Dear Mavs,

As graduation is creeping closer and closer, I can’t help but reminisce on my high school career. I can remember Freshman year, being brand new to the community, and not having a solid friendship with anybody. Within a day, I found friends that I would keep forever.

In high school, you will create friendships that will last a lifetime or friendships that will only last until the end of the month. Being a Mav has taught me many things. I remember how in freshman year, I was scared to be myself. I would wake up at 5:00 AM daily, just to make sure I had a full face of makeup on and my hair straightened. Today, I wake up around 7:30 AM, complete my makeup in thirty minutes, and rarely style my hair. I cared so much about what others thought. I have learned that your image isn’t significant to others, and that it’s completely okay to be yourself. Up until my Senior year, I was terrified to get up and talk in front of my peers. Now, I am more confident when it comes to public speaking. I have learned that relationships don’t last, but that they’re an extremely beneficial learning opportunity. Mistakes make the best life lessons. I have learned that expressing school spirit creates a handful of memories, and attending as many sporting events as possible is a crucial component of the high school experience. One of the most important realizations that high school has taught me is to do whatever makes you happiest; it sounds cliche but this is one of the components that I wish I would’ve stayed true to throughout my early years at MHS.

There have been a countless number of milestones within the experience of being a Mav, which felt like would last forever. I’m not 16 anymore, I’m not going to be a car ride away from my closest friends anymore, and pretty soon I won’t even live in my parents’ house anymore. In just a few short weeks I will be walking across the graduation stage, with all the other fellow Mavs. It’s bittersweet to think that soon high school will no longer be my everyday routine, but a memory that has created a lasting impact.

Sincerely,

Paige Reorda