We gather in a giant room with boxes of tissues everywhere, staring at the letters spewed across our laps.  I don’t think I’ve ever cried so much in my entire life.  Senior retreat was the most moving high school experienced I have had.

The stories and personal experiences that were shared by both teachers and students made me laugh, cry, and dig down deep inside myself. 

When I first walked into the resort hotel, I honestly thought this whole thing was going to be stupid.  There was no way the whole senior class was going to “bond” or even get along.  I was entirely wrong.

It seemed that everybody put aside their social statuses and egos and tried extremely hard to relate and understand each other.  Our small group sessions were incredible, and everyone listened, giving their full attention. 

I don’t want to spoil the details of the retreat for the juniors and the underclassmen, but take it from me.  It will be one of the most memorable things you will ever experience in your young lives.  I made the mistake of starting with a sour attitude, but I’m glad I recovered when the small group discussions began.

I want to thank all of the seniors who went up on stage and spoke to us.  Their experiences were sometimes so sad, but others discovered that they had experienced similar, if not the same, situations. 

So to the juniors and underclassmen, I hope you are all looking forward to this experience.  Have a positive attitude about it.  Make the best of retreat and look past yourself to feel for others.  Believe me, it’s totally worth it.

And to the class of 2010, you guys are awesome.  Thanks for an amazing retreat.

Katelynn Colgain can be reached for comment at [email protected]