There is this overwhelming pressure for high school to be the most exciting four years of your life- to make it feel like a scene out of High School Musical with moments that make the whole thing seem totally perfect. When your experience is far from the expectation, it’s easy to feel as though, in comparison, your time was less meaningful than others. Even though it felt monotonous at times, I know that I’ve grown, both as a student and as a person. Because of that, I don’t regret any part of the journey that got me to this point.

Looking back, comparison has been my greatest enemy. For a long time, I was in a constant cycle of looking around and wondering if I was falling behind simply because I hadn’t hit the same milestone as others. Trying to measure up to what my friends and classmates were doing (and failing at it) made me doubt my abilities as a student, and I felt like no matter how hard I worked, I was always a step behind.

That’s the first lesson I learned: don’t define your goals or base your self-esteem on a scale that includes other people. Of course, it’s easier said than done, but the moment you stop measuring your accomplishments against others is when you can truly appreciate how much you’ve grown. No matter where you are, you will make progress, and that is the most important part.

I never felt that I had to compare myself to my classmates when it came to journalism; it was always a safe space for me. But honestly, when I first started in Journalism 1, I hated the class. The issue wasn’t the writing or anything like that; it was the fact that I had to interact with new people. Up until this point, I had always kept to myself as I had my two good friends; what more did I need?  But, Mrs. Stoker did not settle for my silence.

For that, I will forever be grateful. Mrs. Stoker, you pushed me out of my comfort zone and introduced me to the subject I grew to love- something I wouldn’t have been able to do on my own. You taught me to speak up for myself, but also for the issues that matter to me. Your constant encouragement and support have been one of the things I cherish the most about my high school experience. I am so lucky to have had you as a teacher, thank you for everything.

On the topic of change, that’s my second lesson: change is inevitable and crucial to growth. Change is scary, I can advocate for that too, but with it comes the opportunity for something new. You will never know the experiences that you’re missing if you stay in your current state. Sometimes, the only way forward is to take the jump and hope that whatever awaits you on the other side treats you as well as, or better than, what came before. There is uncertainty there, but that’s the point.

For me, one of the biggest and best changes I made was when I decided to take Journalism 2. I’ve always enjoyed writing, but jumping into broadcast journalism was totally new. I didn’t know how I’d do, and I was scared out of my mind that I’d do poorly. Regardless, I took the leap of faith, and when I walked in on the first day of sophomore year, there was only one empty chair. It was at the table that Hannah Wallace and Grace Bridges were already sitting.

Hannah and Grace, I truly cannot imagine these past three years without your friendship. You both have quickly become people I can easily trust with anything going on in my life. You both have made my journalism experience unforgettable. I wouldn’t want to have gone through the program with anyone else.

The days we spent at Westborough TV feel endless. I am still amazed by everything we have created. Thank you to Mrs. Henderson and the staff at Westborough TV. You always gave us the tools to bring our ideas to life and taught me so much about video editing and recording over the past three years. Studio 33 holds some of the best memories, and I hope future journalism classes appreciate it as much as we did.

Journalism has been the one constant throughout my high school experience. If I were stressed about a test, I could sit down and write, and everything would feel better. Features became my favorite type of articles to put together. Alongside the writing and editing portion of the Lobby O, I loved the background work. During junior year, the class agreed that the website structure could be improved, so I took it upon myself to make those changes. Eventually, I put together the site that is up today. I am so proud to be able to leave an impact on the journalism program through writing and the website.

It goes without saying that none of this would have been possible without the unwavering support from Ms. Conrad. I can’t imagine how you felt as a first-year teacher in a brand-new school, taking on the journalism classes. However hard it was, you were still patient with us as we were learning and made sure that everyone’s voices were heard. You gave me the freedom to work on the website and explore all the different parts of journalism that I wanted to. Thank you, Ms. Conrad, for being an amazing teacher and advisor these past two years and always believing in us. We wouldn’t have been able to continue the Lobby O without you.

On to lesson number three: you can’t avoid failure, so embrace it and learn from it. One of my previous teachers used to say, “Failure is good for the soul,” and it is, but only if you choose to take it as a lesson. The most important thing you can do when faced with failure is figure out how to change the outcome for the next time around and ask yourself what you can learn from this.

My junior year was filled with a good amount of failure because of AP U.S. History. I took the class knowing what its reputation was, knowing that it was a huge challenge. And it was. I failed a lot. Despite the struggles, I worked my hardest, pushing through long nights with the textbook, and eventually it all paid off.

What kept me in the class wasn’t the fact that I liked history; it was the way Mr. O’Brien taught the class. You made the mundane textbooks so much more interesting. I am incredibly grateful for all of the faith you had in me as a student in your APUSH class, but also later as a senior navigating the college application process. You’ll call me crazy, but I would take your class again in a heartbeat.

My last and final lesson is the most important one: notice the people who are by your side through thick and thin and don’t waste your time on people who wouldn’t do the same for you.

To my parents and brother, words can’t express how lucky I am to have your constant support behind everything I do. You guys are my rocks, and I’m not quite sure how I’m supposed to move away in the fall.

To my lifelong friends, Diya Karthick and April Zhang. You have stuck by my side since elementary school, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. You bring out the best in me, and I still can’t believe we’re all heading to the Midwest in the fall.

Thank you to everyone else who has supported me throughout high school in any way; I wouldn’t be the person I am without you all.

I couldn’t be more grateful that my freshman year self didn’t give up on journalism at the first sign of discomfort. As graduation looms, it’s a weird mix of feelings as I get ready to leave WHS.

But I’m so excited to be continuing my education at The Ohio State University in the fall for Marketing and Journalism on the pre-law track. Go Buckeyes!

For the last time, this is Sahana Karthik signing off from The Lobby Observer.