There's Only One Southern Lehigh

“It’s the oldest story in the world. One day you’re seventeen and planning for someday. And then quietly and without you ever really noticing, someday is today. And that someday is yesterday. And this is your life.”

I'm 20 years old. At 17, I was beginning my junior year of high school and planning for "someday". As a kid in high school, nothing matters besides that week's football game, going undefeated in field hockey, next month's homecoming dance, who you were going to go to prom with, and how far away graduation seemed. Fast forward three years later, and now none of that matters. 

This past weekend I decided to go to Southern Lehigh's homecoming football game. I saw so many of my old friends and teachers, but all anyone could say was "this is weird", and it was. We were no longer a part of the student section, and we only knew the seniors. A place that was all we knew for 4 years of our lives was no longer what we knew. The friends we knew from our small hometown were now out in the world making their colleges their new homes, with new friends and new stories. 

As I stood on the fence with my old friends and teachers, I realized that the Southern Lehigh Middle School football stadium will always be the same, the faces just change. It's and endless cycle. I used to go to the high school games as a middle schooler and look up at the big student section, the huge players, and the cheerleaders and I couldn't wait to be a part of it. Finally, you get to stand all the way at the top of the bleachers. Over the next 4 years, you move your way down to the bottom. Then you graduate, and you're kicked out, left to stand on the side again, looking up at the student section with a sense of jealousy, but this time it's all different. The kids seem small, the players young, and you realize that you're getting old. As great as it is to be out of high school, they really are some of the greatest years of your life. I never thought I'd be saying that when I was there, but two years later, you realize how much you grew up in those 4 years. No matter how far we all get from Coopersburg, it's still our home. The faces may change with the scenery, but the memories we have will never fade.

Watching One Tree Hill brought back so many memories, as it was the most relatable show I think I've every watched. The town the show takes place in is almost identical to Southern Lehigh, which honestly kind of freaked me out at times. It's your typical small school in a small town that revolves around sports. You have the jocks, the cheerleaders, the nerds, etc., and most people think that only exists in Hollywood, but it couldn't be any more real. I went to preschool, elementary school, middle school, and high school with the kids that I graduated with, and I knew every single person. Most school's don't get to experience that, and some say it's a terrible thing, but I wouldn't have wanted it any other way.

In my short life, I've been fortunate enough to travel to 9 countries and 31 US States. I've seen some incredible things and wouldn't trade those experiences for anything, but there's nothing like returning home after a trip. Every time I come home, I put up a postcard from wherever I just visited on my wall to add to my collection. That way when I'm at home, I can look up at my wall to see all of the incredible places I've been and all that I've accomplished while at the same time knowing that I'm safe at home.

“In your life, you’re going to go to some great places, and you’re going to do some wonderful things. But no matter where you go, or who you become, this place will always be with you. "

There's only one Southern Lehigh, and it's our home.