Portrait of an American Teen

Eighteen-year-old Holly just graduated from high school and will be attending college in a couple of months. In some ways, she's a typical teen, but in other ways, she's extraordinary. This blog post is an homage to her and to others of her generation.

Sitting astride her pick-up truck like a Western girl, on Western Day at her Florida high school.

Holly was born in Colorado and lived the first seven years of her life in Nevada and Idaho, but since then, she's been a Florida resident. When asked if she was a Western girl or a Southern girl, she said, "Well, I'm not really Southern in the 'Southern way.' I like sweet tea and grits, but not all the time. I like drag racing, but not NASCAR. However, I definitely don't like the cold" (of the Northwestern states).

Whether in the West or the South, Holly enjoys outdoor activities such as boating and fishing. "Salt-water fishing is the best. Fresh-water fishing is kinda boring, but maybe I don't know how to do it right, or I don't use the right bait."

For several years, horses were her passion, and she credits her friend, Lyndsey, with introducing her to the sport. "Horse-riding taught me responsibility: clean the horse, put the saddle on, practice all the time to get better at it." She rode recreationally and also jumped, which was "a little scary." 

Dressage was difficult because it required a completely different set of motions to communicate with the horse. "I had to use my legs a lot, rather than hands, to tell the horse what to do." Unfortunately, her allergies worsened to the point where she had to give up riding.

Golf became an interest that kept her active. She joined her high school's golf team, but says,"I wasn't very good at it, but it was fun." She tells a story about playing another school last season, when a girl (who had been playing since about age 3) tried to console Holly by saying, "At least you're not in the 40s." At that point, Holly's score for the lowest 9 holes was 54 strokes. She plans to keep playing recreationally, rather than on a team. "It got so competitive that I wasn't really having fun."

Here's Holly, being stalked on the golf course by her parents and grandmother. To read more about the golf tournament, go to: http://myturntodayyourstomorrow-cheryl.blogspot.com/2010/10/golf-tournament.html

Holly and her parents have a strong relationship built on mutual trust and respect. She speculates that it's because her parents were a little older when she was born and had a chance to think more about what kind of parents they wanted to be. She noted that compared to other people, her parents don't try as much to control her life.

Holly and her mom on a recent vacation.

Holly's dad helps her with a prom corsage.

Holly understands that she's had some advantages that other teens haven't, and she appreciates the sacrifices that her parents have made on her behalf. She acknowledges these benefits by working hard at her studies and doing community service.

Getting a hug from her mom after her high school graduation ceremony.

It was an exciting day when she received her acceptance notification from the University of South Florida in Tampa. USF was her first choice, because of its proximity to the water (Tampa Bay) and her interest in marine biology. Holly says, "I'll probably join the Fishing Club. They're involved with beach conservation."

Holly and her dad, on a visit to USF. 

She's also looking forward to dorm life in a pod arrangement with a kitchen down the hall, but because she's an only child, "It'll be a challenge to share a bathroom with three other people." The coed dorm will be good, too, because "You need some guys around," she says.  

Holly welcomes the academic rigor of college. She's used to studying, but says, "Some people, all they do is study. I'll study when I need to . . . or if it's something I like." She enjoyed her high school anatomy course and considers being a cardiologist. "I want to learn more about the heart."

Where will her heart and these sandy feet take her next?