God I hate you. How you evolved from an exciting, yearbook-signing filled day to a morose, sad affair, I can't tell.
It was probably the dimly lit halls that did it- stole away that infectious glow you used to have. It used to be fun, leaving school for two months of suburban teenage life. Now it marks the start of volunteer hours, summer reading, and college planning.
I remember when the last day of school actually meant 'Summer Break'. In elementary school, we literally sprinted out of school, changed into swimming costumes, and headed to the neighborhood pool parties, where PTA ladies would be waiting with freezer ice pops. In middle school, it lost a bit of its shine. Sure we had inflatables and funnel cake, but there was always that threat of high school looming over us.
In high school, it became redefined. With summer homework, the sunny days have become slightly damp and unbearably depressing. How am I supposed to enjoy my 'break' with a stack of books and papers reminding me of high school? The utter lack of motivation that students feel during summer break is appalling.
That's another problem I have with you. School is a place where I get to see all my friends without having to actively plan.
Oh, we have the same class? Cool, I'll see you five days a week.
Hey, let's catch a football game. Great!
Without school, I don't get to see most of my acquaintances and the loss of a schedule leaves me scrambling for activities to fill up my day. (No, it's not the perfect time to do summer homework, shut up.) It's easy as an adult to call up your friends and drive to meet them. But as a license-less highschooler, I'm restricted to places I can walk to. Somewhat lame, don't you agree?
There's just a loss of emotion during the last day of school. It just doesn't have that same magic it did in the past. No celebration, no fanfare, no wild feelings, it's just walking out of school. Maybe that's the entire point of the last day of high school. You're supposed to walk out, work on summer assignments, then return to the hive. There aren't any more celebrations because it's become meaningless.
