By Mateo Perez ‘23
If someone told me at the beginning of this school year what was going to happen to me, I would not have believed them. I would have never guessed that my senior year was going to be filled with such opportunities, achievements, and setbacks.
One of the opportunities I had received was being a nominee for the Posse Scholarship, a full-tuition scholarship for undergraduate students. I was completely grateful and speechless when I found out that I had advanced as a semi-finalist.
Even though I didn’t receive the scholarship, it was still an amazing experience.
Another opportunity I had during my senior year was being able to speak at the Founder’s Day assembly. I was given the opportunity to speak about my experience at Brother Rice and my mental health journey. Although, it’s ironic that having to deliver that speech gave me so much anxiety.
I just never would have thought I would deliver a speech in front of the entire student body. But, I did.
Some of my few achievements this school year were getting straight A’s first semester, being in Mother McAuley’s spring play, and getting accepted into the University of Miami!
I think being admitted into the University of Miami was the highlight of my senior year. I had such a tough and stressful four years, and getting into my first choice school meant that everything had paid off.
However, even with all that joy and laughter, I had a few setbacks. I’m not going to lie; it has been a tough year, and I would be lying if I said that there was never a moment where I was so sure what was going to happen or how my life would turn out.
Your final year in high school is all about making mistakes and learning from them. It’s all about learning new lessons you wish you would have learned your freshman year.
An important lesson I learned this year is that high school is not forever; it is not permanent. I spent so many hours and days dreading going to school and wishing I could be done with it already. I vividly remember moments from last year and the year before that wishing I could just graduate then and there. Now, look where I am. I am about to graduate.
Am I even ready to graduate…? Yes. Yes, I very much am. But, I am going to miss seeing my friends everyday in class and sitting with my friends at lunch.
To all the underclassmen and rising seniors reading this, take your time. Think before you act. Exhale. Time has been flying by recently, so don’t waste it.
