Senior Bridger Mortensen has hit his stride in his last year. Over his career at Sheridan High School, Mortensen has faced many challenges and now finds strength through community, friendships and extracurricular activities. Mortenson mentioned that he didn’t know how being a senior would feel, and now having experienced it, he understands what it truly means. “Seniority isn’t about feeling more powerful than other people, it’s more about being confident in who you are,” said Mortensen.
One example of Mortensen’s newfound confidence is that cheering in the student section. For a long time Mortensen had an increasingly difficult time cheering; he often felt awkward or alone while cheering. Cheering in the student section is an activity which he now enjoys thoroughly. He finds solidarity in his newfound confidence and is proud of the person he has become.
In this past year, Mortensen has pushed himself into many new fields, one of which being men’s volleyball. He found his interest in the sport while watching the drama series “Haikyu” and the men’s volleyball nationals. Soon after, he was encouraged by friends to give the sport a try. He filled out the email application and the rest is history. Early on, he found that he had some talent for the sport and continued to work harder and harder until he saw growth. He became proud of his improvement and hopes that his hard work pays off in a scholarship opportunity. He finds team activities incredibly rewarding, even more so when he is participating in a sport he loves. “When I started working harder, I liked it even more,” said Mortensen. “I want [volleyball] to be my sport.”
Mortensen’s philosophy on trying new things boils down to gaining experience. He believes that gaining new experiences will be more rewarding than pigeonholing oneself into a certain field. “Doing the same thing over and over again is boring,” said Mortensen. His depth of field in this sense has paid off this year, improving his personal growth and achievement, increasing his standards and overall making him a happier and more fulfilled individual.
Mortensen also just began his first semester in orchestra and decided to play upright bass. This has been a big uptaking for Mortensen. He was inspired by his friends, many of whom play instruments or are musically involved. “Learning adds to the quality of the person,” said Mortensen. He adds that playing with a more experienced group has motivated him. He points out that when he is around more experienced individuals, he has to chase harder in order to keep up. He believes this has accelerated his growth overall. He even pushed himself to learn the scales for All State, a hard task for any beginner. Mortensen enjoys the challenge of learning incredibly difficult music and appreciates his peers and teachers supporting him along the way.
Mortensen’s favorite high school memory was difficult for him to place, and instead he answered by saying that meeting new people and pursuing healthy friendships were among his best decisions. “Find good friends,” Mortensen advises. Mortensen has the most fun thinking about moments he shared with friends and loved ones opposed to single personal achievements. He values the community he has chosen and is glad that after his struggles he has found strength in the people around him.
He also is a strong believer in variety. He believes that, above all, one should try as much as possible for the simple joy of experience. “Live life so you don’t regret not doing something later,” said Mortensen. “You can only experience high school once.” He lives this truth continually trying new things and pushing himself to become greater every day. Things that used to challenge him are now daily pastimes all due to the philosophies he has acquired throughout the years.
Mortensen is currently surveying his options in regards to his future. He has a few different options and is optimistic about his future. One of Mortensen’s options is to find scholarships for sports and academics which is an option he hopes pans out. Another is for him to stay in Sheridan to take advantage of Hathaway Scholarship, pursuing dentistry. The last is to move to Utah and pursue education while surrounded by close family. He has hope for the future and is excited to see what the world has to hold.
Bridger is the son of Shari Mortensen and is the grandson of Dorthy Brennan.