I wish someone would have told me this when I was beginning high school, but no one did. I was all alone, and I've been regretting all that I didn't do ever since. I'm getting ready to graduate now and I'm just trying to help someone, so to whomever reads this letter... I hope you don't take it for granted.

Here it comes.

Here comes the beginning of the rest of your life. They say that these four years shape you.

Here comes the beginning of your independence. Here comes the start of your freedom, and your future. Here comes the start of a new adventure with all new surroundings and all new people. Here comes the discovery of you and your capabilities. Here comes forever...

But there it goes.

There goes the comfort of your mom's hugs when your heart has been broken- cherish the memories you have with her on a nightly basis.

There goes the Friday night lights that will forever brighten the stadium you considered home. Attend as many sporting events as possible, participate in the cheesy themed nights because they make for the best memories.

You'll never realize it when you graduate, but there go your best friends and the spontaneous trips to their house at 2 a.m. to go to Waffle House.

There goes your family and waking up to see all of their faces every morning.

There go your dogs and being able to hear their excited barks or anxious bodies every time you walk through the door (this one really hit me hard).

There go your final days in those hallowed halls that will always define the person you became the past four years.

There goes the uniform you spent the lowest of lows, and the highest of highs in. There goes the last pitch, shot, goal, or pass you will ever make on that field or court again.

There goes your senior prom or your last exam. Your graduation, your summer and the goodbyes.

There goes your familiarities, along with all the people and places that fell to the side. It comes so fast, please don't forget to cherish the moments you have with the people around you.

Because with every new journey you're about to embark on, there is going to be something you'll have to say goodbye to for a little while.

This time is exciting and beautiful, buckle your seatbelt, guard your heart and take nothing for granted. Because you will be driving away from your home and it will all make sense.

It will make sense why they told you to extract every ounce of happiness you could during your four years here.

It will make sense why they told you to hug your mom a little tighter during those last few months.

It will make sense why you were supposed to keep in touch with those you never did.

They were trying to prepare you for becoming a stranger to everything you used to know and become comfortable with everything you were about to be.

And then it will hit you again when you're home for Thanksgiving, and your family is talking about events, conversations, memories and everything else you've missed. You'll love your new life and all of the exciting friendships that accompany it, but there will always be a little piece of home that you'll never fill.

It will hit you again when you're studying for exams and you will remember complaining about high school exams that you wish you could go back to and take instead.

It will hit you when you're home for winter break and you've had to miss putting up the tree with the family because you were at school.

It will hit you when the seniors after you begin talking about graduation and how they can't wait to leave.

It will hit you when you begin seeing all the "promposals" and excitement of girls as they purchase their dresses that we all know we spent too much money on.

It will hit you when you come home to visit and you will feel like a stranger in your own bed.

It will hit you when you're overwhelmed with the weight of your schoolwork and all you want to do is hold your moms hand, hear encouraging words from your father, or joke with your siblings.

It will hit you, and you won't be able to change the past.

You'll want to savor every moment you spent your days here, but it will be too late.