Dear second semester senior,
Firstly, I would like to congratulate you on all of your accomplishments. I am sure you’ve faced challenges both academically and socially within these past four years of high school. At this point in time, you probably can’t wait to get out of the little bubble of your hometown and venture out into the world. You are probably just beginning to prepare yourself for college, which is a very emotional process. You may feel confused and find yourself wondering, “how did I get here?” or “what next?” Remember that we’ve all been there. Just only a year ago, I was in this anxiety filled time myself. As someone who has difficulty adjusting to change, you could only imagine, I was an anxious mess, as you may be now, but don’t fret. Below is a list of 15 pieces of advice I had wished someone had told me as I started my second semester of senior year.
1. Celebrate your acceptance.
First things first, you’ve worked so hard and have accomplished so much. Getting accepted into a university is a huge milestone in life. Take pride in yourself: celebrate hard and wear your school’s colors.
2. Spend time with your family.
We all went through a phase where we thought we were too cool to hug our mothers in public, laugh at our fathers embarrassing, “typical dad” jokes, or actually show affection toward our siblings. Don’t act ashamed of your family. Appreciate all that they have done to get you to this point in life. Trust me, you’ll miss them more than you think. Even if your family does get on your nerves from time to time.
3. Find something you love.
With all this newly found free time on your hands, it’s a good idea to be engaged in something. No matter the activity, I guarantee that it will provide a social outlet, allowing you to meet people with common interests. It doesn’t necessarily have to be a club, or anything school related. It can even be as simple as going to the gym with a buddy. Just find something to prevent you from becoming lazy.
4. Slack off a little.
Although it’s important to not bomb all your classes, getting perfect grades shouldn’t be your priority now that you’ve been accepted into college. Hangout with friends and create lasting memories. Don’t spend all day at a desk reading a textbook and going through flashcards.
5. Just say "yes."
You know, the one that’s always had a thing for you, or the one you thought would never work out, or the guy that’s completely “friend-zoned” even though you crush on him anyways? You never know what could've been until you give it a shot, and who knows it could form a beautiful relationship. Now might be the last opportunity to take the risk.
6. Explore your hometown.
Although you probably have a mental countdown of the days ‘till college, it’s important to stop and smell the roses. Don’t be in too much of a hurry to leave; admire your hometown. Go on mini adventures, like driving through neighborhoods, shopping locally, and trying new restaurants.
7. Reconnect with old friends.
Throughout your four years of high school, I’m sure many of your friendships have endured drama, while others haven’t. Or perhaps you and a friend have just simply grown apart, and thats perfectly okay. However, there’s no reason to leave high school on bad terms with anyone. Especially if there was no true reason why the friendship fell apart in the first place. Make amends with those people. Don’t let a valuable friend slip away from you. You never know when you may need each other.
8. Reach out to people attending the same school as you.
Once you have committed to a school, connect with people! Although you don’t need a pre-determined clique to start school with, it’s comforting to have familiar names and faces to say hi to during move-in.
9. Stop caring about what people think.
It’s time to be selfish and to do things for yourself. Don’t waste time impressing other people and don’t fear judgment. Realize that your time before moving away is precious and should only be spent doing what you want. Including going to school in sweats with no makeup on if you so desire.
10. Try to get a job in one form or another.
Whether it’s babysitting, working at a store or restaurant, interning, or doing community service, a job is a great way to teach yourself responsibility and time management. Two crucial skills that you will need to succeed in college. Plus, it’s always nice to have a few extra bucks in your pocket.
11. Go to prom.
It doesn’t matter if you have a date or not. I can almost guarantee you that you will regret not going. It’s a nice way to celebrate the end of high school and it’s also a great opportunity to say goodbye to people that you won’t see over the summer.
12. Take lots of pictures.
With friends, with family, and of places. Second semester senior year is a memorable time in your life. You’ll want them for college when your feeling homesick, and in general, you’ll want them for life. Make your memories tangible, so one day in the near or far future, you’ll be able to reflect on your glory days of high school, as cheesy as that sounds.
13. Do “childish” things.
Go to the zoo, color, jump on a trampoline, and revisit old happy places. Simply because you can. Celebrate being care-free. Doing so will teach you to appreciate the little things in life.
14. Learn how to take care of yourself.
Physically and mentally. Getting sick or stressed and upset every once in a while is evident in college, and while you might make friends that do genuinely care about you, they also have busy schedules and might not be at your beck and call 24/7. Learning how to be independent, even when your not at your best, is important for the next step in your life.
15. End toxic friendships.
Don’t waste the little time you have left with people that bring you down. Although it may be hard, it’s important for your happiness and your health to surround yourself with supportive and caring people during this emotional roller coaster, called second semester of senior year.
