High school graduation is an exciting chapter for all seniors as well as their close ones. It is a moment to celebrate accomplishments, share memories, and plan the future. It is an emotional time, packed with important life decisions and calendars full of commitments. Senior year is a time spent reflecting back on all those years in the classroom while looking ahead to new adventures of work or college. Some people think that graduating from high school is just a tiny chapter in our big book called Life, and there are more notable life events to come. But in reality, it truly is a huge milestone that guides us to our next step in life.

High school graduation accompanies mixed reactions – a jumble of fear, a pang of regret, and sprinkles of nervousness with a side of excitement. There is a lot of uncertainty with questions lingering in the air. A fear develops because we are afraid we might not find the answers to these questions. Will I attend college near home or should I dorm at a university further away? Should I just start working and get experience? Will I be able to adjust to the college lifestyle? Will I be able to live independently? A fear develops because we are afraid we might not find the answers to these questions, or even worse – when we do find them, we may not like the answers at all. The best advice in this circumstance is to work our hardest during this grueling and stressful time. Motivate your heart by giving your best effort knowing that it will all work out in the end when your hard work pays off.

The next hardest thing about graduating from high school is parting with the teachers you have grown so close to over the years. There are teachers who put so much effort into their classes, inspiring and empowering their students to learn and to succeed. These are the teachers who are the hardest to say goodbye to. But the truth is – they were preparing for you to leave all along. They want you to go out into the world armed with as much information as possible to tackle all the big issues. It is hard to repay a person who has made such an impact on your life, but a small gift or all your thoughts and thanks written in the form of a letter or card certainly helps make parting ways easier.

The most difficult part about high school graduation is saying farewell to classmates. The four years of high school are spent building close and memorable connections with friends. Seeing everyone moving off to fulfill their respective dreams and ambitions certainly makes me wonder if we will ever cross paths again. It is surprising how we all start from the same beginnings but end up in completely different places in life.

Seniors, the time has come! Look forward to listening to your very last lectures from high school teachers, clearing out your locker one last time, and saying final goodbyes to classmates and teachers. But most importantly, get ready to graduate with all your peers as you walk across the stage on commencement day to receive your diploma. Bidding farewell to high school allows us to keep all the great memories while still moving forward in our lives – to change the world as adults rather than holding onto the past like children. Congratulations and best of luck to the Class of 2016!