Seniors are poised to become newcomers once again

"We watch the season pull up its own stakes and catch the last weekend of the last week. Before the gold and the glimmer have been replaced, another sun-soaked season fades away." Matching the lyrics of Dashboard Confessional, Sutter Union High School students are witnessing their last weeks of school. As quickly as it began, school is coming to an end, and a new cycle has begun.

With the end of school comes the end of my student column; however, just as school and life continue in succession, my columnist position will also cycle on to a new student. I would like to thank everyone who has followed my articles throughout the year, and I look forward to the upcoming writing from next year's SUHS columnist, McKenzie Kimball. He is a fantastic writer and a fun and extraordinary individual, whom I wish the best of luck to as he prepares to embark on his senior year of high school.

And as the final week of school draws near, I know that McKenzie — as well as most of the other underclassmen — excitedly anticipate their well deserved summer vacation. Seniors, however, feel much more than mere excitement for stepping into summer: They feel nervous, anxious, prepared, thrilled and eager to make this next crucial step in their lives.

Just as summer's end marked a new beginning for the new and returning SUHS students, school's end marks an even greater beginning for high school seniors.

Seniors are now coming full circle, as most will use this summer break to prepare themselves to be freshman all over again.

Jessica Ruxton, a senior at SUHS, said, "Graduation is one of the most important times in our lives. I will be going to college soon after, and even though it will be scary to leave behind everything I know and be on my own, it is the road to discovering our full potential. Going away to college is just part of growing up, and I'm excited for the opportunities I will have."

Going to college, joining the military or whatever else SUHS seniors have in store may seem daunting and at times overwhelming, but graduation is the first step to creating and following that path.

Again in the words of Dashboard Confessional: Before us "there is a path, and to get where it's leading, you've got to be sharp and never bend easy." We, the seniors of SUHS, must embrace our direction, using our experiences, memories and knowledge we developed throughout high school to guide us as we enter the realm of being a freshman, or simply a newcomer, once again.

Kelsey Bradley is a senior at Sutter Union High School. This is her final column for the Education section.