High school: We all experience it, and most of us make it through without much of an issue. In fact, if you're anything like me, you probably thought you were going to make a relatively emotionless exit from high school despite all the greatness that comes along with the memories of your time in high school. There's no way in hell that any amount of sadness or apprehension could possibly outweigh the overwhelming excitement, right?
Wrong.
As I fiddled through my final weeks of high school, with my head held high and not a tear in sight, I was confident that bringing this four-year portion of my life to a close would be simple. It wasn't until the last day of classes that a severe and unexpected mix of emotions brought the true complexity of this ending into light. As I sat in all my classes for the last time, reality began to set in. I began to realize that I was, in fact, going to miss a lot about the life I had lead for the past four years. In typical high school fashion, the very last minute seemed like a most convenient time, but in this instance, it was my feelings that had done the procrastinating.
Throughout the entirety of that last day, acts as simple as opening my locker became oddly sentimental. Teachers that I did not expect to get emotional during the end of class did just that. Lunch seemed like it didn't last long enough for the conversations I wanted to have that day. I didn't get a chance to pay all the final visits that I had been planning on. Before I knew it, my ninth period class was counting down the last 10 seconds of our high school career, and it was time to say goodbye to life as we knew it best.
While I am well aware of the fact that the worthwhile connections that I formed in high school will certainly last, it is also no secret to me that the capacity of these relationships is now forever changed. I have to accept that I will no longer see those faces and converse with them on a daily basis like I have grown so used to. Being the people-oriented person that I am, this idea is what hit me the hardest on the last day. I will in no way miss the routine or the drama, but the people and activities that I have grown to love will be a different story. I have formed more bonds and have been more involved than I ever thought I would, and knowing that all of these things will never be quite the same again is a concept that is tough for me to grasp.
Although I will miss many things about my high school experience, I truly believe that the ending of high school is simultaneously a fantastic beginning for graduating seniors. Sure, it's true that everyone has chosen different life paths, but for people that are truly connected, those paths are sure to cross in the future, or better yet, they may never even part ways. Ultimately, leaving high school has life lessons in store for us beyond what we can possibly ever imagine. If we did it right, high school set us up to soar to new heights; it's the end of an era, but the beginning of the rest of our lives.
