Although I haven’t even started the college application yet, I can say that I’ve experienced enough of high school to reflect and say that Cambridge Rindge and Latin is probably one of the best things that have happened to me, even though I absolutely dread high school.

It’s about to be second semester and the bittersweet feeling of being half way through my junior year is finally making me realize me that wearing a cap and gown isn’t very from where I am right now. All those seniors that told me freshmen year that “high school will fly by” were absolutely right and while I have the another year to utilize to best use up all my resources, I notice that CRLS has so many opportunities that I won’t be able to even get my hands on by the time I graduate. However, there’s still time.

I dread high school because although I love it, it is just such bad timing. High schoolers are so clumsy and so prone to making the same mistakes over and over again. It’s the awkward age where adults expect us to make smart decisions while treating us like kids. Getting 8 hours of sleep is so hard when maintaining good grades, playing a sport, being involved in extracurriculars, and working must also be present in our lives. I’m telling you, it’s just bad timing.

Nonetheless, I do call CRLS my second home. The teachers are family. The late nighters I spend doing homework that probably won’t even be collected the next day are spent with friends I couldn’t thank enough. The experiences and lessons I’ve learned, sounding as cliche as it does, make up who I am today. And within the next year, I’m sure they’ll make me even stronger of the student, friend, and athlete I am. I just love it all and if I could start over, I wouldn’t but it’s definitely an experience I hold so true to my heart.

To everyone in highschool, you have still have time to make the most of it. Maybe you can join another club or go to the next musical auditions. Maybe you can buy tickets to the next school dance. Or maybe you can eat lunch with your teacher for the rest of the semester. Whatever the case may be, please just give high school a change because (coming from a junior) it does fly by and all the times we’ve said “oh, I’ll go next time” only makes the sand slip through the crack of the hourglass faster.

Besides, in the end, we only regret the chances we didn’t take, right?