As a college freshman approaching any sort of break, the first place that is sure to stand as one of the first visits is their old high school. Even though it probably has only been a couple of months since they had been a student there, the want to return to their old life will always remain as a powerful force. My first return to Westgate High School was back in October, the month of their homecoming game. I had to return as “Last Year’s Homecoming Queen” in order to formally pass the crown onto the new Homecoming Queen. And when I tell you my return was an experience that I was not expecting at all, it is no exaggeration.
I had been longing to make a return, to see my younger friends and my old teachers. Feeling once more what it felt like to be part of my old high school would have been refreshing, kind of like a breath of fresh air compared to the frigidness that college brought along with that first fall semester.
Arriving at the school was probably the only aspect of the trip that felt right. Seeing the dome entrance, the Tiger mural, and the purple, gold, and white splashes of color around every corner brought the nostalgic yearning to an end. In a few seconds, my entire high school career flashed before my eyes, and I wished to be in high school again. It wasn’t that it was an easy ride or that I liked it better than college. It was the sense of familiarity around the entire ordeal that I craved. I would go down the hallway and stop at least four times to talk to a friend or acquaintance. Now, in college, there were about four instances in my entire semester that I stopped to talk to a friend that I had met in college. And it’s not that I don’t have any new, college friends – when putting your high school campus size and your college campus size on a scale, the college campus sinks to the floor in an instant.
But as I made my way to the Westgate High stadium that chilly October night, the nostalgia slowly faded. The faces that I had gotten used to seeing in the halls every day during high school were slim to none. A few of my old teachers welcomed me with open arms, but many that I wished were there had moved on to new adventures in their life. The student section was packed with students of younger ages, and not one of those had followed along by my side throughout my high school career. It was insane. This huge reunion I had imagined turned out to be a couple conversations here and there with just a handful of people, most being adults.
Don’t get me wrong; I was extremely grateful to experience my return the way I did. I handed the crown off to someone truly deserving, and those that I did reunite with were equally as happy to see me as I was them. It just kind of stinks that there’s such a huge disconnect, even though it has only been a few months. All of my high school friends my age have split separate ways, each creating our own lives outside of the walls of Westgate. One thing I know for sure is I will always be grateful to be a Westgate High Alumni, and I will continue visiting over the years. No amount of disconnection could ever take my pride away from my past.
