I can finally scream it from the rooftops: my days as a high schooler are over! I recently made my grand finale appearance in the halls of my high school and was overwhelmed with excitement, nostalgia, and triumph. Juniors at my school cooed to me how lucky I was, and teachers shared fond memories of their last day of high school.
As I prepared to write this article, I wondered how I could best express the varying emotions I experienced on my last day of classes. Then it hit me: moments from some of my favorite movies. These films embody how I felt on this historic day. So, without further ado, here are the five stages of emotions, explained with movie references, of my last day of high school.
1. Cady Heron when she broke the tiara at prom in "Mean Girls"
Through my typical schedule of classes, I grew a greater appreciation for the people around me. Many of these people individually impacted my life. This feeling of sentiment made me want to break a prom tiara in half, and throw everyone a piece of it. Unfortunately, I didn't prepare an emotional speech, so I decided against it.
2. John Bender's fist pump in "The Breakfast Club"
"The Breakfast Club" best describes this feeling of pure, unadulterated happiness. In all honesty, I fist pumped in my car before I made my last drive home from those hallowed halls. Corny? Perhaps. Completely, 100 percent warranted? Absolutely.
3. Ron Burgundy after his dog Baxter was kicked off a bridge in "Anchorman"
Soon enough, a wave of sadness overcame me as my friends and I realized that it was our last day of high school. For the first time, the thought of leaving homework and 8 a.m. classes behind made us tear up. I could best describe it as when my favorite San Diego anchorman watched a motorcyclist punt his dog off a bridge.
4. Duckie lip synching "Try a Little Tenderness" in "Pretty in Pink"
Duckie's record store performance is arguably my favorite movie scene of all time, and best exemplifies my reaction when I got home on my last day of senior year. When I strutted through the front door of my house and threw my backpack off of my shoulder, I wanted to copy his iconic dance. Now it was time for summer, college, and the rest of my life.
5. When the gang from "Grease" sang their last song at the school carnival
Danny, Sandy, Frenchy, and the rest of the group know how to celebrate a last hurrah. They're a loyal group of friends who felt the same happiness as I did with my friends on the last day of high school. Yes, they were sad to finish up the journey of high school, but they knew that loyal friendships can stay strong after graduation.
