They weren’t lying when they said that those 4 years are going to fly by and you won’t even notice it. I vividly remember just being a freshman, sitting in my living room in front of my zoom screen while the whole world was on a lockdown and now, there’s only a few more weeks left in my high school career. Though I am relieved that I made it, I can’t help but already feel the nostalgia creep in. My experience at Tech had lots of ups and downs. The journey was definitely not linear. Throughout my experiences, I gained some and I lost some too. I’m not just talking about the people that I’ve met but also, the time, sleep and money on food that was spent but in the end, it all worked out despite the sacrifices that had to be made, it all worked out well.
If I could give any piece of advice to the future seniors, I want you guys to know that high school is all about experiences so apply to that internship, go to the club meetings (you might even meet your best friend there), take that walk to safeway, crack a joke to your teacher, ask that girl/guy out and make that hang out plan get out of the group chat. Keep on exploring because there will be a lot of changes happening whether you like it or not but you’ll never grow without feeling uncomfortable. That could mean sacrificing some nights to finish your capstone project or even feeling pressured to say no to hangouts to study for that AP test. Taking risks is just what we need sometimes. We’ll never know unless we try and yes, it can be scary to commit to a time consuming job and yes, it can be scary to take that college course but those risks carry high rewards too. Those are the moments that not only help us grow but also learn more about ourselves from what we like, dislike to what we can tolerate and things we wish were different.
Of course, we can’t forget about the dreading feeling of having to go to school every single day but trust me, the days might seem long and the end of the school year might seem far but everything happens fast and the next thing you know, you blink and everything is coming to an end but also, new beginnings start to happen. Everyone starts getting their college decisions, ordering their college sweatshirts and dorm room shopping. If there’s anything I value the most out of my four years, it’ll be the lessons I learned from everyone that I met. People come and go but each and every one of them taught me something and I will carry it for as long as I can. The people you surround yourself with can play a huge role on what shapes you as a person so make sure you surround yourself with people who you think can contribute to your growth even if sometimes, they challenge you. Sometimes that challenge helps us see a different perspective and opens our mind to opportunities where we become more open and comfortable with getting out of our comfort zone. Lastly, savor every bit spent with your family, teachers and close friends. Do what interests you, don’t pressure yourself too much and just have fun with it.