As seniors approach their last few weeks of high school, the last days of attending classes in a periodical structure, and having 5 to 7 teachers simultaneously, many people, including myself, have begun the process of reflecting on what is coming next. Will we all be missing the ability to go to school like all the adults say we will? Will we refer to what we did “back in high school” as if it happened decades ago? What will we be missing?

The feeling of being young and oblivious

When in high school, it almost feels like we’re in a time capsule that defies all physics. It’s short, yet everlasting at the same time. High school is the last time we will have a standardized schedule set for us: school beginning exactly at 8:35 a.m., lunch being the time between 12:46 to 1:16 p.m., and school ending exactly at 3:22 p.m. While we crave the sense of independence in choosing what our day entails, the ability to set something for ourselves is what allows us to be naive to the struggles that come with making decisions. And yet, while growing up is the experience of making the difficult decisions and being truly independent, in some ways, we’ll come to realize that we miss the structure and the ability to be naive within the structure.

Seeing the people you grew up with

While the world may sometimes feel like such a small place where we will every now and then re-encounter someone we haven’t seen in so long, high school is the last time that you’ll be able to see a majority of the people you grew up with from elementary school. Especially with there being elementary schools that pair with middle schools that in turn pair with high schools, chances are that your elementary classmates go to the same high school. 

But can we say the same about college or when you enter the workforce? Will we be able to see people you went to kindergarten with at your workplace? Will we be able to pick out any person from your school and there’s a 1 in 100 chance that you most likely took a photo with them 10 years ago? Chances are no, that chance becomes a 1 in 100,000 and suddenly that decade long connection we had with your peers is gone and our small bubble of people bursts. So while it may feel suffocating at times to be around the same community all of our lives, it’s also the safety net that we’ll take for granted and miss as we graduate. 

Staying at school late for practice

Whether it’s band, sports, choir, dance, or theater, these people stay at school longer than anyone else and we start to see the intricacies of the campus that can’t quite be captured during the school day. While the actual practice itself may not always be looked forward to, the experience of leaving school when the sky is dark, no one is there, and the air is silent is an euphoric moment that lasts for a short amount of time. And when senior year hits, the last practice arrives, the last game is over, the last show is finished, suddenly we can’t experience the campus at night anymore. Sure, if we’re going to college, this experience might be recaptured and even enhanced, but for other seniors seeking different paths, this is one of the moments that they’ll miss.

The high school culture and sense of community 

High school is so uniquely high school because of the culture that is associated with it. Going into freshman year, there’s a sudden shock of football games, Friday night lights, homecoming, and prom. If watching any high school coming-of-age movie or any movie set in the high school setting has taught us anything, there is an atmosphere and vibe captured in high school that can’t be replicated in any other moment of life. From the excitement associated with going to a dance, whether with friends or with a date, to the fun before and after activities from a football game, there is a feeling associated with high school events that can’t be replicated any other way. It’s the sense of community in knowing that this is a high school moment that everyone else is also experiencing with us at the same time that will be missed, and when prom comes around during senior year, it is a sign that the senior conclusion is approaching.

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While college, trade school, the workforce, or life itself still has more in store for each and every one of us, high school marks the end of the first chapter we’ve ever known our whole lives. As I reflect back on what I’ve achieved not only in these past four years, but also in the past 12 years that I’ve grown alongside my peers and experienced this change from childhood to adolescence, the senior conclusion has only shown me what I’ll truly miss. Goodbye to high school, and hello to our future endeavors.