Thank you, Archbishop Carroll, for making me into the student I am today. I went from being a COVID freshman who slept through all of her online classes to the point that I would miss the next period to a student who hands in all her work on time with high grades. Even though I didn’t go to Carroll for four years, I truly feel like Carroll has helped shape me into an amazing student. If you asked me three years ago, when I came to Carroll as a sophomore, if I felt ready to go off to college, I would have never felt ready. Thanks to Carroll, I feel confident and prepared to head to college this upcoming fall.
I have had many amazing experiences and made so many memories that will last me a lifetime. Some of my favorites would have to be Spirit Week, Catholic Schools Week, and specifically sophomore year homecoming. I also really loved the field trip to the movie theater. Although I slept through the entire film, it was nice to get out of school and go on a field trip for the day.
Juniors, your senior year will go by faster than you would have ever expected. When the seniors before me told me, I didn’t think it would be as fast as it was. After finishing my senior year, there is one big lesson that I’ve learned. That lesson is to not stress yourself out over your grades. Grades are still important, and you should still try, but as long as you are in a position where you are safe to graduate, do not put all your time and effort into studying like crazy. There is so much to stress over once you get to college, and you should make the most of your remaining time in high school. Underclassmen, as long as you do what you are told, you will be fine. Study hard and focus, and high school will be fun and easy. However, there is no need to drive yourself crazy over grades. The high school experience would be more than just academics you get in the classroom. It is so much more! It’s meeting new friends and learning to navigate those friendships. It’s participating in extracurricular activities. It’s finding yourself and growing into a new person. Archbishop Carroll has helped me do all of those things.
Olivia Johnson
