It’s wild to think that my high school life is over. Going into freshman year, I didn’t know what I expected my high school experience to be like. I thought I would stay friends with my middle school friends and not connect with anyone else. 

Now that high school is over, I have grown much more than I thought I would. 

Every adult has two big opinions on high school life: it will either be like a movie, or it will be the worst years of your life. For me, it was neither. 

I see how high school is considered the growth period of your life: the ages going in and out of high school are drastically different. I completely changed what I thought my future would consist of, and I’ve talked to people I never thought I would find similarities with. 

All these amazing things happened, but you must remember that change won’t always be nice or fun. I have changed a lot as a person over these years, and some of those lessons were hard. 

Joining clubs and being a part of the community is what really made high school note-worthy. I have been in the Youth Action Council for the past two years and loved it. Nicole, the facilitator, is amazing, and the club brings a great group of people together who want to take action and give back to the community. 

Also, joining Leadership showed how much thought is put into having the school stay informed and interactive in the community, and the same goes with the McDaniel Oracle. 

Challenging classes set me up for anything to come, by pushing me and showing me that actual hard work is needed for success. Joining sports teams is what gave me a true sense of community. 

If your team is close, seeing each other five days a week and traveling together makes a bond stronger than friends.

These years of high school have made me excited and ready for my independence. 

High school was fun, but I feel ready to see where the rest of my life takes me.