September is right around the corner. I find myself formulating the most efficient route to take between my locker and each class, debating which lunch table my friends and I should choose, wondering which of my classmates I will be seeing the most, and hoping that my study hall is with the teacher who doesn’t take roll call. It’s second-nature for me to think of these things. For the past four years, time almost stood still. It never crossed my mind that there’d come a day that I’d have to say goodbye to it all. However, as the temperature starts to drop and the days become shorter college begins to feel more real. I won’t see any of you this fall or even this year. I realize that this is the beginning of a life that most if none of you will be a part of.

I haven’t forgotten anything. I remember all of your facial expressions, all of your many quirks, and the unique sound of each of your voices as it filled the room. I still remember the countless hours we spent together during recess in elementary school. I can recall every sleepover we had and every prank we pulled during junior high. My ears are still ringing with the sound of our cheers during pep rallies and games. I feel the same amount of excitement we had preparing for prom and homecoming like it was only yesterday. You’ve all left a mark on me that I cannot erase.

Growing up in a class consisting of about 50 students can definitely be seen as a gift and a curse. If you don’t like having people know about the goings-on of your personal life, you’re in trouble because one way or another word will get around like wildfire. Fortunately, that also makes it very easy to spread the news for a get-together. It’s all about the way you decide to look at it. What I’ve found that is most forgotten, is the overall feeling in the atmosphere when a class that size is together. You know almost everyone by their middle names. You know most of their families and their likes and dislikes. It’s almost like nothing can faze you because you’ve already established your standings with everyone years ago. It’s very comforting because you all know what to expect from each other. Unfortunately, we don’t realize this until it’s gone. It’s so often taken for granted for the simple reason that we assume it will always be that way.

I’m now less than two weeks away from starting college and it still doesn’t feel quite real. I can still imagine walking through those same doors, cracking open our new lockers, and starting another year together. I don’t think I’m going to wake from this unrealistic idea of mine until the truth of it all actually happens. You can’t break something that stood for 18 years so easily. Since I’ve struggled with this tremendous change in my life, I’ve realized something. All too often you hear people say that high school doesn’t matter. They tell you that you’ll all go your separate ways and never hear from most of them again. Whether or not that is true, I cannot say. I haven’t experienced enough of this yet to know. However, as a recent high school graduate, I can definitely tell you that I don’t feel the same way that these people do. I care just as much about my classmates as I did on the first day I met all of them in kindergarten. I worry about their existence and sincerely hope that I’ll see them all again one day. What I’m trying to say is that sooner or later you’ll be starting your last year with the kids you grew up with since day one. Don’t waste the time you have left with them thinking about when it’ll all end. Instead, focus on making every day a day to remember and when that last year finally rolls around, appreciate every moment you have.