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Class of 2022: Thoughts on this high school grad thing
Lizzy Donker
Lizzy Donker

By Lizzy Donker, BCN Intern

The past four years have gone by so fast, and as we embark on the next chapter of our lives, remember that the future’s so bright ... just kidding.

This isn’t that kind of graduation article. We will save that for the valedictorians. I’m sure all of your speeches will be great, though, no offense.

But, OK, people are talking a lot about graduation these days. If you’re a senior, you’ve probably heard “Congratulations!” and “I’m so proud of you!” about a million times in the past week, and, if you’re like me, you’re probably struggling to see the big deal.

I mean, isn’t graduating kind of a given? I personally just cannot bring myself to view it as that major of an accomplishment in my life.

But it’s time to give credit where it’s due – it actually IS a pretty big accomplishment, and I’m going to tell you why. Also, I’m using this article to convince myself of that fact so let’s hope it’s good.

First and foremost, if we’re getting technical about the real meaning behind the certificate, if you are graduating that means you have successfully never failed a class (at least not one that counts after that last couple weeks of makeup work and square root curves that somehow manage to bring your grade up to a 70 just in time for the end of the semester). But this is a huge accomplishment, take it from me (one time I actually got a seven on my math test so it’s really a wonder that I’m here, and yes that’s out of one hundred).

Second, aside from the obvious academic accomplishment of graduating, it means that you somehow managed to deal with the annoyances and annoying people of high school for four years in a row.

Being dress coded for showing your shoulders (rumor has it mine are distracting), having to ask to go to the bathrooms as if it’s a luxury despite the fact that they never seem to have soap or toilet paper, and, if you dared, eating the school lunches, which were probably cooked by Martha Stewart – when she was shacking up in federal prison and only had some moldy water and a shank to aid her.

Merely surviving after eating the spaghetti and not dying of heart failure should be a certificate in itself.

Also, let’s consider the fact that we have slightly matured from the person we entered high school as (this one doesn’t apply to everyone). And, may we celebrate the fact that we have since hopefully invested in a different wardrobe, because seriously who let me wear that.

I personally feel that I have grown immensely as a person since freshman year, from my being at least 25 percent less annoying (have one conversation with me after I’ve had a Red Bull and this becomes very debatable), and having picked up the skill to actually straighten the back of my hair along the way (pro tip: straightening the front pieces and hoping no one sees the back of your head is not effective).

So, with these things in mind, and many more, graduating high school is quite the accomplishment after all.

Sure, we’re all probably coming out with a few regrets, maybe you wish you spent a little more or a little less time studying – and other regrets that I will not mention as I did promise to keep this G-rated, but at the end of the day you will still be walking off the stage with that diploma in your hand.

So, congrats, you did it, and don’t trip.

Editor’s note: Lizzy Donker is graduating from Richmond Hill High School on Saturday. She is headed to Sewanee: The University of the South, to study journalism. Anyway, she was asked to put her own spin on graduation. She did. It contains opinion.

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