By Lauren Barbour

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Four years is a long time to spend in one place. No matter how quickly the time seems to have passed by in retrospect, I think we can all agree there’ve been instances when we doubted that the end of the day, never mind the end of the year, would ever arrive. And yet, here we are. Underclassmen, you have another year tucked away and are one step closer to where the class of 2015 is now. And seniors, you’ve made it. Your time in high school is practically over.

However, this doesn’t mean that everything else ends with it. High school isn’t an endpoint; it’s a stepping stone. No matter where life takes you after graduation, whether it be to college or into a career or around the world, there will always be goals and hopes and dreams and disappointments and failures. That’s life. And it’s just beginning.

Our time in high school doesn’t have to define us. It can shape us up to a point and guide our first steps into the world, but who we are will never be immutable. There are still so many things to experience and with our whole lives ahead of us, I think it would be truly unfortunate to not allow ourselves the chance to change and grow. Who we are will be constantly overwritten as we go out and live those experiences and meet other people.

This can hold true even for those who still have years to go at MHS. It’s never too late (or too early) to pick up something new to work on or throw yourself behind a cause. And making plans for the future is cool, but don’t be afraid of those things changing. I just think it’s important we not box ourselves in with too much framework.

Let me just end with the reminder that as much as I advocate personal freedom, we all still hold certain responsibilities. Not everything we do is going to be accompanied by happiness or a sense of fulfillment; not every moment is going to feel like a Lifetime movie. Tedious and dull moments are part of life too. That’s fine. That’s how things should be and we can learn from those experiences too. Whenever you can, however, I hope you’ll be able to find something that really satisfies you.

With that in mind, congratulations on making it this far. Seniors, good luck. The rest of you, enjoy your time in school. Now go off and be the people you want to be.