Because I’m a senior, I’ve been faced with the same question many times: “I bet you’re ready to get out of here aren’t you?”

Well, um, no. Not really.

There seems to be this idea that as a senior, I must be tired of school. Obviously. How much longer can I be expected to deal with learning fascinating new things, competing for my school and seeing my friends every day?

I have always loved learning for the sake of learning. I like knowing things. Luckily for me, I get the opportunity to learn about some of my favorite subjects – particularly biology, English and music – every day. Even classes that I’m not passionate about teach me new things every day, which keeps things interesting.

School also gives me an outlet for my competitive side. I am a driven person, always trying to be the best at everything I do – even things that should be “just for fun.” UIL competitions give me the opportunity to compete, place and advance to higher levels of competition. As somebody who doesn’t have to try very hard for A’s, it’s refreshing to have to put a lot of effort into my work, even if it’s frustrating when I don’t win.

Let’s not forget that school is also my social life. It provides a reliable schedule for me to hang out with people I care about. I know that I’ll see them almost every day. Outside of school, I really don’t have much of a social life. School compensates for that.

I’ve heard some friends talk about how badly they want to leave Devine. They have lived here their entire lives and are anxious to escape. I think the reason why is that they have grown tired of the same people in the same place all the time. However, since I have not lived here all my life, I’m not sick of Devine. I actually like it here. There is a much greater sense of community here than when I went to school in San Antonio. Up there in such a large city, I would never be able to experience things like getting escorted by the fire department after the Region marching contest or performing for elementary students at the Red Ribbon pep rally.

Of course, all good things must come to an end. I don’t plan on staying in Devine forever, and while I’m sure I’ll experience even greater things in college, I’m not anxious to escape high school. As a senior, I look forward to what the rest of this year has to offer me.