Dear Archbishop Carroll,

I am still in disbelief that I will be graduating high school in three weeks. What a ride it has been. It really does not feel that long ago that I was attending the freshman orientation here, even though it has already been four years. I remember coming to Carroll on “Day 1” when the seniors were talking about how fast high school would go by and that you should make the most of your limited time here, but I ultimately ignored some of their advice and did not believe that it would fly by. It turns out that they were right.  

It would be a lie to say that I have liked my high school years, though I have overall enjoyed my time that has involved Carroll. Over the past four years, I have gotten to know many different people who have all played a part in my life someway or another. I am very grateful for the variety of personalities of students and administration that Carroll has to offer, which is one of the reasons why I have appreciated this school more than I probably give credit to. Some of my highlights of these past four years have been playing soccer, attending sporting events, going on Kairos, and creating relationships with others. These have all been a key part of how I will remember my time at Carroll.

Looking back, it is crazy to see how much my life and myself have changed since starting high school. Most of my interests, values, and beliefs have remained the same; however, many other aspects of my life have changed. Many major events in my life have occurred in the past four years, which may explain why I feel like so much of a different person. Since entering my freshman year I have moved twice, experienced a pandemic, and have gone through two separate major hardship periods. Coming into high school I had a vision that I would be a very involved member of the community, excel athletically and academically, and go on to attend a four-year university with a set major. Though these ideas may not have all gone accordingly, my biggest takeaway from my time at Carroll has been that everyone has a different path in life. Nobody ever really has it all figured out, because that is not the way life works. It is the experiences that take place which make us into who we are, though we are constantly adapting and adjusting our lives which makes it impossible to ever fully be aware of what lies ahead. Thank you Carroll for being a part of my journey.

Roll Pats,

Connor O’Brien