Goodbye!

I have spent the greater part of my senior year ignoring that this is my last year at Rosemead High School. Even as I began to write this article, bidding farewell to my years spent here, I still had not truly acknowledged that I have but weeks left here. I have gone about this entire year just about the same as every other, laughing with friends, avoiding as much work as I could get away with, and sleeping as much as I can. However, now that I have truly sat down to focus on my final piece of writing for this newspaper, it has truly dawned on me that I will be leaving Rosemead High School for good. I will not sit here and say that I enjoyed every day and night attending this school, and I won’t defend its definite mistakes; but it is undeniable that these years have etched themselves a permanent place in my heart.

When I first got here, I had no idea what to expect from high school and was worried about what these four years would bring my way. Looking back now, knowing those four years have all but passed, I know that worry was well-founded. There are so many things that have likely lost me hair, and I have stressed myself more than I could have ever expected. Studying for tests late into the night, adjusting everything to taking AP classes, writing essays about some of the most boring things ever (sometimes the day before they’re due), applying to college as a first-generation college student with no idea what I’m doing, and dealing with some of the most annoying people I’ve ever met. All of these things caused me more stress than I had ever expected from high school, and as I said earlier, have probably cut a few years off of my life. 

Despite the aforementioned negative experiences being so prevalent throughout my time at Rosemead High School, they aren’t the reason why I’m going to remember being here. What I’m going to remember is the amazing friends I made, the jokes we had as friends, the classes that had great teachers, the AP exams I got good scores on, and getting accepted into college. All of these are some of the happiest moments I have had throughout my time attending, and are ultimately the reason why, despite not wanting to deal with anymore senior year, leaving RHS for good still stings my heart.

Even though having reached the final few weeks of my time here is saddening, I understand that it was an inevitability; whether I was really ready or not that I would graduate eventually, I felt ready to move past this stage of my life. Thankfully, after these four years, I am leaving with a sense of confidence that has come from the dozens of hardships I have faced along with happy memories that I will have with me for the rest of my life. 

As far as advice for the people who come after me and who are on their journey through high school, I wish to leave a small bit of advice: you will inevitably face some form of hardship in your time during high school, and when it does come about, do not shy away from it because overcoming that hardship will prepare you for the hardships that are yet to come; and do not forget to enjoy your life, it’s always good to do well in school, but what you’ll remember after you’ve finally graduated and move on from high school isn’t the hours you spent studying for a test or writing an essay, it’ll be the little moments with friends and family, the jokes you told together, and the happy moments were something went your way. 

So don’t let yourself become consumed by your dedication to school and enjoy what little time you have here.