A Love Letter To My High School
Start writing a post
Politics and Activism

A Love Letter To My High School

It wasn't perfect, but it was mine.

16
A Love Letter To My High School
Wikimedia Commons

Dear Bronx Science,

You were far from perfect. I spent a significant amount of time inside your building wishing to be out, to be anywhere else, to be finally free and in college. Actually, that's probably a description of most high school students' brains. But believe me, when I say you were far from perfect, I mean it wholeheartedly. You had a way of chewing up and spitting out your students if they didn't follow the prescribed path that was deemed "right." You had an often-frustrating bureaucracy. Also, an overwhelming and unnecessary amount of homework.

But you know all of those things. You know what you put your students through. You don't need me to recount that for you. So that's not the story I want to tell right now.

I want to tell the story of the good things, because especially right now, while you're under fire, I want to offer you my support. Your students will trash talk you right up until the second someone else starts to, and now that someone has, I will defend you to the death.

Within your walls, bland-colored as they are, I learned how to be socially and politically aware. From my AP US Government teacher, I learned to have passion about who my country's leaders are and what they are doing. I can carry on informed and engaged discourse about politics, and I can in good conscience cast my vote this November and encourage others to do the same. And I can recognize yellow journalism when I see it, and denounce it for what it is.

Thanks to you, I learned that if you can debate and articulate your opinions respectfully, the people who are worth your time will listen. From my AP Spanish Language teacher, I learned how important it is to form a community and how far courtesy can go within that community and beyond its borders.

I learned the true meaning of diversity and inclusion, and what happens when those goals are not achieved. Admittedly, I learned part of that from racist, sexist, homophobic, and generally ignorant remarks I heard in the hallways and the classrooms, from both students and faculty. But I also learned a lot of it from the teacher of my Holocaust Leadership class, from my and my classmates' realizations that history might be about to repeat itself.

I learned about the importance of accountability and a good work ethic, skills that have served me well ever since. From my AP World History teachers, I learned how far those qualities take you in the real world, and how much easier it is to trust a person who embodies them.

I learned how much simple acts of genuine kindness can change a person's life. I still remember how much patience and a smile from my senior year gym teacher, even when I definitely didn't deserve it, positively impacted the way I went through my day.

And I learned from everyone in that building, both those who would agree with me on this and those who wouldn't, that when Bronx Science is attacked, we should and do rally together. I learned that when it comes right down to it, we are mostly a group of good people who won't stand for an injustice like rape being deemed "less important" than the largely harmless extracurricular activities of high school students. We might not always make the smartest choices, but at the end of the day, we know what is really important.

So this is my love letter to you, Bronx Science. I certainly wouldn't call you flawless, but love isn't perfect. And love doesn't mean you only stick around for the good stuff. It means that you're there for the rough patches, too.

To the world that exists outside of the Bronx Science walls--you don't get to mess with our school. Only we have that privilege.

Sending you strength and support from the faraway land of college,

Love,
Audrey Lang
Bronx Science Class of 2016

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Student Life

Waitlisted for a College Class? Here's What to Do!

Dealing with the inevitable realities of college life.

49370
college students waiting in a long line in the hallway
StableDiffusion

Course registration at college can be a big hassle and is almost never talked about. Classes you want to take fill up before you get a chance to register. You might change your mind about a class you want to take and must struggle to find another class to fit in the same time period. You also have to make sure no classes clash by time. Like I said, it's a big hassle.

This semester, I was waitlisted for two classes. Most people in this situation, especially first years, freak out because they don't know what to do. Here is what you should do when this happens.

Keep Reading...Show less
a man and a woman sitting on the beach in front of the sunset

Whether you met your new love interest online, through mutual friends, or another way entirely, you'll definitely want to know what you're getting into. I mean, really, what's the point in entering a relationship with someone if you don't know whether or not you're compatible on a very basic level?

Consider these 21 questions to ask in the talking stage when getting to know that new guy or girl you just started talking to:

Keep Reading...Show less
Lifestyle

Challah vs. Easter Bread: A Delicious Dilemma

Is there really such a difference in Challah bread or Easter Bread?

31419
loaves of challah and easter bread stacked up aside each other, an abundance of food in baskets
StableDiffusion

Ever since I could remember, it was a treat to receive Easter Bread made by my grandmother. We would only have it once a year and the wait was excruciating. Now that my grandmother has gotten older, she has stopped baking a lot of her recipes that require a lot of hand usage--her traditional Italian baking means no machines. So for the past few years, I have missed enjoying my Easter Bread.

Keep Reading...Show less
Adulting

Unlocking Lake People's Secrets: 15 Must-Knows!

There's no other place you'd rather be in the summer.

955084
Group of joyful friends sitting in a boat
Haley Harvey

The people that spend their summers at the lake are a unique group of people.

Whether you grew up going to the lake, have only recently started going, or have only been once or twice, you know it takes a certain kind of person to be a lake person. To the long-time lake people, the lake holds a special place in your heart, no matter how dirty the water may look.

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

Top 10 Reasons My School Rocks!

Why I Chose a Small School Over a Big University.

180325
man in black long sleeve shirt and black pants walking on white concrete pathway

I was asked so many times why I wanted to go to a small school when a big university is so much better. Don't get me wrong, I'm sure a big university is great but I absolutely love going to a small school. I know that I miss out on big sporting events and having people actually know where it is. I can't even count how many times I've been asked where it is and I know they won't know so I just say "somewhere in the middle of Wisconsin." But, I get to know most people at my school and I know my professors very well. Not to mention, being able to walk to the other side of campus in 5 minutes at a casual walking pace. I am so happy I made the decision to go to school where I did. I love my school and these are just a few reasons why.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments