When my family moved to East Grand Rapids in the summer of 2018 from the Chicago suburbs, my parents called this new chapter of our life “The 7-year Experiment”. Interestingly, according to Encyclopedia Britanncia, “The number 7 is often considered lucky, and it has a definite mystique, perhaps because it is a prime number” (Britannica). 

While I wish I could tell you that my parents are highly superstitious and plan my family’s life based on whether a number is lucky or not, unfortunately this is not true.Seven years is the length of time it would take for me to attend East Grand Rapids schools from 6th grade to senior year of high school. (I guess for my older sister of 3 years it would be the 4 year experiment but this senior column is all about me!)

Coming into a place like East was definitely a culture shock for 1- year-old me. My old school was a K-8 Catholic School with a total student body of less than 100. Outside of a deviation of 1 or 2 depending on the year, my class was a solid 13 people for most of my elementary experience. Thus, it wouldn’t be that unbelievable to hear that my old school inevitably closed, and therefore set the 7 years into motion.

I think coming into East at a time of transition and on the brink of adolescence altered who I am as a person. Before East, I never experienced social anxiety and the worries of how people perceived me, but suddenly figuring out where I fit in in a school system — when before at my old school, I just simply fit seamlessly — was a challenge. 

With all of the new choices of what activities to be involved in, who to be friends with, what to wear, or what to say, I initially found myself frozen, unable to carve a pathway for myself, out of my irrational fear of judgement. Though, luckily for 18-year-old Sarah, 11-year-old Sarah realized seven years of watching others be involved would not be for me.

I can definitely say I found many places at East where community, passion, and the classic phrase “east excellence” are found. Whether through the community of high school and club swim, academic clubs, or the East Vision, I’m confident in saying my “niches” were found. 

Despite the difficulties of being new, I appreciate East for this challenge of being “thrown into the deep end.” This new beginning 7 years ago taught me valuable life skills such as advocating for myself, and going out of my comfort zone. 

Ironically though, as someone that tends to lean towards being more guarded than open, I think joining the East Vision was one of the boldest choices I could’ve made. Monthly, my work, whether a story, graphic, or even editing the news front page this past year, would be put out for my classmates, school faculty, and community to see. Myself represented in my work, would face judgement, probably the most feared concept 11-year-old me could conjure. But as each deadline for the monthly paper came and passed, the judgement was never as scary as it first seemed.

Now, as the 7 years come to an end, I’m leaving East having learned that I don’t have to be the most outspoken person to find a place for myself and I feel prepared to face new situations with the confidence that things will be okay. So, was the experiment a success? I’d have to say absolutely.