It’s finally here. The year of my life I’ve been working toward for as long as I can remember: senior year. 12 years in the making and it’s arrived in the most anticlimactic and bizarre manner imaginable.

Get ahead on those applications before you’re too stressed, start writing that next essay while you still have an idea, schedule a meeting because you’re confused. Those are the thoughts constantly cycling through my head. In these moments it has hit me more than ever that we as a culture don’t like to be still.

Of course I need to apply to college, but before now, every moment of my life has been in pursuit of an elusive tomorrow. I all too often live for the next year of my life instead of the year I’m in now.

At times, I’ve wished away the best moments of my life simply because I felt like I had to keep going. Culture has told me to complain and feel dissatisfied with where I am. In middle school I was stoked to become a high schooler, as a freshman I couldn’t wait to not be the youngest, as a sophomore I was tired of being in the awkward middle grade, as a junior I was excited to be a senior, and as a senior I’ve been wrapped up in the anxiety, excitement, and novelty of applying to college.

It’s always beneficial to have something motivating you, whether that be a simple reward or some huge payoff, but I’ve discovered that this constant drive can become unhealthy.

If I could tell my freshman self one thing it would be to slow down. If I’m being honest, not every moment of high school has been great. Throughout high school I’ve cycled through feelings of excitement, loneliness, joy, boredom, pride, anger, and so much more. Yet I wouldn’t trade the tears or the laughter for anything.

Even in a pandemic, we can and should find the joy to live for the now. Pause and seize just today. Look for the little things you can smile about in every moment.

Enjoy being a freshman and not having to even think about writing a college essay for three years. Enjoy being a sophomore just because you aren’t at the bottom anymore. 

Enjoy being a junior and taking in the perks of finally being an upperclassmen. And, seniors, enjoy this year too. Don’t be focused on college to the point of neglecting what you have left of high school. College will be here soon enough, so carpe diem.

There will be a day when we will never walk through the doors of Geier Hall as Pisgah students again. A day where we will never again enjoy the laughter and fun of high school. 

I believe Andy Bernard from The Office put it perfectly when he said, “I wish there was a way to know you’re in the good old days before you’ve actually left them.” Enjoy your good old days before it’s too late.