Senior Flashback Essay, Research Paper

Time to Say Goodbye

By Jamie Warren

The future stretches before me, waiting for me to create the work of art that will become my life. We have entered an age for celebration, an era to memorialize who we were, who we are and who we will eventually become. Celebrate this milestone greater then all the others, for it is the time we have spent here in our high school careers that will always be held close to heart.

Graduation is two weeks away, which for most of us does not seem possible. As we look back at these past four long but fulfilling years, there are some things that we shall never forget. It s hard to believe that at one point we were little freshmen entering into these doors, with no idea what was in store for us. Four years have passed since that first day, and we have made decisions that will frame our futures. After years of studying, filling out applications, scholarships, and taking tests, we are now thrown into the real world, where there are seldom retakes, second chances are only a memory of yesteryear, and honor codes are the way of life.

As freshman, we came home from school with the mentality that we were no longer children, but rather had entered into a new stage of life. Everything seemed different and new; we weren t the big kids on campus anymore. We no longer were the persons being looked up to, but rather were the persons looking up to an entire school of older students. We remember joining our firsts clubs, going to dances, and having Orientation days.

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Junior year we had our first taste of authority; we had become upperclassmen. We gained new responsibilities and had to step it up in school. Times had surely begun to change. The days of complaining about dress codes and school sweaters had transformed into days chock-full of drudgery. College was in the near future, and things such as the SAT s were on the horizon. We had our first prom, and some of us were in the midst of our first loves.

As we look back on our high school careers, we shall take into consideration that most of the fondness incorporated with our time here is because of firsts. During our high school days, we underwent new and trying experiences. We fell in and out of love, grew to adults, and encountered trying times. We learned that we are neither invincible nor free from suffering, and bad things do happen to good people. Our times here can all be considered a learning experience, during which we discovered the value of friendship and the importance of individualism.

At last, we have approached a knot in the path of life, the closing of one door and the opening of another. As seniors, we are facing the conclusion of our days here at Cross and the beginning of the rest of our lives.

You may never again see those who are sitting next to you today, however you will always remember the tears you cried, the hugs you have shared and the smiles you have exchanged. As we face the conclusion of our youth and embark on our new journey into adulthood, we will confront innumerable challenges. This is not a time to dread, but rather it is a period of wonderment, an era of questioning, and a time for the fulfillment of dreams.

When we face difficult times in college and life thereafter, we can always look back on our memories from high school. We will always cherish the thoughts of our firsts, classes, friends, and sports teams.

All of our friends and teachers, who had made the transition into high school an easier one, shall yet again aid in this life metamorphoses.

Remember, Your only successful when you reach your unreachable goals. Set your goals higher than you can reach, if you can already reach your goals then your not really reaching for anything at all.