Graduation

Graduation is just around the corner for Norwood High School seniors. Soon, they will be placing on their caps and gowns, gathering their diplomas, and wondering where the time went. Friends and family will offer congratulations and inquire about future plans, all the while reminding them that college will go by even faster than high school did- I remember this very well. As a rising junior in college returning for the summer, it is during this time that I reflect on how my time in high school, especially my senior year, became the catalyst of my future.
It all began on the first morning of the school year. Finally, my grade was the oldest in the halls with everyone looking up to us. We had arrived at senior year. The excitement was bursting through the halls about the year ahead. Some began talking about future plans early on, while some hadn’t the faintest idea as to what they wanted to do with their lives. College, gap-year, service, or trade? All these options were practical, we just had to figure out what we wanted, and soon.
Fast-forward to college acceptance time. Those who, like me, had chosen to apply early, were hearing back from the schools during Christmas break; and the others would find out in March and April. It was both exciting and extremely nerve racking at the same time. We wanted to know our possibilities, but also didn't want to see a rejection letter either. Either way, the prospect of graduation seemed to be real now.
By the time May rolled around, everyone had committed to their future. Some had bravely chosen to serve our country, others were heading to trade school, but the majority had chosen college. Something you would know as you walked down the halls because everyone would be wearing clothing that would indicate where they would be for the next four years. Schools like Bentley University, University of New Hampshire, University of Massachusetts Amherst, and in my case, Sacred Heart University. Each new chapter of our lives would begin at institutions such as these; and although we were sad to leave Norwood behind, it was overshadowed by the excitement of a new experience. This excitement made the last month of the school year go by in what feels like seconds. Prom and Post Prom, Senior Spirit Week, and finals. The end had arrived. We cleared out our lockers for the last time, ordered our caps and gowns, and awaited for the moment our name would be called to accept our diploma. We attended graduation rehearsals, and the Class Day celebration where some received scholarships for their hard work, and then it was time to graduate. Hearing our names called one by one, shaking the principal's hand, smiling at the camera and our families; and just like that it was over. Four years of our lives resolved in one piece of paper.
Now, as the Norwood High School Class of 2017 nears this moment, they are eager but also apprehensive about it. Norwood High has given them the opportunity to grow as individuals, and now they need to use everything they have learned in whatever comes next. Even though moving on might be a scary thought-the next chapter of their lives will shape them even further; and if they’re homesick, there’s always Columbus Day weekend.