This side of the net

Written by: Carly Darrow '12

               Our last first day of high school, our last time building a float, our last Homecoming football game and dance, our last first trimester, our last Eaton Rapids student ID’s, our last time getting in trouble by Mr. Maurer, our last fall sports season, our last time that we see each other 5 days a week for 9 months.

                Last, last, last. Class of 2012, we have got a lot of lasts coming our way as we enter our final year of high school. But not to worry, because although there will be many things that are ending, we will also be experiencing many firsts this year.

                Things like senior pictures, senior nights for sports, off campus privileges during the first trimester, senior breakfast, class night, getting out of school earlier than everyone else, graduation, and open houses. These things will be what makes this year different from all the rest, and in a way very special.

                                When I walked into Eaton Rapids High School my freshmen year I had no clue how quickly these four years would fly by and blend together. I was scared obviously, like many of us were as it is overwhelming. You can’t help but feel so miniscule compared to everyone else who knew what they were doing. But also like most, it didn’t faze me. I took my freshmen year as just another year of school. I felt like I was a million years away from graduating, and that graduating was something that the big kids do.

                Now we are those big kids. We’re taking big kid classes, driving big kid cars, and doing big kid things.  And next year, when we go off to college, we’ll be even bigger kids.

                And who knows how things will turn out after high school. Maybe you’ll go to college with your best friend, or take a year or two off. Maybe some of us will go to college close to home, or go to college in a completely different state. Most likely though we’ll drift apart, and those who were our best friends become strangers. All a part of growing up. On the bright side we will be meeting new and different people and going to new and different places.

Wherever we go we are the class of 2012, and while we may have our cliques and our drama, we are still able to come together for the important things. And that is something that we’ll remember during our 10 year class reunion.

We have so much to look forward to in our last year.  I hope that each and every one of us makes it the best. Save the drama, try hard in classes while we have these amazing teachers that are willing to do anything, and try something this year that we wouldn’t normally do.

They say you don’t know what you’ve got till it’s gone; we seniors will soon be realizing this. To anyone who is reading this that’s not a senior, you now know.