With five months of high school left, us seniors are eager to leave. Five more months of needing a pass to go to the bathroom, messy lockers, pointless drama and all the other baggage high school comes with. Don't get me wrong- I'm not bashing high school. I've learned a lot from my (mostly) great teachers and been offered many opportunities. Matter of fact, high school prepared me to gain admission at my top choice college. These past four years have had their fair share of ups and downs. Now, I'm ready for a new beginning... or at least I think I am.

I hope college can help bring about the changes I've tried to make in high school. The transition seems like the ideal time to make adjustments in my lifestyle, for I'll be living in a new area, surrounded by new people and ideas.

People used to tell me "once you graduate high school, you'll realize you have 2 or 3 good friends". As a freshman, I would chose to disagree, but now, I realize how much truth the statement holds. I can immediately pick out the people who have stayed close with me through the years and show a mutual interest in my life. As much as I hope to continue my friendship with these people, I'm excited for new ones. As of this moment, I don't even know these future best friends exist, all I know is the comfort of my high school. I need college to bring fresh faces.

No one wants to gain the freshman fifteen. It's all about motivation when it comes to eating healthy and working out, and I experience periods of it, but find it hard to keep up. The feeling after a great workout is one to remember when you don't feel like going to the gym. I need college to motivate me.

Independence is something all high schoolers want. We want freedom both in school and at home. This is one thing I am excited to gain in college. There will be times I miss having meals cooked for me and teachers still accepting a paper two days late. I feel like it will surprise or maybe even overwhelm me when I get a feel for how independent I'll have to be in college, but I need the freedom college offers.

I understand college isn't all fun and games. I'm not expecting parties every night, gourmet dining hall food or to immediately fall into a group of friends. I am expecting to spend my days working towards my dream job, cheering at the hockey games in the student section, ordering pizza to my dorm room, continuing my sport, meeting amazing people and making connections. As a junior, I wasn't dreading another year of high school, and the timing worked out perfectly, because now I'm ready to say goodbye. Goodbye to the drama, endless worksheets and pointless rules. At the same time, I'm saying goodbye to nights spent driving around blasting music, in our booth at Tully's and Monday nights watching The Bachelor with my mom. Although this all is given up, it becomes replaced with a brand new experience that will change my life forever. Doors will be opened and I know I will be given amazing opportunities to work with the best people. I have high hopes for college and can't wait to start fresh.