High School… a place full of mixed emotions, a variety of different friend groups, and students trying to figure out what kind of person they are and what their next step is going to be. Every year in high school there is a new kind of feeling going into it. Grade 8/9, the first year is the biggest hill to climb. Right after being at the top of the totem pole you’re immediately shot down to the bottom, ground zero. Grade 10, you’ve gotten into a groove and now have an idea of how to attack the year. You’re not at the bottom but there is still a ton of growing to do and the level of education ramps up. Grade 11 comes and now you’re more confident than ever. You’re so close to the end and have now figured out your spot, where you fit in most. You got your clique and have a better understanding of what you want to do in post secondary, you’re developing a better relationships with teachers and everything just seems fun. Now onto Grade 12…. where the most fun begins.
Grade 12 was by far my favourite year of high school. Freedom is on the horizon where you can decide your next steps. You’ve waited multiple years for this point and its now coming to fruition. Starting my grade 12 year, I would be lying to say that I wasn’t overwhelmed and a little bit anxious. Like thinking in a matter of 10 months I would be out of high school and closer to the real world. It was nothing short of absurd. But I had my friends and knew I wasn’t in the only position. I had my older sisters who have all been there before so I had advice to fall back on. The first day came and the energy was nothing I’d ever seen before, everyone has changed over the summer, friends have full on beards now, everyone has a tan, MY GOODNESS BRANDEN’S GROWN 5 INCHES?! It was crazy. But those are some of the best conversations had, catching up with some of your friends that you didn’t get to see over summer vacation. With morning of the first day over and done with, time to get down to the nitty gritty!
Grade 12 was full of ups and downs but the ups were higher than the downs were deeper. Yes midterms, finals, projects, and teachers could have been the ticket to your downfall but it was the extracurricular’s that really made the year special. Grade 12 had this entirely new vibe to it, because it made us feel like royalty. Our relationships with teachers were completely different than years past. It almost seemed like they were graduating as well. But I want to bring my grade 12 year to life because there was a lot within my grade and group of friends that happened that were really memorable.
Most of the fun happened during the latter half of the year because the weather outside dictated the atmosphere during school hours. Teachers became a lot more relaxed, plans were soaring around the school of what everyone was doing, and during lunch and between classes the parking lots would fill and everyone would hangout and have a grand ol’ time. There would always be the “truck guys” where everyone resorted too, for some reason it was the unwritten rule that those specific guys would be responsible for hosting the lunch party. People would gather around with McDonals, Tim Horton’s, Wendy’s, pizza, and all sorts of food and drinks and blast the newest album that just came out. It would be approaching 30 degrees and the thought of going to the last class of the day was nearly bringing the mood down.
Despite the mood being killed by block D and E, all it would take is someone to yell…. “DOCKS AFTER SCHOOL” and everyone would erupt. The docks and/or the beach would be the spot near the summer to have our fun. It was always the vibe and the spot to be. Plenty of platforms for people to hangout, and jumping into the lake was perfect for the weather at hand. It brought a lot of people together and would a ton of fun. The music would be blasting, someone yelling that they lost their phone, and banter and laughs going back and forth… or arguments. There would always be arguments, but ones that didn’t NEED to happen, like who’s the GOAT, Lebron or Michael? Once it was time to leave, reality started to set in. Having to do that assignment due tomorrow would suck and you’d always be too tired to do it, but it was never a dull moment having those after school meet ups at our favourite spot.
As it got closer to the end, everyones mindset of “I can’t wait to get out of this place” started changing to “man I would do anything to stay in high school”. Its a place where you could just be away from your parents and enjoy being with friends. Got to go to soccer, rugby, or football practice after, compete in intrumerals where you would literally go toe to toe with teachers. The jam packed fun and memories were everlasting and definitely a time and place I took for granted. When the final days came around, reality was setting in that this is it. The final days of being with your favourite teachers daily, some of your friends are going abroad, and the future for yourself is even uncertain. The place that changed you and made you more wiser, confident, and mature. It paved the way of many paths you can down for you to settle into a career. But nothing capped off the high school experience than…. a water balloon fight. The entire grade 12 class gathered in the court yard and had a massive water balloon fight and it was nothing short of spectacular. So much fun and I really think it made the group closer, a beautiful way to end it off.
Commencement was a night where it was super exciting. All the stress and anxiety that high school brought to some people was finally coming to an end. But to everyone it was a super proud moment, a time in your life where it got really hard and where you thought you couldn’t make it, but walking across that staged was a sign that you did it!
Now as our Valedictorian goes through his speech the moment is coming to an end, it brought the person to your right and left closer because everyone went through very similar battles. People are crying, laughing, cheering, and yelling, praising the leader of our class as he goes through the memories we all made. We get to the end and throw our caps in the air, we fricken did it. What a moment.
High school is always going to hold a special place in my heart, imade me who I was today and matured me to be better. As Drake wisely said “I wouldn’t go back to change sh*t, I would go back just to feel the same thing twice”. That’s me with high school and grade 12 especially.
What a time to be alive.