“Welcome back to school!”

For probably the entirety of North Allegheny’s history, those few words have brought on a slew of conflicting emotions in the student body.  We’re excited to show off new clothes, until we put them on at the break of dawn. We’re eager to meet our teachers, until they assign us homework.  We can’t wait for the first bell, and then we can’t wait for the last — we want what is paradoxical and feel what is oxymoronic. Our reaction to those words is an odd blend of fear and fire, of stress and spirit, and we start our week as such.

Then, we roll around to Monday.

By this point, we’ve all established a rough idea of where we’re going to be come Winter Break.  For those of you new to the great adventure of senior high school, I can promise you last week was your peak.  That doesn’t mean the rest of your year will be bad; instead, I mean it will be conventional. At least, that’s how it’s always been for me.

As I enter my senior year, though, I find myself worrying about whether or not I’ve lived my teenage years to their full potential.  American high schools are emblematic; whether you like it or not, this time in our lives is the subject of books, movies, and a million other forms of expression.  I’ve always said being a teenager is a fascinating experience– it’s not an important job, not a well-liked job, but it’s undeniably an iconic one.

Too often, we put our heads down and just hope we’ll make it through the day.  Our life is a duty and a requirement, and then we shuffle home from school like prisoners.  That’s not something I want to look back on when I’m forty or sixty or eighty. I want my future daughter to hear stories of laughter and happiness.  Not torture.

And so, to solve this, I encourage you all to be bold this year.  Get involved!  Audition for the musical, even if you think you can’t sing.  Try out for a sport, even if you didn’t make the team last year. Join a club, put your name on the ballot, and try something new.  The worst thing they can say is no, and you are equipped to deal with that. And if they don’t, you get memories that will last your whole life.  We go to a school that offers its students an insane list of activities to participate in. You can join something as broad as the National Honors Society, or you can specify and join the Anime Club.  Nothing piques your interest? Start one. You have a world of possibilities.

Try to make this year a good one.  Try to have fun. Don’t get caught up in the AP obsession — instead, learn a lot and enjoy yourself.  High school doesn’t last forever, so let’s make the best of it.

Here’s to a great year!