Easy as 1, 2, 3

Writing for Mac News (Macdonald, that is) has been a wonderful experience. Here is my last submission, as an alumni writer for the September issue. Best of luck this year! Note: I am posting up my original version. I think it was more grammatically correct before the editing process (no offence to the wonderful editors, who have made beautiful edits over the course of the year).

 

Walking through the doors of the school this morning… for many of you, this has become pure routine. To some, this will become pure routine. To all of you – I want to share with you the words of a wise friend, and former Mac News executive, Joey Yu:

"Some say that the 4 years of high school are the most difficult time in a teen's life. I am relieved to say that I have never truly felt this way. This 4 year journey has been a breeze and I credit this to all my friends who were always there to give me those several extra pushes along the way. I could always count on you to make all the stress of the day melt away and to have it be replaced by inside jokes and side-splitting, tears-flowing laughter. Thank You and Good Luck. TNT Always."

I hope that all of you can share this wind as you fly off to new destinations.

Throughout your years, you will hear the word "countdown" quite often. The countdown for the next dance, the days left till Christmas; a couple more days until your first titration, dissection; the countdown for prom; and of course – 5, 4, 3, 2… 1 more year until you are out of here. But one day, someday, you realize – the counting down is all over. You're on the bus, in a car, on a plane – heading towards a new school, a new place. Yes, again we can ready ourselves to "let the countdowns begin" – but moreover, I've realized that high school is everything but a countdown.

Since the day you walked through those doors for your very first time until your goals bring you to the end of this chapter – we all count up. Every day, every test, every class, and every party – we build up on new skills and new friends, discover more experiences and more opportunities, and live through endless laughs and endless accomplishments. Looking back, you realize not only how far you have travelled, but how high you have climbed.

I wish you all the best – of luck, of laughs, and of triumph – to try your best, save the tigers, and always reach for the top – because that's where you'll go! "Let the countups begin!"