“High school will fly by,” was the first thing that so many people told me as I was entering high school. As a freshman who didn’t even turn thirteen yet, not until September, this phrase would go in one ear and out the other for me as it was hard for me to believe that four years can happen in the blink of an eye. Now, as a senior who is just a few weeks away from graduation and going into what feels like the unknown, I can now say how right they were all along.
Looking back through all four years I wouldn’t say I enjoyed all of them as much as some of my classmates, however there were so many experiences and moments through it all that were memorable for me. One thing that I believe was a big part of my high school experience was having an extra curricular like sports. Sports for me was my outlet of letting go of all my frustrations as well as showing more of my personality than I would just at school. I’ve played soccer my whole life so when I got to high school I knew that I wanted to try out, which ended in me making varsity my first year. By just being on the team I had made deep friendships as well as having girls that I could look up to as they were upperclassmen. I was able to even be a part of winning a valley championship with the soccer team. Having such a good experience in soccer, I decided to try out for swim and in the next school year I tried out for water polo and even in my last semester as a senior I joined track. Once I started these sports, I continued participating in them for the rest of high school and I’m so grateful for doing this.
The reason as to why I bringed up being a part of so many sports is because I would want to let any underclassmen, whoever are thinking of joining or trying out for something, to do it. Many people don’t try new things because they’re afraid of not doing well, however I’ve learned how there’s no shame in this. For more than half of the things I tried out I was not the best, but by pushing myself I kept improving and enjoying it so much. If you at least try what interests you you won’t ever have regrets, which is one thing I always kept in mind as everybody’s time in high school will come to an end.
Through high school I’ve seen so many different versions of myself. From remembering how I was so anxious and awkward through my freshman to junior years, to where I became confident and assertive more in my senior year. I can specifically recall the night before my first day of freshman year feeling so anxious to the point of falling asleep in tears, as I felt so small and alone. This is what most of freshman and sophomore year felt for me, trying to act like what those around me did, instead of being myself. Once I began to stop trying to be something I wasn’t, was when I began creating genuine connections with people and a better connection with myself. With the time we all have in these four years it shouldn’t be wasted on trying to be what we think others want us to be, but rather who we want to be.
With having so much to look forward to in the future there will be some things that I will miss like the orange chicken served from the cafeteria, being at the same school with friends, or even the ping pong table in Mr. Wright’s classroom. These things may seem so insignificant now, but as time passes these are some of the memories that I will always remember from high school.
Even if I were able to turn back time I still wouldn’t change one thing.s through the years all the different versions of myself and those surrounding me have come together to shape the person who I am today. I truly wouldn’t be the person I am today without my family as they have always pushed me to be myself and only myself.
Now leaving my mark as a senior going into the real world, one piece of advice that I’ve learned from them that I would like to share is how like highschool, our life shouldn’t be measured by time, but by the moments and memories we make. Meaning we only have so much time in life like high school, so it’s important to always remember to do what makes you happy and to never waste it on being somebody you’re not.
