The First of the Lasts

Taylor Schefka ’14

Staff Writer

“Graduation is only a concept. In real life every day you graduate. Graduation is a process that goes on until the last day of your life. If you can grasp that, you’ll make a difference.” -Arie Pencovici

Four years ago we opened our lockers for the first time, compared our schedules with our friends, laughed at how everyone’s outfits look the same, and thought about how great it was to finally be in high school. We met some of our best friends, we went to our first high school dance, and had a crush on a cute senior. Four years ago, we couldn’t wait to get older.
Three years ago we stepped into high school believing that we owned the place. We no longer were the poor freshman. We still were looking to fit in, and trying to figure out where our niche was. We expanded our circle of friends, followed our daily routines, and talked about what parties were going on. We attended sweet sixteen’s every weekend, thought we were too cool to hang out with our parents, found a new sense of freedom by getting our licenses, and watched our boys take home the state championship. Three years ago, we couldn’t wait to get older.
Two years ago we became “upper classmen”. We no longer had a curfew and started driving around on weekends. We realized who our true friends were, where we fit in, but still remained looking for ourselves. We started getting asked about college at family events, still thinking it was still so far away. We had our junior prom, got our class rings, and realized that time flies. Yet, still two years ago we couldn’t wait to get older.
Now we entered Nouvel as seniors. We had senioritis in the summer. We believe we should get to leave school early and come in late. We have started applying to college, close and far away. We have gotten accepted, maybe rejected, but we’re figuring out exactly where we want to go. After attending the senior retreat of 2013 I think it finally hit home that soon we will no longer have the comforts we are so accustom to. As we sat on the floor in the PAC, looking through teary eyes at one another we realized everything we do is the lastOur last homecoming pep rally, the last time we watch our boys take Boyd Field, our last sports season, our last birthday spent at home, our last Spring Break together, our last high school dance, our last mass as the class of 2014, and the last time we say goodbye before summer leaves us and we set forth on our individual journeys. We cannot afford to take our time left together for granted; time has slipped by and soon we will be saying goodbye. We will go to our senior prom, graduate, and sit for the very final time with everyone. Now we realize just how important our best friends are, and how much fun we really did have in the four years. Now we wish we could be younger, and that we would have taken the time to appreciate every single moment…Now, we finally realize that we could have waited to get older.