The nearness of graduation brings mixed emotions—I don’t want to spend another year in high school, but I know I’ll miss being at CA.

This past year has been especially memorable, because although not everything was smooth and wonderful, this year has brought growth and change for the better. CA has taught me many things, and the most important lessons were not the ones I was quizzed over.

Here are just ten of the many things my senior year taught me about life.

1.      Value friendships. Take time for your friends, and don’t put your own success over your relationships. Yes, success is important, but so are the people in your life. Without them, you’ll be miserable no matter how hard you work.

2.      Make friends with your teachers. They aren’t robots who exist to give you homework and they don’t live at school. Take the time to talk with them, and other adults. You might be surprised by how similar you actually are.

3.      Live outside of your own little world. Remember that other people come from different backgrounds and have different perspectives and values than you. Expand your world to include more people than you and your few best friends.

4.      You have to work for what you want. Nothing in life will just be handed to you, and if something is worth having, it won’t come easily.

5.      Don’t make promises you don’t fully intend to keep. If you make a promise, follow through. If you comfort your friends by promising to always be there for them, don’t suddenly fall away when they need you.

6.      Listen to people. Respect people by valuing what they say. People have so much more to them than what you see, take the time to get to know them and listen to their stories.

7.      Make a genuine commitment to God. A relationship with God is one of the most important relationships you’ll have—don’t fake it. You’re only hurting yourself if you pretend to be closer to God than you actually are.

8.      Don’t be afraid to ask for help. If you get overwhelmed, admit it—chances are someone will be more than willing to help you.

9.      Don’t leave things until the last minute. You don’t have to do everything immediately, but don’t expect things to magically fall into place at the last second.

10.   There is a light at the end of the tunnel. Sometimes life is bright and full of love, laughter, and friends. Sometimes it’s dark and lonely and you might wonder if you’ll even make it. This is all part of the growing process. Sometimes you get to learn by natural maturation, and other times you have go through the pain of making mistakes. Either way, one day you’ll look back and realize just how far you’ve come.