Our senior class is one like no other. We will forever be known as the “COVID” Class of 2021, who spent our entire last year dealing with a pandemic. We didn’t see our alphabetically opposite classmates for over a year, missed many of the traditional events we were looking forward to, and spent half our time on Microsoft Teams in our bedroom.

However, we did this together even though we were physically apart.

One word that is constantly thrown at eighth-graders considering Trinity is brotherhood. When I was a freshman back in 2017, it sounded like a marketing promotion; however, you learn what it truly means by the time you begin your senior year.

Every Senior Class has it, but I think our class will have a different understanding of brotherhood because we’ve had to work extra hard to stay bonded. We were challenged, tested, and even felt lost at different times this school year, but we persevered through it all.

I am writing this on the first day that all seniors can be back on campus four days per week. This is easily the most anticipated event so far this year. I can already tell that the mood of the seniors has changed, because we are seeing each other in person.

Sadly, we only have a few weeks left, so we need to make the most of it. Looking ahead, though, we have the Pink and White video, Senior Field Day, Prom, Awards Ceremony, and Graduation to enjoy. Most importantly, these events are somewhat in person, so we can feel connected as a class before we head our separate ways.

I think I’ll be shocked when I attend graduation because I haven’t seen a full stadium since last year’s football games.

I lived in Cincinnati for the first eight years of my life, so I had no family ties to any high schools in Louisville. Most of the people I know either have fathers or brothers who are alumni from a high school here, so I was on an island by myself. All the options were on the table for me. At the time, I was worried that I might make the wrong choice. Now that my tenure at Trinity is over, I know I made the perfect choice.

All the skills I’ve learned here have helped me in different ways to be prepared for my next steps in life. I will admit that there were some ups and downs, but I believe that they were necessary to my growth as a person, academically and spiritually. I was challenged in every class, but the teachers had a plan for me that made it worthwhile.

One of my goals is to stay in contact with my teachers after I graduate, especially the ones who participated in my Senior Retreat. I know teachers love to hear from their former students, and they’ve made such an impact on me that I feel the need to give back to them.

I’ll admit that I’m a little scared for college next year, but I trust that I’ll be successful at the University of Cincinnati because of Trinity. It’s called a college preparatory school for a reason and prepares you for a job or trade as well.

I was fortunate that I arrived at Trinity with a group of good friends from grade school. However, I met many future friends my freshman year, too. I’m thankful that Trinity offers tons of summer camps before your first day. I was able to get to know kids from participating in grade-school sports camps, and I met even more classmates at the freshmen orientation camp.

Another Trinity tradition that I heard about as an eighth-grader, and that I’m grateful for, is the House System. It automatically introduces you to students you might not share classes with. Even though we missed many House events this year, I will truly miss the school spirit during Freshman House Day and House intramural basketball.

I’ll cherish the memories forever and will miss my classmates every day. Actually, they are more than my classmates; they’re my friends and brothers. This is what happens at Trinity. Everyone on campus becomes a friend or mentor, including the faculty and administration.

I still can’t believe my time at Trinity is almost over, and I’m flipping the page to a new chapter in my life. But that doesn’t mean I can’t come back to visit this chapter of my life, and I look forward to being an alum.

I know this year isn’t what we were expecting, but I have to keep reminding myself it’s only a quarter of my time at Trinity. If there is one thing I encourage my classmates to do, it’s to remind ourselves that this year of the pandemic doesn’t define us or our time at Trinity.

And we’ll always have a special bond and a special place in the history of our school because of it.