The year 2023 always sounded so far away. As a child, I could only dream of what that year would hold. Just like any other kid, I couldn’t wait to grow up. Now, I wish I could turn back the clock and be a kid forever.

Now it’s 2023, and I find myself being accepted into college, shopping for prom, and prepping my cap and gown for graduation. My high school experience was not how I envisioned it, yet I truly believe it happened for a reason. I might not have understood at the time, but I wouldn’t be where I am today without it. 

Freshman year began the new transition into high school. The school year was off to a great start until Friday March 13, 2020. It was during third block that the announcement was made over the speakers for every set of ears to hear: “Two weeks off of school.” Everyone was ecstatic over the two week break, one that seemed more bittersweet than spring break. Little did anyone know, two weeks suddenly turned into the longest, most dreadful year ever to all of mankind. Freshman year was plagued with the uncertainty of COVID, with more questions unanswered and more boredom than ever before. The world shut down without hesitation as students all over the country finished school online without retaining any information from the last three months. This was my freshman year. 

Sophomore year humbled me in more ways than one. Camera on or camera off, virtual zoom calls were a nightmare. This was the reality for a while with no end in sight. Just about everyone took the opportunity to cheat through their classes, but who wouldn’t? I try not to remember much from my sophomore year mostly because there were more negative outcomes than positive ones. If there’s one lesson I learned, it’s that you can’t reach the top until you persevere through the hardest battles first. This was evident with COVID. This was my sophomore year.

Junior year brought back some level of normalcy with in-person school despite the social distancing and COVID regulations put in place. It was by far the hardest year, and I think the worst part about being a junior is being so close yet so far to the end. There were some days that were better than others, and it was better than sophomore year, but even as a junior I felt like giving up. This was my junior year. 

Now it’s almost the end of senior year. The main focus has been college and graduation preparations. Senioritis started taking effect half way through the school year, with no time to rest because the light at the end of the tunnel is getting closer every minute. Suddenly, graduation is less than two weeks away. Time really does fly by when you let go of all your cares in the world. It’s starting to hit me that we’re not the innocent little kids we used to be. 

So as I prepare to leave my high school experience behind, I’d like to offer a few words of advice to all four grade levels, including my fellow seniors that have pushed through the highs and lows of the last four years.

To the underclassmen: You’ll soon be in the same position as the graduating seniors. Even if you’re a freshman, time will fly by before you know it. Trust me, I didn’t think four years would fly by in a breeze. I’ve learned many life lessons that have guided me to this point in my life. Don’t be in a rush. I promise you there’s no need to stress. Be yourself and be wild. Don’t let anybody’s opinion of you define who you are. Most importantly, stand up for yourself and be proud of who you are. If needed, don’t hesitate to remove toxic people from your life. Have fun and make memories. Enjoy every moment, because you’ll be wishing to get it back. You don’t want to look back on high school in the future and regret anything that happened. 

To the seniors: We’ve grown up into young individuals starting to experience life for the first time. We’re not the kindergartners that loved running around the playground chasing our friends, or the sixth graders just trying to fit in and act cool. Instead, we’re soon to be high school graduates and Princess Anne alumni. We’ll be on our own chasing after a dream career or starting the family we’ve longed to have. Some of us won’t see each other ever again, and that’s okay.

Whether you’re the one to cry at graduation or the one who’s ready to leave the moment the ceremony is over, just pause for a moment and take it all in. We’ve all taken time for granted at some point in our lives, but take a few seconds to look back. Hug your peers or find that one teacher that has impacted you in more ways than one. Most importantly, show yourself some love and appreciation for how far you’ve come, and go out and live a life that your younger self would be proud of. 

In the words of C.S. Lewis, “You can’t go back and change the beginning, but you can start where you are and change the ending.”

To the class of 2023, our time is now.