School is back in session, and it’s a bittersweet moment for seniors with emotions running high across the board. 

Estefani Aguilar Rodriguez said that while “there are a lot of mixed emotions coming into senior year, I’m excited for all the events the class cabinet members have planned for us. I am ready to let go and go onto the bigger and better things, but I will miss school, messing around in class or lunch and talking about the latest gossip. I will also miss my friends and teachers that have helped me throughout high school.”  

Aguilar Rodriguez also mentioned that her junior year was her most difficult because she had a full schedule, projects to finish and still had to prepare herself for the ACT, “which was a bit stressful, but I still managed.”   

She added that she has more of an anxious-excited feeling now because she’s ready for this year and is looking into colleges, applying and writing essays for scholarships. “It feels more real that now I will be moving onto college and making a career for myself.”  

Aguilar Rodriguez added that while she has had her down moments by going “through lots of emotional roller coasters,” she said she’s tried to look at the brighter side and learn from experience. “Some friendships don’t last forever, and that’s OK. You’ll have friends that bring you up and some that will bring you down; you don’t always need to have someone by your side,” she said.  

Neftaly Aguilar-Martinez said she is feeling emotional yet happy because she’s going to be graduating in May. At the same time, however, she is “looking forward to creating lasting memories with my friends.”  

For the rest of the school year, Aguilar-Martinez said she is “extremely excited for the senior activities.”  One of Aguilar-Martinez’s favorite memories so far has been her trip to Washington, D.C., this summer with Educators Rising. 

“It was very memorable and fun. My friend and I made a children’s book and got second place here in Nebraska which also qualified us to go to nationals where we competed and got sixth place in the nation.”  

Aguilar-Martinez also said she is nervous about how different college will be from high school. Growing up, she said she was very shy, “but through the years, I have been more involved with school and getting to know more people which has helped me grow my leadership and communication skills.” 

She added that she also felt like her junior year was her most difficult because of the classes she had and the ACT. However, “I pushed through it and got my work done whenever I had time to because I didn’t want it to pile up.”