Graduation is something that is regarded as the step into adulthood. For some, schooling doesn’t end and for others, they go right into the workforce and of course, and a quite popular option, is the military. After 12 years of schooling, it’s something to be proud of.

The feeling of sadness, happiness, anxiety, excitedness all build up to quite a combination of surrealness. This is where we begin our first step into adulthood for those who are going into the workforce immediately. This is where college begins for many or the joining of the military. Many choices are made to push you towards that decision of working or college. And if you choose college, what are you doing? It sprints at you. 

Getting my cap and gown was definitely an experience, but most of all, as corny as it is, and how much it embarrassed me at first, seeing that grad sign in the yard really kicked it in for me. 

The last days of school in real life had an abnormal ending. Speculation turned to reality. It definitely ruined some of the school experience. The biggest disappointment was the graduation ceremony. It would’ve been nice to see my friends walk on that stage, and for me to experience it too. 

On that note, Blaine Baker is a senior who states that “Senior year was alright. Pretty fun, but like any other year of school. I’m just thinking about college now,” During the cap and gown retrieval, his thoughts were he “Enjoyed seeing Hodge, Davis and Dufay,”

Regarding the graduation, Riley Harless said “I knew it felt different because I’ve been to other graduations and even though we haven’t had ours yet, I could tell we are missing out on the experience that years past have had,” I’m sure many share the same sentiment on the new way of graduating for this year.

Following that up, I asked 2019 graduate Colton Reem on his final year as our experiences differ so much. He claimed that senior year felt “surreal”. He continued to say “It didn’t feel real. 13 years of work for a little paper. Once I was done walking across the stage, it hit me. I wasn’t a kid anymore, a new life had just started for me,” He concluded “It was depressing and happy… My last day as a senior was just a normal day, but the last time I walked out of my 6th period was sad. Real sad,”

On a personal note, high school was more fun and seemed shorter thanks to Mr. Neuman, Mrs. Wolk, Mr. Shaw, Mr. Mahler and most especially to Mr. Iverson and Mr. Flanders. Good teachers help with the experience in every single way, and to be a good teacher and deal with 15-18 year olds takes a lot of patience and understanding. There’s some classes you dread, and the classes they taught definitely were not those ones. Some of my best school memories came from those classes. So thank you, and to everyone who made my school life enjoyable.