Have you ever felt like a cartoon animal running towards a boulder?

In my biology classroom, there are four large slats of whiteboard. One of those slats is the “Shameme Board”, lovingly attributed to our biology teacher Dr. Shameah.

This Shameme board has all types of insider class jokes from the year and classic biology-dad jokes. There’s also a countdown until graduation, decision day for seniors, and days until summer.

Every day, I stare at that countdown and think about how fast time flies. I think about how when I was little, I was warned that with every year I gained under my belt, the faster time would move around me. And how much faster months and weeks sneak by.

On the day of me writing this essay, I’ll have exactly 81 days until I walk across the stage at graduation.

I currently feel like one of those cartoon animals that was traveling at the speed of light, great cartoonish running marks trailing behind me, when all of a sudden, I hit this boulder and I have to screech to a halt — the breaking sound ringing out. June 1st, the day that I graduate is my boulder and it’s approaching fast.

And while I’ve lived my high school experience fully from clubs to friends, I still feel like some of those running streaks are blocking my vision from the things that I went too rapidly past.

Now, I know I’m young. But know that adults feel the same way during certain chapters of their lives. This whirling feeling encompasses our lives and suddenly we look back and – oh, wait its April? Are we sure? I swear I just made a New Year’s Resolution, like yesterday.

All of high school I’ve been trying to find the balance of work and leisure. Currently, I don’t think I’ve found a balance that is comfortable for the worker (or the relaxer) in me. I want to make the most of life but also sit still with it. It’s a practice I think most people are still working on, and something I think is worth being aware of.

High school’s expiration date is looming in the shape of a boulder. Somewhere out there, an internal clock is ticking for us. So, next time you feel like you’re racing like a Looney Toon’s character (or maybe going cartoon sloth style), join me in trying to find that happy medium and hope that we make the most of the moment before we blink and oh no, it’s December!

Elisabeth Dellit is an 12th Grader at Jesuit High School. She enjoys reading, writing creative stories, baking/cooking and participating in her school’s drama program.