I’ve always been told to live in the moment and cherish my childhood, but as I symbolically approach the end of high school and my eighteenth birthday, I’m only now beginning to understand why that advice mattered so much. I currently find myself in an undeniably surreal moment: coping with the unavoidable end of a journey that I am still traveling.
At times, high school felt daunting; the seemingly endless assignments and fast-approaching deadlines were truly anxiety-provoking at times, However, nothing occurs without reason, and every single challenge has taught me a valuable lesson, whether that be appropriate time management, work ethic, or communication skills. These “struggles” didn’t defy me, but were necessary in preparing me for life following high school and helped augment and support my education.
More than anything, senior year has helped me realize that the classic saying “time waits for no one” remains true. Growing up occurs gradually. It can be traced to conversations that you remember long after they’ve passed, acknowledging that it’s okay for a friendship to change, and even in persevering through fears, such as taking an exam or presenting in front of your peers. Although these may have seemed grueling in the moment, these moments are an inevitable part of growing up and teach invaluable lessons that cannot be acquired without the first-person struggle.
Over the years, I learned that growth and success co-occur; you cannot have one without the other. In the same vein, you must be able to appreciate your success; success doesn’t only occur when you’re being rewarded for it, such as during a ceremony or a graduation, however, it also when overcoming a challenge, such as succeeding in a difficult course. Having appreciation for smaller successes, or “quiet victories,” is crucial and helps keep you “in the moment” and motivated.
Becoming an adult always felt like something so distant-something that I won’t have to experience until later, however, “later” has been occurring all this time; it’s a bittersweet feeling, I am leaving a phase of my life that I will never experience again, however, I find peace in knowing that there is a new degree of opportunity ahead of me, with new experiences and
ambitions that offer a chance at shaping whom I want to become.
And now, with graduation and adulthood looming, I will be walking across the stage, not as an adolescent, but as an adult with a wide array of developed knowledge, whilst leaving behind a certain chapter in my life. I am ecstatic to continue my journey at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Majoring in Biology on the pre-med track to Ophthalmology.
On behalf of all my fellow peers at Oak Lawn Community High School, I want to express my gratitude and appreciation for this irreplaceable perspective, resilience, and confidence to enter this next part of my life. People always say, “As one door closes, another opens,” and with this in mind, I can wholeheartedly say-I’m ready.
