“Bye!” I said to my parents as I walked into the large auditorium.

“Good luck!” they responded. They smiled and waved at me.

“We are finally leaving this school!” I exclaimed to my friend, Tygerlily. She grinned.

Tygerlily, and I weaved through the crowds of proud parents bragging about their children. The auditorium was huge. There were rows of wooden seats and a large stage sat in the front. Finally, we found our class and sat down. Tygerlily was wearing a pink dress with ruffles on the bottom. Her golden blonde hair rested on her shoulder.

I stared down at my own outfit. I felt proud in my blue dress and gold ballet flats. After all, I was graduating. After what seemed like forever, the ceremony started. The families and friends of graduating students began filing in from the back of the auditorium. They competed with each other for the chairs in front. I peered through the crowd, looking for my family. I hoped they were in the middle section, where the stage was the most visible. When everyone had a seat, we began. Everyone rose to sing “The Star Spangled Banner” and recite the Pledge of Allegiance. Our voices bounced off the walls of the auditorium, and rang in our ears. After that, the entire fifth grade sang “Firework” by Katy Perry. We had practiced a lot during rehearsals, and all of us were excited to have an audience. When we finished belting out “Firework,” the teachers called us up. I watched as Tygerlily pranced proudly across the stage. She was grinning as she took her diploma and shook my fifth grade teacher, Mrs. Corcoran’s hand. I was nervous watching my classmates stride across the stage. I felt slightly nauseous, and my heart began to beat faster. What if I tripped and fell in front of everyone?

Finally, my name was called. As I began to walk across the stage, I felt like I was crossing a violent river. The lights shined bright in my eyes, blinding my vision. When I looked out at the audience, I saw the many parents watching my every move. I approached Mrs. Corcoran swiftly. She smiled at me as she handed me my diploma and shook my hand. As I descended from the stage, I was excited. I didn’t mess up, and I was graduating! I was going to leave elementary school at last.

Looking back at my elementary school years, I regret wanting to speed through life. I never slowed down and appreciated the small things. I complained about having to read a half hour each day, and I didn’t appreciate the field trips. I didn’t know how lucky I was to be getting such an amazing education. I just wanted to leave.

Now, I am almost finished with middle school. I keep saying how quickly time went by since I entered this building for the first time. How could I be graduating in a month? I have been able to slow down and enjoy the past few years since sixth grade, and I am truly thankful for my school. I have had amazing teachers who I will remember forever, and the students here are great. I will always treasure every memory that I’ve made at my middle school. I’m not looking forward to starting over again.