he hurdles of senioritis and chronic restlessness while sitting through once-interesting classes. Most people are looking forward to freedom from cell phone confiscations and five-hour waiting periods when trying to exit the jam-packed parking lot.

Many seniors are wishing for time to fast-forward to the long-awaited celebrations that will make up this summer. But many people have been so caught up with planning future escape routes for next year that people have forgotten to live in this moment.

Signing yearbooks are often considered a keepsake memory, as they signal the end of the school year and saying goodbye before seniors leave. We may not realize this upcoming Campus Day will be the last time we scribble hideous faces and asymmetrical hearts into our besties’ yearbooks.

While pouring our souls into their meaningful messages, many seniors will write H.A.G.S for those acquaintances they never got the chance to truly befriend. Even so, we will all read through those notes that tug at our cheeks into a smile.

Everyone can recall the teachers and security who obstruct Shorewood exits as students stealthily attempt to escape during assemblies.

But soon will be the bittersweet moments of hearing cheers and thunderous applause as we recognize seniors for the last time before graduation. Last year, the school felt empty after seniors left. The unsettling stillness that made up the hallways and vacant lunchroom once the seniors leave is not far off, only, this time, our class will be the ones leaving Shorewood behind.

But seniors aren’t just leaving Shorewood. Many people are going to create new lives for themselves after venturing away from Shoreline. Groups of close friends may be split apart during the school year, making this summer one of the most important.

Those group hangouts in the musty car parked in a lot at 3 a.m. are some of the most intimate memories for numerous people. The last night of narrating personal horror stories and revealing secrets from the backseat will most likely remind people of the parts of high school that should be held on to.

Some seniors will be cherishing the last few meals enjoyed with close family.

For those moving away, bickering at the dinner table and being asked about your school day might start feeling like less of a chore. For a lot of people, the familiar schedules will become something treasured over the summer.

Regardless, the future for seniors is exciting, even while knowing that a lot will change. Families and friends will gather together to support the transition to the next chapter of life.

The end of a beautiful era will occur for many seniors, but new beginnings filled with thrill and anticipation will provide them with a chance to blossom into the version of themselves they always wanted to be.