If you have been through a year of high school, you have probably experienced a good friend graduating. People wil say, “never be friends with a senior,” but no one ever listens. I know that personally, this year many of my closest and best friends will be going on to be adults and do real life things. As terrifying as it must be in their position, the thought of losing them is scary as well. The seniors are supposed to be older, guiding figures. Its reassuring to have hem there every day. In many ways they seem like older siblings. Losing them overnight and not being able to do anything about it is scary. Coming back to school the following year, you may find yourself going through the following stages.
Firstly, there will be denial. This will begin long before the new school year starts. As your friends begin applying to colleges you’ll trick yourself into thinking they won't actually leave. Then the time comes in the summer for them to pack up their stuff and leave. They may be in a different state, or even a different country. Still, when the next school year starts you’ll expect to walk in and have them be there. In your mind, things will continue exactly the way they were. After a couple of weeks it will begin to set in that your friends are truly gone.
After getting through denial, the resulting stage is anger. In the high school setting where the seniors have left, this is taken out on the freshman. People who make each club and experience fun leave, and the only replacement is some freshmen. Though the resentment doesn't always come from the personality of the freshmen themselves, it's easy to become angry that they're the ones that are supposed to fill in for the people you love, but they will never be the same. Even if the newbies are cool, you’ll still want your friends back. Though no matter how angry you get, it doesn't change the fact that the seniors are gone.
This will start the bargaining stage. You'll call them. Tell them to come visit and ask them to pick you up from school. You talk about graduating early. Most of all, you spend as much time with them as possible before they have to leave again.
When they do head back to their own lives, you reach depression. Missing a friend is one of the worst feelings. You can forget why you enjoyed the things you enjoyed together without them, but you learn to move on. You have no choice but to learn to move on. Eventually, you reach the final stage: acceptance. You realize that the people you miss are not gone for good. Sure, school is rough without them, but there are tons of other awesome people around you. You need to find one of those people and do for them what you friends did for you.
In the end, “don't be friends with a senior” is not the worst advice. It should not stop you, though. As much as it hurts to see them go, the pain you feel then is worth all of the amazing memories and moments you have with them. They will have to go out into the real world and do real life things and you will be cheering them on from the sidelines. Trust me when I say they appreciate the support, just like you appreciate the support they give you.
