We're almost there, Class of 2017.

Whether that's a good thing or a bad thing, I'm not quite sure.

In the midst of mid-terms, final SATs, and college applications, it certainly seems like a good thing.

The hallways feel like they're closing in, the "tuck your shirt in" feels like an unnecessary nuisance, and the class schedule feels repetitive. All the traditions, the obligations, and the responsibilities start to feel... well, they're starting to feel old. Overused. Extraneous. Unimportant. Pushy. Overwhelming.

But maybe they're not.

In less than six months, we are going to walk across the stage and out the door, only to return for homecoming weekends or Christmas break. That hallway that feels so claustrophobic isn't going to be your hallway anymore. That stupid dress code rule won't be yours to follow. That overwhelming schedule won't be filled with your AP classes.

Because in six months' time, that school won't be your school anymore.

Sure, it will always be your home in some respects. It was the place where you learned that looking presentable was a necessary art, that President Taft was the one who got stuck in a bathtub, and that lying about whether or not you used Quizlet on the take-home test probably was not a smart idea. You learned that respecting your superiors is essential (and may help you move up the lunch line during pizza day), waiting until 8:14 a.m. to submit your paper that's due at 8:15 a.m. on Turnitin isn't exactly brilliant, and choosing between playing softball or volleyball isn't always easy. You learned that being late isn't cool (but if you're gonna be late, go ahead and stop by Starbucks on the way there), honest work trumps rushed homeroom work, and that Duolingo is a great confidence booster ("You are 18% fluent in Spanish!") for when you can't seem to get the conjugations right on the test.

Though silly, these lessons carry an 18-year-old weight. A weight that means more than the weight on your GPA.

So appreciate them. Take those valuable life lessons with you.

Pack them up along with your shower caddies and polaroid pictures, but don't stuff them away in the back of your small dorm closet. Let them follow you to classes and study halls, to College Gamedays and frat parties. Appreciate what high school has given you- the good, the bad, the strange.

Because in six months' time, a new school will be your home. You'll have new stories to share, more Quizlets to dig through on Google, and new seemingly meaningless rules to abide by. That's why we need to hold on to high school nuances for a moment- or six months- more.

The senioritis is kicking. I know. We all know. Don't ignore it, but don't let it consume you. Don't let it blind you to the reasons you fell in love with your school in the first place. Don't let it muddle your view of the teachers- who write your recommendations and edit your admissions essays- that love you so much. Don't let it control your weekends, telling you to skip out on going to the school basketball game or the Sadie Hawkins dance.

Because, yes, it's senioritis. But it's also your senior year.

If you don't feel that you've embraced seniority, embrace it now. If college applications have taken away the fairytale senior image you had of skipping lunch lines or wearing crazy socks, don't let them. If you're worried more about placing cap and gown orders than planning a night out with friends, don't.

This is it. The final countdown. The home stretch. The end of the finish line. The beginning of the end. The start of the next chapter.

Whatever you want to call it, this is it. Appreciate what you know of your school, and look forward to what you will learn after you leave. Love the teachers and staff around you, and thank them for what they've done. Pull up your GPA for the last time, and parade down the hall as you wish.

This is the last half of your last year. Own it.