It’s finally second semester. After a long dragged out 2015 school year, we’re finally walking, scratch that, crawling to the finish line, the glorious 3 month break from school, and for us seniors, the start of something completely new. As I’ve grown and learned this year, I began to ask myself, is my friend group getting smaller, or is my vision getting bigger?

  I remember freshman year, walking through the overly crowded halls, getting shoved into doors (on more than one occasion) and believing that everyone I saw really was my friend. Sophomore year came and went, jam packed with anxiety over tests and Mr. Lujano shoving buckets of information down our throats on a daily basis. I slowly began to realize that most people, not all, but most, act in their own best self interest, meaning they put themselves first (disclaimer: I’m a senior at a public school smack down in the middle of Kansas, all I have to write about is situations I’ve dealt with, but that does not make me the expert on any level). Junior year was all about getting ready for college, deciding on a university, looking for scholarships, getting your ACT as high as humanly possible, and of course, finding out even more about the people you surround yourself with. As a senior I can honestly say I know more about students in my class than I would ever like to. I heard from a friend from a friend that that girl raising her hand over there partied last night at that football kid’s house (that kind of garbage).

  Growing up in McPherson, Kansas you have to learn to adapt to what’s going on around you, this especially applies to high school. Did a fire alarm go off during your speech? Better stop during the most important part and “evacuate the building.” Did your best friend just throw you under the bus? Grab yourself by the bootstraps and dust yourself off, because that’s life. High school is a magical place, not just because you have the chance to be yourself (which you don’t, you have to be what everyone else wants you to be) but because once those four years are over, they’re over forever, there’s no going back. Then before you know it, it’ll be time to adapt to college!