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Community Corner

Graduation Isn't the End of Making New Memories

Do you ever ask yourself, "Where has the time gone?"

The school year is just about to end.

Graduation announcements are being mailed, summer plans being made and students are talking about next year’s goals and plans. Come June 9, our 2011 graduating classes—fifth, eighth and 12th grades—will be off and entering a new phase in their lives.

Each of our graduating children will now be at the bottom of their class. They will be starting a new path, meeting new friends and gaining more responsibility. I know as kids enter middle school, high school, and even college, there is some apprehension. Not knowing what to expect can be a little frightening.

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We, as parents, worry about our kids adapting, making new friends and not being intimated by their surroundings. We can’t help but worry. However, after we learn of their first day of school and how great their day was, we put our worries on the back burner.

As adults, we have had years of learning how to adapt, change and accept change, but our kids are still learning. Our seniors, soon-to-be college freshmen, are off—some away from home—and no longer have mom and/or dad around to do laundry, cook, pick up after them and keep tabs on them. A big door has just opened.

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Knowing that my son will be graduating high school on June 9 thrills me; however, a bit of me is sad knowing that his high school days are over and some of his best times—and mine—are now memories and won’t have the opportunity to be repeated.

Now that my son is college-bound, I just can’t grasp that I will now have only one child in high school out of my three. I remember my son’s eighth grade graduation like it was yesterday. Where has the time gone?

I am excited for my son and excited to learn about his future experiences and thoughts. Is college what he thought it was going to be like? Is it as challenging as he had anticipated? How are his classes? Many questions go through my head, as I’m sure they do his, but I think my eagerness is higher than his.

I'm looking forward to hearing all about his first day of college—the beginning of more memories!

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