The sayings “time goes by fast” or “life moves fast,” was something I thought everybody I knew said just because they wanted to say it, but in reality, they meant exactly that: time goes by fast.

Just years ago, I was in elementary school learning fundamental things like reading, math, science, learning how to make friends, and cooperating with others. Being taught the real understanding of right and wrong, the basic school rules, and being able to have recess time and play with all the different kinds.

Recess was the best part about school.

Elementary was the first big step in mental and physical education. In elementary, you had nothing to worry about. It was just going to school, learning, and spending the rest of the day playing. TOTALLY STRESS-FREE.

As of today, I am a senior and it still feels unreal to even say that. Time really flies by.

I’ve been through so much and was still able to maintain it through it all. To be brutally honest, ninth through twelfth grade was not easy for me; I had my good days and I had my bad days. I had days when I cried, days when I felt so good because I was understanding all the work that was shown to me, I’ve lost friends, I gained friends. There are some things I wish I hadn’t done; maybe I would be further in my education right now, but everything happens for a reason.

And the saying “everything happens for a reason” keeps me going most of the time because I know I’m going to get something out of doing this. It could either be a lesson or a blessing.

Due to the pandemic, it was a hard transition going from eleventh grade to twelfth grade. Even starting eleventh grade was hard because I couldn’t get the real experience of being a Junior. Even though the eleventh grade isn’t as exciting as being in twelfth grade, I still wanted to have a real, full experience.

Virtual learning wasn’t an easy task. It was very difficult at times because sometimes the wifi would go out and that meant I couldn’t join the meets with my teachers, or I didn’t understand something and I couldn’t physically be there to ask questions. It was a hard adaptation that had a lot of cons.

As the new year approaches, that means it’s almost time for graduation! I know all the seniors are excited. I’m truly excited, but also very nervous. After high school, it’s a new chapter in life.

Most things, you have to learn and do by yourself. Paying bills, car insurance, college books, paying for dorms, etc. All that stuff comes after graduation. Most days, I can’t wait to leave my hometown because I just want a fresh start, but that means I leave my mom and I literally cannot live without her.

After high school, I have decided to go to Palm Beach State College for two years and then transfer to Florida A&M University or Florida Atlantic University. I want to stay local; I don’t want to leave my family too soon, or at all, really. I still need my mom no matter how old I get or how many times I say I’m ready to move; I need her.

I’m going to become a pediatrician. I chose to become a pediatrician because I love helping people, especially kids. I love kids.

In conclusion, these four years have been a rollercoaster. I’ve had my ups and downs, but that’s what high school is all about. High school isn’t supposed to be perfect; you make mistakes and use that in the future so you can learn from them and never make that mistake again. I’m ready to see what the future brings for me.

I asked Jerome Mitchell Jr, an eleventh grader, how he feels about being a senior next year, and what he thinks it’ll be like. This is what he had to say.

“Being a junior is exciting. I’m happy that we’re not doing virtual learning anymore because I can have my senior year with all my school friends. I’ve been playing baseball since I was little, and I never stopped. I play for two baseball teams and I plan to be the next baseball champion. Right now, I’m not nervous about the twelfth grade, I’m just ready to see what the hype is about.”