It is that time of year again — the end of another school year. In light of recent talk around the newsroom regarding Staff Writer Annette Jim√©nez’s son, Aidan, graduating from high school this week, I couldn’t help but think of my own graduations.
It’s been 16 years since I graduated from Gates Chili High School, but I do remember that I was not looking forward to it, because I was scared to leave my friends and attend a new school where I would have to meet new people.
My first day of classes at St. John Fisher College that fall was a total nightmare. I got into a car accident entering the campus, and I cried to my parents, saying I never wanted to go back there again. Thoughts of that first day crossed my mind during St. John Fisher’s 2006 commencement as I walked across the stage at Blue Cross Arena to receive my diploma. Though my first day of college was anything but perfect, I again didn’t want to part with the place I had called home for four years. I had made some amazing friends and had some great times on campus and didn’t want to face the reality that it was time for me to figure out the next chapter in my life.
So my advice for graduates is to cherish your memories from your time in high school and college. Time goes by very quickly. Though you’ll never get to walk those halls as a student again, you’ll always have your memories from your time there. Don’t be afraid of new places and experiences. They may be some of the best times of your life.
