It has been 3 months and 9 days (as of September 2, 2018) since I graduated from high school. I went to Souderton Area High School in Souderton, Pennsylvania, which is about 45 minutes outside of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. I now live about 3 hours away from that school, and there has been a lot of emotions going through my head ever since leaving. Even from the first week at Shippensburg University, I know the people I met at my high school, and the things I've learned there have been helping me.

Now that I have graduated, it has been a roller coaster of emotions for me. The high school I went to was very set on when the students graduate, they will be ready to go into the real world and will succeed in whatever they do, and letting students know help is always there and you can come to teachers with any problems you have, in or outside the classroom. I have teachers I know I could still reach out to for literally anything, I have friends I made there that I will hopefully never lose contact with, and I have endless amazing memories within that school.

I will never forget how great it felt to finish it through our miniTHON, how it felt walking down the track onto the football field, hearing the student section yell and applause when I was on the homecoming court, I will never forget every single football game, every single dance, every single event we put on, every single class I had, all the times we came together as a community and gave back, and so many more amazing memories from this school.

It felt so comforting to me knowing that during my hardest times I could go to any of my teachers and they would all be there to help me. I remember crying at my graduation ceremony after I got my diploma and went to go back to my seat, out of fear, sadness, happiness, and a million other emotions. I had no idea what I was going to do with my life, no idea where college was going to take me and what adventures I would be on while here at Shippensburg.

I now realize my high school has set me up to succeed, and I am so proud to have graduated from Souderton Area High School. Every single teacher I had there has taught me something different about not only the subject they taught, but about people and life. I feel fully prepared to make in in this world because my high school prepared me for it.

Ms. Brand taught me almost everything I know today about what makes a good writer. Ms. Endy taught me how to be a good listener and how to be a good human to everyone I meet. Mr. Burley taught me it is so important to find something you're passionate about and to always pursue that passion and how important laughter is in life. Dr. Aronow pushed me into putting my best work forward. Ms. Good taught me about how to teach students the best way and how to make good human connections. Mr. Tybring taught me how to balance fun and work (which was always hard for me) and taught me how important it is to create a bond between students and teachers. Ms. Hartman taught me how important it is to push yourself to learn concepts that seem so hard to understand. Mr. Curtis taught me to always dream way outside of my small town. Mrs. Doyle taught me how to be a more kind and have more patience.

So here's to Ms. Brand, Ms. Endy, Mr. Burley, Dr. Aronow, Ms. Good, Mr. Tybring, Ms. Hartman, Mr. Curtis, Mrs. Doyle, and every other teacher at Souderton Area High School that ever taught me something and cared for me. You're all amazing people and thank you from the bottom of my heart for making me the person I am today.