Writing a column like this usually makes people sound pretentious and a little snobby, but what I’m about to say comes from personal reflection and is sincere. When I think about the good times I have had with my friends, even alongside that terrible, terrible week chock full of AP exams and other negative experiences, I realize that next year will be the last year to experience all of that. For me, this year is it. It’s the last chance I have to achieve all things only possible in high school.

Now you could argue that college is not that different. In reality, if you ask your parents or adults, they’ll have at least one thing that they miss from high school. Or you can argue that all you want to do is have some freedom and zoom through these four years as fast as you can. I won’t pretend to know what you feel and why, but if I ask, “While you were speeding through, what did you miss?”, will your answer be the same?

I’m not going to preach for you to live your dreams and convince you to have a golden “high school experience” with everything lining up like you’re in a Disney movie. But, as a senior this year, I’m saying you should take advantage of your high school time while you still have it. Go have fun, hang out with your friends and do that homework (or not), but whatever it is you want to do, make it count. Once your four years are up there’s no going back, and as I realized during the summer, this prospect is more than a little bit scary. For this reason, I encourage everyone, no matter what happens, to enjoy your year. Realize that this opportunity to do something, create and learn only happens once. I don’t pretend to know more than I do, but since we’re all on the same boat, we all have the same chance to make our high school years count.

The views in this column do not necessarily reflect the views of the HiLite staff. Reach Shiva Vallabhaneni at [email protected]