Dear High School Seniors,

I was once in your position, yearning to leave my small town and embark on my college career. Each day I pushed to get through classes knowing that I was one day closer to having the freedom of an independent college student. My dad continued to remind me not to rush my life away, but I never really appreciated the momentous occasions that took place.

I kept thinking that I would stop rushing to grow up once I was in college; I couldn’t have been more wrong. With each new phase of my life, I’ve tried to hurry it along and move onto the next one.

My senior year included a number of events that I did enjoy participating in, but I still crossed each one off knowing that they soon wouldn’t matter. But I was wrong; they do matter. The day when seniors got to switch with a teacher for the day or when we all got to wear our college apparel are the days that stick out most to me when I think back to the year I hurried to be done with.

There are so many things I looked forward to about being a senior, but didn’t take the time to enjoy them when they actually happened. At my school, it’s a tradition that the seniors wear all black on the first day. After decorating our cars and dressing up in colorless apparel, my friends and I pulled into the parking lot for the beginning of the end. We stormed through the halls, but only because we were motivated by the fact that we would soon be done.

The Senior Fashion Show may have seemed like an event dominated by popular students walking the runway. However, on that day I witnessed bashful students work up the courage to get dressed up and strut down the runway.

Similarly, at Senior Prom, a number of students who normally wore sweatpants put on dresses and suits for the special occasion. For that night, it didn’t matter if you were the star of the track team, the Class President, a member of the marching band, or had never even joined a club. At Prom, everyone could have a good time together, regardless of social status.

The little moments of your Senior Year are ones that you’ll remember the rest of your life. As excited as you are to get started at your new school, make sure to acknowledge how special the events of this year are.

Sincerely,

A college student wishing she hadn’t rushed her senior year away