This isn’t how I expected high school to end; this isn’t how anyone expected it to end. I have looked forward to my second semester senior year for a long time. I saw senior classes before ours experience so many exciting things: final sports seasons, pranks, senior week, graduation, and graduation parties. These traditions have all been upended in the wake of the pandemic.

And with everything that’s been canceled, the loss of the spring sports season hits hardest for me. I was gearing up for my final season of high school baseball, preparing to step into a larger role on the team. I wanted to prove to both myself and others that I could play. Last year I initially didn’t make the varsity team, only to be called up a few days later. I played well during my very limited time on the field, and I carried that momentum into the summer, playing some of my best ball I can remember. I was ready for this season, and I had a chip on my shoulder.

Aside from my personal motivations, I looked forward to playing one last season with the same friends I had been with since Little League. We often talked about this season being our last. We wanted to make a mark, go out with a bang.I don’t even know if I’ll play baseball after this—I had planned on hanging up the cleats after this year. Even if I do play, I know it won’t be with the same group of guys that I grew up with. It just won’t be the same.

But my high school experience is so much more than just these past few months. The Class of 2020 may always be associated with the coronavirus, but we definitely aren’t defined by it.
My four years at WHS were so memorable, thanks in large part to a group of friends that made every school day different and fun. We found countless ways to make even the most boring of classes at least somewhat interesting. We sent each other memes to pass the time, concocted outlandish what-if scenarios to let our minds wander, or picked something silly to argue about before firmly cementing ourselves on either side of the argument. We sang 80s rock classics on our way to Westborough TV, then performed impromptu skits outside of class windows on our way back. Why? Because we were having fun, making the most of our time together.

I’m so thankful for our adventures outside of school, too. We never missed a Sunday watching football together. We cheered each other on at our games, attended championship parades in Boston, and spent late summer nights at each other’s houses. Pete, Ryan, Evan, Alex, Brendan, and Pat, thanks for making these past four, six, even twelve years so much fun. We’ll always be bonded by our time together.

I’m also thankful that I decided to take journalism with Mrs. Stoker. In the three years I spent in class, I learned how to become a better consumer of news and think more critically of the world around me. Our trip to Washington D.C. during my junior year is without a doubt one of the highlights of my time in journalism. I’ll also forever be thankful for the time spent at Westborough TV with Mrs. Henderson. I was able to create a weekly podcast with my friends, announce high school basketball and soccer games, and continue a Rec Ball show that’s become a staple of the high school league. If nothing else, journalism was a period of the day that I could look forward to, because I knew I would be in a fun environment with friends creating content we were all interested in.

Last but not least, I’d like to thank my parents for always supporting me in my academic and athletic careers. They never pushed me to do something I didn’t like, but they instilled in me the importance of my education and a love of sports. They were by my side during all the highs and lows that school and sports brought over the years, and for that I’m very thankful.