Senior Reflections

Christian Beatty

Whether thinking about the future or passing this year, it is undeniable that a senior’s previous years’ memories and experiences will play a part in their decisions. Almost every student can say that they have had good and bad memories here at Loveland High School, and everyone has a slightly different point of view based on what they have experienced.

Wall display in Loveland High School showing previous graduates

Based on the soundbites, seniors spoke of a mix of experiences, lessons learned from previous mistakes, and ultimately, hope for the future. Starting off with Jacob, he stated that “high school was the most stressful part of (his) life.” Another Senior, Ellen Courtney, age 17, commented that “highschool has helped (her) prepare for the real world.” And Riley said that “It’s been pretty weird: off and on, back and forth…” Collectively, for the graduates of 2022, the high school experience has been a time of uncertainty, both with all of the normal stressors teenagers face and the added uncertainty of the Covid lockdowns. Confinement and restrictions that kept us away from our teachers and friends created a strange sense of unease and perhaps, took more of a toll than we will ever truly realize.

But it wasn’t all negative. Courtney added that she is optimistic about her future, and the prospects of her job and what she can accomplish while working hard. Jacob said that he overcame some of the issues he faced during his previous years at Loveland High School, and Riley seems appreciative about progress that he’s made. Each of the students reflected on a collective experience of good and bad, a different but somehow similar balance of ups and downs.

Every Senior, though different from one to the next, has gone through a similar set of problems. They entered high school as freshmans. Many of them chose to care less about school and focus on their newly acquired freedom. They searched out new friends in a new place. They began to re-identify themselves in a less restricted system. They found new groups to be a part of; new things to be interested in. Some of it was good, and some was bad. They were introduced to struggles that some never thought to understand on such personal levels. But because of it, they grew.

They learned the importance of accepting their mistakes. They took the necessary steps to move on and build themselves back up. Ultimately, they came to accept that their mistakes could not, and would not, define who they would become. It’s all about learning. Like Aaron Koso, aged 18, said, “The best advice I would give my Freshman self would be to not be afraid.” Like the old saying goes, you live, you learn. And experience is the best teacher.

Maturity is a difficult thing; it is a force that is continuously at work in a teenager’s life. Maturity evolves through all shapes and sizes, oftentimes through failure, and sometimes through achievement. Either way, once across the finish line, it all blends into the same result: growth. The seniors at Loveland High have learned this. They know that what doesn’t kill them makes them stronger. They have joined the ranks of those before them, who know too well about peer pressure and perhaps even more so than that, societal pressure evolving from things like social media. No doubt they’ve also learned that if they’re going to let someone rent out space in their head, it better be a good tenant.

They’ve also learned about making hard decisions - hard rather than good because ultimately, these are things that define us: the things we are willing to do, and the virtues we refuse to compromise. Thankfully, high school is a time in which students can find support; support not only at home, but in a good group of teachers and friends. Like Koso said, “The friendships I’ve made at Loveland High School have changed me. They’ll stick with me always.”