As most Dublin High students simply anticipated their return to campus on August 14th, the rising senior class felt a surge of emotions indescribable in just one word. The impending idea of college apps, the frenzy of a final homecoming, and the disbelief that everything will change in just one year loomed over the heads of the class of 2018 as its members stepped foot on campus that final first day.

“It didn’t hit me until I went to bed that Sunday night,” said one senior, Presley Shum. “It’s strange, realizing that so much of what I do and say is for the last time, whether it’s homecoming or just cheering at football games.”

Other seniors didn’t feel the emotion hit until later into the year. Noah Bradley, a prominent member of the DHS drama department, noted that he didn’t feel different until casting began for the fall play, A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

“I started to get excited about getting to know the new drama members, the way I do every year, until I realized that I would finally be leaving and wouldn’t be able to bond with them over the next few years,” he noted. “I’m conflicted – I’m excited to see where I go, but it saddens me to know that I won’t be able to become as close with these younger members of our department.”

Other seniors only felt the typical back to school stress load on like never before. The unanticipated frenzy of college applications, senior workload, and other final projects and events quickly piled on for students.

“I was really excited to be a senior the first week, but now that I’ve gotten used to it, it scares me to be in the unknown in just a few months,” said Smruthi Balajee. “I really want to cherish this year, but it seems like I have no time to participate in everything that I want to experience in my last year of high school.”

No matter what perspective the extremely diverse senior class may take on its final year at Dublin High, every member of the class of 2018 has their own little part of the school that they will miss dearly after they walk across the stage on May 31st. Despite the challenges senior year is gearing up to throw at us, this class is ready to handle any obstacle in its path to leave its own lasting mark on DHS history.