Senior Year

I’ve been dreaming of my senior year since the 7th grade. I couldn't wait to move onto the good stuff, college. My middle school journey was the norm, it wasn't anything exciting and it just made me want to finish school even more-so. High school is where I started to shape the person I am. I’ve ridden a roller coaster through high school with ups and downs. Without them I would not be the person I am today. High school is a whole new ballgame. Suddenly I wasn't dreaming of senior year to get out of school, but because I couldn't wait for the experiences it would bring me. Since my friends and I were in the 9th grade we talked about the ‘senior hallway’, where our lockers would be, our last homecoming, who we thought would win homecoming queen, and king, prom, and so much more.

Now here I am a Senior in high school. Something I wanted so bad. I greatly struggled in school at times, and wondered if I would ever make it. But I never could have thought of this. Remote learning, coming in every other day, wearing masks in school, not being able to sit in the senior hallway, or all be together in a classroom. Since the pandemic started, I asked my family to not speak about the future of my senior year. It made me too sad. Receiving news after news every few days about how things would be different, how senior traditions would be changed. I thought my dream of a senior year was over. I won't lie about that first day of remote learning. I sat outside on my porch and I was sad. I was sad to think that I would be home every other day. I was sad that I wouldn't get to go to school with all my friends. I was sad I wasn't getting the experience I dreamed of. 

 I remember my 7th grade orientation. I was sitting in a classroom, filled with kids I did not know and with guidance counselors and current students. I will never forget them saying “it goes by so fast.” I brushed it off. I didn't believe it, and some days I thought “omg I’m gonna be stuck here forever.” But now here I am, with less than 180 days left in my high school experience. And the time went by so fast.

While my senior year has so far not been what I was hoping, that doesn't mean it can't be great. My fellow classmates certainly are not gonna let traditions go. We will continue to try and have the most “normal” senior year we can have. While it won't be perfect, while it may not be what I wanted, it will be what was meant to happen. Everything in life has a purpose, even if I haven't figured it out yet.

Senior Year are two big words.  They stand for the end of one's childhood. It means to make most of the time you have left. Because when they tell you it goes by fast they aren't kidding.

-Colette