This is going to be hard to write, the past four years have been such a vital part of who I am today, for better or worse, that I feel like no matter what I say, I won’t do it justice.

Thank you to everyone who has helped me along this wild ride. Thank you to Dr. Brewer, who during the pandemic cared about my future so much that he took the time to visit me and my brother to convince us to go back to in-person learning, which salvaged my freshman year grades enough to the point of passing. Thank you to my teachers, who taught me so much along the way and were a massive factor in me deciding what I wanted to do (and not do) with my life. Thank you to my counselor, Ms. Patel, who guided me through the pain that was college applications and everything else a high schooler went through. Thank you to my friends, who were always there for me when I was at my lowest, and let me find some joy when it seemed like there was none. And finally, thank you to my parents and my brother. The three of you are the most important people in my life and you have all saved me one way or another, which I will be eternally grateful for.

The first time I stepped into this building feels like a lifetime ago. I was so overwhelmed by the idea of high school and growing up, but little did I know that my time here would be something that I will remember for the rest of my life. We all experience so much during our time in high school, and our experiences here shape us into who we are today. Even though our school may have felt like a prison at times; I feel so lucky that I was able to have a school that supported me all these years.

And now for what may be the last time, I walk through the halls of this building that I once dreamed of escaping. But instead of feeling an overwhelming sense of joy and relief, I can’t help but feel some sadness in my heart. I’ve never been good at letting go of things, and leaving this place that I’ve spent so many hours in, is a difficult pill to swallow.

So to whoever may be reading this, whether you are a fellow classmate of mine, or a parent who is terrified of the thought of your child leaving for college in the coming months, or a rising freshman who can’t wait to see what high school has to offer; you may not know what the future holds, but I know that each and every one of you can make it. If I made it, I know you can.