I used to hear people say that “high school is a time to find yourself.” I didn’t really believe them. When I think about my experiences over these last four years, though, I feel like I now know who I am and who I want to be more than I ever have.

I invite you to use these years as an opportunity to grow, to uncover more of yourself, to live adventurously. What makes you feel alive? 

For me, I’ve learned it’s standing on the edge of the back of the track, shouting cheers to my teammates in the darkening sky. It’s the rush of air in my lungs before I land on the high jump mat. It’s holding a pencil and feeling the words arrange themselves in a way I never could out loud. 

Sometimes, it’s a moment, fragmented in my head, cemented in my heart, like this one: this spring, on the outskirts of a cluster of people dancing brightly, I watched people of so many different cultures come together to dance and laugh and eat food and teach each other about their cultures and listen to others. Having helped with the event, I felt like I was a part of something meaningful. 

To anyone reading this, I hope you feel like you add value to this bright community, because you do. I hope you feel empowered to step up and make the things you want to happen actually happen. I hope you come together with people who also want to make those things happen, and I hope together you can continue growing and lifting each other up.

You’ve certainly lifted me. 

Thank you for being kind and funny and courageous and interesting. 

Thank you for being yourselves. 

These last four years taught me that maybe high school is a journey where we grow into ourselves. We don’t just find ourselves, though. I hope we can feel comfortable being ourselves, living as ourselves, and continuing to explore who we are and who we want to be. 

Find what makes you feel alive. Chase it, and embrace it, that feeling. 

Let it wash over you. 

Let it linger on your fingertips and follow you to the depths of your imagination.

If you want someone to nudge you towards it, I’ll put this little reminder here just for you: 

You got this. 

I believe in you.