As the weather becomes warmer, the end of the school year approaches, and so does the end of K-12 education for the class of 24 seniors. This is a very important time for seniors as they prepare themselves for their next steps after graduation. As I reflect on my four years at Athens, these are some of the things I’ve realized: 

Something I’ve noticed throughout my senior year is that oftentimes I caught myself thinking about how many “lasts” I would experience throughout the year: Last exam in high school, last high school football game, last spirit week, etc. One ‘last’ that I was particularly sad to experience this year was my last volleyball season. Being involved in a sport I loved and teammates I grew to love as well was truly one of the best things I could’ve hoped for in my education. However, while it is hard to let that go, I continue to tell myself that I have other exciting opportunities that await in my future that I can grow to love just as much.

Another observation of senior year is how much closer I’ve become with other seniors after having rarely talked to many of them for the past three years. I’m not sure if it’s the relatable stress of college applications or the combined lack of motivation for school work, but I’ve found myself reaching out and making friends with many other seniors I wasn’t with before. Many other seniors have found themselves doing the same and finding ourselves sad to have made friends in our last year together. 

Seniors often talk about something called “senioritis.” Going through high school, I had never thought I would be the type to experience this condition. However, as I am now in the second semester of senior year, I’ve been diagnosed with a severe case of Senioritis. During the first semester, other seniors and I all started with motivation to do well in our last year. We were working on college applications and juggling challenging classes at the same time. However, as applications were turned in and acceptance letters were received, seniors around the school seemed to lose motivation. It’s hard to hold yourself accountable after already being accepted to colleges and being so close to the end. 

While the high school experience has offered many prized memories for this year’s seniors, the year is close to its end. Seniors are buzzing with excitement for their futures. It is not a time to be sad about one chapter ending, but instead excited about a new one beginning. Seniors are one step closer to making their dream lives, jobs, or education come into reality.