Hi there everyone, and welcome to what will almost definitely be my last project on scratch... (tl;dr - thank you everyone, love you and love swc. That's basically it this isn't the most exciting thing ever...) This is hard to write, but I’ve decided to this session of SWC was my last, and with that I will be pretty much leaving scratch </3 I first made this account in June 2019, aged 9! Nearly 7 years later, I have so many memories on this little website I thought would just be used for primary school coding club… I’ve made 70+ projects, got over 700 amazing followers I love to bits, been featured multiple times, yet the most impactful thing by far has been the writing camp I stumbled across in November 2020. Over 11 sessions - almost a year of my life! - I’ve made SO many amazing friends, had so many chaotic and hilarious memories, and improved so much as a writer, leader and just generally as a person, because SWC has taught me so much in general… I have created such an identity for myself here that the word ‘leopard’ will always carry such a special meaning to me, which makes me laugh so much - who’d have thought when I randomly created a user in 2019 how it would make me associate myself with a big cat for however long..!! The reason for leaving, I think comes down to I’ve simply come to a place in my life where I’ve probably outgrown scratch. I’m so busy all the time that I can’t possibly dedicate the time SWC deserves, and writing is no longer a big part of my life or something I’m that passionate about. In a year and a half I’ll be off to uni, which I can hardly believe!! To think how different I am now compared to 10-year old me… I’m going to miss the community, everyone who’s been there for me over my scratch journey. I’ll still be on to chat, at first maybe regularly but it'll undoubtedly get less and less frequent, and those of you that can contact me elsewhere are more than welcome to because I LOVE talking to everyone so much i can't describe it <33 But there comes a time where we all have to move on, and now is right for me. I have so many amazing memories spanning the last 7 years (minus my 2-3 year break) that I will truly treasure so much. So a big thank you to everyone who’s made it an amazing experience, I love you all so much and I’ll miss you, but this is what is right for me <33 So I guess for a lot of people this is goodbye, for others its just I won't be around in swc. But anyway, I've waffled for long enough, basically just wanted to say thank you...
Ok, now I have some thank-yous for specific people - some are for this session, and some are more general. I don't have enough words to express how much you all mean to me, plus the countless people I haven't got space to write a note to but have made a great impact on my life and my scratch journey. I love you all to bits <33 (Notes in order (or should I say no specific order ahaha - please don't be offended if i haven't written you one, know that I appreciate you all so much <33 Isa, Clev, Skylar, Chocolate, Fini, Seagull, Pepper, Ris) Isa: Isa, I haven’t known you for that long but the last few months co-leading poetry with you have been amazing! If I hadn’t known, I’d have thought it was your 10th session as leader - your organisation, the way you handle everything so well and considerately whilst being one of the loveliest people ever… I hope to continue to enjoy SWC for many sessions to come, and I wish you the best of luck for everything! Thank you for being amazing <33 Clev: CLEV!! I’ve been saving this for you: I’ve actually been on scratch for about 6 or 7 years…. I was then going to say jokes aside, but that’s doesn’t feel right - after all, you are the person can always count on for a great laugh!! You’re so funny and I love your energy, but you’re also one of the loveliest people and I love love talking to you, hopefully will continue doing so <33 I can’t tell you how happy I was when I saw isa had offered to you aswell - thanks for making my last session a great one (even if I wasn’t very active, but planning was THE BEST!) Skylar: Skylar now this one is hard to write… over the last 2 years you’ve been the person on scratch I’ve talked to probably about every week and I appreciate you so much! From all our talks about school and exams and uni, iconic British moments and anything else, I’ll be forever grateful that I camped in apocalypicnic in July 25 and got to meet you!! This definitely won’t be the last time that we talk, but you have such a bright future ahead of you and I’m sure everything is going to work itself out <33 you’re one of the kindest, friendliest people I know and I’m honoured to call you my friend - don’t know what I would do without you Chocolate Chocolate chocolate what can I say? I haven’t talked to you anywhere near as much as I wish to (why does that sound lowkey creepy ummm) but every time I do, you brighten up my day so much. You’re so kind and thoughtful Fini Fini!! We haven’t talked in a while because life is so busy for both of us, but I don’t think I ever really thanked you for everything you’ve done for me over the years - and I say years because you were my best friend on scratch all the way back in like 2021… how crazy is that?!! And then when I came back last year, you remembered me and were just as kind and lovely and funny as ever. Appreciate you so much <3 Seagull Someone else I would talk to more if I had the time… every time I speak to you, Seagull, you just come across as such a wonderful and kind person, plus you’re INCREDIBLY talented in so many different ways! Good luck with everything <33 Pepper Thank you so much for being amazing in general, and especially during the November session! I had so much fun leading and you were just incredible. Thank you <33 Ris I know we don’t talk tha much, but I just wanted to say a big thank you for facilitating one of my recent mos favourite memories, which is of course the Ris puns! That was a few hours one night were I felt like a child again, and I think that sums up SWC for me. Thank you for being such a big part in this amazing commmunity and everything you do to keep it running, I appreciate you and your amazing sense of humour so much <33
