Bright beginnings
by Dorothy Lie
All at once, the rowdy, expectant crowd goes silent, as the light slowly greets every bystander, inch by inch, until all that was left was to speechlessly bask in its glory.
I woke up at 3 a.m. to watch the sun rise that morning. The whole concept of standing in the freezing cold and traveling high up into the mountains at an ungodly hour seemed silly to me at first. After all, who hasn’t seen the sun rise before?
Freezing under four layers of heavy clothing, I looked in awe at the scene before me. For the first time in my life, I witnessed a starry night sky that was significantly brighter than what surrounded me on earth. Despite my previous feelings of doubt, I had to admit that the experience was all together memorable one.
Five days from today, my high school career will officially come to an end. While I complete my last day of in-class instruction at Schurr High School alongside other seniors, the nostalgia as we walk through the familiar halls and classes will be inevitable. As I reflect on the memories made during these four years, they almost seem to be as plentiful as the number of constellations I observed in the sky while I waited for the sun to rise.
Similar to my skepticism about seeing the sunrise comes a slightly cynical feeling toward my future after high school. Unlike the peers around me, I do not view the future entirely with anticipation; rather, a small part of me dreads the idea of leaving the familiar Schurr boundary which I have become accustomed. Small things, like bumping into my sister in the hallways, the lighthearted banter with the people in the journalism room or being able to identify familiar faces amongst the throng of people during passing period will cease to be reality once we leave this school.
Amidst dark feelings of doubt, a spark of light flashes from the back of my mind. I recall that experience with my family, as they stood triumphant in my awestruck realization while watching the sunrise that morning. Though I may feel anxious about leaving, I understand that in reality, not everything is what one may expect. In truth, the future will be what I will make of it. After all, the memories I have made in these four years were a result of utilizing the opportunities that were provided for me and embracing the unfamiliar concept of high school.
Therefore, I begin the next chapter of my life with a new point of view: one that looks forward to the unknown. As I wake up next Friday morning, I will face my future with the tenacity to confront uncomfortable situations that come my way; and I hope that others will do the same. Whether moving to another school, volunteering in a new program or joining a club, it is important to realize that from uncomfortable situations like these, people to grow and learn from experiences.
To my fellow seniors, congratulations. Whether you’re feeling excited or terrified, (hopefully more the former than the latter) the time has come to make the transition into the next stage in life. It’s been an interesting journey, and it has been an honor to share it with all of you.