You are on your own, Arpita – you always have been – The Central Trend

My senior photos that I took in November.

Dear present me,

It’s officially a week before your high school graduation, the day you dress in that forest green ruffled cap and gown with the white stole and walk across the stage in front of your entire class to get your diploma.

The day that marks the first twelve years of your education is finally coming to an end.

As I sit here in my sister’s bedroom and write this, I am overwhelmed by a plethora of emotions that I have had the privilege of reliving over the past four years of high school. And boy, did I have emotions.

I will never forget the first time I met my American history teacher in person. It was one of the most surreal experiences of my life; My freshman year finally came to fruition, and I finally met the man behind the screen, the man who gracefully led my Civics and Econ classes every day of ninth grade.

Or the time my Model UN advisor made us do the “Cha-Cha Slide” in class, or when I was running around the U of M campus late at night, or when I was shown a photo of one of our high school teachers when they were in high school.

Or all the times I was allowed to walk in the parade The central trend or attend MIPA conferences because of this class.

Or the time I went to Homecoming for the first time my sophomore year and later went to Kitchen 67 in the middle of the night.

Those times will never be forgotten, because they live on in my heart forever.

But what I can’t live on is the experience of seeing my teachers every day. To get another homework assignment, test, quiz or PowerSchool grade. To have my newspaper advisor review another story of mine. To give my history teacher another fist bump. To attend another Model UN conference or DECA competition.

I will not be able to relive any of these experiences because I now find myself afraid of the words I have been putting off for so long; I will soon be an alumna of Forest Hills Central High School and no longer a high school student.

For so long I always struggled to understand the words around me and my world. But when I joined The central trend, I have finally found a way to make a difference with my words.

For some reason, the first day of sophomore year is the first thing that comes to mind when I think about our school newspaper and what it has allowed us to accomplish as a staff.

I will never forget the energetic look that radiates The central trend has been able to produce for me. It was the first day of second year and I had just come out of a year of online learning and wanted to make an impact with my words, but didn’t know where to start. When participating The central trend—Without a doubt, I had found my innate passion for writing. Not only could my words create a difference, but they could also create a lasting impact.

And after 900 days on staff and writing more than 100 stories, I can confidently say that I find comfort in knowing that the impact I’ve made at Forest Hills Central through my words isn’t going anywhere.

So thank you, high school, for everything, because from now on you’re on your own, Arpita, you always have been.

Honestly,

Present me