Graduating high school is a significant milestone in a student’s life. It marks the end of a chapter and the beginning of a new one. For many students on campus, the journey leading up to graduation has been filled with hard work, sacrifice, and personal growth. 

“My high school experience was a lot of fun. It definitely had a lot of ups and downs and I learned so much about myself,” senior Emily Thomas said. “Over the last four years, I’ve met so many people and made new friends, and really got to figure out what I was interested in.”

High school can be a time of self-discovery and exploration with seniors experiencing the highs and lows of high school life, from the excitement of freshman year to the pressure of college applications. 

“I had some of my best and worst moments and memories in high school; going to college always sounded more exciting but now that it’s my reality it’s more bittersweet,” senior Rachel Chang said. “I’m still excited nevertheless because I think it’ll be way better than high school.”

The graduating seniors have navigated a challenging period, with the COVID-19 pandemic disrupting their high school experience. 

“I loved high school, however, I feel like it was shortened due to COVID and doing my sophomore year completely online,” senior Shannon Christian said. “I really cherished the memories I made with friends at Liberty as I really felt like high school was some of the best years of my life and thankfully not the worst.”

The journey to graduation is different for every senior. Some have been looking forward to graduation day, while others may have struggled to make it through to the end. 

“With half of the freshman year and all of the sophomore year online, high school really felt like it went by quickly,” senior Neha Lakka said. “I’m excited to go to college in the fall, but at the same time, I know I’ll miss all my friends here; the last day of high school is really going to be bittersweet.”

High school can be a challenging time, with demanding coursework, extracurricular activities, and social pressures. Seniors have had to balance their responsibilities, prioritize their goals, and overcome obstacles along the way. 

“I say overall my high school experience was really good, covid year was a blur but I enjoyed my junior and senior year a lot,” senior Manal Nasir said. “I’m definitely gonna miss hanging out with my friends during advisory and just the overall routine of a high school student. However, I think I’m ready for some change that college will give me.”

Preparing for the future can also mean reflecting on the past and learning from past mistakes and experiences. 

“I had a great experience, it feels like a long 4 years now, but I’m happy to start the next chapter,” senior Sanjheev Rao said. “I’m looking forward to making some new friends, overcoming new challenges, and growing as a person.”

For some seniors, graduation is a time of reflection, celebration, and anticipation. 

“My high school experience was great, there were definitely a lot of unique moments, especially with the pandemic,” senior Ifrah Zainab said. “But I think every year brought a lot of fun memories too.”

Graduating from high school involves leaving behind the familiar routines and communities of high school and embarking on a journey. For some students, the transition can be both exciting and daunting. 

“Going to college feels a bit surreal as I’ve always imagined this phase of my life to be so different,” Christian said. “I still feel as though I’m a freshman, so the idea of starting college in the fall is a bit daunting but still really exciting as it feels like a tangible start of adulthood and independence.”

For those who are going on to college, graduation marks the beginning of a new academic journey.

“It’s really exciting to go to college because it allows for so much more freedom and independence compared to high school, but there’s kind of a duality to that because that obviously means there’s more responsibility as well,” Zainab said. “I’m also excited to meet many more people outside of the high school bubble!”