To have finally arrived at the end of high school is absolutely mind blowing. I can barely understand how I’ve changed so much as a person and simultaneously stayed true to myself and the values I try to uphold. Although I only had the chance to be at WJ for two years, my short time here has improved me in many ways.
Before I discuss anything else, I want to thank The Pitch, not just for helping me improve my work and myself, but also for the support through everything. If I could get just one person to sign up for The Pitch then I would have succeeded, because it isn’t just an amazing journalism program (equivalent to what you may find at a university level), it also teaches you amazing skills you will use for the rest of your life. I joined last year and took the prerequisite Journalism 1 class which teaches you everything you need to know about working on a newspaper (every role imaginable), and this year I was lucky to serve as the film editor. The number of skills I have learned in just one year is incredibly impressive. My passion for journalism flourished during my time with The Pitch and gave me the skills to work towards my dreams. Working alongside the students and Mrs. Borrelli was always such an amazing experience and everyone was always willing to help each other out. The Pitch does amazing things and has been for many years and I hope students will continue to contribute to it and bring their own ingenuity to the publication.
Now, regarding high school as a whole: Although I haven’t been at WJ for all four years, I think I got to experience a lot of it and I think some advice applicable to any student in the world is to remember, above all, respect the building and staff. Always remember that if you don’t want to come to school on a Monday, all the teachers have decided to be here and they work entirely towards helping us. We as students get the privilege of having dedicated teachers who simply want to help us learn and improve our skills to be more successful later in life.
To quote Mr. Jeremy Butler in medieval history when he was talking to us about senioritis: “In college, you will have to pay for every class you take, so enjoy the knowledge we are here to teach you for free. It may not be your favorite subject but you can still learn from us.”
And teachers aren’t the only people who dedicate their time to students; every single other staff member is working every day to benefit students. There are people who spend their time keeping our learning environment clean, people who take care of simply advising you for your future career and how they can help you achieve your goals and people who are here to ensure your safety within the building. The list goes on and on, and as students we should be grateful for everyone within our surroundings and respect the environment. On that note, get to know your teachers and the staff around you, not only does it prepare you for professional interactions and relations but it also comes in very handy when you need guidance or someone to talk to.
I could give advice on what classes to take or not take from experience, but in reality this is the perfect time to try multiple different things and figure out what interests you the most. Take classes for yourself not because others are taking it. Having only AP classes doesn’t help you. I truly believe that burying yourself in work because “everyone is doing it” and it looks better to colleges shouldn’t be the reason you take the more challenging classes. Do it for yourself and yourself only.
Do what makes you happy, explore clubs and sports that you have an interest in – not only will it help you flourish but you will also better understand your own interests. Everyone is human and different, interact with as many people as you can and unlikely relationships will grow. This is the last step before the adult stage begins, make the most of it and whatever you do, make sure you are always able to look at yourself in the mirror and feel proud.
