As I tell myself that I’m going to plan the next four years of my life, I stop to think about how a D1 procrastinator like me will ever possibly do that (I’m being so for real right now). As I plan out my future, I’m also planning out the last days of high school. I’ve gotten pretty good at stepping back and seeing how much time is left for plans to be set in place, and how long it will take for them to end.
It was just last month, in the Dutch parking lot, as I balled my eyes out while talking about the first time I met my friends, discovering how much of an impact they’ve had on my life. Knowing that one interaction in seventh grade led to experiencing middle school, a whole pandemic, freshman year, our first dance, the same horrid math classes, and now, our first and last high school graduation all together is becoming surreal as we count down the days.
There was that feeling of excitement to see how everything would unravel with each passing year, now that feeling is burning more than ever as the summer between our final semester of senior year and first semester of college approaches. Everything within me is aching to feel the excitement of summer, but the laughs and moments I shared with everyone in the fall, winter, and spring are ones I will never forget.
I couldn’t have asked for a better group of friends who always took the time to listen to my rants, despite it being difficult to keep up with. My friends are the ones who saw me go from a reserved girl to a now potential mess of a person who can’t stop talking about the most randomest things. However, I’ve also grown into someone who has gained an immense amount of determination to reach so many heights in the near future. Even with the obstacles that high school has brought within my path, I have overcome the worst hurdles and found my hopes and goals along the way.
The people around me have really brought the best out of me. Julie Delpy from Before Sunset as she played as Celine explained the qualities of people the best in one of my favorite lines from the film. “You can never replace anyone because everyone is made of such beautiful specific details.” Wherever you go, there’s always someone with unique stories to tell and specific traits that eventually rub off on you as connections you gain between others grow into bonds that could last forever. I was lucky enough to spend most of my time in high school with the same girls from seventh grade, along with my very own life coach that I met my sophomore year (love you Zayetzi). I wouldn’t trade it for anything, I learned to be more open and outgoing thanks to these beautiful people.
I’m grateful for all the stories I’ve heard from teachers that kept us sane throughout the years as it kept us distracted from work, the conversations that would get out of hand in room 2206 everyday, and for that photo I took in India that’s still on Mr. Garcia’s whiteboard (thank you for giving me that extra credit to save my AP psychology grade Garcia). It’s things like this that got me through my slumps and pushed me to go have fun and make the most of the years I have in Selma.
The dreaded end to all of my plans awaits me, but after the school year there will be many more opportunities that I will be chasing, opportunities that I never thought I would have the capability of obtaining. I’ll still be in town, discovering what more there is left for me to discover, but every step will be towards a bigger future where I hope I still reminisce on what I left behind here at Selma High with the people who were my biggest inspirations and support. From everything I learned here, I hope to continue having the greatest experiences in my endeavors and have the same mindset of hoping to meet new people with beautiful qualities that will make the adventure all the more exciting. I also hope I don’t keep doing my work until the last second it’s due either (future me, please lock in).
