Change is everywhere. It’s in your fridge, as milk changes from liquid to clumpy. It’s in your mom, whose mood can turn sour with lightning speed by a mere “Fine” that you utter at one of her requests.

More than any change, I would argue that the most difficult kind is the one that affects who you are surrounded by.

In three days, I’ll be saying goodbye to the people who have made me smile the most, the people who have seen me laugh until my stomach is in knots and cry until my face stings. They’re the ones who I have experienced many firsts with, and helped me understand that the coveted “high school experience” is merely a facade that you pretend to “live up.”

To freshmen entering high school: make some really great friends. Your transition to high school may be tough, but find some really great people to go through it with you. Open your mind to who can become your friend, because your best friend may become the kid you always looked past in literacy class 7th grade year. Also, be nice to your teachers and Triple G (Dr. Shoultz). They have the potential to become friends too.

To freshmen entering college: I’ll miss you guys, and I know your immediate future is even more uncertain than mine. At least I know I can see Brady Shutt’s shining face by the water bottle filler on the top floor…oh, wait… he’s out too. No matter where you go, you’ll always have a place and a warm Pancheros tortilla waiting for you here in IC.