Each year of high school has taught me a different lesson.

Freshman year taught me to go outside my comfort zone. Whether it be talking to someone I never had met before or joining an activity I never saw myself doing, freshman year was a year of new experiences that truly helped me mature as an individual.

Sophomore year taught me independence. Getting my license sophomore year granted me an incredible amount of independence that I had never experienced before. With this independence I learned more about what I enjoyed, who I wanted to be and where I wanted to spend my time.

Junior year taught me persistence. Junior year was my favorite year of high school, but also my busiest. Balancing ACT testing, college visits, a social life, homework and cheerleading all filled my schedule up to the second, but also taught me how to use my time effectively and not let anything stand in the way of my personal success.

Lastly, senior year taught me to live in the moment and make every second you spend with your family and friends count. As easy as it is to get caught up in the excitement of college, senior year taught me to appreciate my life as it is right now, and appreciate the people in it who support me.

With that being said, high school truly taught me so many lessons socially and academically that made it an unforgettable experience for me. I loved my time in high school, however with these lessons learned I feel ready to move on to my next chapter of life.

I am more than ready for a change in routine and the new opportunities that college will bring me. With high school complete, I am excited to see what myself and my best friends accomplish as we all move on to bigger and better things.

This article is from a series, “Looking back.”

Find the others here:

Sarah Major

Vince Vena

Matthew Hollendonner

Elizabeth Rose Szpytek