It's almost crazy to believe that my brother and my other freshmen from my senior year of high school are entering their senior year in a couple of weeks. It's an impending barrage of mixed emotions, mainly consisting of the self-realization that I'm getting older, but also the nostalgic feeling I have about these kids--whom I still see as little freshmen--graduating. It's almost frightening watching these kids grow up and become young adults because I still feel like I have to protect them from the evils of the adult world. I still feel like I have to teach them what I know. But after having the best freshmen ever for my senior year of high school, I thought I'd pass on some tidbits of advice to help them for their senior year.

One of the biggest pieces of knowledge I gained from my senior year was that life goes on. Many things in high school can feel like the world is just crashing down on you. There are days when nothing goes right and you just feel like life cannot get any better. But it does. And you learn not to sweat the small stuff; like accidentally missing homework deadlines every once in a while, or zits on your face, or mean, degrading people. Your life is going to be so much more than all of the things that try and bring you down. Sure, things will happen, and they will hurt; sometimes they'll hurt for a while. But it will get better and life will be great if you just keep working at all of your goals. The one thing that isn't acceptable is giving up.

Also, love and care for your freshmen now. They look up to you, just like I looked up to my seniors before me and how I hope you all looked up to me. They count on you for your guidance and wisdom, even though you still sometimes feel like you know nothing yourself. Be there for your freshmen, your sophomores, and even your juniors, because the way you treat them is going to have a big impact on the way they treat the years after them. Leave a legacy worth remembering to those around you.

Be kind to your parents and those who love you. While this is an exciting time for you, this is the moment your parents have dreaded since you were born. Don't forget that your "lasts" are also your parent's "lasts" for you. The last time to see you off on your first day of school, the last time to help you with homework that isn't specified to a major, the last time take care of their baby before sending you off into the big, bad world. You'll go to get your cap and gown and as your trying it on, your mother will cry hysterically. So understand that this is hard for your parents and try to help them see this as an exciting experience, rather than losing their baby and gaining an adult.

Another thing you want to do, my freshmen, is to cherish every moment of your senior year. Don't take any moment for granted, because all of the memories you make this year are some of the most precious ones. For instance, one of my favorite memories from my senior year was thanks to you guys. State competition for marching band and we made the finals. I remember being in warm up right before we went on, and when the directors gave us a few minutes for the seniors to give pep talks, we were all crying. And then true to saxophone tradition, we did the hokey pokey as a section to ease our nerves. It may not have seemed like an important memory to you guys, but you'll understand just what I'm talking about whenever you start going through your "lasts" this next year with your freshman.

It's no lie that senior year is one of the most emotional times in your life. You all will go onto do so many different things at different colleges and different jobs, but know that wherever you go or whatever you do, I'm so proud of you all. You have made it an absolute pleasure to watch you grow as my freshmen into the outstanding young people you are today. There will be ups and downs of your senior year, and the years to come after, but you always have a number one fan in me.

So to my freshmen now becoming seniors, make this year count, and cherish every single moment you can. I am so, so proud of you guys.