It is hard for me to believe that I am graduating on the 22nd of June. When people told me that 12th grade would fly by, I did not realize it would be this quick. It is as if I just yesterday stepped into the school again after the summer, prepared to settle in for another whole year. Ten months seemed like such a long time, and even now when I say it, I think, "It could not possibly have been ten months!" Well, I'm done. I still have Regents examinations next week, but otherwise, I am done. I finished classes last week, finished my finals this week, and I need only to wait a couple of weeks to graduate.

When I was a little first grader, I looked up with awe at the 3rd and 4th graders. And then when I was in their place, I proceeded to look up with awe at the junior high students. It was hard to wrap my little mind around the fact that they were so high up that they were almost graduating elementary school. And as for high school students -- they were just marvelous creatures. They had their own building that we were not allowed into, and they had different uniforms, and they were so.. well.. old. I could not imagine being in high school. And now that I am graduating high school, I look back at the little kid version of me with amusement. I have been waiting for this moment for years, and now it is almost here.

The past four years were so important in forming who I am today, and as I look back on them, I see how far I have come and how much I have changed and grown. It has been at times a rough and bumpy road, but it was the right one, as I feel that I have arrived at the right destination. And soon, I will be embarking on another road, and I feel it is the right one, too.

And that brings me to my plans for next year. As you might recall, I had asked for Brooklyn seminary suggestions back in October, but I did not mention anything after that. Well, that is because I ended up choosing not to go to seminary. I thought I would go to seminary in the mornings and then attend Brooklyn College in the afternoons, but I decided to do college full time instead... and I chose to go to a different college as well... which is why, as of fall 2010, I am going to be a full-time Stern College (YU) student! A year ago, I would not have believed it. It was not an easy choice to make, but once I made up my mind and realized that this is what is right for me, I was pretty excited about it. In fact, now that I got the schedule for orientation in August, I am downright psyched! I cannot put into words how much I am looking forward to it.

I probably will not know anyone there, since most of my friends are going off to seminary or to different colleges, so if anyone here knows someone who's going to Stern next year (or is going herself), say hi!