When you finally graduate high school, there is this wonderful fantasy that everyone dreams of where you never have to see anyone you graduated with ever again if you don't want to. You go off to your first year of college, and you make new friends. You get swept up in your new life, and the life you once lived only months before seems like it was a lifetime ago. But remember, it really wasn't that long ago that high school was your life. You lived day in and day out with the same people. Things like prom, AP classes, football games, and who-was-dating-who were your life. And while it's completely normal to feel so removed from that, you have to admit that at one time not too long ago, those things did matter to you.
But eventually, you have to come home. And usually when you are home, there are other people home that you went to high school with. You see them when you're out and about, and if you're lucky, you'll get a slightly forced smile and maybe a hello. And that's fine with me. Maybe we didn't really know each other, but I appreciate the recognition. But here is what has actually begun to bother me now that I have been home for summer break for nearly two months: when you just pretend you don't know me. I have had people who I used to talk to on a regular basis straight up ignore my hello in public (awkward). Or I can tell you are avoiding an interaction when I walk in and your face is in your phone or you won't break the trance with your feet. Well obviously I'll spare you, and I won't say hello either.
So when you really think about it, doesn't it seem odd? I hate to break it to you, but that fantasy of never seeing anyone from high school is not reality. Apparently it's way easier not saying hello than to just shoot me a smile and acknowledge that the went to school together for 13 years. But come on, we live in the same town, went to the same schools, graduated in the same smelly gym. We have all grown a lot over the past year or so. We've grown up and grown out of high school (hopefully). But apparently we have not grown up enough to just offer a polite hello.
I'll admit, I have done this a few times myself. I see someone that I vaguely knew headed in my direction, and I usually resort to shielding my face with my sunglasses and going incognito. But I think this is a habit that I am willing to break. I don't think you can ever be too kind, and maybe a hello is just what that person needs today.
So here's what I propose: if you have ever spoken to someone during your time in school, you should offer that person a friendly hello. They don't need to be your best friend, but just being nice and acknowledging that at some point in your lives you have talked is not going to do any harm. I am definitely going to try to work on this. If we went to high school together and you happen to be reading this article, you can acknowledge me in public. I don't bite, and the chances of me saying hi back are pretty good! Personally, anything that happened in high school I've just put behind me, because that's just a part of growing up. So I challenge you to just smile in the very least. If you're brave, maybe wave and ask how that person is doing. It might very well be exactly what they need to hear.
