I am graduating soon...

As senior year winds down, I find myself caught between excitement and fear. The end of high school feels both liberating and terrifying. While I won't miss Spanish presentations or AP test prep, these complaints seem trivial compared to the bigger changes ahead.

What keeps me up at night isn't the academics – it's the uncertainty about friendships. These are the people who've shared my daily victories and setbacks, who know exactly what to say to make me laugh, who've made even the most mundane school days memorable. Will our group chats slowly fade into silence? Or will we be those friends who somehow manage to stay connected despite different colleges and time zones?

Maybe growing apart isn't necessarily a failure of friendship, but a natural part of growing up. I've begun to wonder that perhaps the best path forward is to embrace our individual journeys, knowing that true friendships can evolve and survive even as we change. The thought of reuniting years from now, sharing stories of the lives we've built, feels bittersweet but somehow right.

There are moments of pure excitement too. College promises the freedom I've been craving – the chance to truly dive into my passions without the rigid structure of high school. I can already imagine having more time for filmmaking, turning those video ideas I've had to push aside into reality. The thought of meeting people who share these interests and having access to better resources makes the uncertainty feel worth it.

The most comforting thing is knowing that this mix of emotions – this cocktail of excitement, fear, and hope – is a shared experience, one that every graduating class before us has navigated in their own way. If you're reading this and have graduated high school, what would you tell your high school self now? Any advice for me?