It’s been three years since Peat and Sage rolled into our, and the Franklin Post’s, lives. What started as a quaint quarantine pet has become a lifelong friendship between us and our moss balls. Peat and Sage have been through everything with us for the last three years: online school, intense AP classes, college applications, and now graduation. With this big transition ahead, Peat and Sage have begun to prepare and take time to reflect on what these past several years have meant to them, their friends, and family.
Ella and Sage:
Next year I will be living in Spokane, Washington! It’s all very exciting but definitely a little nerve racking. I’m super eager to meet so many new people, I just hope that our roommate is nice to me. Ella will be studying Human Physiology at Gonzaga while I kick back and relax in the dorms. I can already envision my new home on Ella’s desk right next to the window so that I can watch the busy college students pass by. I think it will definitely be an adjustment to the new lifestyle of living away from home, but I’m excited for all the memories to come!
As far as Portland goes, I will miss it deeply. Portland will always be home to me. I’ll miss going on Mt. Tabor walks, eating at delicious local food places, and of course all the people that make Portland so special. As sad as it is to say goodbye to my childhood home, I’m excited for all the adventures, yummy restaurants, and new relationships I will find in my new home, and I know that I’ll always have a safe place to come back to.
Lucy and Peat:
At the height of senior year stress and college applications, to be completely honest, things were looking pretty rough for me. I was left dehydrated with no water left in my bowl, leaving a brown algae residue coating my home. Thankfully, my living situation has greatly improved since then. With spring just beginning, Lucy and I have been entering our “reflection era”—taking time each day to notice the small things that usually go unnoticed. As we prepare to leave for the East Coast at the end of the summer, we have been taking time each day to appreciate all that Portland gives us. Spending time outside, listening to the quiet rain falling outside our window, hearing chirping birds sing their songs, and spending long afternoons with friends, we are taking every opportunity we can to fully embrace the end of senior year.
Leaving Sage will undoubtedly be hard. We’ve known each other since our first day on the shelf at PetSmart, it’s mind boggling to think about being 2,481 miles away from each other next year. While change can be hard, I’ve already learned so much and can’t wait to see what this new chapter has in store for us all. Three years down, 177 more to go in this life of growth and learning!
As we walked into the classroom for the last time, it was filled with emotions. On one hand, it was really sad because we were instantly reminded of the fact that it would be our last time to see so many friendly faces. On the other hand, we were filled with excitement for everyone and their new chapters in life and we are so eager to see them succeed. It was really nice to reflect with each other one more time before saying goodbye. Everette Cogswell (12) an editor on the Franklin Post, said that she’ll “miss seeing [us] in the room everyday.” Ada Hallstrom (12) added that she appreciated that “we always had a smile for anyone who walked through the door.” As we were saying our final goodbyes to the class, Lucy Ramsey (12) chimed in with her play on words, saying that they’ll “moss [us] when [we’re] gone.” This of course created a fun, lovable moment during a sad time. As we were rolling out the door Sophie McEwen (12) shouted out, “I better see you during school breaks!” This gave us a bit of hope that all will be well and no matter what happens, we will stay connected with those we love most.
As we left the walls of Franklin High School for the last time, all the memories came flooding back; walks around campus, trips to neighboring classrooms, and of course the crazy late nights we encountered made us realize how much we were going to miss the Franklin Post community. It felt so real and we couldn’t help but shed a tear. As we got to Ella and Lucy’s cars we said our goodbyes, the only thing that allowed us to stay strong in that moment was knowing that we still have the summer to go on adventures, spend time frolicking in the sun, and soaking up every last moment together, before going our separate ways to start a new chapter.
