It is finally here. The moment you’ve been looking forward to or maybe even the day you were dreading. But either way, it is here. It is the first day of senior year, everything is about to change. You’ve successfully (maybe with a little hesitation) made it through three full years of high school and now it is time to run the show. It’s your time to shine, your time to put all your accomplishments into the now and the future. Yes, stressful, especially with last minute grades and college decisions on the line, but live it up, you can never go back to this moment.

Rolling out of bed, forgetting you can no longer sleep in, summer is officially over. You walk into the building at 8 a.m., you’ve been here before, this is all a breeze. Wearing the outfit you recently put so much time, money and effort into buying to impress all the underclassmen and especially the boys. Trying to be intimidating, yet super excited to be back at it, reminiscing about all the funny times cherished in those bland hallways. You wonder how it is even possible that time flew by this fast. You didn't believe them when they said high school goes by quick, did you?

It is already mid-December when you’ve started the college application process. Shocking how fast the first few months have gone by. College is now what is on your mind. But don’t get too ahead of yourself. Enjoy every single moment, every second that passes by you because in a blink of an eye these emotions and the time will be gone. Take advantage of all the opportunities you have to support your friends and classmates in their sporting events. Go and see that new movie coming out, join clubs and activities you’d never see yourself getting involved with. Open up to more people, you never know someone until you give them a chance. Don’t sit home binge watching the newest show on Netflix. Take the time to hang out with your friends somewhere local or casual if nothing super exciting is going on. Go out for ice cream when it's only 30 degrees, don't avoid buying that Chipotle burrito just because you want to be skinny for your potential college roommate. Go get dolled up and pamper yourself, proms don't always come around. Don’t be afraid to tell someone how you feel, you’ll regret holding back later. Just make the best of it, it’s your senior year -- you’re under control.

Go ahead and thank your parents for providing you with the love and support that has gotten you where you are. Thank your grandparents for being there for you when you needed a little extra love or even simply a good home cooked meal. Make sure your friends know you love them and you wouldn’t have gotten through high school without them. Through thick and thin, with all the highs and of course the lows, you’ll never forget those Friday and Saturday nights spent with each other. Between cuddling up with Starbucks and good eats, gossiping about the news in town, bonding over boys, and potential college activities, ranting about how annoyed or sad you are, being there through the tears, your best friends will forever hold a deep spot reserved in your heart. Thank your crush for teaching you things about yourself you never knew (whether it worked out or not) and for making you so happy. Thank your siblings for having your back, even at the bad times when you minimally fought over who gets shotgun in the car; blood is forever thicker than water. Thank your coaches and teachers for pushing you harder and harder each time, it all was worth it at the end.

It's your time. A once in a lifetime chance to be a 12th-grade student in high school. So don't be lazy, go out and have fun. Enjoy memories to the fullest. Ignore the drama and dumb problems. Thank the people you love. You're under control. It's your senior year. Live it up!

And now it's all over. Being a 12th-grade student in high school has quickly come to an end you didn't believe them when they said it would come and go this quick. Hopefully, you enjoyed all the memories to the fullest and ignored the drama and problems. Hopefully, you were yourself and maybe even improved on little things. Hopefully, you've learned a lot about everyone around you and how precious life is. From here on outlive out the next few weeks. It's your senior year. You're under control!