As a freshman in 2012, I didn’t really think all that seriously about college. I had some ideas, but they mostly involved playing NCAA Division I baseball (hey, a kid can dream). I didn’t think about the things that actually matter to me now, such as how far is too far away from my family and close friends, which school will give me the best job opportunities, and which one will be the most fun. I think that if I would have thought about these three factors as a freshman, I would have been scared to death of going somewhere far away.

I’m going to Montana State next year–where I don’t know anybody–and I’ll be 14 hours away from home. I’m still scared, but not scared to death. The idea of living somewhere new is exciting – especially somewhere as outdoor-oriented as Bozeman, Montana.

I love skiing. My family goes to Montana every year for a ski trip and I’ve known for a while that Montana would have to be my home at some point in my life. I decided that I didn’t want to risk missing that opportunity and just went for it. I figured that the worst case scenario would be that I transfer after a year if I can’t stand being so far away.

At Montana State, I’ll be studying Civil Engineering to hopefully become a structural engineer. I was lucky and kind of knew what I wanted to go into before I got to high school, but not many people do. What really helped me solidify this plan for a career was the Mentor Program. It can be a lot of work, but my mentorship at Ericksen Roed & Associates showed me that I actually enjoy this field.

For the longest time, I didn’t think I’d want to leave Apple Valley High School. For some reason, after traveling to Europe over spring break, I realized that it was time to move on. No, I’m not totally done with this school and I don’t hate it, but I reached a point where I’m okay with leaving.

I will surely never forget some of the great experiences I’ve had at this school. Whether it was band, sports, or just a great school day, this school found a way to leave fantastic memories.

I’ll miss AVHS along with the teachers/coaches I had and the friends I’ve grown so close with.  I’ll miss the tight class schedule. I’ll miss the band concerts. I’ll miss the Friday night football games. I’ll miss the cross country and track meets. Of all the things I’ll miss, I’ll miss my family the most. My friends will be a close second.

Every night after school, I could count on going to sleep down the hall from my parents and brother. No matter how good or bad my school day was, no matter how stressed I was, and no matter how much I got on my family’s nerves for being late for everything, they would always be there.

Every time I wanted someone to hang out with, I could count on my friends living just a short drive away. No matter what people had going on, there was always a close friend to hang out with.

Next year, my family won’t be down the hall and my childhood friends won’t be down the street. That’s a little scary.

I’ve had doubts about whether or not Montana State is really the right fit for me, especially being so far away from my family who cares about me so much (I can guarantee that my mom won’t stop trying to get me to go somewhere closer to home). But I’m confident that my family, friends, and AVHS have prepared me for whatever challenges I may stumble upon in my future.

Thank you, AVHS staff and students, for a great four years.