Dear Knoch High School, 

There are a lot of things that I don’t know. Luckily, Google has always been a great friend of mine. Most of the time, when I don’t know the answer to a question or how to do something or how to get somewhere, I can Google it and have the answer in a matter of seconds. But recently, I’ve found that most of the things I don’t know are things that Google can’t really help me with.

I don’t know what to do with my life. Sadly, Google can’t predict my future or tell me what I’m good at. It can’t tell me where I should go to college, if I should continue to play sports, or what career path is best for me.

I don’t know how to say goodbye to the people I love most or how to live apart from them. Sadly, Google can’t tell me how to deal with leaving my parents or my siblings or my dog. It can’t tell me how to say goodbye to my home or neighborhood or school or best friends. It can’t tell me how to fix homesickness or how to adjust to being on my own.

Google can’t teach me how to say goodbye to the only life I’ve ever known. Because honestly, I don’t know how. I don’t even know how to spend this weekend, let alone the next 4 years of my life. I feel like I don’t know anything, and that’s what makes moving on a little difficult.

But although this is a scary thought, there are two facts that I definitely do know (without Google’s help) that make me feel better.

The first fact is that I’m excited. Of course I’m nervous, but I’m also excited to meet new people, see new places, learn new things, and make new memories. 

The second fact I know is that my time at Knoch has been full of people and memories that I’m glad to remember. Yes, there will always be some negative things I remember too, but nothing is perfect (especially Knoch), so that is to be expected. 

Do I remember sitting in a puddle of my friend’s urine on the kindergarten bus when she had an accident? Yes. But it’s ok, because I also remember how much fun I had in Mr. Babb’s kindergarten music class.

Do I remember how much I hated high school basketball? Of course. But that’s alright, because I also remember the friendships it gave me and the lessons it taught me. 

I remember elementary holiday parties and field days, talent shows, Basketball Jones, and watching Polar Express the day before Christmas break.

I remember my little blue lunch box, popcorn chicken bowls on Fridays, and that weird spinny thing on the playground that was probably dangerous and always made me feel like I was going to vomit.

I remember how hard I laughed during my first period class in sixth grade, going on the DC trip in eighth grade, and my sophomore year chemistry class. 

I remember the art projects I’ve made, the teachers I’ve had, and the friendships I’ve experienced.  

I remember being a benchwarmer on the basketball team in seventh grade and then being a benchwarmer again senior year. Funny how everything comes full circle.

I’m sure I’ll eventually forget some of these moments, and my twelve years at Knoch will begin to blur as I make new memories. But right now, it’s nostalgic and comforting to look back on these times and realize how blessed I’ve been to have had such a great start to life. 

So thanks Google for telling me what the square root of 964 is, but when it comes to saying goodbye to over a decade of memories, you’re not much help.

✌️Peace out, Knight Times.

– Abby Hawk