It’s a bittersweet feeling to know graduation is just around the corner, at least for me. When I was little, I always thought I had plenty of time before I would even be in high school, but everything changed in the blink of an eye. Now that I’m a senior and the school year is halfway done, I’ve taken time to look back on memories and see how far I have come before this long chapter is over.

I remember just starting in pre-K and having absolutely no clue that would be the start of something great. My first day of school, I was so excited to meet new people and try new things, but I was scared because I didn’t know what was ahead of me. Each year in elementary school, I learned more than before and always looked forward to going to school.

Middle school was something that had always changed me because I missed out on so much. Going into my 6th-grade year is when I started to branch out. I made so many new friends from different schools and even joined new things like a band. I was so excited to be in middle school, but COVID ruined many parts of that middle school experience. My 6th-grade year was cut short, and I only did online learning for my 7th-grade year. I finally got back to school in my 8th-grade year, and it was weird. That year was the year I really started to take my grades seriously because I wanted to learn something more and get ready for high school. 

When I started my freshman year, I knew that things would be different for me, and I could start something new. I had a chance to come out of my shell and try new things. It amazed me when I saw how many classes there were. I met so many people who helped me enjoy my very first year in high school, and I couldn’t be more grateful for them. I always look back on those memories that I made that year, and I see in so many ways that I have grown since then. 

My sophomore and junior years went past in the blink of an eye. My sophomore year was a year that tested me, but I’m proud of what I did that year. I grew as a person and challenged myself more when it came to the classes. In my junior year, I took a step back and appreciated the people around me and the opportunities I got to do. I knew that the next year would be my last year in high school.  

So far, senior year has gone by fast, but it has been bitter since the first day. I was sad that this year was the last for many things. It was my last first day of school, the last Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Spring breaks, the year I turned 18, prom and dances, and many more. In just a few months, every memory I have made along the way in the last 14 years is going to be just a part of the past, and graduating will be the closing of a big chapter of my life. It’s amazing to see how far I have grown and become my own person over the years. I’m ready to open that new door and walk through it. There is so much waiting out there in the world, and I’m ready to take a leap into something new.