I didn’t have your typical high school experience. I spent thirteen years in a K-12 all-girls catholic school. This June, there were thirteen, I repeat, thirteen girls in my graduating class. When I tell people about my high school, they automatically assume I must have hated it. But I didn’t hate it. Just like any other school, it had its ups and downs.

However, graduation came with much excitement and not a lot of sadness. In our last two weeks, I at times felt a bit nostalgic. There were so many fun events, including a museum trip, a beach retreat, our senior prank, and a sleepover at the school. A sense of peace also washed over my class as graduation grew near. Tension resolved, and petty arguments ceased. Times like these made me think “Aw, I am really going to miss this place.” But I came to realize the the only reason things were so good was because we were leaving soon. And if I were to be spending more time in high school, that time would not at all feel like the last two weeks. More time in high school would just feel like more tests, homework, and stress.

Now, I could say that I wished the two weeks would last forever. But that’s not a realistic way of thinking. You can't pick and choose. There are some things that I am going to miss about high school, but leaving them behind is a natural part of life. My high school will forever have a special place in my heart, but at the end of the day it’s still a high school. High school is a place you’re forced to go. College is a place you choose. And I’m very much looking forward to forging a new part of my identity in college. I truly would say that overall, I had a pretty good high school experience. But I'm glad it's over. There are many things that I'm going to miss, but it's time to move on.