What is the meaning of high school?

We have less than a month until the Class of 2016 walks across The Whiting stage to collect our diplomas that we have been working over half of our lives to retrieve.

But this question has been sitting in the back of mind since I walked into the school for the start of my freshman year.

And now that I am almost a high school graduate, I feel like I kind of understand the significance of what high school means to me.

I have learned many things over the past four years from both my teachers and peers.

I have learned that high school, at times, can be overrated drama and petty fights between friends that you will never actually stop being friends with.

High school is a time where we are all rushing to grow up only to realize that we crave to be innocent again.

It is hurting over someone that was not actually worth hurting over but not having the guts to tell them how you honestly feel.

It is a place where we embarrass ourselves one day and then look back on it another time just to laugh so hard that we have tears coming out of our eyes while we gasp for air.

High school is wanting to fit in with your class but at the same time wanting to stand out and be different.

High school is trying your best at something you are passionate about and not getting the outcome that you felt you truly deserved.

It is when you get knocked down time after time again only to wonder if you should stay down or fight another round.

High school is trying to look on the bright side of things after feeling disappointed, as well as being lied to.

It is those nights of wanting to be left alone but not actually wanting to feel like you are alone.

It is those tight knots in your stomach after a night of not preparing for a big test or presentation that you knew you should have been ready for.

High school is a place where you lose your old friends, friends that you never thought you would lose, but make new ones, one’s that you never believed you would be friends with.

It is slowly growing into the person that you want to be and becoming a more confident, self-reliant person.

High school is being rushed to decide a career that will affect the rest of your future while not having a clue what you actually want to do.

It is wishing bad things onto people out of pure anger, only to regret it an hour later.

High school is hoping for a happy future no matter where life takes you and making little wishes on 11:11 a.m.

It is discovering and learning new things and forming opinions about certain topics and having the confidence to stand behind what you believe in.

It is dreading to wake up at the break of dawn but missing your friends after a long vacation.

High school is about making memories with people who help create you into the adult you are going to be.

It is impatiently waiting for the last day of senior year to come around.

High school is collecting your diploma that you have rightfully earned.

It is being surrounded by your classmates on graduation day and moving your tassel to the left to begin a new journey.

So what is high school?

High school is about getting stronger and becoming independent.

It is the realization that you are young and have many opportunities resting at your feet.

Sometimes high school can hurt. But so what? If things always went the way we wanted it, we would not appreciate it.

Do not take everything that you hear to heart, and take as many chances as you can even if it risks your feelings getting hurt.

Smile and actually mean it. Because in another 10 years or so, you are going to be looking back on the four years that you rushed through and all you are going to want is to be back in high school.