Although my time spent in newspaper has been short, a semester to be exact, I’ve loved the time of spent amongst the newspaper community. Coming from years in an organization where I never really felt like I fit in, it was amazing how welcome I felt immediately upon entering the newspaper room. From big group conversations during lunch on the worn leather couches to fit sessions, I’ve enjoyed every minute I’ve spent here.

Now that I’ve begun to realize how soon my time at Bowie will be coming to an end, I’ve begun reflecting on the things I will miss and the things I’m so glad to leave behind. I will not miss the freezing cold flooded Bowie bathrooms, the birds circling over A-hall during lunch, and the 30 minutes spent every day trapped in Bowie parking lot traffic. However, I will miss the people and the organizations who’ve shaped me into the person I’ve become over the course of these four years.

First, I would like to thank Ms. Wiedmeyer who has always supported me and my fellow students from day one. Thank you for teaching me lessons in both rhetoric and in life. Of all the classes I’ve taken at Bowie, rhetoric has been one of the classes I’ve continued to use in my everyday life. Thank you for proofreading my applications and rhetoric essays and for talking me through important college decisions. You’re anything but a ‘garbage human’ and you are a rhetoric queen.

Next, I would like to thank Mrs. Jessica Davis whose enthusiasm for science inspired me to pursue a career in neuroscience. Although it’s been two years since I’ve had a seat in your class, I’ll never forget the time you took out of class to check in with us and remind me us of the joy of looking at education and mistakes as an opportunity to grow rather then as a detrimental end. Additionally, I am so very thankful for all the conversations we’ve had over the years about science and the exciting role science plays in allowing one a deeper understanding of the world around them. Walking into your classroom always makes my day a little brighter. Thank you for inspiring me and for introducing me to the little critter known as the pink fairy armadillo.

Last I would like to thank Ms. Bree Rolfe who has guided me as a poet and has introduced me to so many great writers. Thank you for trusting me with the lit mag and for supporting my design ideas. I’m so glad I walked into the creative writing room to write a story on lit mag and left with the decision that I would be joining your class the next fall. Thank you for the kind words you wrote when you nominated me for the English excellence award and for encouraging me to work hard.

Thank you to all my friends who’ve stuck by my side through all my ups and downs of highschool. Payton Bellman, you are the Jordan to my Gordon. Thank you for always hyping me up and pushing me to do the things I’m afraid of. You are always down for anything, even if that means switching between jazz, classical, and pop music within the course of a 15 minute car ride or walking three miles to the Wildflower Center in the dead of summer when neither of us had a ride. Peter Dang, a.k.a dangpetey, thank you for always understanding me and for being the best stand partner an awkward 8th grade violist could have. You are the chillest guy I know and overall a great human being. I hope you have a great senior year. You’re going to kill it as EIC.

Abby Ong, Lin Tran, and Sarah Rolan I will never forget our late night drives spent blasting 2000s pop, our mamma mia karaoke sessions, and our blanket dance. You are my green chile queso cult. Abby, you’re a talented writer and a strong badass woman. I can’t wait to see what our next chapter brings us at UT in the fall. Lin, you are incredibly hard working and the purest kind-hearted person I know. I respect you so much and I know someday you’re going to do great things. Sarah, you are a beautiful dancer and your speech at your final dance recital truly touched my heart. Good luck at A&M, I’m going to miss our long physics rants. To all my other friends at Bowie and beyond, y’all are going to do amazing things and I hope we will be able to stay in touch. I’m rooting for you!

This fall I’m headed to the University of Texas to study Neuroscience. Although I don’t yet know what the next couple years will bring I’m excited for what awaits me. Hook ‘em.