Today is the end of day five and we have one more to go. It’s been an incredible week here at Boys’ State and this experience will stay with me for the rest of my life. Just a few weeks ago I didn’t even know if I would be able to attend as I had just had knee surgery two weeks prior and wasn’t even sure if I would be able to walk in time. Sure enough I was able to start walking comfortably just days before leaving. Upon arrival I didn’t know much about Boys’ State and wasn’t sure what to expect. I’m not gonna lie, during the course of that first day it was extremely hot and I thought that this week was gonna be the longest week of my life. I was limping around campus in that heat trying to keep up with my group and time seemed to move very slowly. One hour would feel like five and all I wanted to do was skip forward to the last day. Even over the course of the second day it felt the same way but after that things started to change. I was able to get used to the routine and time started to move faster. A big reason for this is because of the bonds you form with other people while you are here. Even though we come from all over the state we all share something in common and at Boys’ State you have to form connections with other people in order to be successful. Once I got to this point I was able to not only learn but have a good time while doing it. People here will agree with me on the fact that at first nobody thought they would enjoy this experience but as time went on we were all able to make the most of it. The counselors along with everyone who makes Boys’ State possible are amazing people with a ton of knowledge to give. They work extremely hard all week to make sure everything runs smoothly and I am very appreciative of that. Even though I’m excited to go home tomorrow, this experience taught me lessons I would’ve never learned had I not been here and I would most definitely do it again.