The graduation scene in High School Musical 3 promised us a ceremony complete with fanfare, thunderous applause, and eternal glory. Although we are now old enough to know that our graduation will not be quite as lavish, we finally get to bask in the thrill we knew this time of our lives would bring.
As freshmen, we left Fort Hamilton High School abruptly on March 13, 2020. Now, we look upon the glistening white school building, which dark scaffolding had obscured from our view just four years ago, as seniors. We worked hard over these four years, adjusting and readjusting to the incessant disruptions to the “normalcy” we left behind in 2020. No test score or report card grade can undermine that achievement.
Looking back on pictures from freshman year, I recognize and appreciate the changes we have undergone. We grew and matured not just despite, but because of, every obstacle. Take this time to visit your freshman-year teachers and thank them for allowing you space to adjust to high school life. Go down memory lane for all four years. Relish in the lifelong friendships you have made; savor your final days with people you might never see again. There is so much that high school offers that cannot be provided at any other time of our lives.
No matter the new mascot of your college, we will always be Fort Hamilton Tigers. Enjoy your last moments as seniors before we become college freshmen. Congratulations, Class of 2023. Good luck in all your future endeavors.
