Throughout the past four years being part of The Observer has been constant. From the first day of Freshman orientation up until now like clockwork every day I would spend one period in room 243 (except for the whole year that was on Zoom, but we do not need to talk about that anymore). I remember walking into the room the first day of freshman year with my goofy oversized shoes and a map of the school in hand, it was one of the few classes I could actually find my way to without getting lost. I was one of just a few freshmen in a class full of upperclassmen. 

While this was without a doubt intimidating, one thing instantly became clear to me. All these people who would typically never interact with each other socially were close friends all because of The Observer. Along with this, they all shared a deep sense of pride for what they were a part of. At the time I kind of scoffed ignorantly at the idea of being a part of The Observer as a Senior. Nevertheless, here I am. 

I originally began taking journalism and joined The Observer as a way to improve my writing. While yes, it did help improve my writing it also taught me a lot of other lessons along the way. However, I still could not tell you any basic grammar rules to save my life and still do not know when to use a colon. 

I sit here writing this just after I have finally committed to college. However there is no celebration, or congratulations from friends and family. It is just another Saturday night with nothing to do and I find myself in a familiar environment: at my desk. As I sit at the place I spent studying for the SAT, doing school work, writing college essays or writing articles for The Observer, I want to take this time as an opportunity to reflect on the last four years instead of looking forward to the next four. 

I can with somewhat certainly say that my high school experience was not what I expected it to be and it came to a close in a way that I could have never foreseen. However, just because things did not go as I had planned, that does not mean it was bad. The experiences, all of the good and especially all of the bad have made me into the person I am today. 

But there is something everyone can take away from this, just because things did not go as expected or you did not achieve what you wanted does not mean you failed. This is something that has taken me a very long time to realize. The work you put in and the lessons you learn shape you into the person you are today and that you can be tomorrow. That is what is important, not the A’s, the victories on the sports field or even the coveted the college acceptance. It is important to strip away all the superficial accolades and look at the person you have become. 

Looking back think if I could give one piece of advice to anyone in high school especially those who are rising seniors is to every once in a while take a step back and look around. Recognize the moment you are in. 

It is important to remember that these moments do not last forever, the good and the bad. You should cherish moments like Friday night football games, homecoming, the first day of summer or even just spending time with friends. In time all those memories will just be objects in the mirror. But it is even more important to remember that the time when you feel like you are drowning under the weight of everything and feel stuck swimming in circles that eventually that will come to an end. 

“Things fall apart, things come together. Everything is happening exactly as it’s supposed to. Hold on be strong” – Mac Miller.