This is it: the home stretch
This is it. A chapter of my life is coming to a close. I graduate high school this week. I still can’t believe it.
After a year of constant uphill battles, it feels like everything went downhill in the best ways. I returned to school in-person, I started to focus on self-care, then I found an outlet with writing and a way to share that with everyone. This pandemic made it hard for me to focus on the positive side of things, for sure. I’m glad I pushed through and didn’t give up, even when I thought I couldn’t push anymore.
Oddly enough, the days are moving slowly but also quickly now. In unison. It’s strange, and impossible to describe. I’m sorry. To be honest with you: I think I prefer it this way. I don’t think I’ll ever be ready to say goodbye. The past four years I’ve spent at my high school have been unlike any other. There will always be a special place in my heart for the people (and by extension, the building.) Always.
I’ve spent these last few bus rides reflecting, sometimes absorbing myself in music and thought. I’ve transported myself back to each school year. I’ve looked closely at my growth as an individual. I’ve recalled and gone through my memories, good and bad. I’ve talked about it with my friends a few times. I’ve looked through the old photos, the Snapchat messages, everything. And through that, it became clear that I’m an extremely different person now than I was then.
Things are only going to move more quickly, and in some ways, they already are. My best friend gave me two new plants as an early graduation present, which I am now the parent of. Some of my friends have graduated already. At least two of my friends are going to college online. Another is going in-person. A couple friends are taking gap years, as am I. Processing all of this right now is emotional and, to say the least, overwhelming. But I have been taking my time, and I’ll continue to do so. I’ll be okay. I made it through a pandemic, so I can make it through anything life throws at me.
I don’t know what’s ahead for me, and it’s difficult to say where I’ll be even two weeks from now. But I do know I will follow my heart, and take things one day at a time. One step at a time. One moment at a time. And most importantly, I’ll remember this: Everything will be okay.
I’ve made it this far. I can’t wait to see where things go next!