High school was not the best four years of my life- or at least I hope they weren’t. When I entered ninth grade my expectations for my time at WHS were set very high. I envisioned myself being a part of a large friend group, frequenting parties, playing for a sports team, and enjoying the typical high school events like homecoming, friday night lights, and spirit days. A couple of weeks ago as I was driving home from school, a pit formed inside my stomach. This pit was not that of sadness, anxiety, or excitement. Instead, it was a surge of unfulfillment. 

In that moment it became clear to me that I had missed out on my chance to live the high school experience that I had always wanted. It was also at this moment that I knew I needed to shift my perspective. Although I did not thrive in high school in the way I had imagined, I have grown as a person more in these past four years than at any other point in my life. Therefore, I would like to focus my testimonial not on the high school experience that I once longed for, but on the lessons that my time at WHS has taught me. 

Lesson #1: Do not let your kindness be mistaken for weakness. 

Growing up I was taught to follow the Golden Rule: treat others the way you want to be treated. When I entered high school, however, I had to face the harsh reality that not everybody shares this value. Although I will always be a proponent of being kind to others, it is just as important to make sure that this kindness is not taken advantage of. When you know you have been wronged, you have every right to stand up for yourself. 

Lesson #2: Do not treat others as if you are above them. 

Last year I had the privilege of being placed in Ms. Biggs’ chemistry class. On her last day of teaching before she retired, she shared with us some of her key pieces of advice, one of which being to treat everybody with an equal amount of respect. In short, it does not matter how many friends you have, how high your grades are, whether or not you are a starter for your sports team, or how many followers you have on social media. We are all human, and we all deserve an equal amount of respect. 

Lesson #3: Never assume that you know how somebody feels.

Sometimes the people that seem like they have their lives in order are actually struggling the most on the inside: I have experienced this firsthand. From an outsider’s perspective, it may appear that I have my life put together. However, looks can be deceiving. It is difficult to cope with feelings of loneliness or anxiety when people around you are unaware that you are feeling this way. So, make sure to check on everybody in your life regardless of whether or not they appear to be doing well. 

Lesson #4: Cherish those who stand by you through the highs and lows. 

We all need people who support us when we are down, and celebrate us when we are happy. Oftentimes it is easier to help somebody when they are upset. Being able to support somebody when they are thriving takes a certain level of maturity and self assurance. It means pushing that person to be their best, even when their accomplishments may seem greater than yours. So, surround yourself with those who celebrate your successes, and, when you do meet somebody who wants to see you grow into the best version of yourself, make sure to foster that relationship.  

Lesson #5: Do not compromise your values in order to fit in with those around you.  

As I am sure most high schoolers can agree, it is easy to get preoccupied trying to assimilate to the values, looks, and interests of other people in order to fit in. The problem is, the more that you try to adjust your identity into that of somebody else, the greater your chances are of losing the unique characteristics that make you, you. Simply put, be true to who you are. 

Even though the future holds many unknowns, one thing that I am sure of is that I am equipped with the lessons that I need to handle whatever situations come my way. What I also know is that when things get too overwhelming to handle on my own, I have an incredible group of people available to support me. To my brother Jack, my dad, and my mom, thank you for being my rocks. During my lowest moments when I thought I had lost myself, you three never doubted my ability to gain my spark back. To Mia, thank you for being the sister that I never knew I needed. I would not want to experience every phase of life with anyone else. To Sahana and Grace, I am forever grateful that journalism brought me to you both. You guys will always be my go-to’s for advice. To all of those who have supported me through the last four years, thank you for making me the person that I am today.

Last but certainly not least, I would like to thank The Lobby Observer, and everybody who has contributed to this incredible program. The Lobby-O has given me a platform to develop my voice. To Ms. Conrad, thank you so much for continuing to push this program to new heights. I feel confident knowing that the paper will be in good hands. To Karen Henderson, and all of the staff at Westborough TV, your passion for teaching honest, informative, and entertaining broadcast journalism is admirable. And finally, to Ms. Stoker, words cannot describe the gratitude that I have towards your ability to touch the lives of all of the people you work with, including mine. Ever since the day that you encouraged me to publish my article on anxiety, I have had a new type of confidence in the power that my words hold; thank you for that.

So, while high school may not have been the best four years of my life, I am grateful for the person that it made me. For anyone reading this who feels unfulfilled in any area of their life, I see you. Just know that whatever challenges you are facing in this current stage of life are only preparing you for success in the future, so please, do not give up. 

This has been Hannah Wallace, signing off from The Lobby Observer.