In less than nine months, I will be graduated from high school, and I will be a legal adult. I will know what college I will attend in the coming fall, and I will never have to step back onto a high school campus as a student. I will become entirely accountable for my own decisions, and the burden of discipline will fall on myself as opposed to my parents. I have spent my entire life slowly learning independence, responsibility and time management; that process will culminate in my high school graduation and my transition into college, as I become a full-fledged adult.

That said, this Thanksgiving will be my last Thanksgiving as a minor under my parents' care. Next year, I will be an adult—still reliant on my parents but not to the degree that I currently am. As a result, I have a long list of things for which I am thankful going into my senior year Thanksgiving.

1. My parents' support.

My parents have always been there for me. We've had our fair share of disagreements, arguments and problems, but they have always stood by my side, and they have always given me the space I needed to think and mature without leaving me completely isolated. Sometimes I have taken for granted just how deeply my parents' love and support has shaped my life, but looking back now, I am exceptionally lucky. Not all parents have the time, dedication or energy to engage as deeply with their children as my parents have with me—and still do and will, as I head toward college and an adult life.

2. Where I live.

I live in a great part of Georgia, in a well-off family, in a wonderful country. The United States is not perfect, but I am so lucky to have been born here as opposed to other countries where war, violent discrimination or governmental oppression abounds. This gratitude also incites a desire to improve the conditions of those less fortunate, and I look forward to going on a mission trip in the United States this coming summer and a mission trip to Haiti the following summer.

3. The hard times.

As with everyone, I have had my share of hard times, times where I felt completely lost, isolated or unloved. While I would never want to relive these moments in my life, they have shaped me into the person I am today, and though it's hard to be thankful for the hard times, I have grown and improved as a result, which would not have been possible without the negative experience.

4. My high school.

I attend a small private Christian high school, which, while having its fair share of limitations and imperfections, allows me to flourish. The atmosphere of warmth, familiarity and love I encounter daily at my school encourages me to continue exploring the world, my passions and myself as a person, and many of the relationships I have built with teachers and students alike will stay with me forever. Attendance at this school is something for which I am so thankful.

5. God.

If you had asked me even a year and a half ago, I probably would not have put God on this list, but since my life-changing "God" moment last November, I am so grateful for His presence in my life. He has helped me through so many rough times, and His patience with my many mistakes and failings is incredible. While I'm a little nervous for the future, I also can't wait to see what He has in store for me, especially as I transition into college.