In seven months, you’ll be walking across that stage, so happy, and proud but wishing you never have to leave your amazing friends and town behind. I know that some days you want to leave and go to a school thousands of miles away and never go home again but you won’t feel that way forever.

You’re going to miss having most of your friends a short car ride away and being able to have mom's homemade mac n cheese. You’ll miss Nana's hugs, your cousins laugh, and how comfy your bed is. You’re going to miss sitting under the lights on a Friday night not paying attention to the game, but rather talking and laughing with your friends. You’re going to miss it all, and it won’t hit you until you begin your “lasts.” Last homecoming, last sporting event, last Christmas break, last field trip, and your last week of classes. Before you know it summer is going to be here, and you’re going to be hundreds of miles away from your friends and family.

Please don’t stress about college. I know there is so much to do with applications, keeping up good grades, trying to decide a major, and everything else. There will be a college that accepts you, and you do not need to know what you’re going to do for the rest of your life at 18. Trust your gut when it comes to choosing the college or university that is right for you, you’ll know when you step foot on that campus. Pay attention in your classes, especially your AP classes. You will save yourself hundreds of dollars and the headache of repeating a class you’ve already taken.

Don’t be afraid to be different. Just because all 5 of your best friends are applying to the same school does not mean you need to as well. Apply to schools that you genuinely like and can see yourself at, while it’s scary and hard I promise you it is so worth it. Not having my best friends at school with me is so different and weird, but I am learning who I am without them and that’s okay too.

Use your support system at home while you have it. We all take for granted the amazing family, friends, teachers, and coaches we have rooting for us and always there to help us. Going to college has made me realize how nice it is to have that support system, and while they’ll always be there for me it’s completely different 300 miles away.

Spend lots of time with your friends and your family! You will go weeks, and potentially months without seeing them. It will suck, so spend time and make memories while you can. Spend a Saturday at Nana’s helping her put up Christmas decorations, skip out on the party in the woods to watch a movie with your dad, and go to that football game with your friends. The days go by faster and faster the closer you get to leaving, so spend time with your friends and family because facetime just isn’t the same as being with them in person.

Have so much fun your senior year, and enjoy every moment.