The class of 2013 walked, for the last time, through the doors of McNeil and onto the stage of the Cedar Park Center Friday. The graduation ceremony was full of meaningful speeches from students and faculty, inspiring music from the choir, and many smiles from graduates.

“It was great seeing everybody all together and happy,” senior Aria Agarwal said. “I loved remembering the good memories we’ve shared together.”

Even though the graduation ceremony had many happy moments, some seniors had mixed feelings about graduating.

“It’s a very bittersweet feeling,” senior Gareth Deakes said. “Because you get to become an adult and do a lot more stuff, but at the same time you’re leaving a big part of your life, which is hard.”

After four years together, many seniors have become close friends. In fact, friendships are one of the things that seniors are going to miss the most.

“I’m probably going to miss my band family the most,” Deakes said. “They’re a big part of my life, and they helped me get through high school.”

Because many people are moving on to college, they will be experiencing new ways of learning. Some seniors are going to miss the environment of high school classes.

“I am going to miss the diversity,” senior Geneva Brock said. “I’ll miss the mixing of all different ideas in a learning situation.”

The graduation ceremony was, for most people, a wake-up call that made some students realize all that they were going to miss about McNeil.

“Graduation is bittersweet,” Agarwal said. “It really hit that I’m going to have to say goodbye to my friends and family.”

Although seniors are going to miss many things about McNeil and high school life, they have goals and hopes for their futures.

“I am looking forward to many things,” Brock said. “I am most looking forward to figuring out what is left to learn.”

These students have been Mavericks for four years and are ready to move on and follow their dreams.

“I’m looking forward to life,” Deakes said. “McNeil has taught me almost everything I know, so I’m looking forward to the tests that life will bring me.”