To the high school senior that is about to graduate. I bet you have a countdown on your phone. 40 days. You have your last prom coming up, senior trip, senior activities, then graduation. I know you've been looking forward to it this entire year, maybe for longer than that, but it went by too fast didn't it?
You wish it would've slowed down now don't you? I know I did. I wished time away I knew I should never have. The days and weeks went by so fast, I only wished I could relive all of them all over again.
High school wasn't always easy; there were a lot of times we wanted to escape it all. The teachers, the people, the school, the tests, our alarm clocks or even the things we liked doing, but it was all apart of high school. You see, a lot of people say the best days are ahead of you and they're talking about college, getting married, having children, buying your first house.
Whatever happened to just living in the moment? That is one thing I wish I could take back; was rushing my time away. I didn't want away from my friends or my high school, I just wanted out of school, waking up early, moving to a new city, but at the same time being able to be with the same people.
That's something I want to encourage you seniors to do: Take your time, live in the moment, don't waste your time away.
Maybe some of you are excited for the future and what's ahead, others may be absolutely terrified or maybe don't even know what they're doing and they only have the summer left to figure it out.
Let me give you a piece of advice: do not forget who and what you are leaving behind in those hallways, in the classrooms or in the lunchroom. Your friends have been your friends for 13 years for a reason, don't forget about them just because you made new ones.
When you walk through the door and open it for the very last time as a student, know going back in there will never be the same again. The last time you have to talk out, some may be sprinting for the doors or you may be like me and wait 45 minutes after school was over and just walk around the halls and classrooms reminiscing on all the good and bad times you had.
The laughter, the love you have felt surrounding you, the smiles, the jokes you and your friends made, the hugs, the unimaginable times you never thought you'd have. It starts to sink in nothing will ever be the way it is right in this moment ever again.
Some are staying in the hometown to go to college, living at home, others are moving away in completely new towns or even states. Some may be going into the military and moving constantly and you may never see them again. Others are just working because school isn't for them and the others are ready to get married and settle down already and have children.
It hits you that you just may never see these people ever again and it strikes a nerve in you, you might not have known you had or even cared about.
As much as college is filled with so many memories, they are just different. Proms are formals, getting prepared to cheer is now a tailgate, teachers are now professors and they won't remember your name, your cafeteria food or your mom's cooking is now meal swipes or late night runs to Cook-Out.
You need to live in the moment.
Love your friends and those around you that are there right now because the reality of it is, they soon won't be. It will never be like it is right now. Tell everyone you can that you love them, tell the teachers that made an impact on your life that they did, they remember those things.
So now what? The day has come: Graduation. You get to walk with your class in your cap and gown and receive your diploma from your hard work over the years. You'll sit with your friends one last time, all together. This is the very last time every single one of you are going to be together. Take that in (I cried for the majority of graduation, don't worry). It will hit you at the worst times.
All of this to say, these last few weeks you have are going to fly by, just like this year did, but faster. Cherish every single moment. Don't miss anything. Take every opportunity to go to every event that is taking place before you leave. Hang out with your friends as much as possible amidst all the final projects and tests you have going on.
Believe me, you will regret it if you don't. I hope you went to every basketball game and cheered on your team at home and away, I hope you went outside your comfort zone and did things you normally wouldn't have because you would never get the chance again, but most of all, I hope you have no regrets.
