When I think about my last year at North, I did not expect it to consist of cardboard tube staffs, existential crisis plates and a puppy. This last year of high school has been a really reflective time for me; I have learned so much about myself and what I want for my life. I have found my people and my passion, which helped me learn what is important to me and who I want to be.
If you would have told me that I would be co-running a student newspaper full of some of my favorite people in the world, I probably would have cried, to be completely honest. I struggled for a really long time finding “my people” — those ride-or-die, there for you no matter what people, who you know you will be with for the rest of your life. It became one of my main focuses throughout my time in high school. And through my years in Stargazer, band and art, I have found that.
I first joined Stargazer when I saw a poster in the halls talking about wanting cartoonists. I was super nervous joining, especially since I started later in the year during my sophomore year. But I quickly learned that I would not have any trouble being accepted here.
The people in Stargazer are some of the kindest, funniest and hardest-working people I have ever met. They are so supportive and optimistic, even when competing against other schools with much bigger journalism programs. I look forward to Monday afternoons every week, when I can discuss with my friends what is important to them, all while fighting against the inevitable suggestion of a poll about the ideal amount of dressing on a salad.
However, while I was focused on finding my people, I learned a lot about myself. I had always been interested in so many different things: science, art, psychology and journalism. This made it really hard to choose what I wanted to do in the future. But learning about what I find important over these years has let me see what I want to do for the rest of my life. I want to help others fight for what they feel is important through political science.
One of the main things that has stuck with me through this year was authenticity — surrounding myself with genuine people who care about me and are always there when I need them. It also meant being authentic to myself, even if that means looking like a fool carrying around a prop staff made of cardboard tubes and old newspapers through the halls after my photography class. It means asking for help when I need it and allowing people to be there for me, just like I would be there for them.
One piece of advice I would give to future seniors would definitely be to enjoy it. The year really goes so fast, and, at the risk of sounding too cliche: “If you blink, you’ll miss it.”
