Sierra O’Neil

I have been attending North Allegheny since preschool. That’s 13 years of my life tied to four different buildings and one goal: graduating. Roughly 5,009 days were spent leading up to walking across a huge stage on a field I’d barely seen. I may now be able to fit into the gown and hold my head high enough to balance the cap, but a small part of me still relies on the girl who wore princess gowns or had no idea the significance of having a “North Allegheny ‘23” in her bio.

I must have downloaded Instagram in elementary school after begging my mom for months. My original username was Purplepepsi7. I know, embarrassing. In my time browsing, I hearted images of puppies and lip balm and nearly gave out my mom’s credit card with the hopes of winning a makeup giveaway. Over my years of liking, following, and reposting, Instagram and I have both changed. For Instagram, it was their logo, but for me, it wasn’t the people I followed, what I posted, or my cringe username — it was being able to find myself. My time on Instagram is merely a metaphor for growth.

In my 13 years, I’ve shed enough tears to fill a large bucket, but all the laughs and friendships have made the time not just unforgettable — they define the person I am today. These last four years have gone by in the blink of an eye, and while I wish I could rewind and relive some moments, nothing is better than the present, and I know the future holds so much more. So, even as I prepare to remove the “North Allegheny ‘23” from my bio, I can only say one thing, “Thank you.”