by Audrey Farris ‘25

Senior year descended with a heavy weight, each tick of the clock echoing the relentless march toward graduation. My world was shifting, soundtracked by the echoes of 60s and 70s psychedelic rock. Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon became a constant companion, especially “Time” which wrapped itself around my soul.

The idea that nothing lasts forever started to sink in. Every moment felt precious and fragile as the months slipped away, and a quiet worry about what was coming began to grow. I found myself clinging to everything; Friday night football game with friends, hours spent working on the newspaper, the electric energy of Rock n’ Roll Revival. Each laugh, each shared glance, felt like a memory in the making, a whisper to my future self that said, “remember this.” I was running, trying to “catch up with the sun,” as the song so poignantly puts it, but it kept sinking, always just out of reach.

The opening lines of “Time” with its cacophony of clocks, became a metaphor for my senior year. Each day was a reminder that “the time is gone, the song is over,” or at least, that this particular chapter was drawing close. I found myself questioning how I was spending my time, wondering if I was truly living in the moment or just passively watching it slip away. The lyrics “ticking away, the moments that make up the dull day” resonated deeply, a challenge to break free from the monotony and embrace the experiences unfolding around me.

As I write this, there are only three weeks until graduation. When you read this, graduation will be just a day away. As I picture myself standing on that stage, diploma in hand, I’m flooded with a bittersweet sense of satisfaction. “Time” has reminded me of three truths. First, change is an inevitable aspect of impermanence. Change is scary, but change is necessary for growth. Second, life is worth living when we acknowledge our limited time we have to spend it. Third, trying to relive or overextend the same pleasant moment makes it invaluable.

This year has been a whirlwind, a blur of laughter and tears, triumphs and setbacks. Through it all, I’ve learned the importance of slowing down, existing in the present, and appreciating the people who have made my journey unforgettable. I’m endlessly grateful for the people in my life who pushed me to chase my dreams, even when I felt lost or uncertain. As the song reminds us, “no one told you when to run, you missed to starting gun,” but it’s never too late to start running, to start living, to start making the most out of the limited time we are given. And even if “ten years have got behind you,” the future is still wide open, waiting to be written