As an avid fan of both love stories and laughter, I’ve watched my fair share of romantic comedies. From classics like Notting Hill and Pretty Woman, to modern favs like 10 Things I Hate About You and The Proposal, to more niche films such as Kate & Leopold and Never Been Kissed… I feel like I’ve really seen it all. 

There’s a rom-com for every moment, and they come with plenty of hilarious banter and poignant lessons. As it turns out, sometimes the things you learn from a cheesy movie hit remarkably close to home. So, if there’s anything that can sum up my high school experience, it’s rom-com quotes. 

“You’re supposed to be the leading lady of your own life, for God’s sake!” – Iris Simpkins, The Holiday

When I first arrived at Leesville, I had to quickly adapt. In a school as big as LRHS, if you don’t take care of yourself and your schedule, you’ll fall behind. Advocating for myself in front of teachers, joining clubs to build my resume, and adjusting to a much heavier workload were just a few of the things I had to rapidly get used to.

After the initial chaos, I’m proud to say I think I settled in nicely. I became more comfortable and confident in my academics and my social life, and that confidence has followed me throughout high school. Just like Iris, I became my own leading lady — minus the whole toxic workplace relationship with your boss. 

“I’m just a girl, standing in front of a boy, asking him to love her.” – Anna Scott, Notting Hill

While Julia Roberts’s iconic line from Notting Hill was spoken about a romantic relationship, it resonates with me when I reflect on some of my friendships, particularly in my sophomore year. 

After we all made it through freshman year together, I thought my friend group would stay together forever. Turns out, people apparently don’t need a solid reason to leave you in the dust. I spent a solid amount of time in my sophomore year chasing friendships where the other person already had one foot out the door, and I painfully saw that I wasn’t really wanted in some relationships anymore. 

While it sucked in the moment, it led me to realize what real, true friendships look like. To my friends today, I’m truly grateful you value our relationship. I’ve never had to stand in front of you, asking you to love me — for some reason, you already do. 

“Who cares if I’m pretty if I fail my finals?” – Rory Gilmore, Gilmore Girls

Who says TV shows can’t be rom-coms? Not me! 

My third year of high school brought the dreaded junior year workload. As everyone geared up for college applications, I found it hard to put effort into anything that wasn’t academics. I was living out the classic trope of the over-stimulated student, wholly convinced a single bad grade would ruin my entire future. However, as any true rom-com fan knows, when a character is buried deep in their own head is when the plot twists come — and my plot twist was The Mycenaean. 

Joining the LRHS newspaper was the best decision of my entire high school career. Room 240 became my safe(ish) space, where I could ignore the pressure of my rigorous course load and do something I actually enjoyed. The Mycenaean grounded me, and I wouldn’t trade this class for the world. 

Also, just for the record, I never failed any of my finals. 

“But mostly I hate the way I don’t hate you. Not even close, not even a little bit, not even at all.”  – Kat Stratford, 10 Things I Hate About You

Now that I’m at the brink of graduation, looking back on my years at Leesville is bittersweet. Sure, there have been times when I’ve cursed these halls, dreaded taking tests, and begged my parents to let me sleep past my 6:00 a.m. alarm, but all in all, it was worth it. I’ll always cherish the memories I made, remember the life lessons I was taught, and appreciate that I got the whole high school experience — good, bad, and everything in between. 

Thank you, Leesville. You were good.