Senior year feels different. There’s a certain weight to it—knowing that every “last” really is the last. Last first day of school, last football season, last pep rally. And because of that, I’ve chosen not to hold back. 

This year, I decided to step out of my comfort zone and do things I never imagined myself doing. I signed up for activities, joined in traditions, and even put my name down to run for homecoming queen, but not because I wanted a crown or a title, but simply because it sounded fun. For me, senior year isn’t about winning or proving anything; it’s about living.

There’s a certain freedom in just saying yes. Yes to new experiences, yes to challenges, yes to moments that might feel awkward or scary at first. I’m realizing that stepping into the unknown doesn’t always have to come with pressure; sometimes it can just come with laughter, with memories, with stories I’ll hold onto long after graduation.

High school can feel like a routine, and for three years, I stayed in mine. But senior year is different. I don’t want to just go through the motions. I want to look back and know I did everything I could to make these months meaningful. I want to leave without regrets, knowing I didn’t hold myself back from living fully.

So that’s my mindset, I’m “yolo-ing” my senior year. Not recklessly, but intentionally. I’m choosing joy, choosing courage and choosing to create moments I’ll never forget. When I walk across that stage at graduation, I want to carry more than a diploma. I want to carry memories that remind me I lived this year to the fullest. 

Because in the end, high school doesn’t last forever, but the way we spend it will always stay with us.