My senior year has been the absolute best year of my life to date. I have been an SBO officer- a dream since 5th grade. I've made incredible friendships. I had my first kiss. I've had more sleepovers this year than I've had in my entire life! I've spent nights home sad. I've partied with the best of them. I grew up more than I thought I would. I received multiple presidential scholarships to universities including the Thomas S. Monson Scholarship to BYU (which I'm not taking). I've learned how to be myself. I grew into my identity. I gained 26 new siblings and an incredible adopted mom. I rekindled old friendships. Things changed. I learned to believe.
Now here I am. I switched my tassel from the right to the left signaling the end of a decade and the start of an age. I'm definitely sad. I've cried my fair share. I'm not sad to grow up, I'm sad to know that my time at BHS is over and that things will never be the same. (Wow. why the heck am I crying?) I loved high school. It was hard and dramatic and stressful and there were definitely times I couldn't wait for today. Now that it's here, though, it's hard to see it go.
When in my life is there going to be another year that I devote my life to a cause greater than myself (besides being a mother.. that's totally different)? I learned to believe in a student body of 1446 students. I learned that I can do a lot, I can be significant. I learned how to work with others to accomplish a goal. Looking back I find that the most rewarding moments of this past year all occurred when I was doing something student gov related whether it be decorating the school on Saturday mornings or lighting the B or painting/sleeping on the football field or riding on the bus to away games or having a poorly attended movie night or an incredibly successful spirit bowl (here comes an extremely long aside- Spirit Bowl is definitely one of the highlights of my entire year. Alec and I worked our butts off for it starting in December. When the bowl rolled around in April it was incredible. Everything worked flawlessly, our time couldn't have been more perfect, everything went smoothly, the seniors won fair and square. It was perfect. All of my expectations were exceeded. I have to give a lot of the credit to Alec- he definitely did so much to logistically make it work. Ahh, I loved Spirit Bowl. All that hard work totally paid off) or dances or hellish meetings where we don't agree or going to tennis, soccer, volleyball, basketball, wrestling, softball, baseball, concerts, plays to support fellow Braves or sleeping on Vickie's lawn. The officers truly have become like family to me. In fact, I spent more time with them this year than I did with the majority, if not all, of my blood siblings. I love them.
I still remember this moment
In the back of my mind
The time we stood with our shaking hands
The crowds in stands went wild
We were the kings and the queens
And they read off our names
The night you danced like you knew our lives
Would never be the same
You held your head like a hero
On a history book page
It was the end of a decade
But the start of an age
Long live the walls we crashed through
While the kingdom lights shined just for me and you
I was screaming, long live all the magic we made
And bring on all the pretenders, one day we will be remembered
I said, remember this feeling
I passed the pictures around
Of all the years that we stood there on the sidelines
Wishing for right now
We are the kings and the queens
You traded your baseball cap for a crown
When they gave us our trophies
And we held them up for our town
And the cynics were outraged
Screaming, this is absurd
'Cause for a moment a band of thieves
In ripped-up jeans got to rule the world
Long live the walls we crashed through
While the kingdom lights shined just for me and you
I was screaming, long live all the magic we made
And bring on all the pretenders, I'm not afraid
Long live all the mountains we moved
Long live all the mountains we moved
I had the time of my life fighting dragons with you
I was screaming, long live the look on your face
And bring on all the pretenders, one day we will be remembered
Hold on to spinning around
Confetti falls to the ground
May these memories break our fall
And you take a moment
Promise me this
That you'll stand by me forever
But if God forbid fate should step in
And force us into a goodbye
And force us into a goodbye
If you have children someday
When they point to the pictures
Please tell them my name
Tell them how the crowds went wild
Tell them how I hope they shine
Long live the walls we crashed through
I had the time of my life with you
Long, long live the walls we crashed through
Long, long live the walls we crashed through
All the kingdom lights shined just for me and you
And I was screaming, long live all the magic we made
And bring on all the pretenders, I'm not afraid
Singing, long live all the mountains we moved
Singing, long live all the mountains we moved
I had the time of my life fighting dragons with you
And long, long live the look on your face
And bring on all the pretenders, one day we will be remembered
It's hard knowing that things are ending. I guess you could say it's really a beginning but I'm not in the mood. I'd rather feel nostalgic and reminisce on the incredible time's I've had. I truly have been so blessed to grow up where I do. I wouldn't at all be surprised if I end up being one of those people who comes back to Bountiful to raise a family. It's a special place. I love b-town. The two times I cried in graduation were when we(the choir) sang Omnia Sol, a song that embodies graduation, and when we sang the school song. I sobbed! How pathetic is that? But I couldn't help it. BHS has been a part of my life since birth, thanks to my dad working there. I'm so glad I have an excuse to come back to basketball games without being a lame Super Senior. I love Bountiful High School.
BHS has been a place where I learned so much about myself. What I want in life, the kinds of friends to keep close, how to love- in many ways. It's been a place where I feel safe. I'll be completely candid- this year has been hard. I felt deserted by my best friends of three years. In the beginning I hoped that this year would be one that was different from all others in that I would learn how to be myself and not rely on friends as much. At first, it felt like that wasn't going to happen. I was so hurt and frustrated and angry and I felt betrayed. Then I had to learn how to live on my own. How to get to know other people. Right now I wouldn't say that I belong to one specific group but rather I have learned how to get along with many people and reach outside the bounds of my supposed friend group. If you told me the names of the people I now consider my best friends at the beginning of the year I would have only believed one of them would be. My hope that I would come into my own this year has definitely been realized. I have gained so much confidence. I no longer hide behind friends or academics. I have learned to live. Long live.
I'm interested to see where life after graduation will take the BHS class of 2012. I can't wait to see who I still stay friends with. This week has been one of the best of my life. Bravestock was so fun. Then came Swansong and Senior Sunset. Last night we had the classiest banquet of all time and today we graduated. Tonight it'll all be capped off with the all-night party. The class of 2012 is classy. Over this week, my love and amazement of my class has tripled. I love each and every one of them. It's so sad to let go.
I'm moving on. I have my diploma. I'll never take another class at BHS again. But that's okay. I've had a great run. Sure, there are some things I would change, but overall I wouldn't give up my experience for anything. YOLO. How many times I've heard that acronym this week I could never say, but as stupid and cheesy and ridiculous as it is, it's true- You only live once. So learn to live. Live in the moment. Don't think- do. Because you'll never get that moment back. These past three years have been one's I'll never forget. I'll never forget the lessons I've learned. I'll never forget late nights scrambling to maintain my 4.0. I'll never forget getting plowed over playing football. I'll never forget drives and conversations. I'll never forget the people I've learned to love. I'll never forget to believe.
Once a Brave, Always a Brave
mechale lauren
Well basically... You're just incredible. Thank you for setting the example! If any of us new seniors were a fourth as great as you, I would count us as lucky.
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