I know you were told that high school was the best four years of your life. But as senior year begins, this is the year to make it count. There are so many things that happen senior year, prom, senior trip, college acceptance letters and then it all ends with graduation. Yes, graduation is super exciting but you have to do some work before you get there. The Common Application or the multiple supplemental essays that have to be written for the colleges. Or the many times that your parents forced you to take the SAT or ACT. The three years prior all led to this. The times your parents spent yelling at you to make sure your grades were good and you had a high GPA. Or the times they yelled at you not to hang out with friends because you had an essay to write or to study.

While filling out applications remember to take breaks. This is a stressful time so breaks will help you focus. Make a checklist of what you are supposed to get done each week. Follow through on your deadlines. And do not compare your progress to your friends.

Once you get your acceptance letters back and you pick a college, you feel a big weight lifted off your shoulders. You will stop getting a thousand questions about what schools you have applied to, and then you have to sit there and list out the many schools, while you are then thinking about how much more you still have to do and how nervous you are to hear back from schools. Although people still ask about college, the questions seem easier because you have your mind made up. If you are like me I did not decide until 2 weeks before decision day. Or you could have chosen early decision and will find out in November, I envy you.

If you are a lucky school district, you are able to take a senior trip. The senior trip was probably one of the best moments of senior year but honestly probably the best part of senior year. Take every moment in and enjoy every single second, stay up late and wake up early. Once the senior trip is over, you will blink and it will be graduation.

Enjoy every moment that senior year gives you, make memories with your friends. Participate in spirit week, attend pep rallies and football games. This is a great year, so make the most of it. Cherish every moment. As cheesy as it is, this year only happens once and then you are off to college.

Once graduation happens it seems so surreal. That day doesn't seem real because the four years of high school led up to this moment. Your name is called and you walk across the stage to get your diploma. Throwing up our caps after was such a magical time and that concluded graduation. That concluded the four years of high school. I walked into high school a different person than I walked out. I am forever thankful for how much I grew and changed.

So best of luck in your senior year and make it count.