Dear Cousins,
That probably sounds strange and distant, but not to you, dear cousins. To you, you know it’s a strange term of endearment used to playfully annoy each other. I wanted to take some time and write to you three. I wanted to tell you about the high school experience you’ll be starting in a few months. So here’s a letter from your cousin at the wise old age of nineteen.
I know you always hear me talk about how much I hated high school. I complained endlessly about everything; but, we’ll get to that in a moment. I wanted to talk about something more positive. I wanted to tell you not to worry about making friends. Believe me, you will. You have all chosen schools that are big and accepting enough that you will. Regarding old friends, it is totally, one hundred percent okay to lose a few during your transition. It will happen and I want you know right now that sometimes it’s no one’s fault. People change and grow differently, because you will eventually find other friends, I want you to know how important these people can be to you, if you let them. I want you to hang on to them even when things get hard because they can make your high school experience so much better.
You are ready. Maybe you have no doubt that you are ready right now, and then you’ll be standing in front of those huge red doors, or you’ll be looking at the black and red detailing of your hallways and commons, or maybe you’ll even make it to lunch and realize you don’t know where to sit and you’ll think, “Why the hell am I even here?” Your stomach may bunch in knots and you may feel your pulse begin to rise but I want you to know something. You’re there because you’re ready. You’re ready to expand your horizons, meet new people and do new things. You’ve got this, I promise. Take a deep breath and ask to sit with that guy/girl in your math class. You’ll find that you are more than capable to handle the first day of being a “fish”.
Now, like I said before, you’ve heard me talk about how much I hated my high school. While it had its problems, I would like to go on the record at least once and say I definitely enjoyed parts of it. This where I want to tell you to get involved. You are all so smart- little geniuses- so I know I don’t need to tell you to maintain your grades. I want to tell you to try things outside of your comfort zone. Keep practicing your choir, your instrument and writing to your creative heart’s content but join a club just for the fun of it or go the occasional football game. You’ll find you’ll come to love the Friday night lights. You will create memories and maybe even learn a little more about yourself.
You will get stressed. I'm sorry in advance but it's true. It will be stress you've never known because you will sleep tremendously less than you ever have. Stress can and will keep you up at night and make you edgy and moody. Everyone has their own way of coping and I suggest you learn as quickly as you can what your method is. However, learning how to organize and prioritize is a big help so I'd start there.
Most importantly, I wanted to tell you to stay true yourself. I know it’s hard when you want to fit in. I know you think right now that staying true is a no-brainer. However, even the smallest compromise can lead to exponential breeches of personal morals. I want to encourage you to keep your parents in the loop. This is a mistake we all make. I know it might sound scary, I know it sounds like a cliché but believe me when I say that they know more than you think and can prove to be way more useful than you ever thought possible.
Lastly, you have me, ready to help you along the way. You’re ready, you’ve got this.
Love,
Your Cousin
