Every school year seems to go by pretty fast. One day you are back and dreading all of the math homework you will have to do this year and the next you are a week away from summer vacation. Senior year was no exception for me. This year was so fast that I feel like the memories I have of my classes from earlier this year came from a completely different person.

Now that the year is almost over, you would think I would be excited to graduate, but I’m really not. After 13 years of being educated with almost the same kids, most people seem to be happy to get away from them. While I agree that there are certain people I would like to leave behind, I was actually surprised to find that I do not want to leave them or to be left by them.

I’m going to miss all of my friends and all of the people who I talked to in passing who would make jokes with me. I’m going to miss messing with Mrs. Schiller during AP Language and Composition. I’m going to miss the Essential Skills kids who I never knew existed until my senior year. I’m going to miss making jokes with the cafeteria workers and the janitors. I’m going to miss sitting in study hall all day and not having anything to do.

I do not want to graduate. I want to stay where I am safe and comfortable. But I know I can not do that. So, from the bottom of my heart, thank you to all of you: the teachers, the janitors, the library staff, the office assistants, the lunch ladies and gentleman, and, most importantly, my fellow seniors. It has not always been that fun, but I’m going to miss you all anyway.