By Jack Ellis

High school, essentially the greatest years of our young lives. A time that we will never ever get back. Whether or not right now you are having troubles in high school or even having the time of your life, cherish it. Cherish the good, cherish the bad, just take everything in. Before you know it, you will have just a few days left of high school, just a few days left with all of your friends, and just a few days left until you never see some of these faces you have become so familiar with again.

Kind of harsh, I know. That is the harsh reality we have to deal with. We have a couple of weeks until the real world hits us harder than a semi-truck. So to whoever is reading this, live in the moment. Don’t let anyone tell you that you can’t do anything. Do everything you can at school, go be involved in a club, go try out for the sport that you always wanted to play.

Go make friends, stay out late and maybe do some things that you probably shouldn’t, go to that party everyone is talking about. One day you will look back at the things you missed because you were too scared or too shy to do it. And it will haunt you. Embrace high school, get out of the house and have fun, because high school is a one-time thing. You will never get these years back, there are no do-overs, you get one time to do this thing — so do it right.

As much as I say that I want to get out of this place, I would do anything to get 4 more years of high school. As seniors, we begin to take our last exams, we attend our last pep rallies (even though they took OUR spirit stick away). We attend our last basketball games as a student. We put on that jersey one last time, we take to the court or the field for one last time. There is one common denominator with all of us: we have the same four letters across our chest. Just a word to others, but to us it is our pride and joy, our home.

No matter who you are, or what you do, take these four years of high school and make them the best years you have ever had. One day you will be right where I am, wishing you could have it all back.