Senior. The word itself carries the exhilarating feeling of accomplishment and finality, right? Wrong. To me, our status as seniors embodies not just a milestone in our lives but an idea far more difficult to grasp: moving on.

We spend our time so carelessly, wishing away the balancing act we’ve spent nearly twelve years perfecting. We gripe over late nights spent reading novels at the last minute, time wasted on friendships that had no chance of lasting, excessive sports practices and club meetings … the list goes on and on.  Yet, to me, those challenges seem so trivial when looking back on my time spent here.

Now that the end is near, after we’ve endured all the woes and trials that high school can bring, it feels strange to fathom what happens next. The future seems so far away until you’re practically standing at the starting line. 

The college application process, endless options for majors, and life-altering decisions — the pressure mounts the moment senior year begins. Relatives ask, “What do you want to do after high school?” and truly many of us just don’t know. With no concrete plans or places to be, we feel like we’re constantly searching for direction, handling a slew of heavy questions we don’t know the answers to yet. The real world is knocking on the door, asking us to make these considerable choices that will affect us for years to come, and that’s terrifying.

But then there are those who say we should be excited, even overjoyed to be moving towards this pivotal transition in life and making these monumental decisions so soon. It can feel alienating to hear some of our peers claim that they’re ready to leave high school and face life with that “whatever happens, happens” mindset.

Make no mistake — I am overjoyed to have reached this place in life where I can make my own judgments on what’s right for me and let things play out over time, but that doesn’t change the fact that not knowing is nerve-racking. Even if you have an idea, a plan, or a goal, life still remains completely uncertain.

And yet I have faith that, when the years all blend together and it is time for the next chapter our lives to begin, we’ll confront the uncertainties with courage. 

So regardless of who you are and how you feel about moving on, I urge you to treasure the moments in your day that seem unimportant and remember that before long it will all be a far-off memory. If you keep that in mind, the word “senior” may not be so scary after all.