let me pay most of the time, saying “we are celebrating you tonight”. Whenever I asked, “how could I ever repay you guys for the things you do for me?”, they would tell me, “just remember us when you are a doctor”.  ]]> 2017-06-02 03:20:10 UTC https://padlet.com/301224/owbg1lv6l49r/wish/174917356 301224 https://padlet.com/301224/owbg1lv6l49r/wish/174917670 2017-06-02 03:25:25 UTC https://padlet.com/301224/owbg1lv6l49r/wish/174917670 301224 https://padlet.com/301224/owbg1lv6l49r/wish/174917726 2017-06-02 03:26:45 UTC https://padlet.com/301224/owbg1lv6l49r/wish/174917726 301224 https://padlet.com/301224/owbg1lv6l49r/wish/174917806 2017-06-02 03:28:07 UTC https://padlet.com/301224/owbg1lv6l49r/wish/174917806 301224 https://padlet.com/301224/owbg1lv6l49r/wish/174917850 2017-06-02 03:28:55 UTC https://padlet.com/301224/owbg1lv6l49r/wish/174917850 301224 https://padlet.com/301224/owbg1lv6l49r/wish/174917895 2017-06-02 03:29:53 UTC https://padlet.com/301224/owbg1lv6l49r/wish/174917895 301224 https://padlet.com/301224/owbg1lv6l49r/wish/174917992 2017-06-02 03:31:09 UTC https://padlet.com/301224/owbg1lv6l49r/wish/174917992 301224 https://padlet.com/301224/owbg1lv6l49r/wish/174918068 2017-06-02 03:32:09 UTC https://padlet.com/301224/owbg1lv6l49r/wish/174918068 2. Friends 301224 https://padlet.com/301224/owbg1lv6l49r/wish/174918189 All Love from Melad, Joseph, Aymen, Yazen, Marcel, Robin, Rami, Santi, Rafi, Fadi, Alvin.

]]> 2017-06-02 03:34:13 UTC https://padlet.com/301224/owbg1lv6l49r/wish/174918189 301224 https://padlet.com/301224/owbg1lv6l49r/wish/174918255 2017-06-02 03:35:18 UTC https://padlet.com/301224/owbg1lv6l49r/wish/174918255 301224 https://padlet.com/301224/owbg1lv6l49r/wish/174918257 2017-06-02 03:35:18 UTC https://padlet.com/301224/owbg1lv6l49r/wish/174918257 301224 https://padlet.com/301224/owbg1lv6l49r/wish/174918276 2017-06-02 03:35:33 UTC https://padlet.com/301224/owbg1lv6l49r/wish/174918276 301224 https://padlet.com/301224/owbg1lv6l49r/wish/174918279 2017-06-02 03:35:37 UTC https://padlet.com/301224/owbg1lv6l49r/wish/174918279 301224 https://padlet.com/301224/owbg1lv6l49r/wish/174918321 2017-06-02 03:36:16 UTC https://padlet.com/301224/owbg1lv6l49r/wish/174918321 3. College: The Next Step 301224 https://padlet.com/301224/owbg1lv6l49r/wish/174918428 College, how can such a word hit me with such excitement and anxiety at once. I have worked with the utmost determination and academical zealousness these past four years. I busted my “Halverson” to get where I am today and I just can not wait to continue riding, no climbing, this wave of youthfulness, as enjoy my last years as a teenager and enter into the big 20’s before I graduate. I was nervous I wasn’t going to get accepted anywhere at first, regretting and beating myself up for not doing more: more community hours, more clubs, more AP classes. But I soon realized my self-worth and potential when I got accepted into UCLA. Los Angeles is such a big and scary city, and the highest of academic rigor is the foundation of this university, how am I supposed to possibly make it? I will make it because I am finally starting to believe in myself and my capabilities. As a salutatorian, I know that even though high school courses are nothing like those in college, my mindset of success and determination is fixated, unchanging, and unwavering. I know that the satisfaction of reflection in the future, being able to say “I made it”, will be greater than any possible stress and struggle I will definitely face to get there. I think that my thoughts are in the right place as I step on and walk the stage soon, leaving these four memorable years behind me, and begin to sprint toward my real goals in life. Although I wish I could have my best friends by my side, I know that greatness and success do not come with comfort. One has to step outside their comfort zone to accomplish what they feel the need to do, and those who don’t remain average. Greatness lies ahead, or so I hope. ]]> 2017-06-02 03:38:29 UTC https://padlet.com/301224/owbg1lv6l49r/wish/174918428 301224 https://padlet.com/301224/owbg1lv6l49r/wish/174918508 2017-06-02 03:40:15 UTC https://padlet.com/301224/owbg1lv6l49r/wish/174918508 301224 https://padlet.com/301224/owbg1lv6l49r/wish/174918511 2017-06-02 03:40:21 UTC https://padlet.com/301224/owbg1lv6l49r/wish/174918511 301224 https://padlet.com/301224/owbg1lv6l49r/wish/174918570 2017-06-02 03:41:42 UTC https://padlet.com/301224/owbg1lv6l49r/wish/174918570 301224 https://padlet.com/301224/owbg1lv6l49r/wish/174918579 2017-06-02 03:41:52 UTC https://padlet.com/301224/owbg1lv6l49r/wish/174918579 4. Items from my father's Work 301224 https://padlet.com/301224/owbg1lv6l49r/wish/174918691 My dad's expertise and passion on watch is nothing less of admirable in my eyes. His everyday hard work inspires me to become the kind of man my father is in the future. ]]> 2017-06-02 03:44:50 UTC https://padlet.com/301224/owbg1lv6l49r/wish/174918691 301224 https://padlet.com/301224/owbg1lv6l49r/wish/174919130 2017-06-02 03:52:34 UTC https://padlet.com/301224/owbg1lv6l49r/wish/174919130 301224 https://padlet.com/301224/owbg1lv6l49r/wish/174919175 2017-06-02 03:53:21 UTC https://padlet.com/301224/owbg1lv6l49r/wish/174919175 301224 https://padlet.com/301224/owbg1lv6l49r/wish/174919180 2017-06-02 03:53:33 UTC https://padlet.com/301224/owbg1lv6l49r/wish/174919180 301224 https://padlet.com/301224/owbg1lv6l49r/wish/174919203 2017-06-02 03:53:52 UTC https://padlet.com/301224/owbg1lv6l49r/wish/174919203 301224 https://padlet.com/301224/owbg1lv6l49r/wish/174919206 2017-06-02 03:53:54 UTC https://padlet.com/301224/owbg1lv6l49r/wish/174919206 301224 https://padlet.com/301224/owbg1lv6l49r/wish/174919218 2017-06-02 03:54:09 UTC https://padlet.com/301224/owbg1lv6l49r/wish/174919218 301224 https://padlet.com/301224/owbg1lv6l49r/wish/174919246 2017-06-02 03:54:53 UTC https://padlet.com/301224/owbg1lv6l49r/wish/174919246 5. Prom 301224 https://padlet.com/301224/owbg1lv6l49r/wish/174919304 Prom was hands down the best night of high school by far, so many memories. I remember how I was trying so hard for everything to just go perfectly. Anything that was slightly off had the potential of ruining my night. But I soon realized that the faults of everything was the reason we were having so much fun. I had the privilege of taking one of my best friends to this special night, and I won’t ever forget how easily we connected and laughed. I am happy I took Brittany Mattia, whom I’ve known and had a good relationship with since sophomore year! She looked nothing less of stunning, and I believe that we killed it together. The complete chaos of the whole day was one of the many reasons I won’t ever forget it. We were late to pictures, she pierced my nipple with the corsage, I almost crashed her car three times on the highway while blasting throwback music, we rushed the dinner and she didn’t even eat her steak (which I paid 100 dollars for!!!!), and we danced till we were soaking in sweat. Everything went perfectly wrong, which I turned out absolutely loving. I asked her to prom with major help from her best friend Gisele, who basically orchestrated the entire operation. We created a scavenger hunt where at each location she would find a puzzle piece with a letter of prom spelled on it and a flower, and at the end I held a bouquet and a sign that said, “Brittany, you are the only piece that is missing, PROM?”. I would have never thought of this without Gisele’s help. I feel that I really did take advantage of being young, careless, and reckless on this night but I somehow also felt like I’ve aged into a man in my suit and tie. I spent $350 dollars on this day, and although I complained prior, it was well worth every penny. As my friend Fadi said, “You only go to prom once, this is more important than your wedding day that you could have 2 or 3 more times in a lifetime”. ]]> 2017-06-02 03:56:33 UTC https://padlet.com/301224/owbg1lv6l49r/wish/174919304 301224 https://padlet.com/301224/owbg1lv6l49r/wish/174919397 2017-06-02 03:58:33 UTC https://padlet.com/301224/owbg1lv6l49r/wish/174919397 301224 https://padlet.com/301224/owbg1lv6l49r/wish/174919624 2017-06-02 04:03:10 UTC https://padlet.com/301224/owbg1lv6l49r/wish/174919624 301224 https://padlet.com/301224/owbg1lv6l49r/wish/174919628 2017-06-02 04:03:12 UTC https://padlet.com/301224/owbg1lv6l49r/wish/174919628 301224 https://padlet.com/301224/owbg1lv6l49r/wish/174919629 2017-06-02 04:03:12 UTC https://padlet.com/301224/owbg1lv6l49r/wish/174919629 301224 https://padlet.com/301224/owbg1lv6l49r/wish/174919630 2017-06-02 04:03:12 UTC https://padlet.com/301224/owbg1lv6l49r/wish/174919630 301224 https://padlet.com/301224/owbg1lv6l49r/wish/174919637 2017-06-02 04:03:22 UTC https://padlet.com/301224/owbg1lv6l49r/wish/174919637 301224 https://padlet.com/301224/owbg1lv6l49r/wish/174919638 2017-06-02 04:03:22 UTC https://padlet.com/301224/owbg1lv6l49r/wish/174919638 301224 https://padlet.com/301224/owbg1lv6l49r/wish/174919640 2017-06-02 04:03:23 UTC https://padlet.com/301224/owbg1lv6l49r/wish/174919640 301224 https://padlet.com/301224/owbg1lv6l49r/wish/174919652 2017-06-02 04:03:33 UTC https://padlet.com/301224/owbg1lv6l49r/wish/174919652 301224 https://padlet.com/301224/owbg1lv6l49r/wish/174919657 2017-06-02 04:03:41 UTC https://padlet.com/301224/owbg1lv6l49r/wish/174919657 6. Letter from my friend, Alexandra Somo 301224 https://padlet.com/301224/owbg1lv6l49r/wish/174919809 Dear Faisal, 
Most people may leave high school remembering you as the salutatorian of our class; the guy who will be going to UCLA. These piers are amongst the unlucky Norsemen who didn’t have the honor to be your close friend and know you for you, beyond the amazing accolades you have earned. I on the other hand am so honored to say I got to be your friend. Starting in AP Bio… the glory days. I can honestly say the only good thing that came out of that class was meeting you. (this is where you start crying)(jk not yet) From the moment I met you, you constantly surpassed all expectations of a true, studious student. Your care for your academic success was inspiring, and put me in check. My mom would switch you for me anyday. Honestly, I would too. It upsets me when you try to underplay your success, solely because they’re just academic and you’re “not well rounded”. Let me tell you. You can EASILY gain respect from anyone you meet given your humble nature, work ethic and pure heart. I genuinely rank you high up in people I have acquainted in my schooling career just in these two short years and that is saying a lot. There is a plethora of thank you’s I can extend to you, and even though I may not hit on all of them, I will try: thank you for making me feel much more special than I am, thank you for giving me hope for the future of humanity (and medicine ;), thank you for beating all odds on our minority group and thriving way and beyond academically and with your kind soul, thank you for you humor and knowing what lines not to cross (and checking people who don’t know their boundaries), thank you for staying true to your morals and not conforming to society, thank you for having an appreciation for things that truly matter, thank you for being such an amazing friend, and thank you exciting me for you future, for that I am anxious to witness your success and undoubtable achievements. I wish I could contextualize something that embodies my gratitude for you, which I don’t think I quite did.. But I tried… when you try your best but you don’t succeed… sums up my high school career. Anyway. You’re da bomb Faisal (not in an offense way pls) Love you!!! 

With a full heart, love
Alexandra Somo
]]> 2017-06-02 04:06:37 UTC https://padlet.com/301224/owbg1lv6l49r/wish/174919809 301224 https://padlet.com/301224/owbg1lv6l49r/wish/174920009 2017-06-02 04:10:29 UTC https://padlet.com/301224/owbg1lv6l49r/wish/174920009 7. Senior Activities 301224 https://padlet.com/301224/owbg1lv6l49r/wish/174920188 Attending the senior activities has not only given me reasons for my last year to be as memorable as possible, but also reasons that make me sadder and more nostalgic as I approach graduation day. Being called up as the Salutatorian of the school on Senior awards night was probably the highlight of my four years here and I felt empowered and appreciative of myself for all the hard work I’ve put up through. When the principal spent two minutes explaining my accomplishments to the 300+ students and their families, stating “with an incredible grade point average of 4.659, please help me welcome Mr. Faisal Alshamaa to the stage”, my heart almost exploded in excitement. A ripple of awe and gasps through the entire crowd had left me breathless and almost frozen in time. I was feeling an out-of-body experience, looking at myself walk to that stage and congratulating myself and then looking at my mom in tears of joy and pride. So many beautiful and pure memories. Dressing up with my friends for Odin's March was another one of those things to remember. There was so many of us, (almost 80) who were wearing matching shirts and bursting with Norseman pride. I felt I was a part of a community, a family of love, happiness, and power. I feel that through these activities, and participation in dress up weeks, I broke out of this introverted, self-conscious shell of a boy that I once was. I started not caring about the judgement of those around me. How can one their lives based on what others think of them or their way of life? It never made sense to me, but by forming these bonds with the seniors around me through the activities, I was able to gain confidence in myself and improve the self-image I have created for myself over these years, thus realizing my worth and the love I was constantly surrounded by. 

]]> 2017-06-02 04:13:24 UTC https://padlet.com/301224/owbg1lv6l49r/wish/174920188 8. A Day to Remember 301224 https://padlet.com/301224/owbg1lv6l49r/wish/174920420 If I have to choose one day to remember out of these four past years of high school, it will have to be graduation. My family from around the world are gathering on this day to watch me walk the stage and leave a significant portion of my life at Valhalla behind. This day will be filled with celebrations, joy, pride, honor, but mostly sadness. Sadness for the fact that most  of us, who have became so close over the past years, are all moving on and pursuing our own paths of life, most likely never to see each other again (besides the humanless interactions over social media). This is an essential milestone for every lifetime, and it will especially be memorable for me and my family because I have been given the honor of giving a speech at this hallmark of an event as a salutatorian. I hope I can leave a lasting impression on my classmates, that I could inspire them or motivate them in my speech to strive for the hidden excellence in themselves at all times. Just thinking about being up there turns my stomach upside down, but I am excited to step completely out of my comfort zone. I can not wait to make my family proud. This has been an especially hard year on them, from financial troubles to the death of my dear grandma and beloved uncle, I wish to bring some joy back into their tired hearts. I will touch Odin’s hammer like I did on Odin’s March as a little freshman. I was so scared and lost back then, I was so little in comparison to everyone else. I have felt the opposite for the past year as a senior, but now that I think about it, the revolution has returned as I enter into the real world, scared and lost at the University of California, Los Angeles. ]]> 2017-06-02 04:17:35 UTC https://padlet.com/301224/owbg1lv6l49r/wish/174920420 301224 https://padlet.com/301224/owbg1lv6l49r/wish/174920473 2017-06-02 04:18:30 UTC https://padlet.com/301224/owbg1lv6l49r/wish/174920473 301224 https://padlet.com/301224/owbg1lv6l49r/wish/174920486 2017-06-02 04:18:41 UTC https://padlet.com/301224/owbg1lv6l49r/wish/174920486 301224 https://padlet.com/301224/owbg1lv6l49r/wish/174920498 2017-06-02 04:19:01 UTC https://padlet.com/301224/owbg1lv6l49r/wish/174920498 301224 https://padlet.com/301224/owbg1lv6l49r/wish/174920502 2017-06-02 04:19:12 UTC https://padlet.com/301224/owbg1lv6l49r/wish/174920502 301224 https://padlet.com/301224/owbg1lv6l49r/wish/174920516 2017-06-02 04:19:24 UTC https://padlet.com/301224/owbg1lv6l49r/wish/174920516 301224 https://padlet.com/301224/owbg1lv6l49r/wish/174920610 2017-06-02 04:21:32 UTC https://padlet.com/301224/owbg1lv6l49r/wish/174920610 9. Significant Places 301224 https://padlet.com/301224/owbg1lv6l49r/wish/174920737 The local beauty of San Diego. ]]> 2017-06-02 04:24:09 UTC https://padlet.com/301224/owbg1lv6l49r/wish/174920737 301224 https://padlet.com/301224/owbg1lv6l49r/wish/174920810 2017-06-02 04:25:34 UTC https://padlet.com/301224/owbg1lv6l49r/wish/174920810 301224 https://padlet.com/301224/owbg1lv6l49r/wish/174921301 2017-06-02 04:34:27 UTC https://padlet.com/301224/owbg1lv6l49r/wish/174921301 301224 https://padlet.com/301224/owbg1lv6l49r/wish/174922621 2017-06-02 04:53:13 UTC https://padlet.com/301224/owbg1lv6l49r/wish/174922621 301224 https://padlet.com/301224/owbg1lv6l49r/wish/174922661 2017-06-02 04:53:38 UTC https://padlet.com/301224/owbg1lv6l49r/wish/174922661 301224 https://padlet.com/301224/owbg1lv6l49r/wish/174922682 2017-06-02 04:53:52 UTC https://padlet.com/301224/owbg1lv6l49r/wish/174922682 301224 https://padlet.com/301224/owbg1lv6l49r/wish/174922711 2017-06-02 04:54:13 UTC https://padlet.com/301224/owbg1lv6l49r/wish/174922711 301224 https://padlet.com/301224/owbg1lv6l49r/wish/174922724 2017-06-02 04:54:21 UTC https://padlet.com/301224/owbg1lv6l49r/wish/174922724 301224 https://padlet.com/301224/owbg1lv6l49r/wish/174922734 2017-06-02 04:54:27 UTC https://padlet.com/301224/owbg1lv6l49r/wish/174922734 301224 https://padlet.com/301224/owbg1lv6l49r/wish/174922741 2017-06-02 04:54:32 UTC https://padlet.com/301224/owbg1lv6l49r/wish/174922741 301224 https://padlet.com/301224/owbg1lv6l49r/wish/174922744 2017-06-02 04:54:35 UTC https://padlet.com/301224/owbg1lv6l49r/wish/174922744 301224 https://padlet.com/301224/owbg1lv6l49r/wish/174922784 2017-06-02 04:55:02 UTC https://padlet.com/301224/owbg1lv6l49r/wish/174922784 10. Activities 301224 https://padlet.com/301224/owbg1lv6l49r/wish/174922884 Vacation at Canada in Summer 2016.]]> 2017-06-02 04:57:11 UTC https://padlet.com/301224/owbg1lv6l49r/wish/174922884 301224 https://padlet.com/301224/owbg1lv6l49r/wish/174922995 2017-06-02 04:59:38 UTC https://padlet.com/301224/owbg1lv6l49r/wish/174922995 301224 https://padlet.com/301224/owbg1lv6l49r/wish/174923276 2017-06-02 05:05:14 UTC https://padlet.com/301224/owbg1lv6l49r/wish/174923276 301224 https://padlet.com/301224/owbg1lv6l49r/wish/174923287 2017-06-02 05:05:24 UTC https://padlet.com/301224/owbg1lv6l49r/wish/174923287 301224 https://padlet.com/301224/owbg1lv6l49r/wish/174923314 2017-06-02 05:05:59 UTC https://padlet.com/301224/owbg1lv6l49r/wish/174923314 301224 https://padlet.com/301224/owbg1lv6l49r/wish/174923384 2017-06-02 05:07:56 UTC https://padlet.com/301224/owbg1lv6l49r/wish/174923384 301224 https://padlet.com/301224/owbg1lv6l49r/wish/174923398 2017-06-02 05:08:17 UTC https://padlet.com/301224/owbg1lv6l49r/wish/174923398 301224 https://padlet.com/301224/owbg1lv6l49r/wish/174923420 2017-06-02 05:08:37 UTC https://padlet.com/301224/owbg1lv6l49r/wish/174923420 301224 https://padlet.com/301224/owbg1lv6l49r/wish/174923424 2017-06-02 05:08:42 UTC https://padlet.com/301224/owbg1lv6l49r/wish/174923424 11. Letter from my dear Mother 301224 https://padlet.com/301224/owbg1lv6l49r/wish/174923510 2017-06-02 05:10:20 UTC https://padlet.com/301224/owbg1lv6l49r/wish/174923510 301224 https://padlet.com/301224/owbg1lv6l49r/wish/174923631 2017-06-02 05:12:30 UTC https://padlet.com/301224/owbg1lv6l49r/wish/174923631 301224 https://padlet.com/301224/owbg1lv6l49r/wish/174923646 2017-06-02 05:12:43 UTC https://padlet.com/301224/owbg1lv6l49r/wish/174923646 301224 https://padlet.com/301224/owbg1lv6l49r/wish/174923647 2017-06-02 05:12:45 UTC https://padlet.com/301224/owbg1lv6l49r/wish/174923647 301224 https://padlet.com/301224/owbg1lv6l49r/wish/174923651 2017-06-02 05:12:51 UTC https://padlet.com/301224/owbg1lv6l49r/wish/174923651 301224 https://padlet.com/301224/owbg1lv6l49r/wish/174923656 2017-06-02 05:12:56 UTC https://padlet.com/301224/owbg1lv6l49r/wish/174923656 301224 https://padlet.com/301224/owbg1lv6l49r/wish/174923804 The End.]]> 2017-06-02 05:15:30 UTC https://padlet.com/301224/owbg1lv6l49r/wish/174923804