It’s finally here. The moment you’ve been looking forward to, or maybe dreading. But either way, it is here. It is the first day of senior year, and everything is about to change.

You’ve successfully (maybe with a little struggle) made it through three full years of high school, and now it is time to run the show. It’s your time to shine, your time to put all your accomplishments into the now and the future. Yes stressful, especially with last minute grades and college decisions on the line, but live it up- you can never go back to this moment.

Rolling out of bed, forgetting you can no longer sleep in; summer is officially over. You walk into the building before 7:55 a.m., you’ve been here before.  This is all a breeze. You’re wearing the outfit you recently put so much time, money, and effort into buying.  You want to impress all the underclassmen, but you especially want to impress the boys. You’re trying to be intimidating, you’re super psyched to be back, you’re reminiscing about all the funny times cherished in those bland hallways.  You wonder how it is even possible that time flew by this fast. You didn’t believe them when they said high school goes by ultra-quick, did you?

Suddenly it’s mid-December and you’ve started the college application process. You are shocked by how fast the first few months have gone by, college is now what is on your mind. But don’t get too ahead of yourself. Enjoy every single moment, because in a blink of an eye these emotions and the time will be gone. Take advantage of all the opportunities you have to support your friends and classmates in their sporting events. Go with a friend to see that new movie coming out, join clubs and activities you’d never see yourself getting involved with. Open up to more people, you never know someone until you give them a chance.

Don’t sit home binge watching the newest show on Netflix, take the time to hang out with your friends somewhere local or casual if nothing super exciting is going on. Go out for ice cream when it’s only 30 degrees, don’t avoid buying that Chipotle burrito just because you want to be skinny for your potential college roommate. Go get dolled up and pamper yourself, proms don’t always come around. Don’t be afraid to tell someone how you feel, you’ll regret holding back later. Just make the best of it, it’s your Senior Year – you’re in control.

        Go ahead and thank your parents for providing you with the love and support that has gotten you where you are. Thank your grandparents for being there for you when you needed a little extra love or even simply a good home-cooked meal. Make sure your friends know you love them and you wouldn’t have gotten through high school without them. Cuddling up with Starbucks and good eats, gossiping about the news in town, bonding over boys, discussing potential college choices, ranting about how annoyed or sad you are, helping you through your tears – your best friends will forever hold a deep and special place in your heart. Thank your siblings for having your back, even at the times when you stupidly thought it was worth fighting over who was going to get shotgun in the car; blood is forever thicker than water. Thank your coaches and teachers for pushing you harder and harder each time, it all was worth it at the end.

        Suddenly, it’s all over. Being a twelfth grade student in high school has quickly come to an end. And you realty didn’t believe them when they said it would come and go this quickly.

I hope you enjoyed all the memories to the fullest and ignored all the stupid drama and irrelevant problems. Hopefully your senior year has taught you even more life lessons that you can carry with you to college and your future. From this point on, live out the next few weeks you have left and do not look back. It’s your senior year! You’re under control!