The best piece of advice that I’ve ever received was to take risks. This is something that I have carried with me everywhere I go in the four years that I have been in high school. Throughout my life, I have been known as a shy, introverted person— and these labels weren’t wrong, but I didn’t want that to carry it throughout my high school career. 

I was new to the City of Oshkosh, where I’d attend ninth grade in the fall. I only had my sister who, at the time, was a senior in high school. As she walked me to my homeroom, room 219, she told me that everything would be okay and that I’d fit in just fine. I remember doubting her and telling her, in a small voice, that I was overly nervous so she grabbed my hand and that’s when my journey began. 

When things started to gain some momentum and I, especially, got a handle on how things worked in high school, I made a promise to myself that I would take risks and make friends. Even though I was socially awkward, in the end it paid off because I have the most amazing friends ever and I never want to leave them. 

I made a promise to myself to take risks and get involved, which is how I met a lot of my friends. It’s never a bad idea to get involved or try new things because you never know what opportunities will come your way.

I made a promise to myself that I would put the needs of myself first because you can’t care for others if you do not take care of yourself. This is something that other people might not understand because it’s great to be selfless, but people are draining—make sure you’re okay! 

I made a promise to myself that I would stay out of the stereotypical drama that happens frequently, but if you surround yourself with people who are good for you, then life should be a breeze. 

The last promise I made was to stay on top of my school work and put effort into everything that I do. This promise set me up for great college opportunities that I need like scholarships. Your GPA really does matter!

Through all of this I learned that with risk comes reward— and other times things don’t always go as planned, and yes it does get annoying, but we have to keep moving forward to get to where we want to be. I also learned that you can not do high school without the support of your village—even if you have to uproot and grow into a new village.

I’d like to also thank a few people for their support over the years.

Mom and Dad, thank you so much for supporting me through all of the toughest decisions made throughout the entirety of my high school career. I know that without you, none of this would have been possible. I love you both with all my heart.

Endy— you always believed in me no matter what the situation was, and you made your support known. You were and still are the biggest blessing in my life. I do not know how I could ever thank you enough for your endless love and support. 

To all of my friends— I love you so much! Thank you for being such a big part of my high school experience. I appreciate your endless support, motivation, and acceptance. I hope that I left an imprint in your life because you most certainly did in mine. Good luck on your future endeavors. Until we meet again!

Mrs. Warren, thank you for being there in the toughest times, showing me kindness and teaching me the meaning of friendship. Everyday I looked forward to talking with you or getting daily advice, and it didn’t matter what the subject was. I appreciate everything that you did and the impact you left on every student at Oshkosh North— especially me.

Lastly, Mr Cummings, thank you for your kindness and understanding. I know everything we do is always good fun, but you seriously taught me the worth of work. Without you, I would not be here. Without you, I wouldn’t know how to write an article, edit a video, or design something that looks half decent. I will never forget you or the memories we made as a class in J2, room 219— where my journey began. 

Thank you.