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Don't Regret Not Doing

Olivie Cloutier Faucher, Grade 12
In our lives, one thing that stops us from doing things is that we are scared of what others will think of us. The judgements of others matter too much. At one point, we all didn’t do something because we were scared of what others would say.

If I do this, what will this person think of me…? I am not going to do this because the girls are going to think I look dumb and stupid… I am not going to do it, I do not want to risk looking bad...

In life, when you grow up, you will have decisions to take. No one will be there to tell you what the best decision is. As human beings, our first thought when it is time to take a decision will always be to stay in the comfort zone. But this is where you don’t want to be. If you want to advance in life, if you want to change something in your life, it will come with chaos, drawbacks and discomforts. I am not only going to leave Stanstead with a diploma, but with a pack-sack full of experiences and a desire to reach my full potential.

You have to aim for the moon. Who knows, if you miss, you may hit a star. You regret what you don’t do way more than what you try to do. I learned here that with every mistake comes a lesson, comes change and maturity. It will always be your decision to realize what you did wrong, step back and think about your new goals.

All the experiences you live will make you grow up. Next time you have a decision of doing something, use rational decision-making, and go for it. You will never regret trying something. It will be a positive experience or a learning experience which are both positive.

We have one week of school left, get involved and be with your friends, make the most of your last days. It sounds cliché, but in a month, a year, five years, you will look back at all these memories and remember how fun it was to be in high school. You will remember how much fun you had with your friends. Do not be scared of what others will think of you. The fun you will have from all the activities you get involved in will overcome the “possible” negative perceptions of others. And who cares what others think!

In the school play, I had to dress in a ballerina outfit. Do you think I was stressed about looking like this for 5 minutes in front of everyone? Believe me, I was terrified just by the idea of getting out there half-naked!

But let me tell you after the show when my advisor, Mr. Grenier, came to hug me for a good 10 seconds, and when Mr. Van dyke told us it was the best play in 25 years he had seen, it felt crazy good. I had completely forgotten that everyone saw my Christmas boxers.

Just get involved and push yourself to do what you would not do. The best emotions are hiding behind that fear of being judged negatively by your peers. Looking back at my years in Stanstead, I won a couple awards, for grades and sports, but that is not what I will remember in 20 years. My friends and I are going to talk about the lip-sync where we splashed everyone with water, when we won the Spartan Race after giving everything we had, when I sang half-naked in front of everyone at the play. These are the memories I will have. Get out there and enjoy your last days because these days are precious.

I know some of you cannot wait to leave and go home for the summer. But I will propose another perspective of things.

At this same point last year, Thomas Abbott, the head prefect at the time, gave the best speech I ever heard at Stanstead. He told us a story about his home. He said he was talking to his mom about how he felt homesick while being at home. He said, I felt homesick being home because I knew my real home was here in Stanstead.

I could not stop thinking about that and it made even more sense when I read a quotation by Shawn Mendes that said: “Home is not a building, Home is the people you love as family and friend. Home is about people, not about buildings.” Home during my three years at the school was you guys! Make the most out of your last days because I assure you that you will realize, the friends you have right now were more than friends; they were your brothers and sisters. I’ve learn at this school that it is not what I have but who I have in my life that counts.

Thank you, everyone, for being my brothers and sisters for the last three years.
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