My time at James Caldwell High School has been defined by my teachers, sports, clubs, and other involvements. A “normal” high school experience is unrealistic, in my opinion. Despite losing time to COVID-19, the obscurity of one’s high school experience strays far far away from classic movies depicting a high school experience. My grades were never perfect, nor were my surroundings. High school is what you make of it. I involved myself in clubs and with people I found to love, giving me an experience that I generally enjoyed. With that being said, high school is not as simple as Troy Bolton makes it seem. There are late nights finishing tedious projects and studying for difficult exams. But, I would not change my last four years, as I feel one way or another, these instances got me to who I am today.
Vividly, I remember my Peer Leader expressing that the next four years of my high school career would zip by. In denial, I brushed this comment off, thinking about how long a span four years truly is. But, as the days pass by, I keep experiencing another “last time” of high school; my last Monday of high school, my last half day of high school, my last fire drill of high school. These lasts reflect an end of an era, one that did fly by. Sitting in World Cultures, English 9, or Geometry feels so close to me. Yet, when reflecting, I see myself as such a different person sitting in those classrooms, shyly trying to do my work. My Peer Leaders were right, as I feel it was just yesterday I got anxiously lost in the halls in my third week of school, which was incredibly embarrassing.
Overall, my time at JCHS has been as enjoyable as school can be for a teenager. It was made more enjoyable by good friends and fun activities, hence why I strongly feel that high school truly is what you make of it. Some students go to school and go home. If that makes you happy, by all means go for it. Pursuing my interests, such as being Treasurer of Culture CLub, allowed me to make more friends and branch out from my once shy self. I thank all my friends and the faculty that have positively impacted my high school experience. Although I hope to not consider these times as “the best four years of my life,” I do hope to remember them.
