You know, for the longest time, I didn’t want to graduate. I just didn’t want to leave this nice, comfortable, familiar bubble that I’ve been living in for my whole life. But, it’s time to step out of that sanctuary and into the real world. It’s time.Time is one of those things that I just haven’t had enough of all year long. I don’t even remember when life started to move so quickly. Four years took less than a heartbeat to pass by, and I don’t even remember half of the memories I swore that I’d never forget. Whenever I hear adults say they don’t really remember their friends in high school, or didn’t talk to them after graduation, it doesn’t make sense to me. These people made me what I am. They’ve had a huge influence in what I’ve become, and what I want to be. In ways, they’ve taught me more than some teachers have. I know we’ll drift apart as we go off in our separate directions, but if you’re important to me, I’m not going to let you leave my life so easily. One thing no one ever tells you is what you’ll really remember from high school. Yes, there’s math and English and music and art, but there’s more to it, too. You grow so much in four years. You make mistakes, you fight battles that aren’t worth the win, and you test your limits. From pain to happiness, high school is full of the whole spectrum.At LSS, I’ve learned that procrastination sometimes just doesn’t work, that you actually need sleep to function the next day, and that fruit and veggie intake really does make you feel better. I’ve learned how to use the quadratic equation to factor in math, that my alarm clock and I have a love-hate relationship and that jazz band is really worth being at the school an hour early. LSS really has been my home for four years. This school and the people in it have been my muse. For that, I am grateful.But now, it’s time to go. Time to go into the real world. And when I do things like use the wrong detergent in my laundry, try to figure out how to do my taxes or budget my life, I know I’ll have the right people around to support me. It’s time for a change, time to learn as we go and time to move on to the next chapter. It’s time to graduate. I know you’ve heard it a million times before, but really take Mr. Street’s words to heart. Take the time. Enjoy the journey.Congrats, the class of 2011. It’s our turn now.
