I was sitting in the Freshman Convocation mass listening to all of the teachers, and senior students remind the incoming freshman of how great this journey they are embarking upon will be, I could not help but think of my freshman convocation mass. Although I walked into Good Counsel with a couple of friends, I was in no way fully prepared for what these almost four years have offered me. In the fall of 2015, when I was in the position of the class of 2022, I could only think how long my time at Good Counsel would be. At times, the idea of growing up can be more fun and a lot simpler than the reality. The year 2019 seemed so far away, and I was so eager for its approach.

The time for graduation has not yet come, but I know that before any of the seniors know it, we will all be walking down the Basilica aisle wearing matching caps and gowns. Many of us are impatiently waiting to experience college life and leave home, but at the same time, there is residual fear of the unknown. As scary as college applications, the seemingly endless essay prompts, SAT/ACT tests, the questions from family and friends of “where do you see yourself going” or “what do you want to do,” somehow we are all going to be going to the college (or other institution/place) we are meant to be in a year.

Over the summer, I experienced the loss of one of my oldest friends who was seventeen years old. She would have been graduating this coming spring like we are all expecting to do. When the priest gave the homily at her funeral, he preached about the importance of forgiveness and how if you want to remember someone, the best way is to live a life full of purpose and love towards others. With this year’s value being compassion, I would especially encourage the senior class to be models of that behavior. This trying time will be tough and probably one of the most stressful times in our lives to date. More than ever we need to show love for one another, lend a hand to our classmates, and be a little bit more understanding because there is so much more than meets the eye. Live a life where we let the people who have helped us get to where we want to know that we love them before we leave to embark on our new path in a year. With this being our last year somewhere we have called home and grown accustomed to, I can only hope that we can find more joy in our daily lives and take one more look at it before it quickly slips away.

Featured Image: New York Post