by Daara ’13
Last Thursday, March 8, was the final day of the third quarter, and it seemed that things were coming to a close as we turned in final assignments and took the last tests of the quarter. Sitting here on my porch on this mild and breezy day, I have the rare opportunity to reflect on the past year, and look forward to the remainder of my junior year and the entirety of my senior year. I ponder the subtle and often overlooked parts of life, the things that enrich and influence our daily lives and shape our character.
At UHS, we all go through the same school, take the same core classes, attend the same assemblies, and enjoy time with our friends, yet each of us has a uniquely personal and individual high school experience, like a fingerprint of sorts. We all have one, but yours is unmistakably yours. Regardless of our unique differences, for me—and I can only speak for myself—the bedrock onto which I have built my UHS experience is the unshakable sense of community that fills our school.
On the flip side of things is my commitment to Marin Rowing, which takes up a large portion of my time. However, while I need to manage my schedule more efficiently—at times an arduous task—I have come to realize that crew has truly helped shape who I am and has given me the ability to both mentally and physically push myself. With all of the time and effort put into both high school and rowing, it may seem like I’d have to choose either one or the other; but the community at UHS has stepped up to help. The faculty is understanding and more than willing to help me by granting extensions when I need them, and the school seems to take a genuine interest in my success at rowing. It is no stretch of the imagination to say that UHS will support one’s interest both academically and athletically. I am truly thankful to be a part of such a close-knit and grounded community of individuals who are so sincerely interested in one another’s success.
