It’s that time of the year. It’s spring, and more importantly, it’s also the season that I’ll be spending with the coveted title of “second-semester senior.”

What, really, does the title mean, and why do so many of my classmates wear it with pride? For one thing, for most of us, it actually has substance now: many colleges and universities have sent out their decisions. Over the last week, I’ve heard more college talk than during the rest of the year combined, and I can’t blame the people involved: excited seniors, anxious juniors.

Now that the process is finished, I can finally look back and realize that however I tried to ignore it, the mere prospect of college was like a looming shadow throughout my four years at CHS – always there, always watching. As a freshman, I was warned by the counselors that my GPA “mattered” now. The next year, there was a recommended pre-PSAT for sophomores. Then standardized tests came in full force, and it seemed, often, like we were running a race toward some nebulous impression that many of us had no idea about, at least in terms of its real nature. And all in the name of the future.

Why do I say this? Because college, to most high school students I’ve ever met, no matter where they’re from, is something that comes with a rather sour connotation. The word inspires nervous fear and trepidation – and there are too many students that I see not really looking where they’re going. Their heads are in the future, and high school becomes some sort of temporary resting place in preparation for the next big step.

They say that Clayton is an experience in itself, one not to be taken for granted and ignored. I wholeheartedly agree, but we’ve lost sight of that fact. It was in that mindset that this month’s cover story came about. Because Clayton is not just a place – it’s a community and there are certain people that make it tick. You may not see them from behind your chemistry textbook, or your phone, or your laptop, but they’re there, and trust me, they are vital. For this issue, they’ve shared a slice of their lives for your enjoyment. They aren’t just janitors, secretaries, people behind the proverbial curtain. They make Clayton what it is.

So, for this month, and for all the students reading this, I’d like to impose a little challenge – no matter where you are in school or in your college process. Try to see CHS for what it is and what it’s worth, not just as a transitory state, but as an experience every bit as valuable as they promise college will be.