Today was the date of my only 2 AP exams (Chemistry and US Gov, which made for a lovely 6 hours of testing), as well as the de-facto end of my high school career. I’ll still need to head back a few more times to turn stuff in, file paperwork and participate in senior activities, but today was my last day of actual schoolwork. It feels absolutely surreal, I still vividly remember attending my first day of HS in the back half of 2021, bright-eyed and excited for the four years to come. Ultimately, high school was a mixed bag, I doubt I’ll look back fondly on the 1.5 hour round trip bus ride I had to endure from 9th to 11th grade, or the endless days of repetitive drudgery that often felt like they’d never end. But there were plenty of great experiences sprinkled throughout, and I’m coming out the other end a very different and hopefully more mature person.
However, while I’m very excited to graduate and move on to college, I can’t help but mourn the death of my childhood. I already turned 18 a few months ago, but leaving high school feels like the real transition to adulthood. From here on, the government support structure of K-12 will be gone, and I’ll need to take full responsibility for myself. It’s extremely scary, school was often annoying and overly rigid, but it was also a safety net where I didn’t have to take on the burdens of being an adult. It’s also sad that I’ll soon be leaving the teachers, staff, and friends I’ve spent the last 4 years getting to know. After graduation, I probably won’t ever see them again, which just makes me more worried about becoming isolated after finishing. I’ll have to be more proactive about getting their phone numbers and interacting more out of class, there are still a few more occasions we all have to attend, and I’d rather have their information and not call much than want to get in touch but not have their contact info. Regardless, I just have to take this whole situation in stride, and make the most of finally becoming a fully independent adult.