High school was a long and interesting 4 years. If you would’ve told me as a freshman about the person I was as I graduated I probably wouldn’t believe you. Things changed and people changed and it was overall a pretty weird and interesting time. But, I wouldn’t take back anything about high school nor do I have any regrets.

Now, as a college student, I’m starting to realize some of the real things that set apart high school and college, besides the obvious that is. Yes, I can have lunch when I want to and I can come and go as I please. College is great and the freedom is amazing. I’m really excited to see what the next few years brings, but I can’t help but to really miss one aspect of high school…

No, it’s not the football games or seeing my good friends all of the time. It’s not prom or homecoming or any specific event. One thing that I really miss about high school are my amazing teachers.

Throughout high school, I was so lucky to have some inspirational teachers. Looking back, I always am impressed by the amount of truly talented teachers that I had the pleasure of having throughout the years. From the classes that I struggled in, to the subjects I loved, I’ve had a teacher who either helped me get through or who made me love learning even more. My teachers were some of my best and most important mentors. People who I could talk to both inside and outside of class, people who supported me and guided me through the good and bad.

In college, things are different. It may be too soon to judge but I don’t feel like I will have the same closeness with my college professors as I did with my high school teachers. My high school teachers have impacted my life in so many positive ways. These are people who I could come to at any time and they valued me as a student. I was more than a number or letter grade. These teachers shaped me into the person I am today and I am so immensely thankful for them.

I know, some people probably are thinking that I am clinically insane for missing something, let alone anything about high school. I can tell you from personal experience that it really wasn't all sunshine, rainbows, and unicorns. With anything in life, the bad always comes with some good. The good for me is that the love my teachers had for educating, had me thinking about what I'm going to do with my life after college. I always knew I would never be a rocket scientist, or an engineer, or a brain surgeon, and that is OK! I'm grateful to be able to say that having such passionate teachers, has made me want to become an educator myself and to be able to share my love for learning and to help shape the lives of students just as my teachers did for me.

So, if you’re still in high school, take advantage of everything your teachers have to offer. Take every note, be prepared and ready for every class, and come ready to learn with a smile on your face. One day, believe it or not, high school ends and teachers become professors instead. While you still can, thank your favorite teachers for doing just that- teaching!