As a high school senior who is graduating in two weeks, I have been doing a lot of reflecting. High school is different for everyone, I get that. Some spend it partying it up with their best friends and some dread waking up every day to spend six or more hours in a dreaded building. Some people just go with the flow. In my case, high school was pretty good. I had my fair share of less than joyful times, but as I look back on my four years as a Gael, I know that I was pretty fortunate to have had the experience I did.
I did the whole high school thing. I attended the dances, the football games, and participated in my fair share of extracurricular activities. I got sucked into the drama, lost some friends and gained some amazing ones as well. My experience was fairly normal, thankfully.
My senior year didn't turn out to be all I had planned. I'm what you would call an old soul. Anyways, despite already being wiser than my years, as a past teacher described me, I think I learned more about myself senior year than I did in my 18 years of living. I learned to not let people destroy me, emotionally, and that it is OK to not be liked. It is OK to have a small circle. Most importantly, it is perfectly fine to do things for just yourself. At times, it is okay to be selfish. If something or someone isn't making yo happy, that is the only reason you need to rid of that issue. I lost some important people this year. I became friends with people I never thought I'd talk to in my life. I became a new person for the better. The past is in the past, I'm moving onto the next part of my life knowing that I will continue to change and grow.
At this point in my high school career, I'm ready to go. I was surrounded with so much immaturity and unnecessary drama that I checked out before Christmas break. I have had a countdown since Thanksgiving. At first, I thought I would go back to not wanting to leave the people I grew up with, but now I know it is because there is so much more to life than what I have lived. I can't wait to continue my education. I hope to meet new people and travel. I want to soak up all the world has to offer. I have nothing but ambition and drive inside me. I'm ready to take the absolutely horrifying leap into adulthood.
The truth of the matter is that everyone I have come to love, hate, fight and bond with might not make it into the next chapter. Ninety-percent of the people I see every day will be limited to tweets and Instagram posts. It will all be nothing but a memory.
It is impossible to tell where life will take all of us once we leave the sanctuary (or prison) that is high school. We all know where we want to be in five or 10 years, but we can't predict what will actually happen.
The best gift is to have a strong mind and a good attitude. Graduation is rapidly approaching and it is time to embrace it because our lives are starting. Here's to the future and what will really be the best years of our lives!
