By Jack Wallace
As I live out my final days here at WHS, I was encouraged to reflect on my time here. It’s hard to choose from the memories I made in high school because there were so many of them. However it’s not the memories I’ll be looking back at, it’s the memories I never made. For every crazy, funny, happy, or sad thing that I have experienced at some point in my high school career, there was another thing that I was too scared or lazy to do.
I never went to my prom and I think that one will haunt me the most. From what I’ve heard it’s actually a pretty boring night but those are the things you remember and laugh about. I honestly forget why I decided not to go to my prom, but the reasoning was probably really stupid. That is not a day that I can have back; in fact none of them are.
I didn’t play my senior year of lacrosse or my junior year of football because I had to work so I could save enough money to pay for my college. Here I am now regretting both of those decisions because I wasted about six months of being with friends and staying physically fit to go work at a job that I absolutely hated so I could earn a paycheck. I still work at that place if you were wondering.
As of right now I’m not sure where I’m going to college whether it’s Keene State or Umass Amherst. I think we forget how lucky we are that many of us are able to go to college at all compared to other parts of America. However, growing up in a town like this is pretty intimidating with kids going to Stanford, Harvard, Villanova, etc. It is constantly rubbed in our face how academics can be the most important thing in our lives but in reality it’s not. I’m not saying they’re not important at all, but what I am saying is you shouldn’t be staying up until two in the morning studying for subject you’re never going to use again in your life. Don’t let the kids getting into Ivy league schools or god knows where else affect how you live your life. It made me feel insecure and to be honest it still does.
The overarching message from this testimonial or whatever you may call it is: don’t let this town affect how you live your life. You are the captain of your fate, you are the captain of your soul. I let Westborough make me feel inferior because I didn’t have a 4.0 G.P.A. Enjoy the little things, go to prom or semi formal instead of studying for some stupid test. Don’t let an AP class or a job get in the way of you building lasting friendships from a sport or a club. High School is short and so is life, if you don’t stop and take a look around you might miss it (Ferris Bueller).
