Highschool has been nothing short of a rollercoaster ride. There’s been ups, there’s been downs, there’s been times where I didn’t know how I was going to get through the rest of the year with all of the classes I was taking. But if I had the choice to go back and change anything that happened during the past four years I don’t know if I would, besides maybe covid. All of the football games, all of the class projects that gave me some of the friendships I have today, all of the teachers who’ve shown me kindness and compassion, all of the rallies, all of the homecomings, all of the dress up days are all things I wish I participated in more and are all something I’m going to miss when I leave.

 I don’t think anyone really realizes it, even when people tell them you don’t really realize it until you live through it and it’s too late; My freshman year I didn’t really go to too many football games which I came to regret my sophomore year when covid had shut everything down and I was doing school while laying in my bed and watching Modern Family. My freshman year was supposed to be my first real year of highschool but really only turned out to be my first real semester of highschool. 

Although covid was hard and a lot of people wish it didn’t happen (including me) it also made me realize how much I was taking things for granted. I still had this time to be a kid and when everything came to a stop so did my ability to be a kid with my friends before I had to grow up and worry about adult things. When I finally was able to come back to school my junior year I decided to turn things around and start being more involved with the school. Going to more football games, going to Prom, going to the homecoming basketball game, being a part of journalism; and that gave me some of the best memories that I look back on today. 

Being a part of journalism gave me a voice to speak out on the things that I felt needed to be spoken about, or things that people didn’t want to talk about. Being a part of journalism gave me the chance to run my mental health series during September and keep it going until I was able to cover everything I felt needed awareness. Getting to interview students and hear their stories and how other people can relate to them was also a huge part of the opportunities that were given to me while I was a part of journalism. Although highschool isn’t always filled with the best experiences and memories, some of the classes that are offered here and the teachers that run them are amazing and treat us like human beings. 

Although these four years have been nothing less than chaotic, I wouldn’t have traded the experiences, memories, friendships, and opportunities I was given over the past four years. Our 2022-2023 school year is coming to an end in two weeks and although it’s scary that when graduation day comes everything I know and am comfortable with will change and come to an end; it’s crazy to think about a new path and adventure I’m taking and all f the new memories I’m going to create. Being in journalism was probably one of the best opportunities I’ve gotten and I don’t regret taking it for one minute.