Senior year. The year I looked forward to when stepping inside high school my freshman year. The year that goes by in the blink of an eye.

A year before graduation…

As the days passed by before my first day of senior year, the wonder of how long the months would go, whether good or bad, started circling through my mind. The anticipation of different senior events. When having conversations with family and friends who have experienced it already, I almost always heard, “Your senior year flies by before you know it.” Believing the statement, though it had not sunk in since I was not in that moment. When talking to my mom too, I always said, “Can’t you believe I’m going to be a senior?”

8 months before graduation…

Standing on the football field in the morning during homecoming week, looking around at everyone in 80s workout costumes—all of us, taking pictures with each other, laughing and enjoying our time. Along with the spirit day, we were all in the auditorium, filling out forms for our caps and gown fitting. A realization hit me that this is the last year, happening right now.

4 months before graduation…

Now rolling through the last semester of high school with only four months left until graduation, the time seems to tick down quicker than expected. The college decisions and where life will take me starts to become so surreal. Only so many days that I made the big decision on where I want to go after graduating.

And before we know it, our caps and gowns will be on, names called and walking down the stage as it all changes in the blink of an eye.