Accomplished, the final summer, and new beginnings. These are just a few thoughts that have been swirling in my mind and how I would describe my life lately. 

I’m officially a high school graduate and I will be attending UW-Platteville in the fall. I think my biggest accomplishment was not falling when I walked across the stage at graduation. Little did anyone know I rolled my ankle just an hour before. Senior year was a rough year for me. There were many things that I wanted to accomplish but I did not. But then I remind myself of the little things and remember that graduating high school is an accomplishment in itself. 

So maybe I didn’t graduate with honors, but I did receive an award for educational achievement. And maybe I didn’t receive gold in state forensics, but I was one of three captains to an amazing team and I tied for first place in poetry reading at conference, and on top of all that the Monroe high school forensics team are conference champs, this is the third time in my high school career. I also made it to state solo-ensemble with an amazing group of eight girls. We performed two songs in front of a judge and audience. I’ve also completed two years of youth apprenticeship, which would be my internship here at the Monroe Times. Which has been one of the best opportunities that I have had in my high school career. I will continue here until I head off to college. I also have met some new people and made some really good friends during my senior year. 

This is my final summer as a teenager and before I truly enter adulthood. In a way it feels like the end to all summers. I am using this summer to work and spend as much time with my family and friends as possible before I head off to college in the fall. I have about two months of summer left. It’s been a good summer so far but there are still many more things I would like to do yet. Which include camping, spending a day on the lake, sky vu, etc.

After this summer I will be heading to UW-Platteville. I will be majoring in English and Education with a minor in creative writing. Well that’s my plan as of right now. I’ll be going to school with one of my best friends. We’ll be roommates, probably for the next four years. It seems as we walk ahead into our futures we bring little pieces of our past with us, but some of us are blessed to bring good people along with us. I look forward to this new beginning and experiences, my education, new surroundings, and people. But as I walk into my future there are some things that I need to bring with me. My close family and friends need to stay close to my heart, my values and beliefs, my dreams and goals even though they may change, they always are, and my interest — my passions. 

So here’s to accompaniments, final summers, and new beginnings. And as my grandpa Gerry would say “Cheers!”

— Marina Schubert is a 2025 graduate of Monroe High School and spent the past two years as an intern at the Times through the MHS SOAR program.