A senior’s last first day. My last first day. It was honestly very surreal. For the most part, it was like every other first day–new teachers, new classmates, new classes. The only difference was that this year the anxiety that I had felt before in previous years wasn’t there. It was almost like a weight was lifted off my shoulders.

What I felt the most during the day (like most seniors probably did) was tired from not sleeping the night before. Tired because school is starting again. Tired because of the chore that is getting up at 6 a.m. for another school year at a school that I’m ready to leave.

The one thing I looked forward to on my first day was my third block class which is the same class I had for both my sophomore and junior years–journalism. This is the one class that made me want to return. As some of my fellow seniors who also had a class that they returned to for a second or third year, it is most likely the most important part of their day. Because in these classes not only are seniors having their last year but they are seniors in that class. They are the leaders.

That’s what the first day and senior year boils down to. We as seniors are the leaders for the classes below us. We set the precedent. We set the mark because the underclassmen are watching. And that is but one reason why senior year is so important.

The one thing I know is all seniors think about before their first day of their senior year is their options after high school. Are they going to apply to colleges close and afar, look at joining the military or joining the workforce. Those three options are what is on the mind of every senior throughout their first day, before their first day and throughout their senior year. 

College is my path. Fellow seniors, your path is calling your name. You may not know it yet or you may not want to accept it, but it is calling you. It is up to seniors to accept or choose a different path.