Seniors miss more than courses as graduation nears

The caps, the gowns, the ceremony, the diploma. It all makes graduation feel like a finish line to a race students never thought would end. After four years of classes, assignments, sports and everything in between, students are finally ready to walk across the stage at the McLeod Center this Sunday, May 24. But for seniors, what they’re really taking with them from high school can’t be handed to them in a folder.

“I definitely learned how to handle more than I used to think I could,” senior Bryer Padgett said. “Before starting at the high school, everything felt so overwhelming. Don’t get me wrong. It’s still stressful, but I learned that I can manage the stress easier now.”

Many students said that the biggest things they are taking with them are the relationships they have built along the way. Going to school with the same people for 13 years builds all kinds of relationships, good and bad. Friendships, connections with teachers and even small everyday interactions have left a long-lasting impact.

“It’s the people that I’ll remember the most,” senior Jenna Waltz said. “Even like the random conversations in class or just laughing with my friends in the hallways. Now that it’s gone, that stuff matters so much more than I ever thought it would.”

Another big thing is that high school has always been a part of time for students to figure out who they are, and who they want to become. Even though not everyone is graduating with a clear plan of what they want to do or who they want to become, most students say that they’re leaving with a huge understanding of who they are as people.

Senior Natalia Sadewasser said, “I don’t think I have everything figured out, but I know myself so much more now, which to me, is a lot more important than having a perfect plan.”

While the diploma might mark the end of one chapter, it’s everything else that will shape what comes next.