by Matt Kauffman ’23

After a Rock n’ Roll Revival Rehearsal in late February, in a tired and dehydrated state, planning to head to the Maryland basketball game, I cut my fingernail open on the door handle to the bathroom in the Ertzman lobby. In one of the most painful moments I’ve ever experienced, I let the blood rush into the sink, lost consciousness, and the next thing I knew I was being woken up by Mr. Dunn and several others with a pounding headache from hitting the floor and a bloody finger.

For several moments my mind was a blank slate, confused beyond belief. And then, everything quickly started coming back. The faces, the names, the events of the day, what I had played at rehearsal, how I ended up in the bathroom in the first place. My memories returned quickly and intact, and in the moment I felt a surprising sense of gratitude for my quick recovery and for the fact that I could look back at my high school experience and recognize the important, unforgettable moments it had given me, good and bad.

The thought of taking legal action against the school and/or county for the inexplicably sharp door handle never even crossed my mind until my friend (comedically, I think) suggested it. I never considered it– it seemed like a lot of work for something that was mostly my own fault and only resulted in a minor concussion and a few reluctant explanations of why my fingernail is slowly but surely turning black. Sherwood can take my inaction as a token of gratitude for the years of opportunity this school has given me. These chances are only here for four years, and if you’re graduating this year, hopefully you took advantage. Hopefully you can have a sense of appreciation for what Sherwood has been in your life.

I don’t know how I’ll feel about Sherwood when I look back in the coming years, but I doubt I’ll think about all of its flaws (the bursting pipes, the lack of air-conditioning in the gym, the perpetually congested parking lot, etc.). Sherwood was our home for about seven hours a day, five days a week, nine months a year for the past four. Which is why I never sued, even though I could have.