You only get one senior year. That’s it. One shot to live it, remember it, and leave it behind, so make it count.

Go to every event. Seriously, every single one you can. Wake up earlier than usual for Senior Sunrise. Cheer at rallies until your voice is gone. Sit in the bleachers for at least one football game, especially if it’s a rival game. Feel the energy under the stadium lights, the crowd around you buzzing, your classmates in green and gold. Go to the Senior Barbecue and Prom. Dress up, take pictures, and dance like nobody’s watching. If you’re invited, go to Senior Recognition Night, and soak in the applause. Be at Senior Sunset when the sun goes low one last time as high school winds down. And don’t miss Grad Night; it’s one of the last times you’ll be together as a class.

If money’s tight, don’t give up on going. Talk to an assistant principal. They want you to be there and will help you find a way.

Don’t waste this year standing in the corner thinking you’re too “cool” to care. That mindset will leave you with nothing but missed memories.

Be present. Be social in your classes. Turn and talk to your table. Laugh during breaks. Stay after to ask a teacher about their life, not just your grade. Make new friends. Maybe the kid sitting near you today becomes someone you stay close to tomorrow, or maybe not. But either way, you’ll never know if you don’t try. Step outside your comfort zone. Say hi first. In a few months, none of the awkward moments will matter.

And while you’re at it, just ask them out. That person you’ve had a crush on all year? Say something. Maybe it’s a good story, maybe it goes nowhere. Either way, it’s not that deep, and you won’t regret trying. Trust me, I know.

And outside of school, go. Just go. Say yes. Go to the beach, even if it’s cold. Go out to eat at midnight. Wander around Los Angeles with no plan. Have sleepovers, movie nights, bonfires, road trips. Sit on rooftops, drive with the windows down, blast your favorite songs with people who feel like home. Everyone’s got a car now. Use that freedom. Go everywhere and nowhere, together. Because the truth is, you don’t know the paths people will take after this. Some friendships fade, some stay, but all of them mean something right now.

Senior year is messy, exciting, and a little heartbreaking. It’s full of memories you don’t even notice until they’ve already happened, but that’s what makes it beautiful. So, take it in. Live all of it.

One day, you’ll miss even the moments you didn’t think mattered.