Finally, it's your time to be the top of the school! It's senior year! Everyone always said that it would come in the blink of an eye, and boy they were not kidding. Before we know it we'll be walking across the stage being handed our diploma. So what do we do before we graduate? Of course we get those applications in and study our butts off. But how do we make the most of our final year as kids?
Looking back we don't want any regrets, and as much as most of us cannot wait to say goodbye to high school these are the moments that we will cherish when we're married with high school kids of our own.
We need to go to any and all school events we possibly can. Make the most of the little things like football games, homecoming, prom, pep rallies! Take pride in your school and indulge in school spirit. You'll have the most fun painting yourself in school colors from head to toe cheering on the boys of fall! Dress up with all the people you hold close and dancing the night away is a memory you will cherish forever, hold onto it. The time we have, now, will be a distant memory sooner than we think. When we look at old photo albums we'll want them to be filled from cover to cover. Our kids will want to see us living up every moment!
Hug your family members as often as you can. For those of us who plan to go to college, especially out of state, you'll miss waking up to your mom's pancakes, or telling your dad you love him before he goes to work. Your younger sibling who looks up to you will want to know when you're coming back to visit. Your family is your home, they are the heart of who you are, the people who helped mold you into the person you've become. As a parent they will want to cherish every last second you are under their roof. Help them make the most of it. They will want to treat you like a baby in this final year, let them. Let them help you pack your things or help pick out your clothes for the start of college. They are trying to hold on to their little girl or mama's boy as long as they have.
Strive to be kind, this goes for your whole life but as a senior many people look up to you. You don't know who you could've helped just by being kind. You may not remember the girl who sat behind you in math in 20 years, but she could hold onto the time you helped her with her homework. The kid you smiled at in the hallway could remember your smile forever simply because he was having a rough day. You could be friends with every person you're friends with now, but that may not be the case, hold onto to the people who pick you up when you're down and the ones who always have your back. It's important to know who those people are as well, know who to trust and who you shouldn't trust.
Thank any and every teacher that has helped you in the four years of high school. Every teacher works hard to teach and help you learn. Even the teacher you are not fond of cares about your work and who you strive to be. These are the people who stick around after hours grading papers, and extra credit, they are the ones who tutor you when you don't understand what you're doing. Giving them thanks is something they remember, they take pride in the student they help you be, and they love what they do every single day. A teacher is someone you shouldn't take for granted.
Leave a mark on your school. Be a big sister or brother to an underclassmen. You were just as scared and stressed three years ago as they are today. Be a mentor to them. Be someone to look up to, strive for greatness, you never know who could be watching you. Invite someone who eats alone to sit at your lunch table. Get to know them, and make them feel welcome. Acts of kindness are things the world needs more of, and beginning this in your school could spark a match.
Be who you are and don't let anyone bring you down. This is our year, the year where we'll be tested and where we'll go through hardships and staying true to ourselves is the most important thing. Some of us may need to find ourselves and that is okay. That is what high school is all about, learning who we truly are. Senior year is the year to dress up every single day for homecoming week, take action in events, and be a proud student. It is our time to shine and make everyone remember us!
Senior year will come to a close sooner than any of us can imagine. It begins with applications, essays and stress. Continuing on to football games, pep rallies and homecoming. Before you know it prom is here and then gone in a flash. Acceptance letters start rolling in, then it's senior week. Your senior class piles on a bus and head for your senior trip. Then you're getting release forms from teachers and completing exams. Then it's here, you're walking across the stage and shaking your principal's hand in exchange for your diploma. Then it's over. No more football games, no more pep rallies, no more proms. Take in every second because they are your last. It is so important to soak it all in because you'll want it back more than anything. So here we are, class of 2017. Let's soak it all in!
