Senior year of high school, I was self-diagnosed with a severe case of Senioritis, as I’m sure many of you were, too.

My symptoms included extreme apathy, no fear of repercussions, and yes, the oh-so-common burning feeling of “I can’t wait to get out of here.” I would constantly tell myself and others that I was ready to move on to bigger and better things than my tiny town, or fly the coop, if you will. I would find myself dismissing people’s claims of “missing home” or being sad to leave our little bubble.

However, little did I know that I would look like a complete hypocrite in a few months. I have very few regrets in life as it is my motto, no matter how cliche it may be, to try and live without them. However, being so eager to flee my town is one of them.

I am an extremely sentimental person. It is actually ridiculous how much I reminisce. Memories comfort me. Anything can trigger a nostalgic flashback and warm fuzzy feelings for me: sights, sounds, smells, tastes, noises, activities, weather, you name it. That is why I was so shocked by these feelings that I was having.

I moved to my town when I was in sixth grade. I grew up here, both physically and emotionally. I have so many ties to this community, so why was I so ready to leave? I always said that it was because my town isn’t big enough for both me and my personality.

Ann Arbor, however, was going to be a perfect fit. Which, as I head into my freshman year, I know that it will be.

Looking back, I definitely see that am I ready to move on to my fantastic college journey ahead, but I have my hometown to thank for that. I hold no ill-will or grudge, and in fact, I will miss it terribly. My entire time spent in this town, especially high school, has definitely been an experience with so many memories.

With extreme highs and deep lows, it had an impact on me, and I feel as if I had an impact on it too. I was a big fish in a tiny pond, and I feel as if I may have taken that for granted. I have grown and changed so much, and I now realize that I can’t just “get out.”

I am so excited to take on college. But, this entire summer has been filled with new nerves that I haven’t felt before. I know that going to a big university was the right choice for me without a doubt. However, coming home from school will definitely be a treat, as I’ll get to hang out with my friends like old times, but it won’t be a crutch, as I am going to make UofM my new town.

My advice to seniors in high school is simple: remember where you came from. Senioritis is inevitable, you will find yourself not caring about school anymore, and hey that’s okay. Get excited about life after high school, do crazy things with your friends, you don’t need to care about what people think of you, and all that jazz.

But just know that you are who you are because of the environment you were raised in, the relationships you had that shaped you, whether they supported you or broke you down but made you stronger.

I will never forget where I came from, even with my eyes on where I’m going.