Even though I had my fair share of crappy days and bad grades, looking back at my 3.75 years at New Trier, it’s clear how incredibly lucky I am.
Yes, juggling college applications with the rest of my schoolwork was challenging. At times, it seemed as though I was taking two English classes. And for some reason, I decided that taking the ACT not once, or twice, but a total of 5 times was a good idea. The language lab is also a form of torture that should most definitely be outlawed.
Having to run across the courtyard in December with wet hair from the swim unit in order to be on time to English was a mildy traumatic experience. And even though I have never gotten a spray tan, my face in my student ID picture was somehow a bright shade of orange.
But looking back at all of these experiences, I find them more amusing than overwhelming, challenging, annoying, or frustrating. And in hindsight, these experiences seem insignificant compared to all the amazing memories I made at New Trier. I am thankful for late nights in the newsroom, golden hour at photo club, and lunch/free periods at the third floor counters. And I would also like to sincerely thank my friends who helped keep me sane throughout it all.
High school was a crazy, wonderful, and tiring rollercoaster. Some tears were shed, but then again a mental breakdown or two is practically a job requirement for high school students. And I am admittedly a little frustrated when I think back on the thousands of hours I spent on homework assignments—time I probably could have spent doing something more worthwhile. But amidst all the chaos of high school, I learned how to actually take notes and to study, how to write articles, how to think critically about what I read, and that I actually do enjoy history (shoutout to Mr. Heineman).
Perhaps more importantly than my growth as a student, I also grew as a person. I learned to celebrate and appreciate the little moments, to take myself less seriously, to ask questions and put myself in others’ shoes, and that it’s okay if something isn’t perfect (although Trovato may argue that I still need to work a little on that last one).
As I look back on my senior year, I am sad that I didn’t get to celebrate a true May Day, prom, or graduation. I never did get a chance to go to the Habitat site and help build the class of 2020’s house. I had planned to fly to Washington for my Grandma’s 80th birthday celebration and publish the last few issues of the New Trier News.
The Senior Art Exhibition was cancelled. And it is disappointing that I probably won’t be able to say one last proper goodbye to many of my teachers. But I don’t think that the loss of this handful of events deserves to overshadow the sheer number of other amazing experiences I had at New Trier.

So to all of the wonderful teachers, librarians (especially Ms. Straube), custodians, PPS staff, social workers, administrators, lunchroom workers, coaches, bookstore manager Khryss Holland, and any other staff I may have left out, thank you. Thank you for all the hard work that you put in each and every day so that us students have the opportunity to attend a school as great as New Trier.
I will always remember the friends I met and the memories I made at New Trier. And if climate change doesn’t screw us over first, I hope that 50 years from now I am back at New Trier, reading this newspaper at the 150th celebration of the New Trier News.