Rock and Roll High School

Well, we made it. We made it one more school year to the last day of the year. The cheerleader is taking the last of her exams and then is excused at 12:30pm to leave early on her last day as a junior at her high school. This means that as of that time, we will have a senior on our hands. As we waved her off to school, this morning, I immediately got a mixed bag of emotions that started to wash over me. Happy that she has arrived to this level, disbelief that we have arrived at this level and a general...where did the time go? Where. did. it. go????

In my ever changing moods, today I sit here both proud and confused. I know that it's not the official start to senior year but for some reason, I am highly emotional about it. I know it's not graduation year, but look how fast this past year went. Look at how fast high school has sped by. Next year will be here before I know it and I need to get myself in check. I cannot spend her entire senior year in a heap of emotional tears.

I know that I wasn't emotional when I left my high school on the last day of my junior year. I mean, we were all excited that we were to be the Senior Class of 1982 but no way were we all mushy about it. I know my mother wasn't. I don't think our parents got all senitmental about every milestone, back then. It was more like, oh, you're out for summer? Who cares if you are now a senior? Here is your list of chores, get a summer job and don't bug us. Okay...lol.

I do remember walking out of school on our last day of junior year and piling into one of our pal's oversized family car. Or maybe it was her car. Back then, family cars and student cars pretty much looked the same. A lot of the cool guys had hot cars and some of the girls had cute little cars but for the most part, you drove what your parental units handed down to you or bought for you with a couple hundred dollars. Anyway, I just remember piling in, heading off to a day of sunshine, the park, our entire class hanging out while lounging on the grass of the park, drinking beverages that will just remain nameless. But, as I always stress, it was the early 80s and we were of age! I think. Or, wait, not yet in the end of our junior year. Oh well. It was all innocent fun.

I remember that feeling of walking out into the sunshine, that day. The summer stretched ahead with endless possibilities, there were parties to attend, swimming and sunning, working at the local mall, meeting up with pals every single night. We were young, the summer was long and we were entering the most exciting year of high school...Senior Year!!

So, while I am nostalgic, today, and excited for the cheerleader, I still sit and wonder..is the summer before your senior year still as exciting as it was for us in 1981? And, if so....I think I should be very scared. Happy...proud...and planning to keep a watchful eye out for the girls of summer, aka, the cheerleader and her pals.