Fifteen years from now, as I look back at my time here, I will remember all of the opportunities that Harvard-Westlake afforded me. From all of the people I met to all of the new things I got to try, Harvard-Westlake allowed me to forge an identity for myself.

The first time I ever stepped foot on Harvard-Westlake’s campus, I was a nervous sixth grade applicant trying my very best to impress in my interview. After 20 minutes of giving what I thought were good answers, I thought to myself, “This is definitely where I want to be.”

I remember waking up super early on my first day of seventh grade. It wasn’t because I had a long drive; it was just the feeling of being excited to start Harvard-Westlake. From learning the tuba to playing on the football team, I used my first year at Harvard-Westlake to learn as much as I could.

When I began as a staff member on the Spectrum in ninth grade, I wasn’t sure I even liked journalism. The long hours spent interviewing and writing, followed by even longer hours at layout, left me uncertain about whether I wanted to continue as a journalist. However, seeing other members of the community react with elation every time a new issue arrived made me want to remain on staff.

Arriving at the Upper School and being one of the youngest students on campus once again was intimidating. But by the time eleventh grade rolled around, I felt the most prepared I had ever felt. And as my senior year began, I was both nervous and excited. Even so, it ended up being my favorite year. After keeping my foot all the way pressed down on the gas during the first semester, I had the chance to relax a little bit and try new things outside of school in the second semester.

In the end, Harvard-Westlake helped shape me into the person I am today; the person who wants to try everything and learn as much as possible. For that, I say, “Thank you, Harvard-Westlake.”