It's our time to become great

Four years. Four years seems like such a long time at the beginning but virtually nothing at the end. For the graduating seniors at River Valley High School, these are the final days of our high school career. The emotions mix with excitement about starting adult life along with fear — relief for being done but wanting it to go on.

But as everyone knows, one way or another, everything must come to an end. On June 1, the RVHS seniors will progress from their semi-sheltered high school lives to an entirely new world — whatever it may be.

Some will go to our ever faithful Yuba College, others to colleges all over California and beyond. There are also many students who enlisted in our armed forces. Others will go straight to work.

Whatever they choose, one thing is for sure: They are nervous about what is to come.

Stacy Suen, an RVHS senior who will attend the University of California, Santa Cruz, said, "There have been so many good memories here, from tennis to hanging out with my good friends — I can't imagine what I will do without them. Life is going to be different, but in the end, I am really looking forward to it. It is one step closer to my life goals."

Royce Miller, a senior and future Chico Wildcat, said, "(Graduating) is going to be the most exciting thing in my life so far. I am looking forward to going to Chico State to become a history teacher, and maybe even get to come back to River Valley. My only disappointment in this is that I am going to have to leave my wonderful girlfriend, Jessica Steers, but I know she is looking forward to attending Santa Cruz and that we will be good friends forever."

Stephi Roman Robles, a senior who aspires to become an artist, said, "I never knew less about what is to come than at this moment. There are so many dreams I have that I am not sure I will achieve. But I can try. If I devote myself to it, body and mind, little can stop me. I'm great at art because I love it, and in doing something I love, I will achieve the greatest happiness."

I could not find the right words to express what this moment means to me, but the closest I could find are: freedom and hope. Leaving high school is leaving childhood. Even though we may not be completely on our own, we transition into our own person, and that is one of the most difficult things to do successfully.

Then there is hope. Hope is everything we are and everything we work for; without hope, the world would turn uselessly. The 2012 graduates have hope that their lives will be great, and with the right amount of work, they can be.

One piece of advice: In the moment when you hit a wall, no one can go back and make a new beginning, but anyone can start from now and make a great ending. Be great, class of 2012, and spread your wings and fly!

Manjinder Singh is a senior at River Valley High School. This is his final column for the Education section. RVHS student Jessica Steers contributed to this column.