I’ve been in the maroon and gold for four years. Graduation is a sentimental moment for most, but I view it as a fresh start. High school didn’t mark the best years of my life, but I’m grateful for my time at Bourbon County. 

My freshman year was the only normal year of high school. The building felt enormous at first. On the first day, I chose to take the longest route to Spanish class, which was a mistake.

I started every day in Mr. Irvine’s gym class, jogging on the track or pretending to lift weights in the fieldhouse. Next was Mr. Clark’s class, where we spent months reading Romeo and Juliet and listening to him painfully attempt to get his nephew involved in the literary conversation. His class was still one of my favorites to this day, and I was introduced to amazing books, including Eli the Good, To Kill a Mockingbird and Chinese Cinderella. My fourth period was Spanish, and it lasted an hour and a half. Read that again. I still enjoyed Señora Manning’s class, and she is one of the most efficient teachers I’ve ever had. Social studies with Mrs. Friedman dragged on, and STEM with Mrs. Bond was entertaining. I ended each day in Mr. Hamm’s Algebra II class, and it was one of my favorites as well. 

My sophomore and junior years were a blur. Interestingly enough, I don’t resent the COVID-19 pandemic for limiting my high school experience. The pandemic forced us to slow life down in the best ways. I grew so much closer to my family and spent nearly all my time at home. Time felt so precious, and I wanted to only spend it with the people who mattered most. I changed immensely throughout the pandemic, and quarantine allowed me the time and space to self-reflect. My goals, passions, and most valuable relationships became clear, and for that, I’m forever grateful. 

My mental health was deteriorating before the shutdown on March 13, 2020. I didn’t have any classes with my close friends, and I was going through the motions every day. The only source of light in my year was my zero-hour class, AP Literature and Composition. It was a defining class for me. It forever changed the way I viewed literature and rhetoric, and I grew tremendously as a writer. We learned to think the way an author thinks and to read literature like a professor. Universal themes are found in every text, and I can’t read any work of literature without searching for them. There are some classes that change your life, and AP Literature was that class for me. 

Junior year was a different story. It felt as if it had never happened. I stayed virtual the entire school year and rarely left my house. Again, I never resented the pandemic for taking away half of my high school experience. I spent time at home with the people I truly cared about. My course schedule was rigorous, with three AP classes and two dual credit courses. Joining Zooms every day became tedious and bothersome, but I enjoyed staying at home. I missed seeing my teachers in person, and towards the end, I began craving social interaction. The motto for junior year became: It is what it is. 

Since the beginning of senior year, I’ve been ready to graduate. I’ve never really fit in at Bourbon County, but a few people have made my four years here memorable. I’m grateful to the teachers who pushed me to be a better student, the friends who made my days brighter, and most importantly, my parents. They’ve consistently supported me in all my endeavors. My mom and dad always showed up to every lacrosse game, every dance recital, and every honor society ceremony. I’m grateful to have such a strong support system. 

What I’ll miss most about high school are the small moments. Waving to my friends in the hallway, catching up with the counselors in the office, and all the random conversations in journalism. The small moments have defined my high school experience, and I’ll treasure the people who made coming to school not so bad. After four years in the maroon and gold, I’m ready for the blue and white. I can’t wait for the next chapter.