As I ready myself to embark on my last year of free education, I can't help but realize that this summer before has brought on quite a few truths about the coming year.

1. This is the last real summer

Yes, there still is the summer after high school to look forward to; a summer finally not occupied with summer homework to stress out about. Next summer will be different though; next summer will be full of goodbyes and well wishes for the coming school year where most of us will not be able to experience our first day together. Next summer will be about making the most memories with our friends because some are going to leave for different areas of the world and there is no telling when our lives will cross again.

2. Some friendships have expiration dates, and those dates are coming up

There are certain friendships that you make in high school that was only formed out of convenience. These friendships are the ones that were not forged out of sheer attraction to the other person, but rather you need someone to sit by and help you with the homework. Now that the last year of school is happening it is time to say goodbye to that person and wish them well, because the bond that the two of you share will be broken on graduation day.

3. You can do anything you want this year

This is it friends, your reputations do not matter as much because they don't carry over to another year. Starting the day you finish junior year, you were liberated. Now it is a total free for all because you won't be around the people you don't like but another nine months. So now, who cares what you do? This is the year to be totally involved in everything you were afraid to be. This is the year to be unapologetic about who you really are.

4. This is the last year to enjoy high school.

If you're anything like me, you repelled anything to do with the school because you did not want to be too associated with it all. I do not regret this at all because now this year I plan to be extremely involved. In my eyes, this is a huge advantage because I will be able to experience what high school had to offer without all the activities becoming monotonous year after year.

5. Adulthood is approaching.

This is the last year that you can get away with acting like a child without responsibilities. After this year you can be a child at heart, but really this is the start of the rest of your life so it is probably best to get it together. With that being said, you shouldn't stress about being an adult soon, this is the time to live in the moment and be a kid.

Some of this sounds really depressing, that's because it is. High school is NOT all sunshine and rainbows, and some have it worse than others, but high school is fairly easy. High school is that perfect in between time from adolescence to adulthood where we can at the very least enjoy a friend's company for five days a week. With this being my last year, I encourage everyone in my position to really make it count not matter what feelings you have towards your school as a whole.