This is the last week for the class of 2016 at Nashoba. With so many wonderful people graduating and moving onto the next chapter of their lives, its going to be really hard to say goodbye. Josh Hogan is a senior who has plenty to say about his experience as a Chieftain.

“I’m really excited to graduate, to be honest. I’m going to be done. I like the school, but I also like free time,” says Josh, reflecting on the thoughts shared by many of the other seniors at school. Homework really takes a toll at this time, when all that the seniors can think about are what to do for senior week and who they should hang out with this summer.

Graduation can be a very rewarding but very emotional experience,as students are saying goodbye to a place that they’ve belonged to for 4 whole years, and people that they’ve seen practically everyday for as long as they can remember.

A common question for seniors is if they’re scared about moving past high school. “I’m not scared about leaving, I’m scared about going into the real world, I guess, but I’m not scared about leaving the school. I’m a little sad” Josh says.

Josh also reflects on how he is ready to move past some parts of Nashoba and leave them behind, specifically the food. Cafeterias at college offer much more appealing options, something that underclassmen only dream of.

“The workload, definitely the workload,” he adds, listing some more of the things that he won’t miss. “All of the senior homework that I get, planning for college and things like that. Also gym.”

However, there are some major things that Josh will miss as he leaves Nashoba.

“I’d say a lot of the teachers. Most of the teachers I’ve had are awesome and I’m going to miss them because they’re all really nice. Nashoba has awesome teachers.”

He also says how he’ll miss seeing his friends everyday, one of the hardest things that seniors have to deal with. With so many colleges around the globe and so many opportunities for graduates, it’s a guarantee that friends will be traveling farther than a day-trip distance.

When asked about Josh’s favorite memories of his whole high school experience, he targets one from this year alone.

“The superbowl that we had was awesome. I went there; I didn’t know what was going to happen. I thought that we might lose, but then I go with all of my classmates and we’re all freaking out about the game and it was so much fun. We were making fun of the other team’s mascot. That was probably my fondest moment.”

Josh reflects on how far he has come since his first day here as a freshman, saying that Nashoba is a great environment for development and change. “I was super shy at the beginning (of high school). I’m still a little shy, but nowhere near as bad as the beginning of school. I’ve made a lot more friends. I credit the change to my friends.”

High school is hard, with grades, drama, college troubles, and lots of homework. However, it’s also a time where students meet some of the best friends of their life, create families on sports teams, and find out who they are. With four years of highs school experience under his belt, navigating all of the ups-and-downs, Josh has a lot of wisdom to share with the other classes here at Nashoba.

“Don’t shut off senior year. You’re going to regret it. Seriously, do your work. You don’t have to do it amazingly, but don’t just stop because it might come to bite you in the butt. It can get bad, and teachers can get angry, and that sucks. And at least go to one football game, those are a lot of fun.”

Josh is attending Worcester Polytechnic Institute in the fall, where he will be majoring in electrical and computer engineering. He is beyond excited to be able to call himself a college student, and to be able to explore his passion in an environment best suited for him.

“Nashoba is a really good high school compared to a lot of the other ones around the area” He says, smiling as he remembers these past four years. “I wouldn’t have chosen anywhere else to go. I’ll miss it.”

We wish all of the seniors good luck as they move on from Nashoba and into the next chapter of their lives. Teachers and students alike will miss you all and your presence in the halls of the school.