Photo courtesy of Lifetouch

The day this reflection was due Ms. Borrelli reminded us in class of the deadline for the senior reflection. I said to myself, “I’ll do it tonight.” I didn’t. I said I’ll do it the next day in class. On the day of the deadline, we had a substitute which I saw as an opportunity to socialize instead of even starting my senior reflection. The procrastination followed through and here we are. The evening after the deadline. I’m sorry.

High school was an experience where I owe people my gratitude, all the “sorrys” and the “thank yous.” I owe people my love, especially the ones who I was never able to show any towards. If you asked 12-year-old me growing up in India where I see myself in the next 5 years or so, I would probably start crying and run away. Fast forward to now. I’m happy to say I’m proud of myself. Not yet quite satisfied, but I’m having fun. Isn’t that what high school is all about?

My answer is yes, it is about having fun but at the same time growing to be the person that you are content with. Learning new things, learning from mistakes, learning from friends, learning from random interactions and learning throughout. There is a learning curve in just about every corner of these pivotal four years of our life. Know that it is okay to fail and miss opportunities. You don’t really fail if you know how to learn from it. My biggest piece of advice would be to slow down on those curves and take in those moments of learning and enjoy them. Do things that you love and things that interest you because those interests become hobbies, those hobbies could become your college major, and who knows maybe that same interest will become your career one day. For me, one of these interests was photography. As a freshman, I was too shy to put myself out there. Freshman year was the year of missed opportunities. I knew maybe four people during my freshman year. Photography was just an interest at that point. I would still be the same if it wasn’t for The Pitch.

I’m so thankful for everything Pitch. I’ve met so many amazing people through The Pitch and I love the whole community. I’ve had the most fun these last two years as the photo editor. Forcing myself to go out and put myself out there. I went to events that I would never traditionally go to. Knocking on the doors of active classrooms while holding a camera in my hand and asking the teacher if I can take some pictures in his classroom. When am I ever going to do this? As a photo editor, your job isn’t difficult at all as long as you capture the moment you are supposed to. If you miss it, then you miss it. The spontaneity was one of my favorite things about being a photo editor. Sometimes I would walk into class having nothing to do and out of nowhere I would hear someone shout my name and tell me to take pictures of the assembly, or a club happening at lunch, some student union, or a game happening on the same day, or whatnot and I loved every second of it. Walter Johnson was an experience that I will look back to every year despite the sorrows and the joys. I will forever be grateful for my friends, teachers and family and I appreciate every moment and everyone in the last four years.