A Fleeting Farewell

Kate Wegleitner '16, Opinion Section

With a limited number of days in high school left, my life has become a series of lasts: my last early Monday morning, my last day in a pleated skirt and white polo, my last long trek from B301 to H14. Soon, after three months of summer limbo, my life will then abruptly transition to a series of firsts: my first time living away, my first college class, my first East Coast winter.

With the finish line sharply in view, I find myself wanting to slow down, to take back time and relive every moment I have shared with my classmates. Thus, my advice to Juniors, Sophomores, and Freshmen is to not anticipate the end. It arrives soon enough, only leaving you wistful of experiences that have already crystalized into memories. My other advice, on the topic of memories: make them. Take every opportunity to have conversations and share laughs with those around you. Whatever test you are studying for, whatever project you have due is far less important than the friend sitting next to you in the library. Though there are certainly times to focus academically, the moments you will remember are those that involve other people. It is the people here that I will miss the most.

This bittersweet transition floods me with waves of nostalgia thinking about all the coaches, teachers, and friends that have made my Marymount experience unforgettable, those I will no longer see every single day. Though I am dreading saying goodbye, I know all of my goodbyes are not permanent. The extraordinary community I have found at Marymount is one that will stay with me the rest of my life both literally and figuratively. The bonds I have made will only grow stronger, and the sense of home I associate with Marymount will never fade. I know I will continue to think of the individuals who have impacted me fondly and often.

Recently I visited my college and met future classmates and teachers, many of whom seemed vaguely familiar. I initially couldn’t put my finger on why, but I soon realized it was because they reminded me of a classmate or teacher I knew at Marymount. So now, in my desperate attempt to prevent a sentimental overload, I am championing this concept of identifying familiar traits in others as a way of rationalizing my farewell: I won’t really have to bid adieu, as I will be surrounded by pieces of those I’ve known here everywhere I go.

From robotic competitions...
From robotic competitions…
To late night Ihop trips with my sailor sisters.
To late night Ihop trips with my sailor sisters.