Dear Class of 2017,

Congratulations on making it this far, I know its been easier for some and difficult for others. Either way, I’m proud to say that I know you guys. I’ve spent the last 11 years of my life hanging out with you all. From elementary school, until now. And now it’s bittersweet. You will all go on and have your senior year of high school next year and I’ll be a freshman in college because I decided to graduate early. This decision was the easiest and the hardest one I’ve ever had to make. I love that I was lucky enough to have the choice of graduating early and I didn’t question if I could do it or not, I just thought about you guys.

Graduating early was a game changer in regards to the social aspect of my high school career. I wouldn’t be missing anything academically, but I would be missing all of you. I will walk across the stage in a few days with people I know, but not the people I started with. Trust me, the Class of 2016 is filled with some pretty awesome people, but they aren’t you guys.

Class of 2017, you truly are amazing. I absolutely cannot wait to come back a year from now and see all of my friends walk across the stage at graduation. I hope that this Fall when you’re applying to colleges you’ll think of me and apply at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. It’ll be weird for me starting this next chapter of my life without all of you there with me, but we will make it. I’m sure there will be several nights that I won't be able to sleep and I’ll Facebook stalk you guys to see if the football team is actually winning this year or if the freshmen got even shorter this fall (it’s a trend, they get shorter every year).

When I leave for college, it’ll be hard leaving behind so many people that I call my family, but I know that it’s going to be OK. I say that I’m never going back to high school, but I know that I’ll show up every time I’m on break. Trust me, you can’t get rid of me; I’ll still be there to annoy you. Physically, I’m with the Class of 2016 because I made that decision, but my heart will always be with the Class of 2017. The Class of 2017 helped make me the person that I am today, and for that I am extremely grateful.

So, enjoy your senior year guys; it will fly by, but it’s going to be so much fun. I know it sounds cliche, but pay attention to the little things, because soon they’ll be gone. We’ve all hated on the seniors for the past three years for their traditions, but trust me, it’s much more fun when you are a senior and get to do pranks. Appreciate your senior year, I only got a semester as a senior, and it was amazing.

I’ll be back, Class of 2017. I love you guys.

Sincerely,

Your Graduating Junior