June: A month where we should be sitting in class, counting down the days until summer vacation. A month where the summer heat is keenly felt by those of us indoors without air conditioning. As a senior, I would have been in the senior internship program – discovering my passions. As the Class of ‘20, instead of complaining about the circumstances or reminiscing about things we will never truly experience, I think that we should strive to be productive.
When I first walked into CHS, I noticed that people didn’t understand how building floors worked. The entrance was not just the first floor, but the level above the L wing, and the ground below the C wing. Each wing was oriented in a different manner, each class so far away from the next. Over time, we have come to accept the design of the building; we value all of its little shortcuts and eccentricities that save time. Dashing out of a classroom at the ring of the bell can morph into a casual stroll down a hallway with friends. Eating lunch in 20 minutes (CMS habits) becomes a symphony of chewing, scrambling to finish homework, and laughing.
It’s easy to think back and remember the big events: Physics Olympics, Conqueror of the Hill, frantic lab practicals, and Mr. Meguerian’s freshmen thesis. But it’s also important to cherish the smaller moments – moments like when teachers joined in on our off-topic discussions; moments like when we blew a sigh of relief at the news of a pushed-back test or snow day; moments like when we walked into class to hear the joyous melody of Kahoot.
It’s easy to just remember our close friends, but I think it’s vital we appreciate all of our classmates. They’re the ones who told fascinating stories, came up with ingenious ideas, carried the group projects, and texted us at midnight to offer help. They are the ones who turned out to be so much more than just another classmate’s face.
I would like to elicit a special thanks to those who came before me: the seniors of ‘19 and the years before, the former teachers who have had a profound impact in inspiring future high schoolers (Mr. Deloatch, Mr. Carroll, Dr. Jones, and many, many more). In these times, we should acknowledge that who we are stems from our experiences with other people.
Maybe it’s better if we don’t drag these memories out into the light just yet; maybe they should wait for their time to shine— weeks, months, years, even decades from now, I hope that we can all collectively go “Remember when…” to the enthusiastic response of “Yes!” In the three plus years we’ve been here, I hope that these kernels of joy will pop and bloom.