By Hannah ’22
Coming into 7th grade, I was terrified. There was only one boy coming with me to Harvard-Westlake from my elementary school, and it felt like everyone else was coming from schools with 20 or 30 kids transferring. On top of that, there were less than five kids leaving from my fifty person sixth grade class. It felt like the end of the world that I was leaving. I was leaving all my friends to go to this big scary school where I knew virtually no one. Everything in me wanted to stay at my old school. But my parents insisted that I go to Harvard-Westlake. For that, I was devastated.
As I begin my second semester of senior year, I cannot be more thankful that my parents pushed me to attend Harvard-Westlake.
Academically, it has helped me grow tremendously. My favorite class has always been math, and at Harvard-Westlake I am never the best student in my math class. For that, I am forever grateful. In these hard math classes with these super smart people, I was pushed to be my best self. Competing is where I flourish, and I wasn’t competing with others. I was competing with myself, and each year I won: ending the year with a solid foundation to start the next. Harvard-Westlake also introduced me to new interests. When I didn’t place into honors Spanish in 7th grade, I was so crushed. I wanted to be the best, but I didn’t even like Spanish! So I took Latin instead. I fell in love with it. I have taken Latin every year since seventh grade, and am currently in the post-AP class. I love reading Latin poetry, reciting lines in different meters, discussing Roman values, and seeing how myths translate to art. I would have never discovered my passion for Latin if I hadn’t gone to Harvard-Westlake.
Socially, I adore my friends. They are the most driven, smart, kind, amazing people, and I am so happy I have met them all. My friend circle shifted a lot throughout my six years at Harvard-Westlake, but each circle was great in its own way. I met so many great people, all of whom shaped me in some way. As I look around at my friends, I know that I made the right choice coming to Harvard-Westlake. Where else would I meet such incredible people?
I am so grateful for my experience at Harvard-Westlake. I have grown so much throughout my six years, and I know that it has prepared me for life in college. Thanks, H-dub! My parents were right after all.
