Wandering around the endless hallways of KHS my first day freshman year I felt lost. It wasn’t just because I was on the second floor of the Social Studies building looking for the cafeteria, but that was certainly a part of it. The other part was I had no idea where I belonged yet. There was an endless amount of people to meet and groups to join, yet on I would have felt more comfortable on Mars.

Over the next four years, I found my niche. I think of Kirkwood as my second home, and this year I am spending more than 12 hours a day at school on a regular basis. Believe it or not, I enjoy every minute. That’s not to say I don’t complain about coming to school at the crack of dawn for AP Physics, or have a nervous breakdown when my page for The Call seemed like it would never be finished as everyone leaves at 9 p.m., but I wouldn’t trade it for the world.

Throughout high school I learned about perseverance. I learned that I was never the best writer on Call but the rewarding feeling of seeing my story printed on hundreds of pages is incredible. I learned that I would only be an All-Conference softball catcher if I gave it everything I had 100 percent of the time. I learned that I won’t get an A on every test, but my chances improved dramatically if I devoted more time to reading my physics textbook than watching the “Big Bang Theory” and hoping to pick something up from Leonard and Sheldon.

The point is, I may have been lost. I may have been that weird person who accidentally wore orange and black to school without even realizing it. I just might have gotten hit with a door or two on my way to class. It was me who signed up for a bunch of clubs and groups at the activities fair only to bail out later because I felt uncomfortable.

But I did find my home. I found satisfaction sitting behind home plate on the softball field. I was most comfortable on one of the oversized couches in the South Journalism Building. The people in my early-morning physics class became my family more than my friends.

It wasn’t easy to find where I fit in at such a big high school. I made some wrong turns and bad decisions, but I’ve come to realize it has been nothing but an unforgettable experience. KHS has made me a stronger, more outgoing person, and for that I am forever grateful.