I have stared at a blank page for a few days not knowing how to verbalize my thoughts into a coherent story that properly reflects my past four years of this unforgettable journey here at West Bloomfield High School. One of the hardest things school has ever asked me to do was to write reflection pieces and for some odd reason I decided to write one voluntarily. But I guess I have to suck in my breath, put on my thinking cap, sit alone in my room blasting The Beatles and go at this thing.

My high school experience has been full technical theater, MIFA, volunteering, Advanced Placement and Honors classes, journalism and photography, and crazy memories to always think back to.

Freshman year. WOW, I never thought I would have had the freshman year I had; it was truly unexpected and completely wonderful. First off I started high school alone. I did not really have a set group of friends and I was constantly a floater between groups of people. I was still in middle school mind set, but I feel like my maturity changed pretty fast and that this year held the majority of my growth in personality, friends, classes, ideals, activities and more. It all really started when I was taken under the wing of a few upper-classmen, this group of juniors that made me one of their own. This might have made my ego a little bit bigger freshman year, but hey I was hanging with the older students, I felt cool and unique (even though I was not the only one with this experience). These are friendships though that I still have and people I constantly keep in touch with because they became some of my really good friends and I thank them for all they offered me and taught me throughout the two years I got to spend at WBHS with them. This was also the year that I got into theater. I originally wanted to be an actor, but quickly learned that I not only did not have time for that but I was not interested in the politics of the whole thing. Instead I became a techie for the drama department and I have never once second guessed or regretted that discussion. I have learned so much from the technical aspect and it opened up so many experiences for me later on in my high school career. I WAS LIVING THE LIFE. I had straight A’s in all my classes, I was making friends with this new group of kids from OLMS and I was finding a belonging for myself.

Sophomore year. This was a year that was my best year of high school as a whole. I just enjoyed everything sophomore year offered me. I was still hanging with the juniors, now seniors, from my freshman year, and I gained more friends in the higher grades and even through my own. I was attached to the hip with my closest friend at the time, and we were like two peas in a pod back then (we are still good friends). We even dressed up as the white and black swan from The Black Swan (the movie). I think this year taught me a lot though. I learned about disappointment, I learned how to deal with people I did not like, I learned to pick my classes wisely, I found a passion for journalism and photography, and I learned a lot of myself internally.

Junior year was the year that changed the rest of my high school career. First off it was the year I got accepted into EVERYTHING! NHS (National Honors Society) at the beginning of the year, ITS (International Thespian Society) in November and then our school’s MIFA One Act Company. This was also the year that I got HIRED as a student tech for the school district. I was just constantly getting AMAZED by the wondrous experiences this school had to offer to their students. On top of that I became photo-editor for the school newspaper, during my first year writing for it, and I kinda just got handed the job. This was the year that I became closer with the seniors in the Drama Department and with the peers in the drama department in my grade and under. It was completely full of memories and experiences that I have loved and would not want to change for anything. MIFA we did Lend Me a Tenor and we went to States. It was simply a magical time of my high school career, and became one of the major things I was looking forward to experiencing again during my senior year. I found myself a single best friend to have and I thank him for everything because he is like my brother, friend, cousin, whatever you want to call him and he helped me get through the toughest time in my life that was occurring behind the scenes of my eventful junior year.

Senior year! SENIORS!!! WE RUN THIS SHIP!!!! Right?!! Right. Despite a few bumps in the road and slightly rough end this was a great year. MIFA WON STATES and became champions with our performance of The Survivor, under new and amazingly talented leadership. I could not have been more proud of my company and of the friends I made throughout the program. I became Stage Manager for the Drama Department’s Fall Show and it was what I always wanted. I continued to see myself achieve so much. I became Editor of the school paper and I got accepted to all the colleges I applied to!!! I also got the chance to spend my Spring Break in ITALY!!! Sounds like the best year right? Well actually it was a little rough. I was constantly juggling my life around between school (3 APs, MIFA, Spectrum, Photography) and social activities (Homecoming, Prom, Friends, Dance, Work and Family).  I became extremely sleep deprived, I kinda let my grades drop a bit second semester and sadly, I slowly started losing touch with the majority of my friends, for various reasons.

I know that life offers so much and that I could only focus on the bright side of everything. Which is why this reflection focuses so much on all the great things I accomplished and experienced while at WBHS because this is what the school aimed for me to experience. I am now heading to Central Michigan University to major in Photojournalism and English: Creative Writing. I will be a part of my sister’s wedding in November and I plan on enjoying this summer with the biggest smile I can form, because there is sunshine in the darkest places and I have found myself here at WBHS and now get the chance to continue to find myself in a new environment with a whole new beginning. WHAT MORE COULD I ASK FOR.

Thanks to all who supported me in my endeavors! I could not have done it without the help holding me up and guiding me along.

I now go from the green and white,  LETS GO LAKERS! to  the maroon and gold, FIRE UP CHIPS!