Over 650 kids have just begun their last year in high school, and it’s a pretty big deal. Not only is it their last year, but this is the school’s first-ever graduating class. What once seemed like an eternity, is here, along with the pressure to paint the legacy for others to follow.

Our parents have always told us that we enter the real world after we graduate and move out of the house, in a sense, we’re like the young bird that jumps from the nest, symbolizing its act of independence and how it no longer needs to rely on it’s parents for survival. Those days for us are nearing over the horizon.

Whether we realize it or not, the time for us to make something of ourselves is here.

If you take a moment to think about it, it’s almost sad. Our last prom, our last spirit week, the final chance we have to see our friends every day and create memories that last forever. In a way it is kind of our last chance to be kids. Some of us are already working, and doing many things that some would consider adult-like. For example, driving to and from school, making car payments, and being responsible enough to pay our own phone bill.

It seems as if our magical childhood and mischievous antic-filled teenage years are slowly slipping away from our grip as we approach the harsh-cold world of adulthood. We all think that our summers are short and go by fast, but this year will be gone in a flash. That’s why you need to stop for a moment and take it all in, the school spirit, the atmosphere that lives and makes itself known in our school.

My recommendation would be for my classmates to attend all games and school-organized functions because I promise you there won’t be anything like it after you graduate. The pep rallies will be unforgettable and we can’t miss them. Teachers have helped promote school spirit and have collaborated to create our first event to celebrate our last year, senior sunrise, which will be Aug. 11 at 5:30 a.m. on the football field.

High school isn’t just about report cards and standardized tests, it’s so much more than that. My hope is that everyone graduating this year can realize that before they walk the grand stage at the Don Haskins Center.

These are deemed the “golden years” and we need to make them last. Try to enjoy each day because this is your last first week of high school.

A black sign hangs in the cafeteria with a countdown to remind us of the number of days we have left as the first-senior class.