Well, in my perspective, high school has been a temple for growing teens who are still figuring out that life’s full of unexpected lessons or teachings that are easily seen yet hardly acknowledged. Better yet, let me put it this way – life’s full of pickles, yet we can still enjoy and admire them through that pouty face of ours.

As a current senior at Northbrook Senior High school, I would love to express my gratitude and admiration to the many faculty members and alumni through my years that have shown me what this place we call “school” can do for us and how much we take it for granted.

You see, readers, I am the youngest of three Hispanic NHS siblings. It allows me to just say as the youngest, and I’m not just the watcher, but also a learner.

The difference between my family and me is one lesson that school has taught me in its entirety.

Let’s start from the beginning, shall we? I entered NHS in the 2017-18 school year.

I was immediately thrown into a physical and mental abyss in my freshman year. I entered high school with literally nothing but the clothes and backpack on me. I had just seen my childhood home full of memories be burned down after I left for my first day of high school. My sister and dog were the only victims inside the house and were luckily saved by my other dog- who unfortunately passed away saving my sister. My entire childhood memories and belongings were lost in flames just before entering. Although my life was basically restarting and I had lost my home, the things that kept me focused were spending time with my family and friends but what truly kept my soul’s flame alive was my football team. My older brother introduced me to the team and brought me to their hangouts, and taught me how much those little moments were to be cherished and acknowledged to their smallest detail.

Sophomore year, who would’ve known that this year was my pre-game to life. I had just expanded my horizons to people and began to open up to others fully. I also started to create bonds with friends who I would later find unique and amazing. Denisovich P – you really are a one of a kind friend y muchísimas gracias por ser amigo de este güero Mexicano. Life was starting to feel sane- yet home wasn’t. Back home, life was a very different perspective. Since I can remember, I have always worked at my family’s restaurant to help with home issues. Due to the several home debts from the fire, we had to deal with bills from every corner and every size. School was my only output to socialize and still enjoy my youth- while I still could. To make matters worse, during the 2nd semester, my half-brother, Rocky, who was the same age as me, passed away due to heart problems that developed through time.

Lastly, who could forget how that semester ended-

COVID19 entered the chat.

Junior year, We had just returned from online learning. I was excited to finally meet my teachers in person to see if I could find my ¨Mr. Myagi¨ of the year. I learned that reading was another way to find a philosophy in our own minds and how finding emotional connections with the words that are said in a simple interaction with people can heal one’s inner wounds. I apologize, I seemed to have forgotten to mention my Myagi of the year- the one who taught me these lessons, the one lady that accepted my anxious mind and had the patience to hear my philosophical mind. Meghan Donnelly, I am very grateful for your class, for I wouldn’t have figured out that the alchemist was dedicated to us lost ones in this vast universe. For I wouldn’t have learned that every Tuesday was spent with Morrie and his wise words about accepting our beautiful deaths.

Senior year, Oh how we’ve grown my loves, Through thick and thin, from nothing to something. Life has always shown us its dark and gorgeous road, and oh, how much I adore and appreciate it. As much as I would love to spill my entire soul to this section and how many people I would love to give credit and recognition to, I must find the words to simply explain these years with as much love as I have for every single one of YOU. Class of 2022, if I may state something to all of you at one time or another – may I say this before we leave each other forever.

My lovely generation, you are the only person and entity that matters in your life. We will always be together at heart. However, we only live once, so enjoy these moments while we have them and cherish us while we can still hug and kiss- For we may never know when this god dream of ours may end.

AUTHORS NOTE:

To all the people I have interacted with, every moment we spent with each other was fully cherished and adored from the bottom of my heart- GODSPEED MI FAMILIA.