As the time of my Elder career is slowly slipping through the cracks, I want to review some of the 10 things I will miss about Elder. As there are countless things that I could list, but I want to focus on the top 10 that I will miss (trying not to forget any). Elder has been so good to me and my family, I feel that it is only right that I reflect upon my time here.

10. Lunch Time

Coming in at number ten is lunch time in the cafeteria with my boys. In my opinion, lunch is a very overlooked aspect of school. For some, it is a stressful time of wondering who with or where they are going to sit, and for some it is a relaxing time. For me, lunch was an escape part of my day. I am able to just enjoy sitting with my friends and talking with them. Some of my most memorable conversations of all time have occurred in the friendly confines of my lunch table. I really began to appreciate lunch in the cafeteria after the Covid year with socially distanced lunch seats. It made me realize that I needed to appreciate eating lunch in the cafeteria with my friends.

9. Wearing the color purple

At number nine, I have wearing the color purple…all the time. I take a lot of pride in representing Elder, and one way in which I represent it is sporting Elder clothing or just the color purple in general. At this point, I’ve gotten used to matching the color purple with just about anything. Whether it just be at school or out in public, you can typically catch me wearing an Elder shirt or purple of some sort, and this is one part of Elder that I just absolutely love. It’s a universal sign of pride for the Panthers, and parting with this prestigious shade of red and blue mixed is something I will be very difficult.

8. The Purple Quill

In my eighth slot, I have The Purple Quill. Although being actually involved in The Purple Quill is something somewhat new to me, it’s an aspect of Elder that I have always appreciated. Although many here receive a Quill when they are distributed, I’ve noticed that few to none hardly ever read them; however, I have secretly always looked forward to when the Quill is distributed because I enjoy reading them. On top of my enjoyment for reading the Quill, I’ve found a new appreciation for it by actually writing articles in it. This will be a dearly missed part of high school for me.

7. Service Through Student Council & Ambassador Society

My number seven is service hours either through Student Council or the Ambassador Society. While I don’t mind doing community service, it’s not quite the service I’ll miss so much. What I’ll miss about it is coming back to Elder on a weeknight along with my other classmates there. Only seeing these people inside the walls of Elder on weekdays eight AM to three PM, I get accustomed to only these hours. But when there’s an opportunity to be with these people outside these hours especially on a weeknight, it honestly makes me look forward to the service far more than I would without these people.

6. Car Rides to School

Number six on my list is car rides to school. One of the most peaceful parts of my day is the twenty-five minute car ride to school where I can just be by myself in my own head listening to my music. Some days I’ll leave my house early so that when I arrive at Elder, I can just sit back in my car for another twenty minutes or so to just get my mind right and enjoy my music. Until I began thinking about this, I never realized how important that these car rides are to me.

5. Pep Rallies

Coming in at number five on my list are pep rallies. Pep rallies have been one of my absolute favorite parts of Elder up to this point. Some of my favorite laughs and memories have been from freshman to junior year watching them, and then this year actually having the opportunity to plan and do them. I think that people really appreciate the pep rallies as much as I do, so I love taking my own time to plan them and make them as entertaining as I can.

4. Friday Nights

At number four, I have Friday nights. At this point, I’m really getting into my parts of high school that have made my experience what it is. There’s never a better feeling inside the walls of Elder than the school day on a gameday (most exclusively on Fridays). Then, arriving at the football games ready to storm the field along with everyone else just makes the experience what it is. Basketball games, too, like I am just such a huge fan of being there on Friday nights. Aside from just enjoying watching the gameplay, I have made it a priority to just simply support my friends and classmates that are competing in their respective sports. Whether it was being in the section my freshman through junior year or cheerleading this whole senior year, Friday nights are simply unmatched. I’m going to miss being in that section on Friday nights, but boy am I also going to miss being a cheerleader.

3. The PFC

In my number three slot, I have the PFC (and Donohoe Center). The weightroom is something I fell in love with back in my eighth grade year, and it was honestly my first experience of Elder. Coming into that weight room as an undersized eighth grader, it was definitely an overwhelming feeling, but Coach Rankin and Coach Merkel made it feel like home to me and that I belonged. Ever since that year, I made it a priority to get into the weightroom as much as I physically could, and for this reason it felt like a second home to me. Departing with the physical building of the PFC will be a tough goodbye, but not quite as hard as the people in it.

2. Elder Baseball

Coming in at number 2, I have Elder Baseball. Elder Baseball has been my cornerstone throughout my time here at Vincent and Regina. I have learned so many valuable lessons from my time competing such as how to work hard, how to face adversity, and how to be a teammate. I can’t even believe that I’m writing about missing it right now because I feel like I absolutely flew to my senior year at this point and can’t believe that in a few short months I’ll be saying goodbye to Elder Baseball. From the car rides to games, to team dinners, to just practicing with the boys, I’m going to miss it all. This program has helped me to advance to the next level, and I can never repay them for that. I am beyond thankful and appreciative of every single coach and player in the program, and I hope and pray that one day I can return to the prestigious program to coach.

1. The People

Finally, at my number one I have the people. Folks aren’t lying when they say that Elder isn’t important because the walls and ceiling that make the building, it’s the people inside that make the place so special. Elder has provided me with my group of people that I will hopefully hold onto forever, and because of that I am forever indebted to Elder. I take so much pride in the people that I call my friends, and I have found and became close with these people because of Elder. Not only is it my friends and classmates that will make departing so hard, but the teachers and faculty as well. Every member of the administration has had my best interest in mind all along whether it be my teachers, my advisor, or anyone else that has helped me along the way, you guys are the people that have made my experience one of the best things I have ever done in my life. To all you people from the bottom of my heart, thank you, and thank you Elder.