If I were to guess what Saint Xavier is known for, citywide and if not further, it would be its rules. Ask any current Saint X student, Saint X grad or alumni, even Saint X parent or donor. They will tell you that Saint X takes its rules seriously.
One might ask themselves, “Why that doesn’t seem fun, why would anyone go there?”
The answer: our bond.
Looking back on the first few weeks at Saint X, I remember being bombarded by these rules. You must be clean-shaven each day, have an appropriate haircut, wear the tie, the socks and shoes, the shirt and pants. You must tuck in your shirt, never turn on your phone, and nowadays wear a mask correctly. Then there are the unspoken rules. Do not crowd the T, do not stare into the jug room, do not wear too flashy of outfits. At the time I remember thinking it was like a prison.
What I did not realize then was that there was more to these rules. By sharing these rules, I bonded with those around me. They may look different than me, act different, speak in a different manner, but they were like me. They came in each day, followed the rules as best they could, and because of it came out better on the other side.
Saint X was building men for the future, and I just couldn’t see it then like I can now. As the year comes to a close, I, as well as I am sure many fellow classmates, feel both ready to move forward, and yet reluctant. My bond with these men is so strong, that leaving them behind will feel like leaving behind a part of myself.
I know some of my friends who go to other schools discuss how they will miss the friends they had, but they are ready to move on, complaining about their schools day in and day out. I find that I am hard-pressed nowadays to complain about Saint X. My teachers, my mentors and friends have all made this place what it is to me now: a home, and one that I find even more difficult to leave than my own personal home. Though I know I am ready for the next step in my life, I still shudder to think about leaving this one behind.
Saint X boasts well over one thousand students, yet I feel connected to every one of them. Its workspaces and classrooms are state-of-the-art, and its athletics and extracurricular programs are perfect for bringing activity and life to the school, and I believe I’ll miss the daily energy each day I am away. Its rivalries and games always bring about a union of people for a common cause, and its religious and spiritual devotion far surpass any other I have encountered before.
Service work is also ever-present, and allows all of X’s students to bring their bond and communion to the world around them, keeping people like me growing with my friends while also helping others.
Saint X is a family, filled with bright but hardworking people, whose commitment is only surpassed by their compassion for others, and it’s the rules of Saint X which bind this family together. I couldn’t be more grateful to wear my shirt and tie, put on my shoes and walk through the doors of this school each day.
Even though one day soon it will be the last time, I’ll take that step with all the eagerness I did on the very first day I walked into Saint Xavier High School.