I’ve never been one to sugarcoat things, and I’m not going to start now. My high school experience hasn’t been all sunshine and rainbows — far from it mostly. During the “best time of my life,” I have suffered tremendous losses and been through various events that have left me emotionally scared. But the cliché and selfish thing is, I don’t regret it and I’d do it all over again if it led back here. 

From my freshman to junior year, I constantly felt lost — I was just trying to find a place to fit in when all I felt was invisible. But then I made one of the best decisions I’ve made so far: I enrolled myself in 21st Century Journalism. At that point, I was nothing like the person you see today. I used to be pretty quiet and was convinced that Mrs. Huss hated my guts. But I was shortly proven wrong when Mrs. Huss cornered me and stated that I would be a “great addition to the paper.” She took a chance on me, and more than that, she never gave up on me. Huss saw potential in me that I didn’t know I had and I’m extremely lucky to have crossed paths with her because she’s one in a million, and I’m not sure where I would be without her today. 

Flash-forward to my junior year: I finally joined the newspaper staff and yet another decision I am forever grateful for because I knew the second I stepped into Room 518, it felt like sparks started to fly. I knew I was ready to begin again. 

Although my junior year was particularly rough for me personally, it gave me some of the best friendships I have now and people I trust with everything I have, which I had never had before. 

Here comes what I know everyone has been waiting for, my wise words to help you carry on throughout your high school journey. Are you ready for it? The first thing I want to say, and I want everyone to listen carefully, is don’t let someone else’s opinion of you dictate you or your life. If you find out that people start to spread bad rumors about you, please remember having a bad reputation doesn’t mean you cannot find people who care about you and that they won’t listen to the lies and misconceptions. Even if your reputation does go up in flames, you will find out that it’s one of the only moments you will feel truly alive. 

You’ll also need to accept that not everyone is going to like you, and you’re going to have to be OK with that. It doesn’t matter how many nice deeds you do or how many friends you have. Someone is always going to be mean, and you can either hold onto that criticism forever or let it go and realize you’re not the opinion of someone else. 

So here’s where we part ways. I won’t lie and say I’m anxious to leave or counting down my final days at BV. It seems like just yesterday it was August and I was starting my senior year. Still, I feel my tears ricochet when I’m reminded by others and myself that my last time in Room 518 is coming soon. I’m navigating these feelings of wanting to never grow up but understanding that every story needs closure; but I know that this is just a closing of a chapter — part of the journey is the end, and new horizons with great opportunities are ahead. 

But sadly, it’s time to go, so to my wonderful friends, inspiring teachers and mentors — it was enchanting to meet you. Every single one of you has taught me how important it is to see the moment and taste it — don’t blink because you just might miss it. 

To my beloved newspaper staff, please know I love you all with an unfathomable abundance and this love I have for you will never go away. Every single one of you has enormous potential and will change the world, or at least, your world. I will look back and reflect upon this year with fondness and remember it all too well.

Maybe I’ll see you in my wildest dreams.

Forever and Always,

Regan