My time here at Central has been somewhere in between the “High School Musical” fabrication and the “Mean Girls” comedy. Growing up watching those two movies made me think that high school would either be really, really good or really, really bad. The truth is people don’t dance in the hallways but they don’t write burn books, either. Actually, it is the happy moderate between overly joyous and utterly heartbreaking.

Four years ago I walked into those doors and realized that high school would last forever. But it didn’t. It went so fast that I never stopped to smell the roses. I never took the time to actually enjoy my years as a crazy teenager. Since freshman year I have had to balance having a job and taking honors classes with self-care. It did not always end the best of ways. I never took time to sign up for the classes I thought I would enjoy; I just did them based on what would give me the most credits. For this reason, I was not on the Digest until this year. I wish I would have gone into high school with this class on my schedule because it was the most friendship-building and supportive group I have ever been part of.

Most goodbye messages are filled with joyous memories and moments of laughter; this is not going to be like that. My goodbye to Central High is actually to remind us all to live in the moment more.

Since third grade I have been consumed with class ranking. I wanted to prove that I could be at the top even though I have always had anxiety over testing and work in general. I reached my goal: I got the title of Salutatorian. But what was it worth? I can honestly say it felt good for 5 seconds, then I remembered what I had to forfeit to get here. Don’t get me wrong, I urge everyone to try their best in school. However, do your best for yourself… not for a rank.

As I am writing this message, I am saying goodbye to Central High. Goodbye to the thousands of football games I missed to finish work a week early for the same grade everyone else got. Goodbye to all the friendships I burned because I did not have time to even talk to anyone. Goodbye to all the sports I truly did want to try, but knew I would put them above school. Goodbye to all of the clubs that I dropped because they interfered with my strict study schedule. Most importantly, goodbye to all the memories I made myself miss out on during high school.

For me, I never cherished my time here and it would be hypocritical to say I did. I really never found a specific friend group; I took in the outsiders until they found a home (with the exception of two or three people). I never stepped back to make memories with my class or with anyone for that matter. That is why I am here to remind everyone of how important it truly is. You have to enjoy every moment that God blesses you with because one day you will look up and see all the things you could have been. It is not worth your sanity or your joy for a title. Ever.

As I am leaving this part of life in the past, I want to thank Central High for the craziest times of my life. It has been a bumpy ride, but I am thankful for every moment because it has paved the way for who I am today. As I wrap up the ending of something familiar, I am determined to savor every moment of something new.