I was sitting in class one day, and all I could think about was never seeing any of these people again. Kids I’ve gone to school with since elementary school and playing recreational soccer together, friends I’ve gotten in trouble with and strangers who I’ve gotten stuck working together on a class project.

I didn’t know if this idea of not seeing the majority of my graduating class scared me or just excited me. As the end is getting closer, I know that I’m excited to never see these people again. Of course I’ll see some here and there, but it’s strange to think that we’re going our separate ways from the kids we’ve known since kindergarten. They were actually only in our lives for a short time.

I don’t know if all of this is normal, for me to be so excited about not seeing people ever again. But, I hope that some of the other seniors feel the same way as I do. I hope that everyone has just a tiny bit of them that is ready to move on and leave this school. I know it’s been hard for a lot of people who are facing the reality of growing up but nothing makes me happier than finally getting to start my life. Creating my own adventures and finding my own way to live. I want to meet different people who grew up hundreds of miles away from Kansas. I want to explore different countries and just literally suck the marrow out of life.

For everyone who is graduating; I hope you share the same excitement and thrill as I do. If you don’t, I hope you proceed to live your life to the fullest and make whatever situation you’re in the best time of your life. We will all go through our own struggles and challenges that growing up comes with, but I want everyone to make the best of it by going skydiving if you want or flying across the country to visit your best friend. Take the chances and risks that life will offer you, don’t stick to what you know best, become your own person and live a life you would’ve of never dreamed of.