These past four years of high school went by very fast. If you would have told me that freshman year, I probably would have said you were lying. But senior year most of all has felt like it sped by. It seems it was just the beginning of the year, and now I am about to graduate in a couple of weeks.

While high school hasn’t always been my favorite place, I have really come to appreciate what makes these four years unique.

For the Class of 2023, two of our years were almost fully gone due to the COVID pandemic, and it wasn’t until junior year that I was really able to experience high school.

There are many memories that contribute to my overall time in high school, from playing tennis at the beginning of the year to performing on the streets of Disney World during our marching band trip. I think the most valuable part of my high school years is that these small moments have helped prepare me for the future.

Like having the opportunity to take journalism, even if for only one year, has shown me that I enjoy being part of the newspaper, and that when I go to college, I may want to join the newspaper there as well.

When I was a kid, one of my favorite characters was Winnie the Pooh, and these are some of his wise words: “I always get where I’m going by walking away from where I have been.” It’s important to focus on the present and then the future, but I couldn’t go where I am going without the experiences I had here, and I’d like to especially thank my friends for making them so much fun. I am so happy for the opportunities I have had and thankful to my high school years for making them possible.