I’ve been alive for 17 years now, which means I’ve already lived about a fifth of my life. The thought of that has scared me for a while now. I constantly struggle to live in the moment, and I often find myself taking time for granted. It feels like I’ve simultaneously experienced everything and nothing in these last four years at Arcadia High School (AHS). 

Every day, I follow the same routine I’ve had since freshman year: climbing A Building’s stairs to get to my first period, eating lunch next to the girls’ locker room, and running in circles at track practice. It became second nature and so familiar to me that I can’t even imagine a life without it. And yet, as much as those moments are etched into my brain, I wonder how much of them I truly lived. 

If AHS has taught me anything, it’s to appreciate each moment before it’s gone. Even the little things like laughing with my friends in the hallway turned out to be moments I’ll never get back, and ones I didn’t realize I’d miss until now. Each year I spent at AHS was filled with moments I’ll carry with me forever. 

One of those moments was when I made the high school track team in my freshman year. I can vividly remember the overwhelming feeling of joy and the confidence boost I had. I finally felt like I belonged somewhere after years of struggling to integrate myself into places I was never meant to be. I formed relationships with my teammates who quickly became my support system, my friends, and a big part of my high school experience. 

Sophomore year rolled around, and that’s when I attended my first football game. I never imagined I’d find myself at one and funny enough, I was there taking pictures for Quill—something I’ll always be grateful to Quill for. I remember the crowd cheering after Arcadia scored a touchdown and the goosebumps that ran down my arms. It was one of the first times I felt like I was truly living the high school experience. It reminded me of those scenes in those chick-flick movies I watched when I was younger.

As I entered junior year, I started to realize that adulthood was quickly creeping up on me. I knew I had to start maturing, which meant leaving certain people behind, prioritizing my future, and making life-impacting decisions. I was so set on college and my future, I knew that every choice I made would have an effect on the person I was to become.

Now, my long-awaited senior year is finally coming to an end and with the stress of college acceptances and graduation, I may have contracted senioritis. Nonetheless, I made it. My experiences from my freshman, sophomore, and junior year shaped the decisions I made in my senior year and will continue to shape my life as the next chapter approaches.

I still can’t believe that I’m leaving the district forever and soon all I’ve known for the past 14 years will become a memory. I will leave AHS appreciating every moment, even the little ones I didn’t appreciate before.