With less than two weeks of school left for seniors, graduation invites are being sent out, senior pictures are being taken, grades are solidifying, and college orientation days are being set up. Many mixed emotions of combined nostalgia and sadness to excitement and anxiety can lead to very confused mindsets about the upcoming few years following high school.

Along with the conclusions of high school, many are questioning the best ways to finalize the last few weeks with their childhood friends, and beloved teachers. It is vital to cherish this time with one another and be hopeful for the future and what it may hold. Take as many pictures as possible with all of your friends. With social media and technology as prevalent in our lives as ever, capturing moments in time is so important. Additionally, students should be attending every and all parties they are invited to. If high school parties are too much or just not interesting, everyone should at least plan dates to hang out with old pals before it’s too late. Make sure to see the last senior plays, and art shows, as well as band and orchestra concerts that you never attended before. Start making conversations in class with individuals you’ve never taken the chance to speak to.

Arguably the most important of these however, is just to hang out with friends more. Use this opportunity to embrace your friends more than ever. Make sure they all know how important your friendship is to each other. Even something as simple as doing homework and studying together can go a long way overtime. Anna Eichert stated, “Senior year has definitely been the most stressful, but also the most memorable year of my life. I finally found good friends that I love and adore and enjoyed spending time with. Even more so though, I actually decided to do stuff. It sounds crazy but I realized after a while that I wasn’t having as much fun because I wasn’t making the choice to hang out and have fun. But now I am and it’s the best I’ve ever been.”

Many adults look back at their high school year as a stressful but enlightening time of their life. Several people wish they could go back in time to try harder in classes, or to be kinder to their family members, but more than anything everyone wishes they could relive their old memories with old friends.