During my first three years of high school, I always used to perceive the seniors above me as being crazy. Not the clinically insane kind of crazy, but rather living the ideal high school life: partying all night long, never doing homework, and always, always having a good time kind of crazy. At least, it sure seemed that way. No matter what time it was, whenever I saw the seniors, they were all smiling and laughing about something. In class, in the halls, at lunch, at Bible study... the seniors always seemed to be having a crazy good time.
What an unbelievably exciting thing to anticipate for my senior year.
Even towards the end of my junior year, my friends and I would discuss how eager we were to become seniors. "Now we're just going to be able to relax and have fun," we'd tell each other. "I can't wait to become a senior and just go crazy!" Even a mere four months away from being actual seniors, my friends and I had no idea.
Our perception of seniors was correct... in a way. Do we act crazy? Yes. Definitely in the partying together kind of way, but perhaps a little in the clinically insane kind of way too.
My senior year has probably been the biggest emotional roller coaster I've experienced since middle school (when everything was reason for drama) and most of my friends would probably agree with me. Senior year has been crazy. Sometimes in a good way and sometimes not.
I think everything I experience these days comes in extremes. I'm either having a blast with friends while fighting shaving cream battles and prank wars and hosting movie nights... or I'm panicking about my future, wondering where on earth God wants me to go for college... or I'm terrified about leaving my family and friends and I feel both sad and scared at the same time. Occasionally, I'll feel mellow, but even on those days, I seem to switch to the extreme. "I don't care. I just don't care. Why do school work? Why hang out? Why do anything? I think I'll just sleep for the rest of my life." I think at times, there are so many confusing emotions and fears churning around in my head, it's hard to feel only one thing at once.
There is a peace that comes from the Lord, and when I'm as frantic as I so often am, it's very easily recognizable. There is nothing more comforting than to be faced with a life-altering decision and then to feel a flood of peace fill my heart. It helps me realize that God is there and taking care of me, even when I feel like I'm about to go insane.
I'm sure the seniors in my class seem just as crazy to all of the underclassmen as the previous seniors did to me. You know, we are trying to make memories and leave a legacy behind us and enjoy the last few weeks we have with each other. Imagine if you were told you had nine months left to live. During those nine months, you'd try to enjoy yourself as much as possible, right? On a lesser scale, we've been given nine months together as a class before we must go our separate ways... forever. That leaves just a little bit of pressure. If we want to have good memories, we've got to make them right now.
Honestly, I don't know one senior right now who isn't dealing with some tough issues. Every single person in my close knit group of friends has struggled with something difficult this year. Perhaps God is preparing us for our futures, which are sure to be filled with occasional trials. Perhaps it's just a part of the stress that comes with entering a new chapter of our lives.
I've enjoyed my senior year of high school. I truly have. God has taught me so much during these stressful last months. I know it has been good for me. But I'm writing this to debunk the theory that all seniors are crazy. ...Well, perhaps we are crazy, but it isn't always in the partying all day kind of way. Half the time, we're crazy in the clinically insane kind of way. It's tough to grow up.
But I wouldn't give up these moments for anything.
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