My Dearest Friends Still In High School,
I know most of you are tired of the early morning practices and seven-hour school days, and exhausted from seeing the same faces each day. You're annoyed with the busy work given and frustrated with the teachers who you don't think understand your "senioritis." You feel ready to get out into the real world, to be on your own and to move away to go to college. Trust me, I know how you're feeling. I was in your shoes less than a year ago. All I wanted was to graduate and move on to bigger and better things. It can be a tough time to get through.
Deciding where to go to college can be a tricky and complicated decision. There are those who know that they want to go as far away from their home as possible. There are those who've known where they would attend college since they were in diapers. There are those who love their hometown and want to stay as close as they can. A word of advice when deciding which institute to attend next year is to look at all of your options and to follow what your heart says. That's what I did, and I couldn't be happier with where I am.
High school is only four years of your entire life. Looking at it right now, it can seem like such a long and pointless time in your life. Trust me when I say you'll look back on your high school days and will be thankful for the memories that you did make. It goes by a lot more quickly than you may think or feel. Enjoy the busy work and the tests given in high school. You've probably heard people say that college isn't easy, and they're 100 percent correct. And as important as homework is and grades are, don't forget to cherish these last few months spent with your high school friends. Not all of your friends will attend the same college as you, and it's tough when it comes.
Smile every day. Be happy. Don't let the drama within your friend groups get to you. You only have one semester left with these people. Enjoy it. You will be in college in about six months. That means you won't have your parents living under the same roof as you to give you advice or a dog to cuddle with when you're cold or feeling lonely. You may not be able to see your best friend on their next few birthdays, but you can right now. Instead of daydreaming about your future, remember to live in the moment. Soon, you will be waking up in a small dorm room next to a person you may or may not know too well. I promise everything with be alright and you will have no regrets if you live in the present.
