A time to say goodbye. A goodbye that I knew was coming fast but snuck up on me faster. A goodbye that will be one of the hardest to let go.

High school for me has been filled with many ups and downs—as it has for any student. I have lost many aspects that I thought would define me while also learning to embrace what I truly want rather than what others thought I wanted. However, I still say thanks to the many parts that have come and gone.

A time to say thank you to swimming. It used to be the biggest part of my life. It was a sport that gave me my first purpose for not only myself but to others. I learned how to push through my own doubts within my mind and as coach Josh would say, “mind over matter.” To Josh, you were one of the best coaches I have ever had. You brought the love back for a sport that I thought I lost after being told my shoulder would only continue to get worse. You had faith in me when I didn’t even have faith in myself. You taught me to prioritize my own health rather than just pushing through for the sake of the team. For that I thank you. 

To my teammates, you are the reason I stuck with it for so long. The laughs in the pool during practice, the plotting on how to shorten a set that we all had been dreading since seeing it written on the board, the cries after a bad race, or the struggles of helping each other put on a suit that could maybe fit a five-year-old. Those memories will forever be dear to me. 

A time to say thank you to my parents. Although our time together is far from over, the memories and lessons that you have taught me will forever be a part of me. You have taught me humility with being both at the top or being dropped to the bottom. You have taught me to be independent while also learning to embrace help when needed. I will also hold onto all of those hysteric, depressing, or heartwarming conversations on the patio in the summer with everything in full bloom surrounding us. To those lessons, I will embrace those in every moment that I endure during my life. 

A time to say thank you to my friends. For most of my life, friendships have been one of the hardest things for me to keep; however, for those who have stayed, I don’t know what I would do without you. From watching me chug chocolate milk on Facetime to holding me while I fall apart, you select few will forever hold a key spot with me. 

Oh, how this next thank you will be one of the hardest for me to say. 

A time to say thank you to FHC. Before 8th grade, school was one that I always dreaded. After one difficult decision my summer going into 8th grade, I transferred to a place that would become my home for the next five years. Don’t get me wrong there are days where I had no desire to go to school, yet once I got here, there was always something that was memorable from that day. However, one place in particular that, although wasn’t long, would become one of my most memorable places: FHC Sports Report. 

From joining my junior year with Mr. Sultini to becoming editor-in-chief my senior year with Mr. George, it was a class that I loved walking into every day. I gained so many different opportunities that I wouldn’t have had the chance to partake in otherwise, especially covering the 2023 state champions boy varsity football team. I found my passion for writing again without even trying. I gained back the love of photography in a way that I had never really tried before through sports. I was able to create bonds with coaches and players that wouldn’t have happened elsewhere. To that I truly am grateful for the trust that many of you, especially Mr. Sultini and Mr. George, saw in me to not only lead this class but help grow this class into something that will last long past me. 

Although a time to say goodbye can be terrifying, a goodbye can be a small sigh of relief. A goodbye that has shown my own growth. A goodbye that has finally revealed to me that it is time to move on.