GRADUATES LOOK BACK AT LIFE'S LAUNCHING PAD

Some people say high school is the best time of your life. But is it really?

High school is a time for parties and dating, but also studying and homework. Seniors have the best and worst of these worlds as they make preparations for their futures.

During the summer, Y-Press talked with four recent high school graduates -- Matt Willmore, Brittainy Quillin-Rangel and Nate Littlefield, from Pike High School, and Robbie Griffo, who attended Scecina High School but graduated from Manual High School -- about their high school experiences and future plans.

While all four faced the same decisions, they chose different paths. Matt is going to Purdue University for computer science; Brittainy is at Berea College in Kentucky to study theater and music; and Nate has been accepted at the University of South Florida with a major in music and art production.

Robbie is going into the logistics field of the Marine Corps. He explained: "I've seen a lot of people fail college, and I didn't want to waste my family's money or waste loan money just to go party somewhere and not get an education. I decided by going into the military, if you don't really want to pursue the education, you get a lot of training in a technical field.''

All of these teens had to make many choices before they settled on their plans after high school. Many of these difficult decisions come during the senior year.

What motivated them as they chose among the many possibilities?

"I chose it because it was a huge risk, and I like taking risks,'' Brittainy said.

Nate and Matt were more practical.

"It's what I'm interested in. It's what I want to do with my life,'' Nate said.

"I chose to be where I know I can be successful,'' Matt added.

But the final decision doesn't always come easily.

"You start thinking more about what you want to do in a career, what you want to do with your life.

"You're actually gonna work for a job that you're gonna put towards a career, make a life out of it,'' Robbie said.

In many ways, these teens said, high school prepared them for the decisions they had to make.

"Being involved (in school activities) got me interested in a lot more things,'' said Matt.

Likewise, Nate said that taking a wide variety of classes improved his study habits. He became "more down to earth and better prepared'' through the years, he said.

Brittainy said she learned to express herself. "It's made me more articulate. I'm more of an individual, kind of in your face sometimes.''

Robbie said being on Scecina's golf and baseball teams benefited him in the long run. "Being part of a team, it helps you work with others better and just helps you in situations as far as dealing with people.''

But all of them had regrets about their high school years.

Brittainy said she overextended herself. "(I was) getting in way over my head and being stressed out all the time.''

Nate regrets "getting involved with the wrong crowd,'' while Robbie and Matt said they should have studied harder.

These graduates have some advice for incoming freshmen:

"Don't wait for the end of your high school career to start looking for something. Start planning for it early in your freshman year. Pick a goal and work for that goal,'' Robbie said.

"Don't make judgments about people,'' Brittainy advised. "Just go in with an open mind and accept everyone and learn everything you can about people.''

"Study hard,'' Matt and Nate agreed.

These teens are anticipating some of the changes that lie ahead for them.

Brittainy expects to find "a lot more freedom,'' but with a trade-off. "I have a very close family, and it's gonna be scary being 5 1/2 hours away from them.''

While Matt thinks life will be "a lot more difficult, it'll also be a lot more fun and a lot more challenging.''

"I just hope for the best,'' Nate said.

While the Pike graduates will miss the people they've gotten to know in high school, Robbie misses the simplicity of high school life. "You don't have to worry about bills to pay,'' he said.

"While you're in high school, you think, 'Man, it's a drag, getting up every morning, going to school all day. I can't wait until I'm out; it's gonna be so great.'

"But when you're out, you're like, 'That was really such an easy thing.'

"There's always something to do in high school. There's always new people you're meeting. It was great.''

ASSISTANT EDITOR: Mike Leaming, 17.

REPORTER: Chad Flowers, 13.