As seniors we find ourselves looking back as these past four years. We have been told the time would come soon and we could not wait for it. However, we are now here in disbelief, wondering if the experience is really coming to an end. As the year continues, we reminiscence about our past few years in high school, what we went through and what we learned. A lot of our learning came from classrooms, where we were taught lessons on history, math, etc. Although the academic lessons are extremely important to us all, what may be the most important is what we learn about ourselves. High school is much more than courses and grades, high school is a place where we experience and risk. These experiences build us up to who we later become to be and open up new opportunities for us.
In high school, the real lesson is not how we learn, but what we learn. The choices we make builds who we are, and for us to truly realize who we are, we must experience. To experience however, we must risk. By risking and taking a chance, we learn, whether the lesson is positive or negative it is still a lesson that will stay with us and serve to help us later on as we continue to build our identity. The real lesson high school teaches us is to find ourselves through experience. By not trying anything new such as clubs or sports, you are closing yourself off to options that you may like, and later find out you may want to invest time into. By trying new things and seeing what is out there, you may find a new hobby or activity that truly defines who you are. High school has been here to teach us who we are through activities and experiences. As seniors it may seem too late to start if you have not, but there is always time to try new things and find out more about yourself. As we come close to the end, a solid identity is important for our future as a whole.
Daryl, I had never really thought about how high school teaches you more about yourself than any other subject. Sure, I knew that I couldn't rely on myself to do work on time or process math slower than internet speeds from the year 2000. But I hadn't made the connection of all my experiences, actions, and thoughts to form a complete picture of myself. Not what my peers think I am, not what I try to be for colleges, but how I actually see myself. It wasn't until a couple of weeks ago that I realized that I was an introvert. It wasn't a big deal to others when I told them, but that realization made me cry with happiness. Nothing was wrong with me for preferring to keep my thoughts and ideas to myself, feeling uncomfortable at all the attention in the classroom, or becoming extremely exhaustive after a small amount of social interaction. I had finally created a firm identity, accepted it, and got closure. I wouldn't have been able to do this without all the experiences and risks that took place at Mayfair. I will forever be grateful and shaped by the people of this school that allowed me to find my true self.
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