Don't Forget

by Oleg Chepil, Class of 2026 Valedictorian, Eastside Catholic School

I want to leave you with one piece of advice.

Don't forget.

Don't forget the reason we do what we do—work, school, everything. At the end of the day, it's all to provide us with the opportunity to do the things we love: spending time with friends, watching sports and anything else that brings us joy.

It's important to find balance. We'll always need to work hard and do things we don't want to do, but it's even more important that we never let those responsibilities overshadow our passions and the things we love. After all, isn't that what we work for?

Finding that balance is one of the most important things we can do, especially now, when the next few years will help shape the rest of our lives.

As life gets busier and more complicated, don't forget that balance. Don't forget that all the time and effort we invest is worth little if we let it keep us from being happy.