How am I already at the end of this wonderful new beginning? In August, The Gibbons Globe was an unexpected unknown to me. Now, just days before I graduate high school, it is the highlight of my senior year. 

Being a part of the Globe taught me so much about growth – and that most growth occurs in times of bravery. Although journalism usually isn’t a particularly scary profession, finally getting hands-on experience in your dream career can be. 

Mr. Blake quite literally had to drag me across the football field to Coach Wright following a varsity home game – I was terrified to interview a campus celebrity! Luckily, Gibbons had just snagged another victory and Coach Wright is one of the kindest men I have ever met, so the interview was a total success. Throughout the year, Mr. Blake consistently pushed me to greater heights with my stories, and I am forever grateful for this. He is a teacher, a mentor, and a friend to me; I owe so much of my growth to him.

Each member of our little class was indispensable to the advancement of the Globe. Thank you to Blair and Mikaela – the heart and soul of sports news – for your unwavering dedication to uncovering every piece of a story. Thank you to Madison and Mia – our remarkable resident columnists – for putting your all into analyzing Gibbons’ ever-changing culture. Thank you to Kylie and Charlotte – the eyes and ears of the hallways – for making the beauty of the Gibbons community known to all.

And a final thank you to our fearless editor-and-chief and one of my best friends, Reagan. Thank you for teaching us all to step up to challenges and create articles and projects that we are truly proud of. I am so unbelievably lucky to have worked with this class, and I’m so excited to cheer on each of you in your future accomplishments.

I cannot say farewell to the Globe without discussing my favorite poem: “The Lovesong of J. Alfred Prufrock” by T.S. Elliot. Although the title may suggest it, this poem is not about Prufrock’s lover – it’s about the love he holds for words and imagination and life.

New York Times writer Mark Levine interpreted Elliot’s poem as a description of a “teenage wasteland” – the excruciation of being a young person forced to conform to rules we do not understand and complete the same monotonous activities everyday when all we long for is to get away and try new, scary things. 

In this wasteland I dive into my head, using my huge racing thoughts and dramatically descriptive dialogues to create worlds and dreams which I am starving to live in. Suddenly my lips and mind have loosened hundreds of thousands of pounds of possibilities – possibilities of my future and my fantasies. 

I have fallen hopelessly in love with what my words and imagination can create, and I implore each of you to do the same. 

Sit and revel in your teenage wasteland, because soon all of your dreams might be a reality. Know that, no matter who you are, life places no limitations on your imagination.