Why I'm Sad That I'm in High School//Mikayla Bivona

I very clearly remember my freshman year soccer banquet when my then captains Daniella Montesano, Taylor Nolan, and Hannah Lyden stood in front of me and my teammates and told us that we should cherish high school because it goes by way too fast. They weren't the only ones that had told me this. In fact, almost everyone had, and though so many people told me this, I never took it seriously.

I do now.

I realize every single day, how fast my teenage years are going by. We're sophomores now... almost halfway through our high school careers, and it's flying by faster than anything I've ever experienced. Some people say that High School was the best four years of their lives, and some say that it was their worst... but for me, it has so far been my best.

We're growing up incredibly fast. I drove past my old elementary school (Helen Morgan), and suddenly felt a wave of sadness wash over me. I realized how long ago that had been and how young I was. I recalled all my first friendships and my first crushes, my first teachers and my first real memories. Everything seemed so simple when we were kids.

When we were kids we became friends with someone else simply based on the fact that we both liked puppies and the color blue. Now, we take so many things into consideration. We think about the persons reputation, what they look like, what people might think if we're friends with them etc.. I truly miss my childhood. I miss the simpler times when my only concern was if I could fit all of my stuffed animals on my bed without any of them getting upset.

I meet with a group with Pass It Along every Monday, and we were told to go into small groups and write down a problem that we might be going through... every group aside from one wrote "Stress." Sadly... it makes sense. In high school, students start mapping out the rest of their lives... and it's not mystery as to why that is so stressful.

I miss my childhood, and I miss those memories. I had always been so excited to grow up so I could move out and start a life of my own and drive places... but now that I'm coming to that age extremely fast, all I want to do is stop time and live in every moment I have. And I think everyone should. Because we are growing up too fast, and when we're older and at our high school reunion, I truly hope that we can all look back on our four years in high school as the best years of our lives. Let's enjoy them.