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Sweet and Bitter Goodbyes | Kaylee Kinninger
Sweet and Bitter Goodbyes
I am nearing the end of the line. It is my senior year, and as made evident from movies like The Cinderella Story or Footloose, it is supposed to be brimming with in-the-books kind of memory making. Most expectations set by movies are often disillusioned. But a senior year has been more than I could imagine. It’s involved the greatest and the most tragic moments in my life so far. Inching towards the end, I can’t help but feel sad. High school has been hard, but it’s also made me who I am. I just want to say thank you to these four years. I have never shed so many tears, nor have I laughed so hard. I often pause while walking, tiny freshmen swarming about me. I realize this is it. A couple more months and Canyon Crest Academy will no longer be my home. Soon I will no longer complain about the stone-hard seats, the dirty stairs, and the lack of paper towels in the bathroom. Soon I will no longer walk onto a campus and see CCA kids with their colorful hair and individualistic styles. Soon I will no longer walk up the rainbow stairs to Mr. Black’s room. Soon I will no longer be in a place I know and call home. It’s a strange to think all that I once called comfort and home will probably be replaced with a new home: college. I am grateful to Canyon Crest Academy because though I only got two years as a transfer, the two years have shaped me into a confident, strong, happy person that just did not exist freshman and sophomore year. CCA has given me a chance to, well, be me. It has given me the time and opportunity to mold myself, make mistakes, learn, and thrive. I owe who I am to CCA. So thank you. Thank you for giving me this time to grow. Thank you for teaching me what it means to push the boundaries and dream big. Looking back, I can’t help but feel extremely nostalgic. I am grateful for the ups and downs of the past four years. Each challenge and triumph have shaped the person I am today. So yeah, it’s bitter-sweet. I am facing the future, the unknown completely shook and trembling, but I know that what I have learned the past four years has prepared me for college. I know I have the courage to brave whatever comes with courage and adaptability. Thank you, CCA.