August 19, 2013. My first ever day of high school and the beginning to the rest of my awkward pubescent life. Flash forward a few years, four exactly, and I am still the same awkward girl, but not so much pubescent (thank god for that one). And not a lot changed for me; a friend group here and there, a hairstyle, and a total new school. But as my high school career progressed, I grew more and more stressed about acing school and not so much on the actual life that was going on around me. I rarely went out and when I did, the pre-calc test I had the next day was occupying my conscience. Every year was the same, except I worried about different things, but senior year has definitely been the wildest emotional roller coaster out of all of them. At first it was college applications, then it was prom, and just this morning I cried in my second block AP Lit and Comp class. Why? Who the heck knows.

Senior year goes by the fastest, but it’s not until you’re 3 days from graduation and finished with all your “finals,” that you realize it’s all over for you. You’ll never have another spirit week, or first day of school, or reason to complain why you didn’t fall asleep until 3 am. So why did I spend all my time wishing it away? Why didn’t I enjoy the time I had and actually experience the supposed “best and worst 4 years of my life.” Instead, I counted down the days and wished away the hard times because the good ones didn’t come often, and when they did, they were over within a blink of an eye.

So I spent these past 10 months squeezing in every last high school experience I could before it was all over. And did I do it all wrong. It was rushed and in reality, the moments I was eager to experience didn’t live up to the hype. But the funny thing was, none of that seemed to matter once I reached my last month of high school. Turns out, when I was forcing all those moments, unexpected ones were happening all around me and I didn’t even notice. I was too focused on what I hadn’t done to admire all the memorable things I had done. I wasn’t seizing the moment.

As I approach my final days, I feel obligated to leave a few tips to the class of 2018 and the future of Air Academy. So here is how to tackle high school and make the most of it, from the eyes of a senior who (mostly) didn’t.

1. DON’T SECOND GUESS: I spent too many of my 720 days in high school talking myself out of doing something I actually really wanted to do.
2. BE YOU’RE OWN PERSON: Don’t jump on the bandwagon just because every one else does. Be different and be proud. High school already tries to change you, make sure it’s for the better.
3. STOP WORRYING: So what you haven’t studied for the test you have on Monday? You can always find time to do it, you’ll never have the time again to experience the Homecoming football game, school dance, or every other school sanctioned event ever (this is includes any and all senior skip days).
4. DON’T LIVE FOR THE FUTURE: Stop wishing for time to pass, every day is special and can be a new extraordinary moment, but all good things come with time. Remember that.
5. SMALL MOMENTS CAN BE THE BEST ONES: Some of my favorite memories of high school were always made up of small moments. Eating a six pack of double chocolate cupcakes with your best friend after a bad day at school (with no regret) and dance parties and sing offs so intense one might think your lives depended on it. They all matter. Make it count.

So this is it. This is the legacy I’m leaving behind, all of my moments; big and small, good and bad, the ones I want to forget and the ones I hope never leave my mind.

Here is my final piece of advice: Stop wishing away high school, because in a blink of an eye, it’ll all be over and you’ll be wishing for more moments to hold onto.

Yours Truly,

Ashlie Steel, Class of 2017