If I had to describe my high school years in one word, it would be “unpredictable.”

On the first day of freshman year, I felt like I was entering a foreign land as I walked onto campus. It also didn’t help that being new to the district added onto my preexisting fears of high school. Initially, I was scared of being alone as it seemed like everyone already had their friend groups from middle school. That fear quickly went away as I introduced myself to four people at the beginning of lunch. Little did I know, they would become my best friends and support system for the next four years.

Freshman year was an experiment. I joined multiple clubs and spent my weekends volunteering for them, but I still didn’t know what I enjoyed. That was, until I joined Pep Squad my sophomore year. I discovered my underlying passion for school spirit and performing. That same year, my classes started becoming more challenging and time management became more difficult. It was my first year taking multiple honors and AP courses, so balancing my classes and extracurriculars became my greatest obstacle. It was sophomore year when I received my first B, an 89.76 in Chemistry Honors. I still remember the feeling of disappointment I felt within myself. My parents left behind a life of success in China and immigrated to the United States for the benefit of my brother and me, so I was taught to always be the best. Looking back, I can laugh now because I really thought my chances of going to college were over.

Everyone says junior year is supposed to be the hardest year. It’s the year that college admissions consider the most, and everyone I knew had an overload of AP classes in their schedule. To be honest, junior year for me went by in a breeze! It may have been my hardest classes by far, but I thoroughly enjoyed myself because I always reminded myself to stay grounded. I started to prioritize my mental health and made sure to maintain a school-life balance.

And in the blink of an eye– senior year was right in front of me. The #snrszn that I was waiting four years for was finally here. This was the year where I truly broke out of my shell and wilded out (of course, not without finishing my college applications)! I became friends with people I didn’t even know existed and pushed myself to get out of my comfort zone. The idea of how something could be my “last” reminded me to make the most of my experiences, in and outside of the classroom. There was a brief time in senior year where I was at my lowest point after betrayal from a close friend. However, that moment quickly vanished as it brought me closer to my true friends and allowed me to meet new people that supported me. This year was unexpectedly cut short and I may not be able to throw it back one last time at prom or walk across the stage at graduation, but I’m incredibly thankful for everything I got to experience.

It may have taken me four years, but now I know to expect the unexpected. I think I can truthfully say I have no regrets because everything that has happened has led me to where I am today. Maybe I shouldn’t have spent all those hours on CollegeConfidential or A2C Reddit threads? At least, I now know that I shouldn’t go about life with a checklist, but rather take a step back and enjoy each moment life presents me.