7 YEARS ON THE HILL

Hey! For those of you who don’t know me, my name is Alayna. I’m one of the founders of Sisters and a senior at Monte Vista. I’ve been a student at Monte Vista since the sixth grade, so I’ve been on this campus for almost seven years, which, to me, is crazy to think about-- almost half of my life! As my childhood officially comes to an end, and I’m spending more time in reflection, I wanted to share some final thoughts.

I’m currently in the final weeks of my high school years. It feels surreal being here. For the longest time, I was the girl who couldn’t wait to graduate high school, and go out and do things in the “real world.” But, now that I’m here, it feels painfully bittersweet. My years at MVC have been the absolute best. I’ve grown tremendously as a student, a leader, a Christian, and as a person. As a soon-to-be MVC alumna, I have given myself the authority to offer some advice to you.

First, be friends with your teachers!! I cannot express how grateful I am for so many of my teachers. I feel beyond blessed to have had such meaningful relationships with them. As an avid overthinker, I’ve probably had a million ⅛ life crises, and almost every time, one of my teachers has rescued me from spiraling down the tunnel of “what if and what now.” Mrs. Hyde and Mrs. Logan have walked me through so many life questions, and calmed me down when I told them that my life was falling apart over a minuscule problem. Mrs. Fleming has answered so many of my faith questions with such wisdom and poise. Mrs. Keathley, Mrs. B, and Mrs. Lee have taught me how to be independent and assertive. Venessa, Ms. Sokol, and the guidance team upstairs have taught me patience, and challenged me to identify what truly matters to me. SO, my advice to you all is that you take advantage of this! The adults at MVC truly do care about you, and want the best for you. They give the best advice, so reach out to them!

Second, regardless of what your parents, or boomer relatives tell you, your high school friends do matter! I’m a strong believer of the statement: You are who you surround yourself with. I can’t emphasize how true this is. The people you spend time with, influence parts of you--from your humor, and your style, to your core values, your work ethic, and your actions. Choose people who inspire you, and make you laugh. If you find yourself in a situation where you feel like you don’t click with the people you hang out with, it’s okay! I promise you, you won’t be a mean person for distancing yourself from them. In the long run, it’s better for you to do this, than miss out on creating special memories with people you love.

Third, as cheesy as it sounds, high school is what you make of it. Often times, it seems like our high school career is based on the premise that high school is just a stepping stone for college: Get good grades for college, do community service for college, get involved in school for college, play sports for college...the list goes on. Doing this stuff is important, obviously, but at the same time, make sure you do these things for yourself, too. If you do something you hate, just for college, or because you feel like you have to, you will regret it, because it means that you missed out on possibly doing something you enjoy. I was involved in many on-campus, and off-campus extracurriculars, but I loved being a part of these things. I have some of the craziest and funniest stories from my time volunteering in the emergency room and working as a camp counselor. If you want high school to be the best four years of your life, make it that! Do the things that you love! Take advantage of opportunities that you get! Participate in school activities and go to dances! Hang out with your friends! Yes, your grades are important, but at the end of your senior year, you will remember homecoming, prom, sporting events, Christmas parties, beach days, birthdays, coffee dates, brunch, and all the special moments in between.

Lastly, you’ve probably heard this before, but you are your greatest ally. Don’t let people talk down to you, or take advantage of you. Be strong in who you are, and what you believe in. It may seem weird or not cool now, but you will be glad you stayed true to yourself. Learn who you are, and be mindful of that. Don’t be too hard on yourself. Going into MVC as a middle schooler, I would have rolled my eyes at this stuff, but now, as I’m getting ready to leave, and enter a new phase of life, I know that these words ring true.

These past seven years on the hill have been a huge blessing to me. I will cherish every moment, and I encourage you to do the same. The next four years will fly by… don’t let it!

-Alayna M.