Home.

Three countries.

No permanent address.

All my life I’ve lived in a bubble.

Protecting me from all the reality and danger out in the real world.

I’m enclosed in this nest with my loving parents.

Innocent and vulnerable against all what’s out there and what’s to come.

Until one day, when I was 14.

I moved—again.

This time.

Alone.

I left behind my parents, my life, and everything that I was accustomed to.

In moments of isolation, staring out at space, and Eureka’s in-the-middle-of-the-night;

I often felt homesick and lonely.

But, what I’ve learned throughout my 17 years of existence is…

To say yes and to not hesitate.

To move on and give yourself another reason to not fall back down.

Yes, I failed that biology quiz.

Yes, I should have studied more.

Yes, I need to clean my room.

Yes, I should’ve called my parents more often.

Yes, I didn’t finish my homework.

Yes, it’s 2 AM and I need to sleep.

And... yes, I should go for a run.

If we live life wondering and questioning but not actually doing,

We will always live in the state of regret.

I used to be in that place.

But my high school experience has entitled me to say yes and look forward.

Strive for more and live in the moment.

Carpe diem they would say

Seize the day they would say

No regrets they would say

Live in the present they would say

Forget about the past and the future they would say.

Count your blessings and be grateful.

Grateful for everyone who I’ve met,

Grateful for the ups and downs I’ve experienced,

Grateful for the first time living with roommates,

Grateful for the first time to see snow,

Grateful for my first time camping out in the wilderness,

Grateful for the craziest traditions I’ve participated,

Grateful for the impromptu midnight deep conversations,

Grateful for the multiple rant sessions about life and the International Baccalaureate Program,

And I’m grateful for Verde Valley School.

Even though my first few days here were a rough transition,

I look back to all the moments and memories.

And I smile.

Smile because there will be no place like VVS,

Smile because wherever I will go,

I will reminisce my unique high school experience.

At the end of the day, I count all of my blessings and what I’m grateful for.

Not my sorrows and troubles.

Because they stop me from moving forward.

From striving for more.

From being positive, even though it’s so easy to think otherwise.

From getting back up even if I keep falling back down.

From making me, Andrea, the person who I am today.

Like they say, “Yesterday’s the past, tomorrow’s the future, but today is a gift. That is why it’s called the present.”

Live in the moment and love yourself.

Because there will be no one just like you and life is too short to say no.