I guarantee that every kid walks in their freshman year excited to graduate. Everyone looks at graduation as the end of the road. If you can make it to graduation, then you’ve succeeded. If you graduate from high school, your life is complete. Every minute is one that is getting you closer to the day that you get to walk across that stage and “Make it out of this small town.” Or at least that is the exact mindset I had as a freshman.

Graduating is also motivation to have fun in high school. As a high schooler you constantly hear your parents encouraging you to make the most of your years at this simple brick building, but any young mind is still set on that cap and gown, an outfit that we all think is carrying us to some sort of adulthood or greater life.
Not that graduating isn’t an accomplishment or that there isn’t a greater life waiting, but I truly feel like the day after graduation is just going to feel like a regular Saturday. I am a senior writing this days away from graduation. I have been mentally preparing myself for, a total of four years, and I have never been more terrified. There is probably a better, greater life out there just waiting for me, but I’m not sure I’m ready to leave this small town. I am only now understanding the importance of making the most of it. It goes so incredibly fast. I didn’t think I’d already be picking up my cap and gown and scheduling senior breakfasts and graduation practices.

After anyone graduates, it’s practically the beginning of your ban. You’re really only allowed to come back to get your diploma. After that, you come back and you’re that one graduate that comes back and everyone looks at you and whispers, “Why are they back? Didn’t they graduate?” So, I guess I’m just saying that it went fast. And as excited as I am to walk across that stage and into a new more adulty life, I’m definitely going to miss the teachers, the high school drama, the comradery, but most importantly chicken patty day. It’s been a great 10 years here at Fair Grove. Good luck to anyone still wishing they were done, trust me when I say you’re going to wish you weren’t.