Now that I am getting ready to go off to college, I feel “old”. As I reflect back on my time spent here at prep, it feels like it all went by too fast. When I think about the future, having to make my own decisions, going off and living on my own, and being away from my family, it makes me feel like I should be cherishing the remaining time I have left here.
To be honest, until now, I’ve always felt like I wanted to be done with high school. Sitting in classes for long periods of time can make one miserable. But now that high school is about to end, there are things I know I am going to miss like spending time with my friends and interacting with my teachers. Overall, this school has felt welcoming to me and being in this environment has encouraged me to carry on even when things have gotten difficult. I have learned to never give up and how to feel better about school. Most importantly, I have learned the significance of gratitude.
Gratitude is the quality of being thankful; it is the readiness to show appreciation. We all have a lot to be thankful for here at Prep, but sometimes it is hard to appreciate everything we have. We can get caught up in the daily grind or become fixated on a problem and we end up losing sight of what really matters. But if we change our mindset, being grateful can block out all of the negativity and lead us to happiness. If you look at life with gratitude, it will help you see all of the opportunities before you. This puts you in control of your life because you are able to take advantage of each moment, good or bad. When you look back, you won’t have any regrets. You will feel like you seized each moment and lived life to the fullest.
Shout Outs
To all of the teams I’ve been on, even though I wasn’t the best at every sport, thank you for believing in me and leaving me with lifelong memories.
To all of the teachers and learning specialists I’ve had, thanks for putting up with me and thank you for always pushing me to be better and believing in me.
To all of my friends that I’ve had or have ever made at RHP, thank you for all the laughs and good memories you will leave me with. I’ll try to stay in touch with as many of you as I can.
To Mariah, thank you for being the best sister I could ever ask for and always looking out for me. Even though you annoy me so much, I will miss you when I’m off at college.
To my mom, thank you for all the sacrifices you made for me to become who I am today. I know it wasn’t always easy raising me on your own. Thank you for always giving me 100% whenever you could. I love you.