Wow. Just like that, I’m done with high school, and graduation is a day away. What had seemed so far away is quickly approaching, despite past perceptions. It all feels so surreal. Yet it’s real.
I entered my school in 7th grade, and stayed through high school. That was definitely a different experience than most are accustomed to, but it was super nice. All of us had 2 years to adjust to the school and its policies, and, when the first day of 9th grade came, it was all very comfortable. Many people worry about high school. They get nervous. But that was not the case for us. We had experience with finals, with the school, with how it worked.
With 9th grade came the joys of high school. I joined the cheer team, which I ended up loving and doing all four years. I could finally go to the high school dances I’d been looking forward to the past two years, and it was a blast. I solidified my friendships, and developed bonds that would carry through all four years. For me, it was not very different in terms of academic rigor, but that was soon to change.
10th grade was totally different in terms of workload. It was a lot harder than freshman year, but I thrived. Everything was familiar now, I’d been there and done that. It was still fun, but I didn’t approach things with the freshman excitement that I had before. I still cheered, though it was a lot different. We only had 4 girls (well, 5 if you count the concussed girl who quit), and we didn’t go to camp in the summer or compete. The biggest blow came at the end of the season, when my coach announced that she wouldn’t be coming back for the next season.
And then came 11th grade. Filled with the constant repetition of “fysics is phun” and “there is no crying in physics”. Except there is. Because physics is hard, ok. And it’s a lot of work. That was the main difference between junior year and sophomore year. Oh, and I had my first prom. Prom was awesome. And after prom was a blast, even though I was unsure of it. There was still a lot of work, but it was mainly in math and physics. I was super stressed most of the year, between my academics and getting a new coach. There were definitely days I came home and cried to my mom because I was so overwhelmed and stressed out. But somehow I did it. I made it through. With the support of my friends and family, I made it.
On the first day of senior year, it honestly didn’t feel real. We talked like we couldn’t believe that we were seniors, and it definitely didn’t feel that way. I got another new coach this year, and I think she’s gonna be good for the team in the future. We made so much progress this year, and I’m just so proud of the girls and what we did. It was amazing. Regarding the year, it honestly didn’t feel all that different. I still went to school dances, did all the typical things. I would think, “wow, that was my last _____” but it still really didn’t feel real or sentimental. I did relax a bit on my academics and also joined yearbook, which was a blast, but I also took my first ever AP classes. And let me tell you, I’m so glad I didn’t fill my schedule with harder classes or with all AP classes. Because senioritis is real y’all. You don’t think you’re gonna get it, I sure didn’t. But it happens to everyone. Even one of my best friends, who’s one of the most hardworking girls I know. It still doesn’t feel 100% real. But it is. It’s crazy. You think time is going so slowly, then you blink, and high school is over. So sit back, relax, enjoy the moment, and make your memories count.
