Graduation: a goal, an award, and a life changing event. Which is it?

All of them and more.

Graduating from high school is a major stepping stone in someone’s life. It could mean the end of school. It could mean the beginning of college. Or, it could mean the beginning of a career.

Those seniors that just graduated have a lot of life choices to make. If they have already made them, its coming time to put them into action.

Now is the time when proper planning pays off. College applications and scholarships become more important and are going to be used soon rather than “in the future,” because the future is now. Plans for getting a job, starting a career, or just as something to do start coming to fruition. More people are learning responsibility and how to behave like adults in the workplace.

Those that are taking time off in between high school and college, those that planned vacation, are salivating at how soon it happen. Looking at the calendar and letting the stress go away, because nothings due, nothing needs to be done, this time is theirs to keep and theirs alone.

To me, graduation means freedom — freedom from being required to be at school. I will continue going to college, but the choice is there. The possibilities are endless after being given that freedom.

— Kyler Lacey is an incoming senior at Kingston High School and a Running Start student at Olympic College.