Graduation: the receiving or conferring of an academic degree/diploma. But what does graduating mean to the students and the staff who has gotten them to this point in their lives?

In just a couple of weeks the senior class of Mayfield High School will be moving onto a new stage in their lives. Senior Jake Agresta believes that four years has flown by. Agresta said, “I’m shocked. I can’t wrap my head around how fast high school went by.”

There are approximately 728 days in your high school career, give or take a few. Each year students count down the days until they’re out of school, but it seems they all realize that those 728 days fly by in the blink of an eye.

“I feel bittersweet about graduation,” said senior Bojana Jovanovic, who serves as a senior class delegate. “I’m super excited, but at the same time I might miss high school in college, even though my experience wasn’t as great as I thought it would be.”

Assistant Principal for Student Affairs Grades 11-12 Jane Perry feels that graduation is a major event filled with excitement and it deserves celebration. “I find graduation to be one of the most exciting events that you have in your high school career. So, I get very excited for the students and their families,” said Perry.

Although students and staff are reminiscing about high school memories and having to leave them behind, they also realize that there’s a new and exciting future waiting for them.

“Change is inevitable. I know I can’t stay in high school forever, and I want to make something good out of myself in the future,” said Agresta.

Perry views graduation as a time to reminisce on the great achievements the students have made. Perry said, “It’s really amazing to see the pride from families and staff who are there at the commencement ceremony to celebrate the tremendous accomplishment that our students have achieved, so I always look forward to it.”

Jovanovic also agreed it’s time for a change. “Everything is going to change after [graduation]. And I need a change from the same people I’ve seen every year since middle school,” she said.

Principal Jeffrey Legan believes the seniors will miss high school a lot more than they realize. “I don’t think that the seniors know what they feel about graduation. They say that they’re excited to leave, that they’re ready to move on, but I can’t tell you how many college freshman or just recent graduates come back and say how much they miss it and they didn’t realize the experiences that they had,” said Legan.

Both Agresta and Jovanovic agree that leaving everything behind isn’t going to be easy. In high school students realize who their true friends are and who they want to be, and leaving it all behind can be difficult.

“I’m really going to miss all of my friends because I’ve known most of them for 6-10 years. A lot of us are going to be attending different colleges from all over and we won’t be able to see each other all the time like we did in high school,” Agresta said.

Legan is going to miss everything the senior class has brought to the high school. “[I’m going to miss] the personalities,” Legan said. “Every senior class has their own unique personalities, but this one is a lot of fun; a sincere, happy-go-lucky class. I really like this class a lot.”

“I am going to miss my group of friends, but I know we’ll try to visit each other on the weekends,” said Jovanovic.

Not only will Perry miss the senior class next year, but also the imprints that each student has made in her life.

“You genuinely, in this career, learn to appreciate interacting with the students and the gifts that they bring to share everyday with each other and the teachers, so you always feel kind of an empty space for them in the hallway when they leave. You get to have those fun interactions and get to know them as individuals. I think each graduating senior leaves something behind with each staff member here,” said Perry.

Leaving high school also means leaving behind a lot of memories, but both seniors were able to pick out things that they wouldn’t miss at all. “I’m not a morning person,” said Agresta, “so, I definitely won’t miss waking up early every day for school.”

Jovanovic jokingly said, “I’m not going to miss passing time and all of the freshman who don’t understand to stay on the right side of the stairs.”

But overall, both Agresta and Jovanovic are looking forward to attending Cleveland State University and Kent State University in the fall. As they turn this new page in their life, there will be plenty more achievements and friendships made.

Legan and Perry both have parting advice as to the seniors as they move forward.

“Graduation is my most favorite day in the school year and that’s because it’s such a great celebration of everything that the students have achieved from kindergarten through their senior year. It’s the end of a chapter, but it’s also a new beginning for everyone,” said Legan. “You go in feeling nervous and you walk out just feeling refreshed.”

“Each day you’re going to be just working your hardest and doing your best, and no matter what role you’re in, you’ll have a positive impact in our world,” Perry said. “So, hopefully our seniors have that, have that confidence in themselves to be able to take that out and be proud as Wildcats.”