#1: The end

The phrase "the end" marks the end of a chapter. Or book. Or movie. Or when you kill the enderdragon in Minecraft (sorry, I had to). My point being, an "end" concludes an era. I've always regarded these "the end"'s as a sign of hope. Maybe after this "the end", all the main character's conflicts have floated away - a true "happily ever after". 

Or so I thought...

A week ago, I was scrolling on YouTube (a common occurrence), when I came across a vlog. "My last day of senior year", it was titled. As I peered closer into the screen, the cover image caught my eye: on top of an artistic collage filled with pictures of the YouTuber, it said "the end". Staring at those puffy, white letters led me to a realization: this is my "the end". I am the main character of this novel, and this is my "the end". 

Over the course of the week, I spent countless hours pondering. How many "the end"'s in my life have gone by unnoticed? What happened after each "the end"? Did my worries float away? Why did I never notice? Why now?

As I sit here, verbalizing my thoughts, I am uneasy. My entire life has turned into a set timeline. 8 months ago, I was taking my junior year midterms, worried about my SAT and AP tests. In less than 2 months, I'll be submitting my Common Application. After 6 months, the "senior-itis" will hit (as if it hasn't already). The finish line is approaching all too quickly. In 8 months, I will be throwing the cap and tassle I hastily ordered last week, in the air, as my friends share tearful goodbyes: "the end". 

I only have one issue: I don't know what happens after the last page of the novel is turned.