As one chapter for the seniors at RHS closes, another opens. As four  years of laughter and friendship comes to an end at graduation on June 6, the seniors prepare to move on to a brighter future all thanks to the opportunities given to them by RHS.

There are many different extracurricular activities to be involved in at RHS. Seniors discuss the way these activities shaped their experience here. Senior Jessie Carl, who will be attending the University of Northern Colorado next fall to study musical theater, expresses how she feels about the Rochester musical theater program.

“I think my best memory at RHS was doing all of the musicals,” Carl said.  “It’s obviously more than one memory, but there isn’t anything else like the experience of people coming together like that and I’ll always cherish those memories in theatre.”

Scott Mattox, who will be attending the University of Michigan to study business and LAS, was involved in a different activity outside of the classroom at RHS: soccer. This year the boys soccer team won regionals, and for the seniors, this was very special to them.

“My best memory was winning Rochester’s first district and regional soccer titles since 2002,” Mattox said.

Although the days at Rochester are pretty much a breeze for the seniors, they were not always at the top of the food chain. Senior Michael Williamson, who will be attending Central Michigan University next year, explains his worst memory at RHS.

“My worst memory is not having any friends to eat lunch with in the beginning of freshman year,” Williamson said.

Everyone has heard the horror stories of junior year, but only the seniors really know what it’s like. Andrea Cota, who is attending MSU, explains the struggle she encountered her junior year.

“My worst memory would definitely be junior year,” Cota said. “No words can explain the pain of it. I learned a lot of good studying skills and overall knowledge, especially from AP world class though.”

The seniors’ time to graduate is almost here, and they are beginning to say goodbye to their four action packed years of high school.

“I think I’m definitely ready to leave. I’m so excited to go to college and study what I actually want to do for the rest of my life,” Carl said. “I’m also excited just for a new chapter. By senior year, you’ve been with these people for at least 4, some times 7, sometimes 12 years, and you crave new environments. I’m going to Colorado for college, so I’ll be 1,110 miles away, which is scary, but also really exciting.”

There are some seniors who  can’t wait to leave high school and get to experience college, but there are others that aren’t as excited or even ready to leave RHS and possibly leave their families behind. Harrison Catlin, who is attending Northwestern University, explains how he feels about living high school.

“I’m scared to live on my own because I’ll have to cook for myself,” Catlin said. “The only culinary skills I have are from Ms. Russell’s food class, so I can only make apple-based products, and that will only get me so far in life.”

Getting close to the end of a huge chapter of their lives, the seniors will repeatedly think back to their best memories that they will remember for a long time.

“My favorite memory at RHS is either watching Brad [Carlson] out by Edgar [Sokoli] at a pasta party sophomore year or winning the Regional Championship this year,” Catlin said. “They are equally memorable moments.”