Whether good or bad, change is inescapable. All of us experience change each and every day. As we approach the end of the school year, we all will experience a change moving into new positions in the upper school. Seventh graders will become eighth graders, eighth graders will become freshmen, freshmen will become sophomores, sophomores will become juniors, juniors will become seniors and seniors will become freshmen…again. Not only are the seniors going back to being freshmen, but they will also experience new beginnings at a new school. Yes, some seniors may go to the same college but will encounter new people, places, classes, and adventures. We all have the choice of going to college for the same reason: to find ourselves by discovering and learning about the world around us and how we can make a difference in the world. Change can be difficult as we enter the unknown future yet it can be rewarding in the end.
As a current junior, I will soon be stepping into the role of a senior in the upper school. It feels like it was just last week when I was a small freshman walking through the halls trying to find my classes at my old school. If I told my freshman self I would transfer schools, find friends that will last me a lifetime, and discover a whole new set of interests, I wouldn’t have believed myself. Now I am about to undergo another big change: becoming a senior. We all know what it feels like to be a senior as we all were the “seniors” of our middle schools in eighth grade. However, this time it’s different. As we begin to transition into senior year, we anticipate college applications, new leadership opportunities, our final year of high school, and our final year at Oak Knoll. Despite all the excitement I feel, there is a great deal of fear too. After high school, we have four more years of college, but then we are on our own to conquer the world. Even with all the stress building up, I know I have support from my classmates, teachers, and friends that will support me through each step. Jenna Hamilton, a beloved MTV character, said it perfectly, “Junior year is like the Thursday night of high school. The beginning of the end.”