Congratulations, you've made it to your senior year.

You're approaching (and living through) one of the major milestones in your life, and I'm sure you're already counting down to your graduation day (I know last year I had been since the first day of school). The biggest piece of advice I can give you is to not rush this last year of high school- cherish it.

Soon you'll be experiencing your last Friday night football game, your last season playing the sport you love with the coach you've had for the last four years, your last semi and prom, your last cafeteria lunch, and maybe the last time everyone in your graduating class is together in one place. As exciting as it is to think about graduating and leaving home to go to college, please don't rush this year; you will definitely regret it.

Senioritis is real, do not fall victim to it. Do all your homework, study for tests and quizzes, and continue to be the best student (and person) you can possibly be. Graduation day will come soon enough, I promise. Don't throw your last three years of hard work away by fooling around. Do yourself a favor and actually listen to your teachers and guidance counselors, they really are there to help you.

Have you ever heard the quote from "The Office," "I wish there was a way to know you're in the good old days before you've actually left them?" You are in those "good old days" right now, don't rush or waste them. These are the days you're going to remember for the rest of your life, the year you transformed from a high school student into a high school graduate.

Deciding what you want to do once you graduate is stressful, I know, I was in your shoes last year. Sometimes it's going to feel like you're never going to be able to make the decision of what or where you're going to do or go for the next four years (and for the rest of your life), but you will. Whether you want to go to a college, a trade school, or jump right into a career after you graduate, the choice is yours. You have the world at your fingertips and you can do or become anything or anyone your heart desires. Never let anyone tell you otherwise.

Cherish the time you get to spend at home with your parents. They've molded you into the person you are today and I'm sure "thank you" wouldn't be enough to express your gratitude to them. They're proud of the person you're becoming and will love you regardless of what you decide to do with your life. If you decide to go to school and live on their campus, you're going to miss your parents and your bed more than you can imagine, so please cherish the time you have with them.

The one word that truly captures the essence of senior year is bittersweet. As the Taylor Swift song "Long Live" says, "It was the end of the decade, but the start of an age." Your hard work will pay off and you'll end up exactly where you're meant to be. Don't wish this time away, truly live it. These are some of the best days of your life.