Hey! My name is Reina and I came to Sacred Heart in 2018 (Sophomore year). I am going to the University of Toronto to study Criminology and Sociolegal Studies! I can’t wait to go back to my other home country and relive my life that I used to have as a child (even though I know it’ll be different now). I couldn’t be more excited about going to university and really finding myself as an independent person, away from my family and most of my friends. I think it’ll be the most exciting time of my life and I can’t wait to see what my future has in store for me.

My best memory here is probably our grade sleepover in grade 10. It was a really cool experience being able to have one huge sleepover with all my friends and getting even closer to everyone else. We listened to music on the speakers in the gym and just jammed out for a bit and everyone was dancing. We were all really sweaty and tired at the end! We then also watched “Legally Blonde” and later sat in a circle and talked and played games with each other for an hour. It was so much fun and I miss it so much already.

During the junior year excursions, we played a ‘guess the song’ game and it was really fun. We all screamed so much and Shono even lost her voice because we were being so loud. It was a time where everything was fun. Nothing else was going through our minds because we were just having fun with each other. After that, we all had some hot chocolate and talked to each other before going to bed. I really want to go back to a time where it was as simple as that. Having that memory of our grade being that close will stick with me forever.

I am so thankful for everyone in our grade. Whether we were extremely close or not, I have learned something from everyone and I couldn’t thank them more. We have been there for each other through thick and thin and sometimes it’s hard to think there was a time where I wasn’t even at this school. It’s been a really fun ride throughout my time here. Sacred Heart has taught me a lot that I never would have learned at my past schools, and I have learned how to take more risks and be more confident in myself and my abilities. So I am thankful for this school and the people in it because I know I’ve made friends for life.

It can be really difficult in high school (especially senior year) because we stress about different things like university applications and tests, but it is really important to also have fun in the process. The work/play balance is really important and spending time with friends is so important!! When you graduate, you’re going to want to remember all the good times you had with each other and school isn’t the only important thing (although you should take it seriously of course). Cherish every moment you have with your friends AND FAMILY and make every moment count.