By Daniela Santos

What can I say that hasn’t already been said before? Yes, I believe I’ve grown these past four year, and yes, I’ve met wonderful people. But who hasn’t?

Now that I think of it, my heart goes out to those who cannot leave these halls without at least one good memory. High school was not too traumatizing for me, but in order for my junior and senior years to flow by, I did have to go through some impactful (or embarrassing) events to get to where I am now. If it makes at least one senior or underclassmen smile, then I have no problem letting readers know a thing or two about my high school experience.

Freshman year I had insecurities that felt so prevalent that I might as well have written them on my forehead. I never felt my best.  Makeup and boyfriends at that age wasn’t allowed in my household so I always felt behind. Plus I had a hard time opening up and making friends so I tried the best I could to follow the crowd.  I always walked the down the halls holding this frivolous backpack purse-thing just because the other girls did not have backpacks; I also hated wearing loose fitting clothing because I felt that they made me look big. I remember even pulling the back of my shirts just so I could have the maximum amount of tightness. Oh! I also, shamefully, owned a pair of knock-off Uggs too. They still haunt my closet to this day.

On an academic level I also thought of myself as lesser. I took non-challenging classes because I did not feel smart enough to be beside the people I now call my friends. It’s these insecurities that led me to newspaper, so things do have their silver lining. I originally joined the class to improve on my writing but, four years later, not only did I improve my writing I also improved on my ability to laugh at myself and embrace the power of individuality.

In that class, and the advanced classes I took following freshman year, I’ve met the most opinionated people that I thought were non-existent at Wheat Ridge High School. They were hidden gems. Every day in Newspaper, I admired the juniors and seniors who were in the class because they always came in with something new to talk about. Their thoughts on music, film, political events and school were like nothing I’d ever heard. One classmate could even confidently say that he had never listened to a Rihanna song.

Freshman year I also met this dynamic duo that graciously let me tag alongside them. Though we are not as close as we were back in the day, the time I spent with them allowed me to view the world differently. They taught me the importance of not caring.

As I look back I regret those low points where I lost track of myself. I think the lowest moment of my high school career was trying out for the Wheat Ridge soccer team. Interpret that as you will. Of course the lessons I learned from the people I mentioned did not change me overnight; sophomore was definitely my transitioning year. But today my friends jokingly call me a hipster. Although I always decline the title, the fact that they think that lets me know that I’m not the same wannabe I was, which is great.

To the remaining Farmers reading this, I hope reading these embarrassing confessions made you roll your eyes. I mean this in a good way because in doing so, then you understand why this freshman me was so petty. Moral of the story, be different. And if you don’t know where to start, I suggest that the next time you’re listening to a song on Spotify or YouTube, check out what is on the recommendations list. Or better yet, ask someone for a recommendation that is not like what you usually listen to. Trust me, having the will power to admit you need to change only makes high school less dreary.