I had heard it all before, “enjoy it, it will be over before you know.” I am now 1 month into my senior year, and let me tell you it's a little bit crazy. Looking back to freshman year I thought high school would take forever. But here I am staring at my Senior banner on the wall in the gym with the memories of my last homecoming still fresh in my mind. Now, pre-planning my senior night and anticipating whether or not I will cry my last time on that court.

With mail cluttering my countertops from colleges all over the country, there are many attempts to dazzle me with an “amazing student to teacher ratio”. The stress and excitement of college decisions is constant. Visiting schools and thinking about the rest of my life--scouring the depths of my brain for the defining moment of my life to write about in essays for scholarships and applications, although it might seem overwhelming for some, for me, planning my future is my favorite part! A year from now I will be living out all of those dreams!

As excited as I am about the future I am determined to make the most of the time I have left here. I made sure to participate in as many homecoming week activities as possible, dressing up every day, making the banner, painting the float, and giving my all for the powderpuff game. I plan to go to lots of football and basketball games, cheering my heart out and losing my voice every other week. I look forward to being the manager of the track team in the spring again. Supporting my team at the meets where their shoes melt to the track from extreme heat to the meets where I swear my hands will freeze off.

My advice for anyone still in high school, whether you are a freshman just starting out or a senior like me, slow down and enjoy every moment before moving on to the next because this is a time that you will never get back. In 20 years you don’t want to look back and wish you had done things differently!