We do not remember days; we remember moments” -Cesare Pavese
High school is full of moments that we will remember forever. During these four years, we are provided with countless opportunities. It is important that we as students take advantage of as many of these opportunities as possible.
Rather than fixating on the reasons not to do something, consider all the good outcomes that could come with taking that risk.
Trying new things and embracing unknown adventures may appear intimidating, but it is important to keep an open mind. Over this past summer, I was able to have many unforgettable “moments” to add to my list of high school memories. My most recent adventure taught me that it is important to take risks even if you are unsure because the outcome could be a million times better than expected.
This past summer, I had the opportunity to travel abroad to Germany alongside eight other JC students. During this fully immersive foreign exchange experience, I stayed with a host family with whom I had never met for two weeks. I learned about the German culture and what it is like to be a high school student in another country. This was also the first time that I traveled without my family.
I was nervous to embark on this trip, but I took the risk, and it was totally worth it. The two weeks I spent in Germany were some of the best weeks of my life.
While in Germany, we attended three days of school. It was interesting to compare the dynamics of their school day to our traditional school day. One major difference I noticed was that they stay in one class with the same people all day. The teachers came to them instead of the students’ switching classrooms.
It amazed me how fluently my host and her classmates were able to switch between English and German. Going into the trip, one of my biggest fears was the language barrier. We learn languages in the classroom, but rarely do we get to use them in the real world. The application of the language I spent the past three years learning was more difficult than expected, but the language barrier was rarely an issue.
On a few of the days we were not in school, we went on day trips to nearby cities including Goslar, Bremen, and Berlin. These were among my favorite days of the trip because we had time to explore and be with the other JC students on the trip. We had some incredible moments traveling throughout Germany and absorbing their culture.
The entire trip brought me so much closer to students in other grade levels that I had never had classes with before. The friendships that I made on the trip are very special to me.
One of the best parts of learning about other cultures is trying all the new foods. My meals looked different from the ones that my family serves at home. I am usually a picky eater, but I was pleasantly surprised by the home-cooked meals that I had in Germany.
Being away from my family and friends for so long was tough at times, but the trip was totally worth it. This was my first time traveling without my family which came with some nervousness, but in the end, I think it was a great way to prepare for college. I kept in touch with my family every day, but it was a good glimpse of what life away from home will look like a year from now.
My Germany trip was an unforgettable experience. I will forever cherish the memories I made and the people I met on this trip.
Make as many memories as possible you can during these four years; memories are valuable and last a lifetime. Take advantage of every opportunity you can that is provided to you at JC, and, hopefully, you will have moments that will stay with you forever.