100 days

Today marks the annual "100 Days Party." An Andover tradition. It's something I've been looking forward to since freshman year. The 100 Days Party takes place during the final weekend of Winter term and it's seniors only. It marks 100 remaining days until our class graduates…including weekends. I'm remote this term, so I haven't been able to see my friends for a year at this point. This also means that I won't be able to attend the 100 Days Party, which is taking place as I write. 

It's a day to celebrate the graduating class. 2021. What a ride we've been on. This party marks a quarter of our lost time together as a grade. We've missed many traditions. Besides the 100 Days Party, missing the Vista Walk on the first day of school left a dent in my spirit. I was also greatly looking forward to the boat cruise in the Boston Harbor during senior fall. We've seen the highs and lows of Andover. We've seen this institution shine and we've seen it struggle. And the students in the class have been working relentlessly to drive positive change as student leaders, prefects/proctors, and role models. I've worked with some of them, and I'm still continuously inspired by my peers. 

But we've also lost time together and I hope this class finds a way to reunite as one. We're scattered all over the world as of now. Those who decided to return to campus for the last month of Winter term are bringing parts of the puzzle together. But this class, which usually comes together every fall onto one campus from all quarters of the world, has remained scattered in these quarters. Yet what's more inspiring is the fact that we haven't lost connection with one another. We haven't forgotten each other. The 100 Days Party is a testament to this fact. Superlatives are announced during the 100 Days Party, where students nominate each other for around 30 different categories. The fact that different students were nominated for each category means that even after a year of remote learning, we still recall the memories, traits, and personalities of the individuals in our class. 

The 100 Days Party is a bittersweet moment. It's certainly a time to celebrate the graduating class. However, it's equally a time to realize that these are my last 100 days as a high schooler. I'll never return to this age or moment of life again. And when this second thought comes to mind, I can't help but think about the things I want to do before I graduate. The first thing that immediately comes to mind is attending a Brace Presentation. I need to do this in the Spring when I'm back on campus. I would also like to wake up early one day and watch the sunset on Siberia, or what we call our soccer fields. I'm usually up around this time, but in the middle of a workout. I haven't spent the time actually appreciating the peacefulness of campus early in the morning when 95% of campus is asleep. Finally, I cannot wait to serve as a residential prefect in a freshman dorm in the spring. I've always wanted to prefect/proctor a dorm and I'm really looking forward to this opportunity to work with the younger students on campus. 

Winter term comes to an end this Friday. Meanwhile, I'll be savoring my final months as a high schooler. More responsibilities surely come with going to college so perhaps this is also my last couple of months as a true kid.