Now that we’re in college, high school seems like a distant memory, but something to look back on and remember good times with old friends. While we have now begun a new chapter in our lives, high school isn’t something that should be forgotten completely. It may not be something we want to go back to, however it is a part of us that will remain with us forever. All of the good times and even the bad, because they do happen, have helped shape us into the people that we are thus far in life.

I went to a high school in Montgomery County, MD called Walter Johnson, named after the famous baseball pitcher. It’d kind of funny when you think about it to realize that your school was named after a baseball player, however, he was from the area, right around where the school is located. Therefore, it makes much more sense that the school is named after him, plus he was a very famous pitcher and spent his time in the major leagues playing for the Washington Senators (what has now become the Washington Nationals). Our mascot was the wildcats, pretty typical of a high school, but despite it being similar to the average high school one would think of, WJ made an impact on life.

One thing about WJ that has influenced me is all of the amazing people I met and friendships I have made. Through all of the various sporting events, dances and other things throughout my four years at WJ, I was able to strengthen friendships I already had as well as make many new and lasting friendships. I can confidently say and I’m sure you all can relate, that all of my best friends from high school I am still talk to all the time and I know I will for years to come because they are such a big part of my life. We have shared so many great memories and are much closer because of it.
Another thing about WJ that had an impact on my life was the teachers. Throughout my four years in high school I had some really amazing teachers that were so dedicated to teaching and the subjects they focused on. Consequently, their love for what they were doing translated into what I ended up enjoying as well. For example, I had the same Italian teacher all four years of high school and throughout that time, I really enjoyed the language so much more because my teacher was amazing and very dedicated to the language and her students. This ultimately influenced my decision to minor in Italian here at Penn State.

Finally, WJ had a big impact on my life through the swim and dive team, better known as WJSD, which I was lucky enough to be a part of all four years. While I have always swam on a club team, WJSD was different because it was more than just a swim team, but a close knit group of good friends. Everyone would cheer for each other and every Friday at school, before our meets that were on Saturdays, we would d
ress up in spirit. The close aspect of the team was something I loved and have always enjoyed through my summer swim team as well as through the club swim team that I am a part of here at Penn State. Overall, WJSD was one of the biggest parts of my high school career where I was able to swim in some big meets such as Metros and the Maryland State meets, two unforgettable meets and experiences that I took part in each of my four years of high school.

Overall, while I know we are all ready to take on new challenges and times in our lives currently, high school was definitely an experience I will never forget. It is something I can always look back on with fond memories and take what I learned then to better myself in the future