Senior goodbye: Laura Wallon

My time at Archbishop Carroll has really had me reflecting on what time means to me. Wasn’t I just the freshman walking into the wrong classrooms because I couldn’t figure out the odd side from the even side? I remember how huge the school felt when I visited. The halls were so wide and the staircases so tall. I remember the unfamiliar smell Carroll had, like the smell of opening a new book or coming back to your home after being away on vacation. Over time the hallways got smaller and the staircases shorter. The new smell was undetectable and I had gotten used to everything that was so unfamiliar. Where did all the time go? This part of my life feels so odd because how do I explain this to anyone younger than me without sounding like the very speech I hated as a freshman. All we were told is “make it count”, “time flies by”, and “high school goes by faster than you think”. As a freshman four years felt like a lot to me because four years ago at the time meant I was 10 years old and four years ahead of me I would be 18 and so I told myself, I have all the time in the world. 

So as I sit down, 18 years old, reflecting and writing this, I think of how much control I have over time. No control at all. I am insignificant to time, time does not need me to go on. Realizing this can make you into the most pessimistic “nothing matters” person or the person who knows that “nothing matters but I here I am, anyway”. And for the longest time, I was the first person. Nothing mattered to me. Covid had severely impacted my financial and family life. My grades were horrible, I had nothing to look forward to. But through all of this, I realized that at that time, it was the people who never gave up on me and oftentimes knew who I was before this vehement nihilism consumed me when I couldn’t was what made these 4 years worth it. Words cannot thank the teachers enough who had given me the benefit of the doubt. I never had to explain myself and prove myself to people like Mr. Gennaro, Mrs. Buchanan, Ms. DiMattia, Mrs. Young, and Mrs. Gimpel because I think they just knew. And it’s funny how being a student works. I will remember these people for the rest of my life and maybe they will remember me or maybe not but that’s okay because it is all in how you appreciate time. Don’t spend your life trying to race with time and keep up or even trying to slow it down because you’re not ready, unclench your teeth, and relax your shoulders. Make the time you have worth it because time does go on without us but realizing who and what makes it matter makes it a whole lot easier. Thank you, Mr. Walton, Mr. Cimorelli, Mr. McKenna, Mrs. Bourgeious, Mr. Murphy, Mrs. Pass, Mr. Larimer, Mr. Darrohn, Mrs. Tucker, Mrs. Hoffsommer, Mr. Erdosy, Mr. Malone, Mrs. Henriquez, Mr. Kirsch, Mrs. Cahil, Mr. Damato, Mr. Polselli, Mrs. Volpe, Mr. Gennaro, Mrs. Buchanan, Mrs. Owens, Mr. Scalan, Mr. Valenti, Mrs. Gimpel, Father Cavara, Sr. Marianna Feio, Ms. DiMattia, Mr. Lynam, Mr. Arnoldy, Mr. Zamulinsky, and Mrs. Young. Thank Archbishop Carroll. You have all made it worth it.