It has been almost a month since my last day of school ever (24th May) and today that sunk in. With the stress of the ever-looming Leaving Cert, I barely got the chance to think about how I felt about leaving my second home.
And it was my second home. Those walls saw me enter in August 2010 as a acne-ridden tween, kitted out in new Dubs that made my heals bleed and a green jumper that made my skin itch. It was my sanctuary for 6 years. And last month I left as a young women, giddy with hope and ambition for the future ahead. It's strange, how humans are creatures of habit and how attached we get to a place, the memories associated with it and the people we have met there. All I know is, I'm sorry to be leaving.
Every September that I returned, it felt like I had never left. I watched the cherry blossom bloom every Spring, showering me in pink petals as I hurried to my next class, and then each Autumn I watched it lose its beauty and shrivel, in preparation for the cold months ahead. My teachers became my guardians, and as I made my way up the system, they became my equals. I watched the new building grow from a floor plan on a page, to the sturdy scaffolding to the final product: shiny new corridors and classrooms to explore. I watched myself mature, transitioning from green to navy jumper, from child to adult.
The memories of school days are ones that I cannot and will not shake. The chats, the gossip and the giggles. From skiing the slopes of Norway to marvelling the talent of London's West End to exploring the wonders of Belgium. No doubt, I have had the opportunities of a lifetime.
To my friends, we've had thrilling ups and crushing downs. We've spent almost everyday of the last 6 years together. The thing about being in a girl's school is that you either love or hate your classmates. The ones we hate, we loath together, and the ones we love become our soul sisters. All I can say is, I don't remember life without you.
No longer are we bound by rules. Never again will I wear the familiar tartan skirt and cream blouse that make up the uniform. Nor will I have to abide by the one way system or be restricted by minimal makeup and clear nail varnish. I can wear as many earrings as I like. I'm all on my own now, and the big bad world that I have been sheilded from is finally my oyster.
Now, there aren't only two roads diverging in a yellow wood. I'm standing on a roundabout with countless exits. For 14 years of compulsory education, I have circled this roundabout, but now it's time to chose a destination and begin my journey.
What's left to mention is the Winnie the Pooh quote that I've attached to this post, quoted by our year's valedictorian at graduation. I have been really lucky with my secondary school experience and now it's time to bid farewell. It's been one hell of a journey and I'm sorry to say goodbye.
