It’s surreal being able to count the number of days left of being a high schooler on one hand. It’s even more surreal not having gone to school in over two months. Not experiencing another class at Arcadia High, another lunch with friends on (and off) campus, and all the “senior milestones” that usually package the past four years with gift wrap and a bow tie, saying, “You made it!”

And I know in the grand scheme of things, I don’t need a senior prom, graduation, senior ditch day, or senior trip to tell me that I made it. It’s the memories I’ve made, the people around me—my teachers, friends, and family—and the experiences I’ve had that make me who I am today and affirm that I truly have made it to the end of a chapter.

I’ll always remember when I was wild and free, running across the fields playing tag at Baldwin Stocker. I’ll always remember discovering a passion for filmmaking as part of Dana Morning Broadcast. I’ll always remember the first day at Arcadia High School as a bright-eyed, nervous freshman, discovering my interests throughout the past four years, and now graduating as a part of the COVID Class of 2020. These are the moments that define who I am. Each smile, each laugh, each scream, and each tear—I’ll always remember each one and every moment in between.

Was high school what I expected? Of course not. This wasn’t the glamorous High School Musical I had imagined. Nor did it live up to all the rumors about a big, scary high school. But did I ever imagine that I’d be learning K-Pop dance choreo with friends? Did I ever imagine that I’d get my name published in newspapers and scientific journals? Did I ever imagine my senior ditch day to last the past couple of months? No, no, and no. But if I could do it all over again, I wouldn’t change a thing (except for maybe this whole pandemic).

As graduation and the last day of school inches closer, I’ll cherish the hard work, accomplishments, and memories that I’ve made along with the rest of the Class of 2020. I’ll celebrate all that we achieved and survived through. But I’ll also leave Arcadia with a heavy heart. It’s hard to say goodbye to friends and mentors knowing that we’ll (hopefully, given the current global state) be all over the country and world chasing our dreams—apart from each other.

So what comes next? Am I scared to meet the day? Maybe. Lost? Possibly. But there are so many more experiences that this summer and the coming years can offer. So many more milestones, so many more markers: we just need to go out and find them.