The De?nitive Guide for Succeeding at ASMS
What no one else will tell you about the most important years of your life
Primary Contributors:
Paul Nguyen
Ashlyn Shellito
Billy Watson
Eric Bickerton
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Primary Editor: Chris Sweeney
This guide is dedicated to all of the following people,
who kept these values and ethics close to their heart.
In no particular order
Peter Tran
Zach Carter
Eric Oetker
Chad Rutherford
Eric Vance
John Richter
Dustin Morton
Members of the 2004-2006
academic years
Joshua Tate
Johnson Wong
Members of the 2003-2005
academic years
There were oh so many of you, and may it not stand
against you that your name is not shown. You will
most likely be in this guide somewhere.
And to all those that will make this guide live
on, forever making ASMS a better place.
This document is copyrighted to me, Chris Sweeney. It is intended for speci?ed
use only. It cannot be used in ANY form of printed or electronic media
involved in a commercial business, in part or in whole, in any way, shape, or
form. It can be given away freely, as bonus or prize. It cannot be used for pro?t-
able or promotional purposes, regardless of the situation. Breaking any of these
rules is in direct violation of copyright law.
This document is protected by copyright law and international treaties.
Unauthorized reproduction and distribution of this document, or any portion
of it, may result in severe civil and criminal penalties, and will be
prosecuted to the maximum extent possible under the law. Any characters,
names, places, or miscellaneous objects are copyright of their respective
companies.
If you are a webmaster of the site that wishes to post this document, you may
do so under one condition - you must e-mail me ?rst for permission. If
permission is granted, you cannot change a single character of this document,
and you must leave it in pdf format.
Copyright 3FM, 2006
All rights reserved, which includes the right to reproduce this book or portions thereof in any
form whatsoever except as provided by the U.S. Copyright Law. For information address Chris Sweeney at
prEMOguy@gmail.com or Paul Nguyen at XtcIndustries@gmail.com
Prologue
XtcIndustries (12:02:44 AM): And then I heard it... i gave sweeney the
hand signal to hold position
XtcIndustries (12:02:49 AM): and he freaked out. I can’t blame him, I
was too...
XtcIndustries (12:03:14 AM): his thoughts were the same as mine...
We’ve been discovered by hardcore cameras that can detect motion
and focus on us...
XtcIndustries (12:03:26 AM): i gave the signal to turn off the ?ash
light and we stood there for a bit. My heart was racing. My eyes
scanned the room trying to determine the location the camera so we
could possibly disable it.
XtcIndustries (12:03:28 AM): then i said
XtcIndustries (12:03:32 AM): dude...
XtcIndustries (12:03:35 AM): is that the phone?
Chapter 1
You don’t pass, you don’t matter.
Throughout history, there are examples to be made of everyone’s work. Many visitors
pay humble tribute to Gutzon Borglum, many admire Joseph B. Strauss as they get ready for
a day in San Fransisco, and I do not know who could forget the impact Frederic Auguste Bar-
tholdi has had on the commuters into New York city. Wait, you do not know who these men
are? Why, you see them countless times on television and in magazines and books. Perhaps
you would know them better if you knew they constructed Mount Rushmore, the Golden Gate
Bridge, and the Statue of Liberty respectively.
These men live on through the great works that they created and inspired. These men
will be remembered forever because of a single great act on their part. These men lived for a
reason. In effect, these men succeeded.
Which is what your job is, ?rst and foremost. If you do not pass, you do not matter, sim-
ple as that. No one will remember you beyond the few friends you made and perhaps a funny
story or two. Every grand thing that you could have completed in two years at the Arkansas
School for Math and Science will not be set in stone until you carve it with the hammer of hard
work and the chisel of your diploma. Everyone told you that it would not be easy, and we will
not lie to you. We are not going to tell you that you do not have to try, because we put our time
in, and we are not going to forget how much time that really was.
In Appendix 1, you will ?nd a list of ways to get the most out of your time, because after
you are done, you will realize that is the only thing that held you back from doing so much
more.
Ultimately, you do not need to be in the same ranks as Ryan Marsh (a.k.a Toast, a.k.a Gay,
a.k.a. Princess Butters), James Murphree, or James Richmond (a.k.a Chewie). I don’t want to
come back and visit just to ?nd more and more of this ?lth littering what could be a very great
educational system.
Chapter 2
It’s not about the academics, it’s about the memories.
One day, sometime in the next year and nine months, you will ?nally realize how much
you loved and hated your interim home. We will not go too indepth on our personal likes and
dislikes, because we do not want the next generations photocopying instructions on how to dis-
rupt the balance at school. We have great memories and even greater enemies, but this is about
making your own of both.
An alumnus, so great in her wisdom, relayed that when you get out of there and go a
different direction from all the people you grew together with in two years, it will ?nally come
crashing down on you how much everything meant to you. We cannot stress to you how much
you are going to think of everyone after you can’t see them again.
So basically it boils down to the fact that the academics are the only thing in the way of
spending two years with your closest friends. A nessecary part of it, actually. In the words of
one Bickerton, “Academics are only required so that you can stay with your buddies.”
Word
Chapter 3
What to do...
Sure, you have to plan your time. You have to weigh your options and do what you need
to, but what happens when its time to do something fun? What do you do when you go down-
town for the 87th time?
I ?lled up my fair share of those green (and believe it or not, gold!) cards in my day, and
I’m sure any self-respecting follower of our cause uses every excuse to go downtown and do
something. There are so many obvious things to do, like the pool, eat, hang out in the park, eat,
walk the prominade, eat, and make treks down Malvern to fast food places to eat. Don’t forget
Linden (sp?) Field and Whittington Park in one direction, as well as Bailey’s, Family Dollar,
and wierd houses down Park street. You may even feel like hiking, which can take you up West
Mountain or to the Mountain Tower.
Hot Springs has a nightlife, too. The Arlington offers ballroom dancing (and non-ball-
room dancing), and there are plenty of festivals and concerts that take place downtown during
the year.
A once used area for adventure downtown was the old Hot Springs High building, which
now houses apartment buildings. It was so easy to get into, and even to get to the roof, but
since that is of?imits, it is up to gifted pioneers to ?nd the next “high school.”
In the meantime, there is always stuff to do when you aren’t downtown, too. Obvious
hang out spots include the “nook” on ?rst ?oor, common areas on 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th, and the
courtyard. Don’t forget Charter (you can always do something fun up there), the Chapel, and
the Music room. The last three are primarily for “activities,” but there is nothing wrong with
just kicking it in them.
Chapter 4
Procrastination Done Right is a Masterpiece
One of the most important parts of ASMSA is learning how to not care. OH
NOES!!!!!!!!!! BIG AMSTUD TEST TOMORROW!!!!!!! We have all been there, if not with
amstud, then with papers in JEC, or countless projects. I got a C in Amstud the ?rst nine weeks,
and it was the ?rst C I ever recieved, and I cried about it all night long. OK, I lied about the last
part, because I wasn’t torn up at all about that C. Sure, it looks bad on college apps and shit,
but who cares? Oh wait, you probably do. Your counselors, teachers, and parents have been
on your back about this whole grades and colleges thing that you probably do care, even if you
don’t admit it. That’s alot of pressure on you to not let all of them down, but they can all suck
your balls.
Seriously, you got to Hot Springs by yourself, and you are going to go as far as you get
by yourself. They aren’t going to be a deciding factor in any of this. What I am trying to say is
don’t worry about getting things done for anyone else (unless its a group project or something,
don’t fuck people over), just worry about yourself. If you are tired and you can’t read the last
50 pages of the Amstud and you have a big test the next day, don’t read it and make a 70 on the
test. Life happens. Get a C in the class and the world won’t end. Trust me, I have tried it. I
have even been on AcPro, and I didn’t sweat it. Do what you need to, when you need to. Turn
homework in late, turn papers in late, fake sick to not take those tests. It’s all cliche, but it all
works. Also, don’t think you can fake not doing work, because your friends know when you act
like you aren’t working, but you are locked in your room typing that paper. You can’t fool your
friends.
So next time you start to worry about getting something done, just think about what its
going to do for you in the long run. Is it going to matter in a year if you turn that JEC paper in a
day late? Do only what you need to. The only reason any of us got anything done is the simple
fact that if you don’t pass, you don’t matter. You don’t get to hang out anymore, and you don’t
get to see your greatest friends anymore.
Chapter 5
How to Survive the Gauntlet
The only thing you really need to worry about is your friends. Your homies. Your clique.
Your group. Whatever you call them, they are the most important resource you have at your
disposal at school. These guys are going to kick it with you, study with you, help you with
homework, give you birthday presents, and even the shoulder to cry on. We can barely help
you select who these friends are, but we sure as hell can teach you to be a good friend, and not
an asshole/idiot.
LESSON 1
You are not the shit. Believe me. Theres always someone smarter, someone faster, some-
one with a better voice, and someone with more talent. (with the exception of Sweeney and me
with frisbee and counter-strike respectively.)
I’m not denying your strengths. Everyone has their strengths, but everyone also has their
weaknesses. Realizing that will save you a lot of trouble. Besides, You know it’s no fun hanging
around someone who ALWAYS brings up how good they are at something. And don’t be afraid
to take someone down a notch who’s screaming that they’re the shit. In the words of Bruce Lee,
“If your opponent does not humble himself, Kill him.” Either show them you’ve got nothing to
prove or show them that they should just quit.
LESSON 2
Don’t settle. Don’t hang out with someone just because theres no one else to hang out
with. Hang out with them because you like them. You can’t tell me that out of 200 kids, there is
not one that you give up the rest for. You need at least one person that is there when you need
them. Sure, you can go through ASMS by yourself, ?ying solo, but at the end of it all, you are
the only one that remembers what you did throughout it all. You need someone to share those
moments with.
LESSON 3
Keep the volume at a reasonable level. “Avoid like the plague attention seeking, loud-
mouth [dumbfucks] looking to make a name for themselves. They don’t mean to fuck up. THey
just do.” There is no bigger anti-friend ability than BEING LOUD. No one cares if you are the
loudest, most annoying, or dumbest person they have ever seen. It pays to keep those urges to
SCREAM to yourself. You will be rewarded with many people that can actually stand you, and
don’t act fake just to be nice. Don’t give people a reason to act like they like you, because they
should either be your friend or enemy, there are none inbetween.
LESSON 4
Watch out for people who will turn you in. The biggest downfall of all the greatest plans,
stunts, and memories is letting the wrong people knowing about it. We all know this from pri-
mary experience, and anyone that cannot be trusted should not be your friend. Simple as that.
In summation, don’t act like everyone should love you, don’t settle with people you could
care less about, don’t bring negative attention to yourself, and ?nally, you should be able to trust
all of your friends with your life, never think otherwise.
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