Ahh, Gananda. We think of it as home, but we all know that we make fun of it sometimes ... or all the time. Going to school here has its perks and its drawbacks, but if we're being honest, the drawbacks are much more fun to joke about. That being said, here is a satirical list of all of the things I (along with my classmates) have noticed throughout our time in the middle of nowhere.

1. You don’t need to use your schedule during the first week of school.
   1. You already know who your teacher is (and you’ve probably had them for something before anyway) and you know where their classroom is. I mean, it’s only two floors of classrooms. How could you possibly get lost?
2. You hated Friday Forum with a burning passion.
   1. So, you’re telling us that we have to sit in the auditorium and watch cat videos and listen to the announcements like we do every day in advisement, but we CAN’T do our homework? Yeah, I’m sure everyone will love that “coming together as a family” if it means not doing the homework we neglected the night before because we were too busy hanging out in a corn field.
   
3. The person sitting next to you? You’ve known them for almost your entire life.
   1. I knew everyone I graduated with by their first and last names, I could tell you where they grew up (most of them in Gananda as well), and I could probably even give you a basic run-down of their life story.
4. You have probably had to explain your location to people using a corn maze.
   1. “Where is Gananda?” “Oh, you know, that place with the corn maze in the middle of nowhere? Long Acre Farms?” “OOOOOH, RIGHT!” It’s a conversation we all know too well.
   
5. Senior early-outs were/are/will be your best friend.
   1. Once you have been able to leave school an hour and 20 minutes early, you will never be the same. How did anyone ever stay in school the whole day?
   
6. Deciding who to work study for is bigger than deciding on a college.
   1. We all know who the good and bad work study teachers are. It’s the difference between endless study halls and endless paper grading. (Shout-out to Mrs. Peterson for being awesome and crafty instead of making us sit around doing nothing when we finished our work).
7. You know who the freshmen are based on their hallway behavior.
   1. Stopping in the middle of the stairs during passing time? Freshmen. Running around screaming? Freshmen. Pretty much everything annoying? Freshmen.
   
8. Senior skip day is a no-go.
   1. Unlike at other high schools, it’s not worth it. Don’t be the 59 percent.
9. Senior prank day is a day to live in fear of.
   1. You know it’s coming, but WHAT is it exactly that is coming? You don’t know until it’s too late and you’ve run your hand down a lube-covered railing.
10. If you left for college far away, it is the best thing you ever did.
    1. As someone who peaced out of Gananda after graduation, I can say that it was easily the best decision I ever made because I have learned how not to live in a sheltered bubble (yes, I have to use cross walk signals now). I can also now appreciate all of the good things about a small high school and community.