So, you're finally here. After most of your years of your short life thus far, you have made it to the great land you've always dreamed of: post graduation. Some of your friends are in college, some in the military, and some in the work force. No matter where you or any of your friends ended up, one thing's for certain: it doesn't take much to hear someone complain about high school.

Now don't get me wrong. There were many moments you couldn't pay me to relive, and many moments that are so laughable in my existence that I'd rather ignore them. Finding yourself trash talking high school is easy to do, but when you hear people who have had awful experiences: it's OK that not all of yours were. High school was a time of so many changes and holds four years of our very short lives. So many memories were made in that short time, so it's OK.

It's OK to miss high school.

I lived and I learned so much all before the age of 18. I had my first committed relationship, learned how to drive a car, made good friends and bad, and I did all of these things in the four years after middle school.

I sang in our chorus alongside some of the best people I've ever had the privilege to know and stage managed three musicals. I learned (and forgot) how to speak some really choppy Spanish. (I can still ask to use the bathroom and to get a drink from the water fountain though.) I struggled to raise my AP grade (every trimester).

I screamed at football games as I froze on the metal bleachers. I signed up for clubs just to get out of class. (Um...yes...I've always had a passion for...sports nutrition...sign me up!) I got on good terms with all of my teachers just so they'd let me out of class to go visit another classroom. I learned just how to walk so an administrator wouldn't question why I was in the hallway in the middle of class.

I was seated next to the girl who became my best friend for almost two years. I also lost that same best friend. I learned how to fix a relationship and that some relationships just aren't fixable. I learned how to sweep up the pieces of a friend's broken heart and stitch them back together.

I learned that lockers are overrated and that you can sacrifice a textbook in order to fit more snacks in your backpack. I learned that life isn't always about teaching yourself everything, but letting other people teach you and help you grow. I learned that weighted GPA only really ever existed to make us feel better, but that it didn't do much in real life.

I learned that our educators have nothing but the utmost love for us, and always only wanted us to succeed. I learned that laughter is genuinely the best medicine, and to surround yourself with those who are always willing to help cure you.

I learned that people can be mean, but for every mean person, there's always at least one or two more nice people who want to help water the flowers inside of you rather than rip the roots out of the ground.

Out of all these things, the most important thing I learned, as tears welled up in my eyes on graduation day, is that life is short. Opportunities come for but a moment, and will soon be gone. I learned, as I hugged the teachers who helped mold and shape the person I'd become, to never squander a moment just because you feel like it will be presented relentlessly.

As I looked around at my peers of the last 12 years, I felt proud, but couldn't help but wish I'd taken just a few less sick days. We learned to live, love, and be ourselves. It was back before life got more real and most friends parted ways.

I'll cherish the people I knew and all of the times we had together for the rest of my life. No matter where we are all now, we all helped shaped each other for years. For that, we can always be grateful.

So I'll say it again: it's OK to miss high school. We spent four whole years out of 18 making memories. Whether good, bad, or ugly -- they all mean something.

Don't feel bad for missing it.