![Walking through the tunnel created by the cheerleaders and Celebrities, senior Frances Tran smiles as the soccer team is sent off during DEN for their playoff game against Rouse tonight. Tran said the wins against Smithson Valley and Alamo Heights gave the team a morale boost to take on the Raiders tonight. “I know we were not 100% confident in those games,” Tran said. “But, Rouse is a big opponent for sure. We’re definitely going into tonight with a lot of morale [because of the previous wins].”](https://cphswolfpack.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/frances-tran.jpg)
![Holding a bucket of materials in one hand and a roll of tape in another, anatomy and biology teacher Tyler Terry prepares for a lab. Terry said his proudest moments are when his students are happy to see him. “When I take my wife to a football game or something and a bunch of students want to say hi to me or they like to smile and wave and it just makes me feel good that the students are really kind and supportive of me,” Terry said. “[I’m also] proud when I see students perform really well in their extracurriculars because I can see how hard they’re working in my classes, [so] when I see that they’re also working so hard in other things. Like they’re winning band competitions or they’re getting awards for their theater productions, or I see them put on their choir shows, that’s like, wow, you guys are incredible.”](https://cphswolfpack.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Rags-6.png)
![Catching a ball, junior Alivia Robinson plays at the Cedar Park vs Glenn game. Having played since she was 5 years old, she is dedicated to softball and has committed to UTPB for softball. “When I got my offer it took me a very long time to decide where,” Robinson said. “Softball has always been my dream for college, and UTPB is my fit. When [I committed] I knew I was going to be loved and supported.”](https://cphswolfpack.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Lilly-Adams-3.13aliviaedit-901.jpg)
![Holding her dog, Nova, senior Ariana Balakrishnan poses for her senior pictures while Nova wears a bandana with her college decision. Balakrishnan applied to 18 colleges in total, but she decided on Columbia in the end. “Right before I clicked the button to open Columbia’s letter, I literally looked at the camera and go ‘This is just gonna really suck because I wanted it so bad,’ and I clicked it and all of a sudden you hear trumpets,” Balakrishnan said. “There’s a video that plays when you open it and I actually didn’t watch the video, I just watched the screen go black, because every day of December before ED [Early Decision] I would go on YouTube and watch the acceptance video to manifest it, so immediately when the screen went black, I started screaming and jumping up and down. And my parents in the video are like ‘What are you doing, where’s the letter,’ and I was just screaming ‘I got in, I got in.” I just started crying, and it just felt like everything in the world came together.”](https://cphswolfpack.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/ariana-2-300x217.jpg)
High school is defined in the dictionary as a school attended after elementary school or junior high school and usually consisting of grades 9 or 10 through 12, that’s a pretty simple definition if you ask me. Of course, everyone has their own opinion of how they would define these four years. Some might say they were awesome or exciting, others might say dramatic and heart breaking and then there are those who would describe them as horrifying and bleak. Then there was me, and I was indifferent about the whole experience.
Since second semester hit this year, the reality of graduation has hit me at random times, forcing me to look back and reflect on the past four years. I’ve had about eight different best friends, most of them who I don’t speak to anymore. I’ve been on the soccer team for four years, and am the only member who stuck it out. I’ve been in 12 different clubs and organizations, most of which I joined only to improve the appeal of my college application. But really, I don’t have huge regrets about my high school experience. Yes there are a few moments I wish I could erase, but I really believe everything happens for a reason. The mistakes I made in the past have only helped me be the person I am today. Yes that sounds completely cliche but it’s the truth.
My first word of advice, don’t take high school too seriously. Nothing that happens now is earth shattering or will matter in the next 5 years. That backstabbing best friend will ultimately get what’s coming to her. That dumb boy who broke your heart will probably end up doing nothing with his life. Karmas a witch and what goes around comes around, these sayings are true, so watch how you treat people.
My second word of advice, don’t have expectations. If you think high school should be wonderful, it will fall flat every time. It’s not a musical, there’s no Zac Efron as leading man, star of the basketball team and the best singer in school. There’s no fairy tale relationship that is without flaws, there is no perfect high school. There is no perfect anything actually; I found that when I just sat back I had the most fun.
It really doesn’t matter what anyone else thinks. If you want to wear t-shirts and sweats every day, go for it. Actually I encourage it. Comfort really is the way to go. High school just doesn’t matter in the grand scheme of things. Thanks to Hollywood, people think it’s supposed to be this grand experience, when in reality, it’s just another four years out of your life that really isn’t that significant.
Don’t get me wrong, I did have fun in high school. I have some great memories to take with me in life and have made friends that I will never forget. Just remember, it’s just high school. Have fun while you can and don’t take anything too seriously. Try and work hard so you’ll be better prepared for the future but don’t stress out, and whatever you do, learn to jump a fence.
