This is my high school career: Luke Pulliam
Luke Pulliam, senior
May 6, 2014
As I sit down to write this column, my mind is flooded with memories I have made these last four years at Tracy High.
Coming in as a freshman, all I knew I wanted to do was play football and basketball, which I did. I would not have imagined all of the other things I would get involved in, from being a part of the Royal Court for Homecoming, to co-founding the Bulldog Project, to becoming the sports editor for the newspaper, to taking International Baccalaureate classes, to winning the homecoming skit two years in a row. I didn’t really get too involved in all these activities until junior year and that is the one piece of advice I would give my freshman self, get involved! Getting involved in school activities really advanced my high school career and introduced me to a lot of my friends I have today.
Probably the main thing that I have learned academically would be to not procrastinate. Which is ironic because I’m writing this column the period before it is due, so I guess I have not quite grasped the idea of doing work ahead of time. In terms of my character, the main thing I have learned is just to be myself and enjoy life. I have seen too many people over these last four years that have tried to change themselves to fit into a certain group. Being yourself and enjoying life kind of go hand and hand because if you are doing what you love and hanging out with people you enjoy being around rather than trying to fit into a certain crowd or living a very superficial life. Everyone was made unique so just do you, simple.
It is hard to choose a single favorite memory from high school, but if I have to it would be beating Lincoln at Lincoln in football, 41-39. This was one of the craziest games I have ever played in. After being up 41-7 in the third quarter, Lincoln started coming back. 41-14…41-21…41-28… and before you know it, with two minutes left in the game the score was 41-39 and all they needed was a 2-point conversion to tie it up. We got the stop and recovered the onside the kick to seal the win. It was only the second time we had beat Lincoln in the last 20 years and was a game we had to win to win the league title. It was a game with a rollercoaster of emotions that I will never forget with a team that was like a family.
One thing that I hope I can keep through my college years is the relationships I have built with my friends at Tracy High. Going into high school, I was not sure if I would be able to remain friends with many people from my days at Tom Hawkins Elementary School. While I have not remained close with some of my friends from middle school, surprisingly I have stayed close with a lot of my friends from that time. I also did not ever think one of my best friends would be from Nigeria. These friends have helped my high school career be what it is.
In August, I will be heading off to Luther College in Iowa where I will be majoring in Business Management and minoring in Exercise Science. I am not sure exactly what I would like to do after college, but I would love to do something in the sports or fitness industries. I will also be continuing my passion of playing football.
These last four years have been an experience like no other and I am thankful that I went to the best high school in Tracy. #onceabulldogalwaysabulldog
