Simon,
We first met you when you were an incoming B-sie on a hiking trip with the Friends of Chinese Culture. We started on the playground, where Weian almost threw up after getting dizzy from spinning on one of the rides (she vehemently denies this). If you told us that you would suffer with us through an unreasonable amount of Instagram reels, AP classes, a sixie clarinet class with David, florr.io and hot summer barbecues with Alan’s dad’s frozen yogurt cake, we probably wouldn’t have believed you.
Looking back at our adolescent days of tomfoolery, not much has changed. You and Alan still can’t read Chinese; you and William can’t figure out the difference between a gerund and a gerundive and you and David (and Alan and William) still struggle to understand a power series and when to use each series test.
You were the highlight of the day during my (William)’s junior year. AP Chinese R5 will always hold a place in my memories. Our daily excursions to the water fountain before class were the only thing keeping us from sinking into the sometimes monotonous flow of the school day. Your presence provided relief when the atmosphere became heavy with fears of the next role play or English-to-Latin translation test. I always fondly remember you drawing random pictures on the whiteboard during Latin Prose with Ms. Nabbefeld.
This fall, you’ll thankfully be staying close, going to Boston University (BU) to study Cellular and Molecular Biology on the pre-medical track and serving as our Science Bowl team’s coach. (So maybe it’s not all over?) Having spent years practicing patience by dealing with us, coupled with your brainrotted sense of humor (only exacerbated by David in AP Calculus BC), we’re sure you will do great.
As excited as we are for what’s ahead of you, it’s strange to think that you won’t always be around at Boston Latin School next year. School, summer, clubs and our Instagram direct messages will all feel a little different without you there the next day. To be clear, though, your graduation will not stop us from sending you reels.
Thank you for all the memories, laughs, hikes, conversations and friendship over the years. You’re one of the kindest people we’ve had the chance to know, and we’re incredibly glad our paths crossed years ago. We’re sure many others (in the tennis team, your j*b, afterschool, VOTE, etc.) feel the same.
Good luck at BU — and maybe spend a little less time on War Thunder.