Dear all underclassmen,

You never know how fast high school goes by until you are sitting where I am with one week left until graduation wishing you would have not let time slip away so quickly. All these easy, careless times that you are used to will be gone in a blink of an eye. Don’t you dare blink.

It is your last first day in the public school system. Senior Year. You are finally the top dog on campus and could not be happier. Your mom makes you take that last first day picture because she will never get the chance again. You groan and tell her you will be late but she snaps a few pictures anyway. No need to drive to school with your friends because you know you will meet them in the parking lot and walk in together. You would never guess that in May, you will be sad about not getting to walk in with your best friends in a couple weeks. Nothing will be the same.

You go through the fall semester of your senior year screaming at the top of your lungs for the boys of fall and for your best friend on the volleyball team. For some of you athletes, it is your last time to put on that uniform with your lucky number on the back. It is your last time to be yelled at by your coach. You may not think you will miss something like that, but you will. It is your last time to play the sport you love with your friends who you have been playing with for who knows how long. Nothing will be the same.

You are so happy to be out of school for two weeks for Christmas break but you do not know what to do with all your time. You do not want to think about how different things will be next year after spending a semester away from home. Will you still be close with your best friend of six years? Will your family ever stop asking you about your classes this fall? These questions do not come to mind because you are too busy having the time of your life with your best friends and family. Nothing will be the same.

Coming back from Christmas break, you experience the countless ice/snow days that you know you will hate once you are in school until June 5 but do not care whatsoever at the time. The anticipation of that tweet or phone call from LISD. The celebration scream or dance you do when the superintendent pulls through. Nothing will be the same.

Time rolls on and it is spring break… finally. You are full with energy that you do not care it is only a week. You spend it vacationing in the Caribbean with your family or making numerous memories at home with your best friends. Either way you are having “the best spring break ever” and do not want it to end. You do not realize in a year everything may be different. Nothing will be the same.

The countdown to graduation begins and you are more than ready to leave this place. You still try to make the most of it as your talented softball and baseball teams make their route to state. It is your last chance to receive a Jammin’ Jag award but you laugh when you do not get one anyways.  You finally get to experience all the things you did not get to as an underclassman. You have the opportunity to play ball against the faculty in front of the whole school. You have the opportunity to spend a full day with your senior class competing at field day. You have the opportunity to go back to your elementary school or middle school for breakfast and reunite with old teachers and friends. You go on random adventures with your best friends because you know you will not get to in a few short months. Your senior year will, without a doubt, be the best year of your life so far and all you can say to the great friends you have met along the way is, “I wish I would have met you sooner.” Nothing will be the same.

June 6 has finally come and you are about to walk across that stage. You do not even care that you are receiving a fake diploma because you are FREE. Everybody tosses up their caps once your last classmate comes off the stage. There is a good chance once you leave that coliseum you will never see 90% of your class again. The people you only talked to in class. The people you never spoke to but wish your paths would have crossed. You may have some regrets but your main regret will be not trying to make everyday since freshman year like High School Musical. It may be a fictional movie, but the friendships and experiences they had should be how you spend your high school days.

You may be thinking that you are still a freshman and you do not have to worry about saying goodbye to your family, pets, and amazing friends anytime soon. And you are right. Do not worry about it. Make the absolute most of the next three or however many years yet to come. Go all out for spirit days. Risk being late to get breakfast with your friends. Have the time of your life and do not waste time with regret. You will be glad you did when you are sitting where I am.

However, do not blink. Stop and smell the roses. Cherish every memory. Because after you walk across the stage and officially complete 12 years in the public school system, nothing will be the same.

Sincerely,

A Senior