lauren stigers end of year

Everyone says junior year is the hardest thing ever and that you will hate your life and be miserable, but i beg to differ. I don't know if I was experiencing something different, but I didn't think it was bad at all. I'm used to how school works now and rarely had much homework to do at home. Yeah, the ACT and everything kinda stinks, and well I'm a bad test taker, so I have to actually prep for stuff like that, but this year has not been the treacherous thing that everyone makes it out to be. 
This year has seriously flown by. Even though I've done a lot, I don't as much as I thought I would. I can't believe we only have one year left of high school; I feel like it was yesterday being picked on for being a freshman. I don't think I've had any huge failures that ruined my life or had some horrible heartbreak that makes me hate my life, like the movies and everything make seem imminent. I have made some life-long amazing friends in high school, and I will hate to leave them for college. I recently have felt very fortunate to be happy and not depressed in high school. Going to a public school instead of a private school has given me a completely new perspective on life. Seriously so many people have gone through so much and have amazing stories if you just listen. I'm actually really enjoying this blog post because I fail to stop and reflect on my life. I enjoy staying busy, but sometimes I just need to chill and reflect on the day. At the end of the day, in my opinion, all that matters is being happy. There's a verse about this but I'm not sure of the exact words. High school has helped me find who I am and change my life into the right direction. I went swimming year around last year, which I am very happy with my decision to do so. I still get really frustrated not being as fast as I could have been, but I think it was for the best. I really hope to get better this summer and beginning of next year so that I can swim at the school that I want to and feel wanted not that they are doing me a favor by letting me walk on. Finding a "perfect college" and getting in would be my biggest goal for now. Focusing on getting a better act score and faster times will help me be successful in this. 
I am very excited for this summer and senior year, and I have both excitement and sadness thinking about leaving. I feel like I'm going to end up going far away and not get to see my friends very much, but I hope to meet amazing people. I like the idea of a new start and fresh people, not the same people I run into every weekend. I have taken risks and think that they helped me be who I am today. Yes, I have made a lot of mistakes, but I don't regret them very much because I think you have to make the mistake to learn from it a lot of the time. This summer I will wake up an hour earlier than school every day (wooh), give swim lessons, go to a second practice, and then attempt to have a social life. I will probably be a little sleep deprived, but whatevvaa. I am going to California in June to my cousin's graduation and to visit Pepperdine, the school I really want to go to as of right now. I hope to have an amazing summer and senior year with all the people I love here. Peace out blogs, it's been real :)