I have spent the past four years of my life at Merrill F. West High School. Four years. That number used to seem so small and meaningless to me, and so did this school. Now that I have gone through those four years, I can’t imagine graduating and leaving this place. Looking back at my high school career, I realize how much has changed and how grateful I have come to be for this school and everyone in it.

As a freshman, I was alone and scared to be starting high school. I kept to myself most of the time and distanced myself from everyone. I struggled to find my place and fit in. At this point, I couldn’t wait for the next three years to fly by. That was something I would later come to regret as I realized that I should have focused on the present instead of trying to live in the future. Sophomore year, I met and reconnected with the people who I am now fortunate enough to call my best friends. However, I also drifted away from some of the people who I thought I would be close with forever.

My junior year was when I finally decided to get more involved in the school. I joined journalism and float building, which both brought me out of my comfort zone in different ways. I began to make more friends and find my place here at West. It is now my senior year, and I am proud of how far I have come since freshman year. I got accepted into four amazing schools, my grades are higher than they’ve ever been, and I have the most incredible and supportive group of friends a person could ask for. I am extremely thankful for my friends who have stuck by my side through everything. They have always been there for me to confide in and have encouraged me when I needed it the most. They have always believed in me and showed me that I can do or be anything and because of them I will never give up on my dreams. They are my strength and a big part of the reason I am here today ready to embrace my future no matter what it may hold.

If these past four years have taught me anything, it was to be more outgoing and willing to try new things. Don’t let fear hold you back from doing things you are interested in. If you want to join a certain club, sport or class, then do it. If you don’t, you will only come to regret it in the future. The people you will encounter and the memories you will make will all be worth it in the end. Throughout my time at West, I have had the pleasure of getting to know so many wonderful people that I would not have been able to get through this journey without. I am going to miss each and every one of my teachers and friends that have made my high school experience invaluable. I am going to miss high school, at least the good parts. It’s where I grew up. It’s where I met my best friends and it is also where I will soon have to part ways with some of them. Be sure to cherish everyone and everything around you, because it will all be gone before you know it. Enjoy high school. Enjoy being a kid, because it doesn’t last forever.