As everyone else says, I don’t know how to start this. I’ve put it off for the longest time, just like many others, because these past four years of high school have been filled with so many ups and downs that I don’t know how to summarize it all. Although in many of the stressful moments it felt like the world was ending and it was make or break, I’m very thankful I went through it. Looking back, the moment passes and there’s more often than not something better waiting on the other side.

Starting high school was not easy for me. In 7th grade I was diagnosed with dyslexia amongst other learning disorders that made school very difficult. To jump into such a big adjustment such as high school was very hard. I can vividly remember sitting in my support classes watching everyone succeed in honors classes and I was struggling just to read. The frustration I had dealing with academics started to project into all aspects of my life and made me resent school and push myself away from others. What my freshman self didn’t understand is how hard others were fighting for me.

Looking back, I can now realize how many teachers, doctors, and especially my family were behind me– supporting me. I want to take this moment to say thank you. Thank you for staying by my side and understanding what I was capable of and believing in me when others, including myself, didn’t.
As cliche as it is, things get better. It’s hard to get through and takes a lot of work but they do.

For me things got better by branching out and getting involved. I found new things I liked–like journalism and sports–and I found things I wasn’t so passionate about. I did everything I could. I played hockey, picked up indoor track, and put even more time into lacrosse. Off the field I joined the NHS, New Student Ambassadors, Best Buddies, and I became a Lobby Observer editor. I share all that not to show all my accomplishments, but to share what challenged me, forced me to grow, and taught me how to get past adversity.

Out of all that I did, sports definitely had the biggest impact for me. Not only did sports teach me valuable lessons like leadership, they taught me how to push through adversity, how to have fun, and how to work with others, and sports brought me so many wonderful people.

Through cross country I met Mrs. Glenn, I don’t even know how to express how thankful I am for you and how grateful I am for all that you have done for me. I am so unbelievably lucky to say I had you to look up to and go to in any situation good or bad. I can’t believe there will be no more time spent on the course together or in your room talking about everything and anything under the sun. Not only was your room such a safe space, but it brought me closer to people I never would have crossed paths with otherwise. So thank you for that.

Lacrosse has taught me leadership in the toughest situations, but more importantly brought me even closer to a special group of girls I didn’t know I needed so much. Kate, Lily, Cayla, and Riley, thank you for always being there for me on and off the field. I can’t believe it’s already the end of us playing together. Ten years later, I never thought there would actually be a last season with you all. Thank you for all the wild comments and jokes, but also real life talks. I don’t know if you know how big of an impact you all have had on me, but thank you.

To everyone else, if I can give one piece of advice besides stop and take in the moment, it’s to try something new. Even if you’re comfortable doing what you’re doing, put yourself out there, go do something new, and go talk to someone you haven’t before. It’s those experiences that make us grow.

As sad and scary as it is to say goodbye to Westborough and leave behind all that I’ve ever known for the past 18 years, there comes a point when you outgrow where you are and need to move on and take on new challenges. For me I’m very excited to move on to Quinnipiac University this fall, and I can’t wait to take all that I’ve learned from my time at WHS with me.