As I look back at my time at ACC, it is wild for me to think that I have been here since fall 2021, when COVID was still on everyone’s mind. It was the start of some of the wildest 4 years of my life. I met some really awesome people, who I hope to stay friends with for a while. I learned a lot about myself and what I like and don’t like, but I also went through some struggles with my mental health and self-esteem. However, it was all fun, and when I look back, I wonder where the time went.

How am I graduating in 2 weeks and going off to college for engineering—something that felt so far away? It feels as if my time in high school the past few years has been so long at the moment but short overall. It feels like just yesterday that it was a sophomore year, or when I joined the Chronicle in journalism class.

Now, I am writing this on a random Tuesday and exactly 3 weeks away from graduation. All this to say, it feels exciting and also really sentimental that this is coming to an end. I am ready to be done with classes and the way school is done, but not the people and the energy that ACC brings. It has always been nice that I know almost everyone in my grade, and I feel like because of that, the energy and connections we get to make are something that I appreciate and will miss.

Beyond just the people, I feel like ACC has a lot to offer, and through what it offers in the more technical and DE classes, the benefits are great. Capstone is actually a really great experience that I maybe could have used better when I look back. I also think that with the new building being made, it really does feel like an end of an era for both me and for the school. With the new building being built, it definitely will be weird for me to come back and visit as it will be much longer and much more expansive.

Additionally, it will be wild to see which teachers are still here and which ones have left, changed subjects, or just how it is different. This time of the year for me

has always felt like a big time of change. It’s the end of a school year, summer is starting, and we all get a break from reality. This year more than ever, this change is huge; I’m saying good-bye to ACC and Arlington. I’m excited and sad at the same time.

Even though I feel sad and sentimental, I’m also excited for the future This includes how I feel about leaving the ACC Chronicle. I’m so proud of how much more student-led we’ve become–the website, publishing, and just in general, which is awesome. I’ve been thinking about how Maggie, Clara, Cody, and I are passing down our jobs to the next students. For me, that is Alice, who will continue the legacy, which brings me nothing but excitement and joy in seeing where the Chronicle goes next. We all know we’re leaving the Chronicle in good hands.

I would like to end with just one piece of wisdom/major takeaway: one of the greatest gifts of high school is going through changes and allowing changes. It might be scary, but looking back at how far I have come, the impacts I’ve made, and the changes I’ve been a part of, I finally understand that change is good.

High school wasn’t always easy or fun, but now I realize that, at least at this moment, what I went through has made me stronger, wiser, and more prepared for college.

Thanks for a great 4 years, ACC. I can’t wait to see what happens next.