Over the past few years, countless people have told me that high school will fly by before I could blink. Until recently, I didn’t believe them. Even as my junior year was coming to a close, days didn’t go any faster, calendar pages didn’t fly off any more frequently. The days upon days of monotony — due to my laziness and unwillingness to get involved — made high school just that: school.
You see, for the first three years of high school, I was just about as active at FHC as someone under anesthesia. Sure, I was there and I was doing everything I needed to do, but it was the minimum. Anything above what was absolutely required of me wasn’t a priority. So, if you wanted to see Evan after school… well it wouldn’t be within a five mile radius of the place he just spent seven straight hours at, that’s for sure. Yeah, I made a lot of friends. But Francis Howell Central was an acquaintance.
As my Senior year begins, that all changes. The first three years that felt as if they trudged by are now gone with the wind: calendar pages are flying away, the clock is ticking off the wall. College and many other monumental moments are rapidly tumbling down the mountain towards me, and suddenly my laziness is lifted. The acquaintance that FHC used to be is now becoming my best friend, and it’s the last year I’ll walk its halls. My last year, my swan song, will also be a year of firsts.
For the first time in my 17 years of life, I’m going to be donning football pads and knocking helmets (hopefully on Fridays) with high school kids who’ve done that since they were in Kindergarden. In fact, I’ve been sweating it out on the practice field with my newfound teammates since early summer. Some of you may have seen me in the halls and are shocked by this information (I’m 6’2 and the word “lanky” might be a tiny bit generous), but others surely aren’t. I’ve been talking about joining the team for years, might as well do it at the last possible chance I get.
Along those same lines, indecision and lack of determination have prevented me from joining the track team each year I’ve been at Central. Well, next semester might be the moment where I change that. I’ve always been a faster guy, but my aforementioned flaws caused me to keep that trait exclusive to pick-up football games and running from a recently TP’ed house. This year, maybe I’ll finally don the spikes and burn some rubber. Then again, who knows, that’s a long way away. (See why I haven’t been involved in much?)
On top of those things, I’m new to the newspaper staff this year. Writing has always been a passion of mine, and that has grown exponentially in recent years. After getting tired of pouring my words into pointless English class essays that will be as good as trash after being graded, I decided to take Mr. Schott’s advice and join the Central Focus. Unlike football and unlike track, newspaper is a year long grind. It’s going to be a challenge, but it will be a way for me to get my creativity and passion out to other Spartans.
So, hi readers. I’m Evan Pagano. I’m a senior here at Francis Howell Central, but in a way I’m just starting out. I’m doing new things, experiencing new experiences, all while time ticks away right before my eyes. And if my years of being a Cub Scout taught me anything, it’s that you don’t go into unknown land without a buddy– “The Buddy System.” Well, reader, I pick you. You’ll be my football buddy, possibly my track buddy, my newspaper buddy, my senior year buddy, and my travel buddy over what’s shaping up to be the busiest year of my life.
Nice to meet you, bud! We’re in for a fun time.
