Senior Reflection: Rebecca Wood

By: Rebecca Wood

Our stories are written in languages incomprehensible to most. We speak in the traditional: Spanish, French, Japanese; the critical: Russian, Chinese, Arabic; and the computational: Java and Mathematica. Our syntax is flawless; we know the importance of the semicolon. At The Gatton Academy, our eyes have been opened to subjects like physics, computer science, and chemistry. While we studied and programmed, we developed more than just technical skills; we became masters of storytelling.

At its simplest form, Gatton is a high school. Its students take a set curriculum of classes to gain enough credits to be able to graduate. That is what we all did – what all high-school graduates accomplish. But what did you do that is qualified for a chapter in your book?

Did you venture down to the Barren River to go on a hike with four of your best friends, or did you race the trains while running at the track?

Did you stay up all night discussing the meaning of life, then trek to Waffle House as soon as the sun rose?

Did you manage to sprint up College Street only to then realize the soreness that tomorrow will bring?

Did you master the London Tube and get to see the Olympic Village, or did you spend €30 on gelato in Italy?

Did you and your friends carry a watermelon across town, only to drop it on the floor of a dorm room?

Did you throw dance parties to bond with your wing, or did you watch all of the NCAA tournament in a common space?

Did you spend hours in a staff member’s office simply because you were friends?

My book, There and Back Again: A Gatton Tale, is divided into many chapters – my favorite being “Home at Harlaxton.” London became my residence: a place where I could see shows on the West End, sip (expensive) tea at the Villandry, and view collections of art at the National Portrait Gallery and the Tate Modern. I saw my dream cars, and I drooled in Harrod’s. We made our way to Harlaxton Manor House, where days were filled with bus rides and hikes and nights were spent studying for the next day’s quiz with my three roommates (and best friends). The last night included playing soccer with the security guard, dancing with my family of friends, and going for a brief run.

I thought the benefit of Gatton was that, at the end, I would have been challenged in high school so I could graduate to have a head start in “real college.” The true Gatton Advantage lies with the memories we are able to make by living in a community with the most remarkable students that Kentucky hosts. We were shaped by the new experiences we encountered together – our first difficult classes, abroad adventures, and points-of-freaking-out. Each one of us was able to become more open with what we liked and who we were. For this reason more than any other, I am thankful for the Gatton Academy. This community – our community – taught me to shamelessly pursue what I cared about and to tirelessly search for what was important to me. Because of my studies here, I have learned incredible things about French, English, math, and computer science. Because of Schneider and Bates Runner Halls, I have found wonderful friends in people from hundreds of miles away. Because of the opportunities afforded to me, I have seen cultures from all around the world. Because of Gatton, my story will be one worth telling.