When you bike, there is a period of time in the middle when the greenery blurs and fades, the world narrows to a small point of light in the middle of a tunnel, and all that can be heard is the wind as it whips around your helmet and rushes past your ears with the roaring of a freight train. I think that the end of the year is a little like that.

When I wake up nowadays, I repeat a little mantra. “I am a senior in seven days.” “I will apply for college in five months.” “I am 17 in 17 days.” And it feels a little like that tunnel vision I described, except the future is approaching so very quickly, and I am more scared than anything else that I will not have any preparation to deal with it.

On the other hand, I am excited. With growing up comes more responsibilities but also more trust from others and more new experiences. And to be honest, that tunnel vision starts to fade a little when I think of that.

P.S. Congrats to next year’s sports editor, Vincent! You are going to do a great job.

Sincerely,

Avantika Vivek