This is the year I have been waiting for. I’m a senior; I’m at the top of the food chain. Now I am here. I’m living in these moments and I can’t help but think, what’s next?

My high school career is nothing I expected it to be. When I was a freshman, I was really shy. I didn’t want to talk to anybody, mainly because I didn’t know anybody. I was just another baby fish swimming around in a larger school body. After meeting some people and joining the basketball team, I wasn’t afraid to let people know who I was anymore. Now, as a senior, I’m more sociable than I have ever been and I know a great deal of people.

I am so thankful for playing on the basketball team for four years. It helped me make friends, taught me discipline and was a blast. Basketball is my passion, something I love and my safe haven. Whenever I had a bad day at school and something was bothering me, basketball cheered me up. I’d like to give a shout out to Mr. Behnam and leadership for coordinating such an amazing senior night for the girls’ basketball team. I’ll remember and honor that night for the rest of my life.

In high school, we build relationships. In doing that, I learned a lot about people. People can be mean or nice, your friend or your enemy. Make sure you choose the right people to be in your life. Be with the people who make you happy, motivate you and help make you a better person.

Also, pay attention to the world! I cannot tell you how many times my economics teacher has told me “not to make the conscious decision to remain ignorant.” There’s more to the world than your own little world. I’ve learned so much about what’s going on just by taking journalism. So, pay attention now! I wish that I would have earlier.

The teachers here at West are so loving and down to earth. They seriously do care about you and your success, so please listen to them. They are the some of the people who help guide you; their job is to willingly spill all of their knowledge onto you, and they love doing it. I’m so thankful for everything I’ve learned from all of my teachers for the past four years.

On a more serious note, don’t let senioritis get the best of you. Yeah I know, you don’t want to do that assignment and you’re totally burned out. You’re ready to graduate. But don’t think like that. Don’t live in the past and dwell on regrets or don’t live in the future and think too far ahead. Live in the present, live in the now. Really take in these last few moments, because sooner or later reality is going to hit all of us seniors like a freight train.

Being a senior isn’t ever going to be easy. Our future is unpredictable. Embrace the experiences that take place and learn from them. It’s all we can do. The next chapters of our lives will be starting, how will you write your story?

Best of luck in your future endeavors, Brenna Claus