It’s funny how much I’ve learned within the past few weeks.

The moments between your last day of high school and graduation can really turn around your perspective. Friendships grow stronger and memories become more sentimental.

High school really was a roller coaster for me.

I constantly changed friends, I winded in and out of clubs, and I juggled many jobs in between. The fact that it was all going to end in a few short weeks really didn’t bother me.

This past weekend I went on a Senior Class trip to California Adventure and that changed everything.

On the bus ride there, I sat with my best friend and some friends that I had really grown far apart from. We immediately all started bonding and ended up sticking with each other for a majority of the trip.

We shared laughs, rode all the rides, and danced the night away. It was a trip I’ll never forget.

As I look back, I can’t seem to understand why I separated myself from all these people.

There were bumps in the road, but I stuck around with the same group for three out of the four years of high school. Senior year was just where I let it all slip away.

People change and friendships slip away. That’s just part of life. But, it seems like we all forget who the person really is that we left behind.

Not only did I forget about the close friends I used to have, but I even forgot about the friends I had in classes.

I don’t think I realized it back then, but everyone had a huge impact on who I am today. Each one made me kinder and stronger.

And this week, we all get to celebrate each other making it to the thing we’ve all been waiting years for.

The most important thing I learned was that while though those friendships seemed so little back then, they really do mean so much more now. Spending time with those people made me realize how special my time with them was.

People shape other people. It’s just a fact. And a simple trip to Disney’s California Adventure was all I needed to see it.