I read these Senior Goodbyes as a freshman and once again before I began this reflective piece. This is my last chance to give my favorite memories a permanence in the world. Fortunately for me, I have plenty of unique Pacer memories. I’m grateful that  I was able to end the year with a proper goodbye; no IPad learning, no pregnancies, no different classrooms. I was able to finish the year in our room, with our teacher, with my friends. 

Most people say that high school was the worst time of their lives, and I bet for some that may be true, but that’s not the case for me. High school helped me find what I love, overcome fears, make friends, experience things that some will never, and most importantly, high school made me a better person.

If my freshman self were to see me now, he would question everything. He hated writing, all he wanted to do was play basketball and video games. However, 14-year-old Eli was able to write about the Chicago Bulls for an English class essay. Little did I know, that English class wasn’t just a class and that essay wasn’t just an essay. It was the first of many articles written for the Pacer. I can only thank our old Pacer sponsor, Mrs. Deberge for pushing me to learn what I did, it undoubtedly came in handy.

As a sophomore, I joined the upperclassmen on staff. We also had a change in sponsors. I was blessed to be put with the staff members in A101 that year; I made some  amazing relationships and unique experiences. I got a feel for the Pacer while there. While I did put in slightly more effort, I was a below average writer with a very below average work ethic. 

With that being said, if it weren’t for our editors in 2019, nothing would’ve been produced for the Pacer. I saw the work they did and the respect they got. I thought that if I continued to write, I would be there one day. When Junior year rolled along I began to work relatively hard because I saw myself in the shoes of the aforementioned editors one day, but with a lack of motivation and virtual learning, it was nothing special. Nothing to write about, poor communication, losing relationships, it was safe to say that not much was accomplished.

Then came senior year. All the pieces aligned, in-person learning, being the most experienced in the room; a fresh start. I overcame my biggest problem with lacking self-motivation. 

I started as a co-sports editor and as opportunities fell in my lap, I took advantage. I took every opportunity and worked to the best of my ability. That was my biggest lesson, if an opportunity falls in your lap, jump on it. Nobody deserves the opportunity more than you. If I were to give advice to anyone, that would be it. With that being said, it feels amazing to be writing my final article as the head of the Pacer and the editor-in-chief title.

I will always love the Pacer and the experiences that came along with it. My favorite of which came in A101. From watching Mike sing his soul out to watching Laiken’s third-place performances, I regret nothing from my amazing Pacer experience. Lussow helped me grow into the person I am today and the staff members I spent my high school years with helped me grow my work ethic. 

The person I shared the most similarities with was Mike Serritella. After having nearly identical schedules freshman year, I made a friend on the first day of school and kept that friend throughout the year thanks to our passion for sports in the Pacer.

Moving forward, I’m looking to take a gap year to continue my growth as a writer and try to get my name out there. Whether it’s a sports podcast or reporting on social media, I will use every single skill taught to me by my mentors. And I know that I will continue to have support from Mrs. Lussow in the future. Thank you Rolling Meadows High School and most importantly, the RMHS Pacer.