As we seniors ready ourselves for our last year of high school, many might feel excitement. An anticipatory thrill runs through our bloodstream, and we fully prepare ourselves for the last August, the last September, the last Thanksgiving and Christmas breaks, the last final exams, the last AP exams, the last May of our high school careers. Admittedly, making it through four complete years of schooling feels like something to celebrate. Yet I caution NC seniors: do not take it for granted.

After leaving, some might find themselves cheerful and exhilarated. Inevitably, too, seniors will find themselves scared as well. We are bound for either college or work after our year at NC ends; and such a fate might prove daunting and new.

Eventually we will find that what we most miss does not prove the friends we have made—we will keep in contact with them for as long as we can—it proves the little intricacies, the ones we barely notice. We will miss seeing that one kid pass by us in the hallways; the walking into a classroom and bee-lining for that one person we know; screaming till our throats are raw at football games; and so on. Without doubt, nearly every senior will come across a time and miss (perhaps not high school itself) the idea of high school. So do try to enjoy it as much as possible.

It also seems reasonable to assume that some of us seniors might have skipped out on some events, secure in the knowledge that we can always do it next year. But if the changes this year have proven anything, they have proven that nothing remains guaranteed, and that changes prove inevitable. Since this is our last year, too, we cannot tell ourselves that we will “do it next time.”

So I urge seniors to partake in an act they would not otherwise participate in. I urge seniors to attend every sports game at least once; to attend a theater performance; to join that club they have always wished to join; to take the class they have always wished to take; to tell that one person exactly how you feel (positive or negative); to go to prom or to homecoming, if they have never attended before; to attempt to enjoy what they learn in class, even if it remains required to learn; to tell that teacher they admire the impact they have had upon their lives; and so on.

Do not mistake me: all seniors, throughout their high school years, have obtained the right to run for the hills the minute the clock allows them. Regardless of their motivation level or participation amount, four years remains quite a time to spend in one area—and thus, it may, at times, appear exhausting and stifling. After such feelings, few would reprimand the seniors for taking off as quickly as they can.

Yet what drives seniors to look forward to the end serves as the reason that they must enjoy it as well. Certainly, the end draws near, and this proves something to celebrate; but they will not release us any sooner, regardless of our desire to go. Therefore, if we remain trapped in school for just one more year, we might as well make the most of it.