Devotion
I would like to dedicate the following masterpiece to the group of people that have been my rock through this past year. As a freshman, I walked up the steps to the red door for my very first time as an enrolled student, and without my sister or my mom in toe. I remember the feeling that I got when I first walked in; part anxiety, part excitement, and part I'm about to throw up! I knew about three people total from my grade, and had sort-of been introduced to a bunch more at some of the pre-school picnics and such, but still felt really uncomfortable walking into this brand new school.
I had never been the “new kid” before. I had gone to the same school since preschool, and had no recollection of how the first day felt because everyone was new. I puttered around for the first couple minutes until I felt it was time to travel to my locker and socialize. It was like a breath of fresh air walking up the stairs to the locker pod seeing plenty of faces that looked just as nervous as mine. Over the next few months I happened to meet a group of friends that I had no idea would be the same ones I spent my time with through out my junior year.
Junior year has always been said to be the most stressful year of high school because of the weighty expectations the teachers have for the new “upper classmen.” At the end of junior year, I can safely say that I agree with the previous statement. There were nights that I didn’t go to be until two or three in the morning because of the papers I had to finish or simply because of balancing sports and homework. I’m not sure what I would have done without my friends there in the morning to enjoy a very large, very sweet, cup of coffee at 7:30 am.
Because of the stresses of the year, weekends became vital times for stress release. When I wasn’t on a basketball court, you could find me various different places, but always with the same group of people; Mike M, Mike B, Zach “Whiskers” Smith, Tom B, Evan G, Artbart, Julz, Ben G, Garrett, Kate, Katie, Kaps, Mariel, with the occasional guest appearance. I needed these people to help me forget for, if only for an hour or two, that I had so much to go home to.
I dedicate this to them in thanks for all the relief they gave me this year, and the memories that I know I will cherish forever. I love you all.