This is it. The long anticipated end of my four year term at Grayslake North is finally coming to reality, and the thought of graduating and moving into a dorm is creeping into my head. However, I can’t help but to feel unprepared for this time, as senior year may just turn out to be the hardest year yet.
Many students would agree that if there was any time in high school to decrease their workload and responsibility, it would be senior year. Yet, I only find myself urging to improve myself, whether it be in my different course load or in my after school job. If I simply stopped at junior year, not only would that be cheating myself out of another year of valuable education, but I would simply be bored.
My fellow peers and I may all (or, perhaps only some) appear ready to blossom into the new world of adulthood. We do our homework, care about our subjects, and are preparing for college applications. However, beneath the skin, my nerves are preparing me for kindergarten all over again. I have only heard stories from the older kids and my parents about school, and I’m desperately trying to fill in the gaps of what my journey will look like up ahead.
Yet, all of my peers seem to be optimistic for their senior year, many even graduating early. The college frenzy has snatched them. I don’t look forward to moving day; I look forward to waking up at 5:30 every morning, walking to zero hour gym, then heading to my classes. I look forward to late nights at my job and rushing home to do homework. I like being busy. The fact that it will be a different routine with different people in a different school, possibly state, terrifies me. I can’t imagine my life as a student being any other way.
Despite my wishful thinking, I know that it’s irrational to think life will always be working on the weekends, serving the same people on Sundays, running every Tuesday and Thursday, and having the same homework every night. I know that next year, I won’t just be out of my comfort zone, but my comfort zone will be nonexistent. Although I don’t like to think too much about that, I’m willing to try and savor this last year as a Knight.
Welcome, senior year.