Today was my very last day of High School ever. This week
was hard- even though only a few school days remained, I still had an AP Exam
to take and a few homework assignments. But I also had a lot of time to reflect
upon my time at this school. Although I have had my ups and downs, I can
honestly say I would stay longer if they would let me. During my time for
reflection this week, I compiled a list of the things I will miss the most
about this place…
Top 10 Things
I Will Miss About High School:
10. The Familiarity: I have been here for four years. I know almost
everyone. I believe that all of the teachers know my name. I am comfortable
here. I know all of the rules and what is expected of me. When I walk down the
hallway, people greet me by name, and I like that. I like that I come from a
small school and people care about each other. Luckily, I think I picked a
college where I will have a similar community!
9. The Opportunities: I have had so many opportunities over the last
four years to grow as a person. I have
been to New York City to visit the UN Building and talk to Sisters of Saint
Joseph who are working around the world to bring justice. As a peer educator, I
was able to help teach a class of freshmen as they adjusted to high school. I
wrote a twenty page paper on Asperger’s Syndrome, had direct service
experience, and was able to put together a portfolio of my work. My school has
many international students, and I have met amazing students from all over the
world! Through my school I was able to do a program at a local college that taught
me what I was looking for out of a college and a career. I have been given so
many opportunities to find out what I like and who I am.
8. The Muffins: There is almost nothing
better than getting to school at 7:30 am and going straight to the cafeteria to
get a muffin hot out of the oven. I’ve eaten so many of these things over my
last four years! I’m pretty sure that next year I will be begging my little
sister to buy them and mail them to me at college.
7. The Wildlife: As I write
this, I am sitting in the Senior Center (foyer), which has two giant walls of
windows. It’s kind of neat. I just watched some sort of bird (I’m not so good
at wildlife identification) pick up a paper that someone dropped on the way
into school this morning. I imagine that someone’s sheet of polyatomic ions is
now on its way to becoming a nest. We frequently see deer on the lawn near the
cafeteria, and one of the first ways you can tell Spring has arrived is the
sight of geese being chased off campus.
6. The Quiet: Although my school is very loud for much of the day
(with over 300 girls, loud is inevitable!), I can usually find a tranquil spot
to get some work done. My favorite places are the cubicles outside of the
greenhouse (If there isn’t a class in the biology lab next door) and the
Academic Support Center during second lunch. I love the quiet time I get to
spend here.
5. The Commute: Okay, not really. I will not miss having to wake up two
hours before school starts so I can get myself there on time. For the first
three years of High School, I took two busses to get to school. My time on
public transportation taught me a lot about being responsible for myself and I
now have a pretty good sense of direction. This year, I bought myself a car,
and I have been driving my sister and myself to school. My little sister goes
to a different high school (though she’s transferring to mine next year! Woop
woop!), but these times in the car have brought us closer. I will miss her so
much next year.
4. The Clubs: I have been involved in so many groups over the years! I
have been involved in Student Council, the Drama Club, National Honor Society,
Cooking Club, Student Ambassadors, Peer Education, Service Club, and the
Literary Magazine. These experiences have allowed me the opportunity to develop
my interests and gain leadership experience. I will miss all the people I have
been in clubs with over the last four years!
3. The Classes: I have had some great classes over the last four
years. My school is pretty small, and that means my classes are too. I have
been able to learn really well in the environment of small classes. My AP
English Literature class this year only has three girls in it! Because AP English
has a broad curriculum, we have really been able to choose books that interest
us. We got to spend a lot of time on Russian literature, because that was what
we liked.
2. The Staff: I have been lucky to meet some extraordinary teachers. I
have learned so much from them, both inside and outside of the classroom. I
feel like my teachers really care about me, here. It is fantastic that I can
walk into the Guidance Office, and the guidance secretary knows my name, asks
how my day is going, and knows that I am probably there to use the copy
machine. I will miss hearing about my math teacher’s grandchildren. I
definitely believe I have been shaped by the teachers who I have encountered
over the last four years, and I will miss them a lot!
1. The Students: I have met amazing people over the last four years,
and I hope that I will remain lifelong friends with a lot of them. I have met
people from China, South Korea, Holland, Spain, France, and Argentina, and I
have met people that lived two streets away from me. We have bonded over late
nights spent preparing for a show, similar taste in television, and spending
four years together in the same class. These people have taught me so much.
They have shown me things like compassion, how to eat with chopsticks, and what
true work ethic is, and I wouldn’t have asked for any other people to be with
me over the last four years.
