As graduation approaches, the seniors of 2026 are leaving behind four years of memories, experiencing a complex mix of excitement for the future and sadness at parting ways with friends and familiar routines.

With the year coming to a close, senior Mackinzie Harris has very mixed opinions about moving on from high school and graduating. 

“I’m both happy and sad to be graduating,” Harris said. “I’m happy because I know graduating will be a huge relief and will open up new freedoms that I don’t currently have. But at the same time, graduating freaks me out a little bit, and I’m sad because I’ll be starting over not knowing everyone and leaving all of my friends behind.”

As the class of 2026 wraps up her four years, senior Chloe McCormick learned a lot about navigating the world and life itself.

“I would say that the most important lesson I learned was that you will find your people when the time is right,” McCormick said. “I also learned to not try to force things you don’t enjoy/like such as sports or classes.”

For many students, high school presents challenges like heavier work loads and tougher classes. This is where advice from those who’ve already navigated it can be a lifesaver.

“One thing I used to struggle with was worrying about things that weren’t in my control. If you’re where I was, remind yourself that it’s not in your hands, so it shouldn’t be in your focus,” Harris said. “Another thing I wish someone told me was to enjoy high school because it’s supposed to be fun and you’ll only get out of it what you put in it.”

As they prepare to embark on their next chapter, students look back on the experiences that helped shape them.

“My favorite part about high school would have to be the people it helped me meet, the lifelong friendship it helped me gain, and teachers that influenced me to be the best version of myself.” McCormick said. 

Reflecting on their long and hard journey, the seniors have certainly transformed since stepping onto campus as a freshman.

“The biggest change I’ve seen in myself since starting high school is within my confidence,” Harris said. “I’ve really become more confident in how I know I can perform and that really helps me stress less when it comes to big assignments and/or tests.”

To thrive in high school and beyond, a key lesson learned is the necessity of consistently managing academic responsibilities.

“It’s very important to take your grades seriously,” McCormick said. “I feel like it’s easy to get off track and lack work for class, and when you continually don’t do it, it builds up making it that much harder to catch up.”