“I hope senior year goes by fast”, “I can’t wait for college”, “I need to get out of this school”. These are only a few of the many negative statements that I have heard regarding our last year of high school. I will admit I’m often guilty of wishing away my senior year, but putting things into perspective has changed my view. This is our last year of seeing familiar faces in the hallway, sprinting to lunch with our classmates, and maybe our last year of being required to take a theology class. Why would we want to rush through our senior year if Xavier High School is the place that has shaped us into the people we are today?

Getting up in the morning just to sit in a desk for seven hours a day and then going directly to extracurricular activities can make high school seem like a bother, but just imagine the person you would be if you weren’t involved in all of those things. You probably wouldn’t have formed as many close friendships if you sat around all day just waiting for it all to be over. Being a member of the Xavier Pom Squad for the last three years, I can truly say that some of my closest friends are my teammates. Last year, I made a spontaneous decision to do track in the spring, and although the practices were grueling, the new friends that I met through the struggle made it worth it.

There is a part of everyone that is thankful for everything that Xavier has done for them, and we should be embracing it rather than covering it up by saying that college will be better. Making the most of our senior year is the key to having the time of our lives with each other while we still can. It’s okay to admit that you will miss your teachers, your friends, and even the people who you may not be very close to. After all, you won’t have the opportunity to see them nearly as much when we all travel down different paths within the next year.

One year. That’s all we have left. Don’t be bitter about this one year, but rather realize all the good things that have come from Xavier, and be thankful for them every day. Class of 2016, let’s make this year the best one that we have ever had! Erin Foley Opinion Co-Editor