June 10, 2020
If you had told me at the beginning of this school year that seniors were going to spend the last three months of high school isolating themselves at home, I would have laughed in your face. Now, as I’m writing my final piece for The Lighthouse, I’m forced to reminisce about what made my high school journey so memorable.
Journalism impacted my life in a way I could never describe. It forced me to talk to people I’d never met before and helped me to break out of my shell. When I started high school, I was extremely shy, but journalism forced me to face my problem straight on and allowed me to become more social over these past four years.
I stumbled upon this class in an unusual way. On the first day of my freshman year, I went to student services to get out of a class I did not want to take. Mrs. Colombo, who was my counselor at the time, told me that journalism was the only other class available, so since I did not know what it was, I decided to give it a shot.
Immersing myself in the art of photography was what made me feel like I had a place on The Lighthouse staff.
I will not lie, I hated journalism my freshman year. I felt as though I was not a good writer and the thought of having to interview someone scared me to death.
I opted not to take journalism during my sophomore year because I felt as though it wasn’t the right fit for me. However, I decided to return to journalism in my junior year because I wanted to be a part of The Lighthouse staff again. That was one of the best decisions I have made throughout high school.
During my junior year, I decided to pick up a camera and try taking photos rather than writing articles. Immersing myself in the art of photography was what made me feel like I had a place on The Lighthouse staff. Being able to contribute my photos made me beyond happy, and photography became a passion of mine. I wish that I could end my senior year taking photos of fun school events like the spring pep rally and poetry slam, but I have come to terms with the fact that it will not happen.
I am extremely grateful for The Lighthouse and especially for adviser Ms. Pastor. She believed in me when I was just starting out and had mediocre photography skills. Without her help and guidance, I would not have been able to explore my love for photography and develop my skills.
With graduation just days away, a part of me doesn’t feel ready to leave high school, but I’m also excited about what the future will bring. I will be spending the next four years studying psychology at Manhattan College in Riverdale, N.Y.
I’ve come to the end of my senior tribute, but I’m not going to say goodbye because, like Peter Pan says, “Never say goodbye because goodbye means going away, and going away means forgetting.” I know it’s cliché, but deal with it.
