By: Jesse Boxenhorn
It’s crazy to think that high school is officially coming to a close. Not until yesterday did it really hit me when someone in one of my classes said that we only have 12 full days left. 12. I have been a part of the Half Hollow Hills community for roughly 2,160 days and now all that is left is 12 short days. Half Hollow Hills has shaped me to be the person I will now take with me to college and beyond, and I am grateful for each and every day I have spent as a part of this community.
My senior year was definitely not how my freshman self ever imagined it. Surrounded by plexiglass and sweating under a thick medical mask would never have been something I could have predicted. While the Covid 19 pandemic hindered many of the events I had been looking forward to for years, it also taught me a lot. Yeah, it stinks that I didn’t get to perform at my senior pep rally or dance the night away at my senior banquet, but it made me realize that life will still go on. It made me put everything into perspective and look at the world through a different lens. Ending high school on this note definitely was not the best; however, throughout my years here, I placed so much importance on each and every miniscule detail. This ending made me realize that I didn’t have to stress that much about that one test grade because life will still go on. I’m happy to say that it is now June of 2021; I am fully vaccinated and excited for my prom and graduation. Life went on.
Throughout high school, I got involved in many activities. One of the most special to me was the Newspaper club. I remember walking around the club fair looking at all the clubs, and I was drawn straight to The Thunderbird. The nerd in me popped out when I saw the printed newspaper made by students from my very own school. All I wanted was to see my article on the front cover one day. Now, I sit here writing this reflection as the Editor in Chief. Having this opportunity was something I will never forget. It taught me how to collaborate with others, enhance my writing skills, and truly say what I wanted to say. I would just like to thank Mrs. Dalton and Mrs. Davis for advising this club which enabled me to become the writer I am today. Thank you for fueling our artistic and creative freedom and giving us an outlet to express ourselves. I plan to continue working in Journalism in college and potentially join my university’s newspaper club. If anyone is looking for a club to join, I highly recommend joining the Newspaper club as it will have a meaningful impact on you that is everlasting.
I am also proud and happy to say that I will be continuing my educational journey at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor Michigan this fall. Attending the University of Michigan has long been a dream of mine, and I look forward to all that it embodies. This year was definitely an odd one with the college process. I was unable to visit the University of Michigan before even applying, but once I got accepted, we hopped on the next flight there. I will forever remember the moment that I stepped foot on campus for the first time. My eyes lit up, and my heart started racing. I knew this is where I was supposed to be, and I couldn’t be more excited to be a Wolverine.
If I could give any advice to my freshman self, I would tell her to relax and not stress as much. I spent days on end making myself sick to my stomach just to get that extra point on the next test. In the end, after going through the college process, I realized that stressing doesn’t help and that extra point didn’t really matter in the grand scheme of things. I advise all lower classmen the same. Enjoy high school and study hard but do not get fixated on the smallest stuff because it will drive you insane for no reason. As far as those of you going through the college process now, best of luck and breathe. Yes, it is extremely stressful, but everything works out – I promise. Before you know it, you will be dressed from head to toe in your universities’ gear on May 1st wishing you took that breath while going through the process. I would just like to thank my family and friends for supporting me through such a stressful time and motivating me to be the best version of myself. I am forever grateful for each and everyone of you.
Lastly, remember that high school will go faster than you think. Enjoy each and every moment of it like it’s the last. Yeah, there will be ups and downs, trust me, but what I learned from all of it is that it is what makes you the person you are meant to be. Thank your teachers, hug your friends, and answer your mom when she asks you how your day was at school because before you know it, you will be miles away in a dorm room wishing you had held on to every last moment. Lastly, thank you class of 2021. I am so excited to see all that you have yet to accomplish and am grateful to have had you by my side these past four years. With that, this is it HSE; it’s the end of an era, but the beginning of a bright future. Signing off…Jesse Boxenhorn.
