As you all begin your eighth and (hopefully) final semester of high school, there are a few things you should know to keep in mind.

I bet you are in shock that it’s already your second semester of senior year. First semester flew by and now it is hard to believe this is already the home stretch. These next 3 months are going to be the toughest. This is where senioritis really begins to kick in. All of the fun things to look forward to at the end of the year are still a little too far away, it gets dark and 5:00, and it’s always cold outside. You must stay on top of your school work regardless. Not only because you still have to send your final transcripts to your future school, but if the last time you did a homework assignment was junior year of high school, freshmen year of college is going to a huge wakeup call and a real challenge. You need to generate good study habits starting now, no matter how difficult that may be.

Appreciate your teachers. In a few months, you are going to be sitting in a lecture hall with hundreds of other students just like you and your professor might not even recognize your face. Make sure to thank your teachers in high school that did everything for you to help you succeed and always went the extra step to care about your well-being in and out of the classroom. Pretty soon it’s about to be a whole different ball game with much less personal relationships with your professors, be prepared for that.

I know you have all probably heard this before, but it is said so often because it is true. Enjoy this time you have left. Soak it all in. Do not rush anything away. This is the last time that you will be this close with your best friends that you have grown up with for your whole lives. When you see each other over Thanksgiving Break freshmen year, everything will be different. You will all have different lives with different friends and be telling different stories. College is definitely something to be excited for. It is a new journey in your life that will change you for better or for worse. But this moment right now, is something you will never get back. You will never again attend a high school football game. You will never get all dressed up and take pictures for prom or homecoming. You will never get to come home to your mom’s homemade meals. When you are sitting at graduation, remember how you will never see most of those people again, the same people in your second-grade class or sophomore year PE.

Yes, it is okay to be excited for what the future holds, but be careful not to wish away the present. Second semester senior year is the best part of high school. There are still so many memories to be made. Life is easy right now, don’t take it for granted. Soon you will be all on your own. Your mom isn’t going to be down the hall to help you with all your problems and your teachers aren’t going to make exceptions for you. You are just going to be one out of thousands.

Tell your best friends you love them, soon you’ll both have new best friends. Spend time with your parents, I promise you will miss them even if you think you won’t. Go to your little siblings sporting events, you’ll want to be there for them while you still can. Don’t hate on your body because the freshmen fifteen IS thing and you will actually miss the body you had in high school. Go to all the games, or plays, or talent shows, there's only so many left. Rebuild your burnt bridges, it won't matter in a few months that that girl was talking about you during lunch.

Stop wishing away your life waiting for “someday”, but instead focus on enjoying today.