Find Your Way

Wow, I can’t believe I am up here reading this to my fellow classmates of the graduating class of 2020.  I personally want to say it’s been an honor going through our lives together, and I wish you all the best in your futures. Most of all, I want to thank Oak Hill high school for giving me the opportunity to educate myself, and the ability to find quality peers to associate myself with. The journey was not easy, and finding your way through it is even even harder. But when you find those people to relate to, and grow a bond with, just remember what brought you together as one. Yes, it may have been the Snapchats, or the early runs to Dunkin we all seemed to make. Or maybe it was those late summertime nights, but it was most importantly Oak Hill High School for giving us these things in the last 4 years of my life.

To be completely honest this journey to the end has gone faster than my ability to get Membean done in a timely manner. I mean, come on, let’s take a moment, doesn’t it feel like just yesterday we were all in elementary school. All gathered around in a circle boasting about our show, and tell. Or even making little hand turkeys on Thanksgiving, and that was the highlight of our week. These were the simple choices that seemed much harder at that time in our lives. But that was 10 plus years, and now we are all older and wiser.

When I started my freshman year I had just come off one of the roughest years of my life. Not many people believed in me, and to be fair what was they’re to believe. I was a problem, always getting in trouble, and not doing my school work. My biggest issue was I didn’t have anyone outside of my own home to lean on in tough times. I had pushed everyone away the prior years, and it was a pretty bad feeling entering this scary place called highschool pretty much alone. During these rough times I asked myself a lot of questions like “what if I’m never able to succeed”, “what If I’m a failure to the ones that still believe in me?” 

This loneliness really is no where you want to be. It was what led me to finding my identity as a person. I decided that instead of being down going into freshman year this would be my main goal. This was my fresh start to a better life for myself. Every class, every I worked on my craft. Socially I made changes, I decided that those friends I hurt in the past were the only ones that cared about my well being, and they were the ones I needed to bring back in life. I spent a lot of time mending, and healing these friendships, but slowly but surely I was able to get the group of friends I can call my brothers as I’m writing this today. To the boys I say thank you, you guys are my second family, and I wouldn’t be here without you. 

The educational identity of myself came a little later, but it came to me with the help of some great teachers, and self motivation. I started my Junior year with a new mindset. Once that first semester’s work was done, and I saw I got honors it was one of the most relieving moments of my life. Truly when you had all the cards stacked against you a moment like this feels 100% better. I can happily say that I have gotten honors ever since, and I know that education is key.

 I believe that in order to find your identity you must do these simple things. Number one: find those who believe in you, and those who will give you a good support system. Number two: always reflect, and try to better yourself in the future by taking the steps you didn’t before. Finally number 3: always believe in yourself. No matter how hard the road might be, no matter how long it takes you will find your way. Thank you, the world is ours now. 

Photo on Foter.com

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