Erik Rees’ senior reflection

Erik+Rees+senior+reflection

Photo courtesy of Lifetouch

Phew, high school – glad that’s finally over, right?

The inevitable four years of sulking teenage angst that seemingly everybody wants to forget. The four years of waking up in what feels like the middle of the night after falling asleep just several hours prior. The four years of gossip, drama, missing homework assignments, 11:59 deadlines and pesky attendance notices. I could go on and on, but that’s besides the point – high school is a necessary evil. It fosters four years of personal growth, development and self-achievement. What students learn about themselves throughout their high school campaign both in and out of the classroom vastly outweighs any hours of studying or early AM alarms.

Now, high school is certainly a rollercoaster of emotions. Sure, there are days when you struggle. There are days when that one Chemistry test couldn’t come at a worse time. Days when the only thing you could ever wish for in life is to curl up in your bed sheets and fall asleep for another six hours. Trust me, I’ve been there. I’ve been in the front row of that fifth period class right after lunch, the one where it feels like it’s impossible to keep your eyes open for a whole 45 minutes. But that’s okay – it’s all a part of the process. The process of discovering you.

Be different; be who you want to be. High school presents you with so many new people, ideas and opportunities that are crucial in enjoying your time there and in the future. Four years, in reality, feels like the bat of an eye. There’s no time to waste – you might as well make yourself busy while you’re here.

In my case, I found a phenomenal community of people in the baseball program that have driven me to always compete and better myself. With such a wide variety of classes offered, I’ve discovered a true passion for social studies with experience in classes like AP Comparative Government, Mediterranean History, Law, Myth and Modern Culture, and AP World History. In the past year alone, I’ve developed my writing skills and become a more engaged member of my general community as a staff member on The Pitch.

High school plays a pivotal role in molding your future – at the end of the day, you enter as a 14-year-old child and graduate as an 18-year-old adult. So, to answer my initial question: no, I’m not glad that high school is coming to an end. I’m glad that it gave me the opportunity to feel more comfortable in my own skin.

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