by Taylor Burns
As the seniors are ending their time at PCM High School, we ask ourselves: what will the class of 2017 be known for?
The senior class of 2017 grew up in world much different to the classes before them. Most of this information is according to hot1047.com. Most of them don’t remember the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, because it was before they even went to preschool. The U.S. had military existence in Iraq and Afghanistan nearly all of their lives. The fact that most parents carried around a flip phone and a separate camera is unknown to them because they’ve grown up with phones and cameras all-in-one device. Along with the all-in-one device, social media could not be activated on a cell phone when they were born, and they probably don’t have any recollection of MySpace. They don’t need to know how to read a map because Siri can do it for them.
High School Principal Scott Bridges said, “I hope the class of 2017 will be known for great things they did when they were in school, and for finding success and happiness at some point in their lives.”
Teachers will always wish the best to the seniors and hope they truly do go far in life. Several will tell the students not to wish away their high school career because they wish they could go back. They try to give students the best piece of advice they have before going into the real world.
“As I reflect back on my life, way back when I was in high school, I thought the friends I made in school would be the same I would have later in life. That’s not how it turned out. I made new friends in college, then I made new friends in my professional life, and I rarely see the people I went to high school with. So I hope the class of 2017 will try to stay connected with each other, but will also be ready to make new friendships and develop meaningful relationships all throughout their lives,” Bridges said.
It is true that the seniors all grew up together and will be leaving each other to make new friends. Some of the seniors are the first sibling/child to move out and go to college in their family, which will be a big adjustment for their parents. For other parents, though, it will be their last, which might even be a bigger adjustment.
“I have two children, Christian (our oldest) and Courtney [senior], and they were almost nine years apart, so for the past 25 years everything my wife and I have done has been for our kids[…]and we have loved it,” Bridges said. “Now that Courtney will be ‘out of our hair,’ we will have to learn how to live our lives in a different way. We’ll have to reinvent ourselves and find things we like to do that don’t involve our children. It’s a whole new beginning, and I’m anxious, sad, excited, nervous, depressed and happy about it. Basically, I’m an emotional wreck.”
No matter what the situation is, the class of 2017 will be known for many different things, just like any class is and we wish them the best of luck on wherever their future takes them.
“I will miss their sense of humor, their determination and the many different personalities and qualities that make up who they are. Of course, I will also miss them in a different way because they were friends of my daughter. Because of that, I would say I have made stronger connections with this class than I have in the past. I will miss that for sure,” Bridges said. “I wish the best of luck to the class of 2017. I’m glad I had the privilege to be their principal.”
