Once a Warrior, Always a Warrior

Well, I am halfway done with the college application process. I have a few remarks to say about those...for all of you who have not yet begun your college application process, as convenient as the Common Application sounds, do not be deceived my friends. When you fill in the last blank and sigh as you click the 'next' button in confidence and relief, you will find this so called "supplement". The Common App is both deceiving and malicious. You will find yourself filling out other seemingly worthless questions in this said supplement. You sure got me, Common App. Excellent joke - you must have oodles of friends.

However, on a much more sentimental note, my senior year has been whisked away faster than a mere blink of an eye, cliche as it sounds. My freshman year, my dear friend and I used to joke about how our senior year would be filled with so many 'lasts'. And how we would cry; no, weep, at these lasts. Well, I now look back at that sick joke and realize just how true it is. My last homecoming week, my last homecoming dance, my last homecoming dance drama, my last powderpuff game, my last first Wednesday of the month of October...you get the picture. But one such last I want to talk about for a short minute is my last football game.

Much to the team's dismay, two of the starters were injured at the beginning of the season and our team took a large hit (actually many) as a result. It was not the football season many of us expected, but looking back, I wouldn't have traded one minute of it. My cheerleaders are some of the sweetest, funniest, and best girls I know. We have grown closer as a team then any of the teams since my freshman year. Being a co-captain was such a blessing and I loved getting to see all the girls grow this year. At the last football game on October 29 at Northeast Academy, I had a very significant last. Going into the game, I was so excited and didn't think much of the 'last game' concept, but as the night grew, it started hitting me. My last first quarter, second and third, and finally fourth quarter. In that game, we cheered with the 'old motions', which were absolutely absurd. But for those last few minutes, repressed memories began to flood me. I knew it wouldn't be this way ever again. I was about to close a chapter in my life. And as I cheered for the final touchdown, a stream of emotions filled me. However, I had not cried. The clock struck 0:32, Amanda and I looked at each other, and called our final cheer; the one we close with every game. Through stomps and screams, we yelled 'you may be rough, you may be tough, but you don't have that warrior stuff' 3 more times. On the last time through, my eyes filled with tears. I struggled to get through the last few words, finished, and cheered my departing motions. I looked to my left to see Sloane crying also, and suddenly a felt less awkward. I looked to my right only to see a lake had formed by Amanda's tears. All of the cheerleaders assembled and silently walked over to the huddle for the last time. The last time we would surround them, the last time I would hear Coach Sutton's extraordinarily inspiring speeches. "Once a warrior, always a warrior" were the words that resounded through the huddle. The only thing keeping me from losing it was looking over and seeing Amanda's broken tear ducts supplying enough tears for all of us. After our final huddle, we left. So where did the time go? Wasn't it just last week, we made our first banner of senior year, were struggling to remember all the cheers, and sweating through our uniforms? Wasn't it just the beginning of fall? Oh, how I wish time would slow down, just for a minute.

And I go back to watchin' summer fade to fall
Growin' up too fast and I do recall
Wishin' time would stop right in its tracks