I am extremely honored to have been chosen as the grad of the month. My name is Nathan Bangandozou. I am a senior at Saint John’s Class of 2021. This year my summer was unlike any other. With this global pandemic going on everything was different. Though I want to thank GOD that my family, friends and I all stayed healthy during this pandemic. The start of my summer was spent in my bed at home for a couple of days until my parents finally allowed me to go out, if I was only wearing a mask. It was a struggle at first, but as time went on I ended up getting used to it.
In early April I celebrated my birthday applying for jobs. I got a job at Shaw’s and it is an easy, good job. I work in the front end of the store working cashiers, bagging groceries for customers, and once a while outside pushing carts. I often did get to see friends, but I was very busy with working there to make money.
What was exciting about my summer was that I had the chance to do something I didn’t think I would get to. I was getting to play my summer basketball AAU. We weren’t able to play here in Massachusetts so every weekend we would go up to Hampton, New Hampshire to play games and would maybe go to the beach after games and spend the night in hotels there, which was great to do. I also had a chance to go to a fellow classmate’s home in cape cod and it was awesome.
Now that we are going to start school I’m really in shock of how I’m really a senior now. To me, I can’t believe it. Time goes by so fast, but I am really excited for the year to end off good and strong. I’m glad I am having a chance to go back in person, see friends and have a senior year. I am glad to know everything is set to go off well for the year but I would really be hurt if I didn’t have my final sports season before I head out for college. Though I plan to play in college, my senior year is an important season for coaches to see my game. The good part is I have already started talking to schools and coaches who seem very interested in me. I really just hope for the best for this year and I couldn’t have been more happier knowing I will be entering college in less than a year.
My best advice to the younger high school students is to really enjoy every moment of being in high school with friends, sports and everything. This is because sooner or later it’ll be gone and you won’t have another opportunity to have at it again. My senior year I will not take for granted I’m going to enjoy everything before the friends I have made at Saint Johns all depart our different ways. Lastly continue working hard and enjoy your final high school years.
Thank you.