Dear Samo,

As we are finally adapting to the swift pace of this school year, I am sure it may be difficult to remember the simple days of summer. The days before club meetings, sporting events, AP classes, exams, SAT nerves, college applications, homework, and full schedules. The fact that we are unable to play canball at the beach from morning until dusk during the school week is clearly inevitable.Simply having an extra half an hour to watch TV on a weeknight is far too distant of a luxury these days. We are all beginning a ten month-long race to the finish line, when we should take a moment to step back and smell the roses (perhaps in Mr. Blatz’s thematic garden). Amidst the academic and extracurricular hysteria, it is natural to think, “How could I possibly make it to that sporting event?” or “There’s no way I can miss any classes to donate at the blood drive.”We are forgetting that earning good grades and college acceptance are not the only things that should come to mind when we look back on our years at Samohi. We should remember history-making goals and touchdowns made by our peers, and the feelings that overcame us after contributing to the lives of others for the first time. We should remember when “Teach Me How to Dougie” was played at the Homecoming dance, and the delectable popsicles on Bike It Day.As corny and sentimental as it may sound, these four short years are the only opportunity we have to live the life of not only a high school student, but a Samohi Viking. So do work, and live it up. Never forget the big, full picture of how our actions today will shape our futures tomorrow.Sincerely,Azia CalderheadASB President