One Last Lesson

By Aaron Cady

Your senior year of high school is always a very distinctive experience. Finishing up your last few classes, working on college applications, and making major decisions is a lot for anyone (and that’s not even considering the uncertainty of a world-wide pandemic). At times, it can be overwhelming and stressful. Seniors are only months away from heading off to college and living by themselves, but first, they must complete one last year as a high schooler. Seniors need to find a way to look forward to the future while still thriving in the present. It’s a unique experience that is unlike any other time in life.

This is my senior year. I’ve been a student at North Star for six years. Fortunately for me, my parents have already been through the senior year experience with my older brother. They knew what to do, and that helped keep the process mostly smooth. There were unexpected challenges and difficulties, but those always happen. I didn’t think too much about my future last semester. I thought about where I wanted to go to school and what I wanted to do with my life, but I didn’t think about what it meant for me personally when I graduate and go out into the world. 

As I finished my second-to-last semester of high school, it really hit me how close I was to graduating. I live overseas, and I plan on going to college in the United States. Leaving my parent’s house and living on my own will probably be a bigger adjustment for me than most. It’s not a simple process; it requires a lot of thought and planning. This past Christmas break was the first time that I sat down and began to think about what I needed and wanted to do after graduating and before going to college. 

When the break ended and I started school again, I had no motivation and did not want to work. All seniors experience this to some extent. Graduation was so close, but I still had plenty of work to do. I had begun planning for life after high school, but I’m still in high school. I think that this illustrates the unique challenges and trials of your senior. You have to look forward and think about the future, but balance that with your present responsibilities. It’s the one last lesson you need to learn before you can start to make your way in the world. Senior year, with all of its challenges and frustrations, is something that everyone needs to go through before they move onto the next part of their life.

Aaron Cady is a senior at North Star. He has attended NSA for six years and has written for the Navigator for three of those years. Journalism is one of his passions, and he hopes to continue with it after graduation.

🗞️Staff StoriesEIC NSAFebruary 2021 Issue, 2020-2021