Throughout my high school career, the most difficult task I’ve faced was writing introductory paragraphs in English class, and this one is no different. After staring at this blank document for the past weeks, faced with the impossible task of compressing my past 4 years at WHS I think I am finally ready. So here goes nothing.

Growing up and progressing through the Westborough School System, I felt as if I was expected to get A’s on every assignment and maintain a high GPA while participating in numerous extracurriculars. This isn’t the fault of the teachers or administrators, but inside the classrooms of WHS, I felt that I was always competing against the person next to me. This led to constant anxiety, stress, and unnecessary pressures. These pressures prevented me from being able to differentiate between school and my life as a whole. By no means am I saying that I studied 24/7 and never did anything but schoolwork. But more of that I couldn’t allow myself to relax because I knew that I had all of these competitions (tests) in the following days to prepare for. I was only able to escape when I was on the Mewhiney Field playing soccer or in the Fisher Gym playing basketball. The adrenaline from sports is one of the most powerful things I have encountered in my life thus far. It holds the power to completely pivot your mind away from whatever is going on around you and force you to focus on the ball. The lesson to you as the reader is to find something that you love doing. Something that will do for you, what sports did for me. Also, try to not compare yourself to others because everyone is different, and comparing yourself applies so much unnecessary stress. This is a lesson that I am still learning as I reach the finish line here at WHS.

Now that I have addressed the hard parts of high school, it’s time to reflect on the good people I have met and memories I will cherish forever.

Since this testimonial is for the Lobby Observer I feel that it is suitable to begin in Journalism. To start it off I want to express my gratitude to Ms. Stoker and Ms. Conrad for making Journalism a place where I could follow my passions and have the freedom to express my opinions. This class created a community of people that I looked forward to seeing every day. I would also like to thank Mrs. Henderson and the guys down at Westborough TV for putting up with us on Full Court Press (and for the munchkins). Filming each week allowed me to fulfill my childhood dreams of being on ESPN. To my fellow cast members Simon, Nick, Alec, and even Max, I had a blast talking, arguing, or whatever we did. I began my high school career feeling awkward and anxious in front of the camera, and I am finishing it by leading the show I grew up following. Journalism has been one of my escapes during the school day where I can decompress and enjoy the company of my peers sharing laughs and even tears, which I will be forever grateful for.

The best decision I have made in my past 4 years at WHS is getting to know my teachers and I highly recommend you get to know them as well. They are great resources that can make your life a lot easier and have already experienced high school so they are very useful when it comes to advice. I didn’t know who my teachers really were until my junior year. It took me the majority of my experience at the High School to learn this, but since I have my life has been less stressful and more enjoyable.

Finally, to my friends, I thank you for the late-night adventures around town, the food trips to Red Robins, and the numerous moments that I will never forget. The most memorable nights begin with no plan, which tells you a lot about life. It is so important to live in the moment and do spontaneous things from time to time. The uncertainty of what is going to happen next is what makes these memories nights we will remember for the rest of our lives.

As my time at WHS comes to a close I am going to miss walking from class to class the most. It sounds silly, but while I am going to my next class I walk past everyone that I have gone to school with for the past 4 years and in some cases the last 12 years. I will still see my close friends once I graduate but it will be a lot more difficult to see the people I pass in the halls. This all feels very surreal and hasn’t set in yet. Until it does, I am going to live in the moment and take in my final walks in the hallways of Westborough High School.

Take Care,

AJ Tarzia