It was a Thursday evening and I had just finished taking a Zumba class. As I was about to leave to go back to the locker room I heard a voice from behind me say, “Is that a Mercy ring I see?” I smiled to myself because if you’re a Mercy girl, then you know how important our rings are to us and how recognizable they are to fellow Mercy girls. Whether you went to school with them or whether they graduated years before or after you, as long she had that ring on, you had an immediate connection with her.
And that’s what happened with me and my new friend Jade. I graduated in 2014 and she in 2009, but that didn’t stop us from having a 45+ minute conversation, reminiscing on our Mercy days. We gradated 5 years apart from each other, but at the same time we were still able to laugh and share similar memories. We talked about over favorite teachers, classes that were offered, having to wear our blazers at every assembly, and of course field day. And how ironic that for my freshmen year, our theme for field day had to come from past classes, and my freshmen year theme ended up being her sophomore year theme? We concluded our conversation by quoting lyrics from the song “Circle of Mercy,” (yes, we still knew some of the lyrics and you know you do too Mercy girls).
But it was after this conversation where I really realized how true it is the Mercy girls aren’t just classmates, or the friends we make aren’t just our friends for those four years, but we are sisters. I still keep in contact with my close friends from high school, and if I were too see any of my classmates out and about at the mall or on the street, I would still say hi to them and talk to them. I’m friends with my classmates on Facebook and I follow them on Instagram, and it makes me happy when they post pictures of them hanging out with their friend group too.
It just shows that again, the bonds we made in high school wasn’t just for the four years. And I am forever proud to call myself a Mercy girl and to have received the education I did from the teacher’s there. Whenever I am home from break I always try to go and visit some of my favorite teachers and take class with Dance Troupe – which was an extremely important extracurricular during my four years at high school. The thing about Mercy, is that there is a place for everyone. And my place was Dance Troupe. And without Dance Troupe, I don’t think that my high school experience would have been the same.
So thank you, Mercy. Thank you for all of the memories. Thank you for the education you provided me with. Thank you for giving me long-lasting friendships. And most importantly, thank you for giving me the opportunity to call myself a Mercy girl.
