“The Night Before, Life Goes On.”

Hey, pretty girl!

When Trace Adkins’ “You’re Gonna Miss This” comes on your radio 5 times in the last three months, it’s the world telling you a little something. Y2Kountry, thank you for helping me realize my current state of sadness that high school is really over – just like that. 

I am writing this blog post for anyone who’s struggling to move on to the next big step in their life. Especially those of you moving into college really soon…like me…tomorrow (ahh). 

High school is only four years long. Each class, day, and week passes slowly, but each year goes by so fast. I felt like I wished those four years away. I wanted to grow up, go to college, and move on. And once I walked across the stage, all I wanted was to relive the four years all over again. Yet, what we all need to realize is that those will not be the “best years of our lives.” There will be so many more great, and better, years. 

It can be a scary concept to grasp. People we’ve known for thirteen years could suddenly turn into people we will never see again after graduation. Some of us are naturally ready to move on. But, if you’re like me, you’ll spend too many late nights breaking into tears over the idea of it. 

It’s taken time, but what I’ve come to terms with is that you cannot start a new chapter without ending the last one. High school may be over, but there are so many more chapters to be written in my life. Instead of being sad over what has happened, I decided to be grateful for the many memories and stories I will be able to cherish for my entire life. 

But, when your friends leave for college, cry. When you get dropped off at college, cry. When you miss high school three years down the road, cry. But make those tears about the happy moments you’ve shared, not what you’re losing. 

For those of you still in high school…

• Be yourself
• Have fun as often as you can
• Study like crazy
• Go after what you want
• Slow down, it goes fast

Songs to get you in the feels for move-in day

• Trace Adkins – “You’re Gonna Miss This”
• Carrie Underwood – “The Night Before (Life Goes On)
• Hailey Whitters – “The Days”
• Carrie Underwood – “Don’t Forget to Remember Me”
• Kenny Chesney – “Don’t Blink”

With Love, Marin