With only a few days left of high school, karaoke car sessions seem to be the routine nowadays. My friends and I have been counting down these last few weeks crying to “See You Again” by Charlie Puth and “Never Grow Up” by Taylor Swift(AND OFC “Our Last Summer” from Mamma Mia). 

High school was nothing less of a category four emotional hurricane. Sophomore year WAS freshman year, and the competitiveness of Diamond Bar High School morphed our high school career into our own version of the Hunger Games. To be honest, I feel like I napped through these last four years and so I can’t provide any sort of academic advice(oops), but I found some things to keep in mind that have brought me happiness throughout my time here.

I’m sure this is a no brainer but spend the little time you have in high school with the people who bring you the most joy, your “best friends and inner circle” as I like to say. These are the people who make you laugh so hard you’re clutching the desk in Mrs. Hansen’s class because your stomach starts to hurt, the ones who see how hard you’re working and check up on you to remind you that you are enough, and the ones who start playing “The Waiting Room” by Phoebe Bridgers in the DBHS parking lot at 7:50 am so that you can “let all those feelings out.” 

Another thing that I hope people can keep in mind: there’s always a plan. This one is a little harder for me to explain. But basically, stinky things are going to happen and that’s okay for two reasons. One: you’ve always got your “best friends and inner circle” to put you back together and; Two: only the strongest and most rewarding warriors go through the toughest battles. 

Now, I didn’t really know how to explain that without sounding all Kung-Fu Panda but I’m hoping you get it. That dookie grade you got on your APES test is just going to make the next score you get look THAT much better. The university you didn’t expect to end up at is going to be the first step in having the opportunity to transfer to another school or make connections with people you’d never expect. AND ISN’T THAT EXCITING?!?!?!?!(right answers only)

I don’t know if that’s going to bring peace and comfort to someone but I know they did for me. As someone who was dreading senior year in August, I would do anything to be able to relive it again, and again, and again. But at the same time I wouldn’t, because I’m so excited to throw a peace sign at strangers in the street and yell “FIGHT ON!!!!!” for the rest of my life. 

I know life is never going to be like this again. I’m never going to be able to catch up with friends every day at our usual lunch bench and know every little detail that’s going on in everyone’s lives, I’m never going to be able to see my classmate’s race in the hall to “see who can run faster,” and I’m never going to going to be able to get ready for a homecoming or prom again. But I think I’m okay with that. I’ll still be able to scream “Call Me Maybe” on the way to get acai bowls(maybe not as much as before), or catch up every month or so after a long(and I mean LONG) train ride, and I’ll always be able to support and receive support from the people I hold close to my heart whether that be four miles or 300 miles away.