With new experiences comes new emotions- whether it be fear, excitement, or a combination of both. The following future graduates fall on all ends of the spectrum.

“Everything here is the same. I’m ready for change and for a new ‘adventure’,” senior Maddie Lechner said.

Lechner, although graduating at the end of her junior year, said she feels mentally ready and beyond excited.

“I want to make new connections. Here, relationships are forced because of who you have classes with. I want to make my own choices and be more independent,” Lechner said.

Although a year younger than the rest of her graduating class, Lechner will be joining approximately eight others leaving a full year early.

“Honestly, I didn’t really like high school. I’m ready to leave,” senior Alex Bertubin said. “But seriously, more than anything I’m ready for a new experience.”

Senior Sara Metzger, while much more reserved, felt similar, within certain aspects, on her excitement, and lack of fear, for college.

“I think that I resolved a lot of fear about being a freshman back in high school. I’m not as scared of upperclassmen anymore and I’m much more confident than I was previously,” Metzger said. “I feel like college is an academic setting, while high school was more of a social setting, so I really don’t think upperclassmen are that concerned with freshman. I am so excited to be more independent and in charge of my life, and it should be a lot different than high school.”

Whether nervous or ecstatic, the transition from high school senior to college freshman occurs whether ready or not.

“I’m a way different person than I was in my freshman year of high school. I wasn’t ready last time, but I am this time,” Bertubin said.