Mercy
I am beyond blessed to have many amazing experiences that my classmates have shared with me over the past four years at Mercy.
Walking into Mercy the first day of freshman year, I was nervous about the next four years I had ahead of me and worried that I wouldn’t make an impact. The first two years I tried to figure myself out and find my path in life. I honestly thought I had it all figured out by the beginning of my junior year, but this quickly changed.
I remember sitting in Mr. Young’s U.S. History class. It was late February 2020 when we were going over the study guide for the last quarter and one of my classmates asked, “What is the last unit we’re going to be learning this year?” Mr. Young replied, “It hasn’t happened yet.”
We all questioned this response and sat there in our own thoughts about what would happen this year to make history. A week or so later, the pandemic hit, schools began to let out, people were hospitalized, and the world as we knew it was beginning to collapse.
We were all heartbroken. Our ring ceremony was cancelled, our prom was cancelled and eventually the rest of our school year was cancelled.
I was lost in the months of lockdown. I lost people who I thought would be in my life forever and I had no motivation.
It was all of my classmates who pushed me to keep going and who reminded me that it’s not about how far you go, but it’s about how far you’ve come.
In the past year, we have endured more than most could imagine: college and scholarship applications, jobs, keeping up with school, all while having to navigate a new normal. Even though our senior year was challenging and not ideal, we persevered and made an impact.
We all came into Mercy freshman year ready for what high school had in store for us, and we are all leaving with strength.
Strength is what we gain from the madness we survive. I know each and every one of my classmates will go out and do amazing things in life.
Thank you, class of 2021, for an amazing four years. Remember, we are history in the making.