Adults always tell you that high school sucks. While they aren’t wrong, some aspects of high school are the best highlights of your life. Starting a new era of my life through the camera of my computer in virtual school was not on my bingo card for high school, but neither was spending a week in Italy and Greece with my friends and teachers. High school is an experience where you can’t make it up, but after your four years, only the good moments count.

In the fall of freshman year, I joined the Girls Varsity Swim Team. Having a background in swimming I was prepared for practice but I wasn’t prepared for the amount of love and sisterhood the team would provide me. From carpools, team events, winning MACs and my favorite upperclassman swimming with her mask on, that fall was what I needed to get through virtual school.

Sophomore year I was back. Back, and full-time in school was a blessing in disguise. Continuing to swim in the fall and travel in the spring I was able to expand my horizons and experiences around the world. Visiting my older sister while she was teaching abroad allowed me to experience Spanish culture outside of the classroom. Additionally, returning to my grandfather’s homeland to honor him in the Common Riding in Selkirk, Scotland with my entire family was an experience unlike nothing else; traveling is essential for learning in-depth and making an impact.

Junior year has a bad reputation, but reputations are just others’ opinions. I was fortunate enough to attend my first wholesale market while I helped my mom buy for our new clothing store, Newport. Not only was I helping buy for the store, but I also designed, furnished, merchandised and created the logo. It was the first time I was able to see handwork pay off in person. Around the time of opening Newport, South was hosting an informational night about a trip to Greece and Italy. Only knowing a few of the other students going I signed up, it was one of the best experiences of my life. Being with my friends in Europe for a week with the coolest teachers the South had to offer was amazing. All in all the highlights of junior year outweigh the poor reputation associated with junior year.

Then senior year: starting the swim season with bronchitis, getting a concussion and missing the majority of my season due to them weren’t on my to-do list. Things never go as planned in life, it’s part of the experience, but these events made me stronger. While the fall of senior year wasn’t a highlight, the spring was. Attending the February market in New York, going to Ireland for spring break and choosing to attend Michigan State to continue my family’s legacy. Life is good.

High school has many elements that truly suck, but the bigger picture of what high school has to offer is the memories you’re going to look back on the most. The highlights of high school outweigh the unexpected bingo card moments.