To Alex and Rowan: “You got so much to do and only so many hours / In a day, hey” – Vienna, Billy Joel

Going into this year, I had no clue what to expect. A new teacher, no more Editors’ couch, and a general sense of uncertainty lingering in the air. Then, we met with JG before the school year, and I left the building with the widest grin on my face I’d had in a long time. And it wouldn’t go away. And it still hasn’t. It’s only November, and we have a year of memories and rubrics and calendars ahead of us, but I, in true Ella fashion, am already nostalgic for this. To think you will both be leaving me behind in May is devastating, so I’ll pretend I never said that and go on in a state of denial. Alex, when I was a freshman, I didn’t really know you, but you were the only sophomore, so I, of course, had to see you as myself in a year. I’ve seen you work so hard the past three years to get where you are today, and while we didn’t really get to know each other until this year—arguably the end of last year as we scrambled to pick up the pieces of an editor-less, soon-to-be-Ken-George-less TCT—I am so proud of you. You are naturally funny, effortlessly yourself, and, most importantly, you occasionally buy me Chick-fil-A fries. Rowan, from the moment I read your first columns as your big fish—sorry for the times I forgot to edit, by the way—I was so excited for you to join the staff and write more incredible stories and to get to know you as a person; you seemed very cool. Now, a year later, I’m editing alongside you, and I can confirm, you are very cool and you have written more incredible stories. Your columns are indescribable and send me into a state of being utterly speechless. You are one of the most, maybe the most, kind-hearted people I’ve ever met. You’re straight-up one of the best people I’ve ever met. I love knowing you, and I look forward to knowing you better and better as the year goes on.

TCT is something special, and I’m grateful I get to share it with you both. I love you guys, and you’re going to do amazing things.

To Evelyn: “The only time I feel I might get better is when we are together” – When We Are Together, The 1975

This might sound dumb, but I consider the time around Thanksgiving to be our friendship anniversary. Sitting in room 139, learning the TCT tradition of “Trendsgiving” firsthand, I realized how much I liked being around you. I liked being around you before, of course, but something clicked and hasn’t budged since. I am eternally grateful for you. Even if we drift apart, somehow, I will still mean that. You helped teach me what genuine, reciprocated friendship is and, honestly, what love is. Talking to you makes my heart feel full. Thank you for that, thank you for putting up with me, and thank you for being you because I love you. 

To Addie Dub: “Man, they were the golden times / They were the best of my life” – Guys, The 1975

I chose this song lyric because the song itself reminds me of you, me, and Evelyn. We’re not in a band, but being in TCT with both of you, as Matty Healy sings of starting his band, “Was the best thing that ever happened.” We took that leap together, and we have taken many leaps together since. I appreciate your devotion to writing, your commitment to the podcast, and especially your dedication when it comes to copy editing. Teaching Project Charlie with you for a second time has been super fun, and so has our third year of doing pretty much anything but writing during sixth hour (sorry JG), so thank you.

To Ellerie: “It’s never too late to come back to my side / The stars in your eyes shined brighter in Tupelo” – Dorothea, Taylor Swift

You, without fail, brighten my day and everyone else’s with your presence. You are literally a ray of sunshine, and I feel like I can talk to you about literally anything, and you just understand. I hope that feeling is mutual because I love listening to you talk. Whether it’s irrelevant gossip that’s just fun to gab about or what you did after dance last night, you make AP Lang a little less stressful with your calming presence. You’ve held the title of “sweetest person I’ve ever met” for two whole years now, but not only are you infinitely kind, you are funny, you are considerate, and you are beautiful, inside and out. We’ve grown from spinny chairs and the table in front of Mr. George’s desk to—one of the sweetest parallels I’ve experienced—sitting on the individual desk tables in front of J George’s desk. In both cases, occasionally annoying but always entertaining them. Thank you for always, with the exception of one unbearable semester, being there. 

To Maylee: “City of stars / Are you shining just for me?” – City Of Stars, La La Land

Maylee, I am very pained that we are not in the same hour of TCT this semester, but I’m ecstatic to be with you next semester. You are genuinely just so cool to me; I love all of our shared interests, and your taste in music, cinema, and everything in between is immaculate. On top of it all, your writing makes me want to get better at writing. Although we only have AP Lang right now, knowing I can turn in my chair and talk to you about anything is something I’m so, so grateful for.

To Micah: “You know me, you know me / And I just might know you too” – Juna, Clairo

I wonder what my life would be like right now if we didn’t get to be in sixth hour together. Probably a whole lot worse. A lot less humorous, that’s for sure. I would still be living with the knowledge of your existence as a member of TCT and probably being a large fan of your stories, but I wouldn’t call us friends like I thankfully can do now. You are hilarious, you are so sweet, you are so wonderful to be around. And I recently learned that you are an unbelievably talented actress. Sorry for the few times that I’ve missed your references, and sorry for accidentally hitting you about once a week. You have made TCT and sixth hour maintain its iconic charm, and for that, I am unbelievably thankful. I’m extremely grateful to know you, and just being around you makes me happy.

To Addie Mc: “And I’ve never felt more alone / It feels so scary getting old” – Ribs, Lorde

Walking into fourth hour to see you is something I do not take for granted. We just kind of clicked; the year began, and we had probably talked a little bit in fifth hour last year, and that, combined with the shenanigans we encountered together due to Mr. Anderson, was enough to feel close to you. Fighting the plague, testifying in court, and pondering the verity of ghosts have all been made better by you. I don’t know why, but it’s just easy to tell you things and easy to feel less lonely with you there. You’ve been someone I can rely on this year; from drama to outright confessions—through Instagram reels and in person—I really feel like I can trust you, which I’ve been needing. Thank you so much.

To GGRFSC: “Not one of them is cooler than all my friends” – Tough Love, Gracie Abrams

I am so, so grateful for figure skating in an indescribable, one-in-a-million way. I have grown from snow pants and red walkers to senior moves-in-the-field and a heart constructed with the shards of ice that my toepick flings upward. This sport has brought me my best memories, some of my closest friends, and a joy that I get to experience anew each and every day.

Alyssa, I can say with confidence that I can tell you anything. Drama, gossip, irrelevant stories, TMI, and my terrifying amounts of frustration. I feel like you’re my most real, not fake, friend; we don’t even really need to see each other to be friends; that being said, please fix your shin and come back. Ellie, lately, our skating schedules have been failing to align, but when we do share the ice, it’s so fun because we’re so fun(NY). Thank you for occasionally clicking on my stories; it genuinely brightens my day hearing that. You’re my favorite husky! Ellery, something about being around you makes me yap. Sorry about that. Still, I like bothering you while you’re re-tying your skates because you’re very cool. Ellison, you’ve really been there since day one, making the fact that you’re soon going to college even more bittersweet. I’m proud of you for being involved in so many things and talented at all of them. You are one of the coolest people I know and one of the sweetest people I know, too. Ellison, Bryn, and Natalie, as you’ve started working on your solos for the Christmas show, I’ve started getting extremely sad that you are all going to college next year. Thanks for all of the time you’ve put into skating, for all of our chats by the boards, and for all of the ways you’ve been leaders in this club. Next year will not be the same at all. Thank you to everyone involved with the Greater Grand Rapids Figure Skating Club; you have given me and all other skaters an opportunity to do what we love.

To friends: “Wild and fluorescent / Come home to my heart” – Supercut, Lorde

Ian, thank you for being my friend. Soy protectora de mis chicles, but I still enjoy laughing at the shenanigans that transpire in Spanish. Shenanigans is the only word I can think to use. You are funny, obviously, but you’re also genuinely kind to me, and we’re going to have a blast en España. Vic, I was not at all expecting to see you this year, which was just a sad fact that I was going to have to live with, but now I look forward to Tuesdays and Thursdays on the off chance you stick around the library. Sometimes, I just need to let out what I’m feeling and thinking, and I know I can trust you with my repetitive complaints. Thanks for texting me Instagram reels instead of just sharing them and for third-hour procrastination chats. You always seem to just get it, and a message notification from you always makes me smile because I’m about to have an extremely entertaining and validating conversation. Maggie, although we may not talk a ton (as of two AP World seat changes ago), I feel like we will always be friends at this point. From elementary talent shows to high school dances, we’ve had a long run. Thank you for being a familiar face for over ten years now and for always being there. Gianna, I am literally counting down the days until Dec. 3, and I know you are, too: the start of club season. You’re so fun to be around, and I’ve loved hanging out with you at football games and, when they were happening, powderpuff practices. I promise we’ll get Froyo soon, but until then, I’ll speak cryptically at lunches and dm you libero/middle duo content. Megan, I have a deep appreciation for you as a person, and I hope you know that. You are kind, and, while I wish we had classes together, I still feel close to you. Your hugs hit different, and when Anderson gives us third lunch, I may be starving, but I get to see you. Alexis, at the end of last year, I was delighted to hear you joined WFP. Although I didn’t end up getting to be in fifth hour, I ended up getting to talk to you a lot anyway through AP World. You are so, so kind and genuine, and it’s been a joy to get to know you better this year, or maybe get to know you again. I have faint memories of our elementary school era. Emmy, we literally have barely talked since the summer, but I don’t even feel weird about it. I know that come volleyball season, we will be right back into our rhythm of confusing railroad crossings and slushies (or maybe hot chocolate? I’ve yet to experience a winter season with you) and whisper-yelling to tell you to run a B. I appreciate you so much, and I can’t wait to resume crashing out to Gracie Abrams in your front seat (yes, I’m calling shotgun in my Countless Thanks) every Tuesday and Thursday.

To all the other people I’ve failed to mention, I apologize but also hope I’ve made it clear how much I appreciate you. All the people I choose to interact with in my life make every day so much better, and for that, I thank them.

To my family: “Schoolbag in hand, she leaves home in the early morning” – Slipping Through My Fingers, Abba

Dad, I appreciate you more than you will ever know, as bad as I am at expressing it. Thanks for Culver’s runs, Lowell drives, and everything. Mom, there are far too many things to thank you for, but at the forefront of my mind are lunches and putting up with me. Thank you. Emily, I’m going to save it so I don’t run out of birthday card material, but ILY. Thanks for being my concert chaperone, personality inspiration, letting us go to Stan’s Tacos every time we meet so I can have their quesadilla, having and letting me hang out with the most adorable cats I have ever seen, and for all of the other things I can’t bring to mind. Kyle, you’re far away now, but absence makes the heart grow fonder. Or something like that. Thanks for playing Mario Golf with me even though you know you’re going to lose and for being KK’s number one fan. Maybe a new follower will be wrapped under the tree this year. Mema, where to begin? Thank you for chocolate chip cookies, for reading my stories, for visiting and appreciating KK every time you come over, for birthday cupcakes, and for being superwoman; you do so much for everyone, and it does not go unnoticed or unappreciated. Papa, thank you for always knowing exactly when to peer over your glasses and make me smile. I love you and Mema so, so much, and even if it’s just a quick lunch visit, seeing you always makes me happy and my heart full.

To the rest: “And yes, I’m a mess but I’m blessed” – Blessed, Daniel Caesar

With every section done except for this one, my Countless Thanks felt incomplete. I kept rearranging pictures, adding on to pre-existing paragraphs, and re-reading, but after this, I think I will be able to rest freely, knowing I’ve accurately represented all that I’m thankful for. Here’s a mess of random things and people I’m just as thankful for but didn’t know where to put. My Spanish table, none of you are going to read this, and I don’t even know why I’m writing this, but I laugh harder in fifth hour than in any class, so if you happen to stumble upon this, thanks for the laughs! My spring volleyball team, as winter club season approaches, I’m very excited to see some of you again, and I hope this season is just as fun as before; to those of you not on our team again, I miss you! Dr. Keller, thank you for your patience as I struggle my way through AP Lang this year. Thank you for not asking me to elaborate on the fact that I sometimes turn 20 minutes’ worth of work in a whole month late. I hope you know I take this class seriously and appreciate the ways you try to make the rhetorical situation fun. Lucy, you also will most likely not read this, but practice won’t be the same without you. I love staying in touch through BeReal reactions because I can’t send you volleyball-related Reels. Someday. Señor Silvestre, esto no va a ser perfecto. Aunque no estuve en su clase el año pasado, por todo mi tiempo en escuela secundaria, usted ha sido uno de mis maestros favorites. Cuando era estudiante de noveno grado, me perdí la escuela en mi cumpleaños porque estaba enferma. Me mandó un correo electrónico con el enlace a “Feliz Cumpleaños Version Reggaeton,” y me alegró el día. Muchas gracias por todo. Mady, for being the bridge between Sports Report and TCT and being an essential part of sixth hour. You are so funny, and you are—unexpectedly, since I was unaware of your rejoining Sports Report—one of the people I look forward to seeing in room 216. Spencer, for being in our TikToks. Allison, for leaving Yearbook to visit us across the hall. You’ve stopped coming by as often, but you are always welcome in TCT!  

To WFP, the rest of staff, and The Central Trend: “Who uses typewriters anyway?” – The Tortured Poets Department, Taylor Swift

Thank you all times a million. Thank you for working hard and putting in all your effort. Thank you for pouring effort into every last story. This class is not easy, and I personally have been asked so, so many times why I do this. So, thank you for doing this. For writing, for editing for each other, for making the site what it is. I wish I was able to be in fifth hour to get to know all of you WFP-ers better, but I do know that all of you are talented writers.

Thank you to The Central Trend for letting me share my writing and grow as a person throughout high school, and thank you to Mr. (J) George and Mr. (K) George for giving me the opportunity to learn how to write, how to lead, and how to grow. This year, I feel extra thankful for everything in my life, as a wave of joy washes over me again and again thinking about all of the love and joy and people and things I am grateful for. “Thank you” doesn’t begin to cover all the gratitude I’ve been feeling this year, but it will have to suffice. Thank you.