"My point is," writes Anna Cangellaris, "if you love something like art or athletics or theater or writing, make it the forefront of your focus. Don’t hide behind your calculus book or English texts simply because you have a knack for those subjects if they aren’t what you are passionate about. There are so many different things one can do, don’t try to conform to a mold and don’t let anyone ever put you in a box."

During her Uni years, Shivani Khanna got involved in a relationship that went from puppy love to lifelong commitment. Here's the story of how she got swept off her feet, thanks to the majestic inhabitant of the third floor: the Uni science department.

Sarah Pfander will be the first person to brag about her class, how cool and accomplished the seniors this year are. But, as she offers her congratulations and her best wishes, she hopes that this year's graduates will take some advice to heart.

"It would be nice if I could think of something profound and deep to leave to future students at Uni," writes Michelle Gao. "Unfortunately, all I can seem to think about right now is the odd feeling I have of wanting to leave quite terribly while also wanting to stick Uni in my pocket and take everyone with me everywhere."

"The last days finally come to a close," writes Jie Han. "It's almost over. I can taste its bitter sweetness in my mouth. They're turning us loose. We're about to leave high school. By the Great Cheese, what have they unleashed?"

"Every new wave, be it French, German or Blondie, arrives at the coast on the eve of fatigue, unease, and expiration," writes Kumars Salehi. "In other words — I am ready for my life to change."

Senior Andrea Park reminisces about her time with the ups and downs of her Uni High experience. Her thoughts were spurred when she noticed handprints in the lounge from a 1994 alum. "That day in the lounge I was, for the first time in a while, overwhelmed by how little and unimportant I am in the grand scheme of Uni things," she writes. "What, other than a handprint, will I leave for Uni?" She contemplates what she has left for Uni and what Uni has left her.

Gargoyle senior editor Carl Zielinski can't seem to make up his mind as to how he feels about his time at Uni. He definitely liked some things, and hated others, but in the end, "I can’t think of a place where I would have rather gone to high school."

Well, that's it, folks! Finals are over. All we have left are the disorientation picnic on Friday and, of course, graduation on Saturday. The senior editors, led by Michelle Gao and Carl Zielinski, leave you with their last edition of Cheers & Jeers!

With summer vacation so close, Lauren Piester should be feeling even more ebullient than usual. "However, this year the arrival of summer is made a little less sweet by several things," she writes, "which I have decided to list for you." Find out what makes Lauren sad, and while you're at it, get a sneak preview of what makes her happy.

No, Deborah Ladd doesn't like to run all that much, so why is she writing a column in praise of running, and sports in general? "Sometimes I wonder why I do three sports a year," she writes, "but every time I improve myself or see a look of pride on my coach's face, I remember."

For as long as Elaine Gu can remember, she put an extra effort into everything she did. But no more. "Somehow, after years of attending Uni, I have lost my will to overachieve," she writes. "I no longer get papers done a week before they’re due. I no longer go the extra step to perfect my daily assignments." The one consolation? Only one more year left before college.

A year ago Elaine Gu didn't understand why people were into texting. Wouldn't a phone call be simpler? To satisfy her curiosity, she signed up for a basic texting plan. Now she gets it. Like AIM a decade ago, texting is yet another revolution in the way we communicate, and it's not going away anytime soon.

The end of May means a lot of things — finals, graduation, summer, three months of freedom, and most importantly the end of the current television season. More specifically, this Wednesday will mark the close of the seventh season of “American Idol.” Who will win? You might not care, but Lauren Piester does, so read on.

"I have been dissatisfied with my body since the first snide remark about my round stomach was cruelly made to me in fifth grade, and I have a strong feeling that I am not alone," writes Anna Cangellaris. Oh no, you're probably thinking; not another rant about distorted body image. "Don’t sigh and close your browser window just yet," Anna continues. "I have a few variations and musings on this subject to divulge."

For her 16th birthday, Laura Dripps' parents said she could get a pet. Eight months later, she's still looking. Somehow the whole turtle thing didn't work out, but some new prospects are on the horizon. Join Laura as she recounts her quest for a compatible creature companion.

Recently Lauren Piester has gone on a reading spree. "Every free moment I've had in the past week (when I wasn't catching up on a little bit of extremely important television) I have spent reading," she writes. "With the summer and its ample reading time coming up, I thought I would take a moment to recommend some of my favorite books/series to you."

Prom is less than two weeks away, and Deborah Ladd knows what that means for first-timers — the rush, the pressure, the expectations. Take a deep breath and read on as Deborah shares her advice and puts it all in perspective.

With the school year winding down, Elaine Gu finds it hard to believe that she and her classmates are about to become seniors. "Honestly, I really don’t feel that different from how I felt when I first came to Uni," she writes. "However, once I took a step back and reflected upon who I was and who we were as a class subfreshman and freshman year, I realized that my class and I have both undergone some significant transformations."

The first fishing trip of the season was calling, and Jie Han wasn't about to let cold weather stand in her way. Spending the day at Lake Shelbyville with her father and brother was worth it, even if she's still trying to get the feeling back in her hands.