Up until December 19th, I hadn’t stepped back into the building that I knew as “highschool” since the day of my graduation. It’s an odd feeling, leaving such a place as a student and bonafide member of a close-knit community and then returning as someone entirely different.

But hey, we’ve all been there, and whether you’ve ventured back into the halls of hell to surprise a sibling, younger friend your favorite teachers (shout out to my high school's Art/Drama Department <3) and we all find ourselves trapped within the five stages of grief.

1) DENIAL

Expectation: "Oh my god, everything is going to be exactly the way it was and everyone will remember me and nothing has changed!"

Reality: There are hundred's of new faces, a thousand new teachers, different classes and lots of new items ("Why wasn't this in the school budget nine months ago when I actually WENT here?!")

2) ANGER

"WHY did I have to graduate?! Why didn't I do ___________ or _______________ or __________ when I could? WHY WAS I SUCH A FAILURE?!?!"

3) BARGAINING

"If I flunk out of this semester can I just go back to high school for a year (minus the homework, tests and bullshit state testing because I already got into actual college)? I'll actually do my math homework this time!

4) DEPRESSION

"Life will never be the same. Now I have to actually grow up., declare a major, find real jobs, worry about money, get to class on

time without adult supervision and make my own decision. This is the end; I'm doomed."

5) ACCEPTANCE

"College? PLEASE. I'm an independent person who knows how to survive on ramen and terrible cafeteria person while swimming through loans. Bow down, high school peasents"