Dear High School Senior,
(This isn’t what you think)
When I graduated high school, I was extremely sad. Yes, I was one of ~those~ graduates that kept telling the upcoming seniors to “live in the moment” and “go to everything because it is your last time” and “enjoy the final days of high school because they are the best”.
Do not get me wrong, I loved high school, and I still encourage high schoolers to soak in the greatness that is High School. However, high school is not and never will be, the “best time of your life”.
High school for me was truly great. I went to a fantastic school with even better teachers. My senior year was when we won three state championships (football, lacrosse, and drama) (as you can tell, I am still proud) and my school spirit was through the roof. I loved my hometown and the friends I had and all the memories I hold from those days.
(just searching for this photo I got nostalgic, but an-t-ways)
When I went off to college, it was completely different and although I loved my school, I was constantly homesick. Whenever I went home, I always took a day to go back to my high school and visit all my teachers and reminisce about the good ‘ole days. Gag, I know.
Now, in my sophomore year of college, I am firmly established in Starkville, have the greatest friends a girl could ask for, and I am doing bigger and better things than I ever have in the past. I keep in touch with a tiny handful of my high school teachers, and I only talk to maybe 4 or 5 people from high school.
I am and will always be homesick because that’s just who I am, but it is not as severe. Whenever I do go back home, I love driving those backroads, but it is not like I miss them anymore. My old high school has a new administration, new teachers, and a senior class I barely know, so it isn’t MY high school anymore and I never visit.
If you are about to graduate, yes, please, enjoy the little moments. Enjoy the last sports game where you know the whole team’s names, enjoy all the homemade meals you get, enjoy your friends, enjoy your teachers, go to prom, go out to house parties, go to the lake, do anything and everything.
However, please know that this is not the best part. This is not even close. You are going to have so many more adventures once that part of your life is over. College is full of new people and new experiences in which you are going to thrive in. There are so many things ahead of you and so many memories you are going to gain.
I know a lot of people throw shade at those who live for the high school moment and in high school I never understood why, but once you spend some time on this side of things, you will understand.
And if you are one of those people just on the edge of your seat, ready to sprint to college as soon as they call your name at graduation, we are just as ready for you as you are for us. But hey, you will miss those backroads and that school sometimes and that’s okay. We all do.
High School was awesome for me, but college is 100 times better.
You are going to realize that as soon as you get here.
Take your time, enjoy your lasts, but buckle up and get ready for the actual best 4 years of your life!
Love,
Me
