Senior Reflection: Willa Bazos

A decision that was once hard and left me on the couch unsure of what to do, turned out to be the best choice I’ve ever made: coming to Exeter. My role models, my older siblings (Olivia and Peter), went to Lawrence Academy. I look up to my siblings the most, so I usually use their guidance because it’s the easy thing, so when I decided I wanted to go to private school I always envisioned myself in their path. 

But my plan shifted. Instead, I decided to follow in my dad’s footsteps. This is something that means so much more to me now more than ever. Exeter has given me so much to be grateful for, more than I could ever write in a few hundred words but I’ll try. 

I could spend this reflection talking about all that I’ve learned here, which I value so much, but Exeter is so much more to me than solely the classroom. High school is a time of firsts. Maybe it’s your first varsity lacrosse practice, your first time living with a roommate, your first time covering your walls with poster and pictures, your first time trying coffee heath bar at Stillwells, your first boyfriend, or, in our case, your first time away from home, whatever it may be, firsts are the things you celebrate. 

Luckily for me, I was able to celebrate to the fullest here at Exeter, with the best community I have ever been a part of. My clubs, teams, friends, coaches, and connections have grown to be this web of love and support that is always there to pick me back up when I fall. My friends have helped me with my highest highs and my lowest lows, and I can never thank them enough for the love that they’ve shown me. I wake up in comfort knowing I get to see my friends every day. We eat three meals together, go to sports after school, spend weekends watching movies, and play on the quad together whenever it’s above sixty degrees. 

Without a doubt, leaving Exeter will be difficult, but I’ve been assured that this is only the beginning of my life as an Exonian, so this is not goodbye. But for right now this reflection is the start of processing my new first.. graduating high school. 

This first is perhaps different from the rest, because this time I will be without my dad. Today my dad would’ve been on the front line at graduation, probably getting sentimental because he’s so proud of what i’ve done here. Although I can’t help but wish everyday that he was here to see this first, I find comfort in believing he’s cheering me on somewhere. When I say there is no one else’s footsteps I would rather follow, I mean it. 

So thank you Exeter. Thank you for making me a better person. Thank you for strengthening me and shaping me in ways that I didn’t know I could. Thank you for giving me my people. And Thank you for a life changing three years. Cheers to making the right decision and coming to Exeter.