Change has always scared me. New places, experiences and people push me out of my comfort zone and force me to break out of my shell, something that I find very difficult. That?s why coming to Fresno Christian for my senior year of high school was such a difficult decision for me. I didn?t want to be the new kid, and I was unsure if the people at FC would accept me.

Fresno Christian has made my senior year better than I ever imagined it would be. I?ve never felt so wholly welcomed and accepted by a community than during my time at FC. I?ve gained so many friendships this year through soccer, journalism and my regular classes that I will value for the rest of my life.

On the first day of school, I remember walking into the convocation and approaching the senior section with apprehension, not sure where I should sit or who I should talk to. I was immediately approached by Annalise Rosik, Jenna Orcutt and Maddie Yee, who warmly welcomed me to the school with hugs and helped me find a place to sit. Though I still felt uneasy about being the new kid, after that, I knew I was in a good place with people who cared.

The people on campus truly do care about one another. I discovered early on that the teachers make an effort to get to know their students, helping us with our schoolwork and encouraging us in our walks with Christ. It has been such a blessing to have teachers who ask me how I?m doing and actually care about my response.

At FC, I never felt the same pressures that I felt when I attended public school. I felt free to be myself without feeling judged by my peers. Though schoolwork could sometimes be overwhelming, I looked forward to coming to school everyday, knowing that I got to see everyone?s friendly faces.

In addition to fostering friendships, FC has challenged me in ways that have helped me grow as a person. I joined journalism at the beginning of the school year, not really knowing what I was getting into. I nearly fainted when our journalism adviser, Greg Stobbe, said that I would actually have to interview people for my articles. But for some reason, I decided to stay in journalism, and I?m so glad that I did.

Being part of The Feather staff has pushed me farther out of my comfort zone than I?ve ever been before. However, because my journalism assignments were so difficult, I felt so much more accomplished when I finally finished them.

As the year progressed, I began to feel more comfortable with my assignments and I found that my confidence in interviewing others and writing articles was growing. I also found that interviewing people around the school helped me meet new people and get to know the school community better.

Throughout the school year, I?ve heard from various teachers and students, “Do you wish you had come to FC earlier?” Though I sometimes wonder what my life would have been like if I had transferred sooner, I know that this is what God had planned for me. And honestly, it?s better that I came late than never.

My previous school was much smaller than FC, and though it offered excellent music and art programs, I didn?t have nearly as many opportunities and experiences that I was able to have at FC. I?m so thankful that I got to have this amazing experience at FC, even if it only lasted a year.

Now that my senior year has come to an end, more change awaits me in the near future. While I know that change can be scary, I also know that I accomplish the most when I?m pushed out of my comfort zone. I believe God gave me this year as a gift so that I could grow in my faith, grow in my confidence and make lasting friendships. I now know that I can face whatever challenges or obstacles God has in store for me.

Meredith will be attending Westmont College in the fall, where she hopes to study education in hopes of becoming a teacher.

This writer can be reached via Twitter: @meredithmonke. Follow The Feather via Twitter: @thefeather.

For more senior reflections, read the May 3 article, Journalism impacts editor’s high school experience. For more opinions, read the May 15 article, EDITORIAL: Taking responsibility, moving forward.