One could use senior year to look back on high school —  but most seniors rather spend it staring down the future. For what does the future of a Senior hold but adulthood, the moment we’ve all been waiting for. So what is adulthood to a Senior?

First, when asked what school has taught them about being an adult, unsurprisingly the answers weren’t very colorful. The most optimistic answer was “time management.” Additionally, it does seem responsibility is a major part of adulthood,  and homework requires a significant amount of responsibility. 

However, more students wanted to complain about what they do not feel prepared for. A predictable lament was “I wish they would teach us to do taxes.” Don’t we all? Unfortunately,  a common theme in my interview was that not much hope and excitement is felt for the future.

The road ahead is frightening for seniors, and by no means without reason. Many seniors described adulthood in single words like “awful, stressful, hard.” They mentioned adult criminal punishment and risk. To combat these statements though, seniors told me some positive lessons they learned, such as “be yourself; no one knows what they are doing,” and “pretend you know what you’re doing.” It was heartwarming to hear how students chose to reassure themselves because all of us need reassurance sometimes. And of course, the highlight of adulthood according to the seniors was one word:  independence. Raw, hard independence. Whether independence means figuring it out on your own or going where you want when you want it opens the door for so much opportunity. 

Ready or not here they come. They might have no idea what they are doing but they won’t give up without a fight. Even the seniors who have the only resentment for adulthood are rolling up their sleeves. We should all have hope for the future even if it is bleak. Adulthood is an adventure and you probably don’t know all you will find. Good luck to this year’s Seniors.