Well. We did it. Four years of high school and a pandemic later, we are officially high school graduates. I know none of us expected things to end this way, but we're finished nonetheless. From this day forward, we will be going off in all different directions, each of us chasing a dream or a career or a place. I never thought this would feel so bittersweet.

Thank you for spending forty minutes on three math problems with me in Stats class. Thank you for teaching me to play Secret Hitler. Thank you for the Sparkle games in German Class on Fridays. Thank you for letting me throw a water bottle at you in Psych class when I pretended to be a snotty teenager. Thank you for the off topic discussions in honors English. Thank you for all of the compliments when I chopped my hair off. Thank you for putting all your effort into band with me. Thank you for being my lab partner in AP Bio. Sometimes I didn't think I'd make it through without your jokes. Thank you for slaving over chemistry homework with me. Thank you for struggling through pre calc. Thank you for the countless book clubs in AP english. Thank you for supporting my accomplishments. Thank you for discussing a new book series with me. Thank you for always reminded me to take a break, take a pee, and then we'll back the truck up. And most of all, thank you for making me feel at home when all I wanted to do was be someplace else.

Our time together was cut way shorter than it should've been. And it sucks. But looking back, I realized how many great memories I share with all of you. And hey. Maybe someday we'll meet again in Walmart and you'll tell me about how much you love college and how you still spend a long time on math problems. Or you'll tell me about your new pet or your new partner or your new job. Or maybe someday you'll forget my name. Regardless of what the future holds, I truly hope our paths cross again. I hope all of you find what you're looking for in life.

And most of all, I hope that every single one of you are happy.

Until we meet again,

Alora