What High School is About

Nicholas, Class of 2019, shares what he will miss about high school.

I’m gonna graduate this year. Class of 2019, right. You’d think that I’d be one of the happiest people on the planet, but the truth is I’m a little sad. And as each class period goes by with each day, I get even more depressed. Keep in mind, it’s nothing serious. It’s a thought that lingers in the back of my head. Of course there are still times where I check my phone to see how much longer the class will be. There are times where I even fall asleep. As crazy as it seems, I’m gonna miss all of these times.

 I’ve been in school since I was 4, and I’m tired. At the start of freshman year, I started counting the days until I’d be done with school. Time went on, and a lot has happened. It wasn't until last year when my attitude changed. I found myself dying to go to school for a lot of reasons. For one, my mama would kill me if I didn't. Secondly, I would be bored out of my mind. You ever missed a day and thought, “My friends would be at lunch right now.” Thinking about those moments, I found out how valuable high school is to me.

 I don't come to school to get away from home, or to get good grades. I don't come to be able to play sports either. I come to school because I want to be with my friends, and I think that's true for all of us seniors. At the start of the school year, everyone was so lit up and happy. It was 6 o’clock and it felt like a party. Standing on the tables and screaming across the commons. Most of us have been here since the 6th grade and grew up together basically. It was like a family reunion, and that’s what high school should feel like.

 I wish I knew this earlier. Now I’m in a position where I wish I could have done things differently. I would've went to a specific class earlier to understand what the guys were talking about. I wish I could’ve went on one more field trip just to make more memories, but I can’t. So instead of crying over the past, I’m gonna try to do things better this year. 

 Take this from me. Every second counts, and there are only a certain amount of seconds in high school. Don’t worry about how much you don't like a teacher. Don't stress over the insane workload another teacher might dump on you either (but you should still like… get that done). You need to focus on what’s most important: your grades. If it’s not an A, it’s not passing. Aside from that, focus on the people around you how much they’ve had an impact on you. Take in every moment at breakfast and lunch with your friends because it’ll be the one thing that you remember when you graduate.

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