Wow. I truly can’t believe it’s been four years since I stepped onto the O’Plaine campus as a freshman on that beautiful August morning. Of course, the past few years haven’t gone the way I might’ve imagined, but I’d like to say I managed, and did well.

To my freshman self: Don’t stress out too much. You might think that those chapter summaries and reading guides are crazy important, but truly, they aren’t worth the extra hours late at night and the early mornings. Get your stuff done, and enjoy your free time. Maybe even try out a sport. Hang out with friends. Don’t drown yourself in homework and think that now, since it’s highschool, you have to be busy with school and can’t make time for anything else. 

Sophomore year was actually really fun and a chill year, yet I still learned a lot. I got more involved with clubs, spent time with friends, and started to work on my time management based on my priorities. 

Junior year, of course, is notorious for being the hardest year. And for me, it was. Taking on 5 AP classes is no easy feat (especially when you’re taking AP Bio and AP Physics together – do not recommend). That, along with the numerous clubs I was involved with, made this year definitely hard to manage, However, I do have to give some credit to the way AP exams were held virtually, since it somewhat eased the workload. Regardless, without a strong support system of understanding friends and encouraging family, I don’t think I would’ve been able to do all the things I was able to during junior year.

And finally, senior year. It’s definitely been one for the books, but I didn’t necessarily hate it. Getting to sleep in much more and going to class in pajamas, for example, made this unique year truly memorable. Of course, I do genuinely miss moments like the early morning rush as the bell rings at 7:25 at the Almond Campus, or the entire cafeteria clapping if someone accidentally knocks over a chair during the lunch. Regardless, I’ve learned to accept the bittersweet truth that us seniors are not going to get that high school experience back. However, it makes those moments more special to us and sheds a light on actually living in the moment and appreciating the little things.

Although they’ve had their ups and downs, I’ve loved my past four years at Warren, and will always look back fondly. I’ve met amazing, ambitious people I’m proud to call my friends, and learned from dedicated teachers working tirelessly each day. And finally, I myself have grown into a completely different person than the nervous and shy girl who walked through the O’Plaine doors four years ago. For all this, Warren Township High School, I thank you.