I’m not exactly sure how to write this. I’ve never been very good at expressing myself, which is ironic, coming from a Commentary editor whose entire job is to express my opinions on certain topics.

Starting this year, I couldn’t wait to graduate high school and start on a new chapter of my life. With only a few days left, however, I’m no longer sure that I’m ready to leave. It’s strange to think that, in just two weeks from now, the graduation ceremony will be held. How can four years and a countless amount of memories all be commemorated in a single day?

I need to give my thanks to the Dispatch and to Mr. Reeves, the program’s advisor. When I first joined the newspaper team as a sophomore, I was immediately appointed to Commentary Editor without any prior newspaper knowledge, which was absolutely terrifying. With the help of the other newspaper students, I somehow managed to scrape past the first issue and rise through every other issue, and now I’ve become the one teaching newcomers how to make their pages. Through the peaks and low points of my newspaper career, I think that the Dispatch has been a very positive experience in my life, and has most definitely improved the time that I spent in high school.

Speaking of newspaper, I should especially thank Jake Brien, who has been doing Commentary for nearly as long as I have. We would always help each other out with our pages, and he made the entire newspaper experience a lot more enjoyable for me, especially during this last year when we were moved to the same class period.

Finally, thank you to Dylan Luce, Harrison Hoover, and Dima Pokinboroda. Through strange circumstances, I had already known these three for most of my life, but we only became close friends over these past four years. I don’t know what words I should use to describe my gratitude to each of them.

Yeah, I guess that’s about it. I can look back on my high school experience in a glowing light, but even more so, I’m going to be looking forward to my future in college and beyond.