As we are trapped in the last month of classes, everyone is going insane. The teachers, guidance counselors, parents, and the students. Especially the students. A big chapter of our life is coming to an end, in a month we will walk across a stage outside in the really hot weather and wear a really hot cap and gown and finally become the Class of 2016. It all seems so far away, though, right? No, it is really right around the corner. This entire year has been a big chaotic mess of planning our lives after high school.

Some of us will go off to college and move away from our friends and family. Others will get jobs, and some of our very good friends will prepare to go overseas after joining the military. Everyone you have seen almost every single day for 12 years will be here, and then the next day we will all be scattered and moving on to our next journey. It is insanity. The town you have been dying to leave suddenly seems so different. When you know you are about to leave you start noticing the little things about home that you have never cared about before. All the shops downtown don’t blur together as one -- they stand out and you wonder if your next home is going to be like this.

In this last month, everyone seems to grow apart, but honestly, we are all becoming closer. You start wondering if your college professors will make you laugh the way your high school English teacher does. How will you survive science classes without your high school Biology teacher giving you Jolly Ranchers after a test? All the little things that never mattered before will start to stand out. If you are going to college the stresses range from leaving your family to, “Oh my God what size sheets do I need?” The answer is most likely Twin XL (thanks, mom). In all seriousness, we have waited the majority of our lives to graduate high school; but now that we are, it is surreal.

So, enjoy the last month of high school. Sure there are exams this month, but there are also have a ton of awesome things. Senior spirit week, senior prank week, and all the different traditions high schools have. Most importantly, there is graduation. One last time to be together all at once.

It’s going to be awesome, Class of 2016. Take the time to enjoy the little things about high school. We are almost adults and we will be on our own soon. It won’t be as easy as the movies make it seem, but it also won’t be bad. In our month before graduation, count down the days but make sure to enjoy them. Graduation day will be here sooner than we think and then we will be begging to come back to high school.

Congratulations, Class of 2016! We’re almost there.