If I had to describe my high school experience in one phrase, it would be “why not?” The most memorable moments I made throughout my time at North have all been the result of that one spur-of-the-moment question. 

I didn’t intentionally become a part of the Stargazer, at least, not at first. My sophomore year, a teacher recommended I join and I didn’t have anything better to do, and I figured I could at least attend the first meeting just to see what all the hubbub was about. Then, I decided to come to the second meeting because I had a convenient opening in my calendar. That turned into the third, fourth, fifth, and here I am now, writing about my many escapades as a senior member of the editorial staff.

My time with the Stargazer has been memorable to say the least. Life-changing would be a more apt description. I could regale you with the many details of my grammatical improvements and new sentence structure know-how, but that’s boring to write, and probably even worse to read. 

When I first started as part of the Stargazer staff, chatty as I may have been, I was so nervous. I was extremely self-conscious, worrying about what everyone thought of me, and I was so scared to break out of my shell. My first interview, I could barely hold my pencil because my palms were so sweaty.

Gradually, as I took more stories and responsibilities, I forced myself to overcome my fears. I forced myself to talk to people I didn’t know, to take photos during school events, and to meet up with school administrators. 

That’s not to say that I’m now the perfect writer; I’m sure my advisers have several tips they’d like to give me once they finish reading this column, but my biggest transformation has been internal. I’ve built up so much more confidence in both my writing and speaking skills, and I’ve been able to learn more about myself and my passions through the articles I’ve been able to write.

Being on the Stargazer staff has connected me with people I would’ve never gotten to know otherwise, and in the process, created (hopefully) lifelong friendships and provided me with so many opportunities. All of the homecoming traditions, state competitions, distribution days, and “Budgets with Bridget” have become some of my most cherished memories, and it’s all thanks to the Stargazer and a little curiosity.

As I get ready to cross the stage next week, I’ve been thinking a lot about how I am going to leave this building. I haven’t quite put my finger on what I’m feeling yet. Excitement? Relief? Dejection? The answer is most likely a very strange mixture of all of the above. One thing I know for certain is that the next steps are going to be exciting. Life is coming at me, whether I’m ready for it or not, but armed with an amazing support system and a spirit of adventure, I feel ready to take on anything.