Here’s a collage of some of my favorite moments from the past year.
On August 19, 2023, I told my dad I wanted to rush to the beach at sunset. It was the last Saturday before school would start up again for nine months in a never-ending cycle. I needed that beach trip at that exact moment, because I knew I had to feel the sweet air of Lake Michigan on my skin and enjoy the beauty of the quiet, vibrant Michigan evening one last time before succumbing to the pesky clutches of school, before I’d be sorely crushed by math tests and projects.
And I was right. I needed that sunset. In that moment, an exhilarating freedom shot out of my heart and over the waves of the lake, back to me again, to sleep until next summer.
At least, that’s what I thought it would be.
What I didn’t expect during those nine months of roaming the familiar hallways of my school was to find a new place where my freedom was still fully exercised and happiness soared.
Its place was among the people.
People. The one place I never thought my heart would find a hold again. Of course, I always had my family and close friends, but I never thought my heart would find a new home, cling to them and never let go.
By the second semester of my freshman year, I had all but given up on the possibility of making new friends. I had witnessed the atrocities people could commit against those I loved and felt the pain of those who treated me as worthless. I had seen the destructive power that can crumble the walls of a fragile heart and how words can inflict wounds that cannot be healed.
But little did I know then that one room in the hustle and bustle of high school would forever change the course of my life.
The first time I walked into Room 139, it wasn’t until my sophomore year. It was towards the end of my freshman year, when I was considering what classes I could take the following year. Timid as I always was, I timidly walked through the classroom doors, fully expecting to find yet another grey, empty, hopeless room. Instead, I saw the opposite.
I hadn’t considered there was any chance of a home inside the fortress. Looking at the soft, well-worn couch and bright, colorful ceiling tiles, I couldn’t help but notice how much expression and dedication had gone into this room over the years. And that was before I met the bald, sometimes grumpy teacher who would become one of my most important support systems over the next few months.
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What I didn’t expect during those nine months of roaming the familiar hallways of my school was to find a new place where my freedom was still fully exercised and happiness soared.
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As the weekday afternoon progressed, my anticipation of entering Room 139 again grew and grew. I couldn’t help but smile as I remembered spending two consecutive hours writing and exploring in the safe space of my school every day. With the help of Mr. George and all my classmates from my first semester of Writing for Publication, I rediscovered my love and ambition for telling stories and expressing my opinions through words.
My love for Room 139 and its people only grew stronger when I officially joined Central Trend in my second semester. Honestly, I was endlessly excited to have my writing officially published three times in two weeks. But that’s not why TCT became so near and dear to me.
TCT helped me build friendships I never would have thought possible. As I write this, I realize this will lead to great feelings of gratitude. So, Evelyn, Addie, Ella, Elle, and Ellerie, thank you for being the brightest moment of my day. I will always treasure the memories of our 5th period shenanigans and the honest edits you all made to my stories. Laughing out loud at the results of a BuzzFeed quiz in the podcast room is one of my best memories from high school. I will be forever grateful for our friendships and the times we spent together (special thanks to Addie for being my chemistry lab buddy).
Thank you to everyone who attended TCT 5th Hour for always being so supportive towards everyone and being the kindest people alive. Words cannot express the love and gratitude I feel for those who have changed my life forever.
Mr. George, I am and will always be sad and a little angry that I only had one year of your instruction. Your guidance and support have made me a much more confident and overall better person. I can’t thank you enough for the encouraging words when I was at my lowest and for always giving me good advice about writing and about life. You created a place of love and belonging in Room 139, a place I’m sure no one else could ever replicate. I will be forever grateful to you. Thank you for everything.
In the face of all this, I’m still introverted, awkward, and a little crazy. And yet, I’ve grown this school year in ways I never thought possible: I repaired old friendships from grade school, I became more comfortable in my position, and I started to speak up to people who accept me for who I am. Looking back, I think my younger self would be so proud of how far I’ve come.
So to all the people in my life, don’t be a stranger, because truly, despite everything, I feel incredibly blessed to have had the opportunity to spend every single day with you all, and I can’t wait to see what senior year has to bring for me and all of you beautiful people with uplifting souls.
