Darian Daniels

The first time stepping into high school was exhilarating. I was filled with so much hope, and I was completely galvanized at my potential. This was the final mission. I knew I would enjoy these years, this was already cemented by the time I went home on the first day of school. But in these years, I failed to consider something. I gave myself the impression that this chapter would last forever. I was so entrapped by this idea that the journey felt like it would never end. Not at the end of freshman year, not in the years of sophomore and junior year, and not now when my graduation is just shy of a week from now.

A singular sentence or word cannot sum up my high school experience. The most probable format would be a video montage of all of my favorite moments, but even then it could never show the moments that made me who I am today. My heartfelt conversations with teachers, studying for hours to receive an A in AP, cracking jokes in the back of the class. These were all memories that could be captured on camera, but the lifelong impression they have on me could not. I hold these moments close to me and will never forget, long after I step foot in high school. Because it is not just the people and experiences that make high school, but the lifelong lessons that will forever shape who you are. But like all chapters, there is another one waiting patiently for you, and it is time that I physically move on to the next chapter of my life. I cannot thank everyone enough who made my high school experience this memorable, and I will always remember you. Take it easy, from Darian.