Final Thoughts from the Class of 2017
With just about two weeks left of school for the seniors here at Derryfield -- and for some, just a couple of days -- the idea that soon, life at Derryfield will be a thing of the past, is staring all of the seniors right in the face. While many of us are feeling the nostalgia about leaving the place where we come everyday to learn, grow, and work, others are ready to get started on the next phase of their lives. In a survey that I conducted, seventeen out of thirty-four people responded that they feel they are ready to move on, while seventeen others feel nostalgic for the years that they spent here. As a student who has matured significantly throughout my time here, I certainly look back on my time here with joy.
When discussing the reality of being a Derryfield alum in just a few months, Damion Neth ‘17 states, “Everything seems to be happening really fast. I'm trying to cherish the moments that I have and make time move slower. It's finally hitting me that everyone I know is going to be gone soon. I'm going to miss these past four years.”
With the whirlwind of applying to college and getting admissions decisions finally closing, ISPs winding down, and commencement preparation looming, I, like many members of the senior class, am beginning to face the reality of the changes that are about to happen in my life. With college approaching, new scenery, people, classes, and worlds will overwhelm us.
Tyler Crews ’17 shares similar thoughts on leaving the school, stating, “This is home to me. This is where I grew up and watched all of my classmates grow up. I built myself here and leaving is going to be bittersweet.”
For many, leaving the place and people that you see everyday is going to be tough; however, others are thankful for what Derryfield has offered them but are ready to move on to the next stage of their life. For instance, Cecelia Templeton ’17 mentions, “While I do think that I will be more nostalgic around graduation, I am currently looking forward to being somewhere new after seven years at Derryfield, as wonderful as they were.”
Ultimately, whether people are feeling more nostalgic about leaving or are beyond ready to put their high school years behind them, Derryfield has offered our class a plethora of opportunities both in and outside the classroom that we will truly cherish.
As a student who arrived here in the eighth grade, I certainly will miss many of the memories and people I met here over the last five years. I feel that Derryfield has molded me into the person I am today, and the sense of care, hard work, and leadership that many of my classmates exhibit is something I continually admire. Not only will I miss my friends, but I will miss the routine of the practices, assemblies, advisory, etc., because they brought me closer to a variety of people that I would not otherwise have had the chance to interact with. Most importantly, however, I will miss the sense of community that our school thrives off of.