I often ask myself: what have I learned throughout the past years in high school?

Well, I learned in math that the Pythagorean theorem is a^2 +b^2 =c^2. This is all I learned through four years of math. Thank you, Mr. Smith, Mrs. Hanson, and Mrs. Post for putting up with me, for awkwardly nodding your head when I would scream that the answer is the Pythagorean Theorem when it had nothing to do with the problem but it is simply the only thing I genuinely understand and learned in math.

I learned that absolute power corrupts absolutely, and that history literally repeats itself no matter how hard the human race tries to resist. Thank you, Mr. Bulk and Mr. Labenz for teaching me this.

I learned in English that Romeo and Juliet is one twisted, messed up love story that I want nothing to do with. That The Great Gatsby is filled with colors that apparently have meaning, because yellow is not just a color; no, yellow is representative of some deeper meaning of corruption. Ok..? Thank you, Mrs. DeMeester for reenacting the scene from Romeo and Juliet with Barbie dolls and making me cry laughing. I would buzz with joy and excitement waiting for class to start. Thank you, Mrs. Wallace, for giving me the knowledge of colors: yellow is corruption, green is hope, and white is purity, etc.

I learned in science that it doesn’t matter if it makes sense, just go with it. Do not question things or theories – they are always right, and that will only lead to making you look foolish in front of the class. Thank you, Mr. Colegrove, for not throwing me out of class when I would call you coleslaw, Mr. Anderson for putting up with my confusion – I still have no idea what the heck we are learning, but that’s okay, I’ll get there.

Most importantly, thank you to everyone who has helped me along the way to learn more about myself not only about the textbook and curriculum but myself.

The only thing I genuinely learned about in school was myself. I learned that I love color-coordinating as a way to study. I am a very visual learner. I learned how to interact with all different types of peoples and that I tried to the very end to achieve my goals. I learned I am addicted to coffee and that I love reading and meeting new people. What I learned in school was not really about math or science; it was about the subject of myself. I have been put in all types of different situations that have required me to grow and learn. I have discovered parts about myself that were nonexistent before freshman year.

So what did I learn in school? I learned about myself.