Slidell High was a special place to go to high school. Throughout my four years there, I was able to expand and grow both intellectually and personally. People who went to Slidell know that it was more than just high school. Rather, Slidell was a place that embodies the nickname "The" High School. I love you forever, Slidell High.

1. Mark events were a big deal.

Our class versus class competitions were big deals. Not only were they a way to bring the school together, but they also had a way of bringing classes together. It didn't matter if you liked or didn't like someone. At the end of the day, all that mattered was that we were a united student body.

2. You, your mom, your aunt, and your third cousin were all taught by some of the same teachers.

With Slidell High being heavily rooted in tradition came the fact that many teachers never leave once there. Although I wasn't a legacy, I knew many of my friends who had the same teachers as some members of their family.

3. Cliques were nonexistent, and you were grateful for it.

Slidell High never really had a specific group of cliques. Since we were a united student body, there was never the "need" for a set group of cliques. Thankfully, most of the people in your class got along and you were able to fit in with a variety of groups.

4. Every direction was "by main hall."

Many times, directions would be "left of main hall" or "right by main hall." I didn't know what the hallways were properly called until my senior year, a fact that I am a little bit embarrassed by.

5. Fridays in the fall were at a football game.

Whether we won or lost was beside the point. All that mattered was that the student section was there and cheering on the Tigers.

6. Alumni were a part of the staff.

One of the things I became increasingly grateful for during my senior year was the fact that alumni came back to their alma mater. It propelled my drive to be a teacher and stands as one of my ultimate goals to this day.

7. Thespians were actually cool...

Thespian Troupe 775 put on some of the best theatre in the area. Between the fall shows and the ever popular senior shows, someone could always find their place onstage.

8. ... and so were the Broadcasting kids.

Cable SHS kids were not seen as the outcasts, but rather, kids with cameras who filmed everything. I was fortunate enough to be a part of Cable SHS during my senior year, and I will be forever grateful for the memories I made during my tenure as an intern.

9. Junior Car Parade was one of the highlights of your junior year.

At the end of the so called "hardest year of high school," juniors are rewarded with a half mile drive and running of the halls, taking their place as the leaders of the school. After a year of many tears, to stand on stage and address the newly minted seniors was a memory I will never forget.

10. You did everything with "Senior" in it during senior year.

So many wonderful memories from senior year stem from senior trip, senior play, and Senior Slideshow. Since it was your last real year as a kid, it was the year to try everything. Slidell High provided many opportunities to make it the best year yet, an many of my classmates and alums before me took those opportunities.

11. You were mad when you found out graduation was no longer on the field.

A long-standing tradition was graduation on the football field, and after my class graduated in 2015, I was devastated to know that graduations would no longer take place on the field. I can't say too much about the new venue of our graduation since I was in the last class to graduate on the field, but I know that this new tradition will prevail.

12. Once you are a Tiger, you are always a Tiger.

Being a Slidell alum is so much more than four years. For me, Slidell High will forever be the place that I found what I love amongst people who I loved. I know that many alums probably feel the same way. Even though my four years at Slidell High were merely a brief time in my life, I know that I can take the knowledge I learned there and make an impact on the world.