You've already been through the beginning of your senior year. Walking through the doors on your first day, meeting up with your friends, your senior level classes. You've got your schedule down and been to the football games under the Friday night lights, you've done enough homework and now you're just ready to get out of here, right? The excitement has faded and now you're ready to dive headfirst into a cap and gown and sprint towards your diploma.
But let me tell you a secret: don't wish it away so fast.
I know you must have heard that a hundred times already. You've also probably heard that "these are the best four years of your life." And maybe even that you'll miss it once you graduate. For some of you, some of that may be true; some of it may not be true. But I can guarantee you, at least a tiny bit of your heart will miss being in high school.
Take memories of everyone you love, because for some of you, this could be the last time you ever see each other again. You don't know what could happen after graduation. You don't know what the future may hold. Everyone is going to be going their separate ways soon, whether it be with college, or work, or the military. You will all soon be starting your own lives, and those are the people you will want to look back on and remember during this time in your life.
As you're nearing the end, take some risks during the rest of your year. Wanted to try a new sport, but always been afraid to? Go after it. The cute boy who you've always wanted to talk to? Get his number. Go make a new friend. Join a new club. Dye your hair. Get involved. Go to basketball games. Dress up for spirit days. Don't let it slip away. You only get to go through this stage of your life once, so you might as well go ahead and make every moment count.
Make sure you're spending time with your family and friends. For some of them, these are the last memories they will have with you before you go to college. Get ready with your younger siblings in the morning. Talk with them on the way to school. Visit your grandparents more. Connect with old friends and make new memories. Bring your life full circle and walk away with nothing but good memories and no strings left untied.
Do not take for granted the easiness of your courses. Study hard and get good grades. Apply for as many scholarships as you can. College is ten times harder, I promise. I wish that I had realized how easy the courses were then as compared to now. College can and will be some of the most stressful times of your life. So please, enjoy being able to study the night before and ace the test while you can.
But most of all, it is okay to cry, it is okay to be upset. It is okay that you are going to miss these things. It is okay that you had so much fun in high school and it is okay that you aren't ready to grow up. To tell you a secret, almost no one is. But there is way more to life than just high school and being a teenager. I promise you that.
But for now, continue studying, making new memories, and living your life. Be wild, be crazy, because now is the time to do so. Make mistakes, fall in love, fall out of it and fall in love again. Make the rest of the year yours, because once you walk across that stage, nothing matters anymore. It's your senior year. Have fun. <3
