Seniors are committing to colleges, the financial aid packets are flooding mailboxes, and seniors are making lists of what stays and what goes with them to college. Most might have countdowns to graduation, when they meet their roommate, or even all the way to freshmen orientation. Senioritis is in the air– I will admit to falling victim. College is a chance to start over away from high school drama, family, and the people that have been annoying you since preschool. For some, this sounds absolutely refreshing, and for others, it is a nightmare.

  It is like the scene from How I Met Your Mother: Ted has to break up with another girl, but every time he tries, she seems less annoying. The gang calls it “break up goggles.” Something that has been awful for the longest time suddenly seems oh-so-much better when it is about to end. One can coin the phrase for any significant event, especially high school graduation. It hits like whatever cliche you prefer. All of a sudden, Northern seems to have more organized chaos, freshmen seem to finally have it together, and teachers seem to be less annoying.

  “It was more of a realization,” said Rachel Hurwitz (12). Graduation can be a startling realization when one is about to do something high school related for the last time. Competing in the last sporting event, last prom proposal, the last spring break adventures with high friends, or even the last first day of school brings mixed emotions. “It made me reflect on how much I’ve changed and grown since freshman year,” said Ariana Pastrana (12). Senior pictures can bring the piece of mind that, yes, one has officially grown out of the awkward freshman phase, or even that the awkward haircut one got sophomore year is not something you need to repeat.

  “I don’t think it’s hit me yet,” said Alyssa Willson (12). All I know is that every time Brenda Marsh posts a countdown to graduation in the morning announcements, it makes me just want to crawl back into bed and read picture books, despite the fact that I also have a mental list of all the places that are good for doing homework in the town where I will be attending college. I even have mixed emotions about Portage itself. Sometimes I cannot stand how small this town is and how I seem to run into someone every time I go out of the house, but there are the times that I like how close I live to the places I seem to need to go to all the time. I mean, I live within walking distance to Westnedge, that basically means that I have the world at my fingertips, right? But at the same time, I’m ridiculously excited to move on to college.

  Ted eventually broke up with the girl his friends could not stand, despite the break up goggles. Be it with a case of senioritis or graduation goggles, for seniors the end of high school is coming.  Are you ready for it?