Dear School,

I hate you.

You are so boring, so time-consuming, so emotional, such a popularity contest, so endless, so cold, so lonely, so... necessary.

No matter how much I just want to to be over each day, each week, each month... no matter how much I count down to the next break,

I know that once you're gone I'll miss you terribly.

I know that without you I'd be stupid.  I know without you my days would feel super short and I'd do nothing of importance.  I know without you I wouldn't have nearly as grand of a social life.  I know without you I wouldn't be very good at meeting new people or trying new things or being a leader or making deadlines.

I hate you because despite the fact that you're dull and in many ways irrational,

I need you desperately.

I want you to leave my life.  I want to graduate from high school.... but then I know that I'll probably have to go to college on top of that.  Possibly a lot of college, depending on what I decide to do with this life I've been trusted with. 

I want summer, because I want freedom,

but I know I'm just going to spend all of that time and freedom brooding over what I lost because of you.

You make people grow up. 

You make people new.

You make people stressed.

You make people smart.

You make people popular.

You make me quite conflicted.