My Year in Review

Senior year. Well, looking back it is pretty much a blur. I guess one could compare it to a roller coaster. It had its ups and downs, twists and turns, but in the end it went really fast and all you could do was hold on and enjoy the ride. The first day of school feels like a lifetime ago. I walked into school recognizing that everything I did would be my last.

One of the hardest “lasts” to deal with was the tradition of homecoming week. Realizing that this would be the last time I had the opportunity to participate in homecoming was bittersweet. I love becoming so close with my classmates, but I soon realized that in a few short months we would all be heading our separate ways. But, sadly, this year’s homecoming brought one of my lowest points. For the night before the anticipated homecoming dance I scratched my cornea on a tree branch. It was one of the most painful experiences, and although I tried to not let it effect my time, it did.

A few weeks after homecoming the seniors got to have an amazing experience together. Going to Tennessee for the weekend was by far one of the highest highs this year. Not only did it bond everyone together in ways I didn’t expect, but it also made me realize things about my classmates that I would have never known. Being able to spend so much concentrated time with my classmates made me feel all the more blessed to have known them and to call them friends.

The fall also brought another one of my lasts. This last, though, was one that was very hard to separate from. It was the end of the middle school musical Beauty and the Beast. It was very bittersweet for me. The kids that are involved in the middle school drama department have affected my life in many ways and it is hard to depart from them. But they are very special kids and I know God has a plan for each one of them.

The next step in my senior year was the high school play You Can’t Take it with You. I was so excited for this production, but there was a twist awaiting me that I was not expecting. A week into rehearsals I became ill with mono. In turn, I was out of practice and school for three weeks. Although it was hard to get caught up, it was not impossible. With only one week of practice I was able to perform during the first weekend of December.

The weekend of the play also brought with it one of the highlights of my year. This was the strange and fantastic opportunity to meet Matt Damon and Gwyneth Paltrow. It was such a random day, but I was so excited for that opportunity and to be able to experience it with the people I did.

Over Christmas break I was able to attend the missions trip to the Dominican Republic. This can be defined as one of the influential times of my life. Being able to grow closer to my peers, teachers, and God in that environment was truly an unforgettable experience.

The second semester also brought some lasts. These include the last middle school play and Sadies. But one of the biggest ones was prom. After three years of attending prom, I am glad I had the opportunity to go to this one. It was such a great experience to hang out with all my friends and enjoy such a fun and exciting night with such an amazing view.

The biggest event of the year for me and one of the most exciting was The Phantom of the Opera. For the past five years I have watched the Westminster drama department grow into what it is today. To be able to experience the heightened expectations for this musical was insane. I am so proud that I had the ability to be apart of such an amazing production and to help the future of the Drama Department raise the bar for those who are to come.

My senior year at Westminster Christian High School will be one that I will never forget. It has been an amazing time of growth. I would not trade anything for the experience I was able to have.

By: Allie Sleeting