Two Different Lives
By Cassandra, a senior at MHS
Sometimes I can feel like I live two different lives and it has made me a more well-rounded person.
In Pittsburgh, where I am from, rules do not really exist. I go out for as long as I please and I get home when I feel like it. I live in a city, so it’s loud and chaotic all the time. There are always people roaming around and odd smells in the air. When I’m quiet and listening, my thoughts are drowned out by the roaring sound of vehicles, people yelling, and music being blasted from all over the place. When I look out my bedroom window, I’m met with the sight of people hanging around at the corner store and cars parked too far onto the sidewalks because of how often other vehicles scrape the side of parked cars.
Milton Hershey School is very different from my home in Pittsburgh. The level of security at MHS is way more significant than at home. It resembles the idea of living two different lives.
I spend most of my summer at MHS working and participating in the Year-Round Experiences program. The days I don’t have work, I usually end up sleeping and working on homework for my college courses next year. Going to a boarding school makes my summer very different from everyone else because of the unique opportunities that are provided for students throughout the summer. Having the chance to stay at school and do things is a choice that is unique to MHS students.
It’s also different because kids in public schools have friends from the same neighborhood, while mine are from different cities and states.
I stay in touch with many of my friends from MHS throughout the summer. These relationships help me because I have a strong support system at all times.
When I leave MHS to go home to Pittsburgh, I’m excited for the freedom that I don’t have access to while I am here. I’m excited to stay out late with my friends and spend the night at their houses if I choose to. I enjoy having the ability to simply drive myself to the mall whenever I want and go on walks at night. Nevertheless, I miss the people at MHS. I miss my friends and the adults I’ve grown close to. Since I’ve been here since seventh grade, most of my friends are from MHS and it’s always a little sad to leave them.
Spending most of my summer at MHS is more relaxed than during the school year which is nice. It’s much less stressful and easier to manage because there isn’t as much homework and as many chores. I also get a lot more rest than I do throughout the school year.
As my friends start to come back to campus, I get very excited to start a new school year. Although I get nervous about my difficult course load each year and have to get used to new classroom settings and teachers, I look forward to the new classes, people and memories I am going to make!