The time has come for seniors to prepare for their bittersweet goodbye. For myself, there are a multitude of factors that shaped me along the way. It is hard to put into words the amount of gratitude that comes from being a part of Hudson High School (HHS) and the most impactful parts of my high school journey are within it. 

Walking through the halls has never been about getting from one class to another. It’s about the routine, the friendships made along the way, the bonds with the teachers and the same hallway routine. It’s hard to picture that one day, I won’t walk through these doors, go through the same hallways, and see the same familiar faces. What makes it even harder to leave is the community. The same people I’ve grown up with, who I have shared a laugh with, stressed over tests with, and stood by for years, now these moments that once felt endless, come to a close. What once felt ordinary now feels meaningful. 

One lesson that HHS has instilled in me is to not focus on the negatives. How long block days feel, how repetitive notes seemed, the stressful test days. I used to count down the days until graduation, but now that the end is here, it’s a much different perspective. The long block days were filled with laughter, the notes were a physical reminder of the learning and the test days always had such an accomplished feeling following them. All the moments I once dreaded, I had yet to realize I once would miss. I realized goodbyes aren’t always about leaving, they’re about recognizing what mattered all along.  

Another lesson that HHS has taught me is to get involved in any way you can. Join clubs, go to school events, attend games. Those moments that seem bland shape your whole high school experience. Four years seems like a long time, but as everyone says, it really does go by so fast. High school is such a unique chapter of your life, you’ll never get it back. Being involved has made my high school journey so memorable. 

I’ll miss the small traditions the most. Getting ready for football games with friends, stopping for Starbucks or 7 brew before baseball games, attending club meetings with all my friends. Looking back, there’s so much to be grateful for. Hudson High school not only gave me a strong education, but memories, and friendships that I will carry with me long after I walk out these doors for the last time. 

Being in the same town my whole life makes the goodbye even harder. Knowing what traffic lights take longest, the times local businesses close, the alternative routes if there is construction. Hudson becomes a blueprint that is difficult to leave. It’s strange how all these little things stay with you the most. The exact timing it takes to get to school to not be tardy in the mornings, which friends you know you’d see during a passing period. Knowing each day’s schedule by memory, the routine I complained about became a comfort. 

I’ve been involved with journalism for the past three years and have only grown as a person throughout this course. I have so many essential qualities from this class whether it’s growing in writing abilities, paginating my articles with InDesign (which I may not miss as much) or simply helping myself write about topics I would not normally think about like the Louvre robbery. This course has helped me achieve my full potential in writing. Moreover, Journalism has taught me the importance of staying unbiased. Writing ethically requires fairness and learning how to consistently set aside personal opinions. This writing habit has shaped the way I approach situations in daily life. I’ve become a more open and transparent person who is naturally able to see both perspectives and set aside conclusions. There is a lot that I will take with me from this course, and I recommend it to everyone. 

I am anticipating an exciting future ahead of myself. I am officially committed to Miami University in Oxford, Ohio where I plan to continue my academic journey. At Miami, I am majoring in Kinesiology which is the scientific study of human movement combining anatomy and Biology. In addition, I plan to pair this major with a Co-major of Premedical Studies. The Co-major at Miami University offers specialized professional development as well as core science coursework tailored to medical careers. These pairs are with the intention to go down a Physician assistant or Physician route. I am beyond grateful for the strong foundation that an education at HHS gave me and look forward to what the future holds.