Throughout the last four years at Park High School, I have learned a lot about the social norms, what to do and what not to do. It can be a bit overwhelming with all of the classes, activities, and new people. The last thing anyone wants to do is embarrass themselves in front of the older kids.

A comfort I always found within the craziness of high school was playing sports. My freshman volleyball season started before the school year, so I got comfortable with the upperclassmen before I was surrounded by them. After a long day at school, being able to go to practice with my friends was such a relief.. How well you perform in a sport is based on how hard you work, which is something you are in complete control of. I appreciated this aspect of every sport.

Once I found the sports I enjoyed and succeeded at, I stuck with them and really found my crowd. Two of my best friends, senior Ava Malone and junior Zoey Payne, I became close with through sports. I realized that when I finally came outside of my comfort zone, that was when I made the most meaningful friendships. Some of my favorite memories were made with my teammates from over the last couple of years.

Now that my last year of high school is coming to an end, I look back on certain moments and wish I had just lived in them a bit more, instead of worrying so much. We’re young, and nobody expects us to have the rest of our lives planned out. If I could give any words of advice, it would be to cherish all the moments you get with the people you enjoy, and try to minimize your worry.