Once each senior — with a hard-earned acceptance in hand — realizes how little time they have left at Ridge, a flood of emotions accompanies their joy. During their final days, seniors may feel fear or bittersweet excitement.

As seniors say goodbye to their childhood friends and a familiar location, sadness is a natural response. Moreover, fear may lurk among the graduating class, whether or not at the forefront of students’ minds.

Ultimately, looking towards the future can help seniors grapple with these initial feelings of anxiety or unhappiness. Most seniors express excitement for exploration and the chance to be themselves outside of the “Basking Ridge Bubble”. Noah Smith ‘17 says that “I feel that going to college is going to give me a chance to really flesh out who I am…Every college I’m applying to is either in a city or adjacent to one, so [I’ll be] able to explore more of the world around me.”

To keep these conflicting emotions in check, seniors should focus on spending time with their friends, exploring subjects that interest them, or finding new extracurricular activities. Delving into newfound interests, in particular, can help seniors develop a sense of their self in preparation of college, and divest their attention from the sorrow that accompanies the last days of high school in the meantime.

Although high school might seem like forever, it is merely a transitory phase. Seniors, about to start very different lives, can share in the excitement and joy and fear of their final days together. Victoria Vena ‘17 eloquently states that she is “excited to bond with more classmates and peers as we all start to realize that we’ve been with each other since day one and in a few months…it’s possible that we could walk off that field and never see each other again.”

Leaving Ridge High School’s’ brick walls for ivy-covered campuses may seem surreal, but time will soon bring forth the reality of graduation. As the Class of 2017 departs, seniors will miss friends, look forward to the future, and look back on high school fondly.