EDUCATION
Field notes from graduation day From stuck tassels to flying caps, two students share what was going through their minds on graduation day BY KAYLIN HANSEN AND KAYDENCE SHIPMAN
Maricopa High School BY KAYLIN HANSEN
I
REMEMBER SO CLEARLY THE THOUGHTS running through my head as I waited for my name to be called. “Here comes the real world that every adult in
my life has ever talked about.” I reflected on some of my recent accomplishments. I had just hosted a car meet with an amazing turnout and landed a steady job. Like many others, I cheered when my friends’ names were called. I also found myself wondering how many cheers I would get when my own name was announced. As names were called, I noticed which students received the loudest cheers, and which received little to none. It made me think about the impact I had made during high school and whose lives I had touched. I still cheered for those who arguably don’t want anything to do with me because, if anything, graduation felt like the perfect time to leave high school drama behind and celebrate everyone who made it. I hope the student sitting next to me at the ceremony can move on, too — move on from the fact that my cap hit him in the eye. That’s an experience I’ll never forget. When I walked through the gates on my first day of high school, I wasn’t thinking about making friends or going to parties. Honestly, I wasn’t even thinking about finding my first class. My goal was simple: Get straight A’s, graduate and move on. I was purposely mean to acquaintances from middle school and distant toward new people because I didn’t want anyone getting too close. Looking back, I don’t even remember the first conversation I had with my now-boyfriend and high school sweetheart. Everything changed when I met my best friends, Hunter McClain and Ryu Flores, in drama class and my boyfriend through AFJROTC during freshman year. They encouraged me to step outside my comfort zone and reminded me there is more to life than achievements, certificates and perfect grades. They taught me something I’ve carried ever since: You’ll never get time back. Looking back, my junior year felt like a turning point. I served as lead photographer for the yearbook, became head equipment manager for the Digital Communications program, stayed active in the gym and built some of the strongest friendships of my life. It was also the year I met my future Gopacars co-founder, Macie.
More importantly, it was the year I stopped measuring success only by what appeared on a report card. Freshman-year me thought the goal was straight A’s and graduation. Senior-year me knows the people mattered more. The friendships, conversations, memories and even the drama are what I’ll carry with me. Four years ago, I wanted everyone to leave me alone. Now I’m grateful they didn’t.
Kaylin Hansen
InMaricopa.com | July 2026
July 2026 | InMaricopa.com
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