Amanda Greenberg is a Wilton High School senior intern working for GOOD Morning Wilton. In this OP-ED, she looks back at her years as a Wilton student, as she prepares to take the next big, life-changing step.
Living in Wilton my whole life and having gone through 13 years in the Wilton Public Schools has provided me countless experiences I will never forget. Waiting for the bus on the first day of kindergarten, learning to play the recorder in fourth grade, and finding out what color I would be in at Middlebrook are a few of my fondest memories. It feels like just yesterday I walked through the high school doors for the first time, with butterflies in my stomach. Thinking about leaving for college in just three and a half months is remarkable. I would never have thought that my four years in high school would flash by so fast.
Of course it is exciting starting a whole new chapter in my life, but it is definitely nerve wracking as well. After anticipating for so long about the end of senior year, it sure is phenomenal that this time already has come. I have been lucky enough to grow up in a small town, seeing familiar faces everywhere I go and knowing the town inside and out, but things are about to change. One of the things I look forward to most is meeting a whole new set of people and forming new friendships.
This new adventure on which I am about to embark brings with it both great excitement and a mix of emotions. This is the time in my life for me to venture out and explore new possibilities. Going off to college also gives me greater independence where I can challenge myself, step out of my comfort zone, and learn how to do my own laundry. I have heard many stories about college and have gotten advice from older friends, but everyone’s individual experiences are going to be completely different. Some people choose to go far, some stay close, but whatever the decision, it will become a new reality.
Saying goodbye on the last day of classes before starting this internship at GOOD Morning Wilton felt very surreal. On the first day of work, I knew it was real. I never thought high school would come to an end, and yet graduation is just up ahead. Most students dream about the day they will walk across the stage and receive their diploma. I did not expect the time to come when I would finish this chapter in my life. It is sad leaving all my friends and family of course, but I know I will always have Wilton to call my home. High school is already becoming a memory. Whether it’s a fond memory, a sour one, or somewhere in between, it is totally up to you. It is time to turn the page, and start something new.