Seven Months. That's 30 weeks. 212 days. That's it.

That's all that's left of your high school career. That's all you have until you close the chapter that's been your life for the last four years and begin a new one. I've been where you are and I understand the sheer desire to speed up time and turn those seven months into seven days. But hold on for a minute. Those seven months will go by in a matter of what feels like mere seconds. The days are long but the years are very very short; and when you come to the last month of your senior year, sometimes the years can almost feel too short. So don’t wish it away. High school wasn’t meant to last forever, so make the absolute most of these next seven months because after they're up, your life will never look the same. And that is NOT a bad thing. It just means change is on the horizon.

Maybe you have mixed feelings about your impending graduation. Maybe you're so excited you can hardly stand it, or maybe you're feeling deeply nostalgic or perhaps even just flat-out terrified of the future. Let yourself feel however YOU are feeling. You won't feel the same as your friends and your feelings will probably fluctuate often over these next seven months. Any and all feelings are completely, totally, one hundred percent justified. Towards the end of my senior year, there were days where I would feel all three and then some before the day was over.

Whatever you do with these next seven months, do not take any second of it for granted. As much as that one teacher drives you crazy, you'll probably miss their antics once you've left. And even though your days are packed from sun-up to sun-down with classes and activities and the only time your eyes are closed is for that split second when you sneeze, cherish the exhaustion. As weird as it sounds, revel in it. Because it means you're spending your days surrounding yourself with people who love you and filling your time with things into which you've poured your heart and soul. There's a certain comfort and pride in knowing you've established yourself somewhere and that you are integral to a process. This changes in your first year of college, so enjoy it while you can.

You are NOT too cool for your school events. Dress up for homecoming, show up to games, go to your dances. You only have so many nights left under the glaring lights of the football stadium or the fluorescents of the gym, standing with your best friends, cheering your hometown team on to victory. Dance at your senior prom. You're not so cool that you can't let people see you having fun.

And while the big moments are exciting, I think it's the little ones that you miss most. The moments that you don't even notice, the ones you think won't matter, are the ones that truly make these high school days matter. The little moments like taking snacks from your best friend's lunch, (Grace, thanks for all the apples and Tostitos during gov. Love ya.) or having teachers who know you as you and not just a number. Cherish those. Cherish the early morning breakfast dates and the late night study sessions with your friends. And yes, while productivity is good, even cherish the times where you aren't as productive as you planned because you had a good chat or made unforgettable memories instead. Life if nothing if you don't have people to enjoy it with.

While there are MANY things about high school that I'm thankful I don't have to revisit, there are some things I wish I had held onto with a little tighter grasp and a whole lot more appreciation. So work hard for your teachers and thank them after class (they work so much harder than we realize), tell the lady at the front desk that you appreciate all that she does to keep the place afloat, bring your coaches and directors breakfast just because it's a Tuesday and you can. Spread kindness and love and appreciation around like you're made of it. Because within these walls is where you grew up. This is the placed that raised you and prepared you to go on to bigger and better things.

You have seven months until the rest of your life begins. Use them as well as you possibly can. Get ready, get set...but don't go just yet.