I don’t know about you guys, but I always seem to make many senior friends. So, the past three years have been a whirlwind. My time is finally coming up and I may be that senior that becomes friends with a bunch of underclassmen. I have been that underclassman friend the past three years.

Having senior friends is great. They have been in the school for four years and they know what they’re doing. They have most likely taken the classes you are taken so they can help you out and they can let you know which teachers to get.

My freshman year my sister was a senior. She came with me to registration and let me know if my teachers were good or not. Some she didn’t know, but she had friends and asked them. I joined guard and found my home for the next three years with her help. And then she left, the school at least, as she’s still at home. Saying goodbye to her was not easy at all.

My sophomore year was the hardest for saying goodbyes. I was super close with so many seniors. I joined newspaper and met all the seniors in there that quickly became my family. I also had guard and that brought more challenges. I had known many of these seniors for years before I was even in high school. Saying goodbye to them was not easy at all.

This year I am saying goodbye to 15 seniors. I’ve had my problems with a few, but I can also say I’ve called three of these seniors my best friends. This year has brought new challenges and if you would have told me freshman year that I would become so close with these 14 people, I probably would have laughed in your face. I’ve learned from all of them and I’m so glad that I got the chance to work with all of them. Saying goodbye to them will not be easy at all.

So, before I get into my advice to underclassmen, I want to thank Miles McCracken for the hugs and laughs, Mekenna Wieda for the vent sessions, Emily Rothermel for getting me through chemistry first semester, Darcy Becker for being extremely weird and making me laugh, Amanda Vollmer for just being you, Kelsey Dotson for being blatantly honest, Jennifer Somers for dealing with the whole newspaper staff the past two years, Megan Montgomery for absolutely everything honestly, Lindsay Alfermann for being my mentor and allowing me to figure out photography, Taylor Feighery for the incredible photo that I will cherish forever and letting me be myself, Claire Heinrich for the rocking car rides to school, Briley Howell for being my other half last year and helping me find myself, Beth Kleekamp for motivating me to do my best, Grace Sullentrup for being my pride during guard, Katie Overstreet for keeping me sane during guard, and last but not least, Emily Moreland, thank you for being my locker partner, thank you for being upbeat and keeping me in a good mood, thank you for allowing me to vent to you whenever, thank you for helping me find my prom dress, thank you for basically letting me be your mini-me the past three years. This is my goodbye to all of you. I will not be at graduation, but I hope to see you all again soon. I love you.

Now, underclassmen, you just read me pour my heart out and my advice to you: make senior friends. It is the most incredible thing. It’s upsetting, but so rewarding at the same. It will be painful saying goodbye, but trust me, it is worth it. The will give you the best advice you have ever received. You will get the luxury of making new friends every year. It will be upsetting to say goodbye to them, but it’s worth it. The past three years have been incredible because of the seniors I have been friends with.

As my senior year approaches, I do not regret the friends I made or the events that took place. I, in fact, appreciate them. I’ve found myself because of them. Make senior friends. It’s incredible, I promise. Take the chance.