It seems like perhaps the most pivotal time of the year has arrived for Gilroy High seniors.
As it is now mid- April, meaning that last month Gilroy mail boxes were flooded with letters determining the futures of students hoping to go on to college. With all colleges having replied to students, it leaves students with one of the toughest decisions they will ever make, choosing between the letters that say “Congratulations!” at the top.
As a college bound senior, I always knew this time would come, but I had no idea how hard it would be.
Now, for some students it is easier than others. Some had one clear cut first choice dream school, and once that letter came in the mail their mind was made up and they didn’t even bother checking the mailbox for the rest of the month. These are the students who in mid March were walking around sporting brand new sweatshirts, T-shirts, and anything else big enough to put a school’s name on from their school of choice.
For other students, the choice was made easy because of a lack of choices. Maybe they only applied or only were accepted to one or two schools; maybe they were offered a significant scholarship, an offer few turn down.
However, in examining my current situation, I don’t find myself to be in either of those, or any other situation, that makes my choice easy. I have been accepted to four schools, all drastically different, and while I have definitely eliminated one college during the early elimination round, the other three each have their own benefits and drawbacks convincing me to go there and pushing me away.
After milling over the entire situation I find myself in for the past few weeks I have discovered that I am feeling apprehensive about moving away. I expected to be excited, overwhelmed, and anxious, but not apprehensive.
Having lived my entire life in Gilroy, I along with almost all other high school students, have been waiting for the day to come when I will finally get out of this town and move on to bigger and better things. But standing where I am now, on the brink of accomplishing this goal that everyone has talked about since freshmen year, I am starting to see things from a new perspective.
I am starting to realize that no matter how much trash I have talked about this town on boring Friday and Saturday nights occupied by bouncing between Starbucks and In-N-Out, it really is home.
Yeah, Gilroy is a small town, and the only place more boring on a weekend night is San Juan Bautista, but it has given me a lot over the years. I am actually starting to realize the benefits of growing up in a small, close-knit community.
And I have realized that not everyone will meet a friend during 3rd grade Little League or Parks and Rec soccer that they will, 10 years later, be taking pre-prom pictures with.
I have realized that while these experiences I have had growing up here have made me who I am, but I am also starting to realize that I am ready to move on.
Sometimes it feels like I have outgrown this place, and I am ready to get going on the next stage of my life.
Make no mistake however; it will be a sad day when I put the Gilroy In-N-Out in my rearview mirror at the end of August, but I will be ready.
I don’t think most high school seniors are ready to leave yet, but we will be when the time comes.
