Writer: Mariette Morcos
Editor: Ahmed Ashry
Congratulations
To all those who are reaching milestones, those who are uncertain, those who may have not reached their goals, I commend you all for your great efforts. It does not matter if you are on the same level of achievement as your peers; we all go at our own pace. These small achievements are worth celebrating as much as the big ones because as a wise man once said “The journey of a thousand miles starts with one step”. This step and all others like it may seem small; however, they are what keep us moving forward. Be proud of that step, celebrate the small milestones along the way.
Personally, I just graduated high school. Finally! And like many people, I am scared, relieved, and confused. A tornado of emotions is swirling around my brain. My journey, like that of many of others, has not been easy or “normal”. I was an IB student. Many people don’t know what IB is, and those who do must be thinking: “Oh, wow. That must’ve been tough!” It was; it truly was. But looking back, this experience has completely changed my life 180 degrees. My freshman year, I was a transfer student. I didn’t know anyone. I didn’t know what to expect. However, if I could go back in time and see that little 15-year-old girl, all anxious and shy, I would tell her that it’s okay that her life was about to change.
In a month I will be off to college, away from my loved ones, but I know that because of my journey in the last three years, that I will be able to dive into the unknown and embrace it wholeheartedly. I am proud of all that I have achieved. As many of us are graduating, I want you all to take a moment to reflect. Think about all the hours spent studying; the hours spent crying over unsolvable math problems; the hours spent with friends laughing and enjoying each other’s company. Each of us had a unique high school experience, some focused only on their studies, some were juggling a few student activities, but what I truly know is that we all should be proud of how far we have come. Be proud of who you have become. You are not who you were yesterday, nor the person you’ll become tomorrow.
You will grow, learn and change, and you must trust that you are on the path to become the person you are destined to be. Feeling proud of yourself does not only apply to graduation: you can be finishing up exams, finally presenting that big presentation, facing your fears, standing on a stage and addressing hundreds of people. Whatever it is you are going through, whatever it is you are trying to achieve, know that you can and will get through this. The journey will be long; it will have ups and downs. But that is how you know you are on the path to reach your goal. Be proud of yourself and all you have achieved and the person you’ve become. And finally allow me to say, “Congratulations!!”
