“My senior homecoming experience has been a lot better than previous years since I’ve tried to be more involved in school activities this year. Being nominated also really helped me realize and appreciate how kind people are due the support I’ve received from the nominees and other students. I used to think that different social groups couldn’t really interact with each other, but this experience made me realize that wasn’t the case with how nicely people treated each other. I ran because it’s a way for me to show the growth that I’ve had throughout my high school career. It was also a way for me to do a thing that I didn’t really expect myself to do. I do, however, sometimes overthink about whether or not people perceive me as the type of person that would make homecoming court my whole personality. Other than that, being a part of the homecoming court has been a really cool experience. 

​​One important piece of advice and an impactful lesson that I’ve learned is to give everything a chance, like talking to people you normally wouldn’t talk to. I went into class not really wanting to interact with other people, but some of them ended up being some of the coolest people I’ve ever met. Giving everything a chance, even with the possibility it may not work out, and trying to see the positives in everything is better than not trying at all. For example, I think people should try putting in more effort in spirit events at school. I think people overlook and undermine how much spirit this school can show and have fun with. Also, try to remember that many problems are short-term and will get resolved no matter what happens. In the end, everything works out and time always heals.

I’m looking forward to talking to new people and trying to approach this school year with a different perspective on things. Instead of trying to make my life as easy as possible, I want to take chances where I can go outside of my comfort zone and do things I wouldn’t normally do for my last year in highschool.