Issue 1

As a student looking to further their academic career, looking into colleges may be frightening. College is a new environment and there are so many choices as to where you could go and what you could do. College visits are a great way to explore your options and get the feel of the environment.

Audrey Himes, a senior here at PHS, feels like her campus visit to Purdue last fall was not only enjoyable, but assisted with deciding where she would like to apply. Himes states, “Visiting Purdue showed me the general culture of the students and how life at the campus would be, I think a college visit would be beneficial for any student as they are able to get a feel for the college and whether or not that is somewhere they want to spend their next four or so years.”

Senior Brisa Arriaga visited IUPUI over the summer. “Going on a college visit is important for anyone to find out where they would fit in, you really can’t know where you would best fit until you go there yourself," said Arriaga, referring to the importance of underclassmen visiting colleges.

Mrs. Portteus agrees with Himes and Arriaga when stating, “There is power in stepping foot there. Seeing and reading about something is great but being there in real life is so important."

Himes and Arriaga mentioned that it was fairly easy to make a visit possible; you just fill out a form on the college’s website that registers you for a date and time and when you show up to the campus. Someone will be there to assist you either as a group or an individual. While there, you will also receive a slip of paper that you will bring back to school to exempt your absence. Seniors are allowed two college visit days and juniors are allowed one. It is suggested that seniors take their visit days in the first semester and juniors the second.

Get out there and explore your options!

The chance to go to Europe and travel to countries such as Austria, England, France, and Germany is unique and doesn’t happen often in one’s life. For some students at Plymouth High School, this was a dream that became a reality. Sophomore Kelsey Kruyer shared her experience along with her peers, sophomores, Lauren Schumacher, Bryan Mullins, and Alison Manges. Many of the students at PHS may not have gone on the trip, but the following experiences that these students shared are enough to allow us to imagine that we were on the trip the whole time. Kelsey tells of her experience on the Adventurous Pilgrims trip.

“This trip provides so much knowledge. I have never gone on a family vacation or school trip that compares to how much you will learn from one of these trips. Going to the places where events in World War II took place allows you to get a better understanding of what actually happened.” said Kruyer. The students saw many landmarks and visited places that were of historical relevance to World War II. The Adventurous Pilgrims visited the beaches of Normandy and Dachau Concentration Camp. They got to see the Eiffel Tower, the London Eye, and the remains of the Berlin Wall.

Kruyer said “My favorite attraction was Kehlsteinhaus where Hitler’s Eagle’s Nest is located. The Alps are just so beautiful, it wasn’t like the Rockies or the Appalachians you find in the U.S., it was completely different. The air felt fresher and the view was amazing. When we were hiking towards the peak, the surrounding mountains and eventually a whole landscape of the world would come out behind the clouds. It was surreal, and I cannot fathom how beautiful it was up there.”

Homesickness was an issue on this trip for the travelers.

“When going to Europe, I didn’t want to leave my friends and family. I missed them terribly while in Europe. I would constantly say, ‘I wish my mom was here to see this’ or someone who I know would appreciate it just as much as I did.” said Kruyer.

However, soon the Adventurous Pilgrims began to love the continent they were exploring.

“The hardest thing to leave behind at Europe was everything! I loved the way of life there and miss the beauty of every single place we visited. What I don’t miss is the traffic. In Europe, the streets are very narrow and there are a ton of cars and bikes trying to get through. If you aren’t careful, you’re dead. The traffic is absolutely terrible, but somehow it works.” said Kruyer.

The trip left a lasting impression on the Pilgrims.

“This experience definitely opened my eyes to travel the world more. This trip has made me realize how important it is to learn about other cultures. My advice for any student interested in future trips is to do it! I worked for two years so I could go on this trip and it was worth it. I had the time of my life. I cannot wait for another opportunity that comes close to this one. It’s beyond amazing.” Kelsey Kruyer, Sophomore.

Highlights from the trip as described by Lauren Schumacher, Bryan Mullins, and Ali Manges.

“I think the most memorable part of the trip was being in Paris,” said Schumacher. “It’s nothing like you see in the movies, but still so beautiful, that it’s kind of hard not to fall in love with it.”

Mullins also chimed in the love for Paris. “Paris and Munich were the most memorable moments on the trip, Paris because of how different it was and Munich because of the concentration camp and being with new people and making new friends.”

Manges said, “I think the most memorable part was seeing the Eiffel Tower at night, it was all lit up and sparkling, and I never thought I would actually see the real Eiffel Tower in person, it was amazing and so pretty.”

These Adventurous Pilgrims are very grateful for the opportunity to travel Europe and encourage other students to do the same.

By Alicia Smith

To many of us here at PHS, summer vacation is a great time to relax and rejuvenate for the upcoming school year (and sometimes make some extra cash). Summer often feels like having a whole other life away from homework, tests, and deadlines. We went around to catch up with a few of your PHS peers about their summer. Here’s how their summers went: