Graduation is approaching soon and the senior class can hardly wait. These past few weeks have been painfully slow knowing that our big day is just around the corner. Graduating high school is a bittersweet experience for most students. We will be starting new chapters of our lives as well as saying goodbye to the experiences of high school. Many seniors in the class of 2019 have recently been reflecting on their time here at Ipswich High School. While many students are excited to leave and begin their next journey, for many there is still an overarching sadness about leaving this place. Here’s what some of our fellow classmates have to say about this significant milestone in our lives:

Aaron Ross is a student you can spot in every theater production put on by IHS. When Aaron isn’t on stage or singing with the Chamber Singers, he’s always driving around downtown and hanging out with his friends. Aaron describes his high school career as “the best of times, and the worst of times.” He says the best part of high school is the social interactions that he experiences every day. Aaron explained that during his junior and senior year he broke out of his shell and became a loud and confident person. He expresses that he is sad to leave the music and theater program here at IHS. Aaron’s advice for an incoming freshman is to “Take school seriously, but not that seriously. If you get a bad grade on that test, it’s not the end of the world, but make sure that next time you do better. Don’t stress out about school either, it only makes matters worse, make sure you have fun.”

Sara Hughes is a world traveler and an aspiring fashion designer. Sara spends her time working, being in the great outdoors, and hanging out with Salty, her cat. Having spent the past year studying abroad in Japan, she believes that high school is a time to step out of your comfort zone. Sara associates her entire high school career with the year she spent abroad in Japan. She said that “The trip really opened my eyes and showed me what young people are capable of doing.” Sara says that high school hasn’t really changed her as a person. Sara sees most of her personal growth outside of school. She wants people to know that not everything is about school. She believes that students should find something that they love to do outside of school to broaden their minds.

These two people all have different perceptions of high school. Some students believe that high school is a time to work hard, and others believe it’s a time to try new things. The one thing we can all agree on is that we will miss the time we have spent here.