by Ryan Green ’26

I tend to think the year before was the best. I missed the feeling of freshman–that feeling of something new–during my sophomore year. I missed the people I met for the first time during my sophomore year, who I would barely see again. And so on and so forth. Not until my final high school hockey season ended did I really understand that I should cherish the moments as they are happening rather than constantly looking back on what was over. 

All throughout my life, I have always been overly nostalgic about the past. Who doesn’t miss childhood hangouts or the funny moments with your friends? My friends told me I had to stop yearning for the past, and I didn’t really realize this until this year when my youth hockey career came to an end. 

I still love the past and its memories but to create them, I have to make the most of the present. This lesson will continue with me to college as this is a big check point in my life. Life will only get harder from now on, and I need to take every experience–both the good and the bad ones–and learn from them but not dwell on them. Take nothing for granted and move onto what’s next.