Looking Back and Moving On: Last Retreat for Class of 2018

Courtesy of Spreadshirt

Courtesy of Spreadshirt

Christina Fazio ‘18, Features Section Editor

Throughout the last four years at Marymount, the Class of 2018 has experienced laughter, tears, and happiness. We’ve all had some struggles, whether it be finding and making new friends freshman year or navigating through the stressful college process in our last year. However, while we’ve been in school for a couple of weeks now, it still didn’t hit me that this was it, this is the beginning of the end.

Looking back at my time here, I think of my transformation from a scared freshman to a spirited, passionate, and enthusiastic senior. It is the influence of the senior class, the people I have encountered along the way, and the lessons I have learned that I credit for these changes. Specifically, if it weren’t for the lessons I learned during the retreats, I wouldn’t have discovered my true self.

FRESHMEN YEAR

Recounting the September of freshman year brings back feelings of fear for the future and my futile attempts to uncover the unknown. Back then, we had no idea what high school would entail, let alone our future. On the first day of our freshman retreat, we timidly stood on the steps of Cantwell, smiling arm-in-arm, with hope in our eyes and ready for the journey about to begin. Throughout the retreat, I learned that eventually our friendships will cultivate and the memories made in high school will live in our hearts forever.

SOPHOMORE YEAR

While the Class of 2018 fully believed that we were experts at high school with one year under our belt, in reality, we still had no clue what the future held. Our second retreat taught me the importance of taking risks in life. That it is only in taking risks that you can become someone you didn’t know existed, a stronger, better you. I found myself through that retreat, with the help of some amazing friendships.

JUNIOR YEAR

I don’t think anyone expected Junior retreat to be as impactful as it was. Through the disconnection of technology, we allowed ourselves to be vulnerable and rely on others. From day 2 of retreat, it became clear that even though we came from different backgrounds, many of us shared similar stories and bonded because of them. We united as a class and saw each other in a different light, and as a result we were able to develop new friendships because of it.

SENIOR YEAR

The end of our high school lives. It seems impossible to think that three years have passed since we were on the steps of Cantwell smiling in the photo that hangs in high school with our baby faces plastered next to it. Our last retreat mostly consisted of nostalgic memories and finding our anchors. Throughout the retreat, we were reminded that this is our last hurrah because as of fall of 2018, we will be starting our own adventures and venture out into the real world. I was reminded that the friends I have made here have shaped me to become the person I am proud of today.

Looking back on these last four retreats, the lessons and values I have obtained allowed me to develop a new perspective on life. The friendships, the risks, vulnerability, and the love developed are tools provided to the class of 2018. Lifelong reminders for when we leave. I know that these memories will stay within our hearts forever. And there will never be a day when I stop being proud to be bleeding red.