Wow, I can’t believe my freshman year is already over; it went by SO fast. To say the least, my freshman year was pretty memorable. It had its ups and downs, but every step of my wild ride taught me something new or brought me closer to someone I love. With these important lessons in mind I’d like to take a walk down memory lane and commemorate the biggest parts of my freshman year:

Well, I obviously have to start at the beginning. Going into freshman year EVERYTHING scared me, especially Mr. Bevins. To be honest, I was a little scared to meet new people too, but as I went to orientation and more events I became more comfortable making friends and getting to know people in my classes. Throughout the awkward transition phase, I leaned on my family a lot; they became my rocks, and I’m so grateful for how close I’ve become with my family this year. 

Despite my fears, everyday was a reminder that I made the right decision going to Rosary. I loved my classes and my teachers and everything about Rosary (don’t worry, I still do). A monumental moment for me was finding out I was one of only two freshmen that had made it into this year’s journalism class (shoutout to Andrea Salazar ‘26). At first, this class was very daunting, but once I got the swing-of-things I found myself super comfortable with the class and Ms. Barclay ‘94, and I finally realized that I’m actually a decent writer. 

Then came my first soccer season. I was super excited to play for my first ever high school soccer team, and I was so glad that I made JV with most of the other freshmen I already knew. To keep it brief, I went into the season with very little confidence in myself or my skills but came out of the season being a confident leader on the team and a starting midfielder. 

Fast forward, first finals ever. Whew, I was stressed. I had no idea how anything worked, but somehow I survived. 

Skipping to second semester:

With finals and a whole semester under my belt, I came into semester two feeling super confident, but also super scared because I felt like I had been doing so well in my classes so far that the universe had to balance out my wins somehow, right?

Fortunately, that has not been the case (so far, I still have one regular week to go!). This semester has been great for me. I’ve found myself in a comfortable spot within my friend group and really succeeding in all aspects of my education. I grew closer to my family, deepened in my faith, and gained a new sense of self-confidence I didn’t even know I was capable of possessing. My hard work this semester has really paid off.

I also can’t forget to mention my amazing personal and team achievements on the triathlon team this year. Now that is something I could have never imagined myself doing, and I ended up loving the sport. My great coach Adam Harita and awesome teammates made all the work worthwhile.

Finally, my first Red & Gold  was unforgettable. I’m at a loss for words to describe this amazing, sacred, and beloved tradition at Rosary. It was an incredible experience, and I truly felt the unique Rosary sisterhood throughout my journey on Red Drama.

Overall, my freshman year was not too shabby. As I said before, I’m so grateful for the lessons learned this year and all the meaningful connections I’ve made. 

I’m especially grateful for Mr. Bevins who pushed me to realize and fulfill my full potential. I also loved my journalism class (I mean, where else do you get to experience the humor and literary genius of Ms.Barclay ‘94, write alongside actual legends like Anna and Charlotte Jordan ‘23, get advice from the elegant and wonderful Daniela Arias ‘23, and double-over at the hilariously heinous jokes of Emma Silva ‘23, all in one room?), which was always the best part of my day.

In one final note, I’d like to mention my Grandpa Bob. Everyday from the start of my freshman year he has been there for every big and little event in my life. Every article I published he read and he was there for every accomplishment I made this year, no matter the size or impact. His daily texts, whether it be a dumb math pun or some Monday inspiration have meant the world to me this year and always make my day. Though he may live a state away, his investment in my education and in my life is a profound gift.

So, goodbye freshman year, you’ll be missed (sort of).