It’s hard to put into words how I’m feeling right now. If my life were a book, I would be in the middle of a cliffhanger right now. I’m leaving what I know, but I don’t know what’s coming. To be honest, leaving what I know right now is probably harder than not knowing what’s coming because it means leaving the best thing that ever happened to me.

You never know when a moment is going to change your life. When I walked into the Stargazer room my sophomore year, I didn’t know that I was making a decision that was going to change my life in infinite ways. I don’t know what possessed me to go to that first meeting. I wasn’t one of those amazing writers who got the little note saying that my English teacher recommended me for the Stargazer. I had no journalism experience or aspiration. I just wanted to try something new.

When the October 2019 edition of the Stargazer came out, I felt proud because it was the first time I saw a byline with my name, and I realized that Stargazer was something I was going to want to keep in my life. Over the school year, I wrote more and more stories and gained more and more confidence in my writing abilities. 

Senior year I was chosen to be the Stargazer editor-in-chief. I felt honored that I was trusted to lead this club and mentor new members like the older staff members mentored little old sophomore me two years before. When I entered high school, I was a very shy person, and to be honest I still was when I started senior year. I hated public speaking. But being editor-in-chief pushed me outside of my comfort zone and helped me become a better person. 

I’m so glad that I found my niche in high school. The Stargazer gave me a unique perspective of North that not many get to see. It introduced me to some of my best friends. It taught me how good writing can make an impact. Most importantly, it taught me who I was. 

When I think back on high school I’m not going to remember my test scores and grades. I’m going to remember the memories I made in this club: from homecoming week to our state trip to late nights on WordPress to causing chaos and laughter with Laure and her “Budget with Bridget” in 429 each week. Recently, I had to find pictures of my high school career for an English project and 95% of them were from Stargazer. This club has been my life for the last three years and I wouldn’t want it any other way.

As my high school chapter ends, I can’t help but be grateful that I got to be a small part in the North community. I know it has instilled in me the skills to allow me to achieve my goals. Though I will miss my time here, I know I must turn the next page in my book of life and prepare for whatever comes my way.