Cat’s Cradle: High School is Where the Heart is

CATHERINE CHIANG
Opinions Editor

This time last year, senioritis had already hit me hard. I could smell the freshly cut lawns and independence of college campuses, and I thought senior year couldn’t pass quickly enough.
Then, senior year did pass—much too quickly. It’s less than two months before graduation, and I’ve experienced so many “lasts” that I just want to savor what’s left of high school before moving on to new beginnings. Unfortunately, I have only begun to appreciate these past four years right before they’ll end.
I know that many students at AHS probably can’t wait to leave, just like I couldn’t wait. High school is tedious enough without the increasingly stricter dress codes, nonstop tardy sweeps and monotonous cafeteria lunches—not to mention the countless, pointless bomb threats. But to be fair, we have a lot of which to be proud. And I’m going to miss a lot of them.
My confidence in both my academic and personal strengths has been built by the meaningful relationships I’ve had with teachers, and for the most part, administrators are who are willing to listen and help students. Of course, I can’t forget my peers, because although AHS has its share of disrespectful or ignorant students, it also has motivated, intelligent and essentially good people. Despite the unpleasant aspects of high school life, AHS will always remind me of how I became who I am today: a stronger, better person than the freshman who walked through those gates four years ago.
It’s human nature to only realize what you have when it’s almost over. So even though I’m eagerly anticipating college life, I’m still happy being a high school senior. College can wait just a while longer.